Krishna says One who acts without expecting fruit of action is a Yogi.
There are two attitudes while performing any action, one is to perform it expecting joy out of it, the other doing it as an expression of joy.
A Yogi is one whose actions are expressions of joy.
You care about the result, that is why you are performing the action, but you are not dependent on the result to give you joy. An action is fruitful in both cases, an action giving adverse result can help you in improving or enhancing some skills in yourself, while if result is of your choice it gives you satisfaction.
Intentions or sankalpas keep coming in our mind. This is natural. But holding on to them does not let us rest. Before sleeping you anyways drop all sankalpas, only then can you rest. To do this while awake is to have wakeful rest.
How to Meditate?
Sit comfortably to meditate.
The Golden Principals of meditation (wakeful rest) are:
For the next few minutes:
I want nothing
I will do nothing
I am nothing
This is mental renunciation, running away from the world does not make one a Yogi. Even a small desire, like i want a glass of water will not allow you to meditate. So just for a few minutes you say, i want nothing. Later you can have all the wants again. For now, for a few minutes, I want nothing.
For the one for whom the journey on the spiritual path has just begun, effort is the way. For example- If I have to take a train, I have to go to the station, buy a ticket, and sit in the right seat. This much action is needed. But once on the seat you need to relax, knowing that the train will take you where you need to go. Running around in the train will not help you get to where you need to get to any faster. Not catching the train in the first place is another mistake.
Generally people either do nothing right in the beginning or they don’t relax later, they don’t know when to stop doing.
Effort is required to do Pranayam and then effortlessly meditation happens. Once i have done my pranayamas, i will do nothing. Like when you are getting massaged, there is nothing for you to do. Just be there and the massage happens. Similarly do nothing (after doing your pranayamas, etc) and meditation will happen.
A person who feels he is someone cannot meditate. If you feel you are the greatest, you are rich or poor, you are useless or stupid. meditation will not happen. Let go of whatever identity you have. You are nothing. Just relax. Then meditation happens spontaneously and effortlessly.
What are the advantages of meditation?
Meditation purifies you removes toxins from the body, by wiping the past impressions. Otherwise life is only seen through glasses of the past. Eg if one servant stole something, you start thinking every servant is a thief. Yoga cleanses both the body and mind.
Meditation frees you from sorrow. From the childhood you keeps crying for one thing or other. When you are a child it’s a toy. Then as you grow it’s for friends, later for grades and jobs, then for partner… It is never ending. Meditation frees you from this.
Meditation brings skill in action and improves perception. Yoga takes you from being most unlucky to most lucky. Most unlucky is one who’s desires never get fulfilled. Luckier is one who desires and after sometime they get fulfilled. Luckier is one who desires and those desires immediately gets fulfilled, but luckiest is the one who even before he desires, finds that everything has already been provided. Regular consistent meditation will take you to this place.
Also meditation makes you become compassionate, get siddhis, enhances immunity, improves voice, makes you shine.
Meditation elevates the conscious mind.
Meditation brings success in ones endeavors, skill in action and happiness in ones being.
Love and Happiness are given as a gift to you. Its a gift for the merits you have earned. Merits are earned through good gestures, seva. This is the reason why charity has been an integral part of our tradition.
Make your mind your friend.
Your mind can be your friend or enemy. If mind is bombarded with multiple impressions it becomes your enemy. It is the mind which perceives through the senses. It is not the ears that hear, it’s the mind that hears through the ears. Similarly with the other senses.
Inward journey is Yoga, outward is Bhoga. Unless inward journey is taken you cannot even enjoy the outward. Nothing appeals to you. When union with inner being happens, mind becomes your friend, otherwise it will be your greatest enemy.
If the water is still, a clear reflection can be seen. In a mind that is still, the universal mind reflects. Then you are anchored within and the opposites do not touch you.
“Save the mind at any cost” is the message of the Bhagvad Geetha.
Don’t hate the sinner, hate the Sin. A yogi sees everyone with the same perception. Every one is playing an outer role inside they are same. For the director of a movie, hero and villain are exactly the same.
Focusing on the being gives inner strength.
Qualities of a Yogi.
A yogi is moderate in activity and rest. Every baby is a yogi. And every Yogi is a baby. He is united with the universal spirit.
Anyone who is an expert will not get perturbed or disturbed in his area of expertise. A chef in a kitchen will move with ease and grace while cooking. Never clumsy or careless.
A Yogi moves with ease through life. He is graceful doing anything, because he has attained proficiency at the root of everything. He feels at home everywhere. His intuition works. This is the spiritual connection. Having attained this there is nothing else the yogi wants to gain in life. He will not worry or feel feverish about getting more. Problems don’t move him who has attained the highest.
When he gets things or loses somethings he is not affected. A yogi does not get blown away by fleeting moments because he realizes all is maya, illusion.
Never rely on emotions. They are momentary. No one cares about them. Base life on wisdom, on that which is not changing. Hook onto that which does not change.
Some good comes out of every mistake. Greatest endurance (tapasya) is tolerating stupidity. Your patience increases by enduring stupidity. While dealing with stupid people your communication improves. You either become frustrated or gain patience.
That which you reject, you feel is not a part of you. And that you appreciate you feel is a part of you.
Yogi is one who see’s every one as one self. You don’t want any one to think bad about you, similarly why would any one want you to feel bad about them. Such a yogi who wants to live happily and wants every one to be happy is the best.
Mind Matters!
You cannot control wind you can only predict it, the mind is like that, so what should you do? How can you make your mind your friend?
By dispassion and practice.
Mind goes towards pleasure- how long can you see something? How much can you eat? How much music can you listen to? How much sex can you have? How much money, fame or power can you have? None of these outside things give you great pleasure.
Capacity to experience through senses is very limited, but the desire to enjoy is unlimited. The way out is Vairagya or dispassion. (Raga is craving and Vairagya means I am satisfied).
You need to cleanse the system and remove negative thoughts. For the intellect Knowledge and wisdom is needed, for emotions it is music and for the body ayurveda and some massage.
Anyone who does anything good will never suffer. As much good as you have done that much you will enjoy. If one doesn’t find perfection now he enjoys a comfortable position in the other world and is reborn in a well to do family or in a yogi’s family. Our karmas take us in those direction and at some point of time those impressions will carry them to finish the journey. There are many life times. Sadhana is the real currency!
Greatest role one can take is that of a yogi. He is better than someone who does a lot of work. Yogi is higher than a wise man, an ascetic or a scholar. A yogi knows intuitively, in his vibration there is love. With faith if you understand this, you are the greatest.
Jai Gurudeva!
As written by Bawa on his website: www.bawandinesh.name
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