How illness helps us

 When I got sick recently, after many years, I wanted to be normal again.  Doing all same stuff I was doing. All the daily chores which used to tire me out.  God why can't I work like mad again.  Suddenly feeling tired and exhausted, after lots of work, looked much better than sitting and shivering in bed.  Can I again do all that stuff that I hated doing.

The immobile me wanted to be mobile as soon as possible. And that reminds me about my Mobile phone.  Who wanted to look at it. All those games and serials and social networking were not helping at all.  Nothing gave me comfort.  How can they.  They are my own self created miseries.  Extra workload. That can easily be done away with.  What a relief you get when you don't have to bother about any call for four days.  That's called freedom when you are free for only yourself and unavailable to the rest.

And food was most irritating part.  Suddenly I had developed strong aversion for all kind of sugar, salt, spice.  Biscuits tasted too sweet. Lays tasted too salty.  Awww all nauseated me.  All I wanted was simple plain water.  Simple basic food. No flavours.  I thought I was back to my original nature as a human being. My illness had reconnected me to my original true nature.  Technology has brought about varous savoury dishes but nothing beats simple home made food with minimum ingredients possible.   I could taste actual flavour of my food from whatever I could eat.

All types of food smell was nauseating but when husband got fresh tube roses and placed it in a vase on table, that was the sweetest smell.  I felt so refreshed and healing.  No wonder they used to bring flowers for sick in old days.  Now a days, its all together different story. People give and receive bouquets but who cares.  I wonder if bride and groom or their families even notice those bouquets they receive on the wedding day.  Now this is going off track.

Four days of confinement in home, in my bed with my and only my thoughts, in between those medicines induced sleep spells and in company of my severe body pain and burning head, I was only with myself.   I think I was enjoying my own company so much since now I could get a complete overview  of what all I had been doing. So much.  So much of everything.  So much eating, so much socialising, so much texting, so much Mobile and so much unnecessary work.  It was a good time to review and revise my prorities.   I was busy in doing things that were serving no purpose.  Wasting my time in stupid technical gadgets and social calls.    I had to cut it down drastically.  Shed that extra potato load and feel lighter.  And I had been thinking I wasn't doing anything worth while all these years.  Now I realise how wrong I had been.  We normally and casually judge ourselves in such negative manner.  Because all solutions are in us, provided we ask ourselves instead of running to phone and start seeking advice outside.  Check with the counsellor within. It has all solutions.

Honestly I am thankful as I recuperate my illness left me more wiser.   It connected myself to REAL me. So much so that it made me start writing once again.  I think I really needed this shake up.  What a relief it is to be able to do restart your life after this forced rest with fresh positive outlook.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

Why do we have so much negativity around us

Duality is at the core of everything around us.  There are two completely opposite ends and life survives in between.  I understand that world can function only when there is pair of opposites balancing each other.  Like day n night, hot n cold etc.   All is illusion and yet so true.  Is there no darkness?  It is said there is only light and if an object is placed in its path, then there is shadow on its opposite side.  That darkness is nothing but absence of light.  and if there is all light there is no darkness.   All is crystal clear.  However don't we need dark lines and shadows to define an object.   Aren't light and dark both necessity of life?  Both are required for understanding each other and experiencing life. 

News focuses on  what is going wrong and it blows out of proportion in our mind.  It shows us all darkness and negativity around us.  However, we are alive because negativity and positivity are in balance.  But too much media tries to project the chaos.  Which is not truth at all.  Most of the time world is in order...in things that we don't even notice.  For example, there is so much of honesty...we go to shop, we pay and get the balance  as well as the goods.  We go on vacations.  All is booked and we get comfort in return as per agreed terms.  Most of the times things are working in order.  We get services so easily. People are generally nice and helpful.   Facilities, treatments, essential services.  We are placed at appropriate places depending upon our karmic accounts, our place in spiritual evolution.  

World is not cruel.  Many many noble souls,  like Monks and spiritual groups etc , pray to God to keep everyone safe. We don't want anyone to suffer.  World was at war centuries ago too.  This yin and yang always co exists because this is the root of human survival.  

We build a strong house today, it is going to wear and tear subsequently.  Cells in our body,  die and are recreated every day.   This is life...new then old, fresh today stale tomorrow, healthy today unhealthy later.  This up down pendulum like swing in our lives continues.

I live in developing country and have seen so much since childhood.  Because on one side there is this stinkingly rich class and on other side people are with nothing.  Both are in pain of different kind.  People in developed countries have different blessings. But Really??

We have come here to experience life in its different vibrations and frequencies, varied nature, variety, 'spice', which I sometimes agree with and sometimes don't. Pain and pleasure exist everywhere. Nothing is permanent.  All is changing.  We have to learn from this diversity. If it becomes all positive or all negative, world will come to an end.

We cannot have sun up all the time like we cannot have long long nights.  We will not survive then.  This polarity of opposites is at root of our existence.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

Understanding Shirdi SaiBaba Philosophy

Symbolism of Sai

Sai is Mother full of unconditional Love

Sai is Father all capable and Giver

Sai is Beloved Friend always present when needed

Sai is Doctor setting us free from unimaginable afflictions

Sai is Bestower of Wealth filling our lives with immense prosperity

Sai is Samarth Sadguru fulfilling our quest for self knowledge

Sai is all pervasive omnipresent internal wirepuller solving all our confusions

Sai is formless who appears before his devotees in the very form they think of him.

Sai is lifeforce giving life and sustaining this entire Universe

But who is this SAI????

Shirdi Saibaba who was in human body garment till Oct 15, 1918, would often tell his devotees that what you see in Shirdi is a body of 3 ½ cubic feet comprising of five elements that will ultimately merge with the same.  HE advised his devotees to look within and recognize the real SAI, the one seated in heart of each living organism, vibrating, life giving force within each one of us.

Close your eyes, barring your body and name, what is left is that feeling of being alive.  This is I AM.  This is SAI.

People have given different names to this life force energy.  However, it is this awareness, this consciousness of our own existence is called by various names Krishna, Christ, Guru Nanak, Durga and so on.  All are different names representing One and Only One Truth.  Like Sai said SABKA MALIK EK (Everyone has One Master).

This consciousness, the awareness of existence, the feeling of being alive, is common to all living beings.  Hence Saibaba advised us not to differentiate – ‘Destroy this wall of Teli(separation) between you and me’.  All living forms are one with Sai.  Sai is in All and All are in Sai. We may know each other by different names.  Ornaments are of different shapes but they are all made of one metal - Gold

Devotees who had difficulty understanding this were advised to meditate on the physical form of Saibaba as they saw him until one would close eyes and start experiencing the formless Sai (presence of divinity within).  Sai pervades through each and every animate and inanimate object and binds entire Universe, visible as well as invisible.

Knowing all as One form of Supreme Divine, Shirdi Saibaba advised us all to drop hatred and treat each other equally as extensions of Self.  Be kind, loving and compassionate towards each other because you, me and others are all One (Self).  Thus we should not revile our own brethren, not harm any living being.  Respect and Love all life forms as extensions of Sai.  There is no difference between Sai and Me.

Our overwiseness, ego, feeling of I-ness and taking up of Do-ership binds Karma and creates rinanubandhs (pastilfe karmic debts) thus obstructing our path towards self realization and ultimately keeps us far away from Truth – God.  Saibaba advised us to get rid of shackles of this MAYA.  Go beyond the visible phenomenon and look at the neomenon.

Saibaba asked us to work out our duties as per station of life we are posted and think of our own welfare first i.e., observing, understanding and experiencing our own true State.

Saibaba promised that he is always with his true devotees and follows them everywhere.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

Finding God Within  Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Volume 13  Number 19 11 May 2017

You say: “I am a devotee!” Now, the very reference ‘I’ – can you tell me whom it refers to? (Devotees: It refers to myself; ‘ātmā’.(soul)) That ātmā is God! If this is true, is there any distance between God who is remembered and ‘I’ who remembers Him? Also, tell me, who is the real God? The remembered entity is God, or the remembering ‘I’ is God? My dear children, this is called the path of jñāna(knowledge). In the path of jñāna, there is no additional need to remember God at all! Years back I had made some ‘classic propositions’ to God. Listen to me with attention. I gave two challenges to God. One is: “Banish me from your territory, if you can!”.  And the second is: “Exit from my heart, if you will!” And till today, ‘poor God’ has not been able to meet any of the two challenges! Are you able to appreciate the power of Self-realization that enables me to ‘challenge Him’ like this? I am saying this because I know that He cannot do it! For, if He is able to do it, then he ceases to be God. That is the strength of my Knowledge. Generally, none will think of God like this! This statement cannot be, or will not be, made by all; but I am making it! You have to be a Knower of Truth to say like this! When you are enlightened, when you find God so dear, you can even play with God like this. (Swamiji laughs heartily …) There is one more thing I want you to hear from me. I tell God: “My dear God, I cannot always remember you. Do I have to? It is you who has put me into the world; I never wanted to come to this world! Now that I have to live in the world, I have to deal with other things of the world. Whatever actions and interactions I have to undergo, let me do them very well. So, I cannot always remember you. Nor do I propose to remember you always. “Either I will remember you directly, or, I will remember you indirectly through the world, your own product. What difference does it make? It makes no difference to me. If it makes any difference to ‘you’, it is ‘your’ headache, not mine!” My dear children, are you understanding these statements well? And is the understanding giving you some sort of comfort and consolation? So, tell me; what is preventing you from saying like this? (Swamiji pauses, awaiting response from devotees. But there is no reply.) When you communicate with God with this kind of intimacy, will not your whole personality undergo devotional transformation? Nothing will trouble you. Not only that. You will become invincible! (Excerpt from the monthly magazine Vicharasethu published by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. Subscriptions to Vicharasethu are available at Rs 100 for 12 issues and Rs 1000 for 12 Years.)

Do we have Free Choice in life?

We plan our life before birth. We along with our Soul family, plan out our birth, parents, siblings, life partner, Major obstacles, events and our exit (death) plan before we even enter womb of our mother.  We plan on learning new lessons. If this will happen I will do that.  What We Plan uses up our past store of good karma. 

Once we put a blueprint of our life in motion by taking birth on earth,  we forget what we had planned.  life moves as per our plan but do we remember to act according to our planning????  Sometimes we do sometimes we don't.   

As we are acting as per blueprint of our choice, our free choice making opportunities get reduced drastically unless we had planned an option on the path. 

Major blueprints of life remain unchanged. We probably have freedom to take little detours on the way but final destination cannot be altered.  What we have come to learn on this earth school by way of experiences and its ultimate impression on our soul so that soul is elevated to higher levels, need to be learnt.  There is no turning back.

Higher  forces do not interfere and make sure we stay on course.  They are witnessing our blueprint in action and  do the work of keeping us on track by putting thoughts into our mind and affecting our intuitive abilities accordingly.  Because none has power to alter our blueprint since we made it ourselves.  Thats why our so called Gods messengers n saints etc could not alter sufferings of their loved ones or even themselves.

Our decisions are absolutely affected by external factors, genetic etcs but what about our own unique inner personality.  Ultimately its our decision n we face consequences.  We are more powerful beings then external circumstances.  Body may die but soul carries the experiences.

Best way for me is to learn the ways n means to make this blueprint better for future lives, if there is any.  This is because when blueprint is in action we understand how different it is between planning and then actually going through it.  At some points we are overcoming hurdles and learning learning while at other times we may refuse to learn and grow since the pain is so intense.  Often we have seen people stuck up in their misery.  Given up.  They don't want to improve their situation.  A lifetime goes waste.  

Key to success is our own Will Power.  While planning we are strong but when it actually happens, we are often numb and dumb due to emotional or physical pain.  

Once we master laws influencing working out of blueprints of our journey on earth, we can achieve good results  with no suffering at all n with ease n peace.   We need to learn and understand Laws of the Universe and how they work, right here, in this human body.  Once its in our psyche we cannot fail next time. 

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani
Noida

Why to take birth if its suffering.

Brahma Kumaris have explained it so well. Heaven is like living comfortably on 20th floor.  And earth is ground floor.  A kid watches it from above and sees people laughing, running, playing and even fight below.  Wants to go down to play. Parents tell him he might get hurt but he is getting bored.

Goes down. ..enjoys life for sometime but then starts seeing things at closer level and he also starts getting hurt.  He  wants to go back . But has to stay till evening.  When he goes back. His elders heal him. He takes rest.

 For few days doesnot want to go down.  Enjoys drama from above.  But then again he is attracted to something and wants to go down thinking that he will be more careful this time.  He forgets his earlier resolve not to go back.  As he is on descend he again is having change of mind but now he cannot go up again.  Process has to be completed.

I think Our desires n strong attachments
bring us back.  They are pushing us down.  No one else is doing it.

On top it may be good but activity, learning, enjoyments , suffering,  yin and yang...all is on earth.  May be most people do not like monotony above, from where you can see but cannot do anything at all.  When all the perfect, what is left to enjoy and for how long.

Its like giving birth one suffers labour pain but after some time again wants a baby.  Why??   To re-capture the joy felt earlier even if it means suffering again.

Its catch 22 situation...our joy becomes our source of suffering.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

How do positive thoughts help?

It is very difficult to stay positive when things are going all wrong in our life.  When we are suffering,  how can we be positive and why should we be?  Does it help to in any way if we stay positive?

YES, it does help to stay positive during adversity.  And in atleast  three ways:

It helps us come out of state of feeling like a ‘victim’ thus reinstating our self esteem.  We don’t feel guilty. We don’t blame self or anyone for the problem.

Our new positive perspective sets Law of Attraction in motion.  We are open to positive help from unexpected sources of the Universe.

And obviously it saves us from going into depression and other interactional conflicts.

What do we mean by being positive –  It is that state of mind in which we are stable, calm and peaceful.  The mind is silent, in a state of relaxation  and not asking questions(like How could or Why did it happen to me).  A relaxed mind will automatically come out with possible alternatives to issue at hand.

How to stay positive –  If there is no solution to the issue like in event of death then By accepting the situation as it happened and adopting  the  right attitude to face the consequences of the same and adopt ourselves to the changed circumstances comfortably.  

In other cases, positivity signals our mind to start looking for any other possible alternative solution.  Thus we are be open to new opportunities and ready to face new challenges.  We do not give up if things did not work out one way.  

A positive person will look at a ‘dead end’ as a ‘turn’ to reach success via a new untested different route.

Remember WHAT WE RESIST, PERSISTS.  So we better stop resisting and be ready to do something to stabilise our inner turmoil.  When internally we are peaceful, our outward actions are always fruitful.

Possible Positive Inputs -  Spiritual knowledge helps immensely in finding a new positive outlook to face the situation as it is.  We can’t find answers to our emotional turmoil in academic books. Had it been there, we would not be disturbed. Few positive thoughts are as under:

I am responsible for my own happiness.  I cannot blame anyone else for my disturbance.  I will correct it with my own will power (by remaining positive against all odds).  Things will work out fine for me.

Whatever is happening is in perfect order and therefore just right in grand drama of the Universe.

All is subject to law of change every second and thus temporary.   Therefore circumstances will ultimately change in my favour. I will not give up.

Going may be tough as of now but there is always end to a long cold night.  Sun has to shine after the stormy days.

I am a special child of God and chosen specifically to come out stronger out of this crisis.  I am a powerful soul who chose this particular tough lesson to learn something out of it.

If some known sources are out to spoil things for you, BELIEVE that there are some unseen sources too out there working things out for you.  Have faith and patience.  Trust Universe and believe in miracles.

Count your remaining other blessings.  Natural blessings like air, water, ether etc are always around for free…to help you overcome hardships. 

When others leave us, we are never left alone.  Universal saviours, our Guardians and Angels surround us and support us invisibly.  Have you noticed feeling calm amidst the toughest time? Know that you are not alone.  Know that you are a powerful soul and you can do any thing.

Sometimes logic fails to define cause of failure.  Never mind.  Forget logic become reasonable and accept outcome without despair.  Results are never same for similar efforts.  Some gain more while some lose all under same circumstances. 

Taking responsibility does not mean finding fault in self. I means I tried earlier, I will try again too.

God helps those who help themselves and also sometimes seek help from the Universe with firm faith.

PS:  In some situations doing ‘nothing’ is also one important solution.  Under no circumstances, accepting a given tough situation can be considered as a failure by an optimist.  A loser thinks on those lines and gives up.  A winner will always accept the setback and make efforts to overcome it and find a new way out.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida