Spirituality and the individual

[Saurabh Pandey]

What is life? This is one of the most sought after questions. Some are the questions that have been baffling the human’s mind from time immemorial. Humans can't help but ask questions as per instinct that seems wired in their minds. A great number of us just ignore these questions where a few go deeper in search for relative meanings. Those who usually go or have already gone deeper, based on the thinking process to realize these 'big' questions as such have come out with points in the light of these. Those who collate these points of realization and make the mass to reach a conclusion, put these process into a particular category. The excerpt of such category is known to be the beginning of Spirituality.

Though, the Spirituality implies something different to everyone, but it does make impacts on minds. It makes some more religious to be participating on regular basis in organized religion, like, going to temples or mosques etc, and bow down before the accepted Supreme, as per their faith, more as per their temperaments, where some get in touch with their spiritual side through private prayer, yoga, meditation, quiet reflection etc. 

Even skeptics can't deny that there is something greater than the concrete world we see. As the brain processes sensory experiences, we naturally look for patterns, and then seek out meaning in those patterns. The phenomenon is known as the resonance, a synchronizing phase of realization. The resonance makes an individual to believe in something, then, making same mentally balanced to guide his thinking process.

Every individual is not spiritually mature. The reason is strong emotional likes or attachments and dislikes or aversions that naturally come into play in each individual’s life. The natural tendency of the humans is to prefer joy over sorrow and calm over anxiety. The swaroopa is Sat-chit-Ananda. But, it depends how an individual is cultured as per his/her Karma, the specific reason for the birth, as our philosophy reads and suggests.

There is a difference in humans with a positive spiritual orientation and those without one. It is well understood that a positive spiritual orientation helps people cope, and makes them resilient in the face of life's challenges. Those who think that their condition or, say, their existence even is a punishment have a negative spiritual orientation. This only exacerbates their complications. Means, one's beliefs, values, and spiritual perspective are essential elements of self-knowledge. Just to pave the path to Self-knowledge, the Guru automatically appears in one’s life and contributes as per requirements of the mind in that particular phase. The Guru is connected with the individual in terms of mind rather, physique. So it is natural that the Guru is not a special one with grotesque to the individual, but is a different in persona and more realized than the seeking mind.  

A Guru guides individuals in finding meanings in life, discovering purpose and values, and determining suitable spiritual practices. Most faith traditions have spiritual Gurus to offer spiritual guidance. There are Gurus who work across all faith traditions as well as with people who have agnostic or atheistic views.

[राजेश 'मृदु']

काला अक्षर भैंस बराबर, अपनी अंग्रेजी का तो ऐसा ही हाल है तिसपर ऐसे विषय, कुछ पंक्तियां याद आ रही हैं ' पी गई इंग्लिश हमारी खोपड़ी के खून को पर समझ पाया नहीं मैं इस बेतुके मज़मून को' । ईश्‍वर की अनुकंपा रही तो सारे पोस्‍ट हिंदी में पढ़ने का सौभाग्‍य मिलेगा । एक बात जो मुझे कहनी है .... आध्‍यात्मिक चिंतन या उस द्वार तक पहुंचने के लिए कुछ योग्‍यताओं का होना आवश्‍यक होता है...इस जगत में आने, स्‍थावर या जंगम योनियों में जाने, सुख-दुख पाने, उनसे निवृत्ति पाने यहां तक कि मोक्ष के लिए भी कुछ आवश्‍यक योग्‍यताएं होती हैं ।  वह कौन है जो इस चिंतन में शामिल होता है, उसकी क्‍या योग्‍यताएं होनी चाहिए या फिर कोई क्‍यों इनसे जी चुराता है, उनमें ऐसा कौन सा गुण/अवगुण आ जाता है जो वे बिदकने लगते हैं ...इनपर भी कुछ चिंतन होने से कुछ मार्ग अवश्‍य खुलेंगें, कुछ भेद ज्‍योतिष जरूर बताता है पर उनका निरीक्षण/परीक्षण सूक्ष्‍मदर्शी से किए बिना संभव नहीं।  वैसे तो कहा गया है कि अथातो ब्रह्म जिज्ञासा किंतु बात वही आकर 360 डिग्री पर घूम जाती है कि 'गुरु गोविंद दोनों खड़े काके लागू पांच, बलिहारी गुरु आपनो गोविंद दियो बताय' संदेह का निवारण, शंका का उच्‍छेदन तो गुरु कृपा से ही संभव है, सादर

[Saurabh Pandey]

सर्वप्रथम मैं क्षमा चाहता हूँ कि मेरा यह पोस्ट अंग्रेज़ी में आया. यह कहीं नहीं है कि आध्यात्म की चर्चा केवल अंग्रेज़ी में हो सकती है. आपको मैं विश्वास दिलाता हूँ कि पिछले करीब दो वर्षों की सदस्यता में ओबीओ पर यह मेरा कोई पहला लेख है जो अंग्रेज़ी में है. इसका भी कारण मात्र एक तरह का बहाव है, या, इस विषय में विकसित हुई मेरी समझ है जो दक्षिण भारत (तमिळनाडु) के लम्बे प्रवास के दौरान विभिन्न आध्यात्मिक गुरुओं के संसर्ग में आने के बाद हुई है, जो अक्सर अपने अध्यात्मिक प्रवचन (डिस्कोर्स) अंग्रेज़ी में ही देते हैं.

//इस जगत में आने, स्‍थावर या जंगम योनियों में जाने, सुख-दुख पाने, उनसे निवृत्ति पाने यहां तक कि मोक्ष के लिए भी कुछ आवश्‍यक योग्‍यताएं होती हैं ।//

एकदम सही कहा, आदरणीय राजेश झाजी. इस विषय पर आपने एकदम सही इशारा किया है.

आपकी सक्रिय भागीदारी की सादर अपेक्षा के साथ.

सादर

[vijay nikore]

Dear Saurabh ji:

Your article has done well in introducing us all to the topic of spirituality. Also, it has given us ample food for चिंतन ।

Therefore, thanks and congratulations to you, Saurabh ji.

 

On purpose, here, to foster understanding, I will try to keep my sentences short, as above. I agree with you whole heartedly that in our articles in the future, we all will need to make a note of keeping our sentences "short and simple" as much as possible.

 

It is important for us all readers to remember that we ALL are students here, no matter how much any of us has studied spirituality. We all will remain students in this area for the rest of our lives. I want to remain a student, I do not want my curiosity and thirst to wind down. And even if some of us may have had more exposure to आध्यात्मिकता than others, I say it with utmost humility that there are no levels here. We all will learn from each other, both from the topics, and from the questions raised by everyone.

 

 The response to your article has generated a healthy discussion. This is very encouraging for our new Group.

 

Regarding writing on आध्यात्मिक विषय in Hindi, I have the same difficulty that you mentioned. All of the lectures that I heard from various Swamis over the years were in English only. The books that I have read on this subject are also in English.  This has resulted in my thought-flow in this area to be generally in English. My dear fellow members, later I will consciously attempt to submit some articles in Hindi also. Hindi is my favorite language, and therefore, most of my poems are in Hindi. I find a beautiful sweetness in Hindi language, and I have a great respect and longing for it.

 

After posting any article, based on the questions raised by our readers, we should decide what the next helpful topic will be. For example, based on this article, we can soon have an article on GURU, who is a Guru, what are the qualifications for a Guru, etc. An adjunct to this will be ... who is a student, what are the qualifications for a student of आध्यात्मिकता ।

 

Similarly, Prachi ji's response has touched several fine areas that can be our topics for future discussions. Some fine words from her response ... CONDITIONING, KARMA, BELIEFS (versus myths), Mental laziness, or TAMAS, THE POWER TO CHOOSE. This is what makes being in this Group very exciting!

 

Thirst or desire for spirituality depends also on the environment in our growing years, especially our childhood years. The children from homes with parents having spiritual orientation tend to be more spiritual than others. Parents and grand-parents have a major influence in this area. And this thirst is also augmented by the school/city's general environment.

 

Regards,

Vijay

[Saurabh Pandey]

Respected Vijayji,

Your generous and unconditional acceptance on expressions, conveyances and postings in English language to start with, so far as this group is concerned, has given me immense support. But, sir, we can easily make our points conveyed in Hindi for our readers, as almost 95% of them are from Hindi speaking areas or do have Hindi as their basic language.  Sir, that's why, I confessed before Respected Rajesh Kumar Jha ji.

//we ALL are students here, no matter how much any of us has studied spirituality. We all will remain students in this area for the rest of our lives. I want to remain a student, I do not want my curiosity and thirst to wind down. And even if some of us may have had more exposure to आध्यात्मिकता than others, I say it with utmost humility that there are no levels here. We all will learn from each other, both from the topics, and from the questions raised by everyone.//

Sir, sure. Your sentences could create ample space and, well, speak volumes. The word Upnishad (उपनिषद - उप + नि + शत्) is derived and developed by considering the positiion of a Shishya, sitting on the ground in front of the Guru to seek his queries answered. The Bhriguvalli, too, conveys same when a father keeps on satisfying the son, Bhrigu, as per the mental level (Koshas - Annamay Kosha to Anandamay Kosha) of later. Ultimately, the father bows down before the feet of the son when he realizes the supremacy of Bhrigu mahaaraj.

This story has immense significance in this regard.

Regards

[vijay nikore]

प्रिय भाई सौरभ जी,

सादर प्रणाम।

हम सभी इस कक्षा में एक संग हैं। मैं आपके साथ हूँ, आप मेरे साथ हैं।

जी, हिन्दी में लेख भेजने का प्रयत्न करूँगा,  कभी कुछ हिन्दी में और कभी

कुछ अन्ग्रेज़ी में।

सादर और सस्नेह,

विजय निकोर

[लक्ष्मण रामानुज लडीवाला]

Respected Saurabh ji, You have rightly said, "no doubt that every one is not spiritually mature", the atmosphere where one lives, study and develop is not one and the same for all. The family background is very important because first Guru is ones father,mother, parents inspire him most in the beginning, then spiritual Guru, who gives spiritual lessons keeping in view his pupils knowledge and grasping ability, because Guru thinks that my teachings must be taken into account positively. most of us race to achieve physically more and more to have joy in life. The cut throat competition in or sarrounding  is also a important factor. Famous philosopher Dr Burtrend Russelhas written an article "The world as it could be" He said that every one try to get joy and happiness, for which he had to bear some difficulties or sorrow because efforts to get something creates difficulties or sorrow which is a route to go/get joy.  But joy or happiness is only for a while, or we may say मेरी रचना द्वारा -

दुःख है सुख का साधन 

दुःख है केवल मृग तृष्णा 

दूर क्षितिज प् अंकित 

पर मुश्किल है टंकित 

जीवन - सुख दुःख की अनुभूति 

परमपिता की रचनात्मक कृति 

सच्चा सुख अत्मा में निहित 

अहसास कर सकता कोई 

जब कृपा प्रभु की होई ।

-लक्ष्मण प्रसाद लडीवाला