Someone, going through a turbulent personal life, and not able to find a way out, began looking for an escape route. He thought that probably a spiritual turn may bring relief. He then went on a hunt on the Google and YouTube platforms, in search of a path. After a long drawn exploration, the man finally got drawn towards lord Shiva.
The man then tried to meditate with focus on lord Shiva, chanting a popular mantra. Having tried the process for a while, he realised that his restive mind did not let him remain focused. His mind used to be on an incessant run, either randomly flirting with a heavy baggage of negative imprints picked up in the past, or dream perceptions pertaining to his unfulfilled material desires. Not able to find any headway, he came seeking guidance.
“I have decided to submit to spirituality and seek the grace of lord Shiva. Please teach me how to remain focused to lord Shiva’s imagery, and the most suited mantra for chanting during meditation. Or suggest me someone else, if you don’t have time,” he asked.
“Well, bear in mind, there is nothing unusual about being confronted with distraction when you begin meditation. Remember, mind is a plane on which thoughts flow. And mind doesn’t get going on its own. It is set into motion by thought-feed, either sourced within or those excited in response to external promptings. Evidently, when you withdraw your attention from the outer world, as the meditation process calls for, the instore memory imprints begin hitting the ground, making you restive. But then, if you don’t pay attention, they will settle down over a period of time.
Once lord Buddha was on a move along with his disciples. He felt thirst and so asked one of his disciples to fetch water from a nearby stream. As the disciple approached the stream, he found that an animal had just crossed, and therefore, water had become muddy. So, he got back, as he could not serve dirty water to his Guru. After some time, Buddha asked the disciple: why didn’t you get me water. To that the disciple explained why. Buddha then asked him to visit the water stream again, as the mud must have settled down by now. This time when the disciple made it to the stream, he found that mud had settled down and clean water was available. Similarly, if you do not pay attention to the thoughts flowing within, just be a silent witness, mind will settled down over a period of time. That, however, is not enough. Just that the ground gets ready to pursue the meditation process further. But before proceeding further, you need to now understand the difference between religiosity and spirituality. “Please elaborate, as I don’t find any clear distinction between the two,” the man asked.
Well, religiosity is about following a particular belief pattern distinguished from those followed by others. In its scheme of things, you are to submit to rituals and practices in service of lord Shiva, which you seem to have opted for, or some other form-God, seeking thy boon. Pursuing the process, it is possible to move beyond over a period of time. But, more often than not you remain stuck to a particular belief, ordinarily not able to digest any other viewpoint.
Spirituality, on the contrary, is a process to rise above all limitations of mind and emotions. Otherwise, you may remain trapped into the make-believe world of your own making, not able to find the right lead that could free you of pains and sufferings. Bear in mind; with a complexed mind, which remains true for most of us, it is difficult to see truth as it is. For, more often than not, a complexed mind, stuck to a circuitous web of one’s own thought-constructs, will make you move round and round, not allowing you to find the right lead.
Even in day-to-day life, a complexed mind will not let you see the issues in hand in the right perspective. Consequently, you fail to resolve them, thus, ending up stressed and pained. Take your own pressing problem, which has put you through so much of stress. Take my words, once you purify your mind, you will realise how you have yourself been no less responsible than you partner to mess up your personal life. Also, that had you perceived the issues in hand in right perspective, and handled them intelligently, you could have easily got over your problems.
The issue continues.
The writer is an astrologer, vastu consultant and spiritual counsellor. Write to him atG-102, Bharat Nagar, New Friends Colony, New Delhi – 110 025Tel: 91-11-49848475/9818037273 Email: pioneerqueries@bharatastro.com Website: www.bharatastro.com