Fw: [Ananda] Love the body

[Guest guest]

Jimmy,

Here is another take on the body from a great saint. Harsha list, please

forgive the re-print.

 

 

 

Lists,

pp. 271, 272 of Play of Consciousness by Swami Muktananda, regarding love

of the body and repose of the mind.

 

"I once read an authentic account of the death of a saint who was a man of

knwledge and was always absorbed in meditation. he had foreknowledge of his

death, and when the time came, he gathered everyone around him, asked them for

their blessings and forgiveness, and then thanked them. After that, he bowed to

the four directions, to the five elements, and to his Guru, the giver of wisdom.

Last of all he thanked and honored his body, the walking, moving, speaking

temple of God, given by God, in which he had completed his spiritual journey and

had seen God. With folded hands he addressed his body:

'My beloved body, by your grace and help I have

Reached God. I thank you. I have often inconvenienced

and frightened you. I have made you go through so much

anguish and torment on my behalf. But no matter what

I did you always helped me. Truly I am in your debt. O my

dear body! You endowed me with a quick and perceptive

mind. Through you I attained the nirvikalpa state in meditation,

the highest state of all. So, my dear friend, I shall always

be indebted to you. Knowingly and unknowlingly I wronged

you many times, but you always helped me and always did

everything you could for me. Whatever I did to you, you

never gave me anything but your friendship and your

companionship in return. But for you I could not have done

good sadhana and could not have reached God.'

Having said this to the body, the saint merged with the absolute.

 

Dear Siddha students, you too should have this exalted attitude toward your

bodies. Have the same reverent and respectful love. When I read the loving words

that saint addressed to this body, I feel a tremendous joy beating in my heart.

If you could listen to them the way I do, you would soon be filled with the

highest bliss. I ask, my dear Siddha students, did you ever look on your body

with such desireless love? Did you ever love it with pure Self-contemplation,

with meditation, hymns, and chanting, with the So'ham mantra repeated on your

incoming and outgoing breaths? Did you ever thank it by making vows of

restraint, by offering it foods which bring long life, giving it sweet and pure

juices? If not, how ungrateful you have been! How ill-mannered! What could be

worse than treating your dear friend like this! Dear seekers! You should

contemplate the body, understand what it is, develop a disireless friendship

with it, tend it punctually and regularly. If you really understand your body,

you will fill it with yoga, love, and meditation.

It is the mind with its ceaseless thoughts and fancies that takes the body

all over the place. The body runs after thoughts and thoughts run after the

mind. The mind gives orders to the body and senses. Why do you punish the body

in order to please the mind? Why do you punish Krishna when you are angry with

Ram? What purpose does it serve? I agree that the mind is fickle and unsteady

and causes us trouble. It is only to control the mind that so many techniques

have been devised. Yogis learn these techniques to bring their minds under

control, but they still become votaries of pride and ego, devotees of easy

living. They don't find love through these practices, nor do they find inner

contentment or joy in their hearts. Everybody says that the mind never stays in

one place, and I entirely agree. But at the same time, have you ever shown it a

good place to rest? Take the mind to a worthy place and it will stay there. It

won't wander here and there."

 

Read that last paragraph three times. It is such an important statement.

 

Much Light

Marcus