WAYS TO SPIRITUALISATION – 4

[Guest guest]

WAYS TO SPIRITUALISATION – 4 True and sincere surrender unto the Lord is the essence of bhakti (God‑love). "I am Thine. All is Thineâ€. “Thy will be done, my Lord." This is the best Saranagati Mantra or prayer (of self-surrender). Seek His will. Do His will. Surrender to His will. You will become one with the cosmic will. Hatha yoga is mainly concerned with the physical body and the pranamaya sheath. It prepares the aspirant for raja yoga. Hatha yoga deals with the practice of asanas, pranayama, bandhas and mudras. It treats of sad kriyas too. It gives splendid health removes various sorts of diseases and awakens the kundalini. The practice of yoga asanas bestows mental poise. If you practise asanas for even ten minutes daily, you will derive immense benefits. Be regular in the practice of asana ‑ This is important. Sirsasana bestows brain‑power and develops the intellect and the memory. It is useful in maintaining brahmacarya (celibacy). It cures many diseases. Sarvahgasana gives longevity and makes the spine elastic. Be steady in your asana. Gradually try to sit on one asana for three hours at a stretch. Regulate and restrain the breath, through the practice of pranayama (yoga breathing). Withdraw the senses from the object. Now you will be able to practise concentration and meditation. Regularity in the practice of concentration is of paramount importance. For success in brahmacarya (celibacy) intensify your japa (repetition of God's name) and meditation. Keep up constant mental repetition of the Lord's name, even during your work. Have three sittings for meditation ‑ morning, evening and night, just before going to bed. Vairagya is dispassion, desirelessness or nonattachment. Vairagya liberates man from bondage. Vairagya is the foremost virtue. Look into the defects of sensual life. Live in the company of saints. You will develop vairagya. Vairagya is born of discrimination. It will help you and will be permanent. Without vairagya, not even an iota of spiritual progress is possible. Mind is the atma‑sakti (power of self). It is the dividing wall between the individual soul and the supreme soul . Mind creates this universe. It is the principle of thinking and sensation. It is a bundle of vasanas (habit patterns), thoughts, likes and dislikes. Slay the mind through destruction of the vasanas in Brahma‑vicara and attain self‑realisation. Egoism is your arch enemy. It is born of ignorance. The real secret of divine life is only in the renunciation of this dire egoism. The tree of egoism can be destroyed by the fire of wisdom only. These are the ways to control the senses. Cultivate dispassion or non‑attachment to objects; practise pratyahara (or withdrawal) and self‑restraint. Give up love or hate for objects. You can control the senses and the mind. It is better to practise concentration on one form of God and to repeat one mantra (mystic formula). Concentration will thereby be greatly increased. If the mind wanders bring it back again and again to the form.

Practise a little pranayama (yoga breathing). It will steady the mind. Observe mauna (or silence) for two hours. It will conserve energy and produce more concentration.

Tonight's top picks. What will you watch tonight? Preview the hottest shows on TV.