Devotion and Mind
Devotion and Mind
Devotion and Mind
and
The Modern Mind
Devotion
and
The Modern Mind
2 Devotion And The Modern Mind
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Contents 3
CONTENTS
C APTIONS P AGE N O .
PRAYER 6
PREFACE 7
V. IN ADORATION 421
PRAYER
MY INSPIRATION
Deep within my heart Thou doth reside as my divine inspiration,
Making me do everything that is within Thine Sacred Design.
Thou art the Omnipotent Doer behind my every action,
Only Thy Divine Strength empowers every effort of mine.
My every action is actuated by Thee, O Spiritual Master!
Even mountains can be moved if Thou doth so desire.
The best of works that come out from me,
O Benign Master, are inspired entirely by Thee.
Thou dost ingrain in me spiritual energy,
That makest even the impossible a reality.
Thy merciful glance and blessings benevolent,
Give me abundant invincible divine strength.
I am just an instrument in Thine Hands Holy,
Always put me to use, O My Divine Majesty!
May I serve Thee with the best of my ability,
Every achievement be an offering unto Thee.
Preface 7
PREFACE
DILEMMA:
A GLOBAL PHENOMENON
MODERN IDEOLOGIES:
LEADING US ASTRAY
DUNGEON
He whom I enclose with my name is weeping in this dungeon.
I am ever busy building this wall all around;
And as this wall goes up into the sky day by day
I lose sight of my true being in its dark shadow.
I take pride in this great wall,
And I plaster it with dust and sand
Lest a least hole should be left in this name;
And for all the care I take I lose sight of my true being.
~ Nobel Laureate Shri Rabindranath Tagore
28 Devotion And The Modern Mind
Alongside the above set of people, there are God
loving souls who have paid tremendous attention to the
soul or Atman. For thousands of years, such Pious Ones
have devoted their entire life searching for the answer to
the most basic existential question: ‘Who am I?’ This quest
for self–discovery has produced many Great Divine
Personages: Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, Great Saint
Shri Kabir Sahib ji, Venerable Sikh Guru Shri Guru
Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj, Sage Shri Adi Shankaracharya ji,
Saint Shri Raman Maharishi ji, Saint Sri Ramakrishna
Paramhans ji, Swami Vivekananda ji, and so on. There
have been many such Realized Ones in all eras. All Holy
Scriptures (Vedas and Upanishads) are the gospels of Great
Enlightened Saints who have dived deep into their own
consciousness.
He pervades in everyone.
Shah Inayat himself showed it,
And then alone I could see.
~Saint Bulleh Shah ji
38 Devotion And The Modern Mind
MATERIALISM:
UNACHIEVABLE MIRAGE
Look back, and when you do so, you are in the NOW.
Look ahead and when you do so, again you are in the NOW.
Look at, aren’t you in the NOW? NOW is the reality of time
in which you have your reality.
~ Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Aspirations and desires are nothing but projections
of our own mind – like an illusory mirage – just imaginary
destinations. There is no pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow! Being full of desires, aspirations and ambitions
is like being in a dream where nothing is real. Everything
is imaginary and false. But we fail to recognize this reality
and spend our entire lives building castles in the sky.
The honours of this world, what are they but puff, and
emptiness, and peril of falling?
~Augustine of Hippo
Each one of us is a wholesome bundle of physical,
emotional, intellectual and spiritual inheritance. However,
most of us remember and focus mostly on the first three
parts, and the last one (spiritual) is left in abeyance maybe
to explore later on. In this procrastination much is lost,
as most of the unexplored splendours within us and
around us remain untapped and inexperienced. The
purpose of life is realizing one’s own intrinsic spiritual
nature and honouring the same nature in all other beings
and finally merging in the Source from where we all came
and to whom we all shall return.
STRESS:
THE EROSION OF SANITY
EGO:
THE INSIDIOUS DECEPTION
HAPPINESS:
AN ATTAINABLE PHENOMENON
(FROM DISSATISFACTION TO HAPPINESS)
STEPS TO HAPPINESS
Everybody Knows:
You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
80 Devotion And The Modern Mind
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.
So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of ‘being you’.
Then:
You will learn to accept your own uniqueness.
You will learn to set priorities and make decisions.
You will learn to live with your limitations.
You will learn to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once–in–all–history event.
That more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.
~Anonymous
6 Who Am ‘I’: The Way Is Within 81
WHO AM ‘I’:
THE WAY IS WITHIN
(MODERN IDEOLOGY TO SPIRITUAL HERITAGE)
The Word of God became man that you also may learn
from a man how a man becomes a God.
~ St. Clement of Alexandria
Surely, only the One who knows the truths of life
86 Devotion And The Modern Mind
Himself can teach others. Only He who holds the treasure
Himself is capable of conferring it on others. Only the One
who is Infinitely Blissful can shower happiness and joy.
Only an overflowing fountain can quench the thirst of the
thirsty. Only the One who is familiar with the milestones
and landmarks leading to the destination can guide and
instruct others on the arduous path of life’s journey; He is
none other but the Spiritual Maven.
The young boy could not even tell the other boys
of this experience, because each lad must come into
manhood on his own. The boy was naturally terrified.
All night he heard all kinds of noises. “Wild beasts must
surely be all around me. Maybe even some human might
do me harm,” he thought to himself. The wind blew the
grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically,
never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way
he could become a man!
Who Am ‘I’: The Way Is Within 87
Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and
he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered
his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at
watch the entire night, protecting his endearing son from
harm.
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives
we live.
~Flora Whittemore
It is our duty to take our soul back to its True Home
wherefrom it descended. The biological engineering of
7 Who Am ‘I’: The Way Is Within 97
humans is such a wondrously impeccable masterwork of
the Creator that enables union of soul with the Source:
God. Let us choose to use this unique divine quality gifted
to us by God primarily to realize our real ‘self’.
DIVINITY:
MAN AS GOD INTENDED
(FROM UNACHIEVABLE TO REALITY)
FAITH: STEPPING–STONE
TO
DIVINE GRACE
(ALLEVIATION FROM STRESS)
FAITH
I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails;
I shall believe the Hand which never fails,
From seeming evil worketh good for me;
And though I weep because those sails are battered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered,
“I trust in thee.”
I will not doubt, though all my prayers return
Unanswered from the still, white Realm above;
I shall believe it is an all-wise Love
Which has refused those things for which I yearn;
Faith: Stepping-Stone To Divine Grace 131
And though at times I cannot keep from grieving,
Yet the pure ardour of my fixed believing
Undimmed shall burn.
I will not doubt, though sorrows fall like rain,
And troubles swarm like bees about a hive;
I shall believe the heights for which I strive
Are only reached by anguish and by pain;
And though I groan and tremble with my crosses,
I yet shall see, through my severest losses,
The greater gain.
I will not doubt; well anchored in the faith,
Like some staunch ship, my soul braves every gale,
So strong its courage that it will not fail
To breast the mighty unknown sea of Death.
Oh, may I cry when body parts with spirit,
“I do not doubt,” so listening worlds may hear it,
With my last breath.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
In the bitter cold of winter the trees stand bare
and seem to be dead. But, in the spring, they burst forth
into leaf and flower, and the first fruits begin to appear.
So it is with all of us who faithfully bear the burden of
suffering and distress. Though we may seem crushed and
132 Devotion And The Modern Mind
dead, we will yet bear beautiful flowers and glorious fruits
of eternal life.
God only asks from you what He gives you power to do.
~Walsham How
Since the man was showing discouragement, the
adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing
thoughts of discouragement in the man’s weary mind:
“You have been pushing against that rock for a long time
and it has not moved,” thus giving the man the impression
140 Devotion And The Modern Mind
that the task was completely impossible and that he was a
failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the
man.
ON EAGLE’S WINGS
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Faith: Stepping-Stone To Divine Grace 143
Say to the Lord, “My refuge,
My rock in whom I trust!”
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear:
Under His wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.
You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day;
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.
For to His angels He’s given a command
To guard you in all of your ways;
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
~Michael Joncas (Adaptation of Psalm 91)
144 Devotion And The Modern Mind
SURRENDER:
NO MORE ME, ONLY THEE
(ROOT OUT EGO)
“No,” he replied.
Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The Holy Bible – Matthew 5:5
Someone knocked at the door of the Beloved and a
voice from within inquired, “Who is there?” He answered,
“It is I.” And the voice said, “This house will not hold me
and thee.” So the door remained closed.
SPIRITUALITY:
THE OLOGY OF SOUL
SILENCE:
SCENT OF SAINTLINESS
All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly
in a room alone.
~Blaise Pascal
Divine experience that comes to pass in silence,
can never be explained in words. It is just not possible.
Anything that may be said about it would be inexplicable
and would only create misunderstanding. Words can only
be indicative. They can never be the object they indicate.
Words can also be very misleading because they have to
be interpreted by the mind and the mind can only
comprehend a word based on its own experience.
A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all
the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put
192 Devotion And The Modern Mind
away in the lumber–room of his library, where he can get it if he
wants it.
~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Those of us, who wish to attain any kind of joy and
sense of fulfilment in life, need to become aware of the
dangers of excessive communication. We need to
consciously reduce the load on our mental faculties. We
must make a deliberate discipline to cut back on our
communication and information intake, because all this
excessive cerebral activity drains our potential spiritual
energy. It leaves us feeling listless and empty. Having
abundant energy gives a feeling of fullness and jubilance.
The more energy we have, the more sprightly and cheerful
we shall be.
EACH BREATH:
REVEL WITH THE LORD
When all the desires that dwell in the heart are destroyed,
then the mortal becomes Immortal and here, alive in the body,
attains the Infinite Being.
~Kathapanishad II.iii.14
Do not fear that you can never be freed from pride
and envy. You can be freed. But, first you must see how
much greater the Almighty is than all your sins, and then
214 Devotion And The Modern Mind
He will take them away. Ask yourself, “What is there still
in me that hinders God from overwhelming me fully?”
For God to fill your heart, it must first be empty. One
must be completely empty and powerless before the Lord.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
~The Holy Bible – Matthew 5:16
When we stand in need of a guide for our ordinary
226 Devotion And The Modern Mind
crafts and everyday pursuits, certainly we need Adept
Guidance for progress on the path of spirituality. If we
cannot acquire efficiency in any art or trade without a
competent teacher, how can we realize the Supreme Being
within ourselves without the benignant direction of the
Perfect Master? A teacher is a necessity in every facet of
life. Spirituality is the most difficult, most urgent and
most important of all human activities. Where else do
we stand in need of a teacher, if not here? Hence, we
should first of all search for a True Living Spiritual Adept.
If we succeed in finding Him, we would have done the
most important thing, for the Spiritual Path–Pointer will
look after us and lead us on the right path. Once the
Perfect Maven has taken us into His fold, He is responsible
for our salvation and union with the Supreme Being. As
we follow His behests, with His immeasurable external
and internal help, we shall advance in the direction of
spiritual realization.
Aapan leeaa jae milai vishhurr kio.
Saadhhoo sang paraapathae Naanak rang maanann.
~ Gurbani
“If people could meet the Lord by their own efforts,
why would they be crying out in the pain of separation?
Meeting Him in the Company of the Holy, O Nanak,
celestial bliss is enjoyed.”
SPIRITUAL MAVEN:
THE PHILOSOPHERS’ STONE
“You, mon ami – you are mad to say so!” was the
retort.
A BLESSING
Thou art My God, O My Spiritual Mentor!
Words flee when it comes to describing:
What Thou doth mean to me!
An ineffable emotion, an unsaid divine assurance;
That whenever I mess up,
Thou art there to make things clear.
With strong sentiments of love and reverence:
I say that Thou art My God, O My Spiritual Mentor!
And would never ever let me falter.
I can look up to Thee in times of crisis,
Confident of getting solace for all my worries.
Your ever–reciprocating love is my treasure indeed,
I do not hesitate to say that
Spiritual Maven:The Philosophers’Stone 239
Thou art My God, O My Spiritual Mentor!
A Blessing on me!
The Gracious Holy Master’s concern for us is
unflinching; He is ever–present in our hearts in the form
of the Divine Name which He has so kindly bestowed
upon us. His Divine Grace is the sacrificial fire which
burns up all our karma (our lot of past deeds) and frees
us from the cycle of birth and death.
I am your armour,
And they who clothe themselves in me
Will not be vanquished;
But will obtain incorruption in the new world.
“O my chosen ones, walk in me!
And I will make known my ways
To them that seek me,
And will cause them to trust in my Name.”
~The Odes of Solomon
Some years ago a certain Captain Dennis was in
charge of a ship which sailed between Liverpool and New
Spiritual Maven:The Philosophers’Stone 253
York. During one of his voyages, he had all his family,
besides a large crew, on board. One night, while all
were quietly sleeping a sudden squall of wind arose. It
struck the ship with great force and threw her over on
her beam ends. There was a great tumbling and crashing
of things on board. The people awoke in a great fright.
They were in great danger. Some jumped out of their
berths and began to dress in a hurry, not knowing that
the vessel would soon sink. The Captain had a little
girl on board, about eight years old. She woke with
the rest of the people. “What is the matter?” asked the
frightened child. They told her that a sudden squall
had struck the ship and thrown her on her side. “Is
father on deck?” She asked. “Yes, father is on deck.”
“Then it will be all right,” she said, and quietly sank
back on her pillow and went to sleep again.
DEATH:
SOARING HIGH
DEATH
O thou the last fulfilment of life,
Death, my death, come and whisper to me!
Day after day I have kept watch for thee;
For thee have I borne the joys and pangs of life.
All that I am, that I have, that I hope and all my love
Have ever flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy.
One final glance from thine eyes
And my life will be ever thine own.
The flowers have been woven
And the garland is ready for the bridegroom.
After the wedding the bride shall leave her home
And meet her Lord alone in the solitude of night.
~ Noble Laureate Shri Rabindranath Tagore
Saints and Realized Ones have said that life is
262 Devotion And The Modern Mind
like a bubble of water; one moment it is there, and the
next moment it is suddenly gone. The body is so fragile
that one moment it may seem to be functioning
efficiently and the very next moment, any vital organ
may simply stop performing its natural function, thereby
causing a collapse of the entire system. We have all, at
some point of time, heard or seen people die a sudden
death, either due to heart failure or brain haemorrhage;
and death comes as a shock due to its suddenness, but
that is how death is! It always comes unannounced and
catches us off–guard.
A little girl lay dying, and she was afraid. Her friend,
the priest, came to see her, and after a little talk she told
him that she was frightened. “Listen, my child,” he said,
“supposing I said I wanted to take you in my arms, and
carry you upstairs to a beautiful room at the top of the
house, where you could see much farther from the
windows, and be more comfortable altogether, would
you mind?”
Some years later, the king was very ill, and lay on
his deathbed. His courtiers were called; his family and
his servants also stood round his bedside. The king,
278 Devotion And The Modern Mind
addressing them, said, “I am about to leave you. I am
going on a very long journey, and I shall not return again
to this palace; so I have called you all to say Goodbye.”
A Spiritual Discipline is an
intentionally directed action which places
us in a position to receive from God the
power to do what we cannot accomplish
on our own….
The deep waters of God’s life are
already flowing. We simply learn the
strokes that will enable us more and more
to be at home in them….
The human body is our power-pack
of mind-body-spirit — we discipline it
in order to practice cooperation with
God.
~Richard Foster
Devotional Love:The Swiftest Expedient 287
DEVOTIONAL LOVE:
THE SWIFTEST EXPEDIENT
Love is the greatest thing that God can give us; for
himself is love: and it is the greatest thing we can give to God.
~ Jeremy Taylor
What is devotion? How does one become a
devotee? Devotion is the most sublime and the most
gratifying sentiment of loving submission to the Supreme
Being; it is renouncing one’s everything for the sake of
the Almighty Lord. It is only when night offers her total
entity to dawn that the day breaks. The seed loses its
identity to soil so that the sapling sprouts. Thus, devotion
is loyalty to a promise, vow, Holy Master or mission. It
means one is consistently trustworthy and willing to
sacrifice to uphold one’s commitment. It means staying
on course, even if the challenges are great and one’s energy
and will are weakening.
The yogi said, “God is just like the big bull in your
Devotional Love:The Swiftest Expedient 291
herd. That is God.”
THE GATE
No one compels you, traveller;
this road or that road, make your choice!
Dust or mud, heat or cold,
fellowship or solitude,
foul weather or a fairer sky,
the choice is yours as you go by.
But here if you would take this path
Devotional Love:The Swiftest Expedient 293
there is a gate whose latch is love,
whose key is single and which swings
upon the hinge of faithfulness,
and none can mock, who seeks this way
the king we worship shamelessly.
If you would enter, traveller,
into this city fair and wide,
it is forever and you leave
all trappings of the self outside.
~Jane Tyson Clement
In the context of spiritualism when we use the word
devotion, ‘Who’ is it that we are devoting ourselves to?
Because devotion always has to be aimed towards a deity!
So ‘Who’ is the object of our devotion? If we try to direct
our devotion on the Formless Infinite Cosmic Being, then
we will be at a complete loss; we are unable to perceive
that which we cannot cognize through our senses. How is
it possible to love, serve, worship and meditate upon
‘Someone’ whom we can neither see, nor hear, nor sense
or feel! How is one supposed to fall in love with the
Invisible? How does one relate to ‘That’ which we cannot
perceive or even properly conceive of; ‘That’ which is
beyond our understanding and comprehension? It is
humanly impossible! We would simply be groping in the
dark trying to love a Formless, Imperceptible Spirit. It
will be an exercise in futility.
294 Devotion And The Modern Mind
Adibhootam ksharo bhaavah purushashchaadhidaevattam;
Adhiyagno’hamevaatra dehe deha-britaam var.
~Srimad Bhagwad Gita VIII/4
“O Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service
can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and
can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter
into the mysteries of my understanding.”
SPIRITUAL ARMOURY
2. SELFLESS–SERVICE
(SEVA)
I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I
know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are
those who have sought and found how to serve.
~Albert Schweitzer
Selfless–service thus purifies the defiled mind by
effacing the impressions of past deeds and purifies the
soul, removing the curtain of delusion; thereby preparing
the mind and the soul for steadfast meditation and
contemplation. Serving in obedience and love builds
humility and breaks the hold of self–righteousness. It acts
as a panacea to eradicate the disease called ego. If service
342 Devotion And The Modern Mind
is accompanied by elevating devotion, it brings with it all
fulfilment. Sins dissolve away and merit grows by leaps
and bounds.
I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw
that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.
~Nobel Laureate Shri Rabindranath Tagore
Apart from annihilating false ego and making us
humble, selfless–service also helps us to become less
attached to our body and especially to our possessions.
Attachment to the Spirit within, automatically detaches
you from everything else. Even while executing one’s
worldly duties, if a spiritual seeker can keep his mind
always attached to the holy lotus feet of the Lord then
every act, takes the form of holy service. Be always on
spur in the sacred service of the Spiritual Maven, ever
basking in His Presence, giving up desire and anger,
humble and devoted, lauding in spirit, upright in doing
His work. If incessantly performed with the right attitude,
sincere selfless–service can ruthlessly destroy all sorts of
impurities, hatred, jealousy, envy, idea of superiority and
all barriers that separate man from the Truth within.
3. HOLY–ASSOCIATION
(SATSANG)
For full two years this went on daily, with the bearer
delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master’s
house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its eventual
accomplishments. But, the poor cracked pot was ashamed
of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to
accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
4. MEDITATION
(BHAJAN–ABHYAAS)
The divine and creative Word was not uttered once for
Meditation 361
all, but it receives perpetual utterance in the radiation of light,
in the movements of the stars, in the development of life, in
the reason and conscience of man.
~ William Temple
Meditation is the process of ardent incantation of
the Holy Name, twenty–four hours a day; while walking,
talking, eating, and sleeping; throughout all kinds of
activities we perform on a daily basis. Initially this might
seem difficult. We might unintentionally forgo the practice
while conducting mundane responsibilities that require
mental activities like concentrating on work. But by and
by, with regular practice, it will start becoming natural
and easier. All we need to do is to feel the divine presence
of the Spiritual Mentor forever and wherever.
We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.
~John Dryden
Ordinarily, we do not bother to observe the mind.
We remain unconcerned with it. And the mind goes on
functioning within us, unnoticed and uncontrolled. It
sways us all of a sudden, whenever it so chooses. We are
gripped by urges and cravings so intensely that
unknowingly, we become subjugated by our mind. We
feel compelled to do things we may not even want to.
Impulses, urges, intense desire – they all appear to arise
out of nowhere and have a very strong hold on us. We
act upon them almost involuntarily. We cannot even gain
362 Devotion And The Modern Mind
mastery over habits that we are unhappy with. We seem
to be unable to change them even if we want to. We
seem to be incapable of dropping habits that we know
and believe are detrimental to our own wellbeing. Such
is the power of the nasty mind!
Your vision will become clear only when you look into
your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside,
awakens.
~Carl Jung
When we begin to meditate, we transmute the
energies of the physical body. By sitting up straight, with
the spine erect, the head balanced at the top of the spine,
the energies of the physical body acquire a positive
364 Devotion And The Modern Mind
modality. In a position such as this we cannot become
worried, fretful or depressed or sleepy during our meditation.
If we slump the shoulders forward and short–circuit the
spiritual forces that flow through the spine and out through
the nerve system, the resultant outcome would be that
we will feel easily depressed, have mental arguments with
oneself or another, or experience unhappiness.
5. DIVINE VISION
(SHRI DARSHAN–DHYAN)
Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
~The Holy Bible – Matthew 5:8
Blessed are those who are granted the Holy Vision
of their Spiritual Master, for they shall inherit the supreme
state of eternal life and everlasting bliss. Reverently
envisioning the Mystic Adept billows sentiments of
devotional ardour in the devotee’s heart. The soul revels
in pure spiritual bliss in the paradisal proximity of the
376 Devotion And The Modern Mind
Spiritual Redeemer. One should, therefore, as a principle,
endeavour to visit the spiritual institution in person for
beholding the Divine Vision of the Effulgent Master.
MEDITATION:
DISTILLING BLISS
LEARN TO BE QUIET
You need not do anything.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
382 Devotion And The Modern Mind
You need not even listen, just wait.
You need not even wait,
Just learn to be quiet, still and solitary.
And the world will freely offer itself to you unmasked.
It has no choice; it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
~Franz Kafka
There once was a king who offered a prize to the
artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many
artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But,
there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose
between them.
Oh, let me tell you how much God desires our presence.
How much God longs to hear from us. How much God yearns
to communicate with us. At the very heart of God is the
384 Devotion And The Modern Mind
passionate disposition to be in loving fellowship with you ...
with me. From the human side of this equation it is meditative
prayer that ushers us into this divine–human fellowship.
~Richard Foster
The method of meditation or Surt–Shabd–Yoga implies
union of awareness or attention with the sound current.
Thus, the objective is to create union with the inner
reverberation, through the flow of attention, or more
appropriately, consciousness.
If an egg is broken by outside force, Life ends. If broken
by inside force, Life begins. Great things always begin from inside.
~Jim Kwik
Meditation helps us become aware of our own
thoughts. It makes us capable of observing the goings–on
of the mind. We become familiar with our own thoughts
in such an intimate manner that we suddenly begin to
discover things about ourselves, which we did not know
until now. Meditation enables us to go beyond our
thoughts and perceive the space within ourselves which
lies behind the clutter of the spry mind. By and by, it
brings us to a state of tranquillity; a state of peace and
harmony.
God often visits us, but most of the time we are not at
home.
~Joseph Roux
Ordinarily, the mind runs in various directions
simultaneously. There are many thoughts running
concurrently within us. This random, incessant thinking
creates a kind of cloud, a fog of sorts, which acts as a
curtain that does not allow us to see our inner reality;
our real nature, as to who we really are. Meditation brings
about a synthesis, a certain crystallization of the mind. It
assimilates the thoughts and the whole thinking process
and makes us collected and centred. Our energies get
suffused; we become integrated. Of course, it is not easy
because the mind is so habituated to juggling multiple
thoughts simultaneously. It has become its very nature! It
is cumbersome and arduous. The mind constantly needs
stimulation; that is its nourishment. When we meditate,
the mind is bound to resist, and be non–cooperative.
Naturally, it will want to continue to function in the way
Meditation: Distilling Bliss 393
it has been functioning for so long. All kinds of thoughts
will occur... a whole river of them. But, do not be worried.
This is natural and common.
The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too
greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless
as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.
~Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Meditation thus is simply an ‘awake sleep’; a paradox.
But, that is the beauty of it. That is why it is so refreshing,
so rejuvenating. It recharges every cell of our bio–
mechanism. We feel revitalized, as if born anew! Through
meditation our intelligence grows and the mind gets
sharper, and we gain insights into the deep mysteries of
life! That is why learning to meditate is the greatest gift
406 Devotion And The Modern Mind
we can give to ourselves.
AWARENESS
One day the Holy Master asked, “What, in your
opinion, is the most important of all religious questions?”
He got many answers: “Does God exist?” “Who is
God?” “What is the path to God?” “Is there a life after
death?”
“No,” said the Holy Master. “The most important
question is: Who am I?”
PERSPECTIVE
A king with a defect in one eye and one leg asked
Let Virtues Garnish Thoughts 411
all the painters in the kingdom to draw a beautiful portrait
of his but no one was ready to draw, as how to show him
beautiful with defects in one eye and a leg. One painter,
however, agreed and drew a classic one. It was such a
fantastic picture that everyone was surprised. He painted
the king aiming for a hunt, targeting with one eye closed
and a leg bent for it.
Why can we all not paint others like this, hiding
their weaknesses and highlighting their strengths?
HONESTY
A broadminded Emperor in China, wanting an
heir, determined to sidestep his family and partners and
trace one from among the youth. After preliminary tests,
a group of young men turned up at the palace one
morning. The Emperor told them that he was going to
select one of them to succeed him. “I am giving you each
a seed now, an extraordinarily unique seed. I would like
you to sow it, water it, nurture it and come back after a
year with what you have grown.”
A youth named Chen among the fortunate youths
412 Devotion And The Modern Mind
was very much thrilled. He went home and let know his
mother regarding the competition. Right away he started
watering and caring for the seed. He waited patiently for
a few days, but nothing turned out. A few weeks passed,
but still there was nothing sprouting. Meanwhile, he heard
about the animated gossip among the other youths as to
how well their plants were coming up.
HUMILITY
Years ago, a young American girl visited the home
of Beethoven. She sat down at the piano of the great
artist and played through with pride his Moonlight Sonata.
When she had finished, she turned to the stern old
caretaker of the house and said to him, “I suppose many
great people come here?”
“Yes,” said the man; “Paderewski was here last
week.”
“And did he play on Beethovan’s piano?” she asked.
“No,” said the old man; “he said he was not worthy.”
GRATITUDE
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with his
414 Devotion And The Modern Mind
begging bowl by his feet. He held up a sign that read: “I
am blind, please help!” There were only a few coins in
the bowl.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from
his pocket and dropped them into the boy’s bowl. He
then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some
words on it. He put the new sign back so that everyone
who walked by would see the new words he had written.
Very soon the bowl began to fill up with coins and
bills. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign
came to see how things were. The boy recognized his
footsteps and asked: “Were you the one who changed my
sign this morning? What did you write?”
He replied, “I said what you said but differently. I
wrote – “Today is a beautiful day, and I cannot see it!”
Let us be thankful for what we have.
KINDNESS
A grocer came to a Saint in great distress to say
that right across his shop had opened a large chain store
that would drive him out of business. His family had owned
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his shop for a century, and to lose it now would be his
undoing, for there was nothing else he was skilled at.
“If you fear the owner of the chain store, you will
hate him; hatred will be your undoing.” said the Saint.
“What shall I do?” said the distraught grocer.
“Each morning in your prayers, wish prosperity for
your shop and also for the chain store.”
“What? Pray for my competitor’s success?”
“Any blessing you give him, will rebound to your
good; any evil you wish him, will destroy you.”
After six months, the grocer returned to report
that he had to close down his shop as he had feared, but
he was now in charge of the chain store and his affairs
were in better shape than ever before.
FAITH
A minister noticed a little boy holding securely the
end of a long string. The attached kite was indistinguishable
in the evening twilight.
When he inquired of the lad why he was acting so,
the boy said he was flying a kite.
“I cannot see it; but I know it is there, for I feel the
pull.”
Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the
dawn is still dark.
~Shri Rabindranath Tagore
When a man has cast away all the desires of his heart
and feels satisfied in the Self alone, then he is said to be one of
steady wisdom. Having realized in the transcendental state,
the Self dwelling equally in all, he hates no creatures, and is
friendly and compassionate towards all. He is free from the
feelings of ‘I and mine’. Even minded in pain and pleasure,
forbearing, ever content, steady in meditation, self-control,
possessed of firm convictions, he has his mind and intellect
fixed on the Divine.
~Srimad Bhagwad Gita II/55-56
All evils having been eliminated through strenuous
moral and ethical practice, there remain for the spiritual
Let Virtues Garnish Thoughts 419
seeker, during the state in which he is somewhat conscious
of the world, only the good desires. In whatever he does,
his conduct is in full agreement with the highest ethics, and
he is above the distinctions of relative good and relative
bad. Thus, treading on the path of spirituality he is not
only able to efface the impacts of previous misdeeds but
also does not create any new karmic impressions, under the
adept guidance of his Spiritual Maven.
MY BENEVOLENT MASTER
What to say in the admiration of my Spiritual Master:
O Benevolent Master! Thou art my everything!
O Lord! Accepting me as thine own,
Thou hast showered thine benevolence.
I am thine humble servant,
And thou art the King of kings.
The realization has dawned upon me
That I am a drop of the vast Ocean;
That my soul is a part of my Almighty Father,
I can reach my True Home:
Only by practice of regular contemplation.
Lifting up the consciousness to see thee,
In the higher planes of this human frame –
Will be a true divine meeting;
That gives purpose to life and makes it worth living.
Union of the soul with the God Almighty,
Is the only means to attain Eternity.
All the hustle bustle of life comes to rest,
In the lotus feet of the Benevolent Spiritual Master.
O Lord! Thou doth grant succour to the soul,
Moreover, nurseth it with tender care.
424 Devotion And The Modern Mind
The ecstasy springing from service and devotion,
Is indeed my Spiritual Master’s precious benediction.
Remaining submerged in that ocean of bliss,
Is the longing of the soul and its earnest wish.
Blessed are seekers of True Name of Providence,
To such fortunate ones joys come in abundance;
O Adept Master, thou art our Father and we thine children,
How happy we feel when unto thee we come!
The mother knows that the child is hers’
And so does the child.
But she feels delighted when the kid says,
“O Mother! I am yours!”
Soul is a drop and Divine Master is the Ocean Vast,
Thou doth feel elated when we exclaim,
“I am what Thou art!”
Let us take a pledge to please our Benevolent Master,
By remembering Him in every breath with fervour.
Sacred Remembrance would cleanse inner defilement,
O Lord! Thou art the Saviour!
Thou art the Healer of all our ailments,
O My Benevolent Master!
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