My
dear brothers and sisters,
My pranams to all of you on
this birthday of our beloved Master Babuji Maharaj.
I have chosen the topic of gratitude as a subject
for study and understanding.
All of us who have gathered
here are having the attitude of gratefulness
towards the Master for the peace, bliss and
happiness he id showering on us. But we need
to go a bit deeper about our attitudes and understand
how they influence our behavior.
Attitudes are a particular
way of thinking we learn to develop to respond
to day to day situations which avoid unnecessary
burden on our cognitive faculties. Attitudes
can be positive, negative or neutral towards
certain situations. The strength of particular
attitude also matters in influencing our behavior.
Since the aim on goal of life
of all of us who have gathered here is to become
a real man. Which is possible by living in tune
with Sri Ram Chandra Consciousness. The attitude
of gratefulness is very essential for our success.
Gratefulness is closely associated
with the attitude of humility. And if these
two attitudes occupy your heart, divinity finds
a convenient place in your heart. And if the
two attitudes are missing or weak or neutral
it is difficult for divinity to thrive.
Attitudes are learnt by observing
others and also by what our parents and teachers
teach us to adopt in early life. But if we have
a practical experience in life that shapes our
attitude strongly. For example it is commonly
advised to avoid smoking and do exercise as
a part of a healthy attitude. But this attitude
is adopted more in breach. But when somebody
develops a heart attack he gives up smoking
and starts doing exercise. So practical experience
has shaped his attitude.
Before I started meditation
my mind was plagued by fears, frustration, insecurity
and very many bad thoughts which tormented me.
But under the influence of pranahuti mind was
lifted to a higher plane and consciousness.
Where it was peaceful and joyous. Now this practical
experience all of us had. If we contemplate
and meditate on the experience and the enormity
of help rendered by Master we are bound to develop
gratefulness. Attitudes which are developed
by a result of practical experience are bound
to be strong and permanent. The more we contemplate
on the blessings we have retrieved from the
Master the more stronger our attitude of gratefulness
becomes.
We should all be grateful
to the Master for giving us an opportunity to
meet so many brothers and sisters who harbor
love for the Master and we can learn so many
good attitudes by their influence and behavior.
How will be our behavior if
gratefulness takes strong root in our consciousness.
All our actions and behavior become an effort
to please the Master and live as per his will.
We practice more sincerely because we will feel
more personally responsible for the health of
human consciousness in general. We develop strong
faith in the reality that existence is one and
that we are all inter connected and strive sincerely
for the negation of self.
We start living the Ten Commandments.
This is how the attitude of gratefulness influences
our behavior.
Before I end my paper a few
personal experiences. I had during the last
4 weeks. This directly relates to the 7th commandment
which deals with gratitude. I had a brief illness
but inwardly I was happy because I knew some
samskara burden was being shed and I felt grateful.
This again is experiential because all of us
have the experience of lightness after the cleaning
session. Which is due to removal of grossness.
So know that suffering an illness invariably
will be followed by lightness and nearness to
Master. But another aspect was the violence
in the society, riots and bombings which disturbed
me. But Revered Babuji Maharaj saying that nobody
ever suffers in contravention to this law used
to bring immediate peace. The more I contemplate
about the 7th commandment the more peacefully
I am able to live in thus apparently violent
and unjust society. So pain and suffering should
enhance our gratefulness so also joy and peace
should enhance gratefulness.
Thanking you
Madhava
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