You may all remember one of the episodes
where Babuji Maharaj discovers the first samskara.
He says that if we remove the first samskara
that we all share in common,
the base on which the rest of the samskaras are lingering will collapse.
So what is that first samskara?
How is it removed from our system?
Well, of course, every samskara is removed through cleaning,
and that is why over a period of time,
as we develop more and more faith,
and we practice with dedication,
a sort of courage develops and fear seems to die away.
This is also confirmed by Lord Rama,
when he is giving Jnana to one of his devotees:
when he is asked what is the greatest boon,
he says, “It is being fearless, being abhya.”
In Sahaj Marg, in our day-to-day life,
despite this daily cleaning done by individuals,
having individual sittings with preceptors,
and attending group satsanghs,
which all serve a great purpose of removing samskaras,
they get accumulated in different layers of our consciousness.
Daily samskaras, daily impressions, are easy to remove
through our evening cleaning process;
a deeper layers of samskaras can be removed
through the help of our preceptors;
and for even deeper levels of samskaras,
our Masters are able to help.
These are the samskaras that haunt us life after life.
But what do we understand of samskara?
When we remove samskaras, what happens?
Let us say, you had an argument with someone,
or you had such a pleasant experience with someone in discussions.
You have a memory associated with such an encounter.
Would the removal of the memory or forgetting such a memory
be equivalent to the removal of the samskaras? No.
It is only when I am able to forgive
the bitter experience that I had because of some interaction with someone.
I may remember
the encounter with someone, which was displeasing,
but totally removing the emotional part of it
amounts to not forming impressions.
It is the emotional burden that is associated
with our memory that creates samskaras.
‘Emotional burden’ means that
I am saturated with so many dislikes or likes – only two things.
In our day-to-day activities, moment to moment,
how vigilant are we with our reactiveness?
Are we still reacting?
Or are we in osmosis with the Source?
We have so many ways of reducing this burden,
diffusing, so that we avoid forming samskaras.
One of them is constant remembrance
When we are in an absolute state of constant remembrance,
when we are in osmosis with our Maker,
in our Master’s remembrance, with deep love in the heart,
when we are performing our acts with utmost devotion,
then we do not form samskaras.
Another method, that was given a few years back,
was this: ‘Now and then, using sankalpa,
think that everything around us
is absorbed in Godly remembrance.’
I would like to add one more sankalpa to this sankalpa:
‘While we are in the office or at home,
travelling via flight or via train, or walking around –
it does not matter – wherever we are,
think that everything surrounding us
is absorbed in Godly remembrance and that
all are in osmosis with the Source,
developing increased peacefulness and moderation.’
While remaining in osmosis with our Source,
have this sankalpa that
‘Things around me are becoming more peaceful.
Everything is developing moderation.’
In a very short time, we will come through a stage
where we will not have to do daily cleaning.
Cleaning means you continue to
collect dust in your consciousness.
By creating a veil around us,
we are preventing all these things from settling in our heart.
It is not that avoid doing anything.
We continue to work in the best possible way in our work environment,
with increased efficiency.
In fact, when we are in osmosis with God,
our actions tend to become perfect – more and more efficient.
You will start enjoying the work;
work will no longer remain a burden.
A lot of people say they like to retire,
but I am of the belief that all your spiritual wealth,
all your spiritual accumulations,
can be exercised
best in the working environment in the material world.
The material world and family life give us challenges,
and against these challenges we use our spiritual wealth.
We test our abilities,
our spiritual genius if you like to call it;
And like anything else, anything put to the test,
it only becomes better and better.
Only cowards will give up such challenges.
Sahaj Marg is to face such challenges with a bold heart,
having confidence in the Master that,
“I may not have confidence,
but he is there to support in all my activities.”
So with this little heartfelt – I would say,
I would not like to call it anything else,
but I would like to share these inner feelings of my heart,
to come to the very essence of Sahaj Marg;
that whatever is stopping us is our samskaras,
and we should be vigilant about how to not form samskaras.
That is the first step.
Otherwise, all throughout life, if you go on cleaning,
it will be a disappointment.
Babuji wrote one letter to one abhyasi who was boasting.
some things I don’t know what,
He was praising himself,
“Saheb, mein toh bahut dilse sadhna kar rah hoon
pandhra saalse, bees saalse,” meaning,
“I am practising with a lot of dedication for the last 15 to 20 years.
I am very regular in my practice,” etc., etc.
But Babuji had his own wisdom.
He said, “I am sorry to say you are still practising.
By now you should have come to the Source.
You should have arrived at the goal.
It is unfortunate that even after 15 to 20 years of practice,
you are still struggling.”
So I think we should take this to our heart and say, “Yes Babuji,
we will make sure that our lifestyle will be of
such a high order that the need
for meditation to regulate the mind will stop;
the need to remove the dust will stop because we don’t
invite or form any more samskaras.
The next stage will automatically open up
where we will help others,
whether they are abhyasis or not.
But our lifestyle will somehow touch their hearts.
Anyway, enough for today.
Thank you.