Develop the love of God so that I see in your eyes that you are drunk with God and not asking, “When will I have God?” When you ask that, you are not a devotee. The devotee says: “I have Him, He is listening to me; my Beloved is always with me. He is moving my hands; He is digesting my food; He is gazing at me through the stars.”
– Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
Dr. Froylan Alvarado Guemez Pierre Teilhard de Chardi, of the Jesuit order. Born in Orcines, on May 1, 1881 and died in New York on April 10, 1995. It was the French theologian, philosopher and paleontologist who built an integrated vision of science and mysticism with his thought; of the evolution of spirit and thought.
▪ _Religion is not just one, there are hundreds._
▪ Spirituality is one.
▪ _Religion is for those who sleep._
▪ Spirituality is for those who are awake.
▪ _Religion is for those who need someone to tell them what to do and want to be guided._
▪ Spirituality is for those who pay attention to their inner voice.
▪ _Religion has a set of dogmatic rules._
▪ Spirituality invites us to reason about everything, to question everything.
▪ _Religion threatens and frightens._
▪ Spirituality gives inner peace.
▪ _Religion speaks of sin and guilt._
▪ Spirituality says, “learn from error”.
▪ _Religion represses everything and in some cases it is false._
▪ Spirituality transcends everything, it brings you closer to your truth!
▪ _Religion speaks of a god; It is not God._
▪ Spirituality is everything and, therefore, it is in God.
▪ _Religion invents._
▪Spirituality finds.
▪ _Religion does not tolerate any question._
▪Spirituality questions everything.
▪ _Religion is human, it is an organization with men’s rules._
▪ Spirituality is Divine, without human rules.
▪ _Religion is the cause of divisions._
▪The spirituality unites.
▪ _Religion is looking for you to believe._
▪ Spirituality you have to look for it to believe.
▪ _Religion follows the precepts of a sacred book._
▪ Spirituality seeks the sacred in all books.
▪ _Religion feeds on fear._
▪ Spirituality feeds on trust and faith.
▪ _Religion lives in thought._
▪ Spirituality lives in Consciousness.
▪ _Religion deals with doing._
▪ Spirituality has to do with the Self.
▪ _Religion feeds the ego._
▪ Spirituality drives to transcend.
▪ _Religion makes us renounce the world to follow a God._
▪ Spirituality makes us live in God, without renouncing us.
▪ _Religion is a cult._
▪ Spirituality is meditation.
▪ _Religion fills us with dreams of glory in paradise._
▪ Spirituality makes us live the glory and paradise here and now.
▪ _Religion lives in the past and in the future._
▪ Spirituality lives in the present.
▪ _Religion creates cloisters in our memory._
▪ Spirituality liberates our Consciousness.
▪ _Religion makes us believe in eternal life._
▪ Spirituality makes us aware of Eternal Life.
▪ _Religion promises life after death._
▪ Spirituality is to find God in our interior during life and death.🙏🏻
_-We are not human beings who go through a spiritual experience.-_
*-We are spiritual beings that we go through a human experience.-*
Human beings are born with desires. Actually desires gives form to a soul, a new life. If you look closely, Christmas and all other festivals are there to celebrate human desires – gifts, new clothes, food, decoration, and parties etc. to make us feel special.
Do scriptures and holy books talk against desires? I don’t think so, it has been misinterpreted. The words of God are taken literally. The real meaning remains unknown to our noisy and rigid mind.
Live life like lotus in pond, which remains unaffected by the water around.
What does it means? To be detached while performing action– the word detachment, is just not a word but the destination itself. Do you think it is easy to attain it? It is important to understand that it is a long process and saturation is essential.
Saturation is also not another word but again the destination itself. Fulfilment of desires in the best possible way is needed to reach a saturation point.
What are the desires – a strong longing for an object or person. There is a continuous flow of thoughts – how to achieve it, a constant planning, talking and analysing in the mind, sometimes chain of lies to achieve it etc.
Many times mind says; it is not worth it, and tries to distract itself in some or the other way. But it is the deepest need of soul to experience. So it repulses back again and again with greater strength.
One might think he has conquered the desire by restraining it for long time but it is not the inner truth. There is a constant conflict inside. Analytical mind wins on the basis of concepts. But inner longing does not satisfy and keeps surfacing up because desires do not understand any logic and arguments. Still mind brings back attention to the rationality. This is a continuous fight inside till it is supressed deeply. As a result one becomes rigid and loses the inner and outer softness, spontaneity and innocence.
The supressed desires in childhood are the root cause of the adult problems. Children have very simple and innocent desires related to food and sleep. 70% market is based on food selling items. Food is the most important source of life after air and water. And it has always been neglected and underestimated. Food not only satisfies the senses to a greater extend but has power to heal body and mental problems. If a child is craving for something and it is not fulfilled, he subconsciously falls in a trap of manipulations. Then why to supress the simple desire and unnecessary encourage the child’s greed by not fulfilling it?
On the other side, Imagine you went to a European trip, you have all the money to buy everything you wish, but, you still might not be able to eat stomach full food, for some reason, like a toothache, bad stomach, vegetarian issues. How long can you enjoy the beauty all around and shopping branded bags and cloths? Food has so much impact on our life that only in its absence do we realise it.
Case 1
Mom- Get up from the bed quickly.
Banni- Its Sunday mom, let me sleep.
Mom- No matter, you need to get up by 8.30 at least.
Banni kept sleeping
Mom – Get up you lazy and eat breakfast on time.
Banni- what is there in breakfast?
Mom – Fruits, milk and paratha
Banni – I always get paratha in school, I want to have bread rolls today with onion and chatani.
Mom- Have a healthy breakfast. Spicy food is not good for the body.
Banni- Every day you give me healthy breakfast, one day will not make any difference.
Mom made big eyes, which means a big No.
Papa- why don’t you make Bread rolls for her?
Mom – You stay out of it.I have to take care of her health.
Banni and her Papa both exchange an understanding look which says I will get you something from market to substitute your carving.
Parents are the child’s Santa. Who else will fulfil the desires accept parents. But these day either parents just get everything or they become too strict.
Case 2
Mom – you slept well today on Sunday.
Banni – yes mom, I was very tired. Can I have bread rolls in breakfast along with mint chatani?
Mom – ok but first you need to finish milk and fruit.
Banni – ok mom.
Banni – can we go to market in evening, I want to buy a board game which I saw at my friend’s house.
Mom – I will buy you if you promise to consistently study everyday and get good marks in your upcoming Unit test in all the subjects.
Banni – I will try mom. But if I don’t get it then will you not get me the game?
Mom –If you don’t manage it this time, you have to work hard next time to get your game. But I will take you to food joint after your exams.
Banni – Yes mom I will try my best. You are the most balanced mom and I love you for that.
Sleep is also another important aspect in child’s growth. It is very important that child should sleep according to his or her body requirement, which varies from child to child. It is basic and essential need of a child. Relaxed body, relaxes the mind, then it works more efficiently.
We teach our children certain things which do not match with our own actions and behaviour. Books inspire when they match with the reality around the child.
We make children a medium to fulfil our own unfulfilled desires. Let’s be truthful and accept it. Then question arises; what to do? We are now tagged as parents. The way out is to fulfil them truthfully.
Desires are beautiful if it is harmless to others. Imagine a life without desire. It is like Halwa without sweet, cake without sugar. Life is too dry. I don’t know how enlightened people feel. And I am not eagerly looking forward it. When it happens, it happens. Only thing I know is that there is a joy and sweetness in small things in life and I don’t want to throw that away right now. Life is constantly pushing all of us to outgrow our desire and realise the total freedom but I will decide my own saturation point not through concepts made by others.
Let us enjoy the Christmas and Happy New Year with new understanding.
In practical daily life we are hurt by small things; we are enslaved by little things. Misery comes because we think we are finite – we are little beings. And yet, how difficult it is to believe that we are infinite beings! In the midst of all this misery and trouble, when a little thing may throw me off balance, it must be my care to believe that I am infinite. And the fact is that we are, and that consciously or unconsciously we are all searching after that something which is infinite; we are always seeking for freedom.
Swami Vivekananda
Brother Anandamoy of SRF, tells “The Story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree”
“There’s a story about the Chinese bamboo tree. They plant a seed and water it very carefully and repeatedly for a year. Nothing happens. Second year they keep on watering that seed, nothing happens. Third year, same thing, nothing happens. Fourth year, same thing! But they keep on watering that seed. Fifth year, WITHIN SIX WEEKS, the bamboo shoots up ninety feet into a powerful tree. And before that, those four years when seemingly nothing happened, that seed developed a powerful root system to prepare to support the tree.
And I often thought about that when it comes to kriya yoga. You practice and nothing happens, right? Seemingly, consciously, to your experience not much happens. But underneath, there’s preparation going on. Underneath there are changes going on, there is purification going on. And it may be longer than four years. Be patient, and practice, because it works.
As I said before, these subtle changes you do not notice until later. And you are bringing in the power, it is accumulated as you practice more. The magnet becomes stronger and there’s a greater flow of energy. And that does it, it brings about scientifically the changes that are necessary for the launching of the bamboo tree that is within you (Anandamoy chuckles).”
During prayer I give myself over to the Lord and delight myself in zealous worship. The window of my soul opens wide and the Book of God comes to view To fill my house with grace and light.
– Rumi
I Am Drunk And You are Insane–Who’s Going to Take Us Home? By Raj Ayyar
Raj Ayyar
To: Me ([email protected])
Wednesday, December 6, 2017, 1:11 AM
Launching the month of December with two of my favorite quotes, one from
Rumi and the other from the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas.
‘I am drunk and you are insane,
who’s going to take us home?
In this city no one I see is conscious; one is worse off than the next,
frenzied and insane.
Dear one, come to the tavern of ruin and experience the pleasures of the
soul.
What happiness can there be apart from this intimate conversation with the
Beloved?
In every corner there are drunkards, while the Server pours the wine from a
royal decanter to every particle of being.’
–Rumi ed. Kabir Helminski in The Pocket Rumi (Shambhala Publications).
‘I took my stand in the middle of the world and I appeared to them in the
flesh.
I found them all drunk
none of them thirsty.’
–Gospel of Thomas tr. Willis Barnstone and Marvin Meyer: The Essential
Gnostic Scriptures.
Both quotes highlight the ‘drunkenness’ and insanity of most ego-ridden
mortals, addicted to one thing or the other–could be alcohol and other
substances, or sex, fame, power, money, food, love.
Few are ‘thirsty’ for the higher joys of spirit.
The similarities between the two quotes are quite striking.
As always, Jalaluddin Rumi is a master of frame switches in the same
verse/(s). He moves from talking about the ‘drunkenness’ of those addicted
to worldly pursuits, their frenzy and insanity. Then, he switches to the
higher wine of the soul in the ‘tavern of ruin’, presumably the tavern of
ego shattering, where the Beloved pours out the wine for the thirsty. The
deft frame switch here is from ‘drunkenness’ as a metaphor for the lost,
frenzied and addicted, to a higher thirst for the ‘wine of the Beloved’.
The second quote from the Thomas gospel is very similar–Jesus talks about
incarnating in the flesh, only to find that very few are ‘thirsty’ for the
higher gnosis; most of us are drunk on one thing or the other–alcohol or
other substances, power, money, sex etc.
I love the lines: ‘In this city no one I see is conscious; one is worse
off than the next, frenzied and insane.’ So true of New Delhi and many
other cities, but in Delhi, the frenzied addiction to power grab, property
grab, sex grab and upward mobility at any cost including murder, is at a
scary extreme here and now.
Grown up people are full of complaints against their own children. All moral lectures are for them. They are blamed for mistreating and having non-caring attitude towards their parents. Is this the whole truth or are we unaware about how it happened?
Bringing up a child is a 24 hours job and a great responsibility. The emotional need of a child is most important for first thirteen years. That has to be taken care of, by both the parents, equally. It is not at all the sole responsibility of one of the spouse only. Here we are talking about people leading a comfortable life. Problems are part of life, but how to manage and deal with it, a child learns from his or her parents.
Let us take a flash back.
Ritu and Neeraj get married; both are doing well in their careers and want to attain more. But after 3 years of marriage, they are being continuously pressurised by their family and friends, to have a baby. Neeraj and Ritu decide to have a child and get rid of every day’s nagging. Ritu delivers a healthy baby girl, Banni.
Case 1
Neeraj: “Why don’t you take a break for a few years from your job, become a house wife and a full time mom. You also need to take care of your own health too.”
Ritu agrees. Few years later she feels the whole world around her is growing except her. Whereas she is engaged in a thankless and unpaid job, everyone takes her for granted. This frustrates her. She expects attention and few words of appreciation from her husband, whereas, she is been used as a punching bag by others. Neeraj does not know how to handle a demanding job, a wife and the child simultaneously. Unconsciously, the frustration of both the parents gets transferred directly or indirectly to the child.
An innocent child’s mind, subconsciously learns, that only with more money can one win the respect from others. Whereas, people doing a house job, having a simple and soft nature are often taken for granted.
Case 2
Ritu: “In this fast changing technology. I will be left far behind in my career. My parents have equally invested in me and I have put the same amount of hard work as you. I cannot afford to leave my job at the peak of my career.”
Neeraj “Whatever is mine, is yours too, and besides, who will take care of Banni?”
Ritu: “later on in life, you will not hesitate to tell me to leave your home in small fights and arguments. Then suddenly your money would not belong to me. And why is Banni only my responsibility?”
Neeraj “That’s your ego”
Ritu: “You may use the word ‘ego’ for me, but in similar situation you would be using ‘Self-respect’ and ‘job satisfaction’ for yourself. But the truth is that we all have desires as human beings. You too want that your work should be recognised in the world. Also you want more money, big car, expensive phone and attention from your boss etc. And, for that you are totally focused to achieve it, which I completely understand. But why are my desires and longings are not understandable to you?”
Neeraj agrees with her after few arguments. They decide to take help from their parents and to hire a full time house helper.
Neeraj’s parents are with them now, but all the time they kept reminding Ritu about her duties as a mother and a wife.
Neeraj’s Mother: “I had two children and I have sacrificed everything for them. I have brought them up in the best way, by being at home all the time.”
Ritu did not dare to say anything to her, but she thought to herself “you did not have any other option. You had nothing to sacrifice; also you were not professionally qualified either.”
After being pissed off by the constant nagging of Neeraj’s parents, she finally decides to take help of her own parents instead. They happily agreed and took care of everything but they had to go back home after a year. The couple tried many full time maids.
Banni is fed by the maid most of the time,
Banni watches T.V. most of the time for entertainment.
Banni plays, and is with her maid most of the time.
Neeraj and Ritu are back in the evening, very tired. After spending one hour with Banni, they get back to their laptop, phones, WhatsApp, conferences, shopping etc. Sometimes, when Banni becomes more demanding, Neeraj hands over the phone to her, to placate her.
A few months later, taking the advantage of the situation, the maid demands more money yet there is the security issues and many other concerns. They decide to send Banni to a playschool. A two year old child feels lost there. Crying on top of her voice – but no one cares or understands. Banni is standing alone at one corner of the playschool, not eating or playing. She only cries for her parents and waits for them to come and pick her up in their arms.
School teacher says Banni is not yet settled, it is normal for kids to cry for a week. After 4 days the innocent child surrenders. Papa and Mama are not going to come anyway before the evening. Banni subconsciously is introduced with fear, unreasonable scolding from teachers and maids who are managing many kids at the same time. Banni is not allowed to express her likes and dislikes, playfulness, excitement and joy. Everyone expects her to be perfect and behave like grownups. An innocent mind learns to manipulate and to tell a lie in a most convincing way.
But, at home she shouts, screams and be naughty because this is the place she thinks belongs to her. She vents her frustration and anger (what she had accumulated from school) but parents don’t understand why she behaves in such a way. They discuss her behaviour with every second person. People sympathise fully with the parents and give all kinds of strange suggestion. Banni feels all this quietly and does not know what to say and whom to say it to? What Banni goes through, remains in her heart forever. She finds that T.V and iPhone are the best friends, because here no one judges the child and she can distract her mind.
Then why do the parents, later expect unconditional love, acceptance and understanding from the child who has never received it? An innocent child does not know how and when the bitterness, selfishness became part of her nature. The child has not seen reasonability and sensitivity shown to her. She has not learnt how to deal with anger, anxiety and restlessness. She has not seen anyone managing the relationship with love, politeness and patience. Rather, the world teaches her how to dominate and control others. And then children are made to feel guilty! Why?
We all are children. Our parents were also children of our grandparents. And we got almost everything in our personality from our parents. But someone has to stop inheriting the duality and take charge of his or her own life. This can be done by an adult only. That needs lots of effort and awareness.
Children don’t need to meditate; they are innocent, free from all pre conceived notions and therefore receptive. Whatever they observe they learn. If you want to teach them something, just do it yourself and the child will sooner or later adopt it. Children are your mirror image and they are just reciprocating the behaviour of the parents and teachers. It is we as parents and teachers who have to be more aware and conscious, so that we don’t transfer restlessness, anxiety, anger and fear in the child.
We can’t push kids to cultivate habits of reading whereas we ourselves are only occupied with television serials and phones. We can’t make the child meditate where as we never do it ourselves. We can’t expect them to be calm, whereas we are occupied in too many activities.
Parents need to have some saturation of material desires, and then only can they focus on the child’s needs. Love and respect between the parents is the most important element. Let the child grow in a combination of unconditional love and strength. Kids observe us all the time, don’t manipulate them and justify yourself. Let them learn through your action- how you handle a situation and relationships in your life. This process might be slow but eventually they would follow us. Every child is precious and parenting is a great responsibility.
Children are like buds in a garden and they should be carefully and lovingly nurtured
– Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
With all our contemporary anxieties and fears globally, locally and in our personal lives, refreshing wisdom from the great ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca
Fear is mostly due to projecting our thoughts way ahead of us, instead of
adapting to the present moment.
Wild animals run from the dangers they actually see, and once they escape
them, they worry no more!
We however, are tormented alike by what is past and what is to come.
Memory brings back the agony of fear, while foresight brings it on
prematurely.
No one confines unhappiness to the present moment.
–Seneca: Letters from a Stoic
Seneca is arguably one of the great Stoic voices, largely because he
acknowledges his own and the other’s vulnerability and humanness, instead
of retreating to the cold, stiff upper lip attitude of most Stoic
philosophers. This text is priceless–who ever said Zen, Taoism and Ram
Dass invented ‘Be here now’? Seneca recommends being in the present moment,
even with one’s fears.
I love the lines: ‘Wild animals run from the dangers they actually see, and
once they escape them, they worry no more!
We however, are tormented alike by what is past and what is to come.’
Humans (for the most part) are tormented by past recollections of a fearful
situation (yes, that one–with your ex, your former or current boss, your
spouse, mother), or with your fave phobia. Or, they run from an anticipated
fear of what MIGHT happen in the future. Animals in the wild, recoil ONLY
from dangers here and now and are scared here and now. They don’t sit
around ‘pasting’, or ‘future-izing’ about what could happen next.