The Doctrine and Practice of Yoga, swámi Mukerji A. P. [most important books to read txt] 📗

deathless. You have to unfold by meditation a consciousness of your Real Self. I give you hereunder a meditation exercise that will help you in this direction. MEDITATION EXERCISE NO. 1.

Retire into the SILENCE. Shut off all thoughts and purposes relating to the external world. Try to realise that you, the Real Ego are not the body but that it is a mere garment you have put on for functioning on the physical plane and which you shall put off some day. Try to realise that you are immortal and that although a thousand bodies might come and go, you, the Ego, shall be as alive as ever. These are your shadows—your personalities. What dies and is born is a mirage—a mere phantasm—which you materialise for certain purposes. All these purposes centralise in one POTENTIALISED PURPOSE—the conquest of matter. Realise that you the Ego, have your dwelling in Supernal Regions—on the spiritual plane—with your Father-in-Heaven—but that you have come down into matter that you may find the fullest possible objective expression. Realise that you, the Ego, are a differentiated centre of consciousness in the Great Consciousness—THE ABSOLUTE—EGO—SUM of the entire Universe with all its gross and subtle manifestations—that you are endowed with all the powers and attributes of the Absolute Self. Realise that you are not the emotional and passional manifestations—surging up in your personality. These are subject to the law of Flux and Rhythm and must be brought under the control of Reason and Will—the balancing, equating principle of mind. Realise that you are not the mind nor the intellect, but that you exercise this function in order to analyse the external manifestations of nature and study same. Realise that you are pure Consciousness, Bliss and Existence in your essential nature—one with the all-life. Realise that the form side of manifestation is but a concentration, a precipitation within you. Your subjective nature is one with the subjective self of others—an inlet for the influx and efflux of the GREAT SUB-CONSCIOUS. Realise thus your Unity with All-Life-manifesting objectively as Universal Brotherhood of all living beings and the perfect recognition of the All-Father-Mother, the Great Cosmic Power and Intelligence known as God whose intelligence all-blissfulness and existence are ever pouring into each Unit of Individualised Divine Energy and evolving through nature. And, student, when you meditate daily that you are neither the body nor the emotions nor the mind, you shall then unfold the consciousness of the "I am I" that which rules the personality that which has been called Soul-Consciousness. You shall then be Chaitanya-Spiritually awake. You shall then know no Fear. Fear shall drop away like a worn-out sheath. All fear-thoughts are due to undeveloped race-consciousness which reacts upon individual consciousness and is stamped more or less upon every atom of matter. You 'fear' because you think you are the body. When you realise that you can command as many bodies for your use as you like; when you realise in your heart of hearts that you are a Spiritual Being expressing and energising through material personalities; when you realise that you cannot die, fear shall be afraid of you and drop tormenting and teasing you. Fear resides in the matter-fed mind—that mind which has been grown and matured by the reception and re-action upon external sensations and stimuli—what has been called the objective mind. This mind identifies itself with the form, the body. It has an incorrigible determination towards the form-side, the concrete-side of existence. It sees nothing but the body and is darkened by the forces of Maya. It sees nothing but separation. Yes, it is the matter-fed mind. People with a development of this side of consciousness are invariably selfish; have generally small, conical eyes, understand nothing, but the welfare of the body. They are subject to the fear and the delight in making others fear them. This mind needs illumination from the soul, the Subjective Man, the "I am I" side of consciousness. It is not that you are a body and have a soul—this is the dirty conviction of the matter-fed mind—but you are a soul and have a body. The dawn of Soul-Consciousness makes a man a Force for good. He himself is Fearless. His is the voice of strength that does not crush and dominate but that puts warmth, life, energy, hope and indomitable courage into cold and despairing hearts. Some are born with this Soul-Consciousness. Do not think that I am feeding with the theories of eccentricity. Often when a boy playing with others the thought would strike me hard, "Are you the same that is running and jumping and shouting." I would stop, looking blankly ahead. A feeling of confusion would come over me and I would forget everything. I could recall the feeling distinctly and vividly. Now I understand. These were flashes of Soul-Consciousness unfolded in a past life and struggling for "recognition" in this life. Such men face DEATH for themselves calmly. They know they can't die. Such men are incapable of sustained hatred. They too have their physiognomical signs and distinctions. They represent an advanced order of intellect. And, lastly, when the full blaze of realisation comes, your one object in life shall be to bestow your sense of freedom on others. You shall not be able to mock and smile calmly at the pain, the ignorance to imperfections of your brother-man. You shall realise what it is to 'feel' for humanity, yea, even for animals. You shall glimpse, in some measures, the great feeling of pain that rent the hearts of the Buddas, the Christs, the Ramakrishnas, the Vivekanandas of this world. They suffered, they felt for humanity. And when undeveloped humanity forced them to the Cross; they bore it in the same spirit in which the gentle nurse bears the blows and abuses of the disease-racked patient. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Verily to know all is to forgive all. This Soul-Consciousness is as much yours as that of anyone. It comes through meditation on the Infinite, and the Formless Absolute—the Over-soul of the universe—the Brahman of the Vedanta—the Self of the philosophers—the Atman of the Yogis—the personal—impersonal God of the devotee—and, last, but not least, the humanity of the humanitarian.

CONCENTRATION.

The mind can think of one thing only. Fear is an acute form of negative concentration—worry its chronic form. If you learn how to place your mind upon a particular subject and inhibit or "shut off" all other thoughts, the fascination of fear and worry shall have no power over you. Most of the things you fear never happen—others can be routed by a bold front. Even if something ugly does befall you, you have the power within to enable you to 'bear up' heroically. Fear is a mere negative thought-habit. It is a negative tendency in the mind. You can best eradicate this weed from your mind by cultivating the positive attitude of Courage. There are particular sets of brain-cells being created or destroyed by particular types of thoughts. The best way to destroy negative brain-cells is to develop positive brain-cells. If you want to Kill off Fear-thoughts, do not fight them. That would be like trying to realise how dark a place is and then starting to pitch it out by the handful. You know you cannot do it. Just open the blinds and let in sunshine and the place will be flooded with light. The mind hypnotised by negative thoughts has been compared by a mental scientist to a dirty wash-bowl full of dirty water. Take the wash-bowl near a tap and turn the tap on. The steady pour of clean water will soon wash off all the dirty water and fill the wash-bowl with clear water. So the only way to root out and destroy evil thoughts is to turn a steady stream of positive thoughts. To overcome all fear thoughts, you should think courage-thoughts. Don't crawl on your belly; don't call upon Heaven to witness what a despicable creature you are. No—a thousand times—no. Act Courage. Think Courage. Say Courage. That's the way. Turn your face towards the rising sun. Take "Courage" for your watchword. Affirm it as far as you can. Fasten it deep and strong in your mind. Always tell yourself that you are full of courage, morning, noon and night; never tell yourself that you are weak.

Now, in order to inhibit fear-thoughts and exhibit Courage-thoughts, you must possess CONCENTRATION. You should be able to take your mind off a certain subject and put it on something else at your will. Do you know what Concentration means? Let me give you in my own words something I remember reading about Napoleon. When banished to St. Helena and suffering from disease, one day his doctor expressed his curiosity as to the secret of his success and astonishing power. Napoleon replied "Doctor, there are drawers in my brain. When I want to think of politics I pull out the drawer of politics, when I want to think of Josephine, I pull out the drawer of Law, and so on; and when I shut all these drawers, I can go to sleep." The doctor smiled incredulity blandly. "Doctor, I can show you this minute. Doctor, I shut all drawers"—even while saying this, Napoleon fell with a thud on his pillow. He was fast asleep. The man of science and medicine examined him in all ways, but Napoleon had fallen actually fast asleep. This is Concentration and Mind-Control. I don't admire men of Napoleon's selfish types. Their place is in dark hell. They use their power for preying upon others. But that his powers of mind were great, I don't deny. Napoleon in his past life had been a great Yogi, but the remnants of self and cumulative force of bad Karma precipitated the bloody results you all know in connection with Napoleon's career. No doubt, this man was only a means used by God to bring about certain changes and revolutions.

To develop Concentration, pay attention to the daily work of your life. Don't neglect small things. Put interest and attention into whatever you think, say, or do. Be a wide-awake man. Don't go about your work half-asleep. Wake up and display a few signs of life. Be progressive. Think much and to the purpose.

WILL-POWER.

You all understand this. It is that aspect of your make-up that enables you to make your mind and body obey you. The true principle of Will is closely interlocked with the "I am I" as I have already explained it. Resolve at the start to do one thing once in 24 hours that you would do if you were not afraid. Face fear and it is your slave. Your Will-power enables you to prove things practically to yourself and to the world; to make actions match-thoughts. Give your Will much exercise in the right direction. Without Will a man is no better than a log of wood. Keep your Will strong by auto-suggestion and exercise. Try the powers of your Will on your personality till you can do anything and be anything. Say "I can and I will" in a thousand different ways and prove it too. The requisite qualities that form valuable adjuncts to Will-power are: 1. Determination. 2. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. 3. Perseverance. 4. Invincible and indomitable courage. 5. Non-attachment. 6. Faith in yourself. 7. Faith in God. 8. I can and I will. Repeat this affirmation often till it becomes a constant mental trait.

AFFIRMATIONS.

1. I am fearless. I am full of courage. There is nothing to fear. I say courage, I think, I act courage.

2. Courage is my distinct and leading trait. Everyone knows me as a man of Indomitable courage. The criticisms and opinions of others cannot affect me the least.

3. I am part of the Divine Self. I harm none. My nature knows no harm. Hence no harm comes to me.

4. I am equal to anything. Nothing can crush my spirit. I can face everything. I can face everybody.

5. My powers of resistance are strong, strong, strong. I use them never for the aggression of others. They are for my self-defence.

6. I am absolutely fearless morally and physically.

7. I stand for absolute truthfulness and justice and manifest them in myself.

8. Work with this affirmation. Strongly implant it in your mind. The use of strong, positive Affirmation in the Silence is valuable in that it gives you a firm hold of your thought so that you can "carry the thought" mentally. The value of expressing thought in act and speech lies in this that it clinches your thought into a permanent habit. Remember this psychologic axiom: 1. Thoughts take form in action. 2. Action induces thought and corresponding habits. Therefore act out the part physically. If you want a courageous mind—"act out" the part physically, in your daily life, on suitable occasions, in all earnestness as you would in a theatre or drama. In a very