NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 24) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Posted by on Sunday, 13th April 2014
NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 24) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Student: Sir, I am convinced about NAMASMARAN. But do you think your prescription of NAMASMARAN is equally applicable to children? Should they also practice NAMASMARAN?
Teacher: It is better to start it as early in life as possible. As you must have thought; and correctly so; children would get bored initially. But why children; initially; all of us get bored by NAMASMARAN. This is because; we all have a natural tendency to be lethargic and lazy. We “enjoy” (although temporarily) being inert and “feel at ease in the entropy”; even as it separates us from our true self and creates painful bondage later! NAMASMARAN is a dynamic activity that opposes the entropy and hence we are not at “ease” in NAMASMARAN!
But life (and hence stress also); is like an unavoidable and frequently disturbed river full of whirlpools! NAMASMARAN is a process of reestablishing this river to its calm flow on one hand; and training, empowering and enabling us to swim; on the other! Hence like swimming, NAMASMARAN has to be started as early as possible in life. In fact; here it is a far bigger challenge! It is a challenge of swimming across the ocean of life; the BHAVASAGAR!
Coming to boredom; to avoid boredom; we can do it together; do it with music and start it in small but frequent doses.
Student: Would this act as a vaccination; a preventive measure!?
Teacher: Yes! NAMASMARAN not only acts as rectifying or curative measure; but also acts as a preventive measure!
Our consciousness is raised by NAMASMARAN! Our mind becomes sharp and alert! We are therefore not taken by surprise, not baffled, not shocked, not shattered, not destabilized, not collapsed; by any sudden or protracted stressor!
This is because; it boosts the process of negentropy; the process opposite of entropy!
Life, of which we are a part; is like an electric circuit, which gets disturbed from time to time! NAMASMARAN is like checking it regularly; as well as correcting and systematizing the electrical connections with the power house so that the bulbs of our life; emanate light according to our potentials! NAMASMARAN is like an antivirus program. It checks as well as removes the virus.
NAMASMARAN is the reversal of our forgetfulness and disorientation into reorientation with our ultimate powerhouse, our arsenal, our fire power, our knowhow, our radar, our captain, our Guru, true self! It is the process of reversal of the root cause of stress, before it is clinically evident!
Student: I see! Should everybody practice NAMASMARAN? Are you not satisfied with the NAMAJAP performed in huge numbers in different cities?
Teacher: I do not have the right, authority or intention to preach! I can only give my opinion. Whether everybody should practice or not; that is what everybody has to decide!
But in my opinion; NAMASMARAN is not a “bulb” or a “candle”; useful merely for an individual or a family. It is not a glass of water, useful for a person or persons. Like Sun rays and Sun light; or like rain, it is inevitably benevolent to billions! It is a mega process of individual and universal blossoming!
As regards the NAMAJAP weeks, or days celebrated enthusiastically by millions; I congratulate and thank their organizers earnestly; as they have preserved this vitally essential aspect of life viz. NAMASMARAN in the form of a tradition of NAMAJAP weeks and days! It is because of them, who practiced, promoted, propagated and enjoyed NAMASMARAN in several ways; that many of us become aware of NAMASMARAN; in spite of the fact; that it is not a part of any curricular study and practice; in the mainstream education system.
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NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 23) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Posted by on Sunday, 13th April 2014
NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 23) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Student: Sir! This is wonderful! Now I am beginning to understand; how NAMASMARAN is crucial to Total Stress Management i.e. the process of conquering DEHABUDDHI!
Teacher: This is how; though it took decades; I conceived the holistic concept of Total Stress Management in terms of simultaneous individual and global blossoming; and NAMASMARAN as the inseparable source or core of it!
NAMASMARAN is not an idle activity as it appears. Actually; when we see NAMASMARAN being practiced; we see; only external appearance accessible to our own limited, subjective and deceptive perceptions; and not the reality!
Student: Sir! I am almost with you! But I still have a doubt! How can we practice NAMASMARAN; when we are involved in intellectual (and not merely physical) work?
Teacher: The answer can be obtained, if we find out the root of the question! The root of the question is in our goal!
We are usually involved in an intellectual activity with a specific goal. This goal may be; conscious or subconscious. But it is inseparable from our activity. We may call it our expectation from our intellectual activity. It may be passing in examination, competing in an interview, getting promotion, proving or disproving a hypothesis, or for that matter; achieving any target in a given deadline.
NAMASMARAN would certainly come in the way of our intellectual efforts associated with such a goal or expectation
But we have to realize that all intellectual efforts and all the goals remain subjective and individualistic if they are not coupled with a process of being objective. Purified and exalted intellectual efforts and goals; inevitably culminate in self realization and universal welfare, but in absence of this; they degenerate into sectarian, divisive and destructive results.
NAMASMARAN chastises our efforts and our goals. In absence of this process of being one with our core; every action, proves to be unsatisfactory! This is because; even if we try to nullify our subjectivity arbitrarily; that arbitrariness itself traps us; in further subtler subjectivity. Hence we become further alienated from the objective core of ourselves and the satisfaction. Thus; if we try to catch hold of our core voluntarily; then we usually land up in despondent depression or maniacal behavior. This makes us either listless losers or arrogant achievers! Thus through ‘our’ efforts; we tend be entangled in; melancholy or morbid obsession; at our own cost or that of others!
In both cases we remain far away from our true self and the fulfillment!
NAMASMARAN does consume some of our time. It does reduce the involvement in intellectual efforts. But this is essential for purification of the efforts and the goals. This ensures the culmination of our intellectual efforts and our goals; into individual and universal emancipation.
Student: Can we compare this albeit inexactly; with the process of consumption of food, which has to be; for optimal benefits; digested, absorbed and assimilated, even if that consumes (additional?) time?
Teacher: Yes! NAMASMARAN; begun with a practice of 5 minutes per day; even if it is without any understanding; gradually reduces the time; of our intellectual, emotional and instinctual involvement; in subjective pettiness and superficiality; and transforms; our individualistic (and fragmented and sectarian) perspective, thinking, feelings and instincts; into holistic or objective. This marks the beginning of our ascent towards our true self; to finally become one with it!
In the course of time; as we ascend up; we start getting the glimpses of our immortality; and begin to realize how “our” goals and “efforts” have reached to their appropriate culmination. In fact; we begin to understand that everything in the universe; including our intellectual efforts and goals; were the “functions or effects; called parinam” of the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent reality called Mahakaran! This is because the entrapment in subjectivity becomes weaker; while the involvement in NAMASMARAN and hence the process of becoming objective becomes stronger! NAMASMARAN empowers us to see, feel and act appropriately! It wakes us up to NEW AWAKENING! In fact; we begin to be restless; without NAMASMARAN. We begin to feel secure and comfortable in NAMASMARAN and be a part of universally benevolent spiritual dynamism!
At this point we begin to understand; why our Guru preached NAMASMARAN; with so much of intensity!
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NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 22) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Posted by on Sunday, 13th April 2014
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!
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NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 21) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Posted by on Sunday, 13th April 2014
NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 21) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Student: What do you mean by SADICCHHAA and SATSHAKTI? I remember the essence of SADVASANA, SADBHAVANA, SADVICHAR, SATPRERANA, SATSANKALP, SATKARMA and SADACHAR, but these terms are new!
Teacher: Thanks for asking me to explain! ICCHHAA means a desire and SADICCHHAA is a single unified desire (formed from the conversion and convergence of all desires) of realizing truth. SHAKTI is energy. If unqualified it would be an energy that could be spent in any activity. SATSHAKTI means the power, the might directed into our mission as inspired by Guru, to merge with Him through our SWADHARMA.
Student: Sir! I am still not quite clear about SWADHARMA.
Teacher: I will repeat. From absolute truth manifests; SWADHARMA as a source of SATPRERANA, SADDHARANA, SADVICHAR, SADICCHHAA, SADBHAVANA, SATPRAVRUTTI, SADVASANA, SATSANKALP and SATKARMA, which together constitute SADACHAR.
Student: This is wonderful! So what you imply by Total Stress Management is in essence the same as SWADHARMA! Sir, I am grasping what you say. Now I would like to ask a little more practical question. Is it true; that in the practice of NAMASMARAN; the emotions (e.g. devotion = bhakti) are primary and are more important? Dose the intellect or reason come in the way of devotion, belief, faith and surrender, which are essential in the spiritual path?
Teacher: It is true; provided the word “emotions” implies pure and spontaneous emotions! As compared to such innocent emotions; we are more “rational and thoughtful” about safeguarding our petty personal interests! Hence we are always inhibited before making any sacrifice or taking any risk for the sake of others! We lack the spontaneity, honesty and strength! We are weak and mediocre; bereft of the innate spring of ambrosia. Pure emotions or innocence; by virtue of this ambrosia; are always superior to petty thinking or reason!
But our pettiness is by virtue of the anatomy and physiology of our brain! Our higher centers (e.g. cerebral cortex) of brain, which are responsible for our thoughts, intuitions, ideas etc, are not well integrated. Further; they have poor control over the lower centers (e.g. limbic system of brain, responsible for our anger, jealousy, lust etc), which influence our thinking and make it petty, mean and coward. This is what is implied whenever there is a mention about the dominant influence of shadripus (Kama, krodh, lobha, moha, mada and matsar). It is due to this inbuilt weakness within ourselves; that we also fall prey to trivialized and vulgarized social trends, propaganda and peer pressure; conducive to flaring up of our basal instincts and emotions!
In short; pettiness of thinking is due to shadripus! Without evolving and/or sublimating them; inadvertently abandoning intellect or reason; per se; over the feelings and emotions; is bound to be disastrous! It would make us sectarian, superstitious, fanatic, blind; intolerant and of course; indiscriminately violent.
So, without bothering about anything of this sort; we should practice NAMASMARAN! It has the benevolent effect; in terms of accelerating the growth of our basal, subjective and petty instincts, emotions, thinking and perspective; into objective and globally benevolent ones.
Student: Coming back to my stress; now I can appreciate the link between the basic mechanisms, causes, effects and support systems; and the common feature of all kinds of stress, which is “forgetting our true self”! This dehumanization, true dying before physical death is due to the ongoing exaggerated entropy, i.e. disorganization! Actually; now I am feeling better and stronger with this understanding.
Teacher: That is wonderful! The life in us has tendency to merge with the cosmic consciousness on one hand and a tendency to get trapped in the property of the matter; on the other! The individual consciousness (we) is intricately associated, with cosmic consciousness on one hand; and wrapped or rather trapped in the properties of physical matter; on the other! Physical matter (neurotransmitters, hormones, enzymes and other molecules and the interactions amongst them) has the property of entropy; the property of any system to get disorganized (in case living beings it is the process of atrophy, degeneration, degradation, disruption, deterioration and destruction). Thus we are actually caught between the upward (URDHVAGAMI) force that tends to unify us with cosmic consciousness (our true self); and the downward (ADHOGAMI) force that LOCKS us in the influence of matter and drags us in the entropy! This suffering is stress! Traditionally it is called BHAVAROGA!
Actually; right from the birth; we are accustomed to accept and suffer from the wants of our body. We are habituated to accept every stimulus arising from inside and outside our body and get attached to it. This is why we are always engrossed in the hunger, thirst, habitat, sexual desires and so on; pertaining to our body! This is not abnormal. But this leads to being increasingly selfish and locked into the relationships born out of bodily needs! We develop love or hatred about the relations; according to whether the needs of our body; such as security, food, shelter, sex are satisfied, or deprived! Thus we get trapped in friendship or enmity, pains or pleasures; and keep vacillating in them. This is being trapped in the entropy! This is physiological and normal. But this is also a limitation, and a common cause underlying the stress!
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NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 20) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Posted by on Sunday, 13th April 2014
NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 20) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Student: Sir, from what I understand, for you; NAMASMARAN is a core of Total Stress Management. For you it is a way and a hallmark of global welfare in a tangible way. But how can you reconcile the views, which treat it as a means of salvation, liberation, moksha, self realization and/or immortality and it has nothing to do with politics? How can you reconcile with the views, which maintain; that it is not only useless; but actually counterproductive to study and ponder over holistic perspective, policies, plans and programs for universal welfare? How can you reconcile with the view that the global welfare has nothing to do with individual spiritual progress and/or self realization?
Teacher: The pinnacle or the culmination of the path of truth or spiritualism; is the realization of immortality full of bliss. This is called SACCHIDANANDA. This is self realization. This is NIRVANA or MUKTI or MOKSHA. This is the same as merging with NAMA. This is the highest pedestal! The whole world is aspiring for this; knowingly or unknowingly! This is the final destination, the supreme abode!
It is true that this state is beyond everything. It is the center of universe. It is the controlling center of universal consciousness. It is supreme. It has nothing to do with politics; because it is the source of enlightened politics; embodying holistic perspective, policies, plans, programs and their implementation in every field of life; for individual and universal blossoming! It is the source of the best in everything; art, science, literature, music and so on!
Obviously descending from this state; to politics is not only useless; but actually counterproductive. Descending from this state; to study and ponder over holistic perspective, policies, plans and programs for universal welfare; is useless and counterproductive. Being the very source of individual and universal blossoming; it has nothing to do with various protocols; just as the root has nothing to do with the functions of branches, leaves and flowers!
However; this is an exalted state!
Most of us are oblivious about it. Only some of us have just heard or read about it. Only few of these some; have mere glimpses of it. Fewer from these few; have transient experiences of it. Fewer still; from the fewer; have strong convictions about it. But hardly anyone; almost none has attained it!
Hence; it is erroneous and/or preposterous to hold that spiritual quest has nothing to do with politics! It is wrong to consider; that it is not only useless; but actually counterproductive to study and ponder over holistic perspective, policies, plans and programs for universal welfare; and that; the global welfare has nothing to do with individual spiritual progress and/or self realization.
Politics (not the partisan politics, or power politics) and the holistic concepts are essential and inevitable steps; though not necessarily uniform, specific and explicit; in the process of self realization. They embody SWADHARMA.
In absence of these steps i.e. SWADHARMA; we land up being in fool’s paradise; even as we continue to get stunted in terms of instincts, emotions, thoughts and perspective.
As a result; as we have discussed earlier; we degenerate into hypocrisy or helplessness, ubiquitously evident inside us; and all around.
We, who claim to be spiritual; if continue to lack holistic perspective, then our education, health, agriculture, industry, economics and politics; continue to be sectarian, divisive and exploitative stressors.
Our life thus becomes an unending mirage, full of so called spiritualism; while all the evils inside and outside; continue to flourish unabated!
Student: Sir, I think this perspective has the potential to reunite atheists, theists or materialists and spiritualists; and to empower the practitioner of NAMASMARAN, with SWADHARMA, which is its backbone!
Teacher: Actually this happens inside! The atheism and theism, materialism and spiritualism and SWADHAMRA and NAMASMARAN unite or actually we realize their unity inside us! It manifests in the society!
NAMASMARAN enlightens us to be holistic. It enables us to reconnect reason and emotions, materialism and spiritualism, atheism and theism, individualism and socialism and all such dualities; and thereby re-enkindle the universe with realization of unity and harmony. It helps us to victoriously tread the path of TRUTH and complete the journey of reality through the essential steps and stages. It thus; ensures the holistic renaissance.
It is true that NAMASMARAN ultimately takes us to the highest pedestal. It is said so, by many seers, including my guru, Shri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar.
But in absence of SATPRERANA, SADVICHAR, SADBHAVANA, SADICCHHAA, SATPRAVRUTTI, SADVASANA,SATSANKALP, SATSHAKTI, SATKARMA and SADACHAR (Desires, instincts, emotions, inspirations, motivations, thoughts, plans, programs, policies, strategies and their implementation; leading to individual and global blossoming); waiting for salvation; is like a child expecting Ph D, without studying in a school and college. We would live far more healthily and happily, if in the process of practicing NAMASMARAN; we pass (neither avoid, nor fail) through these stages.
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