“Self-Improvement”

“Self-Improvement”

The first step would be self-evaluation.

We all have a selective view of ourselves. A carefully drafted beautiful image of " Our-self "

Just like when we look into a mirror, we stand in a most flattering pose, showing pleasing expressions. When we want our pictures taken, we adjust our pose; fix up the dress and hair, put up a big smile on the face. 
We want to look our best.

In the same way, we have created an image of ourselves that emphasizes the most admirable qualities and minimizes or omits the defects and shortcomings. We see our image as we wish to see. Not the reality.

So when we begin to focus on self-evaluation, Instead of a carefully edited image of ourselves, we should focus on the uncensored truth even though certain aspects of our real image may not be very good and hard to accept.

Acceptance is the first step towards improvement. First we must acknowledge and accept our shortcomings, defects and weaknesses.

 Desire and determination to change are the next big steps. 

Perception

Perception

‘The physical world is a projection of our mind’.

Does it mean that the world is not real?

Does it mean that it is just an illusion of the mind and not a reality?

I think it simply means that we see the objective world through our mind. The way we perceive and the thoughts we project give it a different meaning.

Everything around us can be meaningless or meaningful according to our perception. For example, there was a rock on the side of our street that we passed every day, but we hardly noticed it. This rock had no significance for us. Then, one day we brought it and placed it in front of our house. Now, it became a significant land mark for our guests and visitors.

In another scenario, someone else could have seen it as a deity and prayed to it. The same rock, which had no significance before, has now become an object of worship. It’s not the rock, but the perception of the seer that changed the concept. 

The meaning we give to something or someone may not be as concrete and real as the object itself. Different people may have different perception and meaning for the same object or a person.

For example, everyone passing by our house will not look at it the same way as we do.

One person can be seen differently by different people; as father or son, mother or daughter, boss or subordinate, friend or enemy, teacher or a student, colleague or a mentor, or he could be totally insignificant for others.

The drops of dew on leaves or flowers in the early morning may have different meaning for different people. One looks at them as simply few drops of water, while a happy & cheerful person perceives them as beautiful pearls. Yet another, extremely sad person may think of them as tears… as if nature was also crying with him.

As long as we remember that our perception of the world and meanings we attribute to its objects is subjective, we will not create divisions and hatred. The clash occurs when we start believing and insisting that our perception and meaning is the right one and everyone else is wrong.

                                                                                ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

"Four Laws of Spirituality”

"Four Laws of Spirituality”

​A couple of years ago, I read “Four Laws of Spirituality in Indian philosophy”

The first law​ ​said: "The person who comes in our life, is the right person"

​That is; ​ no one comes into our lives by chance, all the people around us, all  those who​​ interact with us, they are there for a reason, to make us learn and advance in each situation.

The second law says: "What happens is the only thing that could have happened."

Nothing, absolutely nothing of what happens to us in our lives could have happened otherwise.

There is no "if we had done it differently, it would have turned out differently...”

What happened was the only thing that could have happened,
and it must have been for us to learn that lesson and move on.

Each and every one of the situations that happen in our lives is perfect.

But our mind and ego will resist and do not want to accept it.


The third law says: "Whenever it starts is the right time."

It all starts at the right time, neither before nor after.

When we are ready to start something new in our lives, that's when it starts.

And the fourth and final: "When something is supposed to end, it ends."

Just like that. If something ended in our life,​it is for our evolution, to enrich our experience.

So it is best to accept it, leave it, move on and move forward.

​ I think it may not be just a​coincidence that we are talking about this today.

If this thought, this text came into our lives today; it could be because we have to understand that no snowflake ever falls in the wrong place, at the wrong time. "

                                                         

                                                                     "Rajan Sachdeva"

Mantra

MANTRA

How it works and when

Mantra is a Sanskrit word.

It is a combination of Man and Tra.

‘Man’ is Mind and “Tra’ means to overcome, control or discipline.

So the Mantra, by definition, is by which one can control the mind.

‘Sumiran’ – repeating certain Mantra or a phrase, according to almost all Holy Scriptures is the best way to tame the mind.

We know that mind cannot do two things at one time. We can train the body or our senses to do certain things with auto-memory by practicing over and over. We do not have to pay much attention to perform many routine actions such as cooking, cleaning, driving or jogging etc. Our mind could be thinking of hundred other things while doing these things that we are so used to. Once we have perfected it, certain professional work like weaving, sewing, farming or operating small harmless machines etc. can also be done without much guidance from the mind. We can listen to music, talk to friends on phone or think about other things and our body can keep working almost like a machine.

But the mental work, like serious mathematical calculations, accounting - solving a serious problem or a difficult puzzle, performing a difficult musical composition in an orchestra, require undivided concentration on the task at hand. One small distraction or one unrelated thought for friction of a second can become the cause of a big mistake. Mind cannot be at two places.

This is how the Mantra works. If we concentrate on certain Mantra, the mind cannot wander around. If it does, then it means the mind is not ‘on the Mantra’ or the ‘Sumiran’.  It can only be at one place.

We can train our tongue to keep repeating the ‘Mantra’ while mind is wandering somewhere else, but that will defy the whole purpose of the Mantra or ‘Sumiran’, which is to control the mind, not to train the senses.

This is exactly what H.H. Baba ji said by giving the analogy of the ‘mobile and a land-line phone’ - that mobile phone is excellent, but if there is no signal, we need to use the land line. 

Similarly, try to focus on the name of Nirankar, Almighty God, while doing the routine work. But practically, doing Sumiran 24/7 is extremely hard, especially while doing some serious mental work. So we should find some time during the day to do some ‘concentrated Sumiran’ – by focusing only on “Nirankar”.

                                                                                  ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Life and Death

 Between their births and their deaths,
 three out of ten are attached to life,

 three out of ten are attached to death,

 three out of ten are just idly passing through.

Only one knows how to die and stay dead and still go on living.

That one hasn't any ambitions, hasn't any ideas, makes no plans. 

From this mysterious place of not-knowing and non-doing he gives birth to whatever is needed in the moment. Because he is constantly filling his being with non-being, he can travel the wilds without worrying about tigers or wild buffalo, or he can cross a battlefield without armor or weapon.

No tiger can claw him. No buffalo can gore him. No weapon can pierce him.

Why is this so? 

Because he has already died, there isn't any more room for death in him.

                                                                 ( Taken from an unknown source of 'Tao' )

Belief

When we hear something over and over again....a few hundred or thousand times, we start believing it.

When we hear a different and opposite logic a few thousand times, our belief starts to shatter. 

But the belief which is based on personal experience can not be shattered or weakened.  

                                                                                   'Rajan Sachdeva'

The world may not be the most pleasant place

The world is not the most pleasant place, and life is not always full of promises. Eventually, everyone will leave you. Your parents will one day perish, and siblings and friends you once grew up with soon become involved with their own families. Even your children will ultimately grow up and become busy with their own families. Some will have very little time, if any, for their aging parents. A number of children are forced to leave their parents behind and move to different houses, cities or even countries, in order to chase their own dreams and pursue their own careers. It is like a cycle. As parents, our children may do this to us, but as children, we may have done the same to our own parents. Most elderly people are lonely living in nursing homes, waiting for weeks or months for someone to visit them. Others, who are living with their children, still feel isolated and alone, because everyone is occupied with their individual hectic lives.

With time, these feelings of loneliness and isolation will come over us as well. So what do we do when this happens? Are we prepared to face this situation? Can we prepare for this situation? If so, how do we prepare ourselves to handle this situation?

Realistically speaking, life is not an evergreen garden full of flowers. There are many situations that are beyond our control, and they leave us completely helpless. I have seen that during the moments of excruciating pain, even some of the strongest people cannot think of anything other than their pain. 

However, those who are relatively healthy and mentally alert, can train their mind to handle such situations with their spirituality. Rather than depending on others, they should learn to talk and live with themselves, not with the physical being, but with the true 'Self', the spirit. Learn to talk and live in the company of 'Nirankar' – Almighty God. 

In order to accomplish this, we need to practice this now. Just like any other task, we should gradually practice now so it comes in handy at the time when we need it the most. Spend some time every day with your ‘Self’ in silence, with Nirankar in Simran and prayer. We need to apply in our own life what we learn by going to Satsang, listening to discourses and reading scriptures.  

Sri Adi Shankrachaarya says :

Satsangatve Ni:Sangatvam, Ni:Sangatve Nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve Nishchal Tatvam, Nishchal Tatve Jeevan Mukti:

Translation:

The fruit (reward) of doing Satsang is to learn the joy of Solitude. 
Solitude leads to a higher mental state of Non-attachment*.

When the mind learns to live and perform every action with a sense of non-attachment, it stays stable, calm and un-affected in any situation, and thus, will attain ‘Jeevan-Mukti’. (Sri Adi Shankrachaarya)

‘Jeevan-Mukti’, is not the salvation after death. It’s the living salvation, which is freedom from fear and unnecessary desires, and therefore, at peace.

Note * The concept of ‘Non-attachment’ is different than detachment.

Do less talking ... and

Do less thinking,
and pay more attention to your heart.

Do less acquiring,
and pay more attention to what you already have.

Do less complaining,
and pay more attention to giving.

Do less controlling,
and pay more attention to letting go.

Do less criticizing,
and pay more attention to complementing.

Do less arguing,
and pay more attention to forgiveness.

Do less running around,
and pay more attention to stillness.

Do less talking,
and pay more attention to silence.

Two kinds of silence

Two kinds of silence

                                                                                    By: Govardhan Taneja (Toronto)

There are two kinds of silence: one you cultivate, one which arrives. The silence that you cultivate is nothing but repressed noise. You can sit silently and if you sit long enough and continue the practice for months, slowly you will be able to repress all noise. That is what is happening all around the world. People who try to meditate, who try to be silent, are only imposing silence on themselves. Silence can be imposed; you can have a layer of silence around yourself, but it’s just self-deception. That layer is not going to help you.

Real silence arises from your very being. It is not imposed from without, but comes from within. It arises from the center and moves towards the circumference. Real silence is being at the core of your being. HH Babaji has given us the key to this silence - it comes not by blocking the noise but experiencing the real in the unreal - you don't block the noise you go beyond it. That is why all sages have this beautiful profound calm smile on their faces even in the midst of all the noise of the world

Happy New Year 2014

"आप सभी को नव वर्ष की बहुत बहुत शुभकामनाये ! "

 

Wishing you all "A Very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year".

My New Year's Wish ..................  

(Scroll down for Roman Script)

चाहे जिधर भी रुख हो हवा का दिया जले 

जब तक चला न जाए अँधेरा दिया जले 

मिलता रहे जहाँ को उजाला - दिया जले 

दिल की ये आरज़ू है  हमेशा  दिया जले 

घर हो किसी अमीर का या हो ग़रीब का 

हर घर में  हमेशा ही खुशी का दिया जले 

अब इस नए साल  में  ऐसी हो रौशनी 

मिट जाये हर बुराई का साया - दिया जले 

रौशनी हो प्यार की हर एक बज्म में 

शम्मा जले चिराग़ जले या दिया जले   

 

                                                  (Written By : Unknown author)

 Chaahe jidhar bhi rukh ho hawa ka diya jale

Jab tak chala na jaaye andhera - diya jale

Miltaa rahe jahan ko ujaala - diya jale

Dil ki ye aarzoo hai hamesha diya jale 

Ghar ho kisi amir ka ya ho gharib ka

har ghar me hamesha hi khushi ka diya jale 

Ab is naye saal mai aisi ho roshni

Mit jaye har buraai ka saaya - diya jale 

 

Roshni ho pyaar  ki har ek  bazm me

Shamma jale, Chiragh jale ya diya jale

                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                              (By : Unknown author)