HUMBLE SELF - NARRATION ( આત્મનિવેદન )

                                                Try humble narration and observe the results

It is a historical fact that some people have dedicated all their lives for the sake of God. Just as you take medicine for curing the disease, if you want mental peace you should sit in a room or a solitary place and remember God. Try it even if you do not have faith in it. Experiment with it and see if you get peace or not? Everyday sit down at one place and narrate everything that you want to say. Keep God as your comrade and friend and act as if He is present in front of you. He is present in the form of concept and faith. Thus among nine kinds of bhakti, humble narration is considered as one kind of bhakti (devotion ).

                                                                      The results

If you narrate everything, then your mind gets free of mental stress and feels much lighter. You will develop a kind of bond with God if you remember Him while performing various tasks. This will create a special relationship with Him that will infuse strength, determination, adventure, tolerance and goodwill towards others. This in turn will help in solving numerous problems.

From gross to subtle, divine consciousness is present in everything. It is present in trees, animals on land and water, and also in us human beings. It is present in all the aspects of us including our mind, intelligence, psyche, prana and ego. We must be ready to invoke this divine consciousness in us and ask for the help that we need. It will not serve our purpose, if we remain indifferent towards this divine consciousness. It will help only if we desire to ask for its help.


Pujya Shree Mota
Maun mandirama pranpratistha ( મૌનમંદિરમા પ્રાણપ્રતિષ્ઠા )
Edition 1; pages 31-32.

MAUN MANDIR - ABODE FOR HIGHER UNDERSTANDING AND PROGRESS

My guru-maharaj used to say : "It is a higher kind of service to elevate the consciousness of the souls and improve their liking of spirituality. This kind of service also improves mind's capabilities for the better. Meaning of service is also to be happy and spreading this happiness around. This happiness is not possible without peace in the mind. One cannot be happy if the mind is uncertain and angry. Only mental peace and serenity can result in happiness. Any service that is expressed as mental peace and serenity or any method that takes you towards mental peace and serenity is a higher kind of service".                                                                                My guru-maharaj urged me to find a way where  people can do activities that uplift their mind, can do self analysis, pray, do inner search and start the process of initiation. He also ordered me to keep these souls in closed rooms. By the grace of my guru-maharaj this ( maun mandir ) was possible for the purpose of uplifting these souls.
Development of this technique ( as ordered by our guru-maharaj ) is also a kind of service. If the life of a person can be uplifted, even just a little, that is a great service. There are subtle impressions on the psyche from the development of bhava that is produced in this maun mandir. These impressions are deep and noble. It is not possible to produce this bhava outside. This bhava and its resulting effects can not be gained outside even after spending lots of money.

Pujya Shree Mota
Maun mandirma pran-pratistha ( મૌન મંદિરમાં પ્રાણપ્રતિષ્ઠા )
Edition 1; pages 40-41.

METHODS TO DEVELOP AWARENESS ( MINDFULNESS )

(Continued from the previous post)

Now the question is how to develop living and conscious mindfulness. It is not possible just by thinking about it. We must have a firm, definite and certain attitude ( aspiration ) towards the importance, mystery and real purpose of this life. Occasionally one develops this kind of loving attitude because of past dormant impressions in one's being. But this is a different matter. It is difficult to keep this mindfulness till a firm and definite attitude is established in mind with eagerness and progressive force. We think with our superficial intelligence and believe that we understand the meaning and purpose of this life. At the same time our hearts are not convinced about it. It is one thing to like this attitude and another to start putting it in practice. One has to try very hard to put this aspiration into one's higher intelligence, and then into a definite and self-perpetuating attitude. This effort needs to be done with sincerity, deep thinking and with a loving heart. Unless this is done, mental understanding is never expressed in concrete action. This aspiration gets its boost whenever it is expressed as a creative, definite force in our daily actions, thoughts, natural tendencies and it is geared to fulfillment of one's aim in life. With the help of concentrated and focused intelligence, the soul has to make an effort to coordinate and maintain this vision, attitude, thoughts and tendencies aimed towards fulfillment of his aim. While doing this, one develops living need and hunger in the mind to fulfill one's aim in life. At this point living mindfulness springs up. When natural tendencies arise, it does not stay static but it moves forward. When one starts to live life in higher consciousness this tendency needs to be transformed into divine tendencies with knowledge, devotion, love and grace of God, and this requires great effort on the part of the soul. Being static will not do. It always helps to nudge the soul with repeated efforts. The soul is used to living in prakruti for eternity and obviously it always likes to stay that way.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pravesh ( જીવન પ્રવેશ )
Edition 2; 203-205.

SADHANA DEPENDS UPON AWARENESS ( MINDFULNESS )

Sayla
26/4/46
                                                                        Hari Om

You wrote to me "it is not easy to direct our natural tendencies ( વૃત્તિ ) inwards". I am telling you that it is not only easy but is also natural and innate. All that is needed is constant, uniform inner awareness. Take the example of a businessman. He has a customer that can buy his products in substantial amount, but this customer is mannerless and wicked. The customer talks and acts in a way that provokes anger in the businessman. But there is only one thing in the mind of the businessman and that is to sell his products and make money. There are hundreds of reasons for this businessman to get angry. But he has this keen and conscious awareness that if he loses his temper, the deal may not materialize. Because of this mindfulness he can avoid being angry at the customer in spite of all these provocations. From this it is evident that one can control the anger with this particular kind of awareness. This particular kind of restraint was possible naturally, because of the businessman had an awareness of the purpose.  This is easy and natural for us. The only problem is the absence of living and conscious mindfulness or awareness.
                                                                     
                                                                          (  Continued in next blog )
Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pravesh ( જીવન પ્રવેશ )
Edition 2: pages 202-203.

My two cents --

This letter is addressed in reference to obstructions caused by natural tendencies. It can be easily and naturally overcome, if awareness of our goal in life is maintained at all times.

Ashwin