] Advaita practice

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--- Srinivas Nagulapalli <srini_nagul

wrote:

 

Srinivas - PraNams

 

First, thanks for your kind words.

 

I suggest, as I do in my Giita class, for everyone to

do daily prayers, first thing in the morning and last

thing in the night. Feel the Lord's presence in you

and in everybody around you and in those who you

encounter during your transactions. This is more

important particularly with those you are angry or

frustrated with. When you start recognizing His

presence, your interactions with others also change

slowly.

 

Second, see the beauty in everything as His reflected

beauty. You start seeing things, that otherwise escape

your attention and you become more and more sensitive

in your transactions. Sometimes in the busy

transactions we forget the essence and give importance

to the superficial qualities - to the forms and the

names. That is O.K. But the moment you are back to

yourself - bring the Lord in and project his presence

everywhere.

 

Third, whenever you are doing mechanical things, for

example walking etc let your mind not run (generally

it runs to past or future where you have your

attachments). You cannot get rid of attachments by any

means other than being aware of them. I suggest my

students as a part of spiritual exercise - to freeze

the thoughts every time see where your mind has been -

those are the places where it is attachments. I am

not referring to when you are intensively working, but

when you are freely wondering, your mind also wonders.

 

 

Objective thinking is not a problem. Problem is when

the mind is 'wool-gathering' that is going from one

thought to the other thought and thus going around the

whole world of attachments. Second problem is when the

mind is intensely aware of ego-tistical problems - how

could he/she do it? How can he insult me? etc. This is

called mind-buildup. This is more dangerous mind and

people become neurotic. This is where the mind gets

entrapped. Only way to overcome these is to sit back

and project the presence of the Lord in those people

with whom you are angry. His presence nullifies all

these negative thoughts.

 

These are for everybody not necessarily for those who

are retired. Sometime retired are more worried than

those who are actively working since they have more

free time to worry - remember 'baalastaavat kreeDaa

saktaH, taruNasthaavat taruNii saktaH, vRiddhasthaavat

chintaa saktaH, parame brahmani kopinasaktaH?'

 

Best way to bring the Lord in your life, is to do

naama smaraNa. Chant the name of the Lord, and try to

see Him every where and in everything. Advaitic

understanding that Lord is everywhere and in

everything helps - Yo maam pasyati sarvatra, sarvan ca

mayi pasyati, tasyaaham na praNasyaami, sa ca me na

praNasyati.

 

--- Putran Maheshwar <putranm wrote:

>

> Please also include how you control your

> internet/forum time, and potential desires that if

> not

> properly guided, the mind can get caught in and

> overdo. My standard method is all or nothing; I find

> it difficult to keep a satisfactory midway point on

> these things.

>

> thollmelukaalkizhu

 

Shree Putran Maheshwar -

 

The best way I found is what is taught as part of any

management techniques.

 

Prioritize in your mind -every day - things that you

have to do. Include in that list - study of scriptures

and Meditation as part of daily activity. Have

determination to follow- even if the mind slacks

occationally- do not worry, but make sure you follow

regourously the sadhana. Allow the mind to indulge

once in a while but with you watching the mind.

Following the priorities automatically pushes the

others into the back ground. This way one can

positively have the mind under control.

 

Only way to control the mind from indulging in desires

is to turn the mind higher. 'Rasa varjam rasopyasya

param dRishhTvaa nivartate' - the taste for things

will not go even if one physically avoids them, but by

turning the mind to higher, the mind can withdraw from

lower' - that is the advise of Krishna. That is also

called vairagya. Krishna says - two things are

important - abhyaasa and vairaagya - practice and

detachement from lower (this detachment from lower

comes by attaching to higher)- that is the law.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda