My pursuit of self realization started when I was 21 years old. Due to job I had to leave Mumbai and relocate myself to Kolkata famous for Rossogulla. I use to stay alone in an office which was isolated structure just opposite a busy commercial area called Bada Bazaar; a thoroughfare quite noisy during daytime and but far silent during night. This silence rekindled my interest in reading books. Also being new to this city, I avoided making friends and utilised most of my time searching and reading religious books little knowing that I was turning whole lot of critical books ranging from spiritual science, occult science, psychological science, ancient scripts and philosophical books etc. Without knowing sufficient reasons for doing all this reading at that time, now I realize after 35 years that All-powerful cosmic power was attempting to lay foundations or should I say, tough but dominant path to self realization through meditation. Here some of the essential teachings and my unusual spiritual experiences throughout this deep transcendental journey.
I was 21 years old when I had strong feeling to sit in meditation. I think it just started happening without my knowledge. I use to eat my dinner at around 8.30 in the night at a place which was just 5 minutes walk from my office. It was an eatery where many people; unable to cook there food like me use to visit. I use to wait till it took my turn to come. Once through I use to come back and read books or sit in meditation.
In my mediation, I use to focus my attention a little above in my head between my eyes. The first feeling I became aware of was the feeling of being connected to something. At that time I would not understand or was not able to identify this feeling of connectedness. But slowly through reading and referring many spiritual books; I realized it was some great power or energy with whom I was getting connected. This power was flowing seamlessly throughout my body from toe to my head where I use to concentrate my mind intently. Sometimes I use to loose awareness of my body and was devoid of my identity. At a time I even felt that my ears cannot pickup any outside sound. There was intense stillness and deep calm till I would suddenly start gaining consciousness of my surrounding atmosphere. Though unwillingly but this energy would come down and would flow again from head to toe slowly and steadily bringing me back in this conscious world. Slowly and steadily I could again pickup the sounds and would become aware of this outside world.
This was my first acquaintance with this free flowing energy which ultimately laid my spiritual journey.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Rediscovring Power of Mind (Part 3) Human Biology to Thought Process
After writing this blog, I received many mails which said they did not follow what I had written. It is not the question of whether to believe or not to believe what I had written. Perhaps to understand this process thoroughly; it is important to understand biological aspect of our body and working of our mind. External environment initiates thought which arouses response and this leads to action. This response could be anything from fear, anxiety, hunger, likes and dislikes etc. I wish to call them emotions with which we identify ourselves by saying yes these are my emotions. These voluntary or involuntary emotions slowly and steadily take control of our body and start shaping and monitoring them day in and day out thus constituting our ego or our false identity.
What is a thought or how come these emotions get attached to the thought? I think to understand this process; we must separate ourselves from our false identity created by our mind where manifestation of our ego is reflected. This false identity takes control of our body and we act as directed by our ego.
Let us work it out this logic biologically. Brain is the center of all nervous system of human beings and is extremely complex. Central cortex of human brain contains 15 to 33 billion neurons depending upon the age and gender. These neurons communicate with each other to carry light, sound, touch and various other stimuli or signal pulses to distant part of the brain or body. The most important biological function of the brain is to generate behavior. Brains control behavior either by activating muscle contraction, or by causing secretion of chemicals such as hormones. Every cell in our body is capable of extracting information from the environment in which it lives and acts in response to it. These responses are called emotions, desires, urges and needs. It is a bundle of motor neurons which forms link with every sensory organ, object, image, memory or subject. As soon as we think about any subject, these neurons get connected to it and form a strand. The more the thought of any subject the more the strands gets added on it thus forming thick bundle of neurons. Hence a pure thought becomes desire due to compulsive thinking and compulsive thinking of same desire leads to formation of a habit. Furthermore compulsive habits turn into addictions moreover addictions are nothing but utter falsification of mind.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
What is a thought or how come these emotions get attached to the thought? I think to understand this process; we must separate ourselves from our false identity created by our mind where manifestation of our ego is reflected. This false identity takes control of our body and we act as directed by our ego.
Let us work it out this logic biologically. Brain is the center of all nervous system of human beings and is extremely complex. Central cortex of human brain contains 15 to 33 billion neurons depending upon the age and gender. These neurons communicate with each other to carry light, sound, touch and various other stimuli or signal pulses to distant part of the brain or body. The most important biological function of the brain is to generate behavior. Brains control behavior either by activating muscle contraction, or by causing secretion of chemicals such as hormones. Every cell in our body is capable of extracting information from the environment in which it lives and acts in response to it. These responses are called emotions, desires, urges and needs. It is a bundle of motor neurons which forms link with every sensory organ, object, image, memory or subject. As soon as we think about any subject, these neurons get connected to it and form a strand. The more the thought of any subject the more the strands gets added on it thus forming thick bundle of neurons. Hence a pure thought becomes desire due to compulsive thinking and compulsive thinking of same desire leads to formation of a habit. Furthermore compulsive habits turn into addictions moreover addictions are nothing but utter falsification of mind.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Rediscovering Power of Mind (Part-2)-How mind operates
Noble thoughts empower our mind to initiate good desires eventually leading to superior actions and so is vice-versa. These desires grow in our heart and make us happy or unhappy depending upon its ethical and unethical virtue. Finally successful or unsuccessful life of an individual entirely depends on his conscious or subconscious purposeful and discerning desires.
Stimulus in our mind gives rise to physical action. Body movement in child, his cries or his overwhelming joy is nothing but an act of ecstasy in his mind. Human body cannot function unless he is ordered by his mind to perform these functions. In the same fashion, heart through its energy after receiving sensation or stimulation; produces a thought which transforms into a desire. Thus if we observe minutely we will realize that our heart too, after passing through these three stages namely stimulation, a thought or an urge; finally directs our body to perform or act in a manner we desire.
For example, the moment we are beaten by a mosquito, this bite causes instant eruption of undesirable sensation which is passed to the brain by sensory nerves. These approaching sensations activate pain diagnosing center of the brain to analyze this pain. Comprehending it to be an unfavourable pain, our brain then releases a thought to calm ourselves from this pain. Eventually command is received by our hand to unfly mosquito biting us. This is how external convulsion of hand, unflying mosquito; takes place.
From this example, at least, it is distinctively clear that any honest or dishonest act, consciously or subconsciously performed by each and every individual is initiated; when stimulation or sensation, evolution of thought or emotion and a powerful action erupts, to carry out their individual piece of working. There is no power other than these three; who can motivate us to perform and accomplish our objective in this world. Occasionally concealed and also deep seated pleasant and unpleasant memories in our subconscious mind give rise to undesirable volatility. These memories present in our subconscious mind, prevail on us to take unwanted actions. Finally there are primary urges particularly sex, anger, greed, possession and personal ego who influence our mind to get connected to them; without undergoing elated actions.
If we co-ordinate these three energies in flawless equilibrium and try to harness them through unrestricted meditation; than we can successfully achieve considerable success in performing our earthly responsibilities as well as achieving divine pleasure.
The ratio of development of these three energies depends entirely on our efforts in coordinating their stages of development. To say the least, the less the co-ordination in developing these three energies in equality, the more unhappiness would appear in our lives. How much creative or non-creative an individual might be; uniting these three energies in perfect equilibrium is the ultimate key to deepest contentment.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Stimulus in our mind gives rise to physical action. Body movement in child, his cries or his overwhelming joy is nothing but an act of ecstasy in his mind. Human body cannot function unless he is ordered by his mind to perform these functions. In the same fashion, heart through its energy after receiving sensation or stimulation; produces a thought which transforms into a desire. Thus if we observe minutely we will realize that our heart too, after passing through these three stages namely stimulation, a thought or an urge; finally directs our body to perform or act in a manner we desire.
For example, the moment we are beaten by a mosquito, this bite causes instant eruption of undesirable sensation which is passed to the brain by sensory nerves. These approaching sensations activate pain diagnosing center of the brain to analyze this pain. Comprehending it to be an unfavourable pain, our brain then releases a thought to calm ourselves from this pain. Eventually command is received by our hand to unfly mosquito biting us. This is how external convulsion of hand, unflying mosquito; takes place.
From this example, at least, it is distinctively clear that any honest or dishonest act, consciously or subconsciously performed by each and every individual is initiated; when stimulation or sensation, evolution of thought or emotion and a powerful action erupts, to carry out their individual piece of working. There is no power other than these three; who can motivate us to perform and accomplish our objective in this world. Occasionally concealed and also deep seated pleasant and unpleasant memories in our subconscious mind give rise to undesirable volatility. These memories present in our subconscious mind, prevail on us to take unwanted actions. Finally there are primary urges particularly sex, anger, greed, possession and personal ego who influence our mind to get connected to them; without undergoing elated actions.
If we co-ordinate these three energies in flawless equilibrium and try to harness them through unrestricted meditation; than we can successfully achieve considerable success in performing our earthly responsibilities as well as achieving divine pleasure.
The ratio of development of these three energies depends entirely on our efforts in coordinating their stages of development. To say the least, the less the co-ordination in developing these three energies in equality, the more unhappiness would appear in our lives. How much creative or non-creative an individual might be; uniting these three energies in perfect equilibrium is the ultimate key to deepest contentment.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Rediscovering Power of Mind (Part-1)-Origin of Thought
I wrote this blog when I read an article in a Hindi magazine 15 years ago. After I read his article which was originally written in Hindi, I decided to translate it in English so that many people around the world will read it. My sincere gratitude to the author who wrote the article.
“TAPASA PRAPYATE SATVAM, SATVAT SAMPRAPYATE MANAHA”
“MANASA PRAPYATE HYATMA, HYATMAPATYA NIVARTATE”
Meaning: Purification of mind and limiting physical urges leads to acquisition of sublime truthfulness. Truthfulness leads to creation of depth in rational thinking. Profoundness in rational thinking follows rise in spirituality within. Enrichment in spirituality within, leads to awakening and enlightening of “Atma” or soul.
A thought originating from mind is just a thought. Pure and complete in its character. Some times restricting its region of influence to the basic needs may it be human body or that of any other creature. Frequently encompassing the whole universe like a guiding light as that of principles of “Geeta” established several centuries ago by “Vasudev Krishna”.
Every creature is blessed with conscious power which acts differently when it unites itself with soul and differently when it comes together with mind. A fluctuating thought seems to come from mind but a firm and determined thought always comes from soul. Mind has got natural power and ability to recognize positivity and negativity of thought. This power is called “conscious intelligence”.
A thought is just a distinct thought till it is singular in nature. Though singular when it is born in the mind, it expands and extends its domain of influence encompassing one’s unsatisfied needs and urges. Its enlargement and expansion greatly depends on perpetually altering situations and circumstances of life. It is only through continuous and sustained spiritual meditation one can detach emotions attached to it. It is only through divine contemplation one can improve and enhance power to detect and uncover these attached emotions to the thought which changes it character from thought to desire, urge, want, need and the rest.
Deep inside; every one of us can experience and feel the relation between our body, heart and mind. Behavior of our body greatly depends on our habits and attitudes. No sooner we perform any principled or unprincipled action in order to receive any tangible or intangible gain or benefit; desires that underlie these actions, come to dwell on our soul with every birth and rebirth transforming it from “Atman to Jivatma”. Eventually emotions and feelings that emerge from heart together with psyche that emerge from brain; which is also the seat of “Paarmatma or Paarbrahma” greatly influence working of the body. Like when our heart rejoices, it brightens up our face with blissfulness and darkens our face with obscurity when it is full of worries. It increases toxicity level of blood when we get enraged; diminishing the difference between right and morally wrong. Also when cupidity and greediness overtakes our mind, we tend to overlook the difference between ethical and unethical.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
“TAPASA PRAPYATE SATVAM, SATVAT SAMPRAPYATE MANAHA”
“MANASA PRAPYATE HYATMA, HYATMAPATYA NIVARTATE”
Meaning: Purification of mind and limiting physical urges leads to acquisition of sublime truthfulness. Truthfulness leads to creation of depth in rational thinking. Profoundness in rational thinking follows rise in spirituality within. Enrichment in spirituality within, leads to awakening and enlightening of “Atma” or soul.
A thought originating from mind is just a thought. Pure and complete in its character. Some times restricting its region of influence to the basic needs may it be human body or that of any other creature. Frequently encompassing the whole universe like a guiding light as that of principles of “Geeta” established several centuries ago by “Vasudev Krishna”.
Every creature is blessed with conscious power which acts differently when it unites itself with soul and differently when it comes together with mind. A fluctuating thought seems to come from mind but a firm and determined thought always comes from soul. Mind has got natural power and ability to recognize positivity and negativity of thought. This power is called “conscious intelligence”.
A thought is just a distinct thought till it is singular in nature. Though singular when it is born in the mind, it expands and extends its domain of influence encompassing one’s unsatisfied needs and urges. Its enlargement and expansion greatly depends on perpetually altering situations and circumstances of life. It is only through continuous and sustained spiritual meditation one can detach emotions attached to it. It is only through divine contemplation one can improve and enhance power to detect and uncover these attached emotions to the thought which changes it character from thought to desire, urge, want, need and the rest.
Deep inside; every one of us can experience and feel the relation between our body, heart and mind. Behavior of our body greatly depends on our habits and attitudes. No sooner we perform any principled or unprincipled action in order to receive any tangible or intangible gain or benefit; desires that underlie these actions, come to dwell on our soul with every birth and rebirth transforming it from “Atman to Jivatma”. Eventually emotions and feelings that emerge from heart together with psyche that emerge from brain; which is also the seat of “Paarmatma or Paarbrahma” greatly influence working of the body. Like when our heart rejoices, it brightens up our face with blissfulness and darkens our face with obscurity when it is full of worries. It increases toxicity level of blood when we get enraged; diminishing the difference between right and morally wrong. Also when cupidity and greediness overtakes our mind, we tend to overlook the difference between ethical and unethical.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Goodness Myth or Reality
Many a times I have impulse to give goodness to those who do not merit and do not give to those who really deserve. Why this happens? This happens because I could not balance my emotions and rationality properly. When I started observing my mind deeper and deeper, I was stunned to find the truth many of us are not familiar with.
There is inner and outer facet to goodness. Goodness that stem from soul has divine aspect and that derived from mind has emotional element.
If mind supercedes the soul then we experience different kind of contentment. Exhilaration generated from mind is not enduring but is deceptive as we assume it be of enduring nature.
If the soul supercedes the mind then we go through a different kind of joy where we feel the touch of divinity. Divinity flowing throwing our soul is unconditional and unrestricted. It is like free flowing fountain of happiness and sacrifice. The pleasure derived is eternal in nature.
The relationship between them is of balancing each other. It is the confluence of magical moment, the critical circumstances and the holistic or rational approach that are crucial decider of final conclusion. The final outcome could be free flow of goodness or restricted flow of goodness from one person to another.
There was a story in some news paper which goes as follows. There was a man who was standing on wash out sea shore where thousands of fishes were lying on the shore. He saw a girl who was picking up each fish and throwing it in sea again. He asked her what she was doing. There are thousands of them lying on the shore and dying. Will it matter to all those are lying in thousands on the shore? She said yes it will not matter to those are lying in thousands, but will definitely matter to one whom I am throwing in the sea. The man is perfect example of restricted flow of goodness and the girl is the epitome of free flow of goodness.
It is also crucial to regularly monitor and keep knowledge of who deserves goodness and who are trying to ride on my emotions of goodness. Allowing them to ride on my posterior is one face of goodness. Another facet of goodness would be making them learn how to walk refusing politely to give them free piggyback ride. This knowledge will help them to walk forever without our help. I feel I ought to give away to those who merit to be given and not to those who are unworthy.
Professionalism, career enhancement, shrinking opportunities and diminishing resources are overweighed before I start goodness. I am standing at a juncture of life where I do not understand what I should do. I think it is unflinching faith in goodness and enjoying festival of life that ultimately matters.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
There is inner and outer facet to goodness. Goodness that stem from soul has divine aspect and that derived from mind has emotional element.
If mind supercedes the soul then we experience different kind of contentment. Exhilaration generated from mind is not enduring but is deceptive as we assume it be of enduring nature.
If the soul supercedes the mind then we go through a different kind of joy where we feel the touch of divinity. Divinity flowing throwing our soul is unconditional and unrestricted. It is like free flowing fountain of happiness and sacrifice. The pleasure derived is eternal in nature.
The relationship between them is of balancing each other. It is the confluence of magical moment, the critical circumstances and the holistic or rational approach that are crucial decider of final conclusion. The final outcome could be free flow of goodness or restricted flow of goodness from one person to another.
There was a story in some news paper which goes as follows. There was a man who was standing on wash out sea shore where thousands of fishes were lying on the shore. He saw a girl who was picking up each fish and throwing it in sea again. He asked her what she was doing. There are thousands of them lying on the shore and dying. Will it matter to all those are lying in thousands on the shore? She said yes it will not matter to those are lying in thousands, but will definitely matter to one whom I am throwing in the sea. The man is perfect example of restricted flow of goodness and the girl is the epitome of free flow of goodness.
It is also crucial to regularly monitor and keep knowledge of who deserves goodness and who are trying to ride on my emotions of goodness. Allowing them to ride on my posterior is one face of goodness. Another facet of goodness would be making them learn how to walk refusing politely to give them free piggyback ride. This knowledge will help them to walk forever without our help. I feel I ought to give away to those who merit to be given and not to those who are unworthy.
Professionalism, career enhancement, shrinking opportunities and diminishing resources are overweighed before I start goodness. I am standing at a juncture of life where I do not understand what I should do. I think it is unflinching faith in goodness and enjoying festival of life that ultimately matters.
More contents on author’s personal website-http://hiralalchawla.webs.com
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Goodness
I was sitting alone and reading a mail received from my son’s friend. She is suffering from back pain since quite a long time. Going to physiotherapist is helping her but the healing process is very slow. Now her back pain has slowly taken to her knee joints Doctors diagnosed her pain due to over weight and ordered her to just sleep to bring her comfort.
When I cam to know about her state of health, I sent her mail thinking she might share her pain and discomfort with me which might help divert her attention. I sent her mail and asked her to focus on the wellness that she wanted rather than focusing on how much pain is left and how much has gone. Inadvertently I asked to be good and do good for others.
She wrote me “I want to always keep people around me happy. But somehow I believe this ideology is not acceptable to all and people think I am doing things out of my way and putting myself in front of others and doing things making it inconvenient for me, whereas I can't convince people that doing this gives me happiness and I feel happy from within and helps me too forget my sorrows or pain.
After reading her mail even though I wanted to send reply to her, I couldn’t as I saw her state of mind. I started thinking about goodness and the meaning she derives on her own.
What is goodness? Several dictionaries have different meanings. But what I feel is suitable is, it is quality or virtue of our soul which can be experienced but cannot be measured, quantified or depicted. It is in every human being but is covered with our ego, sentiments and feelings thus coloring it with our own complexion and shape.
But the purest form of goodness is the extremities which cannot be touched even by our thoughts. No boundaries can be drawn to shape it but can be seen in the form of expression.
Depiction of goodness to many is like being goody goody to others; thinking that going out of way to make people happy is what is called goodness. Every act they put before people is like bringing some kind of euphemism of goodness. Convincing people that they are good is like blackening the face of goodness. Can a virtue of soul be changed, modified, customized, tailored or personalized? Can sunshine be changed? Can moonlight be modified?
If we want to be good, nobody can stop us from being so. There is no need to convince people that we care for them. There is no need to go out of the way to make them happy. This goodness through our soul just flows. Just as sunshine radiates through sun and flows around it, this goodness flows through our heart and mind.
Let the goodness flow through each of us to each other.
When I cam to know about her state of health, I sent her mail thinking she might share her pain and discomfort with me which might help divert her attention. I sent her mail and asked her to focus on the wellness that she wanted rather than focusing on how much pain is left and how much has gone. Inadvertently I asked to be good and do good for others.
She wrote me “I want to always keep people around me happy. But somehow I believe this ideology is not acceptable to all and people think I am doing things out of my way and putting myself in front of others and doing things making it inconvenient for me, whereas I can't convince people that doing this gives me happiness and I feel happy from within and helps me too forget my sorrows or pain.
After reading her mail even though I wanted to send reply to her, I couldn’t as I saw her state of mind. I started thinking about goodness and the meaning she derives on her own.
What is goodness? Several dictionaries have different meanings. But what I feel is suitable is, it is quality or virtue of our soul which can be experienced but cannot be measured, quantified or depicted. It is in every human being but is covered with our ego, sentiments and feelings thus coloring it with our own complexion and shape.
But the purest form of goodness is the extremities which cannot be touched even by our thoughts. No boundaries can be drawn to shape it but can be seen in the form of expression.
Depiction of goodness to many is like being goody goody to others; thinking that going out of way to make people happy is what is called goodness. Every act they put before people is like bringing some kind of euphemism of goodness. Convincing people that they are good is like blackening the face of goodness. Can a virtue of soul be changed, modified, customized, tailored or personalized? Can sunshine be changed? Can moonlight be modified?
If we want to be good, nobody can stop us from being so. There is no need to convince people that we care for them. There is no need to go out of the way to make them happy. This goodness through our soul just flows. Just as sunshine radiates through sun and flows around it, this goodness flows through our heart and mind.
Let the goodness flow through each of us to each other.
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