How was I … Part – VII

Looking at me Guruji (Sadguru Gurunath Vishwanath Mungale – we normally address him as Mungale Sir) addressed me as Prasanna Kumar a few times. I thought, he did not hear my name correctly and said that my name is Swatantra Kumar. He said “No, Prasanna Kumar thheek hai – referring to my smiling countenance”.

As mentioned in earlier posts, I was a practicing meditations (not involving mantra), pranayam and yogasanas with all seriousness. I, however, never prayed or performed pooja or observed any vrata. This was mainly because of my family background (our family followed Arya Samaji traditions) and to some extent the way Osho and Kabir spoke against the ritualistic part of sadhana.

I believed in efficacy of meditations and took the masters as knowledgeable persons (I was time and again overwhelmed by what they said) and some thing more than mere instructors. I had respect for masters but there was no feeling of devotion towards them or the deities.

Seeing that bhakti was missing (Anahat Chakra was dormant), after a while he suddenly asked – “Pooja prarthana karte ho?” I said “No”. He asked me “Kiya karo”. On being asked what to do, he said “kuchcha bhi karo (do anything)”. I sought approval to chant Panchakshara Stotra of Shiva (disregarding a suggestion for chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama which came from Gaur Saheb) as I used to be captivated by its rendition by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva. He approved and asked me to continue whatever else (yogasanas, pranayam and meditation) I had been doing.

Mungale Sir usually asks every sadhaka to continue with his practices (perhaps makes them more effective by his energy / initiation) and makes small corrections in a subtle manner over a period of time – he patiently waits for the sadhaka to be ready for a change or next step.

I was absolutely ignorant of this part of sadhana (pooja, prarthana). I even did not know where to get text of Panchakshara Strotra. I was, however, quite serious about doing what Guruji asked me to do – that discipline was there. I asked someone and got the text. Being bad in memorizing things, it took me about a month to memorise these five slokas. Till then I continued chanting them – reading from the book. I recited them five times every day in one sitting. No questions arose in my mind in connection with necessity or efficacy of this form of sadhana.

I did not notice anything but my wife told me that she saw a major change in me in a month’s time after I included chanting into my daily routine. It is true that only others close to us can perceive the changes in us. Their perception is real – depend on them.

Gradually I added Prataha Smaran and Shiva Manas Pooja to my daily chanting.

In one of my subsequent visits (I have been going to him every 2 to 3 months), he asked me to hug a mango tree while going for morning walks. In another visit he asked me to feed cows (if there was no such facility – it could be mentally visualized). And in yet another visit he asked me to keep two sticks, one on my office table and another in the room where I meditate. I never felt like asking him ‘why?’. I knew that he can see ahead and if it were necessary, he would have told me. About the need for sticks, he however told me that in my previous life I left my Guru and went back to normal worldly life and that my Guru used to keep a stick like that (he showed me one). He added that these sticks will keep me on right trek. I sincerely did whatever he asked me to do along with all other practices.

A new dimension in sadhana was thus added.

In the month of May, 2005 I had gone to Guruji with Gaur Saheb to give him invitation card for the marriage of my elder daughter (Sweekriti). I had carried a photo album with me. While coming back, Gaur Saheb was glancing through the album and pointing at the photo of Chetna Singh (sister-in-law of my daughter) enquired about her and told me that she has spiritual potential. That girl was having troubled family life – though living in the same house, she stayed away from her husband for about 7 years soon after her love marriage and a case for divorce was already filed in the court – and she had regular quarrels with her mother. I told him all this and expressed opinion that she may not have any such potential though she has done some courses of Art of Living. Gaur Saheb reiterated his view that she has spiritual potential and advised me to invite her to be with me three times for about 3 days each and then take her to Mungale Sir. He added that her life would change.

And as if things were falling in place as destined or Guru Tatwa was at work, she herself came to us thrice in next couple of months and stayed with us for at least three days on each occasion. Then I took her to Mungale Sir. She was adamant and told Guruji that she would not live with her husband under any circumstance. Guruji told me that there is slight clash of aura and if her husband visits him, he would set it right. On the request of Chetna’s mother, he visited Guruji with me saying that he does not believe in any Guru (he used to ridicule Sri Sri Ravishankar whom everyone else in the family was devoted to) and that it is his first and last visit to a Guru. Though Guruji appeared to be just chatting with us – apparently not doing anything to the boy, a miracle happened! Within a fortnight Chetna and her husband went to Malaysia and Singapore on a pleasure trip and after another fortnight they started living together. They fell in love with each other all over again!

This miracle deepened our devotion to Guruji.

Associations with Guruji continues and may continue in the life hereafter. He once affectionately told me “I will go before you. But when it is time for you to go, I will come and take you with me!” What an assurance!!

I will narrate many of our experiences with him in my posts hereafter. But now it is time to advert to Paramhamsa Nithyanandji whom I had fortune to meet in July, 2005.

To be contd. …

How was I … Part – VI

Just when the idea of being with a living master was floating in my mind, I read an article in Times of India in the month of November, 2002 comparing Art of Living (Sri Sri Ravishankarji), Isha Yoga (Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva, Coimbatore) and Siddha Samadhi Yoga (Rishi Prabhakar, Bangalore). In that write-up there was a reference to Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva being surrounded by volunteers with shaved heads. According to the writer, it gave a scary look. The use of the word scary in the article attracted me – I thought the person means business and is not just fooling around.

About a week later, I saw an invitation in TOI for attending an introductory session by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva in Mumbai itself. I went there and was absolutely floored by the way he spoke and I found glimpses of Osho in his speech. I got hooked! Coming out of the hall, I got myself enrolled for an eight day basic programme (3 hours a day on working days and whole days on Saturday and Sunday) on Pranayam and Meditation starting the following day.

On the very first day, even before we were introduced to Pranayam, I noticed that my tolerance to chilies became nil (till then I was very fond of green chilies). This was the effect of presence (energy) of the master alone as we had not done anything significant on that day. And let me clarify that there was no discussion on food that day. So question of psychological effect also does not arise.

The programme was very well structured and the volunteers continuously helped the participants in correcting postures and processes relating to Pranayam. Towards the end of the course we were initiated into Shunya Meditation (one has only to sit in a comfortable posture for about 15 minutes – nothing is required to be done) through an elaborate Tantric Ritual.

There was an excellent support system as well inasmuch as volunteers helped the participants once every week for next few months in bringing further corrections and refinements in their practices.

In the weekly meetings we were told about the forthcoming programmes from Isha Yoga. After the basic course, next in line was BSP (Bhava Spandana Programme). We were told that this one time (does not add to daily practices) three and half day programme conducted in Coimbatore helps the participants get established in Pranayam and meditation and that after doing this course one is less likely to drop out.

On initial thoughts, I was of the view that let first me do the existing practices well for few months and that this would be too early to go through another course. But then one of my friends (Sri Ashok Kumar Shrivastava) advised me to go for the course as later the Guru himself may not conduct the course. I went by his advice and went to Coimbatore for the course (he was right – later his trained teachers conducted the course). My gullibility helped me again!

It was an intense course and helped many in getting rid of their suppressed feeling and emotions – seated deep in the sub-conscious layers of the mind (for me thing happened long back in 1988 with gibberish). It also evoked a strong and beautiful feeling of love and connectedness (Spandana of Bhava).

In next one year, I did all his courses. These courses included Hatayoga (they are able to teach yoga in two and half days – it is nothing less than a miracle), ‘Inner Engineering Programme’, an advanced course named ‘Samyama’ and a programme named as ‘Vaibhava Shiva’ (a kind of celebration).

I did all the practices in all sincerity. My day used to begin with ‘Vipassana’ (essentially watching one's breath - introduced in ‘Samayama’) followed by Yogasanas and Pranyam. Of course Shunya Meditation twice a day was a must and formed the core of his practices. These practices (except Shunya Meditation) were quite strenuous and alongwith some reading on spiritual matters used to take me over 4 hours everyday.

This took my efforts to a different level – a quantum jump from about an hour a day to over 4 hours a day.

During this period, one of my sisters-in-law (Shikha) was staying with us. She was free as she was searching for a job. She also suffered with asthma. I persuaded her to join the basic course. Effect was miraculous. From next day there was no asthma attack, she lost some weight and her eye sight improved (there was some reduction in number of lense of her specs).

Encouraged by the results in her case and having been persuaded by me, my wife (primarily for reduction of weight) and about a dozen of my friends also did the basic course. My wife did it sincerely for about a year (2004-05). Though she did not loose weight (on the contrary she gained as she relaxed in her food habits a bit thinking that Pranayam will take care of that), she became more content – strong desire to go out and meet friends in the evenings came down drastically – this was a major change.

A year and half later (July 2004) one of my relatives came to us from Allahabad. I had to take her around and so took her to Mumbadevi and Siddhivinayak temples (I had never been there before as there was no such tradition in my family and I had no devotion to deities in temples). I felt some kind of energy in Mumbadevi temple. While she was praying before the deity, I sat for a while in sitting space available in Siddhivinayak temple. There again I experienced peace and some sensation (flow of energy) in my body. I had never experienced any such thing earlier though, as a tourist, I had visited many powerful temples (Pashupatinath, Tirupati, Kashivishwanath, Mahakaal, Dwarika, Somnath etc.).

Next month Shri B P Gaur, an evolved sadhaka, came on transfer to Mumbai. I called on him. There was some fragerance in his chamber. We had a general chat for about 20 minutes. I briefly told him of some of my efforts in the field of meditation and added that I have no experiences which are considered as spiritual experiences. He remarked that he notices changes in me (I had met him for few minutes about a decade or so back). I felt relaxed in his presence.

When I came out of his chamber, I instantaneously forgot his face and there were sensations running throughout my body for next about 24 hours. Only when sensations were over, I remembered his face.

The experience of this satsang was so magnetic that I used to make it point to visit him at least once a month.

Perhaps this sensitivity to feel the energy in temples and in the presence of evolved persons was the result of presence of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva in my life aided by the practices given by him.

Another way to look at it may be that when, other than the work, most of one’s time is devoted to spiritual practices, in absence of attention paid to them, old sanskaras (anagrams) of the mind relating to desires and reactions get less intense and become weak – mental layer becomes a little transparent and one gets faint glimpses of self.

But, of course, till this stage I was part of crowd of disciples whether it was Osho, preceptor from Vipassana or Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva. There was no one-to-one contact with the masters.

They say when disciple is ready Guru appears. Six months after this (February, 2005), one day I was sitting with Gaur Saheb and I asked him – “why is it that when I sit with him, I feel some energy which I never felt in the presence of exalted masters like Osho and Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva?” He feigned ignorance and told me that there is Siddha Guru, Mungale Sir, in Kolhapur who may, perhaps, have the answer! He asked me if I were interested, he would take me with him to Guruji that weekend. This was, perhaps, his way of taking me to my Guru. He took Guruji’s permission on phone and took me to him.

Another chapter in my life thus opened!

To be contd. …

Ultimate Purusharth – Living master is a must

I had been in Bangalore in connection with a Seminar on 7th and 8th October. Since 9th and 10th were holidays, I utilized these days for being with Shri Supeji, Swami Virajeshwaraji and Pramhamsa Nithyanandji and attending a Griha Pravesh ceremony for the flat purchased by Shri Satish Kumar – a close friend.

During our (me, my wife and Satishji) visit, among other things, perhaps in response to aversion which my wife expressed to crowded places and long waits in queues in temples or for meeting gurus, Shri Supeji told us about the value of patience in sadhana. He referred to the way disciples of Satyasai Baba wait for years in the hope that some day he will bless them by touching or talking to them, just giving a glance or even by passing through the passage in front of them!

In this connection Satishji told me about the way one of his friend (Ms Rama – residing with her husband in Abu Dhabi – her house is highly charged with guru’s energy), a long time ardent devotee of Satyasai Baba, got his blessings after years of wait. This time also she was waiting with invitation card of her daughter’s marriage in her hands for about a week. This is what she said in response to an e-mail from me :

“Yes, it was indeed a great moment & I feel very fortunate to have Swami’s Dharshan (eye to eye), to talk to him & to touch his feet. Words are inadequate to express my feelings. Infact I feel, now Swami has entrusted me with greater responsibility. I take that moment as a blessing by Swami, to go a step ahead in my spiritual journey.

Infact Myself & Ramesh used to tell Satish Bhaisahab, that we should go to Puttaparthy with you, so that we may get to sit right in front, to have Swamis Dharshan nicely.

I am continuing with my prayers which I normally do, and of course, every time I sit to pray I only get the vision of what I experienced.”

Mainly addressing my wife that day, Shri Supeji also narrated a story of a saint who got married as per the wishes of his parents. The saint always used to remain immerged in his prayers and reading scriptures in the light of a deepak (earthen lamp). One day because of a storm, deepak got extinguished and he became aware of it as he could not read in the darkness. Soon someone came and lighted the deepak. The saint looked at the lady and asked who she was. She said “We were married 20 years back and I am your wife”. The saint was surprised and asked “how come I have never seen you before?” The lady replied “actually I used to light deepak before it was dark, fill it up with oil from time to time and keep the food by your side when it was time to take food. You never noticed it. Today because of storm, deepak was extinguished and, therefore, I had to come and you noticed me.” He said though it will appear to be impertinent but may I ask your name? This narration, perhaps, is a response to the way my wife takes care of me and has helped me in every conceivable way in my spiritual pursuits. It may, perhaps, also be an indication of the way events may unfold hereafter in the years to come - a peep into the future!

Last time I had been to Swami Virajeshwaraji, it was the day before Guru Poornima. He asked me to join in Guru Poornima celebrations as well. But that day I had planned to go to Nithyanandji and, therefore, did not go Swamiji. I was feeling bad about it and thought that he would be unhappy at my impertinence. This time, in the afternoon, I was with Swamiji. He was at his affectionate best and in the end made my day by saying that he feels happy whenever I visit him. I once again understood that gurus are too big to get affected by such impertinences of ignorant and childish disciples! We only miss something by not accepting their offer – they are unaffected!

He also shared with us one of his experiences with his Guru. Once (after he experienced state of Samadhi) Virajeshwaraji had an urge to work for spread of knowledge of Sanskrit as most of our treasured knowledge is in that language. He worked for a few months and wrote a small book for that purpose and placed it before his Guru. The Guru eulogized his effort and intentions for a few minutes and then asked if he wanted to be free (attain Moksha) in this life. Virajeshwaraji said “yes”. Then Guruji explained that this work will not be accomplished in one life and that he would have to come back again and again to finish his agenda. Virajeshwaraji dropped his idea then and there.

This is a trap in which many a great saints fall. On getting a glimpse of Samadhi (which is a huge experience and appears to be ultimate – reaching state of self realization or enlightenment), they are detracted from the main task of their further evolution and take others with them. Instead they branch of into areas of social service, creating and managing establishments and fall.

About two years back I had shown photograph of Nithyanandji to Virajeshwaraji. Looking at it Virajeshwaraji said that he is good but will slip because of his engagement in the activities relating to management of the Ashram. And this is what appears to have come true.

This again brings into focus the need of a living master. But for timely advice of his Guru, Virajeshwaraji would have got engaged in the work relating to spread of Sanskrit which can very well be managed by many a non realized souls.

In the modern language, it can said that one needs to stick to one’s core area of competence.

Once a friend of mine asked Supeji if he could join a NGO after retirement. Answer was an emphatic ‘NO’. The reason being that activities like these gives boost to one’s ego – that one is serving a great cause – which is never good.

Next day after receiving blessings of Nithyanandji, I was sitting with Satishji in his house. After the rituals relating to Griha Pravesh were over (Shri Supeji had been there meditating for about an hour), Satishji narrated to me a story. A girl after getting married was talking on phone to her mother telling her that in this house everyone eats basi roti (stale food). Mother-in-law heard it. After that she took care that everything was freshly cooked. After a few days she again overheard the conversation between bahu and her mother. She was again telling that in this house everyone eats basi roti. When it happened a few times, mother-in-law asked bahu “beta we prepare fresh food every time then why are you telling your mother that we eat basi roti. She said “I am telling what I understand and if you wish any further clarification ask my mother”. It was an unresolved riddle and, therefore, mother-in-law asked her samadhin for clarification. What mother of the girl said is significant. She said that your family is well to do in this life because of your past good deeds but you are not doing anything in this life – merely enjoying the fruits of your past deeds. So the food which you eating is basi – being consequence of your past deeds.

Many a well to do householders ascribe their affluent state to their intelligence and hard work – become egoists and look down upon others who are not that well placed. They remain oblivious of the fact that what they are getting in the external world is unfolding of Prarabdha and that their Punya Karmas are getting exhausted.

One needs to work for one’s spiritual evolution – the ultimate Purusharth.

How was I put … Part - V

Picking up thread from where it was left a few weeks back – on my transfer, we shifted in a flat in Ahmedabad from the bungalow in Indore in April, 1992. Consequently the meditation involving movement – like Nataraj Meditation – got dropped (the need for such meditations may not have been there any more).

While at Indore, I had a (mild) wish to experience Maun (silence) for a few days but did not find it practicable in our usual setting. While in Ahmedabad, I met one of my batch mates (Shri O G Ganvir) who was and continues to be associated with Vipassana propagated by Goenkaji from Igatpuri. He told me that this 10 day meditation camp requires the participants to observe Maun for 9 days and that it was soon happening in Ahmedabad itself. I joined the camp with Shri Ganvir in October / November, 1993 – the wish got fulfilled.

Vipassana is an arduous course inasmuch as it requires about 11 hours of meditations each day. Each sitting is of one hour and one is supposed not to make smallest of adjustment in one’s posture during this duration. I used to feel pain in my back after about half an hour which went on increasing with time. In this form of meditation, one is supposed to observe the sensations, pain and pleasure in various limbs of one’s body. One is also supposed to remain a spectator of every thought, vision or experience – not attaching any significance to them and take them as mere play of mind. As the course prgresses one is supposed to feel the flow of energy in the body from head to toe and back to the head. These prcesses help remove blockages in the flow of Prana.

Another important aspect of this meditation, in my view, is that it makes one know it experientially that pain and pleasure are transitory. What actually happens is that when it is time for the participants to feel pain (after about 40 minutes), the preceptor tells the participants that it is “Anitya” (impermanent or transitory). When a session is over and one moves around in a five minute break and sits again for another session, actually there is no pain. Through repeated experience one thus understands that the pain is actually transitory.

Osho used to say that when one is in pain, whole body becomes conscious and comes alive. Any thought repeated in that (vulnerable) state seeps into deeper layers of one’s mind (perhaps it creates the bio memory by penetrating each cell of the body) – the idea that pain is transitory thus sits deep inside through Vipassana. This understanding gets automatically recalled (like a ‘pop-up’ in computer) without intervention of the conscious mind (it is the experience of everyone of us that conscious mind is not a useful ally in extreme situations when one is gripped by strong emotions) and helps one to pass through difficult situations without being overtaken by them. This ‘pop-up’ is a result of happening of a ‘click’ or ‘initiation’ (this may happen through a master, shastra or one's observation) as Paramhamsa Nithyanandji calls it. The ‘clicks’ or ‘initiations’ like this, are crucial to one’s spiritual evolution.

And as luck would have it, this experience stood me in good stead when immediately after this camp I had to endure severe pain while suffering from TB. May be, the existence or Guru Tatwa planned it that way. Though, I was in severe pain for months together (with cramps in the neck and other parts of the body), nobody talking to me on phone could make out that I was that serious. Being empowered by Vipassana in the first place and getting opportunity to observe severe pain immediately thereafter (TB was detected within few days of my coming from the camp) perhaps was a life time opportunity for me to meditate (I was on leave for more than 6 months at that time in the year 1994) and develop body awareness (called Kaya Smriti by Bhagwan Buddha) – perhaps one of the first steps to see oneself as distinct from one’s body and thus drop identification with the body and mind.

Since I could not sit and meditate during that period, I became a member of an Osho Library and started listening to Osho’s audio cassettes. Apart from getting clarity at conscious level (in this period, among others, I listened to 96 lectures on Ashtavakra Geeta – a profound text on Gyan Yoga), listening to Osho was a very effective way of meditating.

During this period, I also, sometimes, tried Osho’s Vipassana meditation where one is expected to be aware of everything around (sounds from every source; touch of air; breathing; texture and coolness or otherwise of pillow, bed sheet etc.) without concentrating on anything in particular – Osho used to call it as ‘diffused awareness’. This could be done lying down in the bed.

Slowly I recovered from illness. I continued listening to audio cassettes / reading Osho’s books and occasionally doing above mentioned meditation. I also continued to observe impulses / vibrations / sensations caused in my body by the emotional reactions (for details refer an earlier article titled as “Descend from the mind – inhabit the body”) but did not take to regular one hour meditations I had been doing previously. May be this was the time to pause.

In June, 1997 I got transferred to Mumbai and apart from above mentioned practices, I used to go for morning walk by the side of Arabian Sea in Priyadarshini Park just opposite our residences.

In an earlier article I had referred to one Swami Anand Gautam Ji. In January, 2000 he invited me to attend a Meditation Camp named as “Vigyan Bhairav Tantra” in Indore. While inviting, in all humility, he said that my joining the programme will add grace to it. This three day programme was aimed at giving the participants taste of some of the 112 methods of meditations given by Shiva to Parvati. I was reluctant to go as I felt that I have already tried many of them and dropped them under the instructions of Osho himself. He surely sensed it and, therefore, reminded me a few times and thereafter moved a trump card by asking me send my programme details so that he can arrange for my tickets. I was bowled over by this offer and went to Indore.

I sincerely participated in all the meditations but in the gap between two meditations I used to feel that it is of no use and that I am wasting time. At the conclusion of the programme, as is usual in Osho’s programmes, everybody celebrates by joining in a dance. I also joined and was with Maa Amrit Sadhana from Osho Ashram. I felt a little better. Swamiji gave me some money and a sari for my wife.

Next morning, back in Mumbai, as usual, I went to the park for walk. But that day I had no inclination to look up and instead was looking only a few steps ahead at the ground – the way Buddhists do their walking meditation. At the end of it, I felt like sitting on a bench by the seashore for a while. Having sat, I felt like simultaneously observing the touch of the air on my face, cool touch of the bench, sounds of ocean waves, crows, vehicles, persons talking to each other etc. – not concentrating on anything in particular – meditation described as ‘diffused awareness’ by Osho. The setting was ideal. Thereafter it became everyday routine for next three years and the period of sitting gradually increased from 15 minutes to almost an hour.

Much later, I understood that this was grace of Osho working through Swami Anand Gautam Ji that put me on to the path again. While on the issue I may add that all these years, since I left Indore, Swamiji used to send me a calendar, a magazine and a book or cassette on the New Year day. I used to find their contents appropriate at that stage of my sadhana. All guru’s grace!

Just when I came back from the meditation camp and started meditating as mentioned above, I started reading Osho’s lectures on Buddha. These lectures are contained in 12 volumes of a book titled as “Uss Dhamma Sanatano”. There were repeated suggestions in these volumes to the need for a living master. He said that we interpret the teachings of masters on the basis of our experience in life whereas the master is speaking from a different level of experience. There is huge gap. While reading, we selectively pick up the teachings to strengthen our own beliefs instead of breaking them and become free from bondage. A living master will not allow such misinterpretation and keeps the disciple on the right path.

The idea to seek a living master stood planted.

To be contd. … …

Pilgrim of the SKY

Shri Raj Supe accompanied his Gurudev Shri Vithal Ramanuj Ji on his tour to Europe a few years back. While on tour, Supeji was writing his observations and experiences in a diary on day-to-day basis. The tour culminates in birth of a Yoga named by Gurudev as SKY. In the form of a book, the writer shares these with us.

I had the privilege of reading the manuscript of the book before it was printed. On a cursory glance one may find the narrative to be a compilation of day-to-day mundane activities (making arrangements for a programme or meeting or narration of interaction with some devotees) interspersed with some insights on spiritual matters.

But if one goes through it from the eye of a seeker, one would find the meaning of Satsang (sitting with a master) and how a disciple is uplifted by the presence of his master. As Kabir says, a guru is like a Kumhar (earthen pot maker) who beats the wet clay pot from outside and supports it from the inside to make it smooth and strong. Through this book, one can see that happening to Supeji.

I had tears in my eyes on number of occasions and sensation at the Ajna Chakra signifying transforming power of the narrations.

I could relate to most of the teachings contained in the book. For example –

"You keep quite, let him speak. This silence after Japa, Nama etc. is mandatory".
"Music makes body, mind and intellect rhythmic. Nothing else has that power".
"Between every two acts, learn to provide a break so that the divine will can come to the fore".

After reading the book, now I make it a point to just sit (maintain silence) for a few minutes after Japa listening to sound of the silence. While in Shavasana after light Yogasanas, I was playing some bhajan CD earlier also and experienced what Gurudev observed in his talks. In that state (shavasana) the bhava of bhajans enters deeper layers of the mind and perhaps causes transformation – it is something like Yoganidra.

The preface of the book is written by Shri B. P. Gaur, an advanced sadhaka, which has been appreciated by Gurudev himself. On going through it, Gurudev observed "Thakur Sitaramdas Omkarnath wrote the classic 'Naad Leelamrit' and great Mahamahopadhyaya Gopinath Kaviraj of Benares wrote a preface for the book. When Thakur read the scholar's preface, he said: My book is the body, but his preface is the very heart of the book." This, Vitthal Maharaj said, can also be said of Pilgrim of the Sky.

The book, I am sure will greatly benefit the sadhakas.

Published by Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd, 1 Level, Trade Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex , Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400 051 (Ph. : 022 – 40700804; email : info@leadstartcorp.com; www. leadstartcorp.com; www.frogbooks.net).

Big Bappa

My grateful and humble expression on a story (Big Bappa) written by Shri Raj Supe, a master in the lineage of Baba Sitaramdas Omkarnath, who propagates easy and certain way for one’s spiritual evolution.

Children often find the existence around full of wonder. As we grow, the feeling of wonder slowly but surely evaporates. But still each one of us has some undifferentiated yearning to express oneself and figure out something from this existence. This yearning, in the case of almost every one of us, gets suppressed by the indoctrination from the society which teaches us ambition and competition. A few, however, manage to keep the yearning alive which finds expression in the form of art or leads to inner exploration.

Shri Raj Supe is one such exception and Big Bappa is his expression which combines both – an expression of devotion (which came as a consequence of pursuit of spiritual path) and art. I got the book from Shri B P Gaur and went through the story a fortnight back when I was in Kolhapur.

This is a story of an artist born in the family of sculptors who, as a child, learnt the art of creating Ganesha idols from his father. The hero of the story had that urge to express himself. Though he was sent to study in a professional institution, he continued to expresses himself in unconventional and non-conformist ways – not appreciated by most. He created Ganesha idols out of clay – keeping them vulnerable to disintegration and re-creation like everything else in the existence. The story gives the reader an insight as to how the external form of worship (idol worship) of a seeker may transform him into gradually internalising the process and dissolving the worshipper into the worshipped.

The narrative absorbed me thoroughly and after a couple of Chapters I had tears rolling over my cheeks quite often though apparently the story was not that moving – it has some mysterious (may be transforming) force!

Truly amazing!

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Descend from the mind – inhabit the body

Right now, as mentioned in an earlier article, we are slaves to the mind – mind is the only reality with us. One has to take to some spiritual practices to uncover the Self and put the mind in its place as a utility – as a servant.

As Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva humorously puts it, as of now we all exist as ghosts – roaming somewhere away from our bodies – lost in thoughts of persons and things outside. We are seldom found in our bodies. It is abandoned and consequently looses its sensitivity to such an extent that most of the people cannot feel the presence of the limbs of their bodies except when there is pain in a limb. If they are asked to feel, they only visualise / imagine.

In processes like massage, affectionate touch of someone one loves etc., awareness shifts from the mind to the body and consequently one is relaxed and feels the pleasure – body comes alive and mind gets a break. In these moments the mind is no more in command – a humble beginning for removal of mental curtain!

One of the very important processes of spiritual evolution thus involves shifting one’s awareness to the body. It is here that small steps like consciously bringing one’s breathing process to normal like that of a child [breathing from the belly – the stomach (and not the chest) should expand and contract], enjoying the touch of any animate or inanimate object particularly touch of limbs of one’s own body and that of one’s spouse etc. bring one back to life – one descends from the mind to the body – inhabits the body. For this process to be more effective, the touch should be accompanied by whole hearted acceptance, respect and love for such animate and inanimate objects as also for one’s own body.

One can then clearly feel the presence of limbs of one’s body. When one develops this sensitivity in the body, one is ready for the next step – to observe sensations in the body.

It is felt by all of us that when a strong desire or emotional reaction like fear or anger arises in us, some sensation like impulses, vibrations [sometimes we even feel weak kneed (danger of an imminent accident while driving the car and pressing the break) or feel trembling (extreme anger)] etc. caused by release of some chemicals and hormones run through various limbs of the body. With acquired sensitivity, as aforesaid, one can now observe the effect of one’s desires and reactions in the body and be free of them.

What actually happens in this process is that when the mind interprets an action of another person to be wrong or bad (value judgement of an action), a negative emotional reaction is triggered. An object one likes similarly evokes a desire. The thought process is the trigger and it connects the emotional reaction or desire to life energy. This connection makes the reaction or desire stronger and stronger so long as the thought process and value judgement continues. As soon as one observes the effects of such reaction or desire on one’s body and mind, the chain of thought giving rise one’s value judgement is broken, emotion or desire is disconnected from the life energy and, in absence of life energy, gets dissolved. Initially one becomes conscious of one’s reaction or desire only after it has gained sufficient strength. With regular practice in live situations, one starts becoming aware of reaction or desire a little earlier and consequently it does not gather that much of strength. With further practice, one becomes aware of the thought process at the time of value judgement (good or bad or right or wrong) itself before the reaction or desire is triggered. The thoughts or external stimuli thus loose their power to trigger reaction and desire and one can then objectively respond to a given situation.

Now a few practical aspects related to this method of meditation – initially one may not be in position to observe sensations in one’s body in live situations while dealing with the outsiders where immediate response is necessary.

One should, therefore, start with situations where one knows it for sure that there is no body who is consciously trying to create a problem. For example, when one is in a queue for some work and queue is not moving fast enough, one is stranded in a traffic jam etc. It is easier in such a situation to de-link from the situation and observe effect of one’s reaction on the body and mind – even otherwise, there is nothing better to do in a situation like this!

When one succeeds in situations like these, one should start trying it with one’s family members. In the case of a family member even when one does not immediately respond to a situation and instead observes oneself, the family member may only think for a while that one was in the wrong and that is why he did not respond. The situation is not irretrievable. One can always discuss the matter later with a cool mind and better results.

When one starts succeeding with family members as well, slowly and effortlessly, one acquires the ability to use the method in live situations with the outsiders, acquires the ability to respond objectively and experience freedom.

It is a well known fact that many a people fail to get freedom from anger and anxiety and do not attain peace even after sustained efforts by way of yoga, pranayam and meditations. One of the important reasons for that is that their efforts are not accompanied by the practice of being conscious of one’s reactions and desires in real life. Life becomes compartmentalized – one hour of spiritual practice and 23 hours of worldly existence.

This method can be practiced while doing routine things in life with awareness (not requiring exclusive time). While walking, lying down in the bed, swimming, bathing, eating etc., if one is aware (conscious) of one’s limbs – the tension, contraction and expansion experienced in them; the feeling of touch, coolness or warmness of water drops slipping on the body; the taste of food in the mouth etc. – the consciousness shifts from the mind to the limb or point of contact / taste and one is relaxed and is in peace with oneself. The awareness of the body is known as Kaya Smriti, Bhagwan Buddha speaks of. This is a powerful method of meditation.

To make it a little more clear, I would narrate two anecdotes.

One day I was sitting with one of my colleagues and mentioning about the process of observing sensations, as above, and he said that whenever any untoward incident takes place, he instinctively observes its effect on the body and the provocation subsides. On being asked he said that he never meditated. On being further asked he said that he was a regular swimmer and while swimming his attention was on movement of limbs and not on speed or number of lengths or breadths of the swimming pool he has done. He was thus actually meditating by being aware of the body while swimming and it worked so well for him. Same result will be achieved by being aware of the movement of limbs while walking, jogging or running. I told him the following story.

A person went to a Chinese master. Looking at him the master said that he was a great meditator. The person did not accept and said he never meditated in his life. Master insisted on his statement and added that he has never failed in his assessment. The person said that this time he (the master) has certainly failed as he never meditated in his life. Master asked him about his occupation. With embarrassment he disclosed that he was a thief. The master said that he was again proved right. A thief has to be absolutely aware of his movement so as not push anything which may fall and cause noise, his breath has to be controlled, he has to have control even over involuntary actions like sneezing and coughing and find things from unknown premises in relative darkness. This calls for total body awareness which is nothing but meditation.

Another anecdote relates to my brother-in-law and his wife. At the time and before marriage the wife was quite aggressive. After marriage they usually sat close to each other (bodies intimately touching / hugging) even in the presence of family members and others. Within two years she became quite normal (aggression reduced) and she told me so. I said this is because both of you are serious meditators. She said “nahi jijaji we never meditate”. I told her enjoying affectionate touch (without passion) was their meditation which has powerful transforming effect and has worked for them.

Osho referring to Kaya Smriti says that the thieves (like anger, fear etc) do not enter a house where there is light and owner is awake (one is aware of one's body).

Inhabit the body and relax into it.