Sentient Environment

Date: 07 Jan 2012 22:19:34 -0000
From: “Surya Deva”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Sentient Environment

Baba

“Bha’loba’so yadi tave eso priyatama diiner e kut’iire…” (P.S. 2619)

Purport:

O’ my dearmost Baba, if You really love me then please come to the hut of this lowly person. I want to make You listen to my love songs up to Your full heart’s content; that’s why in my mental viina I have practiced many tunes and melodies for You.

Baba, I do not have any knowledge or intellect. Nor do I have any virtue, name & fame, or the weight of those things. I have only one thing: Love for You in my mind. My whole heart is completely filled with love for You. And by offering that love I will satisfy You, by Your grace.

Baba, I do not have any prestige nor do I get any respect or honor. None of these do I have. Nor do I have such devotion that I feel my ego getting wounded by Your not coming. Baba, I have only gratitude in my heart for all those things which You have graciously bestowed upon me. Please shower me in Your ahetuki krpa.

Baba, I know in my heart that You love me, but if You really love me then please come close in my heart. For You I have prepared and decorated my mind in Guru cakra. Baba, please grace me by coming close…

== SENTIENT ENVIRONMENT CREATED BY PAINCAVATI ==

Namaskar,
Creating a sentient environment for our spiritual-cum-devotional pracitices is critical for every Ananda Margii. This letter gives some of Baba’s unique guidelines in this regard.

ALL ARE ANANDA MARGIIS

We all are Ananda Margiis. Innocently one can ask the question that, ‘We are margiis but many are Wts also, so what about them?’. And the answer is very simple. Wts, acaryas, Lft’s, kapalika, avadhuta or purodha, all are Margii. Because margii means those who are following Ananda Marg ideology and the same time they have accepted their Guru as Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji.

We see in our Supreme Command which is always repeated after dharmacakra, that the term Ananda Margii has been used. And that term is not only limited to family margiis alone. Plus we all know that the Supreme Command is the most significant guideline. That is why it is repeated after each and every dharmacakra. With this repetition it reminds us that we are all Ananda Margiis– irrespective of social status like Acarya, Avadhuta or Purodha.

So if we see the critical definition of Ananda Margii then we will reach the conclusion that Ananda Margii means those who are adhering to the path of bliss. In this material world people are searching for bliss. But artha does not have the capacity to quench the infinite human thirst. That is why Baba has brought us onto the path of AM and shown us the proper way with various guidelines.

NOW TO THE POINT OF SADHANA

Many points have been discussed in relation with better and proper sadhana. And here I want to add one new point in that series. It is related with sentient environment, freshness of air, and that type of atmosphere which is conducive for sadhana because it invites positive microvita.

In one of His discourses, Baba has given the guideline about the paincavati– Five sacred trees. In the ancient history of India when rishis were maintaining their spiritual ashram, then their ashram was fully focused on spiritual meditation. And they found that these sacred trees were highly beneficial for creating a positive environment for sadhana. That is why these paincavati were quite common. So in the important site of their ashram where those yogis were doing sadhana, they were planting those trees by their sadhana pitha.

Of course those days there was not a lot of scientific development but because of their sadhana they were able to reach to the conclusion by their higher senses about this theory of paincavati. And Baba has appreciated their analysis and conclusion.

No doubt today in those ashrams everything has gotten polluted because in place of sadhana only dogma is occupying the place. But now this is the time when Baba has given this technique to us for making a better environment in our own meditation place.

HOW TO UTILISE IN COLDER CLIMATES

The only question then is that in the cold countries how is it possible to plant those trees because they are originally from tropical areas. And not exactly the same, but a similar problem is there for those who are living in crowded cities– due to a scarcity of open space, planting big, big trees may not be possible.

In this situation though, already science has solved the issue. Because nowadays these plants can be kept as bonsai. You may know even this gigantic banyan tree can be kept in one small plate and its height will be 12 inches maximum. And it will have its leaves and flowers and fruits, everything.

So around the place of doing sadhana keeping such things will be beautiful. Just 5 trays are needed in the sadhana room where they can be kept. And in cold countries arranging such things is not very, very difficult. And it can be kept inside the room. The temperature which is conducive for humans, that same temperature these plants also like. So their growth and survival will not be problematic and the outcome will be very positive, abundant. They will invite positive microvita and not only sadhana but whole vibration of the house will be charged. About these five sacred trees (paincavati) Baba’s guideline is significant.

BABA’S GUIDELINE

BABA says, “The air of the margosa tree destroys the harmful effects of bacteria. It can also fight against negative microvita. This is the reason why margosa is also recognised as one of the five sacred trees (paincavati). In olden days, people liked to perform spiritual practices sitting in an environment free from the pernicious effects of disease and germs. That is why they would plant paincavati — nimba’ (margosa / neem), bilva (wood apple), bhalmali (silk cotton tree), bat (banyan indica) and ashvatha (Indian fig tree) — in and around the place of meditation or spiritual practice. Some people of course use a’mlakii’ (wood sorrel) as a substitute plant. In paincavati maha’nimba may be planted instead of ordinary margosa.” (Microvita Nutshell, p.9)

Namaskar,
Surya

Note 1: Artha vs. Paramartha’

Baba says, “Suppose a man has no clothes and feels cold. Having no money he cannot afford to buy clothes and having no food, he feels hungry. If he gets some money he can remove his hunger by procuring food and thus he can remove his afflictions. Thus we say that Artha is that which removes afflictions. People buy food, clothes,etc. with money and so money in Sam’skrta is called Artha. But it should be remembered that money is only Artha and not Paramartha’, for Paramartha’ means “that which removes one’s afflictions forever”–once the afflictions are gone they will never return. Suppose we buy food with money today; tomorrow we will again feel the pangs of hunger. So money is Artha, not Paramartha’. Paramartha’ is that which brings permanent cessa tion from the triple afflictions–physical, mental and spiritual.” (‘Importance of Society’)

Note 2: Bonsai = About this please ask your friends, or your local plant nursery, plant house or tree farm, or garden center, as well as books and literature. I think everyone may be aware that in Madhu Malainca (Lake Gardens) Baba had so many such trees.

********************************************
How Meaningful

Baba says, “A jiiva is manifested out of Paramashiva as a jiiva in human body– or rather, simultaneously in the Cosmic Body and in a human body. Each and every microcosmic structure is like a universe. Hence the yoga of scriptures say, Traelokye ya’ni bhu’ta’ni ta’ni dehatah– ‘Whatever exists in the universe exists in your small structure as well.” (Discourses on Krsna & the Giita, p.19)
********************************************

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Baba’s Special Sadhana Guideline

"I used to go for a walk nearly every day in the mountains east of Jamalpur. I used to sit on the second mountain. One after another, several small and large mountains run parallel to each other. The summit of the second mountain was the highest place among them. I used to arrive there in the middle of the afternoon and stay there until about eight at night." - Baba

From: “Girish Chandra Mitra”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Baba’s Special Sadhana Guideline
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:22:36 +0530

Baba

“Ba’ndhan chinr’e beriye elum kave keno ke ja’ne…” (PS 3526)

Purport:

Baba, by Your grace You have done everything. You have shattered all
my bondages, brought me out of that magical net of maya, and lifted me
up onto Your divine lap. Amazingly, You released me from the otherwise
insurmountable grip of maya. Baba, it is impossible for me to understand
exactly how You did it. But by Your grace, You have smashed all the
bondages and brought me out. You graced me and attracted my entire
mental flow towards You so I did not get pulled towards the magical
allurement of avidya maya. Baba this is Your causeless grace on me. How
it happened I do not know– but now, by Your infinite compassion I am in
Your eternal shelter.

Baba, the moment You brought me under Your shelter and made me deeply
attracted towards You, then from that very time You became my
everything. After that no longer did I did pay heed to any obstacles–
or any crude worldly attraction. Instead by Your grace I moved swiftly
towards You. By seeing this situation, some concluded that I was
imbalanced, mad, and crazy. In their own way they tried to pull me back
into their negative way of living. But by Your divine attraction I did
not pay any heed to their call; nor did I get affected by the useless
comments of those ignorant people. Baba, by Your grace now I am safe
under Your shelter.

Baba, by Your Supreme direction You have taught me what is important
in this life. By Your fathomless grace, You changed my mind: by Your
grace You have made me a member of Hari Pari Mandal*. You graced me and
showed me how to offer my entire unit being at Your alter. In this
magnificent display, You brought me under Your divine shelter and I got
You. Baba, by Your grace, You made all those crude desires drift away
from my mind and by Your grace now I am blissfully floating in the high
tide of Your eternal form of divinity. Baba, each second of my life is
like a divine oblation– giving the flowers of my heart and mind. Each
and every moment I am offering everything to You in the form of Guru
Puja.

Baba, by Your grace my whole existence surrenders at Your lotus feet…

* Hari Pari Mandal= Literally means ‘circle of devotees’. In the deeper
sense it is that highly devotional state of mind where all one’s longing
and desires are racing towards His Supreme Self, towards Baba. When by
His grace one has accepted Parama Purusa as the only Goal of their life
then each and everything they do is done to please Him. In that blissful
atmosphere, the bhakta is just closely revolving around His Cosmic
Nucleus– not at all distracted by anything else in this created
universe. So when one is in that deeply devotional flow of Hari Pari
Mandal by Baba’s grace they are totally ensconced in Him and moving in
His divine flow.

== BABA’S SPECIAL SADHANA GUIDELINE ==

Namaskar,
We all know that ours is the path of true realization and spiritual
attainment. This is Baba’s special grace on us. At the same Baba guides
us that we have to do something– nothing comes without effort.

So Baba specifically tells us about overcoming any type of spiritual
procrastination or laziness in the spiritual realm. On this point He has
given us countless teachings– plus His own golden example.

And one of the main things Baba has done is be ideal model for leading a
perfect spiritual life. And one key practice in all of this is outdoor
sadhana. Because Baba Himself describes in numerous instances how it was
His regular habit to practice dharma sadhana in the tranquility and
solitude of nature.

In the Jamalpur days, throughout His student life, and in other periods
of His life outdoor sadhana was a regular, daily event. And the benefits
of this practice are innumerable.

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND

Often we may try to do sadhana in the house, but that often only invites
distractions. Because there we are surrounded by books, family members,
computers, phones, food, and numerous daily chores and responsibilities.

So with all these types of pabula around us, then naturally the sensory
organs get attracted to them. Whereas if those pubula are out of sight
and beyond the scope of the senses, then those thing do not drag us down
so much and our minds are much more free to do sadhana.

So just by escaping out of the house is a big boon for our spiritual
practices as this allows us to leave so many distractions behind.

And Baba Himself guides us in this same direction.

Baba says, “It cannot be denied that the noise of the bustling world is
a hindrance to intuitional practice and makes solitude very desirable.”
(AMEP, ’92, p.127)

And if we think a moment, we can see how ‘bustling world’ does not only
mean ‘on the city streets’ but also refers to ‘living in our own home’.
Because when we remain in the house then countless thoughts & mundane
things come in the mind which pull us away from our sadhana. In that
case it is difficult to do long peaceful, serene meditation. How many
times does it happen that on the point of food alone, that we quickly &
hastily conclude our sadhana as meal time approaches etc. And in this
way days, months, and years pass by.

But if we go outside in the natural environment, we have a much better
opportunity to delve into our sadhana practices and do sustained
sadhana. And if this becomes our regular practice then it can transform
our entire spiritual existence.

On this point it can also be said that we need not go so far from the
house. Often times in short walking distance we can find a good place
for sadhana. And by going just a little further we can find a top-notch
place.

WAITING FOR OLD AGE WILL NOT DUE

Yet if we just get routinized into always sacrificing our meditation and
just doing short, interrupted sadhana– constantly getting pulled away
by mundane distractions, then this is not good. Because by this way the
whole life will pass by. In which case it is not easy to concentrate in
sadhana in old age if one did not do proper sadhana their whole life.

Baba says, “There is no value in remembering God in old age, when it is
not possible to concentrate the mind due to the weakness and disease of
the body and its preoccupation with the reactions (sam’ska’ras) of the
deeds of this life. The mind then is caught up in the infirmities of the
body, in the diseases of old age, impending death, and most of all, in
memories of past incidents, and it is impossible to concentrate the
mind. For these reasons one is incapable of intuitional practice. (AMEP,
’92, p.135)

GREEN BAMBOO VS. OLD BAMBOO

Everyone knows that green bamboo bends easily and can be easily used to
make many useful things; but old bamboo is just unbendable, hard, and
stiff– basically useless. Likewise a fresh, supple mind from regular
sadhana practice can do many things; but a dry crusty mind devoid of
sadhana is not good for much. Without proper sadhana the mind becomes
dry & inflexible– static.

REACHING OUR POTENTIAL

Sadhana is important and outdoor sadhana has many benefits like: fresh
air & oxygen, peaceful vibration, less distractions etc. That is why
Baba recommends that this is one practice we should all try.

Because ultimately sadhana awakens our dormant & latent qualities, and
makes the ordinary person extraordinary.
Baba says, “When a person attains an exalted state of spirituality, they
can bring welfare to millions of people.” (SS part 18, p. 14)

Namaskar,
Girish

Note 1: AVADHUTA & MICROVITA SADHANA DONE OUTSIDE

We all know that Baba has made it compulsory for those doing avadhuta
(kapalik) sadhana and microvita sadhana to do their practices under the
open sky– not in an enclosed room. This is the rule.

Note 2: POSITIVE MICROVITA

By being outside then so many positive microvita from the stars,
planets, and distant galaxies can also help us in our sadhana. This fact
Baba reveals in His microvita discourses.

Note 3: A’NANDA MA’RGA IS UNIVERSAL DHARMA

The practices of Ananda Marga are human dharma and meant to be practiced
by all. Thus Baba has not made it mandatory for everyone to do all their
sadhana outside all the time. Because for particular reasons and in
specific cases one might not be able to go outside for sadhana due to
ill health etc. And the overall idea is that the rules should not be so
tough and arduous that not everyone in society cannot follow. Rather AM
is for all. So this is enough reason to think why Baba has not made
outdoor meditation an absolute requirement– always. At the same time
going outside regularly for sadhana is highly beneficial.

Note 4: BABA DOING SADHANA IN THE SOLITUDE OF NATURE

Here Baba describes His own outdoor sadhana practice.

Baba says, “I used to go for a walk nearly every day in the mountains
east of Jamalpur. I used to sit on the second mountain. One after
another, several small and large mountains run parallel to each other.
The summit of the second mountain was the highest place among them. I
used to arrive there in the middle of the afternoon and stay there until
about eight at night.” (SC-1, p. 93)

Here Baba talks more about His experience of doing sadhana outside:

Baba says, “I was sitting on the peak. It was the bright lunar
fortnight…In front of me, that is to the west, on the slope of the
mountain, was a dense ga’b forest…The mountain in front of me was
completely bare…I was probably the only person for several miles,
completely alone…the peak that I was seated on…” (SC-1, p.94)

******************************************
MAMMALS AND LOVE

Baba says, “There are fishes who carry something like a sack inside
their bodies and they carry their children in those sacks. There are
some snakes who also take their children with them. Not only have they
inborn instinct, but they have something more, that is, they have love
and affection for their children. This is also true of some species of
snakes, but love and affection for their children is more prominent in
mammals. Mammals are more developed than non-mammals because in the case
of mammals mothers feed the children with their breast-milk and
certainly they have got affection for their children — that is why they
do so.” (YP ’98, Edn, p.83)

Note: Mothers of financially poorer countries keep their babies along
with them and breast-feed their infants. But the case is different with
so-called advanced mothers from around the globe– especially in the
so-called developed nations. In those so-called developed places,
neither do those mothers want to breast-feed their infants nor do they
want to keep their infants along with them.

So in comparison to those animals we have to see how far the whole
situation is working. Because those mammals and animals do love and care
for their offspring; accordingly, then humans are more advanced so they
should express more love. And mothers of poor countries do like that.
But the strange thing is that mothers from the so-called advanced
countries…

With the scale of Baba’s above teaching, we have to judge whether such
mothers are really developed or moving in the opposite direction.

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Sentient Environment

Date: 27 Jul 2009 09:44:06 -0000
From: “Surya Rao”
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Sentient Environment

Baba

“Bha’loba’so yadi tave eso priyatama diiner e kut’iire…” (P.S. 2619)

Purport:

O’ my dearmost Baba, if You really love me then please come to the hut
of this lowly person. I want to make You listen to my love songs up to Your
full heart’s content; that’s why in my mental viina I have practiced many
tunes and melodies for You.

Baba, I do not have any knowledge or intellect. Nor do I have any
virtue, name & fame, or the weight of those things. I have only one thing:
Love for You in my mind. My whole heart is completely filled with love for
You. And by offering that love I will satisfy You, by Your grace.

Baba, I do not have any prestige nor do I get any respect or honor. None
of these do I have. Nor do I have such devotion that I feel my ego getting
wounded by Your not coming. Baba, I have only gratitude in my heart for all
those things which You have graciously bestowed upon me. Please shower me
in Your ahetuki krpa.

Baba, I know in my heart that You love me, but if You really love me
then please come close in my heart. For You I have prepared and decorated
my mind in Guru cakra. Baba, please come close and grace me…

== SENTIENT ENVIRONMENT CREATED BY PAINCAVATI ==

Namaskar,
Creating a sentient environment for our spiritual-cum-devotional practices
is critical for every Ananda Margii. This letter gives some of Baba’s unique
guidelines in this regard.

ALL ARE ANANDA MARGIIS

We all are Ananda Margiis. Innocently one can ask the question that, ‘We
are margiis but many are Wts also, so what about them?’. And the answer is
very simple. Wts, acaryas, Lft’s, kapalika, avadhuta or purodha, all are
Margii. Because margii means those who are following Ananda Marg ideology
and the same time they have accepted their Guru as Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji.

We see in our Supreme Command which is always repeated after dharmacakra,
there the Ananda Margii term has been used. And that term is not only
limited to family margiis alone. Plus we all know that the Supreme Command
is the most significant guideline. That is why it is repeated after each
and every dharmacakra. With this repetition it reminds us that we are all
Ananda Margiis– irrespective of social status like Acarya, Avadhuta or
Purodha.

So if we see the critical definition of Ananda Margii then we will reach
the conclusion that Ananda Margii means those who are adhering to the path
of bliss. In this material world people are searching for bliss. But artha
does not have the capacity to quench the infinite human thirst. That is why
Baba has brought us onto the path of AM and shown us the proper way with
various guidelines.

NOW TO THE POINT OF SADHANA

Many points have been discussed in relation with better and proper sadhana.
And here I want to add one new point in that series. It is related with
sentient environment, freshness of air, and that type of atmosphere which
is conducive for sadhana because it invites positive microvita.

In one of His discourses, Baba has given the guideline about the
paincavati– Five sacred trees. In the ancient history of India when rishis
were maintaining their spiritual ashram, then their ashram was fully focused
on spiritual meditation. And they found that these sacred trees were highly
beneficial for creating a positive environment for sadhana. That is why
these paincavati were quite common. So in the important site of their
ashram where those yogis were doing sadhana, they were planting those trees
by their sadhana pitha.

Of course those days there was not a lot of scientific development but
because of their sadhana they were able to reach to the conclusion by their
higher senses about this theory of paincavati. And Baba has appreciated
their analysis and conclusion.

No doubt today in those ashrams everything has gotten polluted because in
place of sadhana only dogma is occupying the place. But now this is the
time when Baba has given this technique to us for making a better
environment in our own meditation place.

HOW TO UTILIZE IN COLDER CLIMATES

The only question then is that in the cold countries how is it possible to
plant those trees because they are originally from tropical areas. And not
exactly the same, but a similar problem is there for those who are living in
crowded cities– due to a scarcity of open space, planting big, big trees
may not be possible.

In this situation though, already science has solved the issue. Because
nowadays these plants can be kept as bonsai. You may know even this
gigantic banyan tree can be kept in one small plate and its height will be
12 inches maximum. And it will have its leaves and flowers and fruits,
everything.

So around the place of doing sadhana keeping such things will be beautiful.
Just 5 trays are needed in the sadhana room where they can be kept. And in
cold countries arranging such things is not very, very difficult. And it
can be kept inside the room. The temperature which is conducive for humans,
that same temperature these plants also like. So their growth and survival
will not be problematic and the outcome will be very positive, abundant.
They will invite positive microvita and not only sadhana but whole
vibration of the house will be charged. About these five sacred trees
(paincavati) Baba’s guideline is significant.

BABA’S GUIDELINE

BABA says, “The air of the margosa tree destroys the harmful effects of
bacteria. It can also fight against negative microvita. This is the reason
why margosa is also recognised as one of the five sacred trees
(paincavati). In olden days, people liked to perform spiritual practices
sitting in an environment free from the pernicious effects of disease and
germs. That is why they would plant paincavati — nimba’ (margosa), bilva
(wood apple), shalmali (silk cotton tree), bat (banyan indica) and ashvatha
(Indian fig tree) — in and around the place of meditation or spiritual
practice. Some people of course use a’mlakii’ (wood sorrel) as a substitute
plant. In paincavati maha’nimba may be planted instead of ordinary
margosa.” (MVNS, p. 9)

Namaskar,
Surya

Note 1: Artha vs. Paramartha’

Baba says, “Suppose a man has no clothes and feels cold. Having no money
he cannot afford to buy clothes and having no food, he feels hungry. If he
gets some money he can remove his hunger by procuring food and thus he can
remove his afflictions. Thus we say that Artha is that which removes
afflictions. People buy food, clothes,etc. with money and so money in
Sam’skrta is called Artha. But it should be remembered that money is only
Artha and not Paramartha’, for Paramartha’ means “that which removes one’s
afflictions forever”–once the afflictions are gone they will never return.
Suppose we buy food with money today; tomorrow we will again feel the pangs
of hunger. So money is Artha, not Paramartha’. Paramartha’ is that which
brings permanent cessa tion from the triple afflictions–physical, mental
and spiritual.” (‘Importance of Society’)

Note 2: Bonsai = About this please ask your friends, or your local plant
nursery, plant house or tree farm, or garden center, as well as books and
literature. I think everyone may be aware that in Madhu Malainca (Lake
Gardens) Baba had so many such trees.

********************************************
How Meaningful

Baba says, “A jiiva is manifested out of Paramashiva as a jiiva in human
body– or rather, simultaneously in the Cosmic Body and in a human body.
Each and every microcosmic structure is like a universe. Hence the yoga of
scriptures say, Traelokye ya’ni bhu’ta’ni ta’ni dehatah– ‘Whatever exists
in the universe exists in your small structure as well.” (DKG, p.19)

********************************************

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