Apr 25th: The Peace of Mind

What is, 'Peace of Mind'? Is it within or without you?

Please reflect on this story. As the backdrop of the story goes...

Once there was a very famous actor who was accused of a murder and was going through a Trial. The prosecutor pursued several counts against him and he is facing  "Death Sentence".
That day was the judgement day...all the media gathered around. Hundreds of thousands of actor's fans were slowly gathering and the situation was getting tensed up.

Assume that I am one of the fans who is first in line to get into the court hall. After a long waiting, I was allowed to go in. When I stepped in, I observed that there was no one else in the hall and it was very very quite and peaceful. In less than 10 mins the hall was full. Needless to say that the hall got very very noisy.To converse, people had to shout at the top of their voices and everything turned chaotic in no time.

The supreme court judge finally walked in...so everyone stood up. In a matter of minutes the hall re-transformed slowly and steadily back to the condition when I first stepped in which is peaceful and calm.  Of course, the judge finally had to say, "order...order".  The story stops here...don't worry about the judgement :-))

This incident relates to the 'STATE OF MY MIND AND THOUGHTS', how?

The Court Hall is my mind. The worried, anxious and distressed people causing chaos in the hall are my thoughts that aroused due to conflict at work or argument at home or worry about something and any compulsive mental behavior. The Judge is MY THOUGHT TOO!. But it is the strongest of all other thoughts and hence the other thoughts listen, respect and follow what the strongest thought says.

Let's do a walk-thru of my mind and thoughts in relation to the court scene. My mind is always at a peaceful state...like I first entered the hall. I then created commotion by giving birth to variety of thoughts...stress, disappointment, anxiety, jealousy, distress, depression and so on.....just like the actor's fans pouring into the hall. I myself transformed my peaceful state to chaotic state. Now, who can bring back my peace, is it the 'judge' in me or someone or something else? Remember, the court hall has always been peaceful. The disturbance evolved and then devolved, but the peace in the hall remained as is with no change...as it has been there always. So, my mind is always at PEACE unless I bombard it with thoughts. When bombardment of thoughts stop, peace is evident.You get the point?

But, we all try to go out and seek peace and solace in discourses, meditation, mantra japas, kriyas and what not...We just need to know that there is a "judge" within us who could easily bring everything back to peace. "Only you can do it...no one else can". Isn't it? Hence my natural state is peace, I unnecessarily create commotion and conflicts. I will have to find the judge (the conscious I) in me who can stop my mind from thinking the thoughts.

How silly it is to ask you, "how can I stop writing this blog". You may say, "just stop writing it...simple as that". Seeking peace elsewhere is just as silly. Just try to stop thinking the thoughts. Have a tiny pause between the thoughts at first. Focus on expanding the duration of those pauses. This practice shall go on until the duration of pause exceeds the duration of thoughts. Once the pause between the thoughts is abundantly apart...the mind has been mastered.

"MANA EVA MANUSHYANAM KARANAM BANDHA MOKSHAYOHO"

--Mind is the cause of bondage....at the same time mind is a great instrument for liberation or moksha.

We're in control of our minds. It's up to us to choose, bondage or liberation.

Hari Om

Apr 5th: The Secret of Work

KARMA YOGA - Part 1

Karma is simply 'the actions'. In other words, the effort and endeavor that we put in, to succeed in our life. As a student, father/mother, brother/sister, peer or manager at work.  When we play one or more of these roles, we always have a purpose and anticipation as to how the result of the action should be or want to be. Isn't it? But, is the result always what one wanted or expected? The answer is a "NO". Because of this big "No" we suffer, get stressed out and cause remorse in our own life. One thinks that despite one's fullest efforts, one-other who is a lot less deserving is successful than one. One then concludes that one-other is luckier and so one gets demoralized and disheartened. This phenomenon replicates across various relationship at both family and professional level. This could tremendously impact both mental and physical well being of an individual.

Hence it is imperative that we all truly understand as to how we correctly go about doing ACTIONS  in our life at different levels...student, father/mother...brother/sister...peer/manager at work and so on. When we act upon on this world with SELFLESSNESS, that is, without doership (Kartaa) or  being a beneficiary (bhoktaa) and as an offering to god (eshwararpanam) then the action becomes KARMA YOGA.

Lord Krishna explains it very beautifully in Bhagvadgita, Chapter 2, Sloka 47.

"KARMANYEVADHIKARASTE MA PHALESHU KADACHANA
 MA KARMAPHALAHETURBHU MA TE SANGOTVAKARMANI"

KARMANI           - In doing Karma (Actions)
EVA                      - Only
TE                          - They ('We have' in the context)
ADHIKARAHA   - Authority or Discretion

MA                            -    Not   |
KADACHANA       -      ever  | Never
PHALESHU             -    in Results or Outcomes

Meaning
"We only have the discretion or authority to choose what type of Karma (Action) that we would like to perform. However, one has absolutely no control or authority over the result(s) that come out in the wake of the action taken".   Let's see how this can be related to us.

Hidden Message
Let's say at work you're competing with your peers for getting recognition, promotion or simply securing a superior task. There is nothing wrong in aspiring. In fact, one should sincerely put in every effort to achieve one's aspiration. However, the result may or may not be in one's favor. The other person may be more successful. One just can't control it. It is the Eshwara who decides the outcome based on one's eligibility to it.

At a lower level of thinking, it appears to one that one is always unlucky, in a bad spot or opportunity deprived. But the other person is quite opposite, that is lucky, in a good situation, full of opportunities and shown bias. The fact of matter is, when it is looked at a higher level..."What has to happen will always happen and what not to happen will not happen". WE HAVE NO CONTROL WHAT-SO-EVER. However, one should make a sincere attempt and effort. For example, if one ends up standing in the middle of the highway and says 'trust the Karma' then one is sure to get killed. Hence the effort for Karma is absolutely essential. In Sanskrit it is called, "PURUSHA PRAYATNAM" (Conscious Effort).

The motto should be, "Do your best and leave the rest to the hands of Eshwara".

Second Line:

MA            -   Not (Shall not)
KARMA   -   Action(s)
BHU          -   Be the
HETU        -   Purpose or Reason (of the)
PHALA     -   Results

AKARMANI    -   In NOT doing KARMA (Actions)
TE                     -  They ('We' in the context)
MA                   -   Not (Shall not have)
SANGAHA      -   Attachments
ASTU               -   So be it

Meaning
"A Karma (Action) should never be done in anticipation of one's own expectation. At the same time, any Akarma (Inaction) should never drag one into the obsession that one is missing out on opportunities when compared to others . Thus not, getting attached to even Akarma (inaction) and the sense of deprivation".

Hidden Message
One should never do any Karma (Action) for it's RESULT. Remember, it's not in our hands but only the Eshwara. Karma should be done for it's own sake based on the role one is playing...student, father/mother, peer/manager. Just do whatever is appropriate for the role that you're playing to facilitate a smooth running. For example, think as to what Karma a father/mother to keep the family in the order and do it accordingly. Likewise, at workplace, relatives, friends and etc.

The catch here is that the intent is for a smooth running of Vyavahara (daily business) and nothing else with no expectations and results. If things don't work out then think again and make changes accordingly until the role you're playing is working and also is harmonious with others. This should be a continuous improvement process until the goal is achieved. But again, in spite of all efforts one may or may not reach the goal as it is not at all in one's hands. Accept it and move on.

Likewise, don't feel peer pressured if you're NOT doing any action either. For example, your peer is very ambitious, moving up in the chain, making consistent career growth and money. But, you're stalled and can't move up. Don't worry about it...just keep trying to the best of your abilities and never worry. Again, please remember, the results of the action whether belonging to YOU or OTHER is invariably decided by Eshwara. So why sweat it (worry). How can one attribute failures to oneself when one has no control over it (results), isn't it? Please think about it.

When all the four aspects (see below) of the above sloka are thoroughly understood and implemented then the KARMA that one performs is magically transformed into KARMA YOGA.

 The tenets of Karma

1. Our choice or authority is only to choose the Karma (action) that we would like to perform
2. We do not have any control or authority what-so-ever on the outcome of our actions
3. We shall never do Karma in anticipation of our own dictated outcome or result
4. Never worry Akarma (inaction or insufficient action) that compares our accomplishments with others

With his approach, a higher center opens up from our self which is above, hatred, jealousy, remorse, anxiety and attachment. The MENTAL BURDEN that we have carried all along has been eased.

Hari Om