Remedial Measures - From a Spiritual Perspective

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Remedial Measures

From a Spiritual Perspective

 

By Das Goravani

 

 

Remedial Measures means taking steps to alleviate something

we don't desire to experience. This is a complex subject because of the

complexity of the components of this endeavor, which includes:

-the identity of the seer or native, who wishes to alleviate

something

-the thing wishing to be improved or changed

-the motivation for such a desire

-the nature or the identity of the cause of the negative

-the negative itself, and it's necessity in their life

already (or it's place in their lesson set)

-the practice, technique or structure of the remedial

measure and even more things...

So there are many factors to examine and question here.

In some cases of consciousness, the mere thought of "remedial

measure" becomes difficult to believe, such as in the case of the absolutist

vision of the necessity and perfection of karma itself, which is arguably

the highest vision to hold, in which case, no such measure are desired

or

believed in at all.

Perhaps better than that is when the seer believes that

the penultimate remedial measure is either complete disassociation with

the cause of the connection of the seer to the karma, as in the case of

those philosophically tracking with Adi Sankaracarya.

Similar to that is how it is with those tracking with

Vaishnava thought Acaryas, who recommend seeing all such negative karmas

as perfect mercy for our detachment from matter, and who thus use only

attachment to Vishnu Bhakti as the one and only necessary remedial measure,

and thus, use elements of such Bhakti as their only measure, doing more

sadhana, doing more praying, etc., in all negative cases in life. This

is why advanced Vaishnavas for example hardly care about their charts or

dashas etc., except in a whimsical passing fashion like a pastime for fun

or passing interest.

Then there are those who are seeing on the platform of

Karma Khanda, or Mimansha, and other karmic operating philosophical views,

and these persons (which include most Westerners) have so many options

to look into. This is where we usually discuss on this list- from the level

of "it's my karma, and I can change it myself through thought, action,

puja, yoga, etc.".

Many of the advanced Jyotishis on this list and elsewhere

are halfway or more involved in one of the two first mentioned philosophical

paths, knowingly or unknowingly, and thus we sometimes see that responses

from them are mixed between karmic corrective methods, and the methods

coming from their higher philosophical views, which are growing in them.

At the time of death, there isn't much time left to arrange

for yagyas. So, many materially based measures are dependent upon a certain

set of material conditions in order to be started or carried out. Thus,

they are by definition of the material plane more so than say prayer.

The ultimate measure is an attitude adjustment. Indeed,

a Saint is a person who primarily has a different attitude and belief about

life than a regular person. It's not so much what they do, puja, yagya,

etc., so much as how they think and feel spontaneously, all the time. Saints

have

no problem with negativity's. This is one of their hallmarks.

They are "surrendered" to Divine Will. Whereas, the normal person, is not,

and try's to fix perceived negativity's in various ways.

So the ultimate remedial measure is the one that removes

us from interest in the negativity's at all.

For the attached person, remedial measures are the most

interesting.

Generally, a remedial measure consists of appeasing a

Planetary God who is currently poised in this life to do negative harm

to the positive material life of the native. So, some authorized puja or

yagya is performed in honorific fashion of the God involved, and the native

is the beneficiary. It's basically like filling out a "mercy request application"

and submitting it. That's what a yagya essentially is. The priests are

helping you to "fill in the form" in the proper way. In this sense, the

puja or yagya is the "proper form" to fill out, "the one that will be heard"

in the heavens.

However, karma is very balanced to begin with. So, if

you try to change one side, it won't work unless you change the other.

For example, you cannot kill your neighbors and expect them to like you.

So, if you want their forgiveness for past aggressions, it's best to stop

aggressing. So with our karma, if we wish to remove the

RE-ACTION

we have to also remove the original cause or

ACTION

that causes the reaction.

This is generally the case.

If one just removes the ACTION, then the RE-action will

also dissipate

in due order.

So therefore the most thoughtful of all persons will recommend

always soul searching for your inner connection to the action itself, and

then removing that with means of inner work, one then removes the re-action

as well. This is going on in all of us always. When we try to exercise

for example, we are hoping for a certain result, but really what we're

doing is trying to remove the action or element in us of laziness, and

as laziness goes on every cell level in us, then our body visibly transforms

externally, and we achieve the result our attachment wants. But what

really happened was through tapasya and austerity (the exercise) we changed

our inner nature on the bodily level, and thus we got the fruit of a transformed

body.

On a very subtle level, if one feels that a planet overall

is harming them repeatedly throughout life, they may wish to apply for

a "break" from that God, through Yagya. Japa is also a yagya, as are many

other practices one can do for free, for oneself.

Yesterday I received an email from Richard Brown, head

of a Gemological Study group here on Earth, who is also a Gem Dealer. Richard

is always pushing the science of Jyotish forward, especially in relation

to Gems and these types of matters in general. So he has published on his

website a listing of the 108 names of each planet. One

can chant the names of the planet(s) they wish to appease. I personally

think this is a very HIGH way of remedial measure, with maximum potent

effect.

Sound is very powerful and subtle. Chanting the names

of a planet with whom you are currently misalligned is certainly the quickest

way to realign oneself properly with that division of Gods energies.

I noticed for example that one of Ketu's names is "Bhakta

Rakshaka". This stood out to me as it was the name of my Gurudev as well,

or his was Bhakti Rakshaka, or the protector of Bhakti. Bhakta Rakshaka

means the "Guardian of the devoted". So, Ketu protects the devoted. If

someone is misaligned with Ketu, they therefore may not be very well aligned

with protection of the devoted persons. They may not therefore properly

understand devotion. Chanting this mantra will help them to accept devotion

and devotees as something needing protection. This will help their heart

for example.

I highly believe mantra is the most powerful of practices.

It is practical, and can be started even with a hardened heart. It is not

something you have to be qualified to do, you just have to do it. It's

free, Vedic without question, harmless without question,

and if done sincerely, possibly the most fruitful of all attempts.

Krishna also says that if we devote ourselves to getting

fruits from the Gods, like removal of bad karma, we will quickly get results.

He implies this is done as a part of nature to increase one's faith and

involvement in the process of reciprocating with Gods in general but that

the ultimate problem and need of the soul is a little higher than that

preoccupation. After all, generally speaking, we are, with "remedials"

aiming to fix something in one life, and not trying to fix the whole process

of our involvement with matter, which is spoken of in Gita and Bhagavatam

as something higher than pursuing "fixing this one life".

I personally am not able to sort out all these things

so well personally. It's a huge mess, this science of life. Wow. However,

the basic inner attitude of service, surrender, and detachment from specific

desires is I find always helpful in tolerating life in

a more positive way.

For a person on an expansive karmic path, that is, one

who is seeking still fulfillment of desires in this world, there is not

choice but to make deals with Gods, through remedials, and try to move

on towards one's goal. The retractive or exiting path is different, in

which case one seeks to improve their tolerance of what is, rather than

trying to change it. This is why we hear of lepers who "put the worms back

into their wounds when they fall out onto the ground". When we hear of

such things, we know we are dealing with a person who is of the mind that

they are leaving this plane. They have little interest left in maintaining

body and soul together for some material aim.

Hinduism can be very confusing in this way, as there are

teachers and preachers on many different levels of realization.

Therefore, before proceeding with such a discussion, it

is good to nail down a few things, namely, what do you believe, and what

is your honest hope and aim. These will at least establish which field,

plane, or level you are operating on truly, and thus you can make real

progress forward from that point honestly, and will more likely find your

way to the practices which really work for where you're really at.

Like if one is out and out materialistically aiming, and

really doesn't have interest or time for liberation, surrender, devotion,

etc., then yagyas and pujas you pay others to do on your behalf may be

the best option, along with Gems, etc. These are things that don't necessarily

require a change of heart, but which may align you in a subtly mechanistic

way with higher forces. Yogic practices were supposedly used by "Rakshashas"

in scriptures to achieve their aims, though they were opposed to Vishnu's

dominion in general. So the Vedas seem to imply that even evil person can

use yoga, yagya, yantra, tantra, etc., in order to improve their experience

in the material energy. I believe this is so, knowing God to be such an

unbiased provider of whatever we desire.

So by applying in a sincere way, usually results can be

had. Even those who are essentially materialistic will be "heard" if they

perform such applications for alleviation of negatives. This is Krishna's

implied promise. So go for it, by whatever means makes the most sense to

you.

Know that Yagya is essentially formed by proper mantra

chanting. So again, mantra chanting is such a potent force. Then with that

use the directions, the days of the week, the hours of the day, and so

on, all related to the planet(s) in question. Articles and artifacts, mantras,

directions, times, and so on, are what make up yagya.

If you were going to "get a loan" from a bank, you would

"dress up" before going to the bank, in order to "show them you're worthy"

of the loan, and able to "handle repayment". Yagya is like that-

you dress up, you gather the articles of your application, things that

prove you are ready for the change or loan, and then you make your application,

and hope for the right result. If it is not granted, you try again later

after re-gathering the same things, but maybe hopefully in a little

better way this time around. So you try, try, try again,

to get what you want.

Or you back off and try to go with the flow of your karma

without changing it. Yoga is more so this approach in general. Yoga is

more a process of working with, rather than changing.

Since most of us are mixed between karmic and devotional

paths and methods indeed, so therefore some of each may seem to be the

right mix to propel us forward nicely, i.e., a gem may help with things

which help with devotion, which helps with the other, and thus they yin

yang together in an upward spiral. Eventually, some practices are left

off in one's life as it improves, and others are taken up. Progressive

and positive spiritual movement forward will be the result of the right

mix. Our mood should improve. That is the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim

is "happiness at all times" or at least a peacefulness filling the consciousness,

despite all circumstances.

I hope I am somewhat correct in this forward attempt at

explaining this subject according to my learning thus far. I am humble

that I may need correction on many levels.

 

peace...

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