Bulletin No: 2015.117 – Sunday October 18, 2015

Kanha Shantivanam visit, Hyderabad

6th October 2015

Kamlesh bhai used this time in Kanha to rest and prepare himself for the Himalayan tour. He was also using the ‘Sahaj Connect’ mobile application and giving sittings to many abhyasis.

During these days, he also read Sahaj Marg Philosophy.

On one of the evenings, there was an interesting discussion about whether we should evaluate a Guru or not. An abhyasi presented the viewpoint that we may not have the ability to evaluate.

How to judge and choose a Guru? Kamlesh bhai drew our attention to Babuji Maharaj’s advice about choosing a Guru. He also talked about types of Gurus and their responsibility towards the evolution of seekers. He said that, when choosing a Guru, under all circumstances we should follow the heart and stand by dharma.

Later, the discussion turned towards meditation and the spiritual condition. He mentioned that meditation is a seeding process. We must expand the spiritual condition and make it dynamic. The condition must manifest in our interaction with the external world.

Love for the Guru

Kamlesh bhai mentioned that Babuji Maharaj was tested by many highly evolved souls. They were all praising Lalaji Maharaj for the kind of disciple he had created. In one such test, Babuji Maharaj told Lalaji Saheb that he was not worried about him failing in any test, but he was worried about bringing a bad name to His Guru by failing in tests conducted by Higher Beings. Kamlesh bhai said, “Look at his love for his Guru.” He said that we must not do anything that would bring disgrace to the Guru. Our words, and our conduct in life must reflect the essence of Master’s teaching.

Late at night, he was working on a new article about ‘More and More of Less and Less’. He has extensively dealt with purushartha, the spiritual process and how to deal with desires.

While talking about Babuji Maharaj, he said, “Bringing divine essence in our existence is heartfulness.” The day ended very late.

7th October 2015

“Learning the art of life”

On the 7th morning, Kamlesh bhai asked a series of questions. He said, “Imagine if a child has to be taught everyday how to get back home! Domesticated animals return home automatically, how is this possible? We human beings need to be taught to remember and return to our Original Home. Why is this so?”

He gave another scenario. Let us say a man is faced with a situation; he has an opportunity to buy a beautiful vehicle, but he also has a sick father who needs help. What will this person do? Will he let go of the opportunity to get the object of attraction or the need to attend to his father? The choice seems solely depends on what is inside of the person. The inner conditioning determines the action.

Kamlesh bhai said, “Suppose there is no seed of desire, then will you pay attention to the object outside yourself?” In such a situation, “Where is the question of renunciation of the desire, when there is no seed of desire?”

He further elaborated on the nature of man and said, “Even while eating and enjoying food, it is only man who tries to always improve upon things that we enjoy. How can it be better? How can it be more intense? How can it be everlasting? This is how we bring the future into the present. And if something is amiss, then we go back and imagine our past, ‘Oh, how wonderful it was!’ Man is a complex creature.”

Is a human being so helpless, in the sense that he does not have any recollection of the Original Home? Maybe this is the reason for lack of appreciation of the spiritual life leading us to where we descended from.

Kamlesh bhai said, “There is no recollection of the Original Home, but that inherent memory is very much there. Soul remains longing for that state. That memory of losing our homeland is ingrained in us. For perfect balance, the soul has that awareness. Until it achieves that, maybe that memory does not let him rest. So, it does not matter. Even if you are in a state of samadhi for a long time, it still does not matter. It is actually only a small fire in you, as nothing can match that original balance.”

He continued and said, “You cannot renounce desire. You can only understand the nature of desire and its futility. There is no point in playing with it for fulfilment or renunciation. A person who has understood the nature of desire has learnt the art of life.”

He further elaborated upon the problem of desires and said, “What will you do if you find a bag with a million dollars? It depends on the person finding it. One may say, ‘I am fortunate. Let me buy things for my dear ones.’ Another person may say, ‘Let me find the real owner of this bag.’ There could be yet another individual who may say, ‘I don’t know what I will do with it.’” This individual is open and is willing to express the true nature of his being. He may keep the bag or he may do as the other two possibilities.

He further said, “Desires are fluid. One person may react differently for the same desire at different times. This aspect of desire is very complex. We have to be fully aware from inside, and aware of the duty we have towards ourselves. A person going back home is not distracted by many things happening along the way. If the goal is returning back home, should other distractions matter?”

How to solve the problem of desires? Is it by removing desires? Desire is our own construction. Also we are conditioned by society. For example, the idea of beauty varies from country to country. He said, “Only discrimination and clarity in the heart will help navigate through this complexity.”

Is there a relationship between ego and desires? Are they complementary? Are desires always related to gratification of the senses?

Kamlesh bhai said, “Babuji used to say ‘Ek sadhe sab sadhe ,sab sadhe sab jaye,’ meaning, one should solve such a problem of life by which all other problems are solved. By fixing the goal to the highest, that is God-Realisation, then all other problems of life are solved.”

8th October 2015

On the 8th morning, Kamlesh bhai was up early and ready to start. On the way to the airport, he shared his thoughts on the need to talk boldly about meditation, in the context of the Heartfulness approach, encouraging or challenging newcomers to discover through their own experience.

He said, “We need to talk about the fact that, yes, we need this state, we need to discriminate, we need to have a pure heart right? ‘Many philosophies talk about this need, but they don't give us the means to fulfil that need.

If you want a fundamental change from inside, we offer you a method. Try it for yourself. Right from the first day you will see the results.’ So, that should be our approach. With transmission you can do anything.”

He said that we need to approach this work with conviction and confidence. He further said, “The style and mannerisms with which you explain things are very important. That's why I keep saying that good things, like good medicines, are generally bitter; that bitterness is masked by sugar coating. But we have a beautiful thing, the way of Sahaj Marg, and we are masking its sweetness with our bad behaviour. We are making it bitter. Because of our loose feet, shaky ground, no confidence, we make it look like a stupid thing.”

Talking about conviction, he said, “It has to be expressed in proper words, with conviction, solid conviction. That does not mean we exaggerate things. No. We express honestly.

Say: ‘What is the use of anyone feeling all these things? You feel it yourself. Try it for a week, for my sake, for the family’s sake, for your sake, and see for yourself. Try it like never before. Remind yourself of when you were thirteen or fourteen, the way you inquired about various things so passionately. Search for the truth like that.’”

His words were filled with fire and dynamism.

Kamlesh bhai reached Delhi by around 10:30 a.m. and immediately left by road towards Satkhol.