The World Renewal From the Mighty Pen of Sanjay
RAJYOGA – THE IDEAL PATH TO PERFECTION
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oga is becoming more and more popular in the world today, especially in materially advanced countries. Yet, in India, where Yoga originated, people are becoming more and more conscious of political and material advancement. Their urgent needs are bread, clothing and shelter. Yoga is hardly thought of as a need in life. The West is faced with problems of a different nature, in particular, those pertaining to psychosomatic or psychic ailments. After realising the limitations of traditional drugs and psychotherapeutic treatment, many doctors have turned to yogic techniques for treating their patients. However, most have only the limited aim of curing some physical ailment or mental tension.
CONTENTS
Rajyoga – The Ideal Path to Perfection (From the Mighty Pen of Sanjay) .......................... 3 A Fountain of Spiritual Wisdom: Mateshwari Saraswati (Editorial) .................................. 4 Prepare Yourself: The soul can shed the body at any moment . 8 Mothers should help one another ..................................... 9 The Sacred Art of Living ....... 10 Practise Rajyoga for achieving Self-Sovereignty ..................... 11 Rajyoga Meditation: The only Divine procoess of Selfpurification ............................. 14 Meditation, Critical Thinking and Intuition ............................ 18 Life as the Backpack ............ 21
What should be one’s aim and objective in Yoga?
O Soul! Go and Grab Your Lot 22
Real Yoga does not merely give temporary health and happiness but the highest stage achieved through Yoga is one where no behavioural ailments exist; no mental tensions or worries exist; no social, moral or spiritual crises exist. In fact, it is the ideal method of curing physical and psychological disorders for several births. The stage of perfection that can be reached through Yoga is Jeewan Mukti: the stage of fruition, of total liberation from unhappiness and peacelessness while leading a worldly life.
Pearls of Virtues ................... 25
The perfect order that prevailed in Bharat 5000 years ago If we travel back in Indian History, we discover a time when the worship-worthy Deities (Devis and Devtas) existed. Then, human beings were 100% pure and viceless in their thoughts, words and deeds. Bharat possessed a natural beauty, perfect health, abundant wealth and everlasting happiness. Throughout the recorded history, people have been turning their intellectual and physical might to achieve that stage once again. But, due to lack of knowledge and Godly guidance, their path has been diverted during the age of science to material advancement only. Such a worship-worthy life as that of the Deities can only be brought through Sahaj Rajyoga, taught by One-God Father Shiva. 32 (Contd. ..... on page no. 33)
The Motorway of this Life ..... 23 The word STRI symbolizes qualities of Nature,... .............. 26 An Elevating Experience ....... 29 Wishing a very Happy IDY ..... 31 Morning Musings & Night Notions .................................... 32
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4Editorial
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A FOUNTAIN OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM: MATESHWARI SARASWATI his year, we BK Sisters and Brothers of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya have been inspired to spread the light of
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altogether marked a new beginning in the Sindhi community of Hyderabad, Sindh. It was truly a challenge for people to recognize the
enlightenment globally for the Golden Age, through all our Centres world-wide. Looking back at the history of the organisation, the Founding Father, Incorporeal God Shiva through Prajapita Brahma, had shared the vision of global transformation in the year 1937 when the formal set-up of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya came into being. It
emergence of this Godly plan to awaken humanity from the deep slumber of ignorance, since society at that time was very much under the influence of materialism, and blinded by the centuries-old social set-up of considering women as illiterate and inferior at every level. Dada Lekhraj was bestowed with divine visions of a new enlightened society, rich in values, purity and morality.
June, 2018 The transformation envisioned by Dada (who later on became known as Prajapita Brahma) was very revoluntionary from an angle of social set-up, and it was these divine visions which prompted him to form a new religious trust of 8 women (Kumaris and Mothers). He was motivated to remove all the old social taboos, mindsets and practices that enslaved women intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Under the Supreme Being’s guidance, Mateshwari Saraswati, then a kumari of over 18 years (known as Radhe), was accorded the duty of heading the newly formed Trust, which included 3 Mothers and 5 Kumaris. Mateshwari Saraswati, though younger than most of the inmates, was entrusted with the responsibility of becoming the first Administrative Head of the Institution. It’s not without good reason that she was considered the best amongst the good instruments of spirituality. Witnessing her several talents, proficiency in fine arts, abilities par excellence in administration, and nature of being a natural
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‘Tapaswini’, within a very short time, all members of Om Mandli, numbering about 380, including men, women and young girls and children accepted her as Divine Mother of the Yagya (Spiritual Institution). Mateshwari Saraswati had a very melodious voice, and spiritual gatherings used to be left entranced by her devotional songs, accompanied by her proficiency on the traditional Sitar. She became an eloquent Speaker of various facets of Spiritual Wisdom, the technique of Rajyoga Meditation, and Inculcation of Divine Virtues. She was a very courageous leader who confronted all odds from the community, and prevailed upon them with her practical wisdom, grace and vibrations of divinity. As a unique spiritual revolution was slowly but surely unfolding, people of the community were unable to understand what to make of it, and started opposing this new spiritual movement to a great extent. However, it was Mateshwari Saraswati’s deep faith
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under the guidance of Incorporeal God Shiv Baba, through Brahma Baba, that helped her to maintain the highest standards of spiritual disciplines in the newly formed ‘Om Mandli’, later known as Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. Over the years, all the inhouse members accepted her guidance and approached her whenever the need be. Mama was very sweet and friendly towards all, and guided them, always in consultation with Brahma Baba. Her divine personality automatically commanded regard and respect from everyone. She came to be lovingly named ‘Mama’, and in turn responded very naturally as ‘World Mother’, Jagdamba. After the Institution shifted the Headquarters to Mount Abu in 1950, Mama travelled extensively all over Bharat from 1952 until she left her physical body in 1965. Wherever she visited, her presence felt like being with the most divine mother: a Light House of Spiritual Love and Wisdom. Her contemporaries in the Yagya
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became serviceable instruments to spread the knowledge of the Supreme Parent, Incorporeal God Shiva, as revealed through the medium of Brahma Baba, but while based at Mount Abu, Mama continually supported the activities and instruments at the various Centres as Mother of the Yagya. Her personal practise of very early morning deepmeditation and churning of spiritual knowledge from the Murlis automatically brought her deep respect from members of the Institution, as well as citizens of society, including highly-qualified professionals. Mama’s spiritual talks were always focused on Spiritual Well-being. Her indepth explanation of different subjects of concern right from the basics in Spirituality, upto the highest stage of enlightenment were so simple, but very, very deep and rich in content. Even great scholars, educationists, and philosophers respected and appreciated her guidance for the propagation of the Godly Mission, and enlightenment of maximum number of human souls.
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She became instrumental in encouraging many individuals to dedicate themselves for the great cause of Global Enlightenment. The senior BK Teachers, who are playing very important roles all over the globe today, were blessed personally by Mateshwari Saraswati’s loving wisdom, based on the Supreme Being’s Shrimat: Elevated Directions. Just as the young and old used to cherish her Spiritual Classes on Spiritual Wisdom, and benefit from her conducted Meditations more than 50 years ago, Mama’s spiritual advice holds true for the present generation as well. With her advanced and profound spiritual stage, Mama was able to bestow divine visions to a great number of sisters and brothers, who went on to become official Trance Messengers at different BK Centres. She was an epitome of moral values and spiritual understanding, and yet always humble and very, very respectful towards Incorporeal Shiv Baba and Pitashri Brahma Baba: BapDada.
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We would like to share a few valuable jewels of wisdom that mirror Mama’s own virtues for a successful spiritual life: 1) Maintain firm faith in the Supreme Being, and His work of re-establishment of Golden Age. 2) Lead a lotus-like pure life while being in service of humankind. 3) Always be respectful towards BapDada, the senior Dadis, elders, juniors and young children. 4) Be the embodiment of the Power of Tolerance, even while settling karma through the physical chariot. 5)Develop deep commitment and regularity in Meditation, and study of Gyan Murli for the spiritual well-being of self and others. 6)Live a natural life of a Spiritual Mother, and accept every individual unconditionally. 7)Value time like Mama, and remain punctual like great leaders. 8)Serve through Speech, just as Mama became an orator of par excellence of any subject of spiritual interest, in particular: Introduction to the Supreme, Introduction to
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the Self, Law of Karma, Conquering Negativities, and appreciating the wisdom imparted by God Himself, that is the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita. 9)Practise remaining in the ‘Avyakt Vatan Consciousness’. Whenever Mama needed to share spiritual knowledge, she would bring her consciousness into the corporeal world, but otherwise Mama kept her inner stage disengaged from the gross and limited matters. 10)Be generous in showering love and happiness with others; Mama used to display this by sharing a small portion of food with others from her own plate during mealtimes. 11) Offering toli and fruits to others creates strong spiritual bonds, just as Mama had distributed grapes even on the last day, and created a memorial forever. On her Day of Remembrance, 24 June 2018, we offer our heart-felt homage to that great, great soul of our beloved Mateshwari Saraswati. Om Shanti – B.K. Nirwair
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GOD IS MAKING US THE SWEETEST OF ALL! One of the latest GyanMurlis shares beautiful elevated versions on the sweetness that our Supreme Parent instills in our lives so that we become instruments to share that sweetness in the world, and establish the new world: “You know that you are sitting in Shiv Baba’s company. The highest-onhigh Father is teaching us. He is the ‘most sweetest ‘. You have to remember that sweetest Father with a lot of love because the Father says: Children, by remembering Me, you will become most elevated and by imbibing the jewels of knowledge, you will become multimillionaires for your future 21 births. It is as though the Father is giving you this blessing… You sweet children know that all are playing their parts in this play. The unlimited Father is also playing His part of being personally in front of you in this unlimited drama… It is souls that see one another with the organs of their bodies. “The Father knows that He has come to make you children very sweet. Shri Lakshmi and Shri Narayan are most sweet, are they not?
Their kingdom is also sweet; in the same way, their subjects are also sweet. When you go to the temples, you see them as so sweet. You wait for the temples to open so that you can have a glimpse of the sweet deities. Those who have a glimpse understand that they (the deities) were the masters of heaven. So many people go to the temple of Shiva because He is very sweetest of the sweetest. That sweetest Shiv Baba is praised a lot. You children have to become most sweet. The ‘most sweetest’ Father is personally sitting in front of you children because He is incognito. No one else can be as sweet as He is. The Father is like a mountain of sweetness. The sweet Father comes and changes the bitter world and makes it sweet. You children know that sweetest Baba is making you ‘most sweetest’. He is making you exactly as He is. However someone is, he will make you the same as he is. So, in order to become sweetest like Him, you have to remember the sweet Father and the sweet inheritance. “Sweet children, consider yourselves to be bodiless and remember Me and I promise
that with that remembrance, all your sorrow and suffering will finish and you will become ever healthy and ever wealthy. You will become most sweet. When you souls become sweet, you will also receive sweet bodies. You children should have the intoxication that you are the children of the most beloved Father and so you have to follow Baba’s shrimat. Very, very sweet Baba is making us very sweet. The most beloved Father says: Let only jewels always emerge from your lips; let no bitter stones emerge. To the extent that you become sweet, accordingly you will glorify the Father’s name. When you children follow the Father, others will follow you. “You definitely have to become pure. You children have to become introverted as much as possible. Do not speak too much. Remain silent. Sweet children, do not spread peacelessness. Remain very peaceful while living at home with your family. Be introverted. Speak very sweetly. Do not cause anyone any sorrow and do not get angry. If there is the evil spirit of anger, you will not be able to stay in the remembrance of One.” OM SHANTI
The World Renewal PREPARE YOURSELF: THE SOUL CAN SHED THE BODY AT ANY MOMENT
– Rajyogini Dadi Janki, Chief of Brahma Kumaris, Shantivan
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aba likes to see us smile. In fact, He is the One, who has taught us to smile truly. By belonging to Him, we become very fortunate. If we remain in the awareness of belonging to Baba, we feel very good - this is my personal experience. Baba wants us to be happy always; never to be separated from Him and never to be such that we are pulled by others. Our very religion is to be truthful and to smile. We should never get upset or angry. One, who is honest with the Father, receives multi-million-fold help from Him. My heart should be clean. Thank Baba from your heart and forget everything else. Do you ever remain aware that you are very fortunate? In the beginning, we used to say that there is magic in the Murli. Do you feel that there is magic in the Murli? Raise your hand if you do. Baba speaks very good things in the Murli. Some souls have a lot of interest in the Murli and get absorbed in it. It is time for the Golden Age to come; but before we go there, we have to go back to 8
Nirvandham. Baba is preparing us for that moment. Baba is telling us to give up bodyconsciousness and to stabilise ourselves in the soul-conscious stage; and to be detached from the body. Are you detached from it yet? Be aware of the value of time. Think about this. The soul can shed the body at any time and fly away to Baba. We have found the Supreme Soul and He is ready to sit in our hearts. Keep Him in your mind, heart and vision (drishti). Be a detached observer and see if you are keeping Him as your companion. Become a detached observer – it is the time for this. This is very necessary now. Many souls love peace. To remain in true peace, remain in the awareness of “Who am I? and Who is mine?” Look inside yourself; keep churning the ocean of knowledge. Remain open-hearted and remain aware of the blessings you have received in your life.
Inside the Heart Before I was aware of myself as a soul, there were always negativities inside me such as: I
don’t know myself, I don’t understand myself. But, after becoming aware of myself as a spiritual being and understanding my feelings, the inner awareness inside me became clear like: ‘Yes, now, I know everything about myself that I need to know.’ The young and the old are constantly saying: ‘I don’t know…’ and have a feeling all the time of not knowing. What kind of life is this to move along without knowing the self and understanding the times we are in? Where are the feelings stored? In the soul. From where do we experience peaceful and loving feelings? From inside the soul. Be peaceful, loving and blissful. When you have the knowledge of the self as a soul, you are drawn to remain peaceful. As you speak of being peaceful, you go into a state of peace and that is when you experience love, and then you feel the self to be loving, powerful and successful. So, say “Om Shanti” and remain aware of yourself as a peaceful soul.
You are a unique actor, the role you perform no other can repeat.
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The World Renewal From the Melodies of Mateshwari Jagdamba Saraswati
MOTHERS SHOULD HELP ONE ANOTHER
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others should come forward to uplift their fellow women. Mothers, if you understand this; then, you can help one another. Serve your own clan and friends; this is true service, isn’t it! You should feel that you carry the responsibility to serve. This is our duty: to give the people of our nation what we receive.
Finding Time for Spiritual Service
Mateshwari ji
Brothers are also very good; they have to be present on service. There are 24 hours in a day; you give eight hours for your laukik work, which means 16 hours remain. You sleep for eight hours, and during the rest eight hours you can do whatever you want to do. OK, forget 16 hours; eight hours remain, so use that in Baba’s service. If you cannot give eight hours; OK, give only four hours. At least do this much - so much service could be done in four hours! You get strength, and also your life will become good. You do have to work for your livelihood. You have created your creation (children), so you
should look after them, shouldn’t you! We are karma yogis, after all. You have to perform action. However, set a timetable, and spare some time for spiritual service. Never go into much complication. Give your time and energy for your household as much as necessary, but don’t waste your time and energy involving yourself in laukik complications. Baba has saved our time. Look at all the expenses you are spared, that you used to waste! You are saved from indulging in smoking of cigarettes, visiting the cinema, lavish eating and drinking, and so on, aren’t you? Now, you are
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saved, and your life has become good both physically and spiritually.
Strength through Knowledge and Yoga There is lots of benefit in becoming Baba’s child, isn’t it! This is the knowledge that brings benefit. Has anyone experienced loss after coming into Gyan? No. If someone becomes sick or something happens to the business, is it the fault of Gyan? That happens due to karma. We get strength and also peace through knowledge and yoga. We get great peace when we stay in Baba’s remembrance during such situations. Therefore, there is lots of benefit. Is there any loss? Take the benefit from knowledge and yoga and continue to move forward.
Mothers Should Come Forward to Serve Mothers should move forward; they should go and do service. Look, Indira Gandhi, Vijaylakshmi Pandit, etc., from Nehru’s family are engaged in the service to the nation! Do they not have children? Indira has two children, doesn’t she! So, what if there are children! Is she not serving the nation? Is it that we let our life be empty of service, doing nothing, just for two children? She says that instead of just giving her life for two children, she serves millions,
The hand that serves is better and purer than the lips that utter verses. 9
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which is good. She put the children in boarding school, giving them an education whilst also serving the nation. We don’t ask you to leave your children. We say that to spend your entire life doing only this is not wise. Together with serving the family, mothers should also move forward in spiritual service and make their life worthwhile. This is also service, isn’t it? They (Indira Gandhi and Vijaylakshmi Pandit) served through their body, mind and wealth. That is limited service. This is Baba’s unlimited service. They also spoke of bringing the kingdom of Rama; but the kingdom of Rama was not brought. As corruption and unrighteousness continue to increase, instead of the kingdom of Rama it has become the kingdom of Ravan. The fruit of spiritual service is evident, isn’t it? The Supreme Father says that mothers should come forward with a great deal of enthusiasm in the field of service. Continue to move forward doing such service and making good spiritual efforts for the wellbeing of your own as well as of others. 10
RAJYOGA: THE SACRED ART OF LIVING –Satya B. Saraswat (Sr. Scientist), Dehradun
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he term ‘Yoga’ has been originally defined in our scriptures as “The union of soul with the Almighty.” Even Lord Krishna preached about it to Arjun in The Bhagwat Gita, saying, “Yujunnenvan Sadatma Yogi Niyatmanas, Shanti Nirvanparman Matsanstam Madhigachanti (The Gita 15:6).” This means by practising Yoga, one can control all his physical parts of body and enjoy heavenly peace. Yoga teaches us self-discipline. Rajyoga is the sacred art of living through an art of self-control and self-assessment as to really Who am I? This is a spiritual path of life in which one gets the spiritual knowledge of Soul, Supreme Soul, complete World Cycle and training of Rajyoga and thereby becomes self-oriented and self-guided. There is not much physical exercise involved in Rajyoga as in general Yoga. In this path, one is made self-aware, detached from the attachments and worldly pleasures. Actually, there is no physical enemy in this world so serious than our own lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego as stated in the scripture The Ramayan. Once these unidentified enemies are controlled, life becomes sacred and pure as the direct connection of the human soul is established with the Supreme Soul, and thereby one becomes a Rajyogi. Swami Vivekanand became a World-Teacher due to his self control and affinity to the Supreme Power. In modern age of scientific development, people are becoming the slaves to their physical needs and are often losing self-confidence, thus, becoming victims of various serious and chronic diseases. They seek temporary pleasures in smoking and liquor. This takes them to doctor but not to the temple of peace. While working in South India, I met a gentle man of around 100 years of age, who disclosed that the reason of his healthy life was not having taken any type intoxicated material and also having always enjoyed the vegetarian food. Dadi Janki, the present Head of Brahma Kumaris is a rare living example at the age of 102 years, who is living an active life and has become a source of inspiration to the whole world by having strictly followed Rajyoga in her personal life. Rajyoga inspires us for following the principle of ‘simple living and high thinking’, which means detachment from the worldly pleasures and always having restraint or self control, which will lead us to a spiritual and value-based life in which God, the Supreme Soul, becomes our Guide and Controller.
The soul that has no burdens of wastes can fly up easily.
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The World Renewal PRACTISE RAJYOGA FOR ACHIEVING SELFSOVEREIGNTY
–B.K. Yogendra, India One Solar Power Plant, Shantivan
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n today’s competitive world, everybody is running after their purpose of life; some run to make their ends meet in terms of basic needs, some run to satisfy their never ending desires, while some run to satisfy their ego and there are some others, who run to satisfy their inner conscience. No matter for what purpose they run, everyone is facing daunting task to maintain their vigour for life either physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. With the increasing competition, the rule of the jungle has come into place that very clearly and loudly says, “Survival of the fittest”; hence, everyone is looking for the cutting edge techniques that can give them in return the best of their spent energies.
Present scenario: In PT classes of schools, we are taught about basic knowledge of physical fitness and Yoga to keep our body fit and healthy. These sessions enhance our body with required strength, flexibility; thus, boosting our immunity to diseases. This is fine as far as June, 2018
we are concerned with the ailments related to body. But, the question that remains is: Are our energies just spent for bodyrelated activities or for anything else? What about the energy that is spent in processing various thoughts, feelings, emotions and various kinds of analysis of complex solutions? Various studies about mind management suggest that everything begins in the mind first; thought is the first and foremost form of energy, which gathers inertia and momentum through various internal psychological processes to turn it into an action. Quantum of large portion of energy is spent to transform a thought into action; but since this energy is very subtle, it is hardly noticeable and, hence, remains mismanaged.
What is Rajyoga? Rajyoga is the most ancient form of Yoga in existence since the ancient civilization of India. It is an exercise for the mind. It is all about the management of this subtle energy. It ennobles us with the knowledge of
mechanics of mind and further processing of thoughts through various channels of Intellect and sanskaras. It helps us to manage and channelize our energies in the right direction to achieve desired perfection. Just as physical Yoga boosts the body’s immunity against diseases, Rajyoga boosts the mind’s immunity against negative and waste thoughts and feelings that drain the precious energy of soul. Just like in the physical yoga, we achieve results though practice, persistence and dedication, Rajyoga, too, requires our dedicated and persistent efforts to accrue the fruits of strong mind, healthy body and desired results.
How to practise Rajyoga? Rajyoga is the simplest yet powerful form of yoga. It is very simple in its methodology but very tricky in practice because of its simplicity! To practise Rajyoga, you do not need to put your body into any difficult asana or strain yourself into difficult position for long hours. In Rajyoga, all you need is to sit in your comfortable asana without any strain to your body while performing exercise through mind and intellect. All you have to do in Rajyoga is to visualize yourself with the help of your mind and intellect as a point-oflight. Setting yourself in form of point-of-light as your real identity
The more you reduce your wants, the more you will get peace and happiness. 11
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and dissolving your consciousness of body is Rajyoga. This exercise of Rajyoga establishes your real spiritual identity – the soul – as the king, who is incharge of all the activities of its kingdom wherein the mind, intellect and sanskaras are the ministers of its courtyard. Just as the minister has to obey and follow the orders from the king, the mind has to obey the instructions from the soul – the King – the real you; hence, this is called Rajyoga. For the beginners, imagining oneself as a point-of-light, that too, consistently and persistently for long hours, may seem to one like going nowhere. One may feel to get back to one’s “normal” mode of thinking, but one has to realize that this feeling of opting out of this soulconsciousness stage gives an indication that the soul – the real you – is not the king, the authoritarian, but is a puppet controlled by one’s wandering mind. With discipline, persistence and perseverance, one has to establish oneself in stable soul-conscious stage and feel the soul, the real I, as the king, and thereby guide one’s mind and its ministers who are to be loyal and obedient to the king.
How does Rajyoga work? To understand the working of Rajyoga process, let’s take
some examples from our day-today life: In Television, there are multiple channels with different categories and subjects but we surf to a particular channel of our interest and watch our favourite programme. In similar analogy, our mind is also a Television; the only difference is that unlike in the TV, all the programmes under various channels in our mind run at the same time and share the same screen. Because of this, “the observer - the intellect” is confused. It cannot differentiate between various programmes because of the ambiguity. With the consistent practice of Rajyoga, there is renewed connection between the mind and the intellect, which enables the intellect to first differentiate among the various programmes and, then, switch off the undesired ones. This gives more clarity to the intellect by enhancing its processing. This is the first step in achieving the controlling and ruling power of the soul towards the thoughts (programmes) in the mind. This is highest level of energy management process, which saves a huge chunk of energy that goes waste if not realized and controlled in time. Another example on similar lines from our day today life, is that of a smart cellphone. Just as a cellphone has different applications and these applications keep on running in
the background processor as long as we do not close them; in similar way, there are many applications running in the mind in form of thoughts, unfinished tasks, unsettled emotions that occupy the precious processor space and the limited Random Access Memory (RAM) offered by the intellect, thereby without bringing any benefit to the user – the soul. But, the solution lies in the practice of Rajyoga, which opens up the third eye that can watch the open application, and, now, – the soul, the decision making authority with the renewed sense of clarity, can put a full stop to the unnecessary applications by applying a full stop/point. This simple exercise of soul being a point-of-light puts a full stop/point to the otherwise consuming applications that drain the soul-battery from its precious reserve of spiritual energy. By this, the human soul, the practitioner of Rajyoga, gains the clarity of thoughts, power of discernment, power of judgement and power to control and power to rule. Just like holy swans, who choose only white milk from a mixture of milk and water, the practitioner of Rajyoga can choose his thoughts with clarity and discern the right thoughts from the wrong ones. This is the first step to selfmanagement; once you choose the right thoughts, you conserve
12 One who works commits mistakes; but one who shirks work finds faults in others.
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your energy for the best and avoid wasting energy and time in waste and negative thoughts; this is the highest form of energy management, which is also called as the power to control; with regular practice you realize that you have the power to rule over your mind, intellect and your emotions by becoming an able administrator, who very efficiently and diligently uses his ministers to get the desired work accomplished. Hence, the name Raja-Yoga – the effective Yoga for achieving self-sovereignty, i.e., control over mind, intellect, resolves (Sanskars) and one’s sense organs.
Value Addition Now, as you know how to get rid of unwanted waste and negative thoughts, you should also know how to fill your mind with positive thoughts; because mind cannot remain idle, it always need some work. As is the saying, “An empty mind is devil’s workshop”; so, here, comes further the ways of value addition, which are, as a part of Rajyoga practice, as follows: A good positive start of the day: The early morning time known as “Amritvela” is the best time for our mind to programme for the positive thought pattern. The best way to do value addition is to connect the soul with the eternal source of positive energy, the Supreme Soul – June, 2018
the Ocean of positivity, goodness, bliss, happiness with a particular relation with Him and fill yourself with this energy. This is a good start and as the saying goes, “A good start is half-work achieved.” Give yourself a list of things to do: This act, when performed in the morning, will make your mind focused and you’ll invest all your energy to achieve your activities as per the list of things to do. This will help you keep away the waste and negative things that consume not just time but also your precious energy. It is but natural that a list of things to do will also guide you towards things or works which you should not do. Invest your time in practising Rajyoga during the day while doing your daily chores: This will make you a Karmayogi, keep you focused, charged and motivated. Make God your companion, communicate with Him through all your relations, seek His help in getting your things to do. The easiest way to do this is to practise Rajyoga: to be in soul-conscious state, to become a point-of-light and to relate with God, who is also a point-of-light. This is also called “Manmanabhava Sthiti” Check your chart and make changes accordingly: Every
night before going to bed, do check your chart as to whether you spent your day as per plan; whether you could achieve things on your list to do. If not, what distract you from achieving your objectives? How much worthwhile time and energy spent during the day? Were you aligned to your purpose? Then, seek forgiveness and seek strength from God for your renewed plans and objectives. Before going to sleep, again practise Rajyoga and, then, go to bed with calm, quiet and relaxed mind. Thus, Rajyoga is a process through which the practitioner can achieve his purpose of life with grace and peace of mind. Because, the seeker conducts his thoughts and energies in a very well planned and diligent manner with God as his companion on the journey of his life, and, eventually, the practitioner becomes a blissful, peaceful, loveful and knowledgeful personality. Through the practice of Rajyoga, every act performed by the seeker is elevated, accurate and perfect, and this not only brings benefit to the self but also to the society, which, in turn, reciprocates with respect and mutual admiration. The only condition is: the seeker has to be true to himself/herself in his/ her efforts to accrue the benefits from the practice of Rajyoga.
The serene power of a peaceful soul is more powerful than that of bombshell. 13
The World Renewal June 21: International Day of Yoga (IDY)
RAJYOGA MEDITATION: THE ONLY DIVINE PROCESS OF SELF-PURIFICATION LEADING TO LIBERATION AND FRUITION – Dr. Brahma Kumar Yudhishthir, Ph.D., Shantivan, Associate Editor
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ike the oft-quoted biblical “prodigal soul” the miserable story of whom is described in The Holy Bible, all individual human souls in the world at present are in a state of disconnection or segregation (Viyoga) from the Incorporeal God, the Supreme Spiritual Father of all souls, who is the only Supreme Source of spiritual sustenance, all values, virtues, qualities and powers. As a result, they are, now, in the dark dungeon of spiritual ignorance; and their life has turned to be a spiritual wasteland; and, thus, they have been wandering in the wilderness of spiritual wasteland without finding any ray of enlightening light, hope and optimism, solace and succor. The only hope lies in having connection or union (Yoga) with God, the Almighty, Absolute and Ultimate Reality – the Supreme Divine Being – who can enlighten them with His enlivening, divine Light and thereby lead them from the darkness of ignorance, from the death to immortality, and from untruth to ultimate truth 14
through His teachings of spiritual knowledge of the complete World Cycle and training of Rajyoga meditation. On the occasion of June 21: International Day of Yoga (IDY), it is quite relevant to highlight the concept, importance and benefits of Rajyoga meditation, which is the only divine process of self-purification of human beings leading to their liberation (Mukti) and fruition or liberationin-life (Jeevan Mukti).
Concept of Rajyoga The simple and literal meaning of the term ‘yoga’ is connection or addition or plus or union. In this sense, two plus two becoming four is also a kind of yoga. But, in spiritual sense, the meaning of ‘yoga’ refers to the connection or union of soul with the Supreme Soul in the conscious remembrance of each other. The term ‘Rajyoga’ is the compound of two words, ‘Raja’ and ‘Yoga’, meaning the ‘King of all Yogas’. It is so called because it is quite unique and holistic in the sense that it deals with the divine or spiritual
dimension of life and has assimilated in it the best features of other yogas like Mantra Yoga, Dhyan Yoga, JnanaYoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, etc. Rajyoga practice is a process of gradual but continuous shifting from body-consciousness to soulconsciousness. Maintaining soul-consciousness is the awareness of the soul – the life force and divine light – that animates the physical form and makes breathing possible. It is a regular, continuous and progressively subtle effort to stay in that state of being and from there to move one’s consciousness or thoughts into the non-material, metaphysical world of purity and silence, where one can connect and commune with God, the beloved Supreme Soul. In this way, by establishing a mental, intellectual and spiritual connection with the Incorporeal God, one can cultivate sweet relationship with the Supreme Divine Father and absorb and inherit His divine qualities, virtues and powers. The Only Divine Process Rajyoga meditation is the only divine process because it is taught by none other than the Incorporeal God, the Supreme Divine Being – the Knowledgeful Supreme Divine Teacher of all teachers. So, Rajyoga, the real holistic yoga in spiritual sense, is clearly construed as the
Time is a vehicle that moves without a break and reverse gear.
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concentration, connection and communion of the soul, the spiritual entity, with the Supreme Soul, the eternal and spiritual Father of Mankind. It is an inner state of spiritual rapture, which the regular and constant yoga practitioner can only experience in full engrossment of his personal self in the Impersonal Self surrendering his or her mind, intellect and sanskaras. It is a state of complete forgetfulness or oblivion of one’s own physical consciousness and of the elemental world of Nature, time, space and outer space and also merging of the soul in the Supreme Soul and thereby becoming two-in-one with Him. It is a thoughtless state of complete absorption (Nirvikalpa Samadhi) of the individual soul/spirit in the Universal Soul/Spirit in the metaphysical world of spirits where the yogi, in his highly uplifted and elevated stage, feels himself to be the enlightened one. It is a holistic state of full and complete realization of the self and Supreme Self in which the human self, like a sponge, soaks in itself all His qualities, values, virtues and powers, and thereby feels fully empowered with divinity. It is a state of holistic transformation and new incarnation of the soul as one experiences, in the core of one’s heart, as if being moulded and June, 2018
made “in His own image”. It enables one to accumulate the inner powers to avoid negative, impure and unproductive actions and to perform pure action (Karma) based on the Karma philosophy. One, who practises Rajyoga meditation regularly as a way of life, can become royal in his manners and grows to become a charismatic and full-flowering personality with holistic development in mental, moral, intellectual and spiritual spheres. The ancient Rajyoga, which is imparted through the Brahma Kumaris Organization, renders an ethereal glow and an aura of divinity to the personality of the practitioner concerned. Rajyoga - A Catalyst in Shifting of Consciousness In the ordinary day-to-day life, the human beings remain in a state of material consciousness or body-consciousness as they lead the worldly life by identifying their consciousness with physical body, bodily relations a n d various mistaken identities on the basis of castes, colours, creeds, beliefs, religions, languages, cultures, genders, nationalities,
etc. These wrong identification and mistaken identities that cause social divisions and disorder, moral and spiritual bankruptcy, crisis of values and deterioration and devaluation of human character, are due to man’s ignorance of the knowledge of spirituality, that of soul, Supreme Soul and the World Cycle, and his long isolation from the Incorporeal God Father, who is the Seminal Seed of Human Genealogical Tree and the Root of Spirituality. With the divine descent of Incorporeal God in the corporeal medium of Prajapita Brahma, the nectar of spiritual knowledge flows into the ignorant souls, who come thirsty in order to satisfy their eternal urge for spiritual realization, solace, succour and personal enlightenment, thereby leading to global enlightenment. But, this is not possible without a quantum shift in human consciousness; and here Rajyoga plays the role of a catalyst in shifting the human consciousness from material consciousness or bodyconsciousness to spiritual consciousness or soulconsciousness. In course of the learning and practice of Rajyoga meditation process, the practitioner has to completely forget the three-dimensional picture of his physical body, body-organs and then, has to
Choose you words before you speak because they reflect who and how you are. 15
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gradually reduce himself to be the subtlest, no-dimensional conscient infinitesimal point of spiritual light energy, called the soul or spirit sparkling at the centre of forehead between the two eye-brows. He has to think of the original qualities of the soul such as knowledge, peace, love, happiness, purity, power and bliss, and also to persist in evoking and experiencing the feelings associated with these qualities. As he goes on practising Rajyoga day by day, this shift from body-consciousness to soul-consciousness becomes stable and permanent, thereby changing diametrically his perception, angle of vision and attitude from outer senses to inner self. In this change of perception, vision and attitude, the knower truly knows him as a spiritual self/being and perceives all others as the image of his own self, the point-of-divine-light, thereby discovering his selfimage in others and accepting the concept of uniformity of beings. The inside-out view of oneself made possible by the quantum shift in consciousness and brought about by the catalytic effect of Rajyoga, allows one to enter one’s own inner treasure of eternal peace, happiness and bliss, which are one’s birthright, and gives a transformed outlook 16
to redefine the concept and perspective of one’s world, the philosophy of life and the worldview. Saint Isaac of Syria has rightly and clearly referred to this when he said, “Try to enter your inner treasure house, and you will see the treasure house of Heaven.” Rajyoga for Self-purification Rajyoga meditation leads to ‘self-purification’ of impure, depraved and vicious human souls (beings). The human being is an inner self/soul/spirit but not an outer body, which is made up of five physical elements like earth, water, air, fire, ether. The term ‘purification’ does not refer only to ‘purification’ of outer body and its physical organs but it also refers to ‘purification’ of the inner soul and its three components such as mind, intellect and sanskars. In Greek Tragedies and William Shakespeare’s tragedies like Othello, Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear, the term ‘catharsis’ refers to ‘purgation’ or ‘purification’ of thoughts, emotions, feelings, attitudes, notions, intellects and sanskars, which are the inner essences or characteristics of soul/spirit/self. Just as the goldsmith purifies the dirties of gold or golden ornaments by putting them in fire; likewise, the bad, evil, impure and negative thoughts, emotions, feelings, attitudes,
notions, intellects and sanskars of the human souls get purged and purified in the purifying fire of Rajyoga meditation. Just like a piece of iron gets magnetized by coming in contact with a magnet; likewise, an impure, vicious and sinful soul becomes purified and redeemed of its accumulated past and present evil, vicious and negative tendencies, and then gets divinized and elevated to the deity stage. Rajyoga for Liberation Rajyoga meditation leads to ‘liberation’ of human souls (beings) from their past and present accumulated sins and vices. Just as a bird in a cage remains ever in a state of bondage but ever wishes and even attempts to fly out of it; likewise a human soul – a conscient pointof-light – is compared to a bird in bondage in the cage of material human body. It wants liberation and complete freedom from the bodycage and restricting physical and natural laws so that it will be like a free and delighted bird in the vast expanse of the wide, open sky being capable enough to move and fly anywhere and everywhere at one’s own sweet will. Rajyoga also helps one to
When God looks at me, let me ask, “Where am I looking at?”
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prepare for leaving this mundane and mortal world because it frees one from the fear of the unknown and gives him or her the clarity and certainty about what lies beyond the immediate perceivable world, so that when the time of inevitable departure comes one can unhesitatingly move on easily and comfortably, knowing how to go to the ultimate destination. In spiritual parlance, the term ‘liberation’ (Mukti) refers to the movement (Gati) of the human soul towards the Spiritual Root the metaphysical Brahmlok (Mool Vatan)/Soul World/ Shantidham - after the end of the play of one Kalpa in the Eternal World Drama (EWD). It refers not to the freedom of the outer human body from any closure or from the bondage of ropes that bind it or its organs, but to the freedom of the inner soul, which is in the real, subtle bondage of seven deadly sins or vices like sex-lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy and indolence. These sins or vices make the life of man hellish, brutish, nasty and short as they discharge him of his original and essential values, virtues, powers and seven spiritual qualities like true spiritual knowledge, peace, love, happiness, purity, power and bliss, which man once had inherited from the Heavenly God Father as his heavenly birthright. June, 2018
Rajyoga for Fruition/ Liberation-in-life In spiritual parlance, the term ‘fruition’/‘liberation-in-life’ refers to the true movement (Sadgati) of the human soul towards the
fruition in the heavenly Satyuga in order to replay the roles of drama in a new Kalpa and enjoy the fruits (Pralabdha) of yogic spiritual efforts made earlier in the Age of Transition/Confluence or Sangam Yuga. Rajyoga meditation prepares the human beings for the pure, divine deity life in the forthcoming Satyuga, called Shivalaya or Heaven. In the Golden-Aged Kingdom of Heaven, the purified and elevated human beings live their lives in the form of the deities - gods and goddesses. The life of gods and goddesses, who are regarded as the divine representatives of Incorporeal God Father Shiva, is
characterized by divine qualities, values and virtues like love, peace, forgiveness, cooperation, compassion, purity, prosperity, health, wealth, happiness, decency, sweetness, harmony, grace, beauty, purity, amity, magnanimity, clarity, charity, dignity, solemnity, divinity, nicety, spontaneity, assiduity, integrity, nobility, hospitality, etc. The deities will be incarnate of divinity in their day-to-day ways, manners and behaviours. In the state of fruition/ liberation-in-life, the deities will be completely free from the seven deadly sins/vices like sexlust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy and indolence, which are the characteristics if the Iron Age. There will be perfect harmony among the major Agencies of Man and Nature. In such divine state in the Golden Age, Shree Lakshmi and Shree Narayan, the first Empress and Emperor respectively, will reign and they will live a life of divine bliss and beatitude along with other deities (gods and goddesses) adorned with double crowns – crowns of purity and wealth. There will be perfect balance between spiritual love and divine law. There Nature will be quite benevolent without being destructive “in tooth-and-claw”. She will serve the deities as a (Contd. ..... on page no. 28)
Knowledge is the fruit of devotion which God is giving it freely to all souls now.
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MEDITATION, CRITICAL THINKING AND INTUITION –Yogi Khem Jokhoo, Trinidad, West Indies
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he generic meaning of meditation is to “heal the mind or to take control of the mind”. This is because the mind, the thinking faculty of the soul, is very inquisitive, curious and travels with great speed. In scientific terms, meditation simply means the management of your thoughts. It is to have the ability to think about what you want and when you want it, without interference by other thoughts. Meditation is to develop the ability to concentrate on a particular subject without being attracted and influenced by the five senses, the five vices and the five elements. Yoga, especially Rajyoga, is to use one’s concentration skills to connect with and to have a sweet spiritual relationship, communion and conversation with God, the Supreme Soul Shiva, who is the Supreme Spiritual Father of all human souls. Meditation, therefore, is a prerequisite or condition that assists spiritual seekers to have unbroken, undisturbed and continuous access to their spiritual resources, and this
experience is called Rajyoga.
Prerequisites to Practise Rajyoga Meditation To practise to experience Rajyoga (meditation), some basic prerequisites are necessary. One must have the intimate knowledge of the anatomy and functions of the human soul as well as the method of accessing the Supreme Soul. The human soul is a tiny point of white conscient light energy that is not visible with the physical eyes. The soul sits between the hypothalamus and the thalamus within the brain. The mind, intellect and subconscious (sanskar) are the three faculties of the soul. The mind is the thinking faculty of the soul where all thoughts are created or generated. It imagines, thinks and formulates ideas on the basis of all emotions, desires and sensations. It projects instant thoughts, relives past experiences and even anticipates the future. The intellect is the reasoning or judging faculty of the soul used to assess thoughts. This
is the faculty of understanding, judgment and decision-making. It is the intellect that remembers, discriminates, judges and exercises its strength in the form of “will power”. In the intellect resides the power to reason and it is the seat of the conscience. The sub-conscious (sanskar), memory or resolves is the recording faculty of the soul that records all actions and experiences of the soul. It takes the form of habits, personality traits, beliefs, values and instincts. This faculty is the complete archive or library of all the soul’s history and experiences for all births; and, hence, it is the basis of a person’s individuality, character and personality.
Spiritual Surgery of the Mind To do spiritual surgery of the mind, the soul has to undergo quarantine, as its faculties are inseparable. First, a vice or virus check must be performed similar to that of checking for viruses in a computer. The main vices or viruses that contaminate the soul are lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. To remove these vices or viruses, an injection of values like purity, tolerance, contentment, detachment and humility is required. In addition, the tonic of spiritual power, happiness, love, peace, knowledge and bliss is needed to restore the soul to its
18 Understand small things of life and implement them if you wish to be great.
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original powers, virtues and qualities.
Injection of Meditation and Concentration Meditation is the injection required to heal the mind and intellect to take control of the mind. When the soul is awake, some 25-40 thoughts a minute bombard the mind of which about 90-95% of those thoughts are waste, idle or negative. These waste, idle and negative thoughts have the tendency to embrace the external vice or virus of anger, greed, ego, lust and attachment to create sorrow in the family and society. It is interesting that the psychoanalyst describes the ego as the superficial conscious part of “id”, developed in response to the physical and social environment. This is because ego and id are the characteristics of the soul that determine the personality of a person. This is revealed through the ideas and identity of a person through the id. Ideas are the result of thinking and so critical ideas are the result of critical thinking. Identity is the character and personality of a person.
The Atmosphere for Critical Thinking Now, when the link has been established between the mind, ideas and identity or personality, we can see clear relationships between thinking and innate June, 2018
values. The basis of “critical thinking” requires harmony among the faculties of the mind, intellect and memory. When there is harmony, the soul becomes completely relaxed. When there is relaxation of the mind, it induces the power of concentration. When there is concentration, the creative powers of the soul functions best as new and fresh ideas emerge. This is the atmosphere for “critical thinking”. Critical thinking in action is sometimes called “mental toughness”.
Mental Toughness and Decision Making Mental toughness is the ability to make consistently good, accurate and successful decisions especially when one is challenged with seemingly impossible tasks or imminent defeat whereby all doors and windows appear to be closed. It is to demonstrate fortitude, selfcontrol and calmness in the face of adversity. Mental toughness initially gives one the feeling of rigidity and heartlessness. One immediately visualizes a person whose forehead is muscular in thought, a face with a miserly dry smile and eyes to kill. These are the physical characteristics, which are the exact opposite of those of the one having mental toughness, who shows an expression of stoicism and
equanimity. However, mental toughness is an attitude of complete relaxation that provides an atmosphere of intellectual assertiveness that assists a person with the power to discern. This induces intuitive vision in decision-making. It is the ability of a person to bring into focus the unfolding activities of the current situation and to instantly review prior strategies by utilizing the available resources to change the impending threats into useful opportunities. A person, who is blessed with the skill of mental alertness, very often makes the impossible become possible and snatches victory even when in the jaws of defeat. This is why it is said, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Mental toughness is to have clarity of thought whereby your aptitude brings into focus the events of the past in fusion with the realities of the present, thereby making intuitive decisions that more often than not achieves the desired solution. These are leadership skills that are developed from past experiences and are intuitive in nature that we sometimes call “gut feeling”. It is to be fully aware of the task ahead without any distractions and to be in control of the process rather than worrying about the
Curses of others ever follow you but blessings remain as fellows with you. 19
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outcome. Very often with intuitive ideas, the solution comes before the problem is known.
Meditation Increases Attention Span If a student has the skill to concentrate while the teacher is teaching, then everything taught by the teacher is discerned by the intellect and then gets stored in the memory. For this to occur, apart from the eyes being directly focused on the teacher and the ears listening carefully, the mind and intellect must be in total harmony. This is to discern the information imparted and orderly store the same in the memory. This is similar to a photographer taking pictures. If the photographer’s eyes and his camera lens are simultaneously focused on the object, the picture obtained is identical to the object when the film is developed. If, however, the photographer’s lens, which has the same characteristics as the intellect, is not focused on the object but it is elsewhere, then the picture of where it was focused, is recorded instead. Similarly, if the student’s eyes are focused on the teacher, but his mind and intellect are wandering outside the classroom, then what the mind was thinking about is recorded by the intellect and stored in the memory, and it is not what the 20
teacher was teaching. Such a student finds it difficult to understand subsequent lectures and become totally lost within a few weeks.
Meditation Improves Memory Capabilities If the student’s mind and intellect are working in harmony and the student is paying full attention to what is being taught by the teacher, the intellect discerns the information and stores the same in a very orderly manner. This is similar to the storage of information in the computer memory for easy location, identification and retrieval. This system of orderly storage of information in the memory makes it easy for the student to recall, relate or rewrite during examinations. The memory size itself does not increase, but its orderly storage increases its capacity.
Meditation Induces Intuitive Skills The teachers, who have acquired the skills of meditation, are able to use it as a tool in teaching. When a teacher has a calm and collective disposition, that teacher is well equipped to bring under control any abnormalities that may show up unexpectedly. Meditation increases one’s power to observe, listen and discern. One is able to predict and prevent possible abnormal
situations even before they come into existence. This is because the teacher has developed the art of intuitive wisdom and vision. The teacher is able to discern the inner thoughts of students from the distinctive outer facial expressions on their faces and from any unusual body language. This is because the eyes and face are the first windows to the mind and any upheaval in the students mind would be reflected in changes in facial expression. Any teacher, after a week and even with a new class of students, would be able to analyze and assess the capability of every student within a high degree of accuracy.
Other Benefits of Meditation The benefits attained from meditation are, therefore, called the “incarnation of economy”. This means that you have the clarity of thought and the ability to make the right decisions at the right time in every situation. When you make the right decisions consistently, you achieve all your spiritual goals, desires and objectives with minimum energy. This means that you experience the greatest splendor with minimum expenditure. There is very little or minimum wastage of time, efforts and resources. Clarity of (Contd. ..... on page no. 32)
Dare to confess your faults to be forgiven of them and, thus, to be dear to all.
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LIFE AS THE BACKPACK – B.K. Wicky, Sivapoomy, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
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ow many of you have ever over packed for a trip on an airplane? How many of you, once you reach at your destination, realize that you don’t need most of what you brought? You make a mental note for next time not to bring so much. But, now with all the new luggage rules and regulations, you really can’t take too much with you anymore. So, the decision has been made for you. Isn’t life like this too? When we were children, our parents made decisions for us. But, when we become adults, we start making our own decisions. Needless to say, some of these decisions are not always the best. But, this is how we learn. Picture your life as the backpack. We are born, we go to school, we play and we grow. Our backpacks are pretty light as we have others taking on responsibility for us. Our parents, teachers, siblings and extended family members are all helping us to carry our backpacks for us. Then, we grew up, graduated from school, got June, 2018
a job and started taking on responsibility for carrying our own backpacks. At this point of time, the weight is bearable as we embark on what is called the Journey of Life. The funny thing is that most of us could not wait to get here! Somewhere on the way to adulthood, we may have had heart-breaks or loss that weighs our backpacks down, but we are young and strong and keep going. Eventually, most of us get married and start families. This increased responsibility starts adding more weight to our backpacks. But, we are oblivious of the added weight, as our hearts are light with the love for our spouse and our children. Time goes on and the roles that we play within our relationships start to take their toll. We are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and so on. The straps are getting uncomfortable. The added stress starts putting impact on us, and we react by overeating, overworking, drinking, taking drugs, indulging in infidelity, or just plain
checking out. Our bodies become heavy, tired and sluggish. Then, as we go along, comes more to add to the backpack: problems in our relationships, at work, with our children or our families. The straps start digging in, can you feel them? Just when we think things are getting better, our parents start having health issues. Now, we are juggling our own family, our parents, and whatever else is going on. Can you feel the weight? Are the straps leaving gouges on your shoulders yet? Sometimes, it gets to the point when the weight is almost too much to bear. We cannot take and go on anymore. Our strength is gone. Some may give up at this point, some may check out, using drugs or alcohol to numb themselves to the world around them. Some will walk away from their responsibilities, or wish that they should. What is the difference between those who walk away from their responsibilities and those of us that carry our backpacks fully loaded, so to speak, and still get up every day and still take care of our families, do our jobs, visit our parents or hang out with friends? The answer is simple. The former ones lack spirituality and values like faith, love, compassion, forgiveness whereas the latter ones keep
Remain always in a state of light to make your nature easy and sweet. 21
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these values intact in their life. They make a choice everyday of what they put into their backpacks to offset the weight. They make a choice everyday to lighten their load. They choose having faith in God, their coaches and their family members, and, most importantly, in themselves also.
What are you choosing to put into your backpack, called life? Is it anger, pain and suffering, or is it love, compassion and forgiveness? If it is the latter, you are well on your way to lightening your backpack. So, take care of and be conscious of what are you choosing today? What are you putting into your backpack? I
know what is mine. You can remake or repack your backpack by choosing and putting values in it I leave you with an option to repack. Don’t let what is in your backpack at present define your life. You can redefine your life by choosing or putting values and spirituality in it and thereby lead a value-based life.
O SOUL! GO AND GRAB YOUR LOT
Be quiet and let your silence answer everyone, – Shruthi Mandra, Tamil Nadu Having rivalry with none. Neither argue nor explain, Oh! Don’t cry, you dejected soul, ever. For it just states, ‘Your energy is in drain.’ For this imperfect world is with imperfection Radiate your goodness and love, to the whole. Cultivate the fruits of peacefulness Tolerate and have patience; With happiness as the plough. Let nothing bother you, neither any setbacks Build a life, full of sunshine, nor any relations Be the Supreme Being’s most obedient child, For, you know what to do well – And for you everything will be fine. With a vibrant enthusiasm, Fly away from this dark driven cell; Don’t cry, don’t ever cry, You needn’t confine yourself anymore in this This is an impure world, wherein to remain hell, pure, Come on, O soul! Break the barriers, A lot, you have to try. Fly and live as our Supreme Father’s magical Be ever the bliss that you are, words tell. Cheers to you! Go far and far Till you reach that Highest Sparkling Star. Forget the past and this evilness, Hey, the sparkling light of bliss! You are very For these will soon become just a memory; brave, Move on and find a new togetherness, Go and grab your lot, never merely sit and With the Beloved Supreme Father, who is full crave. Of love, care, positivity, peace and chivalry. Go, O soul, fly away, The great days are coming your way, Conquer this world by following the Father Just wait for the bliss and you have nothing And by obeying what His thoughts say. to say. Go, now, O soul! Try to be a happy soul! The world is waiting for you to play; This impure world will pass, Go, rule it with love, happiness, bliss, gay Have patience and “Be yourself” like a good lass. And also with hopes of good ray. 22
Try to be good; people will come to your company to make them good.
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(….Contd. from May, 2018 Issue)
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THE MOTORWAY OF THIS LIFE – B.K. David, Paignton, England
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he motorway of this life is fast, furious, congested, slippery and very dangerous. This chaotic motorway and its tarmac are soon to go into meltdown and everything will suddenly stop. Everyone will come to a halt when there is no petrol (love and peace) to be found anywhere. Are you one of the many motorists that are guilty of thinking and driving (living) too fast on life’s hectic motorway?
Margarine, Tangerine, Submarine A Godly Queen may be hard to spot whilst out shopping in the market amidst this world of torment, but as long as God can see you, why does it matter what this old world sees, believes and thinks and tries to throw at you? You have the protection and armour of God on your side, so what? Even if the world tries to throw anything at you, it cannot hurt you. What this world throws at us should not hurt us, as we have God in front of us. Can you hurt a wall by throwing a tangerine at it? Could the cheap June, 2018
margarine hurt you if you place butter on the table next to it? Would a submarine submerge or sink if it starts to rain from the black clouds above? Do not become like a submarine, that is, frightened of getting wet (facing awkward and difficult challenges in life, be they of hospitals, courts, dentists, problematic people that harm you or thieves that steal from you).You have the company of God, the Supreme Power, on your side and it is in His Ocean that you sail and dive; it is like enjoying life with the Supreme Captain, who is the Captain of your Ship. If you know God and sail with Him every day, then your health, wealth and future will always be the very best.
Needs and Wants are Different Chasing paper notes (Wealth) will only ever blow further away in the wind of want. No one is perfect except God. What one needs to live happily and what one wants and chases after, are two totally different things. I ‘want’ a quiet bungalow away
from noisy neighbours - but I don’t really ‘need’ a bungalow, and as much as I want a bungalow, I will get by with the passage of time and survive without it. The endless chase of fashion that sets your mind into a spin that sees you end up chasing only your tail. We have endless wants and few needs. What we really need to be happy are very few and these include good health, values, wisdom and God’s Directions. Yet, nearly 100% of the humanity desperately wants wealth and to look good and, to that end, chase after fashion so that they can be noticed. The reality is that you’re responsible for your sins but not God. Never was it that case and it never will be. You will never find God sitting next to your bank manager trying to persuade your manger to cancel out your loan and debt. Yet we should count our blessings every new day and thank God that we wake up in sound health, have food to eat and family to look after. Make your life great and do not end up as some fish on a dish. Whatever you wake up to, you should thank God that you are at least waking up and breathing and have been given a chance to make a difference and share goodness in the world. There is a huge difference in thanking God and blaming Him.
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If you wake up, at least, you can change your lot (life). There are many things you can thank God for; the main one being you wake up each morning and have life and are not some fish in the North Atlantic that will end up being caught and eaten. Even if not caught, how would you like to spend your life swimming in a cold sea as a fish? You’ve a chance, today, to make a difference – take it!
Know God and feel having everything We blame God for everything bad, but seldom praise Him for the good. How much those that did not wake up yesterday would love to have woken today and made themselves hot coffee? How they would thank God for waking up to a new day? Actually, we have endless reasons to thank God and absolutely nothing to blame Him for; be it big noses or ears that stick out or atrocious weather. Only if you stand on your head can you clearly see God. We just need to take a turn in life to be happy. It is possible in life to have nothing, yet feel to have everything. This attainment can be so, when you’ve got only God at your side. Having your wallet, wife or car at your side is not going to give you ‘everything’, but can, more often than not, end up giving you ‘nothing’. If you know God, then, all that
you see also belongs to you. Do you realise that everything belongs to you? With God, you own everything except worry, confusion, stress, blame, complaints and bodyconsciousness. If you own any of these defects, then God is not fully belonging to you. It’s always good to remember that all things bad, including those five vices born of body-consciousness, belong to man, but not to God. Those aspects were created by man and should not belong to God’s children. God gave us life, not stress. Today, the world will give you 12,000 reasons not to be happy. You may find 12,000 reasons to be unhappy today, but when you see 12,000 written on paper it becomes nothing. To not have food is something; to see a piece of paper notes with 12,000 written on it is nothing. If you were really hungry what would you eat? Will you eat food or paper with 12,000 written on it? Paper notes (money, wealth) will soon be worth nothing and food (both to feed the body and soul) will be worth everything. Eating paper notes (money) would never do you or anyone any good. Only by feeding the mind with Godly knowledge and wisdom can you become very strong. Does a lion eat paper? What would other animals think of the lion that chased after, caught and ate
paper all the time? What would that lion become - and be called?
The Hidden Modern Dilemma Crush or be crushed, is the hidden dilemma facing almost everyone today. So, do not let the torpedoes of worry, stress, debt, wants or materialism sink your submarine. You should always keep focused in the telescope of your mind and remember that you are too precious a boat to allow yourself to be sunk by torpedoes shot by life in general or by a person in particular. People are very trigger happy and happy to shoot anyone for almost any failure or misunderstanding they come across. It is worry and stress, which are the hidden torpedoes under the waves of life that are secretly and silently attacking people and causing havoc in life and sinks many a good boat or renders them ineffective and motionless.
Flower Power We all really do need to consciously rise up above life’s problems and live like the lotus flower that remains beyond the reach and influence of dirt that is all around us. Never being awake has been such a waste for humanity as it is today. Do not slip in the dark on the margarine of bodyconsciousness or bite your
24 The gossip that goes into one’s ear can kill much kinship, near and dear.
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tongue on a sour tangerine of anger and bitterness. Do not swallow and choke on any large pips (resentment to life) but instead learn to crush them with love. Everyone is now unwittingly and slowly drowning or slipping in the dark or chewing over anger and bitterness, which causes them the indigestion of sorrow. The results of these dilemmas are further compounded as the hospitals are full, doctors are overrun and people lead such discontented lives; they sleep little and talk and argue much - for most of the time they are awake. Becoming the lotus, a soul full of love and cleanliness, is the answer to life’s many questions, dilemmas and problems. God has made you into a fully equipped selfcontained army that can conquer any situation by wearing the armour of love and truth. If you are not winning the battles, you need to retreat and learn to take more power and refine your weaponry and ammunition (love, knowledge and wisdom) given to you by God. There is much power and effectiveness in God’s weaponry. If God’s weapons are not working and hitting the target, you must look to your vision or skill level as you must not be using them correctly or perhaps not at all. June, 2018
You can increase your happiness Thinking and worrying over your money will neither increase it nor will it increase by looking at It. But, you can increase your happiness. Most people are affected by life’s endless torpedoes or complications that can hit out of the blue. One’s real wealth lies in what one knows, what one does, what one eats, how one exercises, who one knows and the company one chooses to keep, and not in what one possesses or has locked away in the bank. You should do yourself a big favour and become a constant beggar and companion of God and, then, you’ll be able to increase your happiness and to
laugh at wealth and the wealthy, who is on the way to the bank. The wealthy seem to always live in constant fear of losing their wealth and in doing so they lose their health. The wealthy have a crippling disease of fear, stress unhappiness and their wealth is not some tablet they can take which can cure their sickness. Their wealth has turned into a poison that is not even a relaxing massage that can offer any peace. Their unhappiness and stress is very real but their wealth is not. Most have constant thoughts of money uppermost in their minds and worry over their bank balances, be they small or large. The headaches of people are growing as their wealth is shrinking. (….to be contd.)
PLAYING WITH PEARLS OF VIRTUES –B.K. Urvashi, Mount Abu
Can I detach from the various personalities I play during the day (daughter, parent, boss, employee, student) and talk to myself one-to-one? Is it good enough to fulfil my daily responsibilities or do I value my spiritual self too? Sometimes, I may avoid thinking about the inner self because it’s a little scary to face my weaknesses and come to terms with not-so-good past actions. However, it’s a fact that whatever is real and true lives on despite the amount of alloy mixed in or accumulated layers of dust. Would the world be just as beautiful if we had left all the impure gold or raw diamonds buried away? I must learn to value myself, an eternal spirit of divinity, and do all I can to make it glow.
You can succeed if you practically implement the advice you give to others. 25
The World Renewal THE WORD STRI SYMBOLIZES QUALITIES OF NATURE, HUMAN NATURE AND WORLD HISTORY
–B. K. Rose Mary
G
od Father Shiva has explained to us that the duration of each Kalpa (World Drama Cycle) is of 5000 years. At the beginning of Kalpa, the human souls and Nature were pure and perfect, but as they reach the end, they become polluted and decadent so much that it calls for the act of renewal by God, the Almighty (The Gita 4:7; The Bible: Book of Mathew 19:28 and Daniel 2:44; 2 Peter 3:13). Now, we are eye-witness to the pollution of Nature taking place on an alarming, global scale. This is in contrast to the attitude of the ancient people, who are shown to be worshiping the Nature as mentioned in scriptures. Everyone knows that life is impossible without pure water and air, yet these elements are now being treated as global garbage cans! No intelligent species would destroy their own environment; yet humans are doing it. This is really a spiritual problem, as shown by Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., the famous American Environmental
Attorney, who said: “I always saw pollution as theft, and I always thought: Why should somebody be able to pollute the air, which belongs to all of us, or destroy a river or a waterway, which is supposed to belong to the whole community?” Huge whales and other sea animals are often found dead with their stomach filled with plastic wastes, which is prophetic of what is going to happen to all living beings! “We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet.” (Stepen Hawking, Globally Acclaimed Physicist and Cosmologist.) Coming back to the World Cycle, when each Kalpa began, the souls were sattopradhan (spiritual), which meant that the qualities of spirit (or soul) were dominating their lives. They manifested Satto, Tamo and Rajo qualities (gunas) in right order and right proportion. If you make an acronym of those three
qualities in that order, you will get three sounds: STR [Just like the word for world, jagat, which is a combination of first sound of three Sanskrit words – jayate (come), gachhati (go), tishthati (remain); which highlights the impermanent nature of things of this world]. In its use as a word, STR began to be pronounced as stri, which is now the word used for woman. Those three qualities – satto, tamo, rajo – are actually the three essential aspects of Nature. How did these three aspects of Nature come to be associated with the word stri, a word for woman? Gunas in Sanskrit mean a strand or a rope, quality. Thus when we say Nature and human nature are made up of three gunas, it would mean that everything in the Nature and in our own nature and our every experience is made up of these three qualities in different combinations and different proportions. Satto Guna is associated with truth, purity, the principles of harmony, balance, benevolence and transcendence of seeing the essence of all knowledge and scriptures (rather than details). Tamo Guna, literally meaning darkness, denotes untruth, impurity, discord, malevolence, inclination to sleep, inertia, lethargy, dullness, illusion, heaviness. Rajo Guna, literally meaning activity, manifests as energy of
26 All obstacles of life can vanish with purity, perseverance and patience.
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passion, emotion, insatiable greed, perpetual dissatisfaction, always being agitated. Actually, we need all three qualities in right proportion – Satto Guna helps us to get clarity and wisdom; Rajo Guna helps us to keep us going with our activities and Tamo Guna helps us to stop and take rest. However, if they are not in right order and proportion, nature of a human being will vary depending upon which quality is dominant. In a spiritual person, the quality readily visible is satto guna, which expresses itself as seven qualities such as knowledge, peace, love, joy, purity, power and bliss; and tamo and rajo gunas will be in subjection to satto guna. Such a realignment of qualities happens to many persons during each Confluence Age. God Father Shiva makes His descent in the concluding phase of each Iron Age and trains those, who are willing to be moulded by His Rajyoga Course, which makes the practitioners sattopradhan with tamo and rajo gunas being brought in subjection. When sattvic quality dominates, tamo guna expresses itself as soft and sweet qualities such as humility and kindness (rather than inertia and hurtfulness) and rajo guna expresses itself as enthusiastic activity to benefit all human beings, to give everyone the June, 2018
Father’s message and to make them sattopradhan from tamopradhan, telling everyone: “Remember the Father, who establishes heaven on earth and you will be benefited!” Thus, such a sattopradhan (sattvic) life constitutes Satyayugic (Goldenaged) life; and those, who practise such a life now inherit the Golden Age (Satya Yuga) with which the next Kalpa starts revolving. Thus, when each Kalpa begins, people have their three qualities in right order and proportion – satto is on top, and under it are tamo and rajo – and people are remembered by their these qualities. No wonder, the first letter of each quality constituted the word STRI with addition of I. And it originally meant both male and female as it was all about qualities in right order and proportion. “Not only females are brides; even males are brides. All those, who perform devotion and remember God, are, in fact, brides. The Bridegroom is just the One God, the Supreme Father. A bridegroom comes to take His brides with Him. So, all of you are brides; you remember your Bridegroom,” declares God Shiva in His Confluence-aged The Gita. (Murli 16.03.2018) Major events of the Confluence Age find their symbolic expression in the
stories and Scriptures of later period. (Murli 02.11.2017). When it happens, some details are remembered and other details are forgotten just like what happens when we try to recall a dream or a past event. When Shiva Baba arrives in the concluding phase of each Kalpa, those, who avail of His training programme, undergo a great transformation from being bodyconscious into being soulconscious (sattopradhan) as partly pictured in the story of Ganesh. His refusal to listen to wisdom and reasoning and his angry disposition (which is the sign of contraction into egoistic thinking that arises from bodyconsciousness) was replaced with elephant head, which means he was given the ability to think big, as though given a great (brh) mind (ma). In the Confluence Age, souls are transformed into thinking big with their great mind that thinks in expansion into seeing everyone as a child of God, with the constant remembrance of One God & One-World-Family. An insightful person can see 16 features in Ganesh picture, which signify 16 sattvic or spiritual qualities, which a person develops after he/she undergoes Rajayoga training programme imparted by God Shiva. So long as people continue
The after-effects of anger are known only after the calmness.
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to be sattopradhan, the Kalpa is like the heaven. When people begin to forget their true identity of being a soul and begin to view themselves as body, humanity experiences a fall – as the erstwhile dominant satto quality becomes dormant and tamo and rajo qualities become dominant; thus, the Kalpa enters into its second half. The true concept of the word stri too is forgotten and the word begins to be applied only to female gender, and nobody remembers that it originally meant persons, who manifested three gunas in right order and right proportion. This forgetfulness is because of their fall into body-consciousness. The body is made up of more of water, and the word for ‘water’ in many languages is neer. No wonder, the picture of Narayana, one who rests (ayana) over water (neer, nara), became the fitting symbol of control over body and body-consciousness. Interestingly, the purified packaged water being sold by Indian Railways is named Rail Neer. From this word, neer, originated many words such as nara (man), naari (woman), naraka (hell), etc. This is because in state of body-consciousness, the sanskar of people, like water that tends to flow downward, tends to seek baser pleasures that vices offer, and they seek happiness in the world where 28
there is no lasting external happiness. This is in sharp contrast to the connotation the word stri carries; it conveys the thought of satto guna dominating with an elevating effect on self and others. In ancient Bharat, women stood for the higher quality, which can be seen from the way they were being referred to as grihalakshmi (bringer of prosperity in the house), which shows they were the ones that gave strength and stability. Vyasa unmistakably symbolized this aspect by the depicting Kunti (famous Mahabharat character, mother of Pandavas), who asked from God for more problems as boon, which highlights the spiritual strength of woman! In the Confluence Age, women like daughters and mothers (Brahma Kumaris) take the lead in teaching others His Shreemat, and, thus, act as God Shiva’s shakti (strength); and that is why these women are remembered as Shiva Shakti in the later part of the Kalpa. Thus, the word stri too suggestively symbolizes the nature of world history in the sense that it is a cycle the first half of which is filled with people, who are spiritual in nature and live in soul consciousness and the second half is filled with people, who are material in nature and live in bodyconsciousness and its attendant confusions and vices, as a result
of which each Kalpa climaxes itself in total irreligiousness and unrighteousness. That is the time when God descends down upon the earth and intervenes to restore it back to its original glory. (.....Contd. from page no. 17)
true, devoted and loving Mother, Care Taker and Fosterer. The scenes and sceneries of heaven along with its flora and fauna will be a sumptuous feast to the eyes; the songs of birds, swinging of leaves of trees and blowing of slow and sweet breezes will be an orchestra of sonorous music to the ears. The deities will live in golden palaces studded with dazzling jewels radiating their natural lights; they will travel in safe planes, which will operate with their volition and thought power. There will be the reign of Divinity everywhere, and the holy land of Bharat itself with its Sun/Deity Dynasty will be called the whole World. Their inner souls and outer physical bodies will be 100% pure up to the extent 24 karats of pure gold. Rajyoga is a perfect panacea for most of the psychosomatic problems and is being taught free of cost in more than 4,000 Brahma Kumaris Rajyoga Centers in 140 countries including India.
Frank denial is better than dangling carrots of fake hope.
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The World Renewal
AN ELEVATING EXPERIENCE DURING THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – T. S. Panduranga Rao, Bengaluru
levels. We can call past as History and future as Mystery. Only the present is relevant to us and can be called as the gift and we can go all the way for utilizing this time for our selftransformation,
Hurry, Worry, Curry
I
was one of the immensely fortunate and blessed souls, who got the opportunity to participate in the International Conference organised by the Brahma Kumaris Organisation during 23rd-27th February, 2018. I was part of the 13 members’ delegates from Coffee Board layout, Bengaluru and was successfully guided by Bro. Annapurnaiah, who also rubbed his love and enthusiasm endlessly on all of us throughout. My stay at Shantivan was an elevating experience, which inspired me towards spiritual growth. The ambience and the vibrations at Shantivan were so pure that it cannot be described in words. Day in and day out, session after session, many celebrities and global leaders from all parts of the world enthralled us, touching the core of our hearts and souls very deeply. We felt very fortunate and privileged for life. Personally, I was deeply influenced and enjoyed the serene, peaceful and divine environs of Shantivan, as I was drenched in showers of June, 2018
blessings of God Himself. My entire experience was laced with several notings and gist of the content I could make from the speeches made by the illustrious global speakers during the Conference, which I love to happily share in this article. Learned speakers from within the country and from 16 countries participated, almost all of them spoke about the need for Rajyoga for human’s holistic development. Today, modern man’s mind is in a state of total confusion about good and evil. Modern men are interested in amassing wealth and have craze for the materialistic life. This is taking away the health and happiness of the people.
Past as History, Future as Mystery Our mind is so fluctuating that it goes back mostly to the negative incidents, which have happened years ago and also to the incidents going to take place years after. You can see that both the situations are not related to present day life and these are only our imaginations, which only reduce the energy
These three problems – hurry, worry and curry – are causing enough damage to our daily life. We are in a great hurry to start a work and to complete it also. This leads to a situation of stress and anxiety. We start often to worry about an activity, which has not even started or about an event, which has not even happened. Because of these hurry and worry we get into the habit of taking a sort of curry – drinking wine or taking drug or other addiction – hoping that it will give us some relief. Because of this, we lose both health and happiness. The real solution or answer to these problems is the practice of Rajyoga Meditation. Let us receive the God’s power through Rajyoga meditation for achieving peace, health and unlimited happiness. Just as we receive solar power from the Sun for generation of power for lighting, heating, etc., let us receive the spiritual power directly from the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) through Rajyoga practice for peace, purity prosperity, health, wealth and happiness.
The only way to get cooperation of others is to remain first cooperative with them. 29
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Finding Fault with Others If you keep finding fault with others, you will become lonely one day. You will get frustrated and may get into depression. So instead of finding fault with other people, see the goodness and speciality of each and every other soul. This will give others the power to change and transform.
Soul and Body You are a soul, the spiritual entity, and the body is merely a physical costume. We can change our body, the physical costume, but the soul is eternal and carries forwards its sanskars and karma even to its next birth.
Some Suggestions for Spiritual Life (i) Rajyoga is about experiencing various relationships with the Incorporeal God Father Shiva, who is endearingly called Baba. You get unlimited happiness, peace and bliss once you become Baba’s child. Attend Rajyoga classes at the Brahma Kumaris centre regularly and listen to Godly Versions in the form of Murli. In case you are not able to attend the classes due to various reasons; at least, make it a point to attend on Thursday (Sadguruvar) and on weekly holidays. (ii) God says, “I am in front of you, utilize My Light and Might.” Mostly people think of God only in times of distress and difficult situations in life, but He is your constant Companion and Guide. Experience His canopy of protection every day. Then, you will see Him guiding you and helping you in solving all your problems and you won’t have to beg for it. (iii) One should start the day by saying ‘Good morning’ to God and stay connected with Him by remembering Him throughout the day. (iv) Food has an impact on mind; so, one has to take Sattvik food if he/she has to experience the beauty of spiritual life. It is rightly said, “As the food, so the mind (jaisa Anna, vaisa Man). (v) Just as a piece of paper, which gets exposed to Sun’s rays through a lens, gets burnt; likewise, focusing the mind on God through 30
Rajyoga practice helps you to get all your sins absolved. I conclude by mentioning the following slogans, which had a great impact on my mind during the conference: i) We are all children of the Supreme Father and Peace is our true religion. ii) Purity and simplicity reflect the inner beauty of the soul. iii) Elevate your stage so that situations will become quite small (Apnee stithi oonchee banao to paristhithiya chhotee ho jayengee). iv) Purity is the foremost power in the world (Sansar mein sarv shreshth bal pavitrata kaa bal hai.)
THOUGHTS AS ENERGY Just as the physical atmosphere is the result of climatic conditions and air quality, there is a subtle (non-physical) atmosphere, which cannot be seen, heard or measured but can be experienced and influenced by the mind and analyzed by the intellect. It is variously described as the prevailing mood, the vibration and so on. What is the cause of this non-physical atmospheres or these vibrations? Thought has been proven to be a powerful yet non-physical energy, which can influence other souls and matter. Thoughts, emotions, desires and moods generate a field or aura around the soul, just like an electric field can be called positive, negative or neutral, depending on the quality of its effect on other souls and on matter. When a large number of souls are all experiencing positive thoughts, feelings and emotions, then the atmosphere becomes charged with positivity. When they are experiencing negative emotions, the opposite happens.
The Karmayogi is one, who remains detached in life like a lotus in mud and water.
June, 2018
Renewal WISHING YOU The A World VERY HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA
– B.K. Viral, Mumbai
J
une 21st, is the International Day of Yoga. It’s, indeed, a proud moment to see Yoga, which has originated in India, being celebrated all across the world today. Indeed, everyone looks at India as a Spiritual Guru for learning Yoga or Meditation. Hence, we should definitely be the first to be benefiting from it. Let’s explore today the science behind India’s ancient art of Yoga, or Rajyoga in very simple terms! The word ‘Yoga’ in Sanskrit means connection. And Rajyoga means connection of the self with the Supreme Self, the Highest One. A connection between two always requires a medium just like a connection between the mobile and power source requires a charger set. Similarly, what do you think is the medium of connection between the Soul & Supreme? Since both the soul and Supreme Soul are non-physical, we need a non-physical medium. Now, even while reading this, can you remember your family members and the works, which they must be doing right now, etc? Of course! In fact, you’ll even experience their presence while June, 2018
remembering them. This is connection or meditation! It’s very easy! And what is the medium of connection? Definitely, mind and intellect. Mind creates thoughts, intellect visualises them and, thus, we experience. Simple! In the same way, when we focus our mind and intellect on the Supreme, who is the Ocean of Purity, Peace Love and Happiness, we start experiencing a flow of the very pure, peaceful and loving energy from Him. This frequent and continuous experience of pure empowering energy acts like recharging of our soul-battery, thereby making it very easy and natural for us to inculcate elevated virtues and finish weaknesses. This is Rajyoga meditation! There are various ways to engage our mind and intellect with Him, and thereby maintain a continuous connection. We can keep talking with Him regarding our activities and life, listen to His knowledge daily, experience a range of qualities and powers from Him in meditation, appreciate His role and various virtues, recollect the various ways through which He has helped us always, etc. Even a few minutes of such a connection makes the mind very
peaceful and powerful. As a result, our work efficiency increases, body works efficiently and in harmony, relationships improve, we’re easily able to understand and accept others, we automatically share our attainments with all, the environment around becomes pure, etc. Hence, caring for the mind is like watering the seed of a tree, which automatically nourishes all the branches of the tree of life, i.e., health, work, relations. That’s why it’s said that Yoga results in holistic health and wellbeing. Hence, on June 21, the International Day of Yoga, let’s aim to develop a very close loving relationship with God, since we automatically remember those we have a relationship with. This frequent remembrance and experience will keep us in the experience of our original virtues of peace love and happiness throughout the day. Indeed, we all sing that God is the Mother, Father, Friend, Beloved, Guide, etc. So, today, let’s contemplate on how God fulfils these various roles and thereby, in a variety of ways, keep experiencing a very close, powerful relation with the Perfect Being! Indeed, this is the call of time now. By a constant connection with God, let us now re-emerge our divine virtues. By doing so, we’ll also become a living example and inspiration to
The nature of one’s own thoughts makes one either happy or unhappy. 31
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everyone around us, creating a wave of transformation. Hence, this selftransformation will become instrumental in world- transformation, i.e., transform this old world of Kaliyuga into the new world of Satyuga, Heaven, Paradise, Swarg or Jannat, the Perfect Land, which are the different names by which all religions remember it. Hence, let’s start creating this New World once again with the practice of Rajyoga meditation! (.....Contd. from page no. 20)
thought, therefore, is the ability to do the right things at the very first time and you never have to repeat these things. To repeat things is very costly in time, money, resources and also a loss of opportunities. When you achieve the things that are under your control with minimum energy, you are contented, and where there is contentment, there is happiness. The students, who possess the art of attention and concentration and pay full attention to class teachers, finish their homework in half the time compared to the students with shorter attention spans. These students also get the highest grades and have plenty of extra time to get involved in extra-curricular activities and community work, not because they are ever smarter, but because they are much more focused in their conduct, attitude and outlook. 32
Morning Musings & Night Notions
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, “If you are thecannot child of andaGod is alife.” part-of you, men liveGod without spiritual Buddha then in your imagination God suppose to look like you.” – John Henrik Clarke “Happiness cannot to,stronger owned, “Great men are they who see be thattravelled spiritual is earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the than any material force - that thoughts rule the world.” – Ralph Waldominute Emerson spiritual experience of living every with “Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are love, grace and gratitude.” - Denis Waitley always with you. Often invoke them in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.” –Saint Francis de Sales “Take your inner,enables spiritual us beauty. “The power of care the of Holy Ghost to avoid That will reflect face.” - Dolores deland Rio deception: to see, to feel,intoyour know, to understand, to remember things as they really are.” David A. Bednar “A nation that continues year–after year to spend “I see everything through a spiritual lens.” more money on military defence than on – Katy Perry programmes of social uplift is approaching “The person who is developing freely and naturally arrives spiritual doom.” in which - Martin King, of Jr. at a spiritual equilibrium he isLuther the master his actions.” – Maria Montessori “We do not need more power, wethat need more “Treasure theintellectual magnificent being you are spiritual power. We do not need more of the things that and recognize first and foremost you’re not here are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.” as a human being only. You’re a spiritual being – Calvin Coolidge a human experience. - Wayne with Dyer “Spiritualhaving qualities will help you to align yourself God and God consciousness rather than with a split fear-based consciousness. – Wayne “While seeing the body, always see theDyer soul, “I am the Supreme Spiritual Father of all souls whereas the jewel in the forehead. Let the soul see the Prajapita Brahma is the great, great grand father of all in (Jeevatma).” others. In this way, you–can embodiedsoul souls Godbecome Shiva soul-conscious.” - God Shiva
None can defeat a man of strong will, who never accepts defeat in his mind.
June, 2018
The World Renewal (.....Contd. from page no. 3)
How Rajyoga helps to re-establish that world order? This perfect stage of humanity is achieved only when materialism becomes subservient to spiritualism. Perfect world order is not attained through a war of weapons but through the power of silence achieved through practice of Rajyoga. The teachings of Christ testify this statement. He taught that the Ten Commandments, rather than fighting war, are a means for reaching the Kingdom of Heaven. Similarly, in The Gita, the super scripture of the world, all quarrels and violent wars are symbolic of internal, spiritual conflict against the five vices. Vices, such as anger and violence, are now accepted as normal and natural in everyday life. How can Yoga correct this situation? The power of Rajyoga makes all the fighting forces of vices inactive by neutralising their strength. Yoga is the method of connecting our intellect with God, the Supreme, who is the neutralising agent for all ill actions. He liberates us from all vices and creates in us the power to enable others to experience that same connection. This power, when it is spread throughout the world, heralds the June, 2018
Kingdom of Heaven. Heaven is not somewhere far above. It is the Paradise Regained. It is the Swarg or Vaikunth of the people of original religion in Bharat, the Paradise or Heaven of the Christians and Bahisht of the Muslims. Different names are given to one and the same Perfect World, established by God, the Supreme Father at this time. As His creation is named differently by people, so He also has been named differently as Shiva, Jehova, Allah, God, Paramatma, Bhagwan and the like. For the aspirants of Rajyoga, it is essential to have a clear image of God. It is said in The Gita: “An ideal Yogi is one, who has purity and chastity in thoughts, words and deeds; who has knowledge and wisdom, whose mind is subdued; who remains constantly in state of soul-consciousness and yogic meditation; who has conquered over temptation of senses; who has cast aside ego, lust, anger, attachment, etc.; who neither grieves for loss nor is too jubilant for gain or success, and in whose eyes all are equal; who is selfless and peaceful; whose diet is pure and in whose life there is austerity; who is upright; whose mind is in the Highest Region or Param Dham; who knows God in His true essence; and who performs all deeds while in Yoga with God.”
So, to become an ideal Yogi, we have to learn that Yoga which was taught by God of The Gita Himself during the period preceding the Mahabharata War. And, now, this is the time of the Mahabharata episode repeating itself. He has now reincarnated and is re-revealing the same through Prajapita Brahma as per His promise of a Kalpa (5000 years) ago.
Rajyoga and its basis Yoga means union or link. It is union of the self (soul) with God, the Supreme Soul. There is no need for physical controls and penances – Yam, Niyam, Pranayam, Asana, etc. For perfect Yoga, that is, union of soul and the Supreme Soul, one must understand that: (i) I, the soul, is different from the body which is mine. (ii) The soul is also different from God, the Supreme Soul. They are two separate entities.
What is soul? Soul is a self-luminous, starlike point-source of consciousness, centre of all thinking and also the judge of all thoughts. Soul is the doer of all actions and it experiences all joy, happiness, peacefulness and peacelessness as a result of reactions to actions. Soul is like the driver of a vehicle. Mind, Intellect and Sanskars are part and parcel of the soul. A Yogi must understand that he is a soul and not a body. We have forgotten the self as
One, who does good to others, draws goodness from God.
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soul, and with this bodyconsciousness vicious actions accrue. Thus, souls are entangled mentally and physically in sufferings due to vicious actions. Yet, every soul, in its original nature, is pure and peaceful. Knowledge of God, the Yogeshwar Supreme Incorporeal God Father, the Ocean of Knowledge, Peace and Bliss, Liberator and Guide, the Seed of the entire humanity, is also a Divine Star. His might is, however, more than that of any soul, no matter how high and purified that soul may be. He is the only Soul, who is immune to birth and death in the world cycle. His descent on earth, to teach Godly knowledge and easy Rajyoga, is divine and unique. He
reveals His divine name as Shiva - the World Benefactor, and His abode as Param Dham. He descends on this earth at the time of the confluence at the end of Iron Age and the beginning of Golden Age, and imparts spiritual Knowledge and Rajyoga to achieve the aim of becoming viceless, holy and yogi. Through this knowledge, one and all can attain the supreme stage of Liberation (Mukti) and Fruition (Jeewan Mukti). The yoga He teaches is so easy that it can be practised by everyone. He simply reminds us (souls) of our original relationship with Him as of a son to his father. How to meditate and practise easy Rajyoga? Thus, Rajyoga is a reunion
of soul and Supreme Soul through loveful remem-brance. After completing the 7-Day Course, one can sit in meditation and experience lightness and peace. Each soul is the beloved, incorporeal child of Incorporeal Supreme Soul Father, sharing the same abode in Incorporeal World, far beyond this physical world. Effects of Rajyoga By constant practice of Rajyoga, thoughts and actions are purified, leading to happiness in life and an outlook of universal brotherhood. Rajyoga is also the process of our intellectual company with God, the Almighty; this brings divinity, piety and virtues in our practical life. Our thinking becomes clear, the intellect is sharpened, and the power of decision improves greatly.
focused or cannot concentrate, then how could you help others to do it? Concentration means, constantly none other than one Baba Do special practice to have such constant, stable stage. For that: 1. Transform waste
thoughts into pure thoughts. 2. Continue to move forward finishing all the different types of obstacles easily through intense spiritual love. Bind everyone in such bondage, such an embrace, of pure thoughts, that it becomes a protective canopy even for those who are weak, and becomes a means of safety and strength.You have less recognition of the power of pure thoughts. Experience what wonder one pure or elevated, powerful thought can do.
The Importance of Pure and Elevated Thoughts – (Avyakt Bapdada) The easy way to serve the world in the present times is to enable the wandering intellect of all souls to focus, through a concentration of elevated thoughts. All souls of the entire world wish to focus their wandering intellect and mischievous mind. How will you fulfil this need or wish of the world? If you don’t remain
Edited and published by B.K. Atam Prakash for Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Mount Abu and printed at: Om Shanti Printing Press, Gyanamrit Bhawan, Shantivan - 307 510, Abu Road (Rajasthan). Chief Editor: B.K. Nirwair, Pandav Bhawan, Mount Abu. Associate Editors: Dr. B.K. Ranjit Fuliya, Delhi and Dr. B.K. Yudhishthir, Shantivan.
Phone: (0091) 02974-228125 E-mail: worldrenewal@bkivv.org, omshantipress@bkivv.org Give fragrant flowers tothe those who pierce you with pricking thorns. 34 Inlighthouse, order to claim the number one status, transform the waste into best. A soul, who is a can dispel darkness of ignorance of all. June, 2018