MEASURE INNER DEVELOPMENT WITH ITS OUTER EXPRESSION

During my sadhana period my guru maharaj ordered me to understand and experience my inner development with its outer expression. We do not have any illusion if we have developed this habit of measuring inner development with its outer expressions. Because of this study of self and others, our assessment is accurate and without minimization or exaggeration. We accept only the true worth of us or anybody as per this kind of evaluation. You should practice to understand and evaluate everything with its practical expression.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan mandaan
Edition 3; page 54.


My two cents --  Pujya Shree Mota has given great importance to this aspect of development. I am sure every one of us had the opportunity to evaluate ourselves. Take the case of an anger. Over the years we think we have tried pretty hard and mastered or at least reduced our anger. And one day we blow the top. This is the time to evaluate our selves as per this blog. What triggered it ( probably one or the other aspect of ego got hurt ), why we did not stop it ( may be we did not have enough awareness of it coming ), we tried to stop but could not ( should have tried harder), next time it will not happen ( mind finds the excuse ), why should I be the only one to suffer in silence ( rebellion ). Occasionally it can come out in hidden forms like sarcastic comments or avoid discussing the issue ( silent treatment ). All these will tell us where we stand on various aspects of our development and what needs to be done. We need to accurately assess ourselves and give credit where and when it is due.

Pujya Shree Mota has shown the way to do all these evaluations while doing naam-smaran loudly and continuously.


Ashwin.

HARMONY

We start reacting ( agitating ) right away when our ego is wounded or even slightly bruised. If that happens, we should know that our mind, higher intelligence, prana and ego have not achieved impartiality, equanimity and peace. Sadhak who is struggling ( trying ) has developed in himself, a kind of forbearance with inner knowledge. This makes him keep peace and happiness and all the agitation evaporates in an instant.

Divine consciousness is present in prakruti ( nature ) and it takes many forms and expressions. There is apparent discord in this expression but we need to experience harmony in this discord. We need to behave by keeping this vision and feeling of harmony alive in our hearts. When sadhak gets a setback the reaction in his mind should be under his complete control. The kind of reaction that arise in his mind and natural tendencies, should be entirely up to him. He should always act with love and wish good of the person that caused the setback in the first place.


Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan manthan (જીવન મંથન ),
Edition 3; Preface page 15.

SADHANA -- EFFORTLESS ( સહજ ) PROCESS

                                                            Hari om

Karachi,
24th July, 1942.

From the view point of elemental reality there is no difference between activity and completion of activity. God takes care of us once we completely surrender to Him. He gives us new insight and understanding of the experiences, good or bad meaning pleasant or unpleasant and in the process helps us take baby steps. There are always innumerable tests and critical evaluations to measure patience and faith in us during this process. We need to embrace Him with our heart constantly, while surrendering at the same time. In addition we should offer all these " struggle " at His feet. In fact it is not struggle at all. Just as needle is automatically pulled towards the magnet once it comes within the limit of the magnet, once we embrace and surrender to Him, there is effortless progress.

By offering and narrating all that spring up in us ( all difficulties, all thoughts and all emotions pertaining to our outer and inner being ) in this way, we continue to be empty. We get deeper in this offering and try to get near Him with increasing bhava in us. We let go off of any and all the ideas about Him and become like a blank paper and only be a witness to whatever is inscribed in this blank paper. In this way we erase all the old impressions from our mind. Only when we become naked ( pious and clean ) in front of Him, then only true divine consciousness will descend in us and penetrate with tremendous force.

We are insignificant and will never know how and when He develops us. So once we surrender, trust Him and perform any karma that comes in your way without any worry or concern. We need not worry about activity or completion of activity.


Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Manthan ( જીવનમંથન )
Edition 3; pages 25 - 26.

KARMA - SADHANA ( 4 )

( continued )

( 14 )  Sadhak will notice and become aware of  his own and other people's nature while performing works. He should not store or remember any of this in his mind. If someone has the nature of forgetfulness and then does not remember, the work is still done according to his nature. In case of sadhak, he does it with knowledge and it is possible only when sadhak is acting from the level above his nature. It is a kind of inertia if he keeps forgetting because of his nature and is not consciously aware of the purposeful action, that is required to keep his mind empty. Sadhak can take advantage if he has forgetful nature to keep his mind empty. At the same time he should not assume that he has this unique good virtue.

On the opposite side if someone has the nature of being accurate and precise, it is all right if he uses this to improve the quality and results of his work. At the same time he needs to have complete awareness, caution, sense of discretion, overall understanding and the knowledge of the divine purpose behind the work. What it means is that sadhaks with both kinds of nature needs the same characteristics in performance of their works. Sadhak needs to develop accuracy if he does not have it. There is no way out of it. It is to be understood that transformation of his nature is not possible without it.

( 15 )  It is one thing to be one with the work and other to sink in it. One sinks into the work when it is mostly done according to one's nature. One must have consciousness with mindfulness and knowledge to be one with the work and not sink in it.

One who thinks and then performs works has a better chance of developing one's life than the one who performs the works under the force of his own nature. If one has only the habit of thinking but does not have the knowledge, awareness, sense of discretion, equanimity and balance, then it is only the nature and habit of thinking. Even then it is better and much higher kind of nature. Nothing should be done as a habit and in the same old beaten track. If sadhak remembers all these, reflects and ponders upon it, then he can develop the finesse of performing karmas.


Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pathaya ( જીવન પાથેય )
Edition 3; pages 61-68.