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The Science of Spirituality

<p>Daaji encourages us all to take a scientific approach to spirituality.</p>

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From the desk of Daaji

<h3>Message, 28<sup>th</sup> September 2016, New York, USA</h3>
<p> I would like to draw your attention to certain trees. There are trees that grow tall, sturdy and strong, like mahogany, oak and acacia: you cannot cut them easily. Compare them to chikoo and mango, which are very tender and their wood is not strong, yet they yield the most beautiful fruits. In nature, this tenderness is required to bring about sweetness in life. The sturdier trees with hard wood do not have praiseworthy fruits. </p>
<p> Observe the mighty and tall standing trees falling in the wake of a tornado, but see the humble blade of grass! It is the softness of the heart that makes it droop with reverence, and humility has a chance to sing the songs of sweetness! What can a bitter and arrogant heart sing? It can only hurt others. </p>
<p> At the human level, look at men and women. Study our scenario. Women are more loving and tender. It is love that makes them tender. It is arrogance and ego that makes us harsh. What do our sisters yield? They keep humanity and the race alive through their tenderness and love; come what may, they go through it all with tolerance and acceptance. It is that inherent nature given by God that is bestowed lavishly on them. </p>
<p> If we have this love, tenderness, softness and suppleness in our heart, we can become so creative. We will be able to propagate humanity to a different level, which Pujya Shri Babuji calls “The new human race in the offing.” How? By educating ourselves through intense practice with a lot of love, a lot of dedication and a lot of passion. Even when no one is around us, let the heart remain imbued with love, remain absorbed in love. </p>
<p> Think of a beautiful rose flower that remains drenched with its own nectar, its very own fragrance, its very nature which fills the air. Without this fragrance, a rose is no rose. Without love in the heart, we humans have to struggle to become true human beings. Despite having some love in the heart, we make the mistakes of investing this love in smaller projects, in smaller circles, restricted often within a narrow range, and we miss out on the broader scheme of making it universal. So the flow of the river of love remains stagnant in our backyard. Let us ensure that this river of love reaches the Ocean. </p>
<p> One quality stands out par excellence in this respect: humility in our interactions with others. </p>
<p> Humility is like a vacuum; it creates a spiritual vacuum in us. Only then are we able to imbibe transmission. If we say we are perfect, the vacuum is already full and nothing else can fill it up, so Grace will never descend. It will be like an inverted pot; Grace will fall on the pot, no doubt, but it will never be absorbed. In order for that pot to be empty and receive, in order for our heart to remain empty and receive, we must have humility. Humility will attract Grace from the Master. </p>
<p> In his message from the Brighter World on Tuesday, 5<sup>th</sup> March 2002, Pujya Shri Babuji says, </p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px"> <strong><em><span style="color: #c99120">“The humblest creature, the most self-effacing one, can lead a richer life than a king.”</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></strong> </p>
<p> Let us also revisit the message from Pujya Shri Babuji given on 30<sup>th</sup> April 1982 at Surat: </p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px"> <span style="color: #c99120"><strong><em>“… If we consider ourselves great, we put up a wall to that Greatness where we have to arrive. We create bondage, so to say, that becomes an obstruction on the path. What’s the harm! When we assume greatness, we start considering others as low (insignificant). Now that path which we have to trudge, also gets closed; and we are wholly lost to all intents and purposes. Somebody takes it in his mind that he excels someone else in some particular way. That assumes various forms, and we strengthen egoism for nothing, without getting anything in return. We blow our own trumpet in our own thoughts, and lose a lot in the process. …”</em></strong></span> </p>
<p> We all have our individuality for which we are grateful to the Lord. But to remain egoistic is akin to insulting ourselves and, ultimately, God. </p>
<p> When love shines supreme in the meditating heart, whatsoever it may touch is alchemized. Inwardly remaining meditative and externally remaining focused on our mundane work, our inner loving state transforms the very nature of work we are attempting to perform. Even so-called emotional toxins are transformed when we are meditative. Greater understanding develops that can transform the <em>vishayas</em>, the toxins, into nectar. Heart becomes like a prism, through which anything that passes becomes nectar. </p>
<p> Instead of responding to revenge with revenge, or anger with anger, imagine the very instinctual nature responding to such revenge and anger with compassion and love. Imagine if we prick a cat’s tail, and instead of pouncing that very cat starts to display a different response, one of indifference or a happy miaow! We would be surprised to see such a cat! We can try to transform ourselves so as to become instinctively responsive with love and a smile, or with a little joke, instead of responding with sarcasm and insults. </p>
<p> No doubt, the energy arising out of anger is unique, and anger cannot be destroyed, as Pujya Shri Babuji puts it. But surely the energy can be transformed into compassion if we only allow a few seconds of pause, and reflect and apply understanding with wisdom. So here, instead of instinctively responding with anger, in a state of love instinctively the response is coloured with compassion. Is this not evolution? </p>
<p> Is it too much of a challenge for the meditative mind to arrive at such a sublime state? Don’t you think that if we wish that, “Yes, I would like that to happen,” our beloved Master Chariji will help us achieve that? When he is there to support us, why do we think twice? Will he just remain a silent witness to our struggles to improve? </p>
<p> What I have understood from our beloved Master’s talks, which were released in the book <em>Love and Death</em>, is as follows. To me this is the essence of the whole series of talks: </p>
<p> To love is to efface oneself from the glitch of ego. The lower self must be effaced, so in a way it is one kind of annihilation. Friendship must ripen into love, love must ripen into adoration, adoration into worship, worship into surrender and then the extinction of the self, the death of the little ‘me’. Truly, when we love, we seek only the Beloved, we think only of the Beloved. Only the Beloved exists, we don’t. It is love that ennobles this bond. Love is all about giving and giving. It is never about taking. When this love dissolves into another, another likewise dissolves into the lover. Both are dissolving into each other. This is the ideal relationship with the Lord. He, our Lord, is always loyal. We have to make ourselves loyal and worthy. The entire preparation or the journey is only towards this, to become worthy of His love. </p>
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Let Love Shine Supreme

Meditation

Bhupinder Aulakh

Sree ishwar

Jayanti Bhat

K Sasheendran

Swaroopa

Shiva Prasad MB

Janani

Anita Gandhi

<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Meditation is a process to create a meditative state within us that manifests our heart’s intrinsic goodness. </em> <em>This expression of goodness makes peace dynamic and life-affirming, and in its wake, brings unity and harmony to this world.</em> </p>
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<p>Thirty-five years ago, the countries of the United Nations announced the annual International Day of Peace to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace. That declaration said that since wars began in the minds of men it was in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.</p>
<p> Despite the awareness that peace must first be conceived within the individual for it to endure everywhere—from the inner life to the outer—deep-rooted passions still provoke heady disputes within and around us, plaguing us, our relationships and even nations in their affairs.</p>
<p> How do we acknowledge and resolve our differences in mutual respect and humility, when beliefs, especially those that we cherish, are contested by trying circumstances and people? There is a way.</p>
<h3></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Why do we meditate?</h3>
<p>Often people ask out of curiosity, “Why do you meditate?”</p>
<p>I may answer, “To regulate the mind.”</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-medium" src="https://hfn-strapi-bucket.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/de_mys_ti_fying_meditation4_e5aeae1434.jpg?updated_at=2022-11-17T12:28:23.342Z" alt="3" width="207" height="300"></p>
<p>“Why do you need to regulate the mind?”</p>
<p> “To attain a state of peace.” </p>
<p>“But what will you do with a regulated mind, with the stillness and calmness that exists within you when you meditate?” </p>
<p>This is a wise and stimulating line of inquiry. </p>
<p>What <em>can</em> we do with that meditative experience that helps us to rise above fickle tempers and ascend the pedestal of a steady and unruffled peace? </p>
<p>A lot is possible. </p>
<p> When peace prevails within us, and our hearts are serene and content, can we fight with one another? When we are in a calm state and we interact with family and community members, co-workers and strangers, are we not more considerate of their worries, their troubles and also kinder in our response? When we read a book in a tranquil state, will we not understand its message better?</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">From Meditation to Meditative state</h3>
<p>Meditation, understood properly, is a process to create a meditative state. Once this meditative state is achieved, where there is serenity, calmness and peace, we are able to manifest the intrinsic <span style="color: #baa73d;"><a style="color: #baa73d;" href="https://www.daaji.org/the-intrinsic-goodness-of-the-heart/">goodness </a></span>of our heart. This expression of our heart’s goodness makes peace more dynamic and life-affirming, and, in its wake, brings unity and harmony to this world.</p> <img class="size-medium alignleft" src="https://hfn-strapi-bucket.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/de_mys_ti_fying_meditation2_e2a15e0d2e.jpg?updated_at=2022-11-17T12:28:23.488Z" alt="6" width="207" height="300">
<p>A peaceful and meditative heart easily distinguishes what is good for all, detects the cause behind an action and its effect, and screens our future actions by adjusting our erratic tendencies. </p>
<p>But when we don’t attempt to manifest our heart’s intrinsic goodness, even meditation itself can become a bondage and weigh down the expansion of our consciousness. I believe this happens because when we experience a profound contact with the quiet inner life during meditation, we want that experience repeated, intensified and to last longer the next time we meditate.</p>
<p> Caught up in liking and disliking experiences, we form a bondage that limits our consciousness. In fact, in order to expand our consciousness, what we do with our experience in meditation matters as much as observing and learning from our experience. </p>
<p> If we meditate, feel peaceful and simply stop at that, it is, to say the least, a self-centered pastime. The aim is to go beyond a day of peace for ourselves—and others! All the same, how can we step beyond the everyday, every-minute fears, prejudices and ego outbursts that numb our heart’s goodness?</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">What evolves when we meditate?</h3>
<p>The laws of morphological evolution do not generally permit the physical body to evolve quickly. So what is evolving when we expand our consciousness through meditation? </p>
<p>It is the mind, intellect and ego, which have their existence in consciousness. Consciousness is like a canvas to a painter and on this canvas the play of the mind, intellect and ego is <span style="color: #baa73d;"><a style="color: #baa73d;" href="http://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/the-evolution-of-consciousness-part-2/">orchestrated</a></span> daily.</p> <img class="alignright size-medium" src="https://hfn-strapi-bucket.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/de_mys_ti_fying_meditation3_f13025dbbc.jpg?updated_at=2022-11-17T12:28:23.490Z" alt="10" width="207" height="300">
<p>Over time, a fervent, joyful practice of meditation regulates the mind, so that it goes from a restless, turbulent state to stillness and one-pointed attention. The intellect becomes more heart-based, guided by the heart’s intrinsic goodness. </p>
<p>Ego is often seen as the bad guy in almost all traditions, but it’s an essential element of an active mind. It’s responsible for the doing, thinking function, and we need it in every aspect of daily life. </p>
<p>Ego gives us our identity but, like gravity, can also keep us overly self-centred. As a result of meditation, the ego is refined so that the heart is able to expand into a generous and altruistic state. </p>
<p>Indeed, it would be wonderful to display the efficacy brought about by this meditation practice. What is the result? An evolved state of consciousness where the expression of the heart’s goodness is automatic and global peace is the natural choice. </p>
<p>The knowledge of peace thus acquired by direct experience in meditation allows neither doubt nor contradiction to how precious peace is for human potential to flourish. </p>
<p>On the contrary, knowledge of peace without inner experience puts up a well-intentioned but anemic defence in the face of chronic tribulations, and then the worthy goal of peace among nations aborts. </p>
<p>Heartfulness meditation is fully geared towards the evolution of consciousness to the highest level, within the demands of daily life. And this is achieved with a short heart-based meditation in the morning, aided by transmission; a shorter unwinding in the evening to remove daily stress, known as cleaning; and prior to bedtime, a prayerful entreaty that allows you to heed the heart’s wise and unceasing <span style="color: #baa73d;"><a style="color: #baa73d;" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/heartfulness-how-to-put-y_b_9822716">guidance</a></span>. </p>
<p>In the end, here is something to think about more deeply: Will I be at peace when I know my family is not at ease? Will I be at peace when my city is safe but my neighboring town is afflicted with some deadly disease? </p>
<p>World peace is possible only when all are at peace. Individual peace precedes the group dynamics. Per contra, what if the whole world is at peace and I am not! One individual at a time …</p>
<hr>
<p>Also Avaiable in: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/demystifying-meditation_b_12052748"><img class="alignnone" src="https://hfn-strapi-bucket.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/hfp_1_9957ea922c.png?updated_at=2022-11-17T12:38:58.277Z" alt="HFP" width="239" height="45"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/demystifying-meditation_b_12052748">http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/demystifying-meditation_b_12052748</a> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.speakingtree.in/slideshow/demystifying-meditation-647329"><img class="size-full alignnone" src="https://hfn-strapi-bucket.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/spt_8cd4bb21b9.png?updated_at=2022-11-17T12:38:58.237Z" alt="SPT" width="216" height="30"></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.speakingtree.in/slideshow/demystifying-meditation-647329">http://www.speakingtree.in/slideshow/demystifying-meditation-647329</a> </p>
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