Chapter III
Swami continues,
“Living is either pleasant or unpleasant,
depending upon one’s basic attitude toward life. See how the same object
becomes pleasant once and unpleasant on another occasion! The thing welcomed
with great fondness at one time becomes hateful at another time and there is
not even the desire to see it. The condition of the mind at those times is the
cause of this state. Therefore, it is necessary to train the mind to be always
pleasant.
Control the temper of the mind
The waters of a river leap from mountains, fall
into valleys, and rush through gorges; tributaries join at various stages, and
the waters become turbid and unclean. So too, in the flood of human life, speed
and power increase and decrease. These ups and downs might happen at any moment
during life. No one can escape them. They may come at the beginning of life, at
the end, or perhaps in the middle. So, one has to convince oneself firmly that
life is necessarily full of ups and downs and that, far from being afraid and
worried over them, one should welcome them as adding to one’s experience. One
should not only feel like this, but one should be happy and glad whatever
happens! Then, all troubles, whatever their nature, will pass away lightly and
quickly. For this, the temper of the mind is essential.
Introspection by a devotee
Dear All,
It is easier said than done, but we must always
get inwards when trouble get mounted on us as to why we are facing all those
troubles and tribulations and from where they come to us though we believe
sincerely that we are pursuing a path of nobility, a path of Sadhana , a
path of righteousness.
Does God ever give us any trouble?? If He does,
then the expression of “Love” shall be separated from God. God knows only to
Love. He cannot love and cause us pain, He cannot assume both these roles at
the same time.
It is we, through our past deeds, have
accumulated our karmas and hence, it is we who have to face them and clear them
and come out successfully.
Paramahamsa Yogananda says,
“Everything the Lord has created is to try us,
to bring out the buried soul immortality within us. That is the adventure of
life, the one purpose of life. And everyone’s adventure is different, unique.
You should be prepared to deal with all problems of health, mind, and soul by common
sense methods and faith in God, knowing that in life or death your soul remains
unconquered.
Never let life beat you down. Beat life! If you
have a strong will you can overcome all difficulties. Affirm, even in the midst
of trials: “Danger and I were born together, and I am more dangerous than
danger!” This is a truth you should always remember; apply it and you will see
that it works. Don’t behave like a cringing mortal being. You are a child of
God!”
Concentration and one-pointedness are the keys
Every minute, from inside and outside,
promptings and temptations arise and accumulate in people. One cannot attend to
all of them at the same time, so one fixes attention on only the most important
one. This is called concentration (avadhana). Concentration is needed to grasp
any subject well. Purposefully directing attention on a subject and fixing it
there is one-pointedness (ekagratha). This is also a condition of the mind.
Concentration and one-pointedness help to focus effort on any selected task.
Concentration is essential for all. It is the
foundation of all successful endeavour. It is needed not only for meditation
but even for worldly affairs and ordinary living. Whatever the task one is
engaged in, doing it with concentration will develop both self-confidence and
self-respect, for they are the result of the attitude of one’s own mind. The
mind may lean on either the bad or the good, and concentrated attention must be
employed to keep the mind attached only to good prompting. Success or failure in
the good task depends upon one-pointedness.
One-pointedness will increase power and skill.
But it cannot be won without conquering the worldly cravings that distract the
mind. This one-pointedness, this conquest of the mind, is acquired by the
exercise of meditation.
Introspection by a devotee
Swami started with control of mind and then
teaches us on concentration and one pointedness.
It is like gathering the grains scattered on the
floor, consolidating them at one place, settling them as one single heap and
then, preparing to cook them for a sumptuous meal.
First of all, we have to gather our wandering
mind, wandering thoughts and bring them to one place. Prayer helps to a great
extent in this.
Then, through intensified prayer or through
Dhyana or meditation, we intensity our concentration on a single object, may it
be the beautiful image of venugopala with flute on His hands or on SELF, which
is objectless awareness.
Swami Sivananda writes,
“Purify the mind first through the practice of
right conduct and then take to the practice of concentration. Concentration
without purity of mind is of no avail. There are some occultists who have
concentration. But they have no good character; that is the reason why they do
not make any progress in the spiritual life.
He who has gained abstraction (withdrawing the
senses from the objects) will have good concentration. You will have to march
on in the spiritual path step by step and stage by stage. Lay the foundation of
right conduct, postures, regulation of breath and abstraction to start with.
The superstructure of concentration and meditation will be successful then
only.
If you want to increase your power of
concentration you will have to reduce your worldly activities. You will have to
observe the vow of silence every day for two hours or more.
(From the
author- "In Practical and challenging life, if 2 hours is almost
impossible, then at least 45 min to one hour, which has to be dedicated
on contemplation on whatever we have studied/ read/ listened, related to Spiritual
sadhana. In that one hour, you and the object of meditation are there, nothing
else, not even this creation must exist")
When concentration is deep and intense all other
senses cannot operate. He who practices concentration for three hours daily
will have tremendous psychic power. He will have a strong will-power.”
Love.
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