Simon

‘Swamiji used to say that if you are suffering or having troubles – look at yourself; find where the fault is in yourself that this suffering is occurring. He would repeat the old saying, “Those who can find their own faults are the greatest.” He would thus emphasize that if you have a problem in your life, you need to examine yourself and find what is your own mistake that is causing this to happen. If you then can’t change the situation, then develop the graciousness to accept it. If you can change it, then you should have the courage to change it. This is in all people; this will make you a great healer. You will be able to heal yourself. To do this, simply sit and concentrate the mind – and it will go introverted.’

~Babaji

When the mind becomes weak we suffer. It is out of our control: it cannot stop thinking, it loses its confidence, it becomes confused and cannot progress, it becomes depressed.

If our mind is like this, somehow we need to regain that potency and strength of the mind. The strength to think in a positive way, to not be so affected by outside events that may be out of our control, and to keep our peace at all times.

For this, meditation has been prescribed since ancient times as that blanket remedy to heal up all the agonies of the mind. Slowly, slowly we can build up the strength of our mind with a daily practice. Then we would discover the mind is becoming more and more quiet. Instead of being a noisy fish market, it can be tranquil, composed and calm like the ocean.

As we start on this path of practising meditation, there may be good days and bad days. Sometimes it may be hard and it would feel we are battling our thoughts. But no matter if it doesn’t come like instant coffee, immediate at the touch of a button. However long it takes, we have to be patient with ourselves. It’s our own mind after all, and what greater achievement is there for the mind than gaining true peace and contentment.

Adjust and manage.
Not everything in life will be straightforward and as we expect.
We will need to navigate our way around the obstacles and barriers that come up.
This ability to adjust and manage is key to keeping the peace of our mind intact and to staying positive.
If we can adjust and manage we can deal with the tricky parts of life skillfully and with peace in mind.
As we meditate and our mind becomes composed and under our control, this ability comes to us more.

As Babaji says, ‘Greed and need are totally different. You work for the need, but if you become greedy. A simple example I have given, you want to eat one cup of ice cream, you eat- that is the need. If you cannot stop yourself and go on eating ten, twenty, thirty.. In the beginning, you think that the same icecream is giving you so much of happiness and enjoyment, the same ice cream is going to put you into trouble and unhappiness. So that’s what is the need and greed.’

Through meditation as our mind becomes settled and under our control, we will be able to understand what our needs are and not go into a greed. Going into a greed can be disastrous- as we look in the world, the planet has ample resources to fulfil the needs of everyone, but not their greed. If we start wanting more and more, never being satisfied and ignoring other’s basic needs also, then conflicts and problems arise.

‘For every person, a desire is there, ‘We want our life like this, this standard, this comfort, we want to achieve this’, like that we keep planning. With every planning, we do have an expectation also. ‘The thing must happen like this’. But the mind doesn’t simply stop with this planning and effort. It also jumps into worries, ‘What if it happens like this, what if it does not happen like this, what will happen?’ And so we catch hold of our head.

So when we practise this meditation also we slowly learn the result is not in our hands. We can put in an effort by focusing in the present, but when the result comes we have to simply accept, otherwise there never is a peace. So this is what is Yoga. In your life go on doing whatever you desire, that is no problem. Nobody has prohibited. Simply if it happens, accept, if it doesn’t happen, ok, think there might be better in the Divine store for me.’

~Babaji

When the mind is able to become totally silent through long-time practice of meditation, we become its master and discover also the truth of our existence. Such a one who has achieved this will be able to guide and inspire others towards that. As Babaji says,

‘Listening to a Yogi’s speech would be totally different from other teachers of spirituality because a Yogi speaks from experience and is very practical. Even if a Yogi is silent, He is conveying the message of Truth that is achieved when the mind becomes totally silent. If a Yogi speaks, it is not from the scriptures alone but mainly by the direct experience of the Truth.’

The application of wisdom when we interact with people and situations in our daily lives is very important – when to talk, speak up, when to act and when to keep quiet. As Babaji mentions in the video, ‘Often people operate depending on their temperament and habits. They don’t think before uttering a word also’.

Too often we jump into a reaction due to our mental habits and regret doing so afterwards.

So this wisdom can come when the mind becomes quiet with a regular meditation practice. ‘When mind becomes quiet it becomes under your control also. When the mind is under our control we are able to apply wisdom properly, use our brains in a proper way, think in the right direction and act upon accordingly.’

#meditate

‘In this world, religion and spirituality – all this is taught so that one can wash all these acquired habits and keep the mind as cleansed as possible. When it is cleansed, we recognize it as a non-violent mind. So throughout this body’s life that is available to you, your efforts should be towards making your mind as non-violent as possible. You will be benefited by that one.’

~Babaji

‘Never bother if the meditation is happening or not. Just go on doing it. Don’t allow your mind to churn and spin into such thoughts; ‘Is it happening, am I progressing?’ All this can generate unnecessary confusion.’

~Babaji

When it is hard to forgive others:

‘Someone’s wrongdoing may be unforgivable, but for that reason, it need not be on your mind all the time. Entertaining any hatred or dislike, so then you are a casualty. If you understand this thing, you will try to overcome that aspect first.’

~Babaji