|
"We must never be
disappointed of the Divine Grace"
(Silence Speaks, Second Edition, pg 313)
Smt. Padmaja G.
Respected Brothers and
Sisters,
My humble pranams to all.
The topic of the seminar is taken from the chapter,
Role of Abhyasi from Silence Speaks, Page 313. I
seek your permission to share a few thoughts on this
topic.
“We must never be
disappointed of the Divine Grace.
God is the supreme Master and His will must
be carried out in every respect.”
Disappointment from my understanding is a result of
failed hopes or not meeting expectations.
These expectations can be because of
previously formed ideas, knowledge through books,
something that gives momentary happiness, that which
satisfies our ego and so on.
Expectations are more of a future thought and
does not let one live in the present.
I tried to share a few of my experiences or
observations and on the role of abhyasi, with
respect to different aspects of expectations that
cause disappointment.
-
Expectations on results of sadhana.
I would like to first share a few points on the
practice. Master further in the message says,
“We should
never be disheartened thinking that our Pooja cannot
be carried on regularly on account of inner
disturbances which I put down as the ‘barking of
dogs’”.1
It has been many times iterated that the inner
disturbances are actually thoughts that come out to
leave.
They do not cause disturbance.
We get disturbed.
Sometimes I just feel it is the most helpless
situation where I want to meditate but the itching
of mind goes on. Ignoring of thoughts requires a lot
of determination and proper orientation before Pooja.
If the thoughts are stopped by force or given undue
attention, they come back more frequently or with
much force.
In this context Master says,
“Therefore it
is better to show them that their barking shall not
be a disturbance to you.”2
To show them is to show my priorities are different.
My attention is only on Him and Him alone.
To ignore any kind of thought requires faith
and courage.
We have to feel humble and completely yield.
As Master says in the article “Travel Light”
“Firstly, as
when travelling by train we book the heavy luggage
with the guard of the train, so also in this journey
we may give over the heavy luggage to the charge of
the master and be relieved of its weight.
That, in other words, conveys the idea of
surrender.
When we have surrendered all our belongings
to the master, we are free from the encumbering
weight thereof.”3
In the first place, we should learn not to entertain
such thoughts.
One should adopt correct methods to be
disciplined.
During Pranahuti sessions, I felt it was
easier to ignore thoughts due to benevolent grace of
our Master.
At other times as well, one needs to
co-operate with Him by adopting proper methods to
mend some habits.
This is where I felt our meditational
practices esp. Point A and Point B meditation,
remembrance of Master at other times (listening and
contemplation) and bed-time prayer are useful.
Master says “If we
try to retain the effect gained by meditation for
the most part of the day, and abide in the same
state for as long as we can, we are in a way in
constant remembrance of God and our progress is easy
and rapid.
We must also cultivate habits which might be
conducive to our efforts for shattering the network.
For instance, the ears should attend to only
noble talks; the eye should see only that which is
pious and good; the heart should be inclined only
towards that which is virtuous.”4
To follow the last two statements of Master, apart
from remembering Masters’ lives, I also remember and
tried to use Socrates logic of ‘three truth test’ to
discard anything that is unnecessary.
With kind permission, I would like to share
his story.
“In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold
knowledge in high esteem.
One day an
acquaintance met the great philosopher and said,
“Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”
“Hold on a minute,”
Socrates replied. “Before telling me anything, I would like you
to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“The
first filter is TRUTH. Have you made absolutely sure
that what you are about to tell me is true?”
“No,”
the man said, “actually I just heard about it and…”
“All right,”
said Socrates.
“So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second
filter, the filter
of GOODNESS. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something
good?”
“No, on the contrary…”
“So,”
Socrates continued,
“you want to tell me something bad about him, but
you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the
test though, because there’s one filter left: the
filter of USEFULNESS. Is what you want to
tell me about my friend going to
be useful to me?”
“No, not really.”
“Well,”
concluded Socrates,
“if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good
nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?””
This is just one example in moral discipline and
there are quite many avenues where one needs to be
careful to create habits that are conducive to
sadhana.
Apart from difficulties in Sadhana, sometimes one
might have the following kind of expectations.
a.
I have done or am doing my
sadhana well.
This is what I should get during meditation.
b.
Expectations that are
beyond the boundary of duty.
c.
I always felt calm.
Why am I not feeling calm and peaceful? Why
am I not feeling anything?
Why am I not feeling like him/her?
d.
This is not what like it
used to be before.
e.
Good, I have progressed
this much.
When will I progress as I expect?
If the above thoughts are related to self, sometimes
we are bogged down by thoughts on others. From what
I understood about living with our true nature – one
aspect is not to have any expectations from thy
brethren.
For all the above kind of thoughts, praying before
going to bed definitely helps.
Diary writing plays an important part in all.
When we are aware of sudden change in
thoughts due to surroundings or actions, looking
back in the diary will pull us out from
disheartening, disappointment etc.
There is a reason behind all that happens.
Master is the supreme teacher who knows how
to guide us in this process of learning.
He is Just and He knows what is best.
The above thoughts put a limitation on His
work.
There is no other happiness that exceeds than
accepting that, ‘He knows the best.
This is how it should be.’
-
Hoping God will give to one’s recognition
We
look for new opportunities to boost our ego, to be
praised, recognized by others spiritually or
otherwise. Due
to comparisons, prejudices, one judges the evolution
of the other and in turn expects to rise above the
others.
Knowingly or unknowingly one creates an ambition and
is sidelined from the goal.
When circumstances arise that conflict the
ambition, sadhana takes a back seat.
I would like to quote a few words from Pujya
Dr. K. C. Varadachari’s talk on Difficulties in
Yoga. He
speaks about the difficulties experienced by those
who seek spiritual importance or recognition.
He said,
“Humility is
the essence of spiritual evolution, and any ambition
should be recognized as a hindrance to the Ultimate
realization, because these are known by seers to be
obstacles and perversions of the real aspiration.
This is the first difficulty.”6
People bargain with God, “Please give me a job, I
will give you this.
Please give me a visa to US, I will do this”
etc.
This creates a wrong dependency on God and for
situations to match with our expectations.
Master in the earlier part of the message exhorts,
“When we have got the right path we must stick to it firmly and not be
away from it at any cost.
All sorts of grosser means and mechanical
practices should be given up.”5
Pujya
Babuji Maharaj on classification of disciples says,
“Sages have classified the disciples under two main
heads, the Manamata and the Gurumata.
The former are those who approach the Guru
with some particular worldly end in view such as
relief from worldly misery, desire for wealth, etc.
They submit to him only so long as they are
hopeful in the achievement of their desires.
When they meet disappointment in this respect
they are off.
For such disciples the question of obedience
or submission even does not arise, what to say of
surrender.
Gurumata disciples are those who obey the
commands of the Master in all matters and try to
submit to his will in all possible ways.”7
-
Resisting the situations that are different from
expectations.
Situations come and go.
To adapt to the situation as easily as
possible, letting go all previous notions is a
wonderful learning.
This keeps one happy, calm where as resisting
causes fear, disillusionment, anger etc.
Following of Commandment 5 helps in these
situations.
If we ponder carefully of the situation, we observe
that each one gives us some sort of wisdom.
It is due to Grace of our Master and by
assiduous sadhana on part of the abhyasi.
So the question of disappointment of His
Grace should never arise and feeling of Contentment
should be assiduously practiced.
In some occasions I am reminded of Pujya
Dr.K.C.Varadachari’s life events.
I feel speechless by his letters to Master
and Pujya Sri. K.C.Narayana garu. He said,
“Know all as
the gifts of a most benevolent guru - God. Nothing
can happen without His will, and His will is just
and good.”
Finally I feel it is not etiquette to be
disappointed of His Grace as one should always make
oneself eligible for His Grace. We should make
ourselves void of expectations and conform to His
will.
Pranams.
References:
1,5 : Silence Speaks Pg 313
2 : Silence Speaks, Pg 314
3 : Silence Speaks, Pg 281
4: Silence Speaks, Pg 307
6: Complete works of Dr. K. C. Varadachari (Volume
one) Pg. 335
7: Basic Writings of Sri Ramchandra – Pg. No 261
|
