How Can I Be Holy?

This is a question that every serious person asks at some point or other in one’s life. The interesting answer is that we are all holy in varying degrees. The two stories related to holiness that come to mind are those of Valmiki and St. Paul. One is from the Hindu scriptures, and the other from the Christian scriptures. Ratnakar, a highway robber, got converted due to sage Narada about to be robbed asking him if he knew his family for whom he robbed shared in the sin of his evil deed. The realization that his family did not share in his guilt opened his mind to repentance, conversion from his evil ways, and eventually to holiness. Ratnakar after his conversion became Valmiki. Saul a devout and fanatic Jew pursuing Christians to destroy them got knocked down from his horse and got converted through divine intervention to the way of Christ after hearing his reproaching voice, and became Paul. Both moved away from their evil ways, and became ardent devotees of God and their respective beliefs.

To become holy, one needs to distinguish between good and evil, and follow the moral path that leads to holiness. The easy and the broad path filled with temptations leads to perdition. The difficult, narrow path full of obstacles leads to salvation. The moment we know good and bad, our conscience comes into existence. With a comprehensive system of desirable and virtuous attributes or qualities that may be called values we live a spirit-filled life according to the promptings of our conscience to arrive at holiness. Good living is holy living that is based on a solid value system. Only holy living can give lasting peace and satisfaction. Thus holiness that is within everyone’s reach is a challenge for all of us.

Swami Snehananda 

Light

As I write this to you on the “Festival of Lights - Diwali”, I thought to write something about light itself. In my childhood days I read some dying quotes worth a note. For e.g. it was “Hey Ram” by father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi. The interesting one related to light was from a famous author O. Henry, It was; “Turn up the lights; I don't want to go home in the dark”. I was so touched with these words at the tender age of about twelve that till today I prefer to have lights on, even while sleeping. My wife always complains that I am wasting power. In front of her I easily accept it as my bad habit, but on lighter note I always tell her that liking of light can make me a great author like O. Henry. She has also read the famous story “The gift of Magi” by O. Henry and one thing at least we think alike that O. Henry was a great writer. Lighter notes apart, let me come back to the topic of Light in the context I want to write about. Many of us, rather most of us, in fact all of us must have had an experience of feeling of light that comes from within us. Some people say that when an Idea strikes, a thousand watt bulb glows in the mind. Some people term it as an energy coming from mind, heart or the whole body. Medical science has been using human bio-field in form of ECG and EEG since long. Recently researchers have been successful in driving equipments with thoughts. We have been seeing photos of many saints with halos coming out of their head. Do we emit light? Are we sensitive enough to understand someone else, based on the energy or some form of light he or she emits? The answers to these questions are not fully known as of now. But one thing is for sure, that we do have some energy based messaging systems, both, within and outside our body. Till the time we conclusively prove this, we have to keep working with current system of feelings only. One simple thought experiment I suggest, the moment you feel some kind of glow in your mind, when you think of something, note down about that moment as soon as possible in your diary. Few days later the enlightenment will start happening and new level of enjoyment is the most likely outcome. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Success is failure turned inside out.

A city boy, Raj, moved to the village and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $1000. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day the farmer drove up and said,

“Sorry Rajji, but I have some bad news, the donkey died while I was bringing him here.”

Raj replied: “Well then, just give me my money back.” The farmer said: “Can’t do that. I went and spent it already.”

Raj said: “OK then, just unload the donkey.” The farmer asked: “What you are going to do with him?”

Raj: “I’m going to raffle him off.” (Note: To raffle is like lottery – draw lot to a group of people each paying the same amount for a ticket and there is a big prize for the people who win.)

Farmer: “You can’t raffle off a dead donkey!”  Raj: “Sure I can. Watch me. I just won’t tell anybody he’s dead.”

A month later the farmer met up with Raj and asked, “What happened with that dead donkey?”  Raj: “I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at $. 10 each and made a profit of $ 4990 with the donkey worth $. 1000 as the prize.

Farmer: “Didn’t anyone complain?”

Raj: “Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his $ 10.”

No situation is so bad that it cannot be turned around. You need to just think hard. So look at your glass always as half full (positive attitude ) rather then half empty. Do not lose hope….......

Spirituality and Religions

Spirituality is universal; it is for all persons. Persons belong to different religions; religions are not universal. Spirituality is predominantly about mysticism that involves direct communion with the ultimate reality or intuitive experience of God. Religions are predominantly about asceticism that involves spiritual discipline, rites, and rituals that go with individual religion. While different religions and asceticism can lead to mysticism, a mystic has a subjective insight or experience that is unique. That unique experience needs not be specific to any religion. While mystics may engage in rituals that belong to the religion that they come from, they are beyond these rituals. Religions want their members to faithfully follow their teachings and rituals. Mysticism has no chartered course or program. Mysticism is widely open, and, in some way, mysticism begins where religions end.

All are called to be mystics. Mystics are such because they have gone through rigorous training and discipline either in institutions or society at large that include religions. Humans are born into and live in interactional settings that call for fundamental principles and basic regulations.    Those humans who are capable of mysticism have a clear conscience and are divested of their ego and egoistic attachments. They are altruistic and will not intentionally hurt another human. They will be very sensitive to their environment. Their union with the creator in their spirituality will imply everyone’s welfare as well as oneness of humanity. They partake in their own way in the vision and attitude of the creator, and want to deal with everyone and everything the way the creator deals with. They are not concerned about what happens to them as long as they know they are carrying out God’s will and plan for them the best way they understand. While they learn from everyone and everywhere in order to form themselves to be the persons the Great Consciousness and Supreme Truth wants them to be, they are beyond models and personalities of this world. Their identity is not based on any achievement or any connection outside of themselves.

Religions evolved from their founders or teachers or inspirers. Spirituality was from the beginning of creation. Spirit ordered life was imprinted in the humans right from the beginning. This spirit life was manifested through conscience especially to those persons who withdrew from worldly pursuits, who went in pursuit of truth, and who tried to unravel the purpose of creation, and who, above all, live according to the will of God at any cost. Purity of intention, empathy, and a spirit of reconciliation and harmony with the entire creation characterize the daily life of such persons. They withdraw themselves from the world to examine themselves in solitude, silence, and total inner freedom their relationship with God. Their union with God is marked by complete and unconditional surrendering. Religions came into being when humans lost themselves in the wilderness of disordered pleasures and inordinate affections. They point to realities beyond this world. Mysticism coming from spirituality is our end.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Resign, Retire and Return

When I was still in school, one of the sports idol I used to follow was Bobby Fischer, the famous world chess champion from USA. He was one such player who resigned from active sports at the helm of his career. Later he remained an erratic personality and he even supported Osama Bin Laden towards the fag end of his life. Resignations, retirements and returning awards are probably at its peak in this season. Particular types of people who claim to be to be hurt by the current political scenario are putting an interesting show in the media. People in the creative field are considered as highly emotional people. Unfortunately in the modern times creativity is also very much linked with politics and religion. Without analyzing the background and reasoning given by such returners, let me put forth my perspective with an experience from my own journey of life. Those days I had just started my career in a public sector company. Annual DPC was the time which everyone used to wait quite anxiously. The term DPC, which expanded to departmental promotion committee was the way in our organisation to give promotions or increments etc.

 

I was a newly appointed officer, but as one of my first assignment I had to distribute DPC letters to people in my group, just because the Group Head was on leave. I started calling the staff one by one, gave them letters and started congratulating them on their promotions, merit increments or awards. I thought that it was the noblest work, I was lucky to have as my first assignment. But somehow, as the people started coming and going, I could feel that there is something grossly wrong somewhere. Most faces were either blank or upset. Rarely anyone was happy after receiving the letter of promotion, increment or award. Very soon I got the answer. Two people who were given awards came to me and declared that they want to return their letter of awards. When I enquired, I came to know that since some of their colleague has got a merit increment, they are unhappy with the fixed amount award. Similarly if someone had got promotion, he was not happy with the new salary he was fixed on as compared to someone else. Discomfort to everyone was invariably related to comparison with someone else in the department. So the lesson of human resource handling became clear to me in my very first year. First one is; A manager needs to act in a way that comparison can be avoided and the second one is; whatever effort or fairness is exercised while taking people related decisions, comparison based discomforts will always be there. When I apply the same lesson to the current scenario, I attribute such things to intolerance and discomfort amongst a section of people towards their decision maker. When the decision maker changes the set of people in this intolerant group also change. Anyway, if I need to oppose a decision or may be indecision, I would do it by using the skills I have. It could be either by writing or by making a film or by giving a new scientific theory or by mobilizing the people. Skill of returning awards I do not have, so no one will care about my voice, as would be raising it without using my right skills. 

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

The best and the smart

At the Gatekeeper’s cabin he stopped, just to see if there were any mails for House No. A16. As he moved towards the letterbox, Srivasthava (that was the name of the gatekeeper) called him from behind. He turned back to hear, “I suppose you did not hear it?”

“What?” He asked him, a little anxious.

“Ramaji is gone. The body is there at A12.”

As he stood there in the mild shock of having heard about the sad demise of a good neighbour from the same apartment; thoughts of his company kept peeping in. Though Ramaji was 30 years older than him and was 76, he could always give him a good company, sometimes breaking great jokes and some times playing an experienced counselor. Ramaji is survived by his two sons, one daughter and their families. His son with whom he was is an officer in the state Health Department. Ramaji was abed since a week.

As he turned back slowly, Srivasthava added,

“He was a good man always buying the best.”

He told everything as it happened and asked me what a good man has got to do with buying the best. What I thought first was about the purpose of one’s buying something. A purchase can be for a short period or a long period. Long period clearly means that the purchaser has an eye on a chain of people who might use it or he is particular that everybody should have the best quality item. I told my friend that it makes a lot of difference. Purchasing always the best thing means that one has consideration for himself and his family, no doubt. Putting everything in another words, Ramaji should have been a person who loved himself and his family very much. I thought about the latest market trends and throw of articles that keep gushing into any market. Everything is smart. Doesn’t the word also mean short living? Smart things are not the best things at least according to Srivasthava, a poor village man destined to spend his life just opening and closing a gate. His definition of a good man could be ones’ love for others and never the smartness displayed somewhere.

 

Joseph Mattappally

Fear

Once a king was sailing on the sea with some his courtiers. There was also this young man who had never been to sea who got very frightened with all tossing up and down of the ship. He was so terrified by it all that he sat in a corner screaming and wailing. Many tried to calm him down, and the king himself could hardly stand it any more.

The king’s physician offered to cure the young man, if His Majesty would give the permission, which was promptly granted.

The physician ordered the seamen to throw the screaming courtier overboard. They were all so annoyed with the courtier that they promptly executed the order. Gasping for air, as you can imagine, the young man thrashed about in the water and cried for help. After he has had a few gulps of seawater, and was nearly drowning with fear, the physician ordered him to be pulled out. From then on he sat quietly in a corner.

The king couldn’t understand and so he asked the physician for an explanation. “He had never experienced the sea,” answered the physician, “and didn’t know how dangerous it can be. So he did not also know, how good it was to have a ship between himself and the sea.”

Our worries often result from a lack of appreciation of the blessings that we have.