A most priceless of knowledge: Negation of Self

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>

> Negation of Self : A few minutes of prayer, a little attention to

> God, may be better in a way compared to no religious activity. But

> if any one believes that it is going to bring him or her face to

> face with God he or she is badly mistaken.

>

> http://www.hinduwebsite.com/divinelife/selfnegation.asp

>

 

Negation of Self

 

To deny knowledge, experience, the known is to invite the unknown -

JK

 

We are afraid of this total destruction of the known, the ground of

the self, the me and the mine; the known is better than the unknown,

the known with its confusion, conflict and misery; freedom from this

known may destroy what we call love, relationship, joy and so on. -JK

 

The known breeds sorrow and love is the freedom from the known -JK

 

So, at first, to begin with, one must be able to get out of the ego.

Afterwards, it has to be, you understand, in a certain state of

inexistence. Then you begin to perceive things as they are, form a

little higher up. But if you want to know things as they really are,

you must be absolutely like a mirror: silent, peaceful, immobile,

impartial, without preferences and in a state of total receptivity-

The Mother

 

 

Some people ask, " Where is God and if he is there actually, why does

He not appear to us? " Some go to a sacred place, a temple or Church

and bring out their best behavior. They act piously and think

religiously for the time they are in that sacred presence. But when

they come out, we see them becoming their usual selves and indulging

in their old routine acts of selfishness and self promotion. A few

minutes of prayer, a little attention to God, may be better in a way

compared to no religious activity. But if any one believes that it

is going to bring him or her face to face with God he or she is

badly mistaken.

 

Even a student of first standard has to do his little bit of home

work, learn some basics to gain the approval of his teachers and

enter the next standard. If this is so, how can any one expect to

succeed in spiritual endeavor without corresponding effort? He who

believes that it is not so, may visit a temple or church his entire

life, but may not experience the true vision of God.

 

There are powerful orators who appear on TV screens or in front of

some special audience and speak about God with such force and

vehemence that sometimes we wonder whether they are in the midst of

some election campaign or working in the marketing department of

some divine corporation! One hardly finds any peace in their

manner, in their words, in their demeanor and their behavior. They

are the unrefined souls, full of personal ambition, trying to

provide some divine fantasy to gullible people.

 

God is not to be found in our thoughts, nor in our mundane actions.

He is not to be found exclusively in any books or in some one's

sacred speech. No church, no temple, no mosque can house God except

symbolically or representatively.

 

He is beyond books, beyond thoughts, beyond words, and beyond all

emotions. When your senses are quiet, when your mind is at peace,

resting and relaxing, when your thoughts are asleep in the lap of

silence, and when your emotions have retreated into some quite

corner, you will find Him in the silence of your heart and in the

oneness of your being.

 

You will find Him when you have disciplined yourself, when you have

gained control over yourself, when you are in a position to deal

with your desires and set them aside without upsetting your inner

balance. You will see Him when you leave behind that ambition which

has made you so competitive and at times insensitive. You will

discern His foot prints on the path of your life, when you shun all

your desire driven egoistic activity that has rendered you so

selfish and envious. You will see Him when you are able to love

unconditionally those few who come into contact with you directly

and undermine you and all that you stand for in every possible way.

 

If you can look at yourself without any expectation, if you can look

at your future without any anxiety, if you can empty your mind of

all that belongs to you and represents you, if you can act and live

as if you do not exist except as a mere concept or idea, if you can

strip yourself of all your possessions at least mentally and

sincerely, if you are willing to let go of every thing at the

slightest hint from Him, you will perhaps find God looking at the

world thorough your eyes and communicating with the world through

your words. It is when you close the door on yourself, that you find

the other door opening, the door that leads to pure Light and utter

Delight, the door through which Divine force enters and takes care

of your life. You become an empty shell, devoid of all egoism but

full of divine Self.

 

Practical Hints:

For just one day try this: Stop living and thinking for yourself.

Stop putting yourself in front of every one and every thing. Stop

behaving as if the world should and must exist for you, for your

happiness and comfort. Accept the notion that it does not matter

whether you are a part of this great world or not.

 

Stop declaring your thoughts, expressing your dear opinions in order

to impress others. Instead listen to others with enormous patience,

without feeling the compulsion of speaking in reply to prove a point

or project your knowledge.

 

Set aside all impression management. It does not matter whether any

one really likes you or not. It does not matter whether you should

become acceptable to the world outside or not. Forget about self

presentation and self advancement. Do not react. Do not put forth

any suggestions or view points.

 

Live as if it does not matter whether any one should really care

about you, think about you or feel concerned about you. Do not draw

any attention to yourself by such acts that place you prominently in

any group. Do not make yourself important in any way. Do not give

your opinions unless you are asked.

 

Do not defend yourself verbally unless there is something very

serious at stake. Do not worry about what is going to happen. Do not

plan anything in particular. Let things happen rather than you

forcing them to happen. Do not strive. Do not struggle. Cultivate

the silence of the heart and keep praying.

 

And if you can do this sincerely for some days, you will realize

that you have just crossed the first hurdle, the transformation of

your outer self. This is only the first stage in that long journey

that leads you finally to the world of God.

 

Negation of Self

http://www.hinduwebsite.com/divinelife/selfnegation.asp