Remaining Ever in the Present

August 12, 2006

B K <bkgswu

Spiritual Thought

You can only be in one place at any moment in time. When I feel I am

missing out on something then I am. It is not the party, or being with

another person that I am missing, it is my own life. As long as I am

thinking of where I could be, I am marking myself absent from where I

am now. This means I am nowhere. Today let me be present in my own life.

Question based on spiritual thought from bkgswu. :

1) Does Gita talk about remaining in the present?

2) If so, where (which shloka) in the Gita has God talked about

remaining in the present?

3) Has God given us techniques to live in the present?

4) How can we be in the present, performing our duties and activities

(e.g. deeply engaged in our office work) and at the same time be

immersed in God? Often extended periods go by without remembering God.

What does God suggest for us to do?

A Sadhak

Ram Ram

August 14, 2006

Yes, sir, the Gita says to always remember Krishna, become His devotee and offer your obeisances to Him and surrender to Him in chapter 18 , verses 65 and 66. Your every moment therefore should be filled with rememberance by chanting His holy names which are the medicine and elixir for all material problems. bv avadhoot maharajsadhak_insight <sadhak_insight wrote: B K <bkgswuSpiritual Thought You can only be in

one place at any moment in time. When I feel I ammissing out on something then I am. It is not the party, or being withanother person that I am missing, it is my own life. As long as I amthinking of where I could be, I am marking myself absent from where Iam now. This means I am nowhere. Today let me be present in my own life.Question based on spiritual thought from bkgswu. : 1) Does Gita talk about remaining in the present? 2) If so, where (which shloka) in the Gita has God talked aboutremaining in the present? 3) Has God given us techniques to live in the present? 4) How can we be in the present, performing our duties and activities(e.g. deeply engaged in our office work) and at the same time beimmersed in God? Often extended periods go by without remembering God.What does God suggest for us to do? A Sadhak Ram Ram

Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Mail Beta.

August 15, 2006

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

Absolutely true... Babaji always encourages living in present. In other words, when one is present in the current moment there is no thinking involved!!! Observe yourself - whenever our mind is working it is either in the past or in future but when it is in present, it becomes still; there is nothing to think about! Baba explains this with two similar examples: whenever you are in thoughts of your beloved when he/she arrives the union happens - the eyes meet, the bodies hug, you are one with him/her, there is nothing remained to think at that very moment! He also gives an example of a mother and a child. When the child goes to school, mother thinks about the child entire day like what he might be doing, whether he ate his snack or not, praying that he comes home safely like that but when the child is home and hugs his mother, at that very moment there is nothing to think about, the child and the mother are united in that moment. So in other words, when one remains united with the present moment there is nothing to think about and at the same time there is absolute joy & contentment in this union!!! So if we remain united with God in all of our actions there is nothing remained to do for us - a true surrender (18:66)

I don't recall Shri Bhagawan telling Arjuna directly to live in the present moment (someone can correct me) but his teachings or encouragement to Arjuna to follow what He was directing would lead Arjuna to remain in the present moment. For example, Lord asked Arjuna to fight (Chapter 2), in other words, Arjuna is in the battle field, came to fight but becoming weak - wanting to back off from facing the present moment and Lord advises him to face the moment by directing him to do his duties and not to worry about the fruit, i.e., future. He asks him to rather maintain equanimity (2:47/48) and that is yoga - perfect union. Equanimity is possible only when the person remains in the present moment. For Arjuna, the moment of decision making had already gone, it is past - history, and this moment is only to face the opponent. Like this if we read Gitaji, lot can be understood about Shri Bhagwan's teachings of how to remain in the present moment.

I just came back from a yoga retreat where Babaji explained a Gita verse (4:7/8) very beautifully that can be applied here also. The common interpretation of 'yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bhaarat... ... sambhavaami yuge yuge' is that in every yug (like satya, dwapar, etc.) to destroy adharma, establish dharma and save sadhujan I take birth - we all understand this. Baba requests again to apply this to our inner aspect. We are children of God, what should be our dharma? When we are filled with so much attachments, negativity, lust, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, sorrows, worries, and sufferings, we have involved ourselves in practicing adharma. When it reaches its limit (for each individual the limit varies), the click or awakening happens within us saying enough is enough, I must change/transform/sick of being in this situation must do something about it and this very moment is called a God is being born within us to take care of adharma and re-establish dharma - the Truth, within us!!! Baba explains that one of the meanings of yug is coupled (like how we say yugal geet for duet song) and within us body and soul are coupled and the ONLY link that makes us aware of this union is our breath - coupled breath of inhalation-exhalation. In this inhalation-exhalation, the divinity is awaiting to manifest - sambhavaami yuge yuge!!!! So to remain in present moment, one has to be aware of every inhalation-exhalation as that is the only link we have keeping the union of body and soul alive! No breath, no soul (yogis who have attained nirvikalpa samadhi are exceptions here). Without breath body is useless - we burn it, burry it, throw it away for animals to feed. No breath, no chance of dharma being born within us! So be conscious of breath every moment & remain united with God in every breath - being a child of God, that is our dharma.

In past we have discussed how Lord guides Arjuna of various scarifies - oblations offered (please read past emails from archive) by different categories of people including the inhalation-exhalation (pranayam) by yogis and Lord advises Arjuna to be yogi (chapter 4). Why would Lord ask Arjuna to be a yogi in the battle field? Because it is the battle field of our inner self - the fight between our evil/bad and good tendencies.

In chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, (I think each chapter explains some techniques or the characteristics of a person who has mastered the technique) Lord asks to do karma without being attached to it - as Swamiji Maharaj says give back to the world what belongs to the world. When offering all to God - again this offering is not once the karma/action is finished, rather see the presence of God behind each action. As Babaji would say without God inhaling in this body no karma is possible so see how God is united in each action - personal, household, office, janaseva, any..., doesn't matter... The God is the only doer of all - establishing oneself in this fact from within leads to remaining in present moment. when one becomes aware of the action and the doer behind it, one is in present moment. Babaji insists on watching breath while performing our duties. Breath has direct connection with our emotions - when we are angry our breath is different, when we are content the rhythm of our breath changes; when we are worried the breath flows differently than when we are in happy or joyous mood. Always watch breath. Breath is the present, breath is the union, breath is the life, breath is the high-way to God, realize it.

So in other words, even though Lord didn't advise Arjuna directly to remain in the present moment, His teachings would lead Arjuna to do so.

Hope this helps...

Humble regards,

Always at Thy Divine Feet

On 8/12/06, sadhak_insight <sadhak_insight wrote: B K <bkgswuSpiritual ThoughtYou can only be in one place at any moment in time. When I feel I am

missing out on something then I am. It is not the party, or being withanother person that I am missing, it is my own life. As long as I amthinking of where I could be, I am marking myself absent from where I

am now. This means I am nowhere. Today let me be present in my own life.Question based on spiritual thought from bkgswu. :1) Does Gita talk about remaining in the present?2) If so, where (which shloka) in the Gita has God talked about

remaining in the present?3) Has God given us techniques to live in the present?4) How can we be in the present, performing our duties and activities(e.g. deeply engaged in our office work) and at the same time be

immersed in God? Often extended periods go by without remembering God.What does God suggest for us to do?A SadhakRam Ram

August 15, 2006

Divine All,

Pranam.

As Babaji would like to answer...

1) Does Gita talk about remaining in the present? YES2) If so, where (which shloka) in the Gita has God talked about remaining in the present? 2:113) Has God given us techniques to live in the present? YES

4) How can we be in the present, performing our duties and activities(e.g. deeply engaged in our office work) and at the same time be immersed in God? Often extended periods go by without remembering God. IT NEEDS PRACTICE AS THE GOPIS DID THEIR DUTIES WITH MIND IN THE LORD

What does God suggest for us to do? SURRENDER WITH LOVE AND DO HIS WORK

August 21, 2006

Shree Hari

Ram Ram!

Priya Sadhaka, Aap ke prashno ke liye bahut bahut dhanyabad.

With insipration from Swamiji Maharajji, making an humble attempt to address these wonderful questions.

You are right, we can be only in one place at one time. In fact, we are not there where our body is, we are there only where our mind is and given the nature of the mind, it is constantly wandering, so how it is possible to stay in the present!

I have a question too - What do we call present? As soon as we think about the present, it becomes past. We really can't catch hold of the present as long as we associate ourselves with the Prakriti or Samsar or the body because the inherant nature of all these is not to stay the same even for a second. The present, past and the future are associated with the phenomenal world only. While operating at body level, it is not possible to live in present.

Example: Suppose there is a parade going on, for some on-lookers, the parade has already passed by (for them, parade is in the past), those who are waiting to see yet, the parade is in the future but who those are in the parade, it is all in the present, there is no past, or the future.

The only possible way to stay with the present is to stay with what remains present all the time.

God is the only such entity for which there is no past or future, it is present all the time. If we become one with God then it would be possible for us to stay in the present too because God is always present in all situations, all times and all places since God is beyond time. If we are able to submit to God, surrender completely to Him then we can be in present at all the time since God was present what we call in the past, present in the present and will be present in what we call the future!

Comment on Q1

Gita does not come out directly to say about " Remaing in the present " but it does say so indirecly in many places.

Comment on Q2

Gita 2-12, Lord Krishna says, " Never was there a time when I was not, nor you, nor these lords of men, nor there ever will be a time hereafter when we all shall cease to be " (This is talking about to be with our Atman all the time)

Question raised by Arjuna in Gita 4-4

" You are of recent origin, while the birth of Vivasvan (Sun God) dates back to remote antiquity. How, then, am I to understand that you taught this Yoga at the berginning of creation?

Reply to this is in Gita 4-5, " O' Arjuna, you and I have passed through many births. I know them all; while you do not, O Paramatapa " . (Because Atma and paramatma are always present).

Comment on Q3

Yes, to live in present means being with God always since He is present evrerywhere at all times.

Gita 12-8 - " Fix your mind on Me alone, let your intellect dwell in Me. In Me alone shall you live thereafter, of this there is no doubt.

Also, pls. see Gita 12/9-11

Gita 6-25 - Little by little, through practice, one should gain tranquillity by means of purified reason and fixing his mind on the Self thinking else at all.

Also, pls. see Gita 6/10-13

Comment on Q4

Yes, it is possible when we lovingly offer all what we do to God, doing the work as a worship, working with an attitude of an adoration to the Almighty, we are serving Him only when we perform any kind of work towards any limb of His creation.

Gita 9-27 " O' son of Kunti, whatever yo do, whatever you eat, whatever you offere as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever yo bestow as a gift; whatever you do by way of penance, offer it all to Me " .

Gita 18-45 Each man devoted to his own duty attains the highest perfection. How can one, devoted to his own duty, attains peffection, listen of that now (refer to 18-46).

Gita !8-46. " He from whom all beings enmanate and by Whom allthis is pervaded, by worshipping Him through performanvce of his own duty, man attains perfecetion. "

Param Shardhiya Swamiji suggests a sure way to live in present, He said that we should mentally renounce what is changing (World and Body) and accept which never changes (God). We should accept that we are God's only, we have no true relationship with the world, it is a pasing phase only.

Couple of examples:

Ex: House Maid works in master's house in a loving way as if it were her own house yet but detached attitude since she knows she could be dismissed anytime.

Ex: Hospital nurse working with infants sometimes like a particular new born, she treats her or him like her own baby, she knows the child will be leaving her in a few days.

Few more related shalokas which can help us to build a relationship with God and to align ourselves with God so that we can live in present-

Gita 7-19 - At the end of many births, the man of wisdom comes to Me, realizing that Vasudeva (the Supreme) is all there is. Such a great souil is very rear.

Gita 8-14 - " I am easily attainable, O' Partha, by that eversteadfast yogi, who constantly remembers Me and thinks of Me alone " .

Gita 9-14 - " Always singing My glories, striving to attain Me, prostrating before Me with firm vows, ever united with Me, weorship Me always single minded.

Gita 13-16 - Undivided He exists as if divided in beings;He is to be known as the Sustainer, Destroyer and the Creater of beings.

Gita 13-27 - Verily he sees, who sees the Supreme Lord as the Imperishable abiding equally in all perishable beings.

Gita 15-7 - The jiva (soul) in the body is an eternal portion of Myself. Seated in the Prakriti, it attracts the senses (five) - the mind being the sixth.

Pls. refer to Sadhaka Sanjivini for detailed commentary on the above shalokas

With loving paranama

A sadhaka.

On Behalf Of sadhak_insight

Saturday, August 12, 2006 10:41 PM

Remaining Ever in the Present

B K <bkgswu

Spiritual Thought

You can only be in one place at any moment in time. When I feel I am missing out on something then I am. It is not the party, or being with another person that I am missing, it is my own life. As long as I am thinking of where I could be, I am marking myself absent from where I am now. This means I am nowhere. Today let me be present in my own life.

Question based on spiritual thought from bkgswu. :

1) Does Gita talk about remaining in the present?

2) If so, where (which shloka) in the Gita has God talked about remaining in the present?

3) Has God given us techniques to live in the present?

4) How can we be in the present, performing our duties and activities (e.g. deeply engaged in our office work) and at the same time be immersed in God? Often extended periods go by without remembering God.

What does God suggest for us to do?

A Sadhak

Ram Ram

August 21, 2006

Esteemed Madan Kaura ji and all Others in the List

Love and Love alone....

What a detailed and wonderful disposition! My loving respects to you Sir. Yes, it is possible for us to stay in the present all the time only when we become one with God because God is always present in all situations, at all times, in all places and UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. He is beyond the time and space too. We need to learn and perfect, undoubtedly, the art of unconditional love, surrender and renunciation (Tyaga), instead of fighting over issues like Advaita, Vishstadwaita, Dwaita, etc., and in the process using some negative words to prove the point. Since the world and the body are ever changing and God never changes, our true relationship should always be with God only. Every one of us is on the same path and I am very confident that HE is holding and guiding us all in our journey. We will reach the Goal definitely.

Love and Love alone ...

P. Gopi Krishna

On 8/21/06, Kaura, Madan (M.L.) <mkaura wrote:

Shree Hari

Ram Ram!

Priya Sadhaka, Aap ke prashno ke liye bahut bahut dhanyabad.

With insipration from Swamiji Maharajj

i, making an humble attempt to address these

wonderful questions.

You are right, we can be only in one place at one time. In fact, we are not there where our body is, we are there only where our mind is and given the nature of the mind, it is constantly wandering, so how it is possible to stay in the present!

I have a question too - What do we call present? As soon as we think about the present, it becomes past. We really can't catch hold of the present as long as we associate ourselves with the Prakriti or Samsar or the body because the inherant nature of all these is not to stay the same even for a second. The present, past and the future are associated with the phenomenal world only. While operating at body level, it is not possible to live in present.

Example: Suppose there is a parade going on, for some on-lookers, the parade has already passed by (for them, parade is in the past), those who are waiting to see yet, the parade is in the future but who those are in the parade, it is all in the present, there is no past, or the future.

The only possible way to stay with the present is to stay with what remains present all the time

.. God is the only such entity for which there is no past or future, it is present all the time. If we become one with God then it would be possible for us to stay in the present too because God is always present in all situations, all times and all places since God is beyond time. If we are able to submit to God, surrender completely to Him then we can be in present at all the time since God was present what we call in the past, present in the present and will be present in what we call the future!

Comment on Q1 Gita does not come out directly to say about " Remaing in the present " but it does say so indirecly in many places.

Comment on Q2 Gita 2-12, Lord Krishna says, " Never was there a time when I was not, nor you, nor these lords of men, nor there ever will be a time hereafter when we all shall cease to be " (This is talking about to be with our Atman all the time)

Question raised by Arjuna in Gita 4-4 " You are of recent origin, while the birth of Vivasvan (Sun God) dates back to remote antiquity. How, then, am I to understand that you taught this Yoga at the berginning of creation?

Reply to this is in Gita 4-5, " O' Arjuna, you and I have passed through many births. I know them all; while you do not, O Paramatapa " . (Because Atma and paramatma are always present).

Comment on Q3 Yes, to live in present means being with God always since He is present evrerywhere at all times.

Gita 12-8 - " Fix your mind on Me alone, let your intellect dwell in Me. In Me alone shall you live thereafter, of this there is no doubt.

Also, pls. see Gita 12/9-11

Gita 6-25 - Little by little, through practice, one should gain tranquillity by means of purified reason and fixing his mind on the Self thinking else at all.

Also, pls. see Gita 6/10-13

Comment on Q4 Yes, it is possible when we lovingly offer all what we do to God, doing the work as a worship, working with an attitude of an adoration to the Almighty, we are serving Him only when we perform any kind of work towards any limb of His creation.