THE MOMENT BY MOMENT LIVING’

Like herds that go for grazing, today young men and women go to college for learning. They fill their minds with great facts on the socio-economic political life of societies or the physical and biological realities of the earth, cosmos and life. An ambitious boy or girl would scale great heights on an untrodden path. Many come out of the college with their eyes bright, hopes great, head aloft and march forward for employment.

To many young men and women; life is the hope of drawing commensurate salary, a dream of their life-partner, known or unknown, the desire of owning a house to rest in, and a locomotive to move around.

Not many young men and women could ever realize that life is ‘THE MOMENT BY MOMENT LIVING’ flamed by one’s desire, hope, urge, fear, longing, dream and love. This moment by moment living could well be cherished by one’s attitudes, values, knowledge and works. This booklet in your hand tells you not where you stand, but how to stand. For in your aspirations and efforts one small quote of this book would serve you as a coal that you burn for energy and a pearl that you wear as an ornament.

Like coals and pearls that are brought out by digging the earth and diving deep inside the ocean, so too the quotes of this book are brought out by digging ad diving deep within myself…

And I dare not say I’m a sage,

But a friend or foe to me are the same,

I look on them with equals eyes

To make them look with proper eyes.

Establishing A Source Of Perennial Energy

The practice of pranayama is to achieve energy control. Prana is often equated with the breath, and pranayama, with breathing exercises. There is an intimate connection between the breath and the flow of energy in the body. Paramhansa Yogananda often said, “Breathlessness is deathlessness”. Yogic breathing exercises enable the practitioner to rise above the body’s normal need for breath.

“When the yogi, like a tortoise withdrawing its head and limbs into a shell, is able to withdraw his energy from the objects of sense-perception, he becomes established in wisdom” - Gita (2:58). Breathlessness is not kumbhaka in the sense of forcibly retaining the breath. Rather, true kumbhaka comes when the body no longer requires air for its maintenance.

The purpose of respiration is to expel carbon dioxide from the lungs, and to take in oxygen. In pranayama exercises, the breath is used to produce a state of equilibrium in the body, in which state the physical activity of breathing is no longer required to maintain it in a condition of equilibrium.

When one rises above the need to breathe, the heart pump also slows down, then stops altogether. When breathing becomes unnecessary, the heartbeat slows down and then stops. Between these two phenomena — the breath and heartbeat on the one hand and sensory awareness on the other — there is a close connection.

The energy in the senses, as in the whole body, relaxes and withdraws, as happens, to a lesser degree, in sleep. A sleeper may be called. He may even be shaken before he is even aware of being wanted. This diminished involvement with objective reality occurs because, during sleep, energy is partially withdrawn from the body and from the “sense telephones”. It is only when the “sense telephones” have been “switched off ” that the mind can wholly absorb itself in the inner world of meditation.

“One practice of yoga offers the incoming breath into the outgoing breath and the apana into the prana, thereby, through pranayama, rendering the breath unnecessary” — Gita (4:29). The physical breath accompanies the upward and downward flow of energy through the ida and pingala nadis in the spine. Indeed, it is this spinal flow of the energies known as prana and apana which prompts the lungs to inhale and exhale. Prana, more broadly speaking, means energy itself. Prana is Para-prakriti as opposed to Aparaprakriti, Nature.

The slow, careful conscious circulation of energy around the spine constitutes the ancient science of Kriya Yoga. This circulation magnetises the spine, and redirects the mental tendencies, samskaras, towards the brain in a way reminiscent of the realigning of molecules in a north-south direction in a bar of steel.

Similar to the bar magnet, the spine becomes magnetised in the sense that the energy, flowing ever more unidirectionally towards the brain, is drawn into the deep spine, the sushumna, where, with the awakening of the Kundalini, it rises through the chakras, lifting one’s energy and consciousness upward, towards God. Thus, the energy is brought to the spiritual eye, finally to become united with sahasrara — the “thousand-petalled” lotus — at the top of the head.

Speed and necessity….

"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment. " –Charles Darwin

We need to understand the link between the speed of our work and how our mind decides the speed and pace of work. Our speed and pace of work is not a peripheral issue but is a deep mental issue. There are occasions when we are really fast and there are other occasions when we are not as fast as we have to be. We can not be slower or faster than we want to be. Everything has a strong reason in our mind.

We need to enter every activity as though our very survival depends on that activity. With this state of mind alone, we will be at the peak of our efficiency and speed.

While I write this I am reminded of a small story I read somewhere. A rabbit was being chased by a cheetah. As we know cheetah is an animal which can run very fast and the speed of a rabbit is no match for that of the cheetah. Even after a very long chase, the cheetah was not able to catch the rabbit. Ultimately the cheetah gave up chasing and asked the rabbit how it is able to run faster than the cheetah.

The rabbit replied, ‘It’s true that you are capable of running faster than me. But you see, you are running for your food, but I am running for my life!’ and so saying disappeared into the forest!

Now you will understand what determines our speed!

We are Masters of our destiny

Abstain from wrong deeds. God does not pardon. It can Forgive if we repent and make up for the injustice done. Pray for enhancing Life of your ailing Mother but be prepared to sacrifice equivalent years from your Life. Remain positive. Even birds and animals will understand thy for inhibiting courage and Faith. Act as a true disciple of God.

Do not fear death for you cannot create. Do not love thy body. It is merely a clothing for the soul. You who understands the truth wants to free yourself of the earthly destiny. Still you want to live more! Life and death is as simple as changing of the Guards at Buckingham Place. The destiny of your journey in one form is fixed, so why bother when!

Understand the cosmic illusion! Control thy cravings. Greed is the aftermath. Do not indulge. You will want more and more. No matter how many buckets you add, the sea remains the same. Look inside. The reservoir is full. Disburse with both hands. No matter how many buckets you withdraw, the reservoir never dries.

Indulge and you fear the Lord. A baby cries unceasingly. It longs for wanton desires. Wise parents will gratify what they feel just. The child starts developing with a balanced Life, his wanton desires suppressed. Can we expect this child to grow and indulge in bestial desires? Not unless prevailing in circumstances compel him.

A young child is a reflection of God. Not tainted by egos’, unjust emotions and wanton desires. The cosmic travel attracts him to indulge throughout the journey on this earthly abode. Parents must help a child grow into a wise Human Being. One who is wise is also handsome. One who is wise and handsome gets a beautiful partner for Life. Why do not all of us act wise all the time.

Charity starts at home. How many of us practice it. You want to meekly continue doing what others are doing. You must stand out and become a leader. Followers will see you achieve your goal. Self interest prompts them. Faith in the lord and mutual trust will win the day. Do not distrust anyone. Disgruntled atmosphere robs the day of its light. Wise men make followers understand the truth. Leader is only the guide.

Perform Homas and Change Your Karma

Your current reality which is your vocation, relationship, health, etc. are not your present creations, but were indeed created by you in your past life. Most people don't have anything about their current situation - job, relationship, personality, health, etc However, they don't have many options to change them. There are diseases that you have inherited from your parents. Some people have inherited money or loan or a bad attitude and behavior. Vedic programmed harmonies primarily deal with karma and ways to understand it. Just merely knowing about it is not enough, because we already know what our destiny is. What matters is how can I change it? You know that you are overweight. 'You know it. 'You know it is difficult to change it. 'True, weight is karma or destiny. It is difficult to change this reality, but not impossible. I once heard a girl to lose 75 lbs. She had done many weight loss programs, and nothing worked for her. The girl performed a Homa to Lord Dhanvanthri to improve her health by reducing her weight.

DONATE FOOD IN PLENTY DURING MAHALAYA PAKSHA

Offerings made during the period Mahalaya Paksha benefit all the departed souls, whether they are related to the performer or not. During this fortnight, no auspicious function should be performed, since pitrus are invoked during this time.
THE fifteen days after the Full Moon
(Krishna Paksha) in the lunar month Bhadrapada (September-October) is known as Mahalaya Paksha. Shradha (annual rites for the deceased) is performed during these days, either on the Thithi (day corresponding to the death) of the Parents or on the Mahalaya Amavasya day (New Moon Day),. This practice is prevalent among all Hindus, all over India, irrespective of their sub-castes. It is generally believed, that performing Shradha during this period, can even substitute the annual Shradha performance, on the exact death day. During this fortnight, no auspicious function should be performed, since pitrus are invoked during this time.
King Kama, when he left the mortal coil, ascended the heavens and the great charity he had done on earth was returned to him in many fold. But, it was all gold and silver; there was no food, as he had not done any charity of food! He prayed to the Lord Yama. He was sent back to earth for fourteen days, to make up for this deficiency.
For fourteen days, he fed Brahmins and the poor, and offered oblations of water. On his return to the heaven, he had food in plenty. It is these fourteen days that are commemorated in the Mahalaya Paksha. Due to the grace of Lord Yama, it has been ordained that offerings made during this period (Mahalaya Paksha) benefit all the departed souls, whether they are related to the performer or not.
Charity in the form of food is important during this observance. Life depends upon food. One cannot preach religion to empty stomachs. Therefore, give food in plenty, not only during the Mahalaya fortnight, but all through the year.

Who is a Sinner(do we ever sin)

Is there a sinner ever? No! In the system of God Almighty none is a sinner. We only have the veil of ignorance that makes us indulge in activities wanton!

God Almighty created the cosmic system that has plus hundred and also minus hundred. Why so? It is because that at any given point of time the sum total of the total Cosmos must always remain zero.

This minus hundred controls the negative aspect of ones personality. Our indulgence in wanton desires in mundane affairs of life is prompted by this minus hundred. And who controls this minus hundred?

This minus aspect of life is governed by the five senses that do not desire our completing the journey of life in a short span. It was destined by God Almighty that the journey of life by a living being right from the first manifestation as an amoeba to the last... the 8.4 millionth manifestation (when one reaches the stage of
enlightenment and finally salvation moksha in Hinduism) gets completed in a total of 8.4 million manifestations (a total cosmic life span of about 96.4 million earthly years).

The journey is long... we continue living one life after another. Our soul atman within our heart takes care of that. It is our soul atman that manifests one life after another. Our body... our physical manifested life just being an instrument for purification of our soul atman within our heart!

This negative role of senses creates a veil of ignorance and unless this veil is penetrated by gaining wisdom... not much success is achieved on the physical plane of life.

The desire to multiply earthly wealth... the desire to indulge in wanton desires acts as a fuel and retards our spiritual growth. Our quest for knowledge... our quest for gaining wisdom and getting ahead in life slowly but persistently removes the veil of ignorance and brings us on a new platform of life.

This results due to awakening of our Kundalini gradually. More and more successes on the spiritual path give occasional glimpses of the kingdom of God. This reconfirms our faith in the existence of God. We become doubly sure of the spiritual path we are on.

Every sin that gets committed in ignorance needs to be absolved of. As per the doctrine of karma we only reap what we sow... Nothing less or more! If we indulge in sinful activities owing to our ignorance we always have to suffer.

By practicing requisite ascetic chants and mantras, one can always absolve self of the accumulated sins. Prayers to god play a significant role in reducing the negative balance of life. Indulgence in pious activities is desirable even when pursuing mundane affairs of life.

Being religious alone does not make us virtuous. We have to travel the spiritual path. We have to differentiate between virtuous and sinful acts. Remaining ignorant most of the time brings us sufferings in the end. One who truly desires absolving self for ever from the world of sins... we need to accumulate a positive balance of karma in our life.

Every act that brings cheer to the society, every indulgence that has the benefit of mankind ahead of self always get repaid in positive in the end. Living a life tied to the veil of ignorance always brings sufferings. Why not all of us most of the time indulge in activities pious in nature.

It is only then we can hope to live a balanced life free of all sins.

Learn to Let Go, Adapt to Change

Today, dealing with change is perceived as a huge challenge. In fact,
'change management' has become a major preoccupation of leaders in all walks of life, including in government, business and institutions.

Employees too are grappling with changes in the work place. More than ever before, the number of people individually striving to learn more and grow at a personal level is increasing by leaps and bounds. So they have to learn to adapt themselves to changing situations. Most of us are fairly quick at learning, at cultivating new tastes and fashions. Yet, our first reaction to change is always tinged with suspicion and caution, and in some cases, resistance.

Control Your Reactions and Responses

There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and pessimists. The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as temporary, while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call that fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time and that has no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the other hand, sees negative events as permanent, as part of life and destiny.