The
undying optimism and creative genius of Gurudev was evident in his 10.15 am
Session on the 19th. It felt so because despite our defiance to his
teachings, he was not tired and kept on working on himself to come up with new
and novel ways of communicating the teachings of our Rishis, for our own good.
The
adjective ‘creative genius’ is not enough to tell the readers about how
painstakingly Gurudev, out of deep devotion to divinity and compassion to
humanity, integrated the teachings of Maharishi Patanjali with the concept of
LANGUAGE that he was sharing. The reader will, no doubt, be awestruck after
reading the rest of the article in which Gurudev has achieved what has been
stated above.
Gurudev
said that the Sadhana Panchaka is not the Sadhana Panchaka of Sri Adi
Shankaracharya but one that of Maharishi Patanjali. Maharishi did not present a
work with the title Sadhana Panchaka but Gurudev has carved out 5 golden
principles from amongst the various Sutras of Maharishi.
After
enlightening the Parivara about the LANGUAGE per se, Gurudev gently introduced
that Samadhi should be the LANGUAGE that we should develop and nurture. Gurudev
firmly believed that in order to overcome the deficiencies of the LANGUAGE that
we have at present, it is a must to introduce a new LANGUAGE which is Samadhi.
Guruji had a word of caution though. He said that Siddhi is not the language
for it will corrupt us and eventually will push us down into the ditch. If the
language of Samdahi is not understood, then the Siddhi will destroy that
person. Gurudev wanted all of us to make Samadhi the CENTRE of our being.
Why do we need
Samadhi?
Gurudev
simplified this concept by interpreting Samadhi as Harmony. Harmony is nothing
but balancing, integrating. He gave the example of a watch to drive this point
home.
Look
at the watch. It has various components of different dimensions and size with
totally unrelated functions. But it is the integration of these different
components that make the watch to function, to be of utility.
In
a similar fashion, for COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS to work and be of utility, it
is necessary for the INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNES to work in harmony even though
they are different from each other at the individual level.
Gurudev
wants us to develop and strengthen this LANGUAGE so that it reflects in all our
actions, emotions, etc.
Our
body is like our Nation viz., Federal in structure. It is a Corporation
consisting of body, mind, intellect, etc., that have developed over many births
due to a definite process. In the present form, they are disintegrated.
Unless
we consciously make efforts to bring integration inside this CORPORATION, freedom cannot be achieved, which is
the very purpose of a Jiva.
When
you hate someone, trying to hurt someone, you don’t have freedom. On the other
hand if you love a person unconditionally, selflessly, there is freedom. This
is not a theory or philosophy but is very much pragmatic and can be verified by
testing.
With
this Gurudev has laid the framework that freedom
is the purpose of life and harmony
is the language to communicate. Well, in that case, from where to begin with?
What is the practical approach then here?
Unlearning
what we have learnt already is the practical and workable solution to this
challenge. To unlearn Gurudev presents what is called SADHANA PANCHAKA.
Gurudev
very beautifully clubbed the first two Sutras of Maharishi in the Sadhana Pada
of Patanjali Yoga Shastra,
Atha Yogaanu
Shasanam
Yogaha Chitta
Vritti Nirodaha
and
suggested it to be the first step in the process of unlearning.
Here
one cannot miss the CREATIVE GENIUS of Gurudev on how he blended these two
sutras with masterly delicacy.
ATHA YOGA
ANUSHASANAM
ATHA
means present. Atha is eternal. But
our mind is the product of past and future. Because of this mind always stays
in continuity and is not able to stay in the present. To make this happen, one
has to follow in a disciplined way Yoga. This is what is meant when we say Yoga
Anushasanam. Yuj is the root word for Yoga which means to unite, to harmonize.
At
this point, Gurudev used the classroom as an example. He said that a listener
should not take whatever I say into their mind and start analyzing and
practicing it later. He said the practice should happen as my teaching touches
your mind and not sometime later. That is living in ATHA, he proclaimed.
We
are not able to be in ATHA because the language that we have created in the
mind comes in the way. Moreover the LANGUAGE that we have at present is one
that of continuity which is different and contrary to the one that we should
have. This LANGUAGE occupies the space of ATHA. What do we need to do to vacate
this LANGUAGE of continuity?
Here,
Gurudev merges the second Sutra Chitta
Vritti Nirodaha. He says that Chitta Vritti Nirodaha means slowing down the
speed of the reactions from the Chitta. He asks, ‘Can you stop relying on the
reactions from the Chitta and respond to the situation?’ In other words, he
says this is the best way to vacate the LANGUAGE of continuity which prevents
us from staying in ATHA.
Gurudev
gave the example of servant opening the door. Suppose you are in your house and
the door bell rings. Your servant goes and opens the door, and let the person in.
This way, if your servant keeps on pumping people inside your house, where will
be the space for you to stay? In the same manner the reactions are your servant
and you are the Master. If your reactions pump in lots of things and crowd the
chitta, there won’t be any space left for you to stay.
Gurudev
said that Maharishi has not given the description of how our true self will
look like. He has left it to be experienced by oneself DIRECTLY. Imagine, at
the physical level, if you want to know how you look, you need a mirror to
reflect your image. In the same way, if you want to know the REAL SELF of
yours, you need a reflecting surface within you and that surface is your
chitta. Just as a smudged, cracked or convex or conclave mirror cannot give a
true reflection, a disintegrated chitta cannot project your true self.
Gurudev
very briefly touched upon Abhyasa and Vairagya and concluded the Session.
Gurudev said that when you take a stand, staying put with that, come whatever
may, is Abhyasa. And, when you give
up all that which disturbs you, diverts you to stay in the position that you
have taken, i.e., Abhyasa, is Vairagya.
Jyothi Ma Session:
After a cup of hot tea with the gentle
fragrance of cardamom and ginger, the Parivara assembled in the Dining Hall for
Jyoti Madam’s Session at 4.30 pm. Suddenly the climate became very cloudy
raising the hopes of respite from the day’s heat with good, evening showers. In
this backdrop, Jyoti Madam started addressing the Parivara.
Sadhana Sangama: Summer Camp 2014 |
Madam originally wanted to share Durga
Sapthasati as Sadhana but ended up discussing what Sadhana is all about.
She made an opening remark with the analogy
of Prana. Just as we are not conscious of our Prana, we are not aware that
Sadhana is in us.
Madam’s compassion was no less as to that of
Gurudev’s when she devoted the entire session to give a base about Sadhana.
Sadhana Sangama: Summer Camp 2014 |
Inherent characteristic of the mind is to
measure. It is comfortable in time-space-causation combination and asks
questions.
When a disciple who is in the grip of such a
Chitta meets the Guru, the chitta throws a lots of question such as how does Sadhana
begin, how it progresses and how does it end? If at all it ends, then how do we
comprehend that ending?
At this juncture, the Ducks which were
passing by the dining hall with its long and altered ‘quack’ing appeared to be
laughing at the inquisitive ignorance of the chitta.
Madam continued that Guru is needed to help
you to travel in the path of Sadhana without conflicts and confusion. She also
revealed that by dropping everything one can obtain the Grace of Guru. She said
that this is the greatest Sadhana that one can do and one has to do.
Jyoti Madam wanted to end the monologue and
hence engaged the audience with the question what is Sadhana and was evoking a
response from them. Many responded with their own understanding of what Sadhana
is and Madam was helping everyone present with her reply why that perception
cannot be construed as Sadhana. This way she was preparing the ground and aroused
the curiosity of the listeners to know what Sadhana is ultimately about.
Sadhana Sangama: Summer Camp 2014 |
She structured her point of view by very
briefly touching upon the nature of mind which always quantifies and qualifies
and is interested in the end result and that Spiritual Masters are the greatest
short cut to achieve the goal of Sadhana and to remain in constant awareness
about the goal that we have set for ourselves is Sadhana.
A fine breeze set in at this point and was
caressing all of us giving us the soothing effect symbolizing the touch of Grace
through the words of Madam and the Parivara marched towards the kitchen to
quell the appetite of stomach by filling it with hot cup of tea and Murmure
(puffed rice mixed with roasted groundnuts with the proper mixture of salt,
chilli powder and turmeric powder).
- A Report by a 'Sadhaka'
No comments:
Post a Comment