Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Monday, 18 October 2021
Challenges
Who is a “sat guru”? “Sat” means the absolute and undeniable reality and “guru” refers to one who dispels the darkness. Of what ? The darkness of ignorance of who we are . It has been often said that a guru finds you when you are ready. And this being ready could be the evolution of our soul through multiple lifetimes. It also appears that when you are in need of a guru, you may find one.
Whatever the ways, a guru is one who
activates and guides the spiritual path. This does not happen suddenly unless
it is the grace of the Almighty. We have to keep working on ourselves through a
multilayered pattern of discipline directed to achieve this goal.
A true guru also energises a student to
move ahead without him or her when the time comes and when the ignorance
transforms into knowledge, studied, reflected and meditated on , before
internalising it.
It is serious business because the
transformation is on the gross, subtle and causal aspects of the individual. Today,
an awareness is slowly creeping in , that goodness must be cultivated and
harvested to embark on the path of purity and spiritual awakening. Different
ways are available and any one can help if understood clearly .
Yes, there are challenges in the form of
the many temptations the body and mind can fall prey to. And here is where a
firm resolve that “I know this is good for me and my soul” works wonders.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Transformation
It is amazing how we gradually develop a
lifestyle on how others function and how they want us to function, pretty often
like them, to form a “like minded” group. There is nothing “like minded” about
this, because the urge to belong somewhere takes away the “mind” . Otherwise,
we would not get led away but in fact, would lead ourselves into a more healthy
space.
.. until one fine day,you realise the
futility of it all. But now, it becomes very hard to reverse a road well
travelled , which sadly, never led to the destination that the soul would have
chosen.
It is a misnomer that if we choose over all
health of mind and body as a priority, that we would become isolated. Yes,
there would definitely be habits which would change. But a realignment by the
universe is constantly happening. Everything finds its level if we let
ourselves get help from it.
I am aware that even one habit is difficult
to break. Because it has taken years of a repeated pattern to create it. Our
mind also , along the way, has developed crutches to happiness. It rules us in
a big way and we think WE are taking the decisions . Not so ! We are being led.
This is how , in extreme habit formation, addiction happens. When you can’t do without something because , that “something” gives you a false , temporary feeling of the “feel good” factor . And so, as an example, liquor is taken to relax. Why not meditation ?
Late nights and partying are a symbol of
being cool and feeling happy. Why not getting up early sometimes, and chanting
instead ?
Meeting friends through the day fills our
lives . Why not try being your own friend for a change and contemplating on why
, after all this “full” life, you are not happy still ?
Transformation is difficult because it
results in huge shifts in the mind. Because we actually start controlling it
and taking informed decisions for our lives. There may be a price to pay in
terms of losing some people and some group activities . But, this kind of “
losing” has astounding pluses for the individual…..
What lacks is human will based on awareness
. If I don’t know what is good for me, my life will be over without ever
attempting to see where it could have gone, with a little courage and faith . A
healthy , spiritual life is a choice each one of us makes.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Monday, 11 October 2021
Sunday, 10 October 2021
Observation
In life, we must learn to tread with a lot of awareness. Just as we breathe , so must we understand its value. It is the elixir of life but how much we take it for granted !
Breath awareness each moment can change our
lives. People meditate and notice thoughts reducing over a period of time.
Simultaneously, the breath becomes calm and slow. There is a strong connection
there.
Thoughts leading to restlessness , anger,
and such negativities accelerate the speed of breath and agitated mind results
in an agitated breath.
If you start watching your breath, you
would be in an almost meditative state through the day. Moreover, thoughts
would automatically be controlled and so would emotions.
The trick is to observe everything
happening within : the breath, thoughts , feelings, emotions … everything !
But breath is God. And to feel it each
minute is the answer to many an issue of the mind.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
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