Saturday, April 29, 2006

5. Get connected to Naam through Simran… (The Method part I)


Simran is being repeatedly advised by Guru Sahibji as a mean to have Naam in life. Simran means to remember and to keep affirming the remembrance through repetition.

The basis behind Simran is that we already have Naam connection.

Naam operates in our subconscious mind .All our bodily and cellular processes work because of presence of Naam. Since our birth we have taken for granted functioning of parts of our body. The textbooks explain in detail the parts and their functions never having a doubt as to how the atoms came together forming cells, the cells into organs and organs automatically functioning as a bodily system. But how they know what to do is seldom thought upon.
Science now tells about existence of a morphogenic field- an information field on which the structure of our body stands. This field is subtle energy and so is our mind field. Quantum physics is already postulating that the universe is consciousness.
Guru Sahib already explains that the universe functions because of HIS presence. HE is Karta Purakh.
Our connection from Naam is clouded because of presence of ha-umai or ego. The Maya further keeps the Mind in doubt by creating illusions. Our path towards re-connection starts with knowing the reality and setting aside illusions through Guru Sahib’s words .Then to LIVE GURBANI by dwelling on the meanings, reciting it and reshaping our mind with intention to remove hold of Maya. We LIVE GURBANI when accepting our Divine Origin the principles of living elucidated in Gurbani is imbibed. Simultaneously do Simran.
Through Simran we remember and get connected with Naam in our conscious awareness as well.

Simran is done when we listen/recite/sing Gurbani kirtan (recitation of verses only from Shree Guru Granth Sahibji) and specifically when we do Jap (to recite repeatedly) along with consciously FEELING HIS presence.

Here is a Shabad pearl picked out of the treasure - Shree Guru Granth Sahibji explains lucidly the Simran method:


“Through Simran, Naam is obtained and afflictions are removed.
The presence of Har Prabh (God) is felt within and outside by us (during Simran).
(This has happened when...)
The Guru has (first) removed fear, attractions and illusions (when by accepting Gurus teachings and spending more time on understanding Gurbani rather than reciting)
(and then during Simran) by seeing Gods presence where ever you go.”
-SGGS page 107


The meanings of these Guru Sahib’s words are subtle:


We have to understand and accept what is being told to us by Guru Sahib regarding our Divine nature and nature of Maya’s illusions.
The principle is to “FEEL the presence, accept the presence as real (even though Maya says HE is separate), you will actually Know HIS presence”

As Guru Sahib Says :


"What one serves (in mind through thoughts and beliefs) tends to manifest"

-SGGS page 223

Sunday, April 23, 2006

4. Our Divine Origin … (Part III)

When we read the Shabad Assa Mehl 5th (SGGS page 391) in Part II of the post no 4.
It is felt that there is an element of our intention involved in creating the desired quality. There is a quite assertion invoved in saying that “ As YOU ARE… so I am…” .

Clarity on this point comes when we dwell on Guru Sahib’s following words :

“SECOND MEHL:

As are our intended actions so do become our needs and that is what we ask.

(If our actions are towards growth in career, we ask accordingly, when our actions are to start a venture we ask accordingly, when a journey start we ask for protection and fulfillment accordingly, We ask for wealth, we ask for health ,we ask for protection, we ask for courage as is our need.)

Ask for qualities to build a complete personality and not go for useless things(of this world).
Whatever is the intention in HIS presence, so do we receive, Says Nanak, so intend and become a person of quality

– SGGS page 1245

The fact is that we already are creating our personalty through our thoughts and actions. This is happening as per the Hukam (laws) of the Karta Purakh- cause of causes.
Whatever is happening in this world is because of his all pervaiding creative presence and as per the Hukams , HE is the one who makes Hukam work that’s why HE has been called Karta Purakh by Guru Sahib.
The words we think, the word we speak and the words we write shows our intentions for our life in this world. These words create our personality, situations and the events that occur in our life. Words are a force, have meaning attached.
About words Guru Sahib explains:


The word are empowered by Naam; through Words we utter praises as worship,
(As these have Naam connection they bring us Naam)
The Word gives us spiritual wisdom, we sing Your Glory through songs of words
The words we speak and words we write. These very words make for our destiny, written on our forehead.
But the One who made these words as words of destiny he being cause of causes has no such destiny like that on our forehead.
(HIS Hukum prevails in this world and Hukum is : “as we sow so we reap”)

As He has ordained (meaning as is his Hukam), so do we receive. The created universe is the manifestation of Naam. Without Naam, there is no place at all.”
– SGGS page 4


Naam is every where, Because of Naam the world comes to exist. Naam is the source.As Guru Sahib says :


This world which you see is the image of the Lord (Onkar);

the Lord (Ek Onkar) has become manifest..”

– SGGS page 922

Friday, April 21, 2006

3. Our Divine Origin ... (part II)

A glimpse of divine connection that Naam brings is described in ASSA Rag by 5th Guru Sahib on page 391.


Assa, FIFTH MEHL:

“He does not die, so (being His light) I have no fear of death (will be living even after life on earth). He does not wither (his virtues remain same), so I do not stumble (get enticed by vices). He is not poor (is abundance), so I have no greed (I am satiated).He is never diseased, so I have no disease. 1

The giver of life is our life Himself; and there is no other, only Him (EK ONKAR). When he is the only one, then there is no other Destroyer (a threat to existence). 1 Pause He has no bonds, so I have no bondage. He has no occupation, so I have no entanglements. He has no impurities, so I have no impurities (of mind). He is bliss, so I am ever in bliss. 2

He has no anxiety, so I have no cares. He has no stain (affected by vice and virtue), so I have no afflictions (have become clean). He has no need, so I have no desires. As He is immaculate (pure), so I am chaste. 3

Says Nanak, the Guru clears away doubts and misgivings. (That) I have no separate existence; He is the only One and there is oneness. Before and after (here and there) He alone exists. When I meet him (in a state of being), we are of same color (are similar).”

- SGGS page 391

Naam gives us this divine connection.Witout this connection we get entangled in the sensual pleasure and get diseased as Guru Sahib explicitly says :

"Setting aside the Naam one who indulges in sensual pleasures, even in dreams , has no peace, ; his body become diseased" - SGGS page 240

There is nothing to despair Guru Sahib assures us that :

"The medicine of the Lord's Name is within all of us. Without the Perfect Guru, no one can come to know how to prepare it."

-SGGS page 259

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

2. Our Divine Origin ... (part I)

The world we live in is also the world of Maya ( means literally dellusion) as Guru Sahib says -

" HE created the world, with its variety of colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya."

- SGGS- page 6
The nature of this Maya is to deceive -
"O Baba, Maya deceives with its illusions. " - SGGS page 60
And one illusion we routinly live with is -
We are Physical body, Mind and deep inside have a Soul.
All distinct.Soul is connected to God , who exists separately.
But Guru Sahib tell us differently.

"O my mind, you are a form of Divine Light - recognize your own origin."

- SGGS page 441

The meaning looks simple but is not so we have to explore further to really understand the words of Guru Saheb.To understand lets explore further Shree Guru Granth Sahib ji.

i)

"Thousands are Your eyes, and yet You havenot even one eye. Thousands are Your forms, and yet You have not even one form. Thousands are Your lotus feet, and yet You have not even one feet. You are without a nose, yet thousands are Your noses. Your play enchants . The Divine Light is within everyone, You are that Light. Within you is same Light that shines within everyone. " -SGGS page 663

ii)

"You are me, and I am You-what could be difference between us? We are like gold and the bracelet or like water and the waves. " - SGGS page 93

Essence of what Guru Sahib explains so clearly is that HE HIMSELF IS ALL.

So our path is to seek Naam and one way is -

" Deep within the mind and body, behold His Presence." - SGGS page 132

When we tread the path and FEEL the presence then the first result is that our Physical body will be healed as Guru Sahib ji asserts -

"First, the diseases of the body vanishes and (simultaneously) the mind becomes peaceful."

- SGGS page 395

Monday, April 17, 2006

1. Naam is the cure ...


“All sorts of remedies do not cure the disease - the disease is cured only through the medicine of Naam “ Shree Guru Granth Sahib – page 288

“The Naam is the panacea, the one remedy to cure all ills.” SGGS – page 274

For the guidance of humanity Gurbani asserts that:


“As Gurmukh getting Naam through chanting , all diseases are eradicated ; and the body becomes free of disease.” SGGS-page 574

Gurmukh is one who listens to Guru’s words and lives life as Guru teaches in contrast to manmukh - a person who lives life as dictated by his mind engrossed in worldly attractions.

(This is start of humble attemt to present Guru sahib' s medical prescription)