If you have not done so already, please read the posts "An ocean journey with a twist : The journey" and "Journey on the ocean of life : The paths" before you read this one.
The journey of surrender is simple. You let the divine (the captain) take care of the journey while you wait patiently to reach the goal. While you wait, you get instructions from the divine on what you need to do in the form of life in the present moment. In surrender, you accumulate no karma and get the opportunity to live out your accumulated karma.
The journey with you as the doer (on the boat) is not so simple. You have complete responsibility over the journey. Even when things are going smoothly, you have to figure out what you need to do. When things are not going smoothly, because of "problems", things get really messy. You create regrets, expectations, disappoints, worries, and all sorts of other emotions because you have identified yourself as the doer. No matter what the result, as the doer, you accumulate the fruits of your actions as karma, whether good or bad.
Follow this link for a more detailed discourse on Spiritual Surrender.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Journey on the ocean of life : The paths
If you have not done so already, please read the posts "An ocean journey with a twist : The vessels" and "Journey on the ocean of life" before you read this one.
You will reach the goal if you give up your sense of doership and completely surrender to the Divine.
If you choose to be the doer, then you accumulate karma. Your body undergoes wear and tear. Eventually you will need a new body. What body you get is based on your accumulated karma. While you keep your accumulated karma, the circumstances in which this new body exists will probably be very different. Therefore, the choices you make then will also be different. Who knows whether when you will get to read the fine print again and know that surrender is the only way.
So know that NOW is the only time you have to make the choice to surrender and don't wait for some future time to do it.
You will reach the goal if you give up your sense of doership and completely surrender to the Divine.
If you choose to be the doer, then you accumulate karma. Your body undergoes wear and tear. Eventually you will need a new body. What body you get is based on your accumulated karma. While you keep your accumulated karma, the circumstances in which this new body exists will probably be very different. Therefore, the choices you make then will also be different. Who knows whether when you will get to read the fine print again and know that surrender is the only way.
So know that NOW is the only time you have to make the choice to surrender and don't wait for some future time to do it.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Journey on the ocean of Life
If you have not done so already, please read the post "An ocean journey with a twist" before you read this one.
On the journey of life, there is no itinerary. The purpose is to make the journey. The ultimate goal is to get back to the shore (The Source also variously called Brahman, Consciousness, or Divine among myriads of other names. Treat the names as mere words failing to describe the indescribable), which is where you came from. The twists on this journey.
On the journey of life, there is no itinerary. The purpose is to make the journey. The ultimate goal is to get back to the shore (The Source also variously called Brahman, Consciousness, or Divine among myriads of other names. Treat the names as mere words failing to describe the indescribable), which is where you came from. The twists on this journey.
- You (the Atman or the Self) will never lose your life on this journey.
- You can choose to make the journey on your own in your own boat (body, mind, ego, intellect). Even if you start out with this choice, you are always given the opportunity to get back on the ship (Surrender), no questions asked and no judgements made. You gain experience (karma. NOTE: I use the word experience very loosely so it fits the story.) when you journey on your own.
- The fine print : The only way to get back to the Source is through Surrender.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
An ocean journey with a twist : The twist
If you have not done so already, please read the post "An ocean journey with a twist : The reality" before you read this one.
Until now it appears as though the passengers are given a choice as to whether they want to stay on the ship or take a boat. Also, when they are on the boat it appears as though they have control over the boat.
But that is what it is, just an appearance. In this case, the appearance is deceiving. The whole journey is just an elaborate illusion. It is virtual reality. As passengers enter the scene, they are given virtual reality glasses and made to play an elaborate virtual reality game. The goal of the game is to still reach the shore but everything that happens in the game is carefully orchestrated by somebody with the power to do so. The game is so engaging that the passengers forget that it is only a game and start believing that its all real, that they have control.
The only way to get out of the game is to accept that all of this is virtual reality, then give up the illusion of control, and choose the ship, not necessarily in that order. It turns out that doing one of these fully leads to the others.
Until now it appears as though the passengers are given a choice as to whether they want to stay on the ship or take a boat. Also, when they are on the boat it appears as though they have control over the boat.
But that is what it is, just an appearance. In this case, the appearance is deceiving. The whole journey is just an elaborate illusion. It is virtual reality. As passengers enter the scene, they are given virtual reality glasses and made to play an elaborate virtual reality game. The goal of the game is to still reach the shore but everything that happens in the game is carefully orchestrated by somebody with the power to do so. The game is so engaging that the passengers forget that it is only a game and start believing that its all real, that they have control.
The only way to get out of the game is to accept that all of this is virtual reality, then give up the illusion of control, and choose the ship, not necessarily in that order. It turns out that doing one of these fully leads to the others.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
An ocean journey with a twist : The reality
If you have not done so already, please read the post "An ocean journey with a twist : The journey" before you read this one.
Given that being on the ship is the only way to get to the shore, you would think that most people, if not all, would choose the ship. However, the reality is quite different.
Almost everybody chooses the boats. The reasons are different for different people.
Given that being on the ship is the only way to get to the shore, you would think that most people, if not all, would choose the ship. However, the reality is quite different.
Almost everybody chooses the boats. The reasons are different for different people.
- Some never actually got to read the fine print because the people who brought them to the journey never showed them the fine print, (which, if you remember says that the only way to get to the shore is on the ship) probably they themselves did not know. Also, they never get an opportunity to see the fine print again due to circumstances.
- Some read the fine print. However, they were under the impression that the point was to make the journey. Having completely missed the point that the goal was to reach the shore, the fine print did not seem important.
- Some understood the fine print. However, by then they had spent so long on the boat, that they were conditioned to believe that they still needed to be in control to make the journey.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
An ocean journey with a twist : The journey
If you have not done so already, please read the post "An ocean journey with a twist : The vessels" before you read this one.
The journey on the ship is simple. You let the captain take care of the journey while you just wait to get to the shore. You will have to do the captain's bidding if necessary but in general you are guaranteed to reach the shore in a relatively short amount of time. The only thing you have to do is give up control.
The journey on the boat is not so simple. You have complete responsibility over the journey. Even when things are going smoothly, you have to know which way you are going and make course corrections as necessary. When things are not going smoothly, say a storm, then things get really messy. The best case you come out of the storm with a few bruises and some fixable damage to the boat. The worst case, your boat gets destroyed, and you have to wait for the ship to bail you out and get you a new one. In either case, you are guaranteed not to lose your life so you know you will continue on the journey again.
The journey on the ship is simple. You let the captain take care of the journey while you just wait to get to the shore. You will have to do the captain's bidding if necessary but in general you are guaranteed to reach the shore in a relatively short amount of time. The only thing you have to do is give up control.
The journey on the boat is not so simple. You have complete responsibility over the journey. Even when things are going smoothly, you have to know which way you are going and make course corrections as necessary. When things are not going smoothly, say a storm, then things get really messy. The best case you come out of the storm with a few bruises and some fixable damage to the boat. The worst case, your boat gets destroyed, and you have to wait for the ship to bail you out and get you a new one. In either case, you are guaranteed not to lose your life so you know you will continue on the journey again.
Monday, April 25, 2011
An ocean journey with a twist : The vessels
If you have not done so already, please read the post "An ocean journey with a twist" before you read this one.
The ship will always get to the shore.
The boat, on the other hand, undergoes wear and tear. Eventually the passengers who choose the boat route will need a new boat, either because it sprung a leak or because it was too old to be workable anymore. When that happens, the passengers can get back on the ship and the captain chooses a new boat for them based on what experience they have gained from the previous boat. The new boat is different from the previous one. Therefore, passengers have to relearn how to navigate the new boat, all over again.
The ship will always get to the shore.
The boat, on the other hand, undergoes wear and tear. Eventually the passengers who choose the boat route will need a new boat, either because it sprung a leak or because it was too old to be workable anymore. When that happens, the passengers can get back on the ship and the captain chooses a new boat for them based on what experience they have gained from the previous boat. The new boat is different from the previous one. Therefore, passengers have to relearn how to navigate the new boat, all over again.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
An ocean journey with a twist
Imagine that you are on an ocean journey with a twist. There is no itinerary. The purpose is to make the journey. The ultimate goal to come back to the shore where you started. You start on a ship with all of the other passengers. There are a few twists on this journey.
- You will never lose your life on this journey.
- You are given a choice. At any point, you may choose that you want to take your own boat and leave the ship and make the journey on your own. Even if you choose to make the journey on the own, you are still given the choice to get back on the ship any point, no questions asked and no judgement made. You gain your experience as you go along in the boat.
- The fine print : The way to get back on the shore is on the ship. Every now and then you are given the opportunity to read the contract in the hope that you will read the fine print.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
What do you want in life?
I already have everything I want, and therefore, I want Nothing.
The only things I need are food, water, and air to sustain this body so I can achieve the real Goal of human life.
The only things I need are food, water, and air to sustain this body so I can achieve the real Goal of human life.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Now that you have embraced spirituality, are you going to leave your family and become a sanyasi?
The short answer - an emphatic NO.
Spirituality provides Living Lessons. It is about living the life you have been given fully, NOT running away from it because you are chasing God.
In the laboratory of life, the family life is the crucible and the members of your family are the other reagents in your transformation.
In Chapter VII (The Role of the Guru) of the book "The Combined Works of Chariji - Volume 2 (My Master)" By Shri P. Rajagopalachari (my master), he states the following.
"... . Master has time and again stated that it is in the family environment that true vairagya is developed, while performing one's duties. The sannyasi system, on the contrary, encourages runaways and drop-outs, who seek the system merely as a refuge from the demands of a family existence. Sannyasa thus encourages weakness, and adds to the already exceedingly large number of itinerant wanderers who live off society without contributing anything significant in return. This is a burden that, in the present context, society can hardly continue to bear, in terms of both materiality and the higher life. ..."
Spirituality provides Living Lessons. It is about living the life you have been given fully, NOT running away from it because you are chasing God.
In the laboratory of life, the family life is the crucible and the members of your family are the other reagents in your transformation.
In Chapter VII (The Role of the Guru) of the book "The Combined Works of Chariji - Volume 2 (My Master)" By Shri P. Rajagopalachari (my master), he states the following.
"... . Master has time and again stated that it is in the family environment that true vairagya is developed, while performing one's duties. The sannyasi system, on the contrary, encourages runaways and drop-outs, who seek the system merely as a refuge from the demands of a family existence. Sannyasa thus encourages weakness, and adds to the already exceedingly large number of itinerant wanderers who live off society without contributing anything significant in return. This is a burden that, in the present context, society can hardly continue to bear, in terms of both materiality and the higher life. ..."
You are chasing god with your spirituality. I cannot compete with god.
You only have to chase something that is running away from you. God is here, NOW!
You cannot find God by chasing God or looking for God. You will experience God when God chooses. Your job is to knock hard on God's door with your love and wait. Spirituality provides the knowledge and the tools to knock on God's door and live a life of love in the present moment as you wait for God.
You only have to compete when you want to win something you don't have. You already have God. Therefore, there is Nothing to win in the wait for God.
You cannot find God by chasing God or looking for God. You will experience God when God chooses. Your job is to knock hard on God's door with your love and wait. Spirituality provides the knowledge and the tools to knock on God's door and live a life of love in the present moment as you wait for God.
You only have to compete when you want to win something you don't have. You already have God. Therefore, there is Nothing to win in the wait for God.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Living lessons
If you have not done so already, please read the post "Driving Lessons" before you read this one.
Almost everybody in the world can learn how to drive. Therefore, driving must be relatively simple task. Also, driving is not something you do every waking moment. It is only a part of your life. For that, you had to take lessons and get a license to do so.
Why do you think you can live life based on just what you learned from growing up?
Just like you get driving lessons to drive well, spirituality provides living lessons to live well. Spirituality is the knowledge that lets you respond to the road of life. It helps you be in the present moment, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the present, and at the same time responding with actions that are perfect for that present moment.
The more experienced your driving instructor, the more the chances of you ending up a better driver. The more experienced your living instructor, the spiritual master, the better the chances of transformation of your life. Just like you might figure out by which driving school/instructor is the best one by looking at the driving skills of the people from that school, choose your master and the path carefully by looking at the life the people on that path live.
Almost everybody in the world can learn how to drive. Therefore, driving must be relatively simple task. Also, driving is not something you do every waking moment. It is only a part of your life. For that, you had to take lessons and get a license to do so.
Why do you think you can live life based on just what you learned from growing up?
Just like you get driving lessons to drive well, spirituality provides living lessons to live well. Spirituality is the knowledge that lets you respond to the road of life. It helps you be in the present moment, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the present, and at the same time responding with actions that are perfect for that present moment.
The more experienced your driving instructor, the more the chances of you ending up a better driver. The more experienced your living instructor, the spiritual master, the better the chances of transformation of your life. Just like you might figure out by which driving school/instructor is the best one by looking at the driving skills of the people from that school, choose your master and the path carefully by looking at the life the people on that path live.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
On the road of life, the present moment is your guide
If you have not done so already, please read "The road and the map are your guides" before you read this one.
Consider all life is unfamiliar territory. Just like you cannot plan every action you are going to take as you get on the road, you cannot plan every action you want to take in life. Choose how you intend to be and continue your journey.
Live life with you in the present moment. Let the present moment dictate your actions. You respond to things as they occur. Surrender completely to the present moment and the action to take appears by itself.
In this mode of living, you are neither stuck in the past nor looking into the future. You are completely in the present and enjoying every bit of what life has to offer NOW!
Consider all life is unfamiliar territory. Just like you cannot plan every action you are going to take as you get on the road, you cannot plan every action you want to take in life. Choose how you intend to be and continue your journey.
Live life with you in the present moment. Let the present moment dictate your actions. You respond to things as they occur. Surrender completely to the present moment and the action to take appears by itself.
In this mode of living, you are neither stuck in the past nor looking into the future. You are completely in the present and enjoying every bit of what life has to offer NOW!
Friday, April 1, 2011
What are you looking at in life?
If you have not done so already, please read the post "What are you looking at?" before you read this one.
Are you looking into the rear view mirror of the past, holding on to your regrets and repeating your if onelies? Are you constantly putting your past into your future and looking for past patterns to repeat themselves? Are you blaming everybody around you for your present condition?
Are you so worried about the future that your are glued to the map of your future? Are you letting your future affect your present?
Are you able to respond to what is happening around you in the present moment without everything becoming a problem? Are you able to experience the beauty of the present moment unfolding around you?
Are you looking into the rear view mirror of the past, holding on to your regrets and repeating your if onelies? Are you constantly putting your past into your future and looking for past patterns to repeat themselves? Are you blaming everybody around you for your present condition?
Are you so worried about the future that your are glued to the map of your future? Are you letting your future affect your present?
Are you able to respond to what is happening around you in the present moment without everything becoming a problem? Are you able to experience the beauty of the present moment unfolding around you?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Driving lessons
If you have not done so already, please read the following posts in order before you read this one.
If you have been driving for a while, it is probably an almost automatic task for you. But do you remember when you learned driving?
I have not heard of many people who learned to drive by just watching their parents or other people drive and not have anybody to guide them when they get behind the wheel, but I suppose it is possible. Can you imagine what that person's driving experience would be when they get behind the wheel on their own?
Most people I know, including me, learned driving either from their parents, somebody they know, or from a driving school. If you learned from parents or somebody you know, but never had a driver's education course, then chances are there are still many aspects of driving you figure out on the road, which is probably not a good place to learn. If you go to a driving school and also get a driver's education course, and followed the advice given there, then the chances are that you became a much better driver. There are still things you learn from situations on the road, but the surprises are much lesser.
Still after all that you have to get a license to drive. You take a test and somebody makes sure that you are qualified to drive.
Driving, once you learn it and gain experience, seems like a simple task. However, you had to go through lessons, education, tests, and a license before you could start driving on your own.
If you have been driving for a while, it is probably an almost automatic task for you. But do you remember when you learned driving?
I have not heard of many people who learned to drive by just watching their parents or other people drive and not have anybody to guide them when they get behind the wheel, but I suppose it is possible. Can you imagine what that person's driving experience would be when they get behind the wheel on their own?
Most people I know, including me, learned driving either from their parents, somebody they know, or from a driving school. If you learned from parents or somebody you know, but never had a driver's education course, then chances are there are still many aspects of driving you figure out on the road, which is probably not a good place to learn. If you go to a driving school and also get a driver's education course, and followed the advice given there, then the chances are that you became a much better driver. There are still things you learn from situations on the road, but the surprises are much lesser.
Still after all that you have to get a license to drive. You take a test and somebody makes sure that you are qualified to drive.
Driving, once you learn it and gain experience, seems like a simple task. However, you had to go through lessons, education, tests, and a license before you could start driving on your own.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The road and the map are your guides
Please read the post "What are you looking at?" before reading this post if you have not done so already.
What do you really do when you drive into unfamiliar territory? You make sure you get the directions to your destination before you leave. In this age of technology, you might even get yourself a GPS, so you can set the destination and let the GPS do the navigating for you. You might even set a goal for yourself as to how you are going to drive - maybe, you tell yourself that you are going to be defensive. However, you cannot really plan every action you are going to take along the way.
The way you really drive, hopefully, is with your eyes on the road ahead. You let the road tell you what you need to do. You respond to things as they unfold ahead of you. You can also take in some of the scenery, at least what is ahead of you. If you use the old fashioned directions on a paper or in your head mechanism, you either listen to your navigator if you have one or you pay attention to road signs to tell you where to go. If you use a GPS, you let the GPS do the navigating and then respond to instructions from the GPS. But again you only respond to course changes as they are necessitated by your current location.
In this mode of driving, you are in the present moment, responding to the road and the directions as they occur. You are neither stuck to looking back at what you have passed already nor are you constantly thinking about the destination.
What do you really do when you drive into unfamiliar territory? You make sure you get the directions to your destination before you leave. In this age of technology, you might even get yourself a GPS, so you can set the destination and let the GPS do the navigating for you. You might even set a goal for yourself as to how you are going to drive - maybe, you tell yourself that you are going to be defensive. However, you cannot really plan every action you are going to take along the way.
The way you really drive, hopefully, is with your eyes on the road ahead. You let the road tell you what you need to do. You respond to things as they unfold ahead of you. You can also take in some of the scenery, at least what is ahead of you. If you use the old fashioned directions on a paper or in your head mechanism, you either listen to your navigator if you have one or you pay attention to road signs to tell you where to go. If you use a GPS, you let the GPS do the navigating and then respond to instructions from the GPS. But again you only respond to course changes as they are necessitated by your current location.
In this mode of driving, you are in the present moment, responding to the road and the directions as they occur. You are neither stuck to looking back at what you have passed already nor are you constantly thinking about the destination.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
What are you looking at?
Imagine that you are on a sightseeing trip that takes you through some beautiful scenery in the mountains. There are gorgeous views everywhere on the winding road.
Now, imagine how it would be if you were driving with your eyes always on the rear-view mirrors.
On the other hand, imagine that you are so afraid that you are going to get lost that you drive with your eyes glued to a map.
Would you be able to respond to what is happening now on the road? Would you not miss out on the beautiful scenery unfolding ahead of you and around you?
Now, imagine how it would be if you were driving with your eyes always on the rear-view mirrors.
On the other hand, imagine that you are so afraid that you are going to get lost that you drive with your eyes glued to a map.
Would you be able to respond to what is happening now on the road? Would you not miss out on the beautiful scenery unfolding ahead of you and around you?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Expectation creates judgement
Judgement owes its existence to expectation.
Consider this story of two people who take an examination. One person at the end of the exam is very confident that he did all the questions correctly and expects a 100% result. The other person expects only a 80% result in the exam. After some time the results are announced. Both of them scored a 90% on the exam. The person who expected a 100% is now extremely disappointed and judges the result as a bad one. The other person who expected 80% is ecstatic with the results and judges the result as a good one. The score is the same but the judgement of the score and the emotion associated with it is different based on the expectation each person had.
Consider this story of two people who take an examination. One person at the end of the exam is very confident that he did all the questions correctly and expects a 100% result. The other person expects only a 80% result in the exam. After some time the results are announced. Both of them scored a 90% on the exam. The person who expected a 100% is now extremely disappointed and judges the result as a bad one. The other person who expected 80% is ecstatic with the results and judges the result as a good one. The score is the same but the judgement of the score and the emotion associated with it is different based on the expectation each person had.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Announcement : Links
If you have not already noticed it, I added a Links page (currently under the Pages section to the right of the posts).
I have not yet figured out how to make blogger automatically notify all the followers when I update that page (or any other non-post page for that matter). For now, I will periodically make Announcement posts when I update my pages.
PS: If somebody knows how to get blogger to automatically send notifications/announcements for things other than the blog posts themselves, I would really appreciate it if you could please share that information with me.
I have not yet figured out how to make blogger automatically notify all the followers when I update that page (or any other non-post page for that matter). For now, I will periodically make Announcement posts when I update my pages.
PS: If somebody knows how to get blogger to automatically send notifications/announcements for things other than the blog posts themselves, I would really appreciate it if you could please share that information with me.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Anger
When you get angry, it is not because of what is happening at the moment of the anger. It is a result of impressions that you have accumulated from the past and is being released right now. It is like a balloon filled with air. It will burst either if you fill it too much or it is filled until it is taut and it hits something sharp. You cannot blame the air or the the thing that pricked it for the bursting of the balloon. Also neither the air nor the thing that pricked gets destroyed when the balloon burst. Therefore, do not blame the person or thing that seems to be the object of your anger. Also, just like the balloon gets "hurt" when it bursts, you are the one that gets hurt the most when you get angry.
Just like the balloon would not burst if you release the air from it, find a way to release your pent up impressions so they don't burst in the form of anger.
Just like the balloon would not burst if you release the air from it, find a way to release your pent up impressions so they don't burst in the form of anger.
Friday, March 25, 2011
How do you control your desires?
By giving them up. When you don't let desire enter you, there is nothing to control.
Here is a beautiful article on the subject of desire : Nature of Renunciation
Here is a beautiful article on the subject of desire : Nature of Renunciation
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Why don't you want to have a relationship with expectations?
Expectation exists only when you want somebody to change. I know that you are already perfect. When something is perfect, there is no room for improvement. How can I have expectations when there is nothing more to expect?
You say you practice detachment. Does that mean you are detached from your wife?
The simple answer - Yes.
Attachment is relationship with expectations. Expectations are the strings "attached" to the relationship. Love has no strings attached. Detachment, or more precisely non-attachment, is love.
PS: While the question used the word wife, you can replace it with child, significant other, friend, or any other relationship, close or otherwise.
Attachment is relationship with expectations. Expectations are the strings "attached" to the relationship. Love has no strings attached. Detachment, or more precisely non-attachment, is love.
PS: While the question used the word wife, you can replace it with child, significant other, friend, or any other relationship, close or otherwise.