AwarenessArticle #27

Mind Mirror

Let us see what Swami wrote on the other side of the paper:

Mind mirror

Reflects distorts and expands

Tensed Situation (film speed–entertainment–Road-movement,

business, pollution

Exaggerated reaction for trivial things (shopping)

Thought behaviour way of living

Ancestors went to the forest for peace we can’t go 2/3 forest

wasteland) So retreat into yourself

Ananda madi Rasa–anxiety

Holistic health approach relax take stock of situation

X Breath watch for rootsand tension

LaughingSinging playing with children

g g g

Swami shows the different ways the mind mirrors things and situations. When

we see an event, the mind mirror reflects in a twisted or enlarged way,expanding a

situation. The mind is unable to show things as they are.

Let us see an example. Two people see an incident. One perceives all as quite

ordinary. The other makes it big, blowing itallout of proportion. His mind expands or

twists it. This is what is called Maya in spirituality. Let us see an exampleof this. Inside

'Sathya Sai Speaks', volume9, page 49 I read:

Though the Ganga is a river that is holy every yard of its long journey to

the sea, some spots on the banks, like Rishikesh, Haridhwaar, Kaashi,

Prayaag, etc., are specially surcharged with spiritual vibrations that help

the saadhaka to cleanse his consciousness, in all its levels.

Each place has its peculiar vibrations, which affect the occupant. A noted

dacoit had built for himself a hide-out in the remote recess of a jungle; two

persons, a man and wife, caught in terrible rain, took shelter therein; the

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were not affected much by the waves of cruel greed, with which the

atmosphere in the hut was contaminated. But, when, after few minutes, a

monk walkingthrough the forest ran in and sought refuge from the rain, his

immaculate heart quickly got blackened! The clean mind quickly caught the

plot. The monk discovered himself contemplating the murder of the couple

and robbing them of the jewels they wore. Sothat he may rebuild his

hermitage richly to teachyoga,to all the world. He got so ashamed of

himself that he ran out again into the rain and saved himself from

perdition!

Swami tells of one hut where twosetsof people take shelter. A husband and wife

enter the hut during heavy rain to take shelter. When asaint came to the same hut to

seek shelter, his heart became quickly blackened. His clean mind quickly caught the

plot.He begantocontemplate murder and the theft of jewels. He was a great soul, who

knew this was the wrong place for himtobe in and so ran back into the forest. He felt if

hehadstayedthere,he would be destroyed and so ran away.

Throughthis,we see how one place functions in two different ways.For ordinary

people the hut gave shelter from the rain, for theyogi itwasrevealedthe true nature of

the place. Thus in such intense situations, the mind makes many imaginations. Just like

a film, theyogi saw all in front of his eyes;he saw all happening. All was shown in an

expanded way.

Though there was no connection, the mind connected all in many ways, business,

pollution,etc. Small matters are made big. Sri Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita

about theSthitaprajna. He is one who has a strong mind under all circumstances. He

never wavers or is shaken. He remains unshaken in all situationsmaintaining

equanimity.It is for this reason,our thoughts,behaviorand way of living must be

perfect and disciplined.

This is what Swamicallsharmony between thought, word and deed. You must

speak, as you have thought. All must be told as it is. Whatever one tells must be put into

action. A person may ask, ‘What are you thinking?’ You must tell immediately. Do not

do anything in a hidden or twisted way. If you cannot tell what is in the mind, then you

must not think of it. We must lead lives of perfection. It is for this reason our ancestors

went to the forest for peace.

Now there are no forests left. Man has destroyed all and made houses instead. Up

until a hundred years ago, there were forests surrounding all villages. Those in the

village would sit in the fields and meditate. My father would also dothis in the morning

and evening, at a particular time and in a particular place. He would meditate alone in

the open air and after return to the house. Now there are no separate places, all is only

houses and more houses. Before all had gardens at the back of their house; all were

separate and peaceful. Now the plot system exists everywhere. A building is put up

which may have 20, 30 more floors! There is no peace in the house. There are always

100’s of people coming and going, waiting for the lift. When ten people come to

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house, there is no placeevento sit. Thus, now all functions are conducted in rented

halls. Though the houses now are so close together,neighborsdo not know what is

happening next door. Before all had a garden at the back and a veranda at the front.All

would sit there. If any event happened in a house, the entire village would come together

and help them.

At that time, houses were broad and so were the minds of the people. Now there

are narrow houses and only narrow minds.Thus, Swami said do not search for peace

outside, go within. Sit in the pooja room in one place in the house and meditate, do

namajapa. Turnyour mind towards God within and attain peace. God istheAntaryami

in all. Through dailysadhanaone must meditate to reveal Him outside, then peace is

attained. We must follow this discipline. We must meditate twice a day, in the morning

and evening. After sleeping at night the mind is fresh in the early morning; it is most

suitable for meditation. Meditate at 4 am in the morning and then you will get peace. In

the same way, after you finish all work, before sleeping, meditate. This is good.

If you do this each day, then your senses will come under control. In order to

control,the mind and senses,we must contemplate each day the purpose of birth. The

purpose of birth is to attain God. We are born not to be bornagain.Meditate on this

each day, then God will show you a new path. He will open the gates of wisdom. Swami

said when you do thisAnanda madirasa–this is Ananda rasa, Amritiharasa, Moola

rasa.We are born from the bliss state. We must once again attainthe same state. We

must return back to theplace from where we have from,Adi Moolam.This is Poorna

Anandam, which is free from all anxiety. This is the Raso Vai Saha.Sri Krishna declares

of in the Gita, ‘God is in the form of Essence; He is Sweetness itself’.

The simple illiterate villagegopis knew this. They played Rasaleela with Krishna.

A Krishna appeared before eachgopi. They playedRasaleelaholding hands. They

showed the sweet experience of inner merger with God outside as theRasaleela. The

God who is within, His Amrit, His Rasa,we must taste. Now whatever we experience

here, the worldly Rasas all become tasteless. When we divide the word Madirasa, it

becomes Madi Rasa. Madi means knowledge or intellect; the knowledge of rasa. This is

Jnana Rasa. If we attain this wisdom, this is bliss. If we do not attain wisdom, we will be

ever immersed in ‘I and mine’ andcaught in the cycle of birth and death.

Through the mind tension and disease comes. Relaxing is the way to attain

holistic and complete health. If we contemplate onthis,we can correctlyrealizethe

state. We mustanalyzethe reasons why we are tense and then decide which is the way to

get good health. In order to remove tension people attendyogaclasses. Yet, tension

cannotberemoved throughone-houryoga class. We must follow the rules and

regulations of life, laid down by our ancestors. Watching our breath, the times it takes

for the in and out breath. This training isyoga.

It is of no use to try and remove our tension through playing with children,

singing or laughing.Thus,Swami put an X mark here. This will never stop tension. I

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can only be done by living a dharmic life and behaving correctly, speaking loving words

and having clear wisdom. These alone will remove our tension. This greatest Avatar

came here and taught this for 84 years.He preachedall. He taught how one should live

from the new born babe to an aged man.When I was writing this, I remembered the

bhajan Swami sings, ‘Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanthi Nahi’.

There is no peace in life without singing the glory of Hari, Hari. There is nothing

to give happiness to us, other that the name of God. Prema Bhakthi alone redeems one

from the ocean of worldly life. Guru Seva, service to theguru alone bestows Mukthi or

liberation. There is no need to learnyoga. Japa anddhyana are enough. Prajnana is

nothing but darshan of God. It is for this we tell Prajnana Brahman. Prajnana is within

the body; it must be awakened.This is God’s darshan. Through sadhana,we make

Prajnana awaken in us. This is God’s darshan. Compassion is the only dharma. Without

this,no work can be done well. Nothing other than God belongs to us. We do not take

anything with us when we leave the world. Contemplate on this song each day. Realize

its meaning. Thenthere isno need to learn any otheryoga.

You must show love to all. Catch hold of God. Enough!Awake! Remove

attachment, show love. Attachment is different from love. Show love toall. Come out

from theSamsara Sagara.

Jai Sai Ram

VS

THE STUPI SONG, DO SADHANA

Oh mad fellow of the world

What are you searching for?

In the outside maya world

What are you searching for?

Chorus:

Do you want pleasures?

Do you want treasures?

Go inside, go inside, go inside

Do sadhana, do sadhana

Go ahead,go ahead, go inside.

In the darkness of the heart

Ah! One spark you find the ligh

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God the Indweller of the heart

Hold Him tight, hold Him tight.

Chorus:

Do you want pleasures?

Do you want treasures?

Go inside, go inside, go inside

Do sadhana, dosadhana

Go ahead, go ahead, go inside.

Make the light shine bright

Remove the ignorance of the night.

Cut the fruits of your sadhana

Then you’ll see the Mukthi star!

Chorus:

Do you want pleasures?

Do you want treasures?

Go inside, go inside, go inside

Dosadhana, do sadhana

Go ahead, go ahead, go inside.

(words-Vasantha Sai

)