The Divine Lifestyle (6b)

[Guest guest]

I SHALL NEVER WAVER FROM THE TASKTHAT I HAVE SET OUT TO DO(Chapter 6)- continuation -Hence, the goal must be something steady,

unchangeable and when achieved, must provide greater enthusiasm, energy

and power. It is here one must pause, reflect and see. Assess the

various goals you have had and recall the experiences that you gained

after achieving such a goal. Surely the excitement dimmed and the

enthusiasm waned once the goal was reached. Bored, the mind looks out

of the window, 'What next?' How long more would one want to experiment

the promises the world offers? How long are we going to change our

transient goals?In simple words, Bhagavan pulled off the veil and explains,'God is the goal of life.'(Conversations with Sathya Sai Baba - pg 91)

God

is the goal of life. To this the modern, materialistic enthusiasts will

declare that passive bending to an unseen entity called God, apart from

robbing them of the time which would have been used in meeting

datelines and rushing for meetings, is just a routine chore. To them,

flower offering, camphor showing or burning a candlestick are

expressions of the weak. Such people, in their view, are too feeble to

stand on their own two legs, too fatalistic to develop their own

enthusiastic energy and too conforming to let any creative potential

surge forth. Hence, God is a substitute or a crutch to enable such

people to lean on. The youngsters, seeing only the aged and the old

visit the temples and prayer houses gain immediately an image that

these places are stop-houses for the aged to refuel the waning

inspiration and hope. There are many young adults who offer taxi

services to their parents by dropping them off at prayer halls and

rushing to meet their respective worldly obligations. The parents are

picked up after the prayers. Much as this is an act of service, if only

people can realize that praying and making God a part and parcel of

life can increase productivity. God is the goal and the way itself.

Benjamin Franklin once said, being ignorant is not so much a shame as

being unwilling to learn to do things the right way.Andrew, a

woodcutter, never got a raise despite working for a company for four

years. He was hardworking and duty conscious and always wondered why he

never got a raise. Along came Albert, who within a year, managed to get

a raise. When Andrew complained to the boss, the boss replied that he

paid for productivity and Albert, within a year, had cut more trees

than Andrew. Upon enquiry as to how this could have been achieved,

Albert merely replied that after every time he cut a tree, he rested

for two minutes to sharpen the axe. To keep updating knowledge or to

stop and evaluate one's performance is a critical factor in increasing

productivity. Sharpening our axes must mean to re-check the acquired

skills with changing times or to attend courses and classes to update

with the latest. Contentment breeds complacency. Complacency is death.

Research shows that people seem to age faster after retirement. Once

the sunset of routine enters a life, the thrill of courting challenges

and wooing problems will become no more a sport. Evaluation is a must

and, at every bend we take, it becomes vital to refocus the goal and be

quick to learn and acquire new skills. The only question we must keep

asking ourselves is, 'Is there anything more I should learn?' The

answer shall set one free from the jails of limitations to limitless

potential.Hence, newer lifestyles to face the challenges of

this new age may be the answer. Having God as your goal expands and

enriches one's life.'Few

men in the world are able to recognize what is the primary goal of

life. Many are not even worried about this inability. What is life?

What is the highest goal? Man has to enquire into these basic

questions. Man's highest aim, however, appears to be to obtain food,

clothing, shelter and progeny. All these are, no doubt, necessary to

some extent. But these are related to mere living and have no relation

to the supreme goal of life. Along with leading one's ordinary life,

one has to take note of the great aim of life. Man must recognize the

immense preciousness of human life.'(Sanathana Sarathi December 1993 - pg 329)Hence,

it cannot be emphasized more that the goal of life must be God. This

goal like all other goals that we pursue has different steps to achieve

it.'There

are four stages in the journey towards the goal of seeing and reaching

Him; each one is called a loka, a region which you reach. The first is

avidya loka; the region of ignorance and delusion from which you start,

prompted by the chain of grief and pain it inflicts on you. The second

is the vidya loka - where you penetrate into the vijnanamayakosha, the

intellectual plane and are able to distinguish the true and false, the

kernel and the husk. The third is the anandaloka, where you are

immersed in bliss, at the glimpse of the eternal source of power and

peace. And lastly, you have the go-loka, where Go-pala reigns and all

the Go's (Jivas, sparks from the Divine, waves of the Premasagara, the

Ocean of Love) are one in ecstasy and enlightenment.'(Sathya Sai Speaks Vol VIII - pg 52)

The

child who is enthusiastic about the holiday the father has planned,

cannot sleep and therefore, he will enquire about the trip and provoke

the father to state the highlights of the trip. Likewise, the father in

Swami whilst promising us a wondrous place that awaits us to enjoy,

spells out the entire journey and highlights to us the key destinations

that we will pass. We must begin with ignorance. The urge to make the

travel can only begin in those who first must realize that they are

lost. There are many who are so, but unless this realization dawns,

they will spend unprofitable time in chasing their respective heavens.

The search for light is only for those who realize that they are or

were in darkness. This, in itself, is Grace. Hence, the travel is from

ignorance to knowledge. From vidya (knowledge), knowledge accumulated

from one's own experiences, books and teachers allows one to cross the

wild passionate thought waves to reach the steady and safe domain of

intellect (vijnanamayakosha). The pole vault of intellect pushes one

over the crossbar of limitations and lands him in the beautiful seat of

bliss. Rapture of bliss and total serenity finally opens the final door

and allows him to roam in the atmic splendor.Hence, moving

towards the goal of life, which is God, confers ultimately joy and

happiness. God attaining must mean this. Prayer halls must reflect

purpose than an opportunity to offer flowers and chant prayers. The

gymnasium cannot restore health to mere spectators. The blessings of

health and vitality are for those who dare to walk on the treadmill or

use other machines for exercises. Likewise, devotees must focus on the

purpose why they are in such prayer halls. Commenting on devotees,

finding faults with other people's way of expressing devotion, and

losing faith on some misperceived notions, will alter the focus from

the intended goal. To keep steady the goal in the mind, one must strive

to excel in the world outside. The turtle travels in the ocean but her

thoughts are always on the bank where her eggs have been laid. They are

bound to return to the same spot, months later to hatch their eggs. If

only man, who has his five senses working in the world, follows the

great example of the turtle swimming with five limbs, knows how to

return to the safe banks of God realization, he would be able to hatch

greater achievement in the world.'If

God is on your side, you have the world in your hold. This is the

lesson driven home by the Hindu scriptures. 'Give up all bonds of Right

and Duty; surrender unreservedly to Me; I shall guard you from sin and

liberate you from the sad cycle of 'entrance' and 'exit' upon the stage

of life. You can remain ever in your own Reality of Eternal Calm'.....

you must also see yourself and hear your inner voice, urging you to

discover your own truth. I am prompting you to discover your Reality.

That is My Mission.'(Baba the Breath of Sai - pg 144)A

devotee of any faith will have his chosen Lord do the same for him or

her. This is the grand assurance of Divinity, call it any name, but the

nature is always the same. 'Surrender unreservedly' is the call.

Surrender and to lose even the imperative to question when experiencing

or observing unexplainable phenomenon with the teacher indicates the

hallmark of a devotee. Implicitly to follow the Teacher's words at all

cost is what has been hinted here. The physical instructions from the

Teacher is only the initial crutch. The student while practicing the

teachings, will tame his mind and slowly his own intuition or inner

voice will become the teacher.The capacity never to waver from

a chosen task will confer strength and grace. If the purpose of Man is

to realize his divinity, then every endeavor he undertakes must be done

to invoke greater potential. The truth that Man is God should not be

forgotten. The discovery of the Self is a great adventure within, with

all the roller coaster thrills of bends and twists. The unexpected

events, the miraculous coincidences, the unplanned journey, the

surprise meeting with people who assist you in this journey, the sudden

realization of potentials, the dramatic upheaval of skills within and

the spontaneous burst of creative energy are all manifestations if one

undertakes this journey. Along with this comes the numerous temptations

and bribes as we escalate in our consciousness. The sages in meditation

were often tempted by the dance of the divine apsaras but the ability

to focus on the task undertaken prevented most from side-tracking. Many

pursuing the spiritual path have become victims of temptations.The key to holding on the goal is perseverance. Bhagavan, in one of His discourses, said,'Of

course, the majority of persons get glimpses of wisdom and detachment

of renunciation off and on; but they soon forget the call and ignore it

and cover it by excuses. One step forward and then one step back... the

journey does not take them far. Even if some do take up the sadhana,

steadiness is absent.(Sathya Sai Speaks, Chap 7 - pg 38)Swami

diagnoses the problem so well. The lack of perseverance is the real

cause. In some enthusiasm a project is taken, but gets waylaid as other

obligations summon the attention. Spiritual practices are then

postponed to a later date. Often are heard statements such as 'I will

come after this; I will join this project after I attain that.'

Inconsistency in effort breaks the momentum and often if the spiritual

aspirant returns to the path, he might need greater momentum, and

enthusiasm to restart again.'The

urge to satisfy the lower desires is the root of evil. The impulse

takes hold of you slowly, silently, like a thief in the night...

wickedness has a thousand tricks to capture your heart. You must be

ever alert against the temptation.'(Sathya Sai The Avathar of Love - pg 141)

A

spiritual person must be like a hero. Any task undertaken must be done

well and executed with confidence. Our senses must be disciplined and

should follow the dictates of our conscience and not succumb to

temptations that may arise. Our command in life and strength in our

conviction proceed from conscience. The inner voice has power and

listening to it can move mountains. Hence to achieve this, we must

watch out for the thoughts which will silently creep into your mind and

make you fall for lower temptations. This is the thief, and Bhagavan

therefore again emphasizes the need to be vigilant.'Man

has become a slave to his senses. He is the slave of his senses from

dawn to dusk. Subdued by the senses, which are outside him, how can he

ever hope to conquer the internal organs... it is said 'he who succumbs

to the inner foes can never hope to defeat the enemies outside. Man has

become a victim of his own senses and is subjected to sorrow and

suffering. But he does not enquire into the cause of his sorrow... The

man who has not conquered his mind is man-in-form, but not a

man-in-reality. Only when he controls the mind completely, he can be

called a true man.'(Summer Showers In Brindavan 1993 - pg 79)Control

of senses does not imply great austerity or tapas. It is simple

abstinence from demands of the senses. One good example will be that of

smoking. We do not need to give this up for God but more practically

for our health, as research has already produced volumes of books on

the ill effects of smoking. Consumption of alcohol today has become a

habit. Peer pressure and desire to keep up with the Joneses', the

bottle is picked. Glass after glass, bottle after bottle, the husband

returns home hardly able to recognize his wife and children. Long

unproductive hours in unprofitable conversations accompany this

consumption. The effects on health are multiple especially if injury is

caused to the liver. The habit so ingrained in the sub-conscious

provokes a reflex action of a demand or a need when friends gather. The

mind demands the drink and soon the senses yield. Many families suffer

in silence due to this social evil. This habit has the potential to

diminish the power of conviction and rationale. It is habits of this

nature that must be given up in order to have a firmer grip on the

chosen goal.'The

control of the senses is itself a form of sacrifice which leads to

immortality. Sacrifice of wealth or possessions is no sacrifice at all.

It is the sacrifice of the senses (the desires caused by them) which is

the highest sacrifice. It is the senses that have to be sacrificed, not

the body, which is made up of the five elements and kinds of refuse. It

is attachment to the body that has to be given up. The hold of the

senses has to be reduced. What is the value of all the pleasures you

profess to enjoy? If you cannot sacrifice these trivial and transient

pleasures, how can you experience the bliss of the eternal? If people

cannot give up petty addictions to coffee or betel leaves, how can they

acquire control over the senses? This can be done only through

spiritual sadhana.'(Sanathana Sarathi April 1994 - pg 89)Hence,

the key to maintaining perseverance is the control of senses and this

in itself is a form of sacrifice. Many go to temples to shave their

hair or offer milk to deity, etc., but the real sacrifice is to control

the senses. This is simply done by turning the mind inwards. Vigilance

of the superfluous sensuous thoughts that flow out to the world should

be curbed. This can only be done if one has a higher goal, his control

over senses is stronger and in such case, he will develop greater

perseverance which acts as a trigger to continue his efforts to attain

the intended goal.Have a goal... a high goal and from the

teachings of the Master, it becomes evident that God is the safest bet.

Then, steadily, increase the capacity to focus on the goal. This is

expressed as a constant integrated awareness that He is all around you.'We

become cognizant of the divine through the medium of form. Transition

is made from worship of God in form to worship of the formless

divine... by full adoration of God in form, then seeing that beloved

form in everyone, then God in every place and loving others come

naturally and easily.'(Conversations with Sathya Sai Baba - pg 64)HEREIN

LIES THE KEY TO STAY FOCUSED. TO BECOME AWARE THAT HE IS ALL AROUND AND

IN EVERYONE. THE CAPACITY TO HAVE THIS AWARENESS ALL THE TIME IS THE

KEY TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE GOAL. THE LOVE FOR EVERYONE AS ALL ARE HIS

CREATIONS BECOME THE FUEL OF PERSEVERANCE TO REACH THE DIVINE STATUS...(From : THE DIVINE LIFESTYLE by DR SURESH GOVIND,With the consent of Sathya Sai Central Council of Malaysia)

Visit : Sai Divine Inspirations : http://saidivineinspirations.blogspot.com/ Sai Messages : http://saimessages.blogspot.com/ Love Is My Form : http://loveismyform.blogspot.com/