It is all movie projections !

A movie is nothing but a powerful light projected onto a white screen through a colorful film.  Whatever is depicted in the film is shown in the screen. For the viewers in the dark hall,  the screen projections are their world at that time. If the scene is a calm picturesque village where all are happy, the world is happy.  If it is a scary scene, the world is dangerous etc.   However when the viewers take a break and realize all those are projections only, their perceptions of the world also changes.  They realize it has always been projections only.  The powerful light is the Unique Supreme Power (USP - Consciousness, Brahman) that is beaming all the time.  The film is our BMI (Body-Mind-Intellect) projections  of the world outside.  Remove that film (BMI projections) and you see only the single source of powerful light (Consciousness) that is visible everywhere (screen).  What remains at that time is Consciousness only.  Where the equipment is removed, the objects that are perceived through the equipment are also removed.   

Just as in the above example, Bhagawan Adi Shankara in Vivekachoodamani says "In that sense, the scriptures say that the Atman , the Self in you is Brahman, the Reality behind the whole universe."

Hari Om.

Be at a higher plane!

Our scriptures say that the world is only a 'Maya' due to the illusion of plurality which is unreal.  Behind the plurality, there is one single unchanged substratum which is the Brahman. Plurality is only the projection of BMI (body, mind and intellect).  In deep sleep, the BMI is temporarily shut down so there is no plurality.  However it is all ignorance during deep sleep, so no realization at that time.  The real Brahma Jnanam is the awareness (self-realization) with BMI active and working.

It is like making a journey to reach a certain place.  If travelling via road or rail, there is progress in the journey, but it is not smooth.  There will be movements, jerks, stops etc, that is felt on the trip.  If we are to avoid that, we need to be at a higher level.  If we travel at a higher level than the ground - for instance, by a helicopter, the journey will be a little more smoother than by road or rail.   If we go still higher - say a jumbo jet 747 plane at a much higher altitude,  it will be way smoother and faster.  We will not even realize the distance covered though we are progressing at a high speed. There may be turbulence once a while, but that is to make us aware of our constraints and continue our efforts for a smooth ride.

In the same thought,  let us raise ourselves to a higher plane of consciousness above the BMI layers - we will not feel the plurality and changes and our life path will be much smoother.

Hari Om.

Children and their talents

Developing the talent in children is like making way for a flowing water.  Kids are full of energy and talent, though not visible outside, just as water flow has the energy embedded in it.  Farmers cut pathways to make the water flow to the needed areas. They create the environment and ways to prevent any restrictions or hurdles in the flow.  They know the water cannot pushed physically into flow, it only splashes and goes waste.  Similarly depending on the talent and interest of the children, the right environment and opportunities should be made available. That is the only job of parents/guardians.  The flow and blooming of the talent takes place automatically.  The children should not be pushed to parent's tastes and interests.  Parents or guardians come from a different time period and probably from different place & environment, it is not the same as the current environment of the children.  As the celebrated poet Rabindranath Tagore said "Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time",  do not force children to your thoughts.  Humans are born more intelligent and capable in every new generation, that is the rule of evolution.  So let them bloom in their own way!

Hari Om.

Intellect - Gross & Subtle

Of late there has been a lot of discussion on the need to educate and bring ethics and moral values in people. As much as this is correct and important,  I think this education has to run deeper into soul of each individual, not just at the peripheral level. Having the individual read books, watch videos & documentaries and laying down the court rules does only to a certain extent and limited time.  The transformation has to happen from the soul layer and change the IMB layers in that order- the reverse of BMI (Body, Mind, Intellect).  The Atman (soul) is the pure truth with no gunas (character) and no blemishes. Intellect (I) is the thinking layer close to it that is reflected from the Atman. The intellect advises the mind of the right & wrong, truth & untruth,  light and darkness, correct & incorrect etc. etc.  Mind (M) usually sways to the external influence of sense organs in the Body (B), but the individual has to train his/her mind to listen to intellect which preaches the truth as per the Atma.  Once the Mind is brought under control, it can easily control the Body and the related sense organs in the righteous way.  In this way , the entire personality is integrated and brought to moral ethics.

Sw. Chinmayananda brings out the above point wonderfully in his  analysis of Adi Shankara's VivekaChoodamani.  In the meaning for slokas 213-214, Sw. Chinmayananda says as below:

"With a gross intellect, we see only gross things.  The grosser the intellect, grosser the vision. Our intellect at this moment is so gross, so full of sensuality, that we no more see a woman going along, we only see "lust" moving on legs. When the mind is made a little subtle,  you see "beauty" going.  A little more subtle and you see a "living being". Make it as subtle as that of a philosopher's and you will see a "divinity" on the move.

How do we make our intellect subtle? Subtle intellect means that intellect which is not running headlong to crash into sense objects. That intellect that is not working under the pressure of its vasanas, the intellect which is fully redeemed from their deadening pressures, is a subtle intellect. Vasanas are removed through dedicated activity (Nishkaama Karma)."

Vrittis

Ego is Mind-Intellect identifying with the Body.  When we detach all the BMI layers and remain identified with our soul (Atman), there is no ego.  That soul is just part of the macrocosmic soul which is Brahman. Destroy the BMI layers and the individual soul merges with the universal Brahman

Sariravrittis, Manovrittis, Indriyavrittis:  All vrittis (disturbances) caused due to BMI.

The vritti (disturbance) at the body level (B) is pain; comfort is pleasure

At mental level (M) it is sorrow & happiness respectively

At intellectual level (I) it is loss & win respectively

Hari Om.

Yoga-Kshemam

Sw. Chinmayananda has very beautifully explained the meaning of the common usage ‘Yoga-Kshema’ in our scriptures.  In today’s world, all our energies are dissipated in two main directions – Procuring (Yoga, योग) and maintaining (Kshemam, क्षेमम).  We seem to spend all our effort, energy and time on procuring material pleasures or benefits and worrying about maintaining them our entire life.  Because of this, we do not seem to have the time  to engage in spiritual or welfare work (seva).

However, Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita in Ch, 9  emphatically says that for those true seekers who are dedicated in spiritual pursuits and attaining the Self (HIM),  HE (Lord) will take care of the ‘Yoga-Kshema’ work of HIS devotees.  This means, those who have transcended the body-mind-intellect (BMI) layers and have realized the Self in themselves (and in all) will not be interested or worried in the procurement and maintenance activities of life. It is something that automatically happens to such people without worry, just as body ages, hair grows etc.  It is ironically observed and found that if people go behind some goals specifically, they never seem to attain it (a specific position or win in politics or business profits etc.), however if they are dedicated to doing the 'Dharma' of their work and do not worry on others, these goals automatically come to them.
Hence, dedicate your life to Self realization and meditation; leave the rest in the hands of the GOD as it happens!