Attaining a higher state of consciousness

We live most of our lives through three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping. In the waking state of consciousness, we experience the world through the five senses. We seek elevation and joy from these senses. If any one of the senses is missing, the entire dimension of that sense is lost. One who cannot hear is bereft of the whole arena of sound. Similarly, he who cannot see is deprived of all the beautiful sights and colours. So, the sense is more important and much bigger than the object of the sense.

The mind is higher than the senses. The mind is infinite, its desires are many, but the capacity of the senses to enjoy is limited. Greed is wanting more and more of sensory objects. Even though one can only enjoy a limited amount during a lifetime, one wants all the wealth in the world. Giving too much importance to sensory objects leads to greed; giving too much importance to the senses leads to lust; and giving too much importance to the mind and its desires leads to delusion.

We hold on to the concepts of the mind and want things to happen in a certain way. Thus, the concepts in our mind impede us from perceiving the infinite consciousness that is a part of us. This is not to say that the senses or the mind are bad. But we must learn to discriminate between things and be aware of what is happening at all times. That is when clarity dawns on us. This is the first step toward the higher state of consciousness.

In the waking state, one is constantly engaged in looking, eating, working etc. The other extreme is the sleeping state where one is completely cut off and dull. The dullness and heaviness linger even after waking. The more one sleeps, the duller one feels since a lot of energy is expended in sleep. Then there is the dreaming state where one is neither asleep nor awake. Here, you neither feel at rest nor are aware of your surroundings.

The higher state of consciousness is somewhere in between the waking, sleeping and dreaming states. Here, we know we “are” but we don’t know “where” we are. This knowledge that I “am”, but I don’t know “where” I am or “what” I am, is called Shiva. This state gives the deepest possible rest that one can experience. And one can achieve this through meditation. 

Meditation helps in two ways – it prevents stress from entering the system and simultaneously releases accumulated stress. With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, a higher state of consciousness called cosmic consciousness dawns within us. Cosmic consciousness perceives the whole universe as part of oneself. When we perceive the world as a part of us, love flows strongly between the world and us. This love empowers us to overcome the opposing forces and the disturbances in life. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.

A higher state of consciousness will not simply happen one fine morning. The sapling of consciousness is within you – it needs to be nurtured through spiritual practices like meditation. Some coconut trees yield in three years, and some in 10 years. And those that are not nurtured never yield, they simply exist. Attaining higher states of consciousness does not require any complicated strategy; one just needs to learn the art of letting go. The confluence of knowledge, understanding and practice makes life complete. When you grow into higher states of consciousness, you find that you are no longer thrown off-balance by different situations and disturbances. You become strong yet soft – a delicate and beautiful individual capable of accommodating different values in life without any conditions. As your consciousness opens and the whole system gets physically, mentally and spiritually elevated, your life truly becomes worth living.

Controlling emotions through breath

 

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Our first act in this world is to take a deep breath in. Breath is life. Yet, we are taught neither at home nor at school, about the importance of breath and its impact on the mind and body.

Observe how you breathe. There are different patterns that relate to different emotions. Just as your mind influences the breath, you can influence the state of your mind through breath as well. 

Breathing techniques like Pranayamas and Sudarshan Kriya can help us calm our mind and emotions. We can control negative emotions like anger and fear, and manage stress levels using breath.

Our primary responsibility in these times

The second wave of the Coronavirus is a critical challenge for humanity and calls for a heroic response to overcome it.

From availing of vaccinations, which is a must, it is necessary to cultivate hygienic habits and a disciplined lifestyle to stem the spread of this highly contagious virus. Our foremost responsibility is to strictly follow all prescribed protocols to keep ourselves and those we come in contact with, safe. There is no vacation from wisdom. Bringing the pandemic under control requires collective action. Everyone must do their bit.

The escalating global health crisis has reinforced the need for equipping our inner self-defence mechanisms too. Make sure you sleep enough, work out and meditate. Stress and anxiety weaken your immune system. Making asanas, pranayamas and meditation an integral part of daily life can change not just one’s physical chemistry but also make the mind peaceful and resilient.  A strong mind can pull a weak body, but a weak mind will mess up even a strong body.

This crisis serves as a reminder that no man is an island unto himself.  I urge everyone to strictly follow the protocols enunciated by the medical community including frequent washing and santising of hands, wearing masks and social distancing. Interestingly, our traditional ways such as joining hands in greeting and the emphasis of Patanjali Yoga Sutra on shaucha (purity and cleanliness) show that these practices have been around for thousands of years.

Until we defeat the virus, continue to stay indoors, avoid travelling and going to public gatherings or community feasts. Abstain from congregational prayers and rituals.  Do not worry about not being able to visit the temple, masjid, gurudwara or church. Meditation and mental prayers are equally, if not more, effective than rituals.

By being responsible you will protect not only yourself but also many more people and reduce the burden on already overwhelmed medical facilities and frontline workers.

Various epidemics, wars, pandemics and natural disasters have challenged the human race before and they will keep coming, testing our ability to survive.  Such times, as the one we are going through now, bring out qualities of the human spirit – its ability to endure and prevail and emerge stronger, kinder, and wiser. This is the time to invoke the valour in us, stand together and overcome once more.

I pray for the safety and good health of all beings.

Time management

 

Don't let the time manage you. First of all, see to it that you go with the feeling that you have time. When you put this thought in your mind that you don’t have time, then that itself becomes a block.

Everybody has only 24 hours, whether it is the Prime Minister or a clerk working in the bank. You have to hold on to this aphorism 'I can do it' because the pressure of time is more when you do not feel confident of accomplishing your work.

This very confidence in yourself that 'I will be able to manage' will take you through. And once something sets into your routine, then you have no problem.

Becoming a devotee

Love is the finest, but the most powerful, feeling. But love can neither be fully hidden nor expressed. The more you try to hide it, the more apparent it becomes. Love expresses itself in so many ways. You don’t have to tell anybody you love him or her: your walk, your talk, your look will all convey that love. 

One who has attained the fullness of love, his throat chokes, and joy manifests itself in all his actions. Your love has the power to purify everything around you. Narada in his aphorism of love says, “Panthavarodha romanchashrubhih parasparam lapramanah pavayanti kulani prithvim cha.” 

The tears of love purify families, traditions, towns and villages, they purify this earth. Even places where some lover spent his life longing for God become pilgrimage centres. But the tragedy is that very few do it because of love. Many shed tears of misery.

The power of love actually transcends the worlds. When you meditate, or do any spiritual practice, a portion of the merits goes to your ancestors. It is like clearing some debt, giving, or sharing good things that you have. In all religions, when someone departs, there is memorial service. You pray for the departed soul: your prayer, your love touches the other world. So when you meditate, remember, you are not meditating just for yourself but for this world as well as the unseen world. 

When a devotee who is full of love for God engages in any action, that action gains value and becomes the best action. There are those who are valued because of the things they possess, and those who give value to things. The latter are those who really live their life. Mohammed wore a pair of simple shoes and that became valuable. Mahatma Gandhi used just an ordinary staff, but it has a value because he used it. In the same way, what one says is not as important as the state of the person who is saying it. Even a scolding from a wise person is valuable, while praise from a wicked man is of no use. 

When the love that you are is kindled, life itself becomes a scripture, a holy, sacred book. Make your life the Gita, Quran or Bible. And the key to achieving that is divine love! Becoming a devotee who is full of Him, lost in Him.

The art of living

Have a desire in your mind to experience the Divine Light. The higher goals in life can be realized only through a few minutes of meditation and introspection. 

A few quiet moments are a source of creativity. Some time during the day, sit for a few minutes, get into the cave of your heart, eyes closed, and kick the world away like a ball.

But, rest of the time, be 100% attached to your work. Eventually, you will be able to be both attached and detached. This is the skill of living, the art of living.