We can learn a lot from 'Fundamental laws of Nature' ( Part 2)

3.    Flexibility:

Another thing we can learn from the Nature is flexibility. Grass bends and lies down on the ground during the storms and pops back up after the storm is over. The trees and the branches that bend in the winds survive. The rigid ones resist and break.

It is good to be flexible in life also. Sometimes, when we face problems, it is good to be flexible and flow with what is going on. Sometimes resistance can be more painful and may add more to the problem rather than solving it. Like water, we should learn to take the path of least resistance. Electricity and power flow thru the path of least resistance.

History also shows that ancient Indian religions and cultures have survived thru numerous attacks from being wiped off by adopting flexibility and the path of least resistance.

4.    Nature is not in a hurry :

The changes in Nature happen very slowly. The process of evolution took long. Changes in the oceans and position of continents happened slowly. Every change in nature takes its course.

We want everything right away. We do some good and want something in return right away. We also want our prayers to be answered right away. We want immediate results.

From Nature, We can learn patience.

5.    Change is inevitable:

Changes are constantly occurring in Nature.

We should be ready to accept the changes in our lives too and not be afraid of them.

6.    Nature always tries to keep a balance.

If the pressure drops at one place, the air from another place rushes towards it to keep the balance.

If it is day at one place then it is night somewhere else.

If it is cold at one place, then it’s hot at another one.

It takes water from the sea and makes rain over mountains and fields.

To preserve life and keep a balance, nature created all kind of vegetation, animals that eat grass and vegetables and animals that eat other animals.

Its human interference that creates imbalance in otherwise perfectly balanced nature.  Anything that is out of balance can be catastrophic.

Similar to nature, our lives must also be in balance. Though most of the human characteristics such as ambitions, ego, anger, and attachments are natural but when they become excessive, it creates an imbalance. 

Sant Nirankari mission even advocates to keep balance between Spiritual and worldly life. One without the other may create an imbalance. An over indulgence in the worldly pleasures can never provide everlasting peace and happiness.  To pursue a spiritual life, we need a human body, and human body has physical needs and requirements. We need worldly means to fulfill those needs. Even the enlightened ones, Gurus, saints and highly evolved spiritual people also need the basic requirements such as food, clothes and shelter. For that, one needs money or people who will take care of them. Isn’t it better to take care of one-self instead of becoming dependent on others?

But we must remember that excess of everything is bad. Middle path or balance is the key to success.

We can learn a lot from 'Fundamental laws of Nature'

'Fundamental laws of Nature'

                                     We can learn a lot from the nature.

We are often told that we should spend some time in nature. To look at the beauty of trees, flowers, mountains and stars… to silently look at the butterflies dancing on the flowers or to listen to the chirping of birds and peaceful and tranquilizing sound of rivers.

We can find so much beauty in nature all around us and by becoming a witness, just a silent observer; we can be calm and peaceful.

The great sages, Rishis, Munis of the past used to build their Ashrams in forests far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities.

Now days also, many religious and yoga organizations are building their resort centers in the wilderness to provide its members calm and peaceful surroundings / atmosphere and a temporary relief from crowds and noisy environment of the cities.

This is all very good and undoubtedly beneficial for our physical and mental health; but there might be another reason when the sages said “Look at the nature”. There might be another deeper meaning behind this phrase.

There is so much we can learn from the nature, by carefully observing the laws of the Nature. 

Such as: 

   1.      Nature recycles itself.

Life flourishes in many different forms and eventually, sooner or later, comes to an end.

     But is it really ‘The end”?  Maybe not.

Plants, trees, and animal bodies decay and turn into minerals, gases and fertilizers for new plants and vegetation, which again, becomes food for birds and animals. The process of recycling goes on and on.

There is another way that life recycles itself.

Plant or trees pass on the life in form of seeds and continue to live as new plants.

Animals, birds and humans also continue to live in a different way when they pass on part of themselves in the form of genes and DNA to the next generation thru the process of reproduction. The same genes and DNA is recycled in different forms. It seems like a never ending process.

When we carefully observe this law of nature, we learn that everything including the life itself transforms and comes back in a different form, then it would be easy to understand that the Soul or Consciousness also comes back into a different form or body and continues to exist. When soul or consciousness transforms and adopts a new body, we call it Re-incarnation.

   2.    Everything that flourishes eventually dissolves back into its source. 

Some things may flourish just for few moments, hours or days, while some others may be there for billions of years… but eventually everything dissolves into its source.

All living beings die, decay and dissolve back into their source like earth, water, fire, air etc.

Soul or the consciousness also has to merge back into its source, the Super-soul or Super-consciousness.

But, in order to dissolve or merge back into the source, they have to go thru a process. A process of decaying. Warmer the temperature, faster it decays.

That is why ancient Hindus developed the idea of burning the dead bodies to quickly dissolve the basic elements of the physical body.

The soul or consciousness also has to go thru a process in order to merge back into its source.

That process is to work towards emptiness and openness ... to cultivate stillness and calmness… as the ultimate reality according to the scriptures is Nirankar, or Formless, Shoonya or emptiness, Aakaashvat or wast openness and Nishchal or still, Shaant or silent and peaceful.

In order to achieve ‘Moksha’, to become one with God, the Almighty, we need to develop these qualities.

“Harijan aesa chaahiye jo Hari hee jaisa hoye”  (Kabeer Ji)

“The Brahmgyani Saint has to become just the way God is” (Sant Kabeer ji)

Just like the fire can quickly dissolve the physical elements back into their source, A Brahm Gyani Guru, the enlightened one can instantaneously make us understand the reality and the company of realized souls can help us along the path of achieving the goal of becoming one with the 

Super-Consciousness. 

   To be continued..........
                                                                   'Rajan Sachdeva'

MANURE

MANURE

Manure makes excellent fertilizer.


When you water your plants,  sometimes you have to feed them. Manure is an excellent way to feed plants.

Isn't that funny? Something that is so repellent when stuck to your
shoe is so important to sustaining life.

In the fields, everything is saved. Night soil helps things grow.
We grow vegetables, eat vegetables, excrete vegetables, and give the
waste back to the soil so that vegetables can grow again. 

Truly, it is said : Everything is only borrowed.

The same is true of the misfortune, failures, and disappointments
of life. If we understand the importance of manure, we understand that nothing is truly wasted. Everything can be useful if correctly applied. 

Therefore, even the bad things in life may become fertilizer that will
help us grow and become strong.

From:  Tao: Daily Meditations

Beliefs may not be wrong after all.

Beliefs, even the false beliefs, may not be wrong after all. 

Fantasies and some beliefs may seem like nonsense but at least, they stimulate the brain cells. When we look at the things as they are, our brain remains sort of inactive. It simply perceives it as it is, but when we start to imagine or fantasize around those same things, our brain suddenly becomes stimulated and very active. For example, take the analogy of 'Rope vs. snake'. We find a piece of black thick twisted rope lying on the floor. If we know that it’s a rope, we cross it or walk by it without paying any further attention to it. But if we, even mistakenly, perceive it as a snake, our whole attitude towards it changes immediately. A current of fear runs thru our body and the brain starts to work fast. We may stop and start looking at it carefully to see what it really is, or immediately start running in the opposite direction. 

The ‘knowledge’, that it is a piece of rope, makes us at ease, while the ‘belief’ that it’s a snake stimulates us and makes us find an alternative. 

Should we believe in miracles? Do they really happen?

Everyone perceives it differently, in their own way.

A Brahm Gyani knows thru his knowledge that everything happens just the way it is supposed to happen. That nothing is permanent; everything good or bad shall eventually pass. So he stays calm and at peace in every situation.

For the rest of us, believing in miracles gives us hope and relieves some stress in adverse situations.

 ‘Belief’ can stimulate and direct our mind to a different direction, to find an alternative way to relieve stress and find peace thru prayer and devotion. Thru Satsang, Seva and Sumiran. 

Every new invention was just a fantasy or an imagination at one point. Every scientific theory started with a belief that, after doing some intensive research, turned into knowledge of reality.  

As long as we keep moving forward and try to find the next step, the ‘Gyana’, beliefs are a good way to start.

                                        

                                                 ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Birds VS Humans (“Pancchi Rizak Na Baandhate”)

This morning, a friend posted a popular famous quote:

“Pancchi Rizak Na Baandhate”

“The birds do not bring or store their food in their nest for tomorrow.”

The idea behind this quote is that if we want to be happy then we should also not store or plan for tomorrow.

On the surface, as a philosophical quote, it sounds very good but no one, including me and you (the reader) is willing to do it. 

Why?

 Because we all know that today’s human life does not work exactly like birds, animals or the cave man.

A bird can sit on any tree on any one's field and feed itself. Can we do the same? Could we just go to any one's farm, home, restaurant or food industry and feed our-self without paying for it? 

Philosophy is great but it has to be practical also. Having no desire or not planning for future is almost impossible for humans. Though having less desires and less ambitions for the future is not only possible but also good for a stress free, comfortable and a happy life.  

We humans need to plan ahead. Even birds and most animals also plan for the future. Birds build their nests before laying eggs and before winter. They know that they can find food anywhere but cannot find shelter in someone else's nest. (Though some strong & cunning birds like crows are known to do that too.) 

The idea of not planning or keeping anything for tomorrow may work with those kind of Sanyaasis who beg for their food every day.

But it cannot work for people who want to have a career, family and home. We all have desires and ambitions. They might be big, or small and limited, but everyone has it.

The key word is ‘Moderation'

                Let’s be practical.

                        ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

'Soft and Hard'

                                   'Soft and Hard'    

When people are born they are soft and supple

 when they perish they are hard and stiff.

when plants shoot forth they are soft and tender

 when they die they are withered and dry

Thus it is said the hard and strong are followers of death,

 The soft and weak are followers of life.

 when an army becomes strong it suffers defeat

 when a plant becomes hard it snaps

 The hard and strong dwell below .........

 The soft and weak dwell above.

                                                                From Tao : 76.1 to 5

3 Types of karma (Action)

                                                3 Types of karma (Action)

There are three types of Karmas or actions, physical, vocal and mental.

Normally we attach more importance to physical actions, less to vocal and least to mental activities.

In reality, it is mental action that is most important. Because:

1.       The physical actions are not independent of the mind. First there is a thought that comes to mind and then the action follows that thought. Even the actions that are triggered by a reflex action or out of fear are based upon some past thought and experience. 

2.    All vocal and physical actions have different significance according to the intention behind it.

For example, when parents get angry at their children; call them lazy, stupid, or yelling at them for not doing their homework, it is out of love. Like a teenager shouting at his sibling “I will kill you if you touch my iPod,” is not taken seriously because we know he has no real intention of doing so.

But if we speak in the same manner to some strangers, call them stupid, lazy or threaten to kill them; will have different consequences according to the intention behind it. 

So it is the thought that is more important than the speech. 

Similarly, the intention behind every physical action is important as well.   

Like a surgeon using a knife to operate on a patient, verses a robber using it to injure and rob someone. Like a soldier fighting for his country verses a criminal using a weapon to kill innocent people. 

That is why the Upanishads and most other Holy Scriptures command us to control the mind by watching our thoughts because they become the actions, vocal and physical.

The great Upanishads say:

Watch your thoughts, for they become your actions.

Watch your actions for they become habits.

Watch your habits for they become the character.