#happythoughts

Am I on the right path or not?

I want the ultimate truth. But, is it really necessary to make so much effort, put the body through so much pain? Isn’t there someone somewhere who can answer all my questions? Something is wrong in all the spiritual practices that are being promoted throughout the world, somewhere there is a missing link.

The primary aim of man is to attain and be established in the original state of being and then operate from that state. Only those answers which serve this purpose are of any value, no matter how many times they are heard or read.

Answers to all questions are available at the very place from where the questions originate. When this secret unfolds, you will be able to get to the core, the source or the centre of your being. Then you will say to yourself, ‘No question has remained a question anymore. I can now get all the answers from within myself.’ Hence, you access tejgyan. Until you can do that, a true spiritual master can provide you the answers or the tejgyan. The purpose of tejgyan is not to impart intellectual knowledge, but to help you access the Self, the existential experience.

Tejgyan is that wisdom which is beyond knowledge and ignorance — the source of all knowledge. Knowing and understanding tejgyan leads to a perfectly integrated life. Tejgyan is that state of wisdom where nothing is concealed, everything can be seen clearly.

People assume that Meera sang the praises of the Lord and attained wisdom. But it was the attainment of wisdom that made her sing with so much devotion. Jesus attained a particular wisdom and acts of kindness automatically followed. Not the other way around. This particular wisdom is tejgyan.

Many truth seekers feel apprehensive about their quest: ‘Am I on the right path or not?’ Often there is a feeling of vacuum inside; something that makes one think, ‘This path that I have chosen is inadequate, there has to be something more to it.’ At times one may ask oneself, ‘Is it really necessary to make so much effort, put the body through so much pain? Isn’t there someone somewhere who can answer all my questions? Something is wrong in all this, somewhere there is a missing link.’

The answer to all these doubts and questions is tejgyan — the truth that is beyond knowledge and ignorance, the truth that can only be experienced. And the missing link is that of ‘understanding’. Understanding leads you to the final truth.

Are you aware of the greatest corruption of all? This is a corruption that goes on throughout the day. This is a corruption that almost all people indulge in. This is the costliest corruption of all. So, what is the greatest and all-pervasive corruption going on from time immemorial? The greatest corruption of all is that the inner mind does not allow self-realisation to occur and continue. The outer mind allows the inner mind to indulge in whatever the inner mind wants to, the consequence of which is that the Self or consciousness does not manifest. Let’s try to understand this deep truth.

Most spiritual seekers focus on giving wisdom to the outer mind. That is not enough to be established in the Truth though wisdom is definitely the starting point. Because the starting point of corruption is not known, the Truth does not manifest in one’s life. Let us see how the greatest corruption of all is perpetrated through an example.

There is a great treasure trove in a forest that has been built over the years. Tribals keep adding to the treasure because of which the treasure has grown. Since there are thieves trying to steal the treasure, a team of father and son have been appointed to guard it together. The father is blind while the son is extremely naive. The blind father has been trained to guard the treasure by using one of the four responses. He can either fire his gun or clap or mouth expletives or shout stop. The problem with this system is that the father, being blind, does not know when to shout stop or fire and when not to. When tribals arrive to add to the treasure, the blind father scares them away by firing or shouting. There are times when thieves arrive and the blind father begins to clap allowing the thieves to rob the treasure. And the son who can see does not even notice all this. All that the son has to do is tell the father to wear his special glasses that helps the father see and give the right response. But being naive, he continues to be ignorant. The result of this blind father and naive son combination is that the treasure has stopped growing and in fact has begun to diminish. This is the greatest scam of all.

The reason it is the greatest scam of all is that the treasure being referred to here is the treasure trove of consciousness that is accessible to one and all, but has begun to diminish. This is the costliest price that humanity is paying because of the blind father and the naive son. The blind father is indicative of the unconscious mind — the inner mind. The naive son signifies the conscious mind — the outer mind.

The outer mind develops much later than the inner mind and that is why the inner mind is more aged in this example. The inner mind begins to develop the moment one is born. It is programmed with fixed responses. Whatever the inner mind learnt as a child, it continues to react accordingly for the rest of the life. That is why it is said to be blind in this example. The outer mind that develops much later is unaware of the workings of the inner mind. The inner mind has to be taught to see. The wisdom of the outer mind has to be increased so that it can help the inner mind to see. Meditation done in the right way can help achieve this. Meditation results in tuning between the inner mind and outer mind. The key is to provide the right meditative practice to the inner mind and the right wisdom to the outer mind. When an improper meditation is taught or when incorrect wisdom is given, it actually adds to the corruption. Ask yourself whether the inner mind and the outer mind are getting the right training. With the right training, it is possible to prevent the greatest corruption and add to the inner treasure.

हम सब पृथ्वी पर अपने-अपने विशेष उद्देश्य लेकर आये हैं| कुदरत हमें अपना लक्ष्य पाने के लिए सदा मार्गदर्शन दे रही है| यदि हमारा चरित्र बलवान होगा तो हम बिना विचलित हुए कुदरत के बताये रास्ते पर सीधे चल पायेंगे वरना हम हर छोटी घटना में लालच, सुस्ती और अज्ञान की वजह से डगमगाकर गिर जायेंगे|

यदि चरित्र मजबूत हो तो जब भी कोई सकारात्मक चीज लक्ष्य अनुसार हमारे पास आयेगी तो हम उसे सही तरीके से और खुले मन से ले पायेंगे| अगर आपने कुदरत से यह प्रार्थना की है कि ‘जो मेरा है, वह मुझे सही दिशा और सही तरीके से मिले’ तो कुदरत की तरफ से आपको वैसा ही प्रतिसाद मिलेगा| आपकी यह प्रार्थना ही आपकी नींव की मजबूती को दर्शाती है| आइये जानें कि अपने चरित्र को कैसे सबल बनाया जा सकता है

न किसी से दबें न किसी को दबायें

चरित्रवान इंसान न दबता है, न किसी को अपने अधीन करता है| अविश्वसनीय होने के कारण लोग दूसरों से दबते हैं या दूसरों का शोषण करते हैं| जो लोग दबते हैं, वे तो अप्रशिक्षित हैं ही मगर जो दूसरों को गुलाम बनाना चाहते हैं, वे भी अप्रशिक्षित हैं क्योंकि जो गुलाम बनाना चाहते हैं, वे नहीं जानते कि किसी को बिना गुलाम बनाये भी उनके काम हो सकते हैं|

दूसरों को गुलाम बनाने की चाहत का एक मुख्य कारण यह है कि हर एक अपने काम का नतीजा चाहता है | इस नतीजे (आउटपुट) पर ही उनकी योग्यता का स्तर आँका जाता है| अपने कार्य का परिणाम दिखाने के बाद ही लोगों को पदोन्नति (प्रमोशन) मिलती है|

लोगों को अपना लक्ष्य प्राप्त करने का यही एक रास्ता दिखायी देता है कि यदि वे सामनेवाले पर दबाव डालेंगे तभी उनके काम समय पर संपन्न होंगे वरना नहीं| जो लोग दबते हैं, वे भी अप्रशिक्षित हैं| वे खुलकर किसी को बता नहीं पाते कि किन कार्यों को करने में वे सक्षम हैं| वे सामनेवाले को स्पष्ट रूप से ऐसा बोल नहीं पाते कि ‘आप सिर्फ हमें जिम्मेदारी सौंपें, हम काम करके दिखाते हैं|’ जब वे अपने दिल की बात कह पायेंगे तब वे लोगों के विश्वसनीय तथा आत्मनिर्भर बन पायेंगे| जो इंसान आज़ाद होना चाहता है उसे यह सोचना चाहिए कि ‘मुझे आत्मनिर्भर बनना है, मैं जो कार्य कर रहा हूँ, अपने बलबूते पर कर पाऊँ, मुझे अपने काम में इतनी कुशलता हासिल करनी है कि मेरा काम देखकर लोगों को लगे कि अब इन पर दबाव डालने की जरूरत नहीं है|’

लोग कई बार बिना प्रशिक्षण के ही ऊँचे ओहदे पर पहुँच जाते हैं| ऊँचे ओहदे की वजह से वे लोगों पर दबाव डालकर अपना काम करवाना चाहते हैं क्योंकि वे दिखाना चाहते हैं कि ‘मैं कितना कार्यक्षम हूँ|’ अपनी कार्यक्षमता को प्रदर्शित करने का यही एक मार्ग उनके पास होता है मगर वे नहीं जानते कि इस तरह लोगों पर दबाव डालकर काम करवाने सेे एक समय ऐसा आयेगा कि उनका पद चला जायेगा या वे वहीं रह जायेंगे जहॉं थे| उनकी कंपनी जहॉं की तहॉं रुकी रहेगी या डूब जायेगी|

अपने आपसे पूछें, ‘मुझ में क्या कमी है, जो लोग मुझे दबा रहे हैं या मैं दूसरों पर दबाव डाल रहा हूँ?’ अपने अंदर की कमियों को पहचानकर उन्हें दूर करने में लग जायें| शिकायत करते न बैठें| कमजोरियों पर काम करना श्ाुरू करें| शायद इसमें साल भर लग जाय तो भी कोई हर्ज नहीं| यदि आप आज से काम जारी करेंगे तो एक साल में आपका उद्देश्य पूरा हो जायेगा|

डर या लालच की वजह से लोग गुलाम बनते हैं या बनाते हैं| डर लगने के बावजूद भी आपको काम तो करना ही है| डर को अपना काम करने दें| डर आपके शरीर द्वारा आपको दिया गया फीडबैक है, जो यह बताता है कि ‘तुम कोई नया काम करने जा रहे हो, जो पहले कभी तुमने किया नहीं है|’ यह कितनी अच्छी बात है कि शरीर अपने अंदर सारे रेकॉर्ड रखता है कि वह कौन सा काम पहली बार कर रहा है, कौन सा काम नया कर रहा है तथा कौन सा काम पुराना है? शरीर द्वारा दिये गये फीडबैक को धन्यवाद दें और खुद से कहें, ‘इसके बावजूद भी मुझे अपना कार्य करना ही है|’

नये प्रयोग के साथ अब आपको अपने मस्तिष्क में नयी फाइल (जानकारी) डालनी है| फिर अगली बार शरीर कहेगा, ‘यह काम तुम पहले भी कर चुके हो, यह कोई नयी बात नहीं है, यह तो तुम कर सकते हो, इस स्थिति को तुम सँभाल सकते हो|’ इस तरह आपका आत्मविश्वास बढ़ता जायेगा|

किसी भी मुकाम पर, कितने भी बड़े शिखर पर आप पहुँच जायें, फिर भी सीखना बंद न करें क्योंकि यही नयी संभावनाएँ खोलेगा| जो निर्माण हो चुका है, पहले उसे समझने पर काम करना है, फिर जिसका निर्माण अभी तक नहीं हुआ है, उसके लिए शरीर को तैयार करना है| चरित्र को मजबूत करने का यह लाभकारी उपाय है|

संतुलित रहें

तबीयत और परिस्थिति के हिसाब से आपको हमेशा संतुलित रहना चाहिए| शरीर को जो आदत आप डालेंगे, उसे वह आदत पड़ जाती है| उसे सुस्ती की आदत डालेंगे तो शरीर सोचेगा कि ‘कैसे मैं काम से बचूँ, कौन सा बहाना बनाऊँ|’ शरीर को सुस्ती की आदत डालने से आप अभिव्यक्ति में कम पड़ जायेंगे| इसलिए यह सोचें कि कौन सी आदत आगे मेरे काम आयेगी, काम न करने की या काम करने की? अपनी तबीयत का खयाल अवश्य रखें| यह एक सूक्ष्म बात (फाइन लाईन) है कि कब तक काम किया जाय और कब आराम किया जाय| दोनों अतियों में जाने से बचें| थकने से पहले आराम करें, सुस्ती आने से पहले काम शुरू करें|

बहुत आराम की आदत पड़ने लगी तो धीरे-धीरे चींटी की रफ्तार से यह आदत बढ़ती ही जाती है| एक साल के बाद आप पायेंगे कि आपके शरीर में तमोगुण पहले से बहुत ज्यादा बढ़ गयाहै| पहले आप जितना काम कर पाते थे, अब उससे आधा काम भी नहीं कर पा रहे हैं| यह आदत आगे जाकर आपको तकलीफ देगी| फिलहाल आप अपने शरीर को इस तरह से प्रशिक्षित करें कि उसे ज्यादा से ज्यादा काम करना अच्छा लगे| अगर आप काम को बोझ समझेंगे तो वह काम आपको थकावट देगा| फिर काम से बचने के लिए कपट शुरू होगा| कपट अपने चरित्र की नींव को हिला देगा| इसलिए काम को बोझ नहीं, अभिव्यक्ति समझकर करें|

स्वप्रशिक्षण लें, ना कहना सीखें

स्वप्रशिक्षण पाने के लिए सदा तैयार रहें| अपने आपको प्रशिक्षण देने का कोई भी मौका न गँवायें| कान को यह प्रशिक्षण दें कि वह कौन सी बात सुने और कौन सी बात अनसुनी करे| आँख को प्रशिक्षण दें कि वह कौन सी पुस्तकें पढ़े, कौन सा साहित्य न पढ़े| जो पुस्तकें हमारी नींव को हिलाती हैं, उनकी तरफ रुख न करें| कंप्यूटर या टी.वी पर ऐसे कार्यक्रम न देखें, जो हमारी नींव हिलाते हैं|

यदि आप गलत लोगों को ‘ना’ नहीं बोल सकते हैं, उन्हें यह बता नहीं सकते हैं कि ‘मैं आपके साथ नहीं आ सकता, मैं यह नहीं कर सकता, मुझे क्षमा करें’ तो आइने के सामने खड़े होकर ‘ना’ कहने का अभ्यास करें| आइने के सामने खड़े होकर वे पंक्तियॉं बार-बार दोहरायें, जो आप लोगों को कहना चाहते हैं लेकिन हिचकिचाहट की वजह से कह नहीं पाते| आप कपटमुक्त रहने और अपनी बात पर अटल रहने का अभ्यास कर अपने चरित्र की नींव मजबूत करें|

All of us often encounter minor or major upheavals in life, whether in our professional, financial, social, emotional, or even spiritual aspects. When confronted with these unexpected events, we unknowingly adopt a victim mindset, attributing our problems to others, external circumstances, or even ourselves. Most of us can relate to this in our own lives, but what we truly seek is the resolution of the problem and a return to a problem-free, happy state of life.

Would problems still be called problems if we could easily cope with them? This implies that how we handle them is what really matters. If we focus on handling the problem, what mindset would be best to cope with it? Would it be a mindset of despair that drains our energy, or one that opens us to all possibilities and aligns us with what we truly want? When we operate from a state of happiness, we open ourselves to a spectrum of possibilities, which in turn allows us to make healthier choices to resolve life’s challenges. This may feel counterintuitive, as it is not our usual approach to dealing with unwanted events.

Let’s explore this with an example from everyday life. Imagine a friend or family member falling ill, and we visit them. We tend to sympathize with their state of health, believing it to be an empathetic expression of love and care. However, this temporary comforting act may unknowingly reinforce a feeling of weakness, low energy, and helplessness in the sick person. What would we truly desire in this situation? That wellness be restored, isn’t it? Yet here, our conditioned response is not aligned with our true desire.

To correct this misalignment, we need to view such events from a positive perspective and respond differently, thus aligning with our ultimate desire for happiness. Can we look at these events from a happy and positive state of mind? The happy state from which we view the problem helps us to cope with and resolve it. In fact, if being positive and happy is not our default state, adopting such a state becomes even more important in order to handle these challenges. This counterintuitive approach is akin to doing a favor for ourselves and others around us. So, let us harbor feelings of happiness while seeking to resolve these so-called problems of life.

Practically speaking, empathizing with the sick or suffering person is comforting, but it shouldn’t lead one to succumb to self-pity or a victim mindset. When we maintain a happy state of mind, even if we don’t overtly express it, it helps others remain open and allows the best outcomes to emerge. Happy people are the ones who find the best solutions to life’s events.

Our attitude in life is very important. Happiness is our innate state, but untoward life events disrupt it. Our journey toward regaining this state is to use happiness itself as the means to return to it! Thus, this state is both the path and the destination. Hence, be happy as you face a problem—that’s the magical way to resolve and dissolve it.

Seeker: What is the definition of spirituality and how far is it required in life?

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditation is a gateway to the source of love, joy and peace within you. In meditation, you just need to be present in the state of beingness. The real essence of meditation is beingness that transcends all states. The real goal of meditation is to permanently abide in the experience of pure consciousness and express the divine qualities of unconditional love, boundless joy and peaceful stillness through the human body.

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Our mind indulges into negativities in the external world and constantly pulls our attention away from the source of love, joy and peace, which is within us. We need to quiet our mind and shift our focus inward on the Source of love, joy and peace within us.

You would have seen toddlers who play with their toys, scatter them, or even break them. They make a mess all around the place. However, when the child goes to sleep, the child’s mother neatly puts everything back in order. How did the child help the situation? The child helped by keeping quiet and sleeping. It allowed the mother to step in and restore order.

In the same way, you can help the universe to restore the divine flow of love, joy and peace in your life by quieting your mind through meditation. Thus, learn the art of meditation. Meditation is a gateway to the source of love, joy and peace within you.

When you watch your attention through meditation, you reach a no-mind state, an experience of pure consciousness. This is the inner source of love, joy and peace. Your outer world only reflects your inner world. When you connect to the Source through meditation and abide in its experience, your life automatically reflects it through the expression of health, wealth, loving relationships, abundance, creativity, compassion, simplicity and ease in the external world.

When you are in meditation, the states of mind may alter or various experiences would occur on the body, but meditation has nothing to do with that. These experiences are temporary, illusionary and they shall pass. If this is the case, then what is that which is true, permanent and remains unchanged?

The real essence of meditation is beingness that transcends all states. At Tej Gyan Foundation, we understand that we simply cannot conceptualize this formless experience with words or thoughts, as the experience of our being transcends the realm of mind to which thoughts and words belong.

Your experience of ‘being’ never changes, yet it is ever fresh and new. It never goes anywhere. Actually, meditation is not separate or distinct from you. This state of beingness is who you truly are. That state is meditation. In other words, you are meditation (though, at first, this may sound strange). Meditation is the experience of the real Self, the real ‘I’. This may also be referred to as the Source, Consciousness, God, Allah, Christ, Self-witness, or Pure Awareness. Whatever name we use, meditation is our essential nature.

Source or Consciousness is the living, sentient principle that dwells within and around each and every living being. It is only due to the presence of Consciousness, the knowing principle, that our eyes can see, ears can hear, and tongue can taste. Consciousness is equivalent to the electricity lighting a bulb. There is no use of a bulb without electricity. Similarly, the body-mind mechanism comes alive due to the presence of Consciousness. Consciousness enlivens the mind. Thoughts arise due to the presence of Consciousness.

The purpose of meditation is to experience the real ‘I’, the universal Self, which transcends all concepts, words, thoughts and forms. When you meditate with this purpose, you realize your oneness with the universal Self through the direct experience of your true nature.

If you believe that whatever is inside your skin is “I” and everything outside your skin is not “I”, then meditation breaks this false belief.

The real goal of meditation is to permanently abide in the experience of pure consciousness and express the divine qualities of unconditional love, boundless joy and peaceful stillness through the human body.

One may ask, “How can I experience this state of beingness? How can I meditate?” The answer is ‘by doing nothing and not doing nothing.’ It is beyond ‘doing’ and ‘non-doing’ where we just need to be present; nothing else. However, for many people, even doing nothing seems very difficult. They ask, “How can I do nothing?”

This is like asking, “How can I fall asleep faster?” Of course, other than just lying down, we need to do nothing to sleep. If we try hard to sleep, it will simply elude us. In the same way, during meditation, we only need to be present and witness everything that arises. ‘Meditation’ may sound like a process or an activity, something we have to ‘do’. However, meditation is not separate or distinct from our true nature, since the essence of meditation is ‘beingness’ that exists beyond thoughts.

Seeker: Is self-realization the ultimate goal of life or is there anything beyond?

Sirshree: Before answering the question, it is important to know your understanding of self-realization. One day a seeker experiences a deeply profound meditative state. He is in a no-mind state for quite some time. It is an experience of self-realization. Somebody experiences oneness with the universe when he is on a nature trail. He experiences that he is no longer a separate entity. It is an experience of self-realization. It can be said that self-realization is just the beginning. Self-stabilization is the goal. Self-realization is experienced only when the interfering and comparing mind (termed as the contrast mind) disappears. But what happens after that experience? The mind emerges again and takes credit for the experience saying, ‘I performed meditation, I attained this deeply profound state and experienced realization.’ The mind does not have the understanding that it is not the one that has experienced that state. On the contrary, it was when the mind was not there that the Self experienced itself. Self-stabilization is when the mind does not emerge later. Self-stabilization means remaining stabilized in the experience of Self or Being, or constantly abiding in the truth. It is not just a one-time experience. That is why it is said that self-realization without understanding is futile. The importance of guru is that he ensures that you progress from self-realization to self-stabilization, which is the ultimate goal. Self-stabilization is the basic purpose of life and the prerequisite is the surrendering of the contrast mind. It can be said that self-realization is just the beginning. Self-stabilization is the goal.

Seeker: What happens after self-stabilization? I am a little confused between self-realization and self-stabilization.

Sirshree: Along with self-stabilization occurs self-expression. It is expression of the Self through the body-mind mechanism to fulfil its true potential. On attaining self-stabilization at the age of 35, the Buddha continued to spread the message of truth till the ripe age of 80. This is self-expression where his body was used by the Self to express itself after attaining self-stabilization. This self-stabilization and self-expression are the ultimate goals. If you are confused with the word self-stabilization, then you can call experiences on the path as self-realizing experiences and the goal as self-stabilization. Hence the understanding of self-realization is most important. If self-realization is seen as self-stabilization, then it is the goal. If you see it as a one-time experience, then it is just the beginning.

Seeker: After self-realization, what changes take place in our lives?

Sirshree: After self-realization, what happens is not change, but transformation. Transformation is a total, paradigm shift. For example, when a person begins to climb a ladder to reach the terrace, he moves from the first step to the second. This is a change. But he is still on the ladder. When he moves from the second step to the third, he is probably able to get a better view of the terrace. However, he still continues to be on the ladder. This is what is called ‘change’. When the person moves from the ladder to the terrace, it is a shift or transformation. When there is only a change, ignorance continues to exist, because you are still at the level of the mind. In the case of transformation, it is not change or alteration, but the whole frame or structure of the programmed mind is shattered and you are directly on the terrace (the Self). Let us try to understand this further. Suppose you are sitting in a room and there is a pillar blocking your view. Changing your view means getting up and sitting at another place within the same room. Moving out of the room and getting into the helicopter to get the complete view of the room is called a shift or transformation. Self-realization is this shift or transformation, and not merely change.