ATTAINING PEACE AND HAPPINESS (1)

There are two kinds of mind : (1) conscious (જાગૃત) mind through which we can understand thoughts and emotions. (2) subconscious mind (અજાગૃત). When the activities of the conscious mind gets quiescent, the activities of the subconscious mind flows into conscious mind. Subconscious mind is deeper than an ocean and the its contents are inexhaustible. Contents of this subconscious mind come up in the dreams when the body is a sleep but mind, intellect, chitta, prana and ego are awake. The body needs sleep to survive. The thoughts and vrutties spring up in the dreams from the subconscious mind with force that can damage the wellbeing of the nervous system of the body.

We can quiet the conscious mind by cultivating our ways in such a way that it does not produce the friction in the mind. Things of the subconscious mind come out only when there is peace in the conscious mind. If there is no peace in the conscious mind the dungeon of the subconscious mind does not come out. When we quiet the conscious mind there is rush of things (thoughts etc) from the subconscious mind and we can let it pass through only if we can maintain the mental stability with awareness. This tremendous rush feels as if it is endless. But if we let it pass through, it does flow through like water rushing through the pond into the ocean via canal, making the mind empty.

There is a possibility of making subconscious mind quiet only when the conscious mind is quiet and chitta can observe the flow of the things from subconscious mind with equanimity and without being affected by it. Our subconscious mind has so much impressions and feelings from many births and it seems endless. Humans have the capacity to make conscious mind quiet and peaceful but do not have the capacity to quiet subconscious mind. At present human does not have the capacity to become divine by only self effort.        -------     (continued)
                                             
Pujya Shree Mota
Maun Mandir Nu Haridwar
Edition 6; pages 113 - 114.

MAKING GOD ALIVE AND ACTIVE THROUGH PRAYERS

How can a soul do sadhana if he cannot keep heartfelt harmony with the souls that are near and dear to him? There has to be some characteristics of the soul that does sadhana or we just make believe that we are doing sadhana. We just do not become merchant by carrying a small piece of ginger root. One can do away with lots of requirements in life but in the field of sadhana one can never progress by cheating one's self. If the sadhak is honest, has heartfelt good intention and is faithful to his path will definitely get stinging pain if he does something bad or wicked. He will also do self narration at Thy lotus feet (with His grace and increasing determination in his heart) that there will not be the repeat of such thing in the future and carry on with his life feeling relieved. He will ask for His grace and forgiveness for his faults may times with prayers, thus making Shree Bhagwan alive and active many times in his daily dealings and behavior!

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Pokar
Edition 4; page 58.

SADHAK NEEDS TO DO AT LEAST THIS MUCH

Sadhak needs to have knowledge and awareness of the bhavana of the person (who is going to mould his life) and express it in his daily dealings and behavior. He should be mentally prepared with heartfelt cooperation to express and be guided by such bhavana. Our mind, buddhi, prana and ego are very obstinate and expect to be catered to its demands, expectations, wishes and desires.We need to be completely separate from these with knowledge. We need to reject various kind of our weaknesses. We need to acknowledge our smallness. We have all kinds of narrow mindedness regarding numerous fields and we have to make an effort to remove and be free from it with the grace of God. In spite of being absolute ignorant of things, we keep on believing with ego that" we understand everything, we have the skills, we do this and do that etc,". Our mind, buddhi, prana and ego carry on with all kinds of stunts. We need to have this awareness right at that instant, reject it and ask for the help and grace with heartfelt prayer. If we want to continue with our old perception and concepts of sukkha and dukkha then we might as well forget to follow this path. If there is no desire to change with enthusiasm and knowledge, it is not possible to follow the path of improving the life. I am writing above mentioned things to you after coming in close contact with many swajans.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Pokar
Edition 4; pages 54 - 55.


My two cents -- Pujya Shree Mota clearly mentions the work that needs to be done by anyone who wants to improve his or her life. This was written in a letter to explain the responsibilities of the sadhak in order to get the guidance and help from Guru (person accepted by the sadhak to mould his or her life).

LET GO WITH PLEASURE

March 21, 1953.

If we have decided firmly regarding certain definite goal in life and to behave in certain ways, it is worth understanding that it is not proper to have hard feelings or feel dejected if we need to reject certain negative attitude within us or from someone else.

There should be immense pleasure in our heart if we encounter an incident where we get a chance to be free from the effects of attachments and infatuations, since we do not want to go towards that path and want to be free from such things. Whatever we want to do need to be done with firmness, heartfelt determination and honest intention. Our honesty and faithfulness should be transparent. The ideal that we want to follow with certainty requires the constant flow of bhava from the heart resulting in appropriate behavior and life style. If we feel difficulty or uncertainty of the mind, then we should know that there is still some kind of hesitation or lack of conviction. We have not gotten rid of human attachments completely or there is still lack of deep understanding and aspiration. Oh, Soul! Why this difficulty and hard feelings? If we find a scorpion on our body we try to remove it at once and get rid of it. We do not let it be there even for a second. We should never entertain the negative forces of the human soul. All these need to be done with complete understanding. Know for sure that heartfelt honesty between the two, devotion, purity, unity and love are not expressed in its true sense and in appropriate manner wherever there is conflict, disquiet, lack of understanding and confusion.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Pokar
Edition 4; page 7 - 8