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May My Mind Always Affirm the Holy Vasant Paranjpe From Ten Commandments of Parama Sadguru Tan me manah shiva sankalpamastu Although fettered by the strings of destiny man is blessed with the power of discrimination. The power of discrimination is the capacity to discern right from wrong. Man can use his free will to act up to the judgement given by his power of discrimination. “God created man in his own image, in the image of
God created He him.” Only in the human species is this power manifest. Judicious use of this faculty of discrimination means exercising free will in the right direction. This delivers us from the bondage of Karma. It is essential therefore that the mind entertain thoughts that uplift. When this innate creative power is cognized one can command the weeds to wither and seeds blossom forth. Constant affirmation to do so is necessary to maintain awareness of the Spirit that resides within. When we get into the habit of affirming the holy the creative power of the mind tends to shape towards fulfillment. Sublimation of the outgoing tendencies of the mind correspondingly alters our reactions to circumstances. Thoughts impinge on the atmosphere. When we have holy thoughts the process of upliftment is accentuated. Thus, man is the maker of his destiny. Thought can buffet circumstances or it can liberate us from the bondage of circumstances. Hence the commandment, “May my mind always affirm the holy”. Circumstances improve when we set into motion the factors that lead to inner purification. Constant affirmation of a loving mind alters the material conditions around us. We become better receptacles for the manifestation of Divine Grace. We get into the habit of always performing the right action. This is character building. This habit loosens the grip of desires that cloud the intellect. This is purification. This purification is functional, i.e. it enables us to reach higher states of evolution. One cannot truly improve conditions unless inner improvement takes place. Right thought eliminates suffering. Affirmation of the holy consolidates the habit of performing right action under all circumstances. We can choose our thoughts despite circumstances. This is the thin end of the wedge which enables us to overcome the pangs of destiny. “One chooses to become his own friend or his own foe.” The word MAN in English or MANAV in Sanskrit comes from the Sanskrit root MAN, meaning to think. Man can discern the Changeless among the changing, the one among the many. Human intellect is not able to grasp the ONE that pervades all manifestation. When, after purification, the intellect is transmuted into a higher state known as PRAJNYA we perceive Reality. Affirmation of the holy creates proper channels in the mind to intensify the process of purification. It is good practice to spend some time daily over self introspection. We come to know that we are full to the brim with selfish desires that await gratification and evil thoughts that prey on others. When we become aware of these things we become less prone to find fault with others. The egotistical attitude wanes. The gates to the Kingdom of Heaven within us are unbolted. Holy affirmations on our part during the period of introspection help us consolidate the habit of right thinking. Then we think along the right lines not only during the introspection but all the time. Evil thoughts are then unable to make their way towards us. This is purification of the mind. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall.” “Lead me from illusion to Truth Lead me from darkness
to Light Lead me from death to Immortality.” “And God doth advance in guidance those who seek
guidance.” Buddha stated that undesirable impressions on the mind
cause TANHA, the attitude to cling to life. Jesus remarked: Non-attachment to material possessions or conditions removes the fear of death. The duality of attachment and aversion agitates the mind constantly and involves us in huge energy expenditure. Ignorance of the Divinity within prevents us from manifesting Love. This gives rise to hatred and jealousy. We then react in an undesirable manner to the events that come about in life. This agitates the mind and disturbs tranquility. Purity of mind brings about tranquility and we get into the practice of always affirming the holy. The purpose of human life is to unfold the Divine within us. Ethical life, where control over sense organs is stressed, is the foundation for spiritual unfoldment. Mere foundation is not enough. The journey has to culminate into soul vision which is Bliss eternal. Purity of body and mind comes first. The science of Yoga prescribes YAMA (prohibitions) and NIYAMA (observances) to achieve this. Purity comes under the latter category. One has to go through some discipline if one wants to establish himself into happiness that is not followed by unhappiness. Purified mind is incapable of holding undesirable thoughts. Thinking, feeling and willing shall manifest purity. Replace an undesirable thought by its antidote. However, there is another way. Concentrate your mind on the image of a holy person of whom you know or you have seen or met. The undesirable thought will lose its potency. You will immediately start attracting similar thoughts to yourself and this leads to the purification of the subconscious. Even a little practice will bring the influx of spiritual forces which will loosen the grip of desires that harass you. Thus, undesirable elements will be washed off and the flitting tendency of the mind shall be curbed. This leads to one-pointedness and purification of the mind. A gardener sows useful seeds and weeds out all
other growth. If neglected, the lot of land will bear useless weeds. Even so is
the mind. When we observe the operation of free will that liberates us from the
cycle of Karmic attachments we come to know the gateway to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our total identification with body consciousness is loosened and we transcend
the bodily tabernacle to enter the subtler regions that lead us to the Spirit
that resides within. Our consciousness is enlarged and deepened. The
mind-conditioning is redeemed. Latent faculties become patent and the homeward
journey is made smooth. For this process to operate it is necessary to cultivate
the mind with seeds of virtuous thoughts and throw away the weeds that tilt us
sensewards. The final illumination that dawns is not a process of accretion but
is instantaneous. The process related only to the removal of dress in the form
of coiled up desires. Hence, “May my mind always affirm the holy”. |
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