On the Life-long Road

“Any person in our life appears just in time when we mostly need the lesson he/she is carrying”.

 

Travelling changes our brain

To get of a bad mood doctors and scientists recommend “switching off” your brain. A way to do it is to go travelling.

Researchers observed a group of people who walked about a forest for 1,5 hours. In each of them brain activity decreased in the areas of their brains responsible for psychological illness. Just imagine what can happen if someone spends several days surrounded by nature!

Their level of creative thinking increased by 50%.

So, it’s worth dropping everything once in a while heading somewhere quite beautiful.

Garden of Flowers. Kabir

Garden of Flowers

Do not go into the garden of flowers

O friend, go not there.

 

In your body is the garden of flowers.

Take your seat on the thousand petals of lotus

and there gaze upon the infinite beauty.

 

There is a strange tree,

which stands without roots,

bears fruits without blossoming.

It has no branches and no leaves.

It is Lotus all over.

Two birds sing there:

One is the Guru and the other the disciple.

The disciple chooses the manifold fruits of life

and tastes them

And the Guru beholds him in joy.

Kabir

photo by the author of the blog

Beautiful World

On Saturday, we watched a movie “The Patriot” with Mel Gibson in the main part. Americans’ struggle for independence. Many families are ruined, houses are burnt. In the middle of the film, one of the characters asked what they were fighting for and another one answered that when they were free they would get an opportunity to build a new, beautiful, world.

This phrase just did not leave my mind… Americans got freedom. Two hundred years have passed since then. What is their world now? Loss of values, extreme consuming, money-thirstiness, spiritual coldness in families – what can be called beautiful there?

I do not say through hearsay. Having lived one year in the States (I met the millennium there), I also became infected with money making (though, on returning home, thank God, my zeal was cooled down).

Another example. India. The previous century. A struggle for freedom. India got physical independence by many victims. Not much time has passed since then (what are decades for history?) but what is happening in this country now where spirituality have been nurtured for centuries? Spiritual values are being exchanged for cheap aspects of western culture.

As being known everything that we create is the reflection of what we are inside. Only a pure (dharmic) person can create beauty around. As far as the beautiful world is concerned.

***

…Interviewer: The theory that scientists say that man came from a little cell from heaven know where; how did you feel about those?

Shri Mataji: It’s a fact, it’s a fact. He (man) came through a cell, evolved through a cell. How did he evolve? Why did he evolve? What is the purpose of his life? It is not all answered by science. What is the power that males you evolve? Also, that is not answered. So, in Sahaja Yoga you know all that. Not only you evolve but with the same power you go higher.

Interviewer: What is your theory about that then? Why are we here or, why are we so long in the process?

Shri Mataji: You see anything that you create, even human beings for example, you have created things. A beautiful lamp is to give us light, isn’t it, the power. So, that’s how God has created us, to give His power to us that we feel Him and know Him in our awareness and understand and we emit His powers and enjoy it; to say in the words of Christ ‘to enter into the kingdom of God’…

Interviewer: Is it what Self Realization means; that You mean as a Realized Soul?

Shri Mataji: Yes, Self Realization means when the Self, which is talked about in all the scriptures, starts emitting its manifestation in our conscious mind; means that time when we become aware of it. To this extent our central nervous system starts recording the power of our Spirit, of oneself and we start feeling the breeze-like vibrations of the Spirit which is called in the bible as the ‘Cool Breeze of the Holy Spirit’…

Interviewer: Two very interesting thoughts come to my head at this point. One, is it through being Realized that one gets to knowledge of what’s on the other side of death, as it were and two, whether one really through this Realization that one finds a little bit of God inside oneself?

True Love

 

photo by the author of the blog

Pure love, which enlightens us all, is the real quality of the Heart Chakra. In the unrealized state we rarely love for love’s sake. Because of our conditionings we confuse feelings of love with those of possession, sex and selfishness. Pure love is detached, it gives without interest. Like the tree which gives shade to one and all, it is without prejudice and motive. True love is the quality that emanates from the Spirit and not from the body or mind. When we talk of loving someone, we should understand the direction in which this love is flowing. Bodily attraction is physical. It can arise out of sex appeal or the conditioned response to a dream image of a prince charming or even from an artist’s or ad-man’s projection. There are even those who exercise seductive arts to ensnare a good “catch”.

We can see this in whose who indulge in excessively trendy fashions. These people are especially at risk in their relationships because they relate not as two Spirits, but as two fashionable physical forms. This kind of physical attraction is not true love because it comes from the mind, and mind does not love – it merely wants. When the want of the mind is attained, then the novelty wears off. For instance a child is excited and attached to a new toy, but after a few days as the novelty wears away, the excitement dies. The same occurs with relationships which are based simply on physical attraction. That which is illusory cannot love or be loved; it is a fancy of the eyes which Shakespeare aptly described:

The True Path

 

When we are following Our Path, the supreme power is supporting us. “It is called a Benevolent Beginning, – remembered he the words of the old man. – Beginners are lucky. As life wants the man to follow his Path” (“Alchemic” by Paulo Koello). Under the words “One’s Own Path” Koello, according to “Alchemic”, means “one’s own destination in life”.

Perhaps, I love life so much because everything I am doing is a pleasure for me. (Confucius: “Start doing what you like and you will have to work not a day in your life”). And if it so, does not it mean that the path which I am going along is true (for me)? (And, consequently, if there is no joy and content, then, obviously, the true destination is still lying somewhere waiting until it is found). As I see it now, the idea that life should be joy, that one should live but not merely exist settled in my mind already in my teen years. From there, photography, translation, painting, knitting, teaching, etc. have taken their roots… and it seems to be just the beginning :).

Koello continues saying that every person is constantly given signs showing him the true (for him) path (in the same way “luck” in one’s deeds also testifies to the right way), “You will find the way there following the sings which God marks everyone’s path with. You should only be able to read what is written for you”.

I remember when I read “Alchemic” for the first time most part of it was an amazing discovery for me (though only some theory based on somebody else’s life and not mine). And today I can prove the author’s idea of the signs with the examples from my own life (I think because I have become more observant :)).

Some 5 years ago it was very difficult for me to make the choice – the choice of the future path in life (two opposite ways were lying in front of me). I really tried to prolong the situation watching how it was becoming worse. Once in the evening, when I was reading a book (“The Fifth Mountain”, again by Koello) and unexpectedly for myself read in one of its paragraphs of how important it was for the main character to make the choice and of how he finally made it, I found the solution to my problem. And now, after 5 years, I am so happy that I made that very choice.

This autumn, life again put me in front of the necessity to choose my way (one thing is to choose apples at the market and absolutely another one is to choose one’s path in life). I was offered interesting work (for 3-4 months) the interview for which I had passed at the beginning of 2006. The money offered was good but the work was some 1000 km away from the native city and, consequently, from my husband and all the other things I was busy with here. First, like 5 years before, I tried to solve the question logically having drawn a table with two columns: pros and cons.

Are religions flowers on the same tree?

 

As I can see my post on the Painting of Buddha caused many ideas, questions and arguments. And all I have read in the comments made me dwell on the idea of all the religions depicted as flowers on one tree.

First of all, no Great Master/Prophet/Teacher has ever created any religion. Religions were created by men. Some of these men even could not understand the ideas expressed by the Master and, therefore, were sure that other people would not understand Him either – in such a way new interpretations appeared. As Goldmare has mentioned in his comment, “It’s a terrible thing – I had a friend in one of my old schools who abandoned Christianity because she saw how all the denominations couldn’t agree”. Some other men, seeing that the teaching really influenced people, used it in their politics including some parts into it which were beneficial for them. For example, let’s take Christianity. Paul even was not Christ’s disciple. He has never heard the words uttered by Christ Himself. On the other hand, he was in touch with Romans ruling in the country at that time. The greatest part of the Bible is written by him… Mohammed never wrote Koran. After His death his nearest and dearest were killed by, so to speak, Mohammed’s followers…

Then how can we understand what is really true in the Scriptures and what is not? What we, ordinary people, should follow and what not? Already when I was a teenager I was sure that there should be some True Values /Dharma/ that men should follow and after I had got acquainted with different cultures and religions I came to the conclusion that these values are the ones which are the same in all the religions. That was one of my spiritual achievements.

After I had started practicing Sahaja Yoga, this idea developed into a new dimension. There were
Great Masters/Prophets on the Earth who came at different time to different places but each of them tried to teach people almost the same values: there should not be greediness, stealing, lying, adultery, etc. but there should be forgiveness, love, generosity, creativity, etc. Of course, each Master emphasized only some of the qualities but that is the whole idea! Christ appeared in Jerusalem at the time He was needed the most there as people had been losing morality. By the example of His all life He was teaching that one should have compassion and forgiveness. These were the qualities He came to work out on the Earth. Mohammed appeared on the Earth in 570 in Mekka. Can you remember, please, what was going in Arabia at that time? There were many tribes who were at war with each other often and who were worshipping different idols (though in the same place – Kaaba). Yes, there was some notion of Allah but He was considered to be abstract and transcendent. The Great Deed by Mohammed, first of all, was that He announced Allah the only All-mighty God. By the way, he respected the teachings of Christ and said that Koran was only for Arabians as those were they at that time who needed the rules given by Him. And there is nothing in the Teaching of Mohammed that contradicts the teaching of Christ if we look deeper. For example, Mohammed allowed Arabian men to take several wives. Nothing strange. Many men had been killed in battles and if Mohammed had not allowed polygamy (which is not allowed in Christianity), prostitution would have been prospering.

By the way, why should one limit the list of the Great Masters only by the ones mentioned above? Why not take into consideration the teachings of Raja Djanaka, Abraham, Moses, Zaratustra, Lao-Tzu, Confucius, Socrates, Guru Nanaka, Sai Baba from Shirdi. There were also Great Masters even before Christ: Buddha, Rama, Krishna, Mahavira.

In a word, there is one and the same Almighty God (though each of us can call and depict Him differently: the Creator, All-pervading Energy, Allah, Supreme Power, etc.) and He is the personification of all the virtues. For us, people, not to lose the path to these virtues, to spiritual growth, Prophets and Great Masters were sent to Earth for them to work out different aspects of one and the same God in people. Thus, Great Masters/Prophets are flowers on the Earth planted by God for people to teach from each of them. And as Axinia has mentioned, there is a part of God in each of us. Therefore, I see the aim of my life in the development of these virtues in myself for God to see His reflection in me. And the real meaning of the words “All the religions are flowers on the same tree” is the following: there is one tree, one God, and there are many interpretations of Him and ways to Him but the aim is the same and the path to it is also the same – spiritual growth. And all the religions are flowers as if we separate seeds from tares in each of the religion there really will appear a beautiful flower.

photo by the author

Buddha. What is Enlightenment?

 

This picture painted by the Mexican artist Octavio Ocampo is called “Buddha” but what is the symbolism behind the peaceful face? Isn’t it what is meant by the word “Enlightenment”? Look closer and you will see that the symbols of different religions are parts of one person. Isn’t it because all the religions are like flowers on the same tree and enlightenment means realization of the virtues which are the same in all the religions?

The chin of Buddha is made of his disciples bowing in namaskar. The lower lip is like the sahasrara chakra (1000-petal from Sanskrit). Ears are represented by Shri Ganesha and Shri Kalki. There is the tree of life constituting the forehead and the dove representing the Holy Spirit in the area of the fontanel bone. This is to name a few. May be you will also see something else.

A Problem or a Motivation to Act? Part 2.

I was trying to remember some example from my life to illustrate the idea raised in “A Problem or a Motivation to Act?” It turned out to be quite a hard task for me as what was a problem for me in the past stopped being it in the present.

When we bought our village house 2 years ago, all the weekends, from morning till night, were devoted to its cleaning and repairing. For example, we spent three weekends repairing the borehole and trying to fit the electric pump there. And finally, by the end of Sunday, everything had been done! There was so much joy when we saw water pouring from the hose without any breaks! We send water off into the air enjoying the rainbow, splashed, watered blackcurrant bushes growing near the house. In a word, we poured water from the bottom of our hearts…
And suddenly something strange happened. The bricks with which the wall of the 2-meter pit (for the borehole and pump) was faced started first slowly and then quicker to go down into the bottom of the pit. In a word, it was a catastrophe! The water, which we had been pouring near the house, went into the ground and the swelled ground began to push the bricks carefully laid by the previous owners of the house out into the pit. Then the soil followed after the bricks. Naturally, we stopped the stream of the water. And it seemed that the process of brick-falling also stopped. But it started raining…

So, what do you think about this problem which happened to us at the end of Sunday after two previous days filled with work? No way could we leave everything as it was as it meant that there was a wide hole leading into our house from outside. We collected all our will and not thinking about the difficulty of the situation and supported by the “second breath” we started digging the ground in the place it collapsed (i.e. outside, near the house). On the depth of 0,5 meter we put metal sheets which we had found in the house and some soil above them. We also made major repairs in the pit. The next weekend my husband made a canopy starting right from the roof for the rain water to fall down at some distance from the house.

Already in a few days we appreciated the true value of the situation we had faced. Heavy rains started then and they could lead to the same situation. And as we were not in the village on the working days, nobody knows what it could have ended up with. And besides, due to the idea to make a canopy, we can make shishkebab when it is raining now. Moreover, my husband and I were so proud of each other for the shown patience, hardiness and determination when repairing the wall of the pit.

So, there is always a ray of light in any situation, isn’t it?

Thought of the idea: “Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today. Don’t make the other do what you can do yourself” (Thomas Jefferson).

photo by the author

A Problem or a Motivation to Act?

Today, while talking with my comrade on the phone about everyday life, I drew her attention to the fact that joy should be within, that shopping, discos, trips to other cities and countries elevate our mood but not for a long time. To my statement she reacted with a question, “What does it mean “joy within”?” I replied that it is the ability of a person to see joy. If one needs something extraordinary (sky diving or mountaineering) to go beyond despondency at least for some time, another can see joy at his every step whether it is the first snow or a letter written to a friend. Almost having agreed with me, my comrade made one more question, “And what about problems? How one can be happy when he is almost sunk in problems?”

Obviously, the saying “Everything done is for the better” has existed since long ago not for nothing. Of course, one can realize it with his mind and go on about it at every “negative” event – may be such self-inspiration will work out. But one can also look at his life from aside like a viewer when he watches an interesting movie and, I am sure, it is possible to see a happy ending in every twist of life. Thus, all the problems are for our benefit, for our correction. We try not to repeat previous mistakes, not to turn out in foolish situations and in such a way we are growing. And if we do understand it, life is joy for us. Everything that makes us upset is just a myth, an illusion. And if we ourselves have this joy, cheerfulness of the Spirit, it is passing itself on to the people surrounding us. And we become… – the centre of attraction for all positive.

I know it is quite easy to build theories like I am doing. Then, it is high time for examples! I have recently read a story told by one Sahaja Yogi from Arab Emirates. “When I came to Dubai I did not have work, went to various interviews and tried to find a job in some big company. I was upset as many companies offered me very low salary and such offers were not interesting for me. One of those days I came to an interview to a leading tourist company. They told me that they would contact me but I did not get any answer during a long time. Meanwhile I got an offer to fill the position of a sales manager in another company and I agreed. I had completely forgotten about the tourist company thinking that the work of a sales manager had been prepared for me by life. During that time I got a chance to book airplane tickets for a Sahaja collective from Dubai for them to go to the international festival. I wished more opportunities would appear for me to help my relatives, friends and acquaintances! Believe it or not, once the top secretary of that tourist company called me and said that the president of the company would like to meet me. I was taken aback and could not guess the reasons for that. I went there, met with him and he told me that he had heard about me from some airplane companies and then he offered me the position of the director’s assistant in one of their branch offices. It was like a dream for me. And I immediately accepted the offer”.

For the examples from my life, please, go to “A Problem or a Motivation to Act? Part 2”.

Thought for the day: “The person who starts living for the soul is like a person who brings light into a dark house. The darkness immediately disperses. Be persistent in such life and complete enlightenment will take place in you” (Buddhist wisdom).

photo by the author