DHYANA | MIND STILLING

Mind stilling is a form of mind control thorough careful thought channeling. We are a “storm“of mixed thoughts most of the time. Every time we want to concentrate or focus, we find ourselves “making efforts” to concentrate or focus. The mind i. e. the Mano Maya Kosha follows the streaming principle like water. If thoughts are “forced” to be contained then the thoughts “fill” the same very “container”. On the other hand if the thoughts are “left alone” and just observed, they take a natural course of flow, which does not ‘disturb” the individual with opposing and mixed thoughts.

Mind stilling is a process in which thought streaming is “observed” by the individual without any “effort”. This is taught by a qualified Master. While observing the thoughts, a stage comes when the thoughts are seen to flow and their randomness does not affect the individual. The individual takes the position of an “observer” rather than a “involved particiapant”. The dissociation of the person from the thoughts through observation leads to disidentification of the thoughts as “mine”. Hence the mind gradually becomes calm and still. Hence the term Mind stilling.

Dhyana is a form of meditation. By adopting a calm disposition, the individual does observation of a form or chants a mantra. There is a focus but without effort. It is more of a happening rather than a doing. Initially it starts with a guidance through effort, till the observation starts. Then on, the observer takes over and acceptance follows. For Dhyana to be effective, the prescribed conditions are calmness, let-go, observation, effortlessness or minimum effort. The key is to not to put in effort and thus keep the stress totally out.

RUNA - AN INDIAN CONCEPT

CONCEPT OF RUNA (DEBT)

In the Indian context, when a person is born, he brings with him three debts (Runas), which he is supposed to repay as his duty.

These are a) Pitr Runa:  Debt towards forefathers

                b) Deva Runa: Debt towards the Creator

                c) Acharya/Guru Runa:   Debt towards the Teacher, usually a spiritual Master.

Each of these debts emerge from the fact that these three sources are responsible for our (re)birth from the previous birth. Although these are termed as Runa – Debt, they are to be considered as duties to be fulfilled for an individual's spiritual progress. Instead of getting bogged down to “repaying” these debts grudgingly, one must repay these with a sense of understanding, gratitude and reverence. Many are not even aware of these Debts to be “repaid” and carry on with their lives “ignorantly”.

Let’s analyze these debts.

a)     Pitr Runa: All the ancestors of a lineage by virtue of their fulfillment of their duties and understanding the spiritual context of life, through the path of rightful living, created families, by having children after marriage and their children in turn did the same down the lineage. The creation of children is perceived not as a mere “product of sexual pleasure” but more as a repayment of what the ancestors have paid us being instrumental in giving us birth. In fact, the context of having children is a “duty-based repayment” course of action. Thus the repayment of this “debt” is prescribed through the simple act of having children through marriage and raising a family. By doing this the individual is said to repay the Pitr Runa.

b)     Deva Runa :  The world in which we are born consists of beauty and bounty from the Creator, naturally endowed by the Almighty for our consumption and benefit. The creation around us is taking care of us by satisfying our physical, emotional, spiritual needs and even more. We take Creation for granted most of the time. Through the prescribed act of Dana (Charity) we are expected to fulfill the debt of Deva Runa. Through Dana, we are also ensuring that we don’t get greedy and that we lead a balanced need-based living.

c)     Acharya/Guru Runa: The teacher has an important role in traditional Indian ethos. The teacher is not an ordinary teacher who transfers knowledge to students. He imbibes values and character-forming habits and puts the student on the self- transformation path. He gives the students inputs through multiple dimensional training & an inner confidence of facing life  without any “crutches”. Thus his role is of a larger significance. The repayment of this debt is through ensuring that we pass on the knowledge to others down the line, through Jnyana Dana. In simple terms, it is considered that knowledge cannot be “cornered” within oneself alone. It becomes truly useful only when it is shared through transference. It must be remembered that Guru Dakshina is a gratitude paid by the Shishaya to the Guru on his own, not a compulsion, while transfer of knowledge is a duty and a prescribed repayment to be done.

To sum it up, all Runas are repaid through selfless duty-bound service (Nishkama Karma).By doing so we constantly remind ourselves that we need to be grateful to our parents and ancestors, the Creator, and the Master. While our ancestors facilitate our presence in this material world, our Guru through his spiritual excellence adds immense value to us and the Creator of course sets the wonderful backdrop/setting for all this to happen.

ASHRAMA SYSTEM IN INDIA

THE ASHRAMA / ASRAMA SYSTEM IN INDIA

The Ashramas consists of the stages which a man goes through during the process of physically growing up. In the Indian context, there are four stages: Brahmacharyashrama, Grahastahrama, Vanaprasthashrama and Sannyasashrama.

Each of these is stages have been prescribed certain do’s and don’ts and certain disciplines, appropriate to the spiritual progress of the individual.

Brahmacharya is the first stage in the life of an individual. It is the stage from childhood to premarital youth stage. This is the learning stage of life when the entire focus is only transformational education involving learning multiple skills and developing oneself to facing life after. Usually this stage is spent at the Gurukul under a competent master, the Guru.

Grahastashrama is the stage when the grown up and learned youth enters into family life by getting married and raising a family and nurturing the children. The upkeep and the well being of the family is reinforced by the individual at this stage of life, so as to make the family members self sufficient and confident to face life.

Vanaprashthashrama is the stage where the individual having done his basic duties for the family, prepares to withdraw from active involvement into passive presence. This stage is prescribed for various deeper reasons. Firstly, to make the individual develop a detachment towards worldly attachments. It starts with mental processes of detaching through reducing involvement in family and social life. Secondly, Vanaprasthashrama prepares the individual to face the imminent separation from the material world – for death. Thirdly, this stage takes the individual through mentorship and from an adviser to the family to a detached individual.

Sannyashrama is the stage when the individual physically withdraws from all family and social ties and goes to seclusion of the forest. The purpose is to introspect and prepare him to “meet the Creator” and make the transition from living world to the next world.

These stages are prescribed to have a disciplined progress towards our only Goal of life, viz. returning to the Source from where we all emerge.