Special week of nourishment

Mar 31, 2010, 12.00am IST
SUMIT DHANRAJ.

A month ago, with Spring in the air, Christians began the Lenten Season in spiritual earnest.

This was a 40-day period of spiritual preparation for Easter that typically includes fasting, penance and prayer. Like every year the season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday, which this year was on February 17. It will end with Holy Saturday, that is, a day after Good Friday this week.

Holy Week, the week before Easter Sunday starts with Palm Sunday. It recalls Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem one week before His crucifixion. Holy Monday commemorates Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, when he dealt with moneychangers and other commercial agents who had tables there. Some believe that this triggered his arrest and subsequent crucifixion.


Holy Tuesday recalls Jesus’ description to his disciples on the Mount of Olives of the destruction of Jerusalem. Holy Wednesday, once called Spy Wednesday, recalls Judas’ decision to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, Jesus agony in the garden and his arrest. “Maundy” is derived from the Latin “mandatum” (commandment of God in John 13:34-35), “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” For centuries, people in authority have washed the feet of their followers on this day, as a sign of loving remembrance of Jesus.


Good Friday recalls Jesus’ death on the cross. Some claim that `good’ is a corruption of the word `God’ and that early Christians called this day “God’s Friday.” `God’ morphed into `good’ just as “God be with you” has become “goodbye.” Others claim that “good” refers to the blessings of humanity that Christians believe arose as a result of Jesus’ execution. A fourth-century church manual, the Apostolic Constitutions, called Good Friday a ‘day of mourning, not a day of festive Joy.’ Ambrose, the fourth-century archbishop who befriended the notorious sinner Augustine of Hippo before his conversion, called it the ‘day of bitterness on which we fast’.”

Holy Saturday (on Easter Eve) is the final day of Holy Week and of Lent. On Easter Sunday Christians commemorate Jesus’ resurrection. In the early church, converts were baptised into church membership on this day after a lengthy period of instruction. This tradition continues today in some churches.

The Holy Week emphasises specially on the lessons for all during this time of spiritual nourishment, which stresses more on the attitude with which Lenten exercises must be observed rather than strict adherence to details. For Jesus knew that there is a human tendency to make a show of one’s piety and good deeds.

Therefore, during this week the call for every follower of Jesus is to observe faithfully the statutes and teachings of the Church without making spiritual exercises a matter of public show. Instead of acting as hypocrites, with a sad countenance, the time is to genuinely repent and ask pardon for one’s shortcomings with an open gesture of charitable deeds.


Christians believe that spiritual nourishment during the Holy Week will help them achieve the gifts of new life in the days to come with resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

The writer is a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word.

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Twilight of the Gods

Mar 31, 2010, 12.00am IST
Henryk Skolimowski.


German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, at the end of the 19th century, announced the twilight of the gods. Finally, he said: “God is dead,” referring to the principal god of Abrahamic religions. From this time on, the Christian religion has been in a state of permanent crisis.


Around the same time, the Hindu religion, supported by a cast of 33,000 gods and the living presence of Swami Vivekananda, was flourishing. The Indian subcontinent was then under British occupation.


Then India gained her liberation and freedom. However, 60 years later, the quest for material satisfaction remains paramount. But the feeling of inner emptiness is acute. Many younger people are now looking for liberation in a new form of spirituality that is individual and free of religious constraints.


Are the thousands of gods who have been helping Hindu people, no longer willing to help? Or are they unable to help? Might it not be the case, per chance, that these gods are no longer relevant?


After having been around for thousands of years, maybe the gods have gently retired, unable to understand the world run by computers. Perhaps gadgets have replaced the gods swiftly and adroitly—and we are rather embarrassed to admit it.


One way or another, we are in an altogether new situation, in which traditional religions—East and West—appear to be worn out, shabby and irrelevant. Hindu people, for instance, are experiencing the “twilight of gods” just now. Perhaps Nietzsche was right, after all. He saw the coming crisis of religions much sooner than most of us did. The Hindu religion was quite oblivious of this coming crisis. It was too intoxicated with its own perfume to be able to pay any attention to the mad prophet philosopher from Germany.


But now the Hindu people are exposed to another kind of perfume, or shall we say they are exposed to the noxious fumes of Western progress, accompanied by an increasing craziness of their individual lives. The old world charm of gods no longer holds or helps. The new gods are Mechanos and Electronos combined. Yes, there is another part of the unholy trinity: Mammon.


Now you have an answer as to why the old religions have been waning and sliding. Perhaps they have been doing so for some centuries. But nobody wanted to notice it. ‘Who, us, declining? Never! We are the oldest religion in the world!’ Such has been the unspoken response to any criticism of traditional Hindu religion.


But everything evolves and changes; disintegrates and renews itself—sometimes in quite radical forms. You have to look at the situation from high above, from the position of the Ultimate Light. If you take this perspective, then you can see that the period of patriarchy is coming to an end; and with it the period of patriarchal religions; and with it the reign of Brahmins and priests.
We are at the dawn of a new era of Light. It is precisely this new liberation, unfettered and unbound by traditional religion, that is sought after by those who opt for open spirituality instead of a closed religion. You have to be strong to do that. To follow directions is easy. To be your own master and to follow your own Light is difficult. But you are not alone. The Big Light is with you. Identify with the Light, which predates all religions, and you will see that the New Light will prevail ... because it must.

(The writer is author of ‘Let There Be Light’)

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A loving relationship

Mar 29, 2010, 12.00am IST
SWAMI BRAHMDEV.


With consciousness we have created very beautiful concepts, and one of them is the idea of relationships.

Whatever we create, whatever we discover is to make life more comfortable, beautiful, peaceful and happy. We invest our mental, spiritual and psychic energies in building relationships.

The first relationship has to be with you. You must have a very clear relationship with yourself, knowing why you feel the way you do, why you think in a particular way and so on. The first step is to be aware of your own self.

Second, why do we want a relationship? Is it for happiness, for security? If that is so, the best source of what we call happiness and security is the Divine. So establish a relationship with the Divine. What is Divinity? Divinity is present everywhere, also in those you consider close to you. And having a close relationship with your psyche can give you everything you need.


In daily life, how do you find divinity in your spouse or companion, for instance? Be sincere and faithful. The key is to give without expectation. These things are possible if your understanding is healthy, if your consciousness is full of light and brightness.

How are relationships established? Even hunger can create relationships: you enter into relationships with food, don’t you? Grow with relationships, and at the same time remember that all possibilities are inside, they are not coming from the outside, what you are looking for outside you is inside you.


Your body is like a television set. It displays visuals all the time. So when you display negative things, it is in your hands to change the channel.


When we do meditation we are feeding the soul, and when you feel the hunger of your soul then constant meditation begins, and it becomes effortless. When your stomach is empty, all you think of is food, all your being is looking for food, but when you are full you don’t think about food at all.


The food for the soul is the Divine. Right now we are making an effort to remember the Divine, but when we start feeling the hunger, we will not have to make any effort; it will come naturally.


Aurobindo gives this concept of Divine life: he didn’t say that life is an illusion, that we have to run away from life, or go to the Himalayas. He just said that life is beautiful, and the future of life is life divine, sooner or later, when the psychic hunger starts. And life divine means that here, in this world, with these situations we have to awaken to the hunger of our being, listen and find that hunger. When we do that we will start seeing the Divine everywhere. Then there will be no ego.

Relationships sour primarily due to ego. Use your ego. But do not allow your ego to use you. It is a tool, if you know how to use it, it will build you and give you many wonderful things.
If the ego is using you, you will see ego everywhere. Only ego sees ego. Ego is without substance: a lack of knowledge, a lack of light. Hate is too much love. You never hate someone you don’t know. We call it hate but hate has also substance of love there. It is too much connection.

(As told to Sudhamahi Regunathan. Swami Brahmdev lives in Aurovalley Ashram, Raiwalla.)

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So Far And No Further

Mar 26, 2010, 12.00am IST
Janina Gomes.

It does not take many years or deep wisdom to realise that we all have our limitations. These limitations differ from person to person. Some are able to push back physical barriers by performing feats in athletics, weight lifting or hard manual labour. Those who are physically weak may turn out to be achievers intellectually and go on to become good scholars and researchers. Similarly, we have emotional, affective and spatial limits. We can go so far and no further.


Instead of being hamstrung by these limits, they come into our lives to help us grow. Until and unless we are tested by circumstances and events, we do not know our own limits and how far we can go. When confronted by difficulties, there is an inner force abiding within us all that makes us rise up and overcome the obstacles we face.


Obstructions and difficulties are challenges to growth. One becomes wise after learning from experience, for instance. And that generates inner strength.


When we watch games and matches on the fields, we see cricket, tennis or hockey players at their best, having spent long hours training and developing skills, and we have not been privy to their learning process. It is the same with an author, musician or artist- we see the finished product, not all the long hours that went into developing their skills.


However, whatever the field of endeavour, sooner or later we discover that we have our limitations. We learn, especially if we have lived for around 50 years, that there is a slow degeneration and decline of our physical bodies. We may be intellectually alert and prolific, but some things are just beyond our grasp. We find, perhaps, that relationships that have been fulfilling in the past no longer mean anything to us.


Slowly, we learn to let go and stay on with things and persons with whom we are comfortable. While a comfort zone is healthy, we still need to stretch ourselves beyond it, if we want to live a peaceful, purposeful and meaningful life. Sooner or later we begin to draw away from activities and work which are stressful and perhaps not a great priority for us any longer.


We prioritize our time and redeploy our resources. That is often what human wisdom consists of to know what to do, when to do it and when not to expend our energies and resources on what may be meaningful to others, but which no longer make sense to us, with our limited time, attention and resources.


Although our knowledge domains have expanded over time, we still cannot find answers to many questions. As medical science progresses, with it the number of illnesses increases. Technology produces all kinds of wizardry. Young children have the kind of exposure to life that was unthinkable a few decades ago. But, along with the exposure come many attendant problems.


So, whether it is spatial, physical, emotional or spiritual, our limitations will teach us to be truly human. We will not wallow in our weaknesses but learn to acquire strength and courage to live with them. We cease to look at the achievements of others as competition and instead look at how we can evolve, and give our best, notwithstanding our limitations. We will acquire stature and grow precisely because we have created for ourselves a purposeful life with and despite our limitations.

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Dasaratha’s cabinet, an inspiration

Mar 24, 2010, 12.00am IST
SUDHAMAHI REGUNATHAN.


The secret of professional success, according to the Valmiki Ramayana, lies in teamwork. In the city of Ayodhya, which was tranquil and peaceful, it is said everyone was truthful and law-abiding.
This is directly attributed to the excellent administration of the righteous king, Dasaratha. This gave him courage and power, enabling him to lead his eight virtuous and efficient ministers. With the help of such a proficient and wise cabinet the king could provide governance par excellence.


What was the profile of his ministers? Valmiki recounts the attributes of Dasaratha’s ministers and says that these men were vidyavinita. That means they were not only learned but also full of a humility that comes from learning. He implies that they were people who internalised what they learnt and applied it to everyday life. They were humble not as ministers of Dasaratha, but by virtue of their erudition. So the first qualification is to select the person who is qualified enough, which means possessing adequate knowledge to carry out the job assigned to him. Such a person will be secure in his learning and so will not need to resort to arrogance or bullying to get by.


Further, the ministers were of imperturbable nature. Again this meant that they were confident and so could keep cool in a crisis; they would act rather than react. When viewed in the context of a powerful job where people may say good and bad things, where time may be in short supply and so irritation may mount, where the feeling that one knows everything may be fostered, Dasaratha’s ministers remained unaffected. So the second qualification is to keep an open mind and listen to everyone and everything without taking it personally. This also means they carried their power lightly. So choose one who is able to make a difference between self and job.


Valmiki offers a word of caution lest it appears that he is suggesting a lack of involvement in the job. The third epithet he uses is kushalaha which is to say, they were very efficient. We do not only need good and qualified men in power but also efficient ones who are able to deliver.


It is probably not so difficult to find a qualified and efficient team mate as it is to ensure integrity. Here, Valmiki uses the word: niyateindriyaha or ones who had complete control over their senses. This control helped them retain equanimity at all times. They would never utter a lie either out of lust and greed or anger. They were always true to their word and were willing and quick to forgive.

To exercise some control one’s senses, one must be either a renunciate or a fully satisfied person. They perhaps belonged to the second category because Valmiki describes them as majestic which implies they were ornamented and well clad. So even though they were of the world, they were also discriminate and wise in their behaviour. The leader kept them well and in comfort, both materially and morally. Hence the team was free of disgruntlement.


Finally, Valmiki dwells on the one virtue which he has extolled all through the narration of f his Ramayana: Sweet speech. Choose a person who is good natured, suggests Vamiki as the ministers always spoke with a smile on their lips and only with purpose. Their words were sweet and righteous, well meant and well intentioned rather than mere lip service.

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Life-giving, fearsome Devi

Mar 22, 2010, 12.00am IST
Seema Burman.
Mothers are known to take extra care in the nurturing and upbringing of children. Similarly, the cosmic Mother nurtures and cares for her children, that is, all life that derives sustenance from her.

As her children we make demands; we also invoke her blessings. She in turn showers us with wealth, prosperity, knowledge and power. Mother represents maya, illusion. If we have negative tendencies, that is, qualities of tamas and rajas, Mother comes to us as Avidya Maya. If we have pure or sattvik qualities, She transforms them as Vidya Maya. One may call Her Durga, Parvati, Sati, Sita, Radha, Lakshmi or Saraswati. She is Shakti, energy.

All souls or atmans are going towards their goal, Paramatma, just as all rivers are running towards their goal, the ocean. A wrong turn makes our route longer but the goal remains fixed: God. Mother takes each soul towards the goal but if a child wants to enjoy, fight, cry or make detours, then She holds them, comforting and guiding them.


Most cultures acknowledge the power of feminine energy. Energy is Divine Shakti that is present in every being. This vital force is called Divine Mother and worshipped. Everyone requires energy - to feel young and energetic, to grow prosperous, to become beautiful, and to evolve as a conscious human being. For this progress it is important to overcome the negative in us. But without the help of a more powerful energy it is impossible to overcome demons. The Supreme Divine Energy is Divine Mother, the fearsome Devi, with a black face, red tongue, carrying a sword, who destroys our beastly instincts. She fulfils our worldly demands and ultimately fulfils the demands of our soul as well. She releases us from the clutches of demons and makes us pure.


Madhu is honey while Kaitabh is poison. They entered the ears of Lord Narayana. Honey is sweet and poison is bitter. Love is sweet and hatred is poison. Praise is sweet and criticism is poison. Madhu and Kaitabh are raga or love and dwesha or hatred, ninda or criticism and stuti or praise. These enter through our ears and Devi comes to our rescue and kills them but it takes thousands of years (Devi Bhagvata). Even though Mother holds a slain head, looks ferocious and wears a garland of heads, She is not a bloodthirsty goddess who wants animal sacrifices. She only wants to overpower and kill the beastly instinct in us. Devi worship is a symbolic way of explaining the mystery of energy worship.

The first three days are for worshipping Mahakali Durga who destroys our vices but only if we want to do so. In the second three days we worship Goddess Lakshmi as energy which enables us to earn Divine wealth, Daivi Sampada. By getting Divine wealth one becomes saatvik and such a person alone imbibes supreme wisdom or Truth. The last three days are devoted to Ma Saraswati who reveals the Truth of Existence and bestows spiritual wisdom. To achieve such a high state it is important to go through stages of annihilating demons and acquiring Divine qualities. Kaushalya and Dasarath had acquired divine wealth in their past lives and as a boon were given Sri Rama in their next life. Rama allows us to celebrate Rama Navmi when we have cleared the thorny path of anger, lust, attachment and have become saatvik.

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The night of death and new life

Mar 22, 2010, 12.00am IST
Udayraj A Gadnis.

Maha Shivratri is perceived by most as an all-night celebration that is ritualistic. To the evolved, it is a night of death - quiet and peaceful.

Shiva as destroyer symbolises death. The darkness of amavasya that follows the big night creates an ambience that prompts the seeker to look for illumination. As the Adi Guru, Shiva inspires us to be awake ^ that is, aware. Hence the practice prevails of staying awake all night on this special day. Another aspect of darkness is anonymity. Mystical happenings, the occult, too are associated with darkness. So in one special night you have elements of isolation, awakening and the occult.


Maha Shivratri calls for unusual demands on the fragile body and rigid mind. Scriptures say that the body is only a mud house and the Atma is a passing tenant. Many mystical questions arise: how does the tenant select the house, how does it maintain and use the house?

Shiva is the final frontier for fulfilling all desires. You are limited only by your knowledge. The world is full of events which do not appear in your known consciousness, but then even your body is full of events which do not appear in your known consciousness, but that still does not prevent you from claiming your body as your own. You know this world exactly as you know your own body through your limited senses. It's your mind that separates the outside world from your inside world, creating fear and mistrust. Hence, offering only water to Shiva is symbolic of simplicity and spiritual grace. Flow is the message here.


Maha Shivratri is neither a night of pleasure nor of pain. The understanding is simple: you have been given a beautiful stone at the age of 21 and you're told that it is a priceless diamond. You safeguard it all through your life till you're told - at the age of say, 50 - that it's just a piece of glass. Suddenly you feel cheated; the pleasure you experienced in possessing the stone suddenly vanishes and what remains is pain. Shiva cracks the whip and wakes you up from a nightmare.

The end of pain does not lie in pleasure but in freedom from both pain and pleasure.

The search for Shiva ends in the space within. So the ritual of Maha Shivratri is asking the devotee to be a witness. Witnessing is a normal natural process. The problem is excessive interest leading to a sense of self-importance that destroys the joy of living.

The night of waking up from this dream is crucial. It can be painful if you desire to hold on to it.

Stop imagining that your dream is your own. The night of Maha Shivratri is better spent in solitude; you definitely don't want to be woken up in somebody's bed you never intended to spend the night with!

There is nothing wrong in having desires. The point is: what kind of desires do you have? Are they petty, are they narrow and selfish? If so, it's time to expand the scope of your desires so that all the energy that goes into making up your various desires gets transformed into love. Ultimately, what do you really desire? You wish all longing for love and happiness to be fulfilled, isn't it? Simply lead a life full of love and everything else will follow. After all you are not in the body. The body is in you, and you are the one who has the power to steer life the way you wish.

(The writer is a mystic artist.)

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Identities, a fine balance

Mar 21, 2010, 12.00am IST
DEBABRATA TRIPATHY.


How does identification work in the inner world?
We sometimes ask ourselves questions for which there could be not one but several answers: Who am I, what is my duty, what is my main objective and is it right for me to work towards fulfilling that objective? What is the purpose of my life? These questions come to our mind perhaps as random thoughts, and then they go away.


In the normal flow of things, we don’t tend to analyse or concentrate on these questions too seriously because we have to deal first with thoughts on what we consider to be our priorities.


Let’s take the most commonly expressed doubt: Who am I, really? The immediate answer that comes to mind would be the name you have been given - “I am Debabrata, Ram, Rahim or whatever else I am known as ... ” This is because we have learnt this the moment we started recognizing and speaking, in our growing years. When someone calls out your name, you respond. And that, over time, becomes your identity. There’s nothing wrong in it. But on probing further, we would discover that the identity we think we have is only part of the story.

Let’s say I am introducing myself in this way over the telephone or email - the other party would recognise me as someone with a particular name. Once we get to meet, we would probably not recognise the other. On the other hand, if we’d exchanged photographs that indicate what we look like, it helps in identification. So we use photographs, fingerprints, date of birth details and the name for correct identification. In another context, we introduce ourselves in relationship to another as parent, sibling, spouse, friend or teacher, for instance. All this might suffice in the external world.


How does identification work in the inner world? Our external ID is determined by phenomenological factors and relationships and is therefore of a temporary nature; there is a beginning and an end, with birth and death. Then the question arises, am I a temporary being? What then, of my identity?
At Kurukshetra, on the battlefield, Arjuna forgot the eternal nature of the Self and focused only on the (temporary) relationship with Bhisma and Drona. Arjuna seems to have gotten carried away by his identity in the physical world. Krishna says in the Gita that you continue to exist even after the death of the physical body. There is no such thing as death; the Self passes unchanged from one body to another. There is life beyond death. The Self is immortal and is unborn. The Self is our real identity. Our true identification is with the Immortal, all-pervading Self.
Our identity with name and form or the physical body, is required only in the external world. We are more than the sum of our physical body, mind and desires. Therefore it is important that while we do our duty in the physical world in keeping with our various identities and roles, simultaneously, we need to remind ourselves of our real identity, That, and live with that consciousness.


True, to reconcile the physical (body and earthly relationships) and the spiritual (Supreme consciousness) is not an easy thing to do. However, we can try to understand the import of these truths and practice them as much as we can. As the Gita says: “The more we are able to identify with Self, the less will we be affected by pleasure and pain.”

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Balance your desires to avoid suffering

Mar 30, 2010, 12.00am IST
ASHOK VOHRA.



All materialistic cultures are founded on the human craving for more. The bottom line is: Never be satisfied with what you have, always wish for more.


Materialism and consumerism assume that fulfilling desires and the enjoyment of pleasures are all that is required to make us happy and contented.


In India, Charvakas are the ones who not only advocate consumerism but also go to the extent of saying that one should enjoy worldly possessions even if one has to beg, borrow or steal. They believe in the maxim: ‘Live as if there is no tomorrow’.


According to the Charvakas, while life remains, we should live happily because once the body is dead and is reduced to ashes; it can never come back to life. Hence, according to the Charvakas, one must enjoy life to the core. And what is enjoyment? It is to eat delicious food, seeking the company of the beautiful and young, wearing good clothes and accessories, decorating oneself and experiencing instant gratification wherever possible. Vatsyayana, the author of the Kama Sutra , has acknowledged the fact that in keeping with their goal of sensual enjoyment the Charvakas cultivated 64 fine arts to achieve the refinement of pleasures.


Indian tradition takes a holistic view of human nature. It argues that material aspects, however important they may be for human existence, do not exhaust the whole of the personality of a human being. It recognises that besides having physical needs and cravings, we have spiritual aspirations also. Why limit human aspiration to only the physical plane?


The spiritual goal alone distinguishes the human being from other forms of life. A man does not aspire for just artha and kama or the economic and the emotional; he also wishes for dharma and moksha , the moral and the spiritual. So it’s not as though we only seek the ephemeral and fleeting, we are inclined also to look for what could be eternal and enduring.


Indic seers recognised the pitfalls of pursuing only materialistic goals. The Mundaka Upanishad calls those people “fools” who crave for material goods, and regard fulfilment of sensate desires alone as the “highest good”.


In the Bhagavad Gita , Krishna calls them muddha – fools who are imbued with aasuric or demoniac nature. The Gita describes the mindset of such people: “I wanted this and today I got it. I want that; I shall acquire it tomorrow. All these riches are now mine; soon I shall have more. I have killed this enemy; I will kill all others as well and shall soon conquer the world. I am the ruler of men. I enjoy the things of this world. I am successful strong and happy. I am very wealthy and so nobly born. Who is my equal?”


This mindset gives rise to passion, anger and greed that in turn lead to constant strife within the individual and in his dealings with others.

Buddha, after analysing the cause of dukha , says that suffering is not due to chance and caprice. It is because of certain conditions. If these conditions are removed, then suffering, too, ceases to be. He came to the conclusion that desire is the root cause of suffering. In his Fourth Noble Truth he lays down an eightfold path for ending all desire.


Ancient seers realised that “desires are never satiated by the enjoyment of desires; thereby they only flame forth ever more like fire with butter”. That is why they teach us to ‘enjoy through renunciation’. Desires and even their fulfilment, instead of being a source of happiness might spiral so out of control that they become the root cause of suffering.
The writer is professor and head, department of philosophy, Delhi University .

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Why wait for passing of laws to do right?

Mar 20, 2010, 12.00am IST
SADHU VASWANI.


Is the modern lifestyle suited to a life of meditation?

Modern lifestyle emphasises action and this action is often unrest. Unrest prevents the creation of an environment that is suitable for meditation. The emphasis is now on mental prowess and this makes one argumentative, controversial and aggressive, rather than receptive of spiritual insights. Competing for one-upmanship in the mental sphere does not build emotional stability. There is perhaps only greater imbalance and disorder. Intuitions are shut out, giving more space to manas, the lower mind. Be detached and, in a world of violence, join forces with those who work for peace and love. Satsang could play a good role here.


Which qualities do we have to cultivate to achieve this?

Hurt no one! Learn to practise ahimsa to yourself first. There are many cells in your body. Every bad thought, every vicious desire harms the cells in you. You are their guardian, so keep away from bad thoughts. Cultivate ekagrata or one-pointedness, the power of speech and the power of silence. Speak to the point. Learn to sit in silence and adore silence. The silent ones reflect divine action in the third stage. In the first stage are great men or heroes of history, in the second stage are sages and in the third stage are the silent ones.

Cultivate saralata or simplicity. To reach the centre that is you, the real Self, try to rise above argument, thought, and abstraction. Pass into illumination. This comes gently, gradually, silently, from the real Self, the atman. Be simple, non-egoistic. Overcome the desire-self! Become a nukta, a point in the cosmos. Then you will receive illumination from the atman. Without being simple no one ever passed from learning to wisdom. None ever entered into illumination without overcoming desire and ego. Be simple! And you will be transformed; as was Jesus, as was Guru Nanak and others like them. Be simple and you will be flooded with light from within.

What place does work have in all this?

Work is essential. Spiritual life is one of balance. Be balanced. The purpose of life on Earth is to correct and balance oneself. Work purifies and work disciplines us. And he who would meditate must first be purified through work. He must learn the lessons of practical life. He must not neglect duty or dharma. Krishna tells Arjuna repeatedly to "stand up and do your dharma or duty". I must not neglect my duty to my family and society: I am linked with them karmically. The path of work is the path of purification, and purification must precede illumination.

What is the New Order?

Confusion arises from lack of understanding. It is true, many speak today of a "New Order", and so they ask for new laws, new adjustments in society and the state. Many, indeed, idolise the state as the source of new laws that would make the world new. The world will not be new until we have more people with world-vision and hearts of love. What can parchments of Parliament and laws of assemblies do?


What we need are people of sympathy and understanding, of vision and love, of self-control and self-effacement, those who have not merely national consciousness but whole consciousness, who see the whole as one, who recognise the unity of all life. When you see the One in all and the all in One, you will overcome all barriers.

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Greatest show on earth

Mar 19, 2010, 12.00am IST
RAM SHANKER TIWARI.

Albert Einstein was neither an atheist nor a believer. Yet he found Nature overwhelming.
“Every one who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe – a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we, with our modest powers, must feel humble”.


Cosmic awareness subtly pervades the universe as butter is latent in milk. In particle physics, an analysis of organic and cosmic evolutions points towards an upcoming cognisance that our future is ‘kicking in the golden womb of the cosmos’ as expressed in the Hiranyagarbha of the Upanishads.


The cosmic journey of the universe, in many ways, impacts all that is in it including our karma, their fruition, free will, destiny, purpose, consciousness, and known as well as yet unknown natural forces. All phenomena are embedded in the wheel of futurity or the kaal chakra, and they are both future tools that shape our present as wells as an intrinsic part of the present.


In the early phases of atmospheric evolution, the ratio of various gases appears to have been determined by futuristic design so that life could originate and survive on earth. For example, oxygen constitutes 21 per cent of all gases; if increased or decreased even a bit, a high oxidation and spontaneous fire, or a reduction of metabolism would have destroyed the earliest pulsating single-celled life. So is the case of critical balance in cell-content in plants as well as animals, their acidity and alkalinity, chemistry of living and non-living material, temperature, humidity, ratio of matter and antimatter, equilibrium in the pull-and-push between stars, and the dance of atoms and their constituents.
All this is being played out in energy, concealed or otherwise. A slight change at any stage might not have made the universe as we know it today.


And the show goes on...
Currently atomic physicists are looking for those fundamental particles which dispersed through the then newly-created space, immediately after the Big Bang, the point of origin of the universe. The expensive experiment, the Large Hadron Collider, is being carried out inside a colossal tunnel near Geneva (CERN). In this huge underground passage, protons of atoms will smash together. Scientists expect that a virtual yet mathematically proved Higgs-Boson particle will be produced by such a collision; this particle is supposed to be a mother unit of all ‘matter’ that makes our world. However, several physicists are sceptical about such a venture, and apprehend that this could create a black-hole which may suck and digest our solar system, including earth.


Nonetheless, other high energy physicists are of the opinion that the particles thus produced at CERN will be so abhorrent to nature that their creation in the tunnel will never be allowed to happen by the positive forces of Nature. That could mean Nature will stop the collider before it can make one Higgs-Boson particle. It is interesting to note here that the collider has already faced such a breakdown -- scientists Holger B Nielsen and Masao Ninomiya say that Nature seems to be halting the project.
Skepticism and concerns apart, we need to be conscious of the probability that the future may well determine our present in a curious twist of evolution. This is being borne out by the way biological, cosmic and material evolutions along the path of existence are playing out in the present, with future scenarios playing catalyst for current realities.

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Get on that hotline to God

Mar 25, 2010, 12.00am IST
Janina Gomes.



The great body of rituals and prayers passed on to us from our ancestors might indeed help us get in touch with God.


However, there is room yet for personal prayer, which is more like a hotline to God. Personal prayer has the power of personal experience, making the communion truly intimate.


William Law says: "It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they may be; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be that counts." In short, true prayer is that which comes from the heart.


The need for God finds expression in new ways and we begin life anew every day of our lives. It might help if we keep short accounts with God, so that we live from day-to-day and minute-to-minute in communion with God.


There are many ways in which we are called to experience God. The quest for exploration in the outer world is as important as the quest for exploration of the inner world. The urge put into the heart of human beings to transcend, to excel, to be and to love, all come from God.


Prayer, like divinity, cannot be measured. While prayer helps us to stretch ourselves, our imagination, the outer circumference and the inner quality of our lives, there is always something left over to seek and find. The search for Truth is inexhaustible indeed.
The human quest for territory and inner space remain difficult and arduous for all those who live to conquer. Seekers have to take to new paths and explore new ground as a prelude to the heavenly vision, in which: "The eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither had it entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love him".


We all have to learn to scale mountain tops and prayer gives us the courage to move from the lowlands, where the mundane and the lowest common denominator drag us away from our true destiny, to the purity and pristine air of the mountain tops.


It is said that prayer can accomplish more than any other force in the world. Prayer can heal. It can repair relationships. It can bring peace. It can change hearts. Prayer can transform.
There is nothing we do or hope to do that cannot be bettered by personal prayer. That is because prayer does not allow us to remain within the narrow confines of self-interest. Prayer always enlarges our reach, so that we become less selfish and more caring, connecting with all life and God.


In prayer, we hear the very echo of what we have prayed for. If our prayer has been unselfish and we have been true to ourselves, we might receive the gifts we have asked for. Even if we don't get what we want, we acquire the ability to accept the things we cannot change, graciously.


As we move from one level of prayer to another, our lives take on added meaning and our human relationships are touched by the divine. We begin to see in others the true reflection of a caring and loving God and all of creation in intimate union with Him.


Prayer reveals to us God's grace. He gives us the privilege of experiencing miracles a new dawn, a new day with all its little moments, a new life in which we ask forgiveness to build a world full of love.

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Creative interpretation of law of attraction

Mar 24, 2010, 12.00am IST
V N MITTAL.


No one is devoid of desires and dreams. The goals may be material or spiritual, or both.

The average person seeks the material and the spiritual seeker looks for manifesting God through the practice of spirituality, via meditation or prayer. All seem to be seeking fulfillment of their dreams in one way or other.

The art of manifestation consists of creating physical reality by deftly employing the power of mind. Everything proceeds from the mind and is therefore, its creation. The creation of realities however, depends on so many factors. We draw to us what we expect, so be careful about what you ask for, as you might get it!

How to reach out to your goal? First, have faith in your self, have positive thoughts and visualise success. Shun thoughts that discourage you. Vague and negative thoughts are a hindrance. Your intentions and expectations have to be firm and clear before you can create your own reality.


According to the Law of Attraction (LOA) also, creative visualisation and affirmation are the keys to manifestation. Creative visualisation requires good concentration and imagination to visualise your goal so intensely that your subconscious mind believes it is possible. Affirmation gives direction to your thoughts.


The LOA is also based on the law of karma, of the principle of cause and effect. Positive thoughts send positive signals to the universe. The power of your mind then acts on the universe to manifest your desires. Visualising negative results can bring negative sequence of “coincidences” that stand in the way of manifesting dreams.


We are made up of energy that acts on the basis of changes in the vibration frequency that is taking place every moment. The best way to successfully manifest dreams is to alter any situation by consciously clearing your energy field. The Reiki technique - the art of tapping into universal life force energy for healing - is a simple and effective way to clear your energy field by aligning your vibration frequency.

Reiki can help you acquire divine guidance and enable the manifesting process in an easy and safe manner. But the ethics of Reiki demands that you do not ask for something that may deprive someone else. For example, asking for someone else's job by taking away his position is not only unethical but can also have karmic consequences.

A manifestation triangle duly energised with Reiki is an effective tool to manifest your positive desires. Reiki being positive energy does not permit anything negative to manifest. As intention, affirmation and love make Reiki move, the triangle can work well even for those who are not into Reiki.

The advantage of manifesting through a triangle is that it enables you to focus on visualisation of your goal, reinforces it and crystallises the outcome. All obstacles get dissolved since Reiki is known to remove all energy blockages.

The simple steps involved are:


1. Draw a triangle on a piece of paper writing your name at its left corner, the goal in brief at the right corner.

2. Also write inside the triangle that you are manifesting this for the highest good of all.


3. Connect to Reiki by intent raising your hands upwards, palms towards the sky. Feel the warmth or tingling sensation in your palms


4. Now placing the paper between your palms, give Reiki to it for five minutes twice a day. Trust that your goal is taking shape.


5. Gassho - give thanks in prayer position.


6. Repeat the process for a few days till your goal is manifested.


Happy manifesting.

(The writer is a Reiki Sensei based in Dehradun. Email: vn.mittal@gmail.com)

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Rediscovering a sense of wonder

Mar 17, 2010, 12.00am IST
MARGUERITE THEOPHIL.


‘Wonder’ is one of those simple words we think we know the meaning of, till we begin to articulate what it really means to us.


We could say that wonder is present when we experience a powerful moment of awe, with its combination of dread and excitement, after which one seems to have a new perception and appreciation of life.


We might agree it arises from our natural, inborn curiosity about life, increasing our capacity to be enthusiastic explorers of the outer physical world through our senses, as well as of the inner world of the emotions and spirit through slowing down and reflection.


Or we might describe it as the capacity to remain aware and present to the delights of small things that easily go unnoticed, and to do this with undiluted joy. Much like when we were children.


Renowned ecological activist Rachel Carson declared: “If i had influence with the good fairy supposed to preside over the christening of all children, i should ask her gift to each child would be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.” And, to keep alive an inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies – a child needs at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with her the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.

Each of us can be that adult who not only helps the child, but in greater measure helps ourselves.


Wonder isn’t something we do, but something that happens to us; we can’t force it – but by remaining open to it, we find it is actually in some way cultivable – because having a sense of wonder for grown-ups is actually a choice.


It is consciously being open, and responding to what seems miraculous and often inexplicable. It is also looking at reality, with its beauty as well as its flaws, and deciding it is precious and meaningful.


When we say, “I wonder ... ” it implies we don’t really know. So the stepping-off point to rediscover wonder is to give ourselves permission to be fresh, new learners or rediscoverers.


What triggers wonder in us is all around us, every moment. There is no end to the things that can awaken it – a starry night sky, tiny wildflowers hidden in the grass, the sound of flowing water, the touch of a loved one, a piece of music, the kindness of strangers, the laughter of a child, a frolicking puppy, a dramatic stormy night, a peaceful dawn.


But we can hardly be delighted, awestruck, or surprised when we are either overwhelmed with work or simply indifferent. When too busy, we don’t notice the subtle blessings in our surroundings. In the grip of indifference, we couldn’t care less; ‘So what?’ becomes our response instead of ‘Oh wow!’ Wonder is an antidote to both these conditions, awakening the positive qualities of humility and thankfulness.


In fact, rediscovering wonder can be seen as a spiritual practice, the first step of which is to rejoice in the play of our senses: smell, sight, touch, taste and hearing. You’ll never get anywhere with this practice though, by being in a hurry. Invite yourself to above all slow down, so you can tune into the varied world of this and that, which reveals the nourishing wonder of life, available to each of us in abundance.

E-mail: weave@vsnl.net

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Peace and harmony in daily living

Mar 23, 2010, 12.00am IST
RAMESH S BALSEKAR.


There have been moments in almost everyone’s day-to-day living when one has experienced the true joy of living, with calm, peace and tranquility.

What has usually disturbed these moments are memories of guilt and shame, carried by the ego and which resurfaces every now and then, causing discomfort. These feelings could be because of one’s own (mis) deeds or another’s.

What if you can be totally convinced that no action is anyone’s doing, that all action was merely a happening that simply had to happen?

This is what spiritual seeking is all about. Masters may talk about enlightenment or Self-realisation, but what it means is to be able to experience the peace and tranquility that the sage enjoys in his day-to-day life.

A sage is considered a sage because he seems to be anchored in peace and tranquility while facing the pains and pleasures of day-to-day living in his chosen field of activity, like any other ordinary person.

'Self-realisation’, to the sage, simply means the realisation – the absolute, total conviction – that ‘events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” as Buddha put it. Both the sage and the ordinary person respond to their respective names being called. In both cases, therefore, there is identification with body and name as an individual entity separate from all others. The difference is that whereas the sage knows that “events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” the ordinary person has the conviction that each individual performs his action and is responsible for it.

Every action is happening according to a Cosmic Law and not because of something ‘done’ by an individual human being. If this is accepted, it also has to be accepted that no one can blame anyone for whatever happens through any body-mind organism. Therefore, he need not blame himself for any action, need not feel guilt or shame for any action; he need not also hate anyone for whatever might hurt him in life. The result is that anyone who is able to have this acceptance in his day-to-day living would carry no burden of guilt or shame, nor any burden of hatred and malice, jealousy and envy. In other words, the result is that he is anchored in peace and harmony: he is continuously comfortable with himself and also comfortable with others.


Perceiving in phenomenology is an impersonal, nominal function of the manifestation of the phenomenal universe. Such perceiving is pure perceiving because there is nothing seen, and there is nothing that perceives. We are nothing but illusory dream-figures. All phenomenal existence itself is merely an appearance in Consciousness, and all the characteristics of sentient beings – the form, the perceiving, the knowing, and the feeling – are also nothing but movements in Consciousness as in the dream.

The dream that is the phenomenal manifestation occurs in Consciousness. It is perceived and cognised in Consciousness and is interpreted by Consciousness through the duality that is the basis for all phenomenal manifestation: the subject-object relationship. This duality of subject-object relationship is merely the mechanism or the instrumentation (like space-time itself) through which the manifestation occurs – and is, of course, a concept – with the result that the perceived can be nothing other than the perceiver. Consciousness is all there is: the subject and the object, inseparably united when unconceived and unmanifested, only appear as dual and separate when conceived in the phenomenal manifestation.

Excerpt from Ramesh S Baklsekar’s ‘Peace and Harmony in Daily Living’.

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Divinity in excellence

Mar 17, 2010, 12.00am IST
VIJAY VANCHESWAR.

The underlying message of all spiritual masters is that the paths are many, and the destination is one.

Various schools of thought and masters have prescribed various paths to suit the temperament and inclinations of seekers who are preparing to embark on a journey of spiritual inquiry. Thus we have the path of karma or selfless service, which blends with the natural proclivity of an individual who is action-oriented.

The bhakti or devotional path suits one who is inclined to engage in japa or prayers accompanied by the constant remembrance of the Supreme presence. Jnana or the path of Self-knowledge befits the seeker who is introspective and reflective by temperament.


Ramakrishna Paramahansa chose the bhakti route, while Ramana Maharshi advocated the path of jnana . These seers underscored the importance of annihilating one’s sense of ego and submitting unconditionally to the will and power of the Divine. The teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba provide a simple and effective recipe to devotees who throng his shrines.


The two attributes mentioned in Sanskrit as shraddha and saburi , and they refer to the qualities of faith and patience. The proverbs: ‘Faith can move mountains’ and ‘Patience is the greatest of all virtues’ has profound significance. As we reflect on the lives of seers, we find the presence of these two traits in ample measure. M K Gandhi symbolised these qualities both in letter and spirit. His message, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’, continues to inspire people across the globe.


Sachin Tendulkar, the sporting icon, commands tremendous regard and popularity for the manner in which he exhibits these two traits. That people regard him as a perfect role model beyond his accomplishments on the cricket field is a reflection of this. Gandhi is acclaimed as ‘God’s gift to the world’. His fans adore Sachin as ‘God’s gift to cricket’. The endearing demeanour of Sachin cloaks a steely resolve, tempered with faith and patience to combat successfully the challenges and expectations that he faces. Just as there is a divinity that defines the breath-taking drive of a Sachin Tendulkar, there is an everlasting splendour in the melodious tones of Lata Mangeshkar and in the range displayed by Amitabh Bachchan.


Each of them attracts a huge following with the talent and beauty they exhibit in their chosen fields. They reveal to us a world where for a moment, we experience the joy of being in communion with the cosmic consciousness, oblivious of our individual, and petty concerns. Unconsciously, we also experience this joy when we share, give or forgive someone unconditionally, with love bereft of ill will. A moving concert, a wonderful piece of art or painting, a captivating performance by an artiste or a superlative display by a sportsperson, all these magically transport us to a higher, divine platform. “Life is not about the number of breaths that we take, but about all that leaves us breathless.”


Meister Eckhart says: “One can only stand in awe-inspiring wonder and savour the marvel of God’s diverse creations. To try to decipher and explain this with the mind dilutes its profound beauty.” Excellence might not be something that’s present already in us – most of us would have to show dedication, practice and a deep interest in something we have an inclination for before it becomes second nature to us. Once that happens, we will find that it is not all that difficult to experience that divine feeling.

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Devi, full of compassion

Mar 16, 2010, 12.00am IST
SADHGURU.


For one who is fearful, darkness is evil. For one who is not fearful, darkness is the all-absorbing nature of existence. That which can absorb everything is also that which creates everything.

So, Devi is seen as the basis of all Creation. Earth is called “Mother” because it is all creating and all absorbing. It throws us out and absorbs us too, one day. Why do some associate darkness with evil? Only because your visual senses are such that you cannot see in darkness, it instills fear in you. For all nocturnal animals, darkness is beautiful. There was no light in your mother’s womb. The fear of darkness came only after you were born.


For those trapped in the limitations of sensory perception, darkness is a problem. For those who have transcended the limitations of the senses, darkness is a blessing. The fundamental principle of Bhairavi is darkness. One meaning of `bhai’ is fear. Another meaning is `beyond.’ She is fearful for those who are trapped in limitations - but for those who have the eyes to see it, she is the nature of the beyond. Fear is always of losing something. You can only lose limited aspects of life; you can never lose its ultimate nature. Fear occurs because you are attached to your limitations; otherwise there is no fear. Fear appears because there is no vairag, no dispassion. For those who are trapped in limitations, dispassion is a fearful thing. For those who consciously go into it, dispassion is ultimate freedom.


Either you are in `bhai’ or vairag - there is no other way to be. Passion and fear are connected. The word `passion’ is used in many ways: we are using it for intensity but passion essentially means you are clinging to something. Being passionate about something or somebody is the only way for you right now to generate certain experiences within you. If the object of your passion is threatened, there is fear. Dispassion does not mean non-involvement. Right now, you are kicking up your involvement with passion. If you can kick up your involvement with dispassion, then there is no question of fear.
Devi is depicted spilling blood. Blood is all the time flowing inside your body. If it comes out, what is the big deal? In all fundamental aspects of life, people are fearful. They are fearful of the life process itself. When Devi is depicted in fearful ways, it is not that she really is fearful. It is just that people see her like that; it is their perception. Those who love her think she is compassionate, but those who look at her bound by limitations think she is fearsome. You might see pictures where Devi has taken off her own head, carrying it in her hand; this aspect of the Devi is called Chinnamasta. This is to show that she has taken off her own limitations.


If Devi nurtures your limitations, would you call that compassion? Or would you think so if she takes away your limitations? Removing your limitations is ultimate compassion -- to a point where she is willing to be unpopular.
Devi’s compassion is like the purifying and life-giving fire. A mind that is full of fear looks upon fire fearfully. But fire is the basis of all life. May the fiery Grace of Bhairavi be upon you.

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Trust is everything, nurture it

Mar 15, 2010, 12.00am IST
ANIL DHIRUBHAI AMBANI.

Trust was the foundation on which my father, Dhirubhai Ambani, built his life, his enormous wealth of relationships, and one of India’s greatest business enterprises.

The absolute sanctity he attached to trust is reflected in the very name that he gave to his business – Reliance. It was his way of saying to the world, “You can rely on me.”

Without reliance, he said, there can be neither trust, nor relationships, neither family nor life itself. Reliance means many things. But, first and foremost, it is a deep sense of honour, a commitment to one’s word.

When Kaikeyi approached Dashratha for the grant of her boons, he was devastated and broken. How could he send his beloved Rama to exile? How could he deny him, the righteous one, the throne? How could he nominate Bharata as his successor?


But, equally, could he afford to break his word, not keep his promise? Dashratha knew the answer but he had his moment of doubt.

Rama had none.


When the news of his terrible fate was broken to him – by Kaikeyi, not Dashratha, who was too distraught to talk, one might remember – he was the very picture of tranquillity.

If father had given his word, could Rama ever think of going back on it! His was to obey, not question, follow, not doubt, surrender, not seek. Raghukula Riti Sadaa Chali Aai, Praan Jaahun Paru Bachanu Na Jaai . (Ayodhya Kanda). Could there be a higher example of trust?

Lord Rama knew in his heart, as a billion Indians do, that trust is not about taking short-cuts, it is not about taking the easy way out. Trust is all or it is nothing. Make a sacrifice if necessary; but do what is right rather than what is convenient.


Trust is also my father’s proudest legacy to all of us, our most precious inheritance.

Sadly, a legacy might not be forever. More than what you get, it is what you make of it. Cherish it, and it grows. Neglect it and it wilts. Like a tender young sapling, it demands constant care and concern.

Looking back over the last few years, I am deeply and painfully aware of how easy it is to lose touch with one’s values. How easy it is to let one’s samskaras turn into empty words without meaning or intent.

How easy it is to let the obsession with self – ‘I, me, mine’ – vitiate even the purest, most selfless of relationships – the bond between a child and his mother.

This takes us beyond trust to a realm yet higher; a realm so sacred, so exalted that it is likened, in our scriptures, to divinity itself. There is no higher duty, purpose or end in life, say our epics, than an unconditional surrender to a mother’s love, a supreme respect for her will, a devotion to her well-being.


“Verily,” say the Vedas, “the mother is God”. “Matrudevo bhava!” proclaims the Taittriya Upanishad. “Honour thy mother. Look upon her as God.”
Can one worship God without total trust? Can one show her reverence without bowing one’s head in absolute humility? Can one break a word spoken solemnly in her presence?


And if one does – in the mindless pursuit of power, ego or material riches – what has one gained and, more importantly, what has one really lost?

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Season of reflection and atonement

Mar 20, 2010, 12.00am IST
Vivekmani Lakra.


Spring is round the corner. It is also the time when Christians begin the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday.

Lent is preparation for Easter and it is a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. It culminates in Easter. It is the time set aside for reflection and atonement. On Ash Wednesday, the priest while applying ashes on the forehead of the faithful, says, "Remember, thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return."
This is a suitable time to look inward. Lent is a time specially to forgive our enemies as Jesus forgave his persecutors before His life ended saying: "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34) and this is an opportunity to repent for one's wrong deeds.
The last week of Lent is known as 'The Holy Week', the week immediately preceding Easter or Resurrection Sunday. It is observed in many Christian churches as a time to commemorate and enact the suffering or Passion and death of Jesus. While some church traditions focus specifically on the events of the last week of Jesus's life, many liturgies focus on the larger themes that marked Jesus's entire ministry. Observances during this week range from daily liturgical services in churches to informal meetings in homes to participate in a Christian version of the Passover Seder.
The reasons as to why the Lenten season is observed for a period of 40 days are many. There is an important relation of the number "40" with the Holy Bible. We can find in the book of Exodus of the Old Testament that Moses prayed to God while staying on Mount Sinai for 40 days. After getting freedom from the Pharaoh of Egypt, the Israelites travelled for 40 long years to reach their native land, Israel. During Noah's time, it rained continuously for 40 days and the whole earth was flooded (Genesis 7:17). And before beginning His ministry Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days in the desert (Luke 44:2-13), he was laid in the tomb for 40 hours after his death and before He was taken up into Heaven, He stayed with His people for 40 days (John 21). Hence the number "40" has been included by different churches in the Lent as a numeral of great significance.
The words 'repent' and 'repentance' appear several times in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament of The Holy Bible, emphasising the need for people to change their sinful ways and turn to God. Jesus himself asked people to repent. St. John the Baptist who foretold the coming of Jesus, preached saying: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" and "therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance". In the Old Testament, Prophet Joel said: "Now therefore", says the Lord, "turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments'' (Joel 2:12-13).


Finally, the appropriate meaning of fasting and repentance can be brought out when we sacrifice our desires and also share what we have with those who are not as privileged as we are. Hence for getting free of problems, we need to abstain from wrong deeds. The idea is that every individual should go on with his life without hurting another and in times of emergency and difficult situations, we should help each other. This way, good deeds generate more good deeds and we would have something worthwhile to show in the balance sheet of life.

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There are no ultimate answers

Mar 14, 2010, 12.00am IST
SWAMI SUKHABODHANANDA.


Life is often compared to a game, Shakespeare says, “We are to gods what flies are to wanton boys; they kill us for their sport”.


A person is walking along a mountain ridge. He stumbles and falls. As he tumbles down the cliff, he sees the branch of a tree projecting from the cliff-face. He catches hold of that branch. As he is hanging there precariously, he sees his guru standing on the mountaintop. He asks the guru what he should do. But there is no way the guru can help him physically.


The guru tells him: “The region to the left of the valley below you is dry and thorny. The right side is lush and green. Look to the right and try to fall there. Now that the fall is inevitable, and you may be plunging to your death, enjoy the scenery during your last leap.”


Your assessment of any situation should be realistic. At least some kind of enjoyment involves willingness to suffer unpleasantness. You go for an ayurvedic massage. Ayurveda says body massage is good for health. Sometimes masseurs use their body weight to apply different degrees of pressure on your body using their feet, not hands. It might have seemed an unpleasant prospect, but once you go through it, you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. You went through all that in anticipation of joy. I may add that a failure to enjoy adversities is one of the main reasons for the increasing tendency among today’s people to commit suicide.


A suicide is the end result of incurable anxieties. Take the case of this man who decided to commit suicide. He went to a palmist and explained his situation to him. Then he asked him to tell his fortune. The palmist was thoroughly perplexed. On being asked for the reason for the strange request, the man replied, “Well, you see, I have seen so many reverses of fortune that I want to make sure nothing would go wrong with my suicide plan!”


Life is often compared to a game, Shakespeare says, “We are to gods what flies are to wanton boys; they kill us for their sport”. Recently one of my aunts expired. She had been in deep coma for a long time following a brain hemorrhage. She was taken to her home so that she could die there in peace. She was kept at home for a few hours, but was readmitted to hospital when her condition worsened. She soon died. It was an unbearable sight, of life refusing to leave the body even as death was tightening its unrelenting grip on her. My question is, “If life is God’s game, need He be so harsh?” What kind of divine sport is this?
We cannot understand the reasons behind the occurrence of many happenings in the universe. We can probe the answer to certain whys up to a particular point. Then we come to a dead end.
We can give explanations, but they might not provide answers. Buddha gave an example: If an arrow is shot in the dark, it may strike someone. Is the injured person going to ask, “Who shot this arrow, why did he shoot it?” What is more pertinent than an answer to the why-question is the practical action of removing the arrow and dressing the wound. In a sense, any answer to a given why-question is nothing more than the formulation of yet another why-question. In other words, there can be no ultimate answer to a why-question. Your question as to why God allows tsunamis and earthquakes to kill thousands of people belongs to this category.

http://www.prasannatrust.org/

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