NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 22) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR

Student: I think you are hinting at ego; which is also called AHANKAR and is due to what is called DEHABUDDHI! But I am not clear about these!

Teacher: Yes! AHANKAR is erroneous consideration of true self to be everything we consider as “me” and “mine”! Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, passions and everything which, if and when negated we feel hurt! AHANKAR is a product of; the association of true self with body metabolism, hormones, neuro-hormones, neurotransmitters, neurons and their electrochemical interactions, which is called DEHABUDDHI.
Hence when we refer to ourselves as “I” or “we”; we do not really know what we are referring to. Our “I” or “we” actually refers to a combination or mixture of phenomena such as our physical needs, passions, emotions, concepts, convictions, ideas, and perspectives and so on. This mixture incorporates the pleasant and unpleasant memories of our past experiences and future dreams, which may be emotional, economic, social, cultural, religious, and racial. In addition; the components of this mixture are variable in terms of their proportions, intensities and influence at different times, age, maturity and situations. The chaos within; “I” and the chaos in the society; complement each other. This creates a vicious cycle. The clarity about the same; in “I” and the society; generates a wellness cycle!

Student: No wonder; I am in stress! Sir, I really did not know about these unseen and imperceptible shackles!

Teacher: Most of us are unable to manage stress inside and outside because our “I” is torn apart between our passions, emotions, concepts, likes, dislikes, dreams, aspirations, missions; and our priorities. Often we think very nobly but act meanly in personal and social life because we are constrained, restrained and helpless!
Even as psychology textbooks, counselors, spiritual leaders, moralists, social thinkers and egalitarian leaders; preach a variety of norms for total revolution; let us realize that NO arbitrary formula, appeal or commandments can bring about individual and universal blossoming. This is because; it is often impossible to voluntarily rise above the “I” on our own!
NAMASMARAN is associated with; ever increasing involvement; by thoughts, feelings and later on; even by instincts; in the upward process of freeing ourselves step by step; from the grip of “I” (our thoughts, feelings, and passions and so on). This makes us increasingly selfless and frees us from the tight control of our “I” embodying bodily pains, pleasures, wants, interests, infatuations, ambitions (which are often at loggerheads with the interests of the others).
In short; NAMASMARAN i.e. SMARAN or remembrance of NAMA i.e. remembrance of Guru in his NIRGUNA (beyond every possible attribute) SWAROOPA (essence of His Self) is same as remembrance of God or true Self i.e. immortal eternal cosmic consciousness. NAMASMARAN is associated with upward (URDHVAGAMI) force and slow and steady but definite nullification of the downward force (born out of entropy and “I”)! It thus involves; moving towards; with increasing acceleration; to the true self. It is thus a process of being unprejudiced, objective, accurate and globally benevolent. It is a process of overcoming subjectivity. It is a process of learning; to think, feel, desire and work beyond one’s own petty identity. That is why NAMASMARAN frees us from our individualistic and petty perspective, thoughts, feelings and even instincts. This is exactly how NAMASMARAN gives birth to Total Stress Management or blossoming in individual and universe!