My Father

Other than myself the next best friend i had was my father. I loved to be near him whenever he was at home. And he, in turn, was very patient. Like every children, i too was curious. I had so many doubts and questions. He listened to me and cleared my doubts as simply as he could. If, still he was unable to convince me, his stock answer would be:" once you grow up you will understand it." That was acceptable to me. 

He provided us with the best things in the world. He didn't want us to miss what he missed as a child. Both his parents died when he was very young. He was the youngest in the family and was ill-treated and subjugated by his siblings. At the age of 16 he ran away from home. When he could stand on his own he came back, the siblings who had squandered all the family wealth, unashamedly rallied around him. He forgave but never forgot. 

As a teenager too i used to confide things to him. He always listened and gave his opinion. In times of distress he was my knight in shining armor. 

For all this love, care, trust what could i give him back? Nothing. He was a self-made man. He had all what he wanted. Did he? From the time i could remember, he missed one thing. He missed his mother. Most days, in sleep he called out for his mother. He still missed the love and care of his mother. This yearning continued till the end of his life. 

At this point of life, the only thing i can wish for him is; If he has a rebirth, let him be blessed with the best mother and every best things in this world. 

Knowing oneself

A person who is ready to begin his spiritual journey has to be grounded. That is one should be stable mentally and emotionally. To be grounded, one should know oneself inside out. One should be able to look at one's own merits and demerits objectively. So that one is not carried away by undeserving praises showered upon one. 

One should develop a habit of retrospection - objective retrospection, which would foster spiritual development. It would help one to remain balanced in a society that is frivolous and partisan. 

'One should have the strength and stamina for constant self-appraisal and be ready to receive and withstand criticism.' One should be able to identify and sacrifice ones vices; to achieve something higher and to uplift one spiritually, while rooted in this world. 

Thus knowing oneself is the first step towards eternal happiness. 

Sacrifice

Moksha or Salvation depends on one's Karma. How is this possible? 

When one is liberated from the cycle of karma, one attains Salvation. 

Suppose everyone on this planet were rigid and egotists, what will happen? Nothing. The whole world will come to a stand still. Therefore at creation itself the Creator ingrained a particular quality in each of His creation. That is the capacity to do sacrifice. The very quality that would help us to grow and sustain ourselves.The very quality that will bring peace and prosperity to the practitioners. 

Sacrifice does not imply distancing from / denying yourself something you love. It implies the willingness to accommodate the interests of others too. That is, live and let live. So in a wider sense, it is the capacity to be selfless, which ennobles human nature. 

Unfortunately, most pass through life unaware of this inherent quality and are never liberated from the karmic cycle.

The Divine and the Demonic Nature / Bhagwad Gita - Chapter 16

In Chapter 16 of Bhagwad Gita Bhagwan Sri Krishna deliberates on the Divine and Demonic natures, especially the Demonic. 

Sri Krishna says that the ones with Divine nature are endowed with the following qualities: Fearlessness, purity of heart, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, control over senses, sacrifice, study of Vedas, austerity, virtue, non-violence, honesty, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquility, averse to criticize others, compassion, free from greed, gentleness, modesty, determination, courage, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness and no hatred. 

The Demonic nature is manifested as pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harsh words,ignorance. 

For the ones with Demonic nature this is a place for self- gratification. These lost souls are full of misconceptions and misunderstandings that they engage in non-beneficial and horrifying activities that are destructive to the world. Due to lack of discrimination these people are attached to insatiable lust and are full of pride and false prestige. Satisfying their sensory desires is of prime importance. The outcome of attachment to too many desires is anxiety, lust and greed. They tend to become more and more greedy - insatiable. In the long run they become egoists These people become so conceited, stubborn, proud and deluded by wealth, that they perform superficial and namesake sacrifices which are not according to Vedic injunctions. 

Due to egotism, power, arrogance, lust and anger, these demonic men become envious of the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and the bodies of others. Such men are repeatedly cast into the ocean of material existence, that is, through repeated births they are kept away from the Supreme being. 

There are three gates that lead to hell - Lust, Anger, Greed, If one has to escape these three gates of hell, one has to engage in acts of self-realization, understand and practice the regulations of the scriptures and gradually reach ones spiritual destination. 

The Divine nature leads to liberation and the Demonic nature leads to bondage. 

Dhyan - Arhatic Dhyan

After completing my Advance Pranic Healing and Pranic Psychotherapy course, i started my healing practice at home. After the Twin Hearts Meditation and the morning chores, i spent some time to practice healing. Practice makes one perfect. This became my routine for months. At this time i got a call from the Pranic Healing Foundation to join the Arhatic Prep. classes. These  are initiation classes to become an *Arhatic Yogi. 

In Arhatic Prep. classes the students are taught higher meditations along with other topics. Arhatic Dhyan is one such meditation. During my first Arhatic Dhyan, i was very composed and calm and was following the instructions. At some point of time, i found myself at a height, as if, i was looking down from a flight. The only difference was in the color, like wearing a shade over my eyes. Then the scene changed. I was at  a place, a place of profound silence, intuitively felt it was snow and ice all around. The only sense organ that was working was my Eye - my "shaded"vision. Suddenly i was terrified and the next instant i was back in my body, in the meditation hall.

*''Arhatic'' is derived from ''arhat'' describing a highly evolved being. This yoga system was given by MahaGuruji Mei Ling to Master Choa Kok Sui. It has its origin from China, India and Tibet. In addition to being an advanced technique practised by Spiritual initiates, it also synthesizes and integrates all yogas: Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Mantra Yoga, and simplified Hatha Yoga. - Excerpts from Master's Book. 

AUM - The Mantra

OM/ AUM is the Pranava Mantra. Pranava means associated with prana or the breath. Mantra means repetitive sound that uplifts one spiritually. OM or AUM is a combination of the sounds "aa", "au", "m". The sound OM is a prayer in itself. 

The sound OM encompasses the past, the present , the future and beyond. OM encompasses infinity. OM is a representation of the nirguna (unmanifested) and the saguna (manifested) aspects the Brahman. That is, the OM represents the abstract and the concrete. 

The recital of the OM should be in tandem with one's breath. Inhale, then exhale OM. The mantra OM should be exhaled. Be aware of the profound silence and stillness between two OMs. If done properly, this raises one's vibrations and in the long run will get attuned to the cosmic vibrations, which will enlighten the reciter. 

Recently i read an article in FB, which says that NASA has discovered that OM is the sound of the Sun. It is, actually, inaudible to human ears. But with the help of technology they made it audible and it sounded similar to OM.The amazing fact is how did the 'so-called Ancients' hear it? 

5. Detachment - Growing Up Spiritually

This is the fifth article in the series Growing Up Spiritually.

Link to the fourth article:  http://ashasnair.blogspot.com/2016/02/4-meditation-growing-up-spiritually.html

To a layman detachment is the sacrifice of all material aspects of life. This terrifies him. How can one sacrifice all that was accumulated with such diligence. So when one is faced with a choice between detachment and attachment (possessions). The latter is chosen without a second thought. 

To me detachment means not being overtly possessive. We all know that one day we have to leave everything that we posses. Then what happens? Someone else will inherit it. We have no idea for whom we have amassed all those. Each grain is engraved with the name of its consumer. Quote unquote

The possessive nature comes from ego, desire, attachment, fear and ignorance. If you have a granary full of grains, and you sit guard there,for fear of being looted, you will sit there and die of  hunger and starvation. Instead,if you keep what is needed for you and distribute the rest among the needy, you are detached. Charity is the best policy.

Similarly in every aspect of human life like beliefs, thoughts and words one has to be objective. Hold your belief and let others have their own. Have your thoughts, but don't be carried away. Hang on to good and positive ones that will enlighten you.Study and raise your consciousness. Let sweet words come out of you that pleases you as well as others. Live and let live.

For me Abraham Lincoln's words sums up detachment: With malice towards none and charity to all.