May 30, 2006
The Journey with Harijiwan
By Erin McKeever
Sat Nam!
Those who choose to consciously explore and cultivate a spiritual path often ask: What is the relationship between the mind and distressing emotions? The very nature of mind is all knowing and luminous, unpolluted by negativity. When we allow the mind to be burdened with afflictions, we make a choice to resist its natural state and cause unnecessary suffering within ourselves and others. This pain is then projected outward manifesting in the form of unhealthy relationships and a disrespect for the environment. After all is said and done we eventually disconnect; widening the gap between the heart and mind and wondering how we ended up here.
Understanding mind’s true nature and accepting responsibility for its state of well-being should come as a relief, for this can only mean one thing: We have the power to remove, reconstruct and re-define the thoughts and actions that lead to unwanted or painful experiences. But, the removal of pain does not begin by outside action or inaction. It is through meditation that our awareness of these imposed afflictions are brought into the light and put into proper perspective. Harijiwan has been addressing the nature of mind in his recent teachings, particularly in its most popular form- FEAR
The time stream we move within now and the effect it has on our psyche leaves little room for fear. In our attempt to adapt to this new time design, Harijiwan emphasized the need for us to look for the thread or structure of fear within every problem to uncover the true nature of its origin. Although fear has many messengers, it is a feeling and can only be felt when there is an imbalance in the mind. And, like all feelings, something we can control. Whether it is generated externally by people who want to manipulate you, or is an internal configuration developed from an attachment to some irrelevant past experience or false expectation of the future, fear is fear no matter how you dress it.
The fact we remember discomfort or pain more acutely (and the subsequent fear it can induce) is a side effect of the law of gravity whose rule dujour is to pull us downward. This natural law makes it easy for outside forces to fabricate fear in order to perpetuate the mental imbalances that keep us locked in a cycle of looking to ‘them’ for solutions. These forces are not just governmental, but include any thing or person you believe has power over how you feel-- be it work colleagues, friends, family, food or drugs. However, gravity’s pull may predicate us to move in this downward direction, but we still have a choice whether to follow. A clear, centered person listens to their own inner voice, whereas a mind that is confused and unsure seeks outside solutions. Harijiwan proposed whenever you sense you are on a downward course, ask yourself “Who is disseminating the information?” Bring yourself back to the shuniya, the zero point of balance, and then choose your course of action. How do we achieve shuniya? Through meditation.
An authentic spiritual path advocates mastery of the internal world through the practice of some form of meditation. This mastery gives you the power to create the physical reality of your own choosing. If you allow fear to unconsciously direct your life, you remain frozen in a state of non-reality. On the contrary, if you learn to command the mind, the quality of your day to day life improves and you increase your ability to flow within any given situation. To reach this place of fearlessness, you need to take an inner assessment of the pace with which you function best by asking, “Am I moving at the speed of my destiny or allowing negative energies to pull me down towards my fate?” It is your responsibility to find your own pace, choose a direction and stay on course. We discover our pace and path through conscious contemplation and by applying what we learn from this practice to daily living. We know the breath organizes the body and the mantra organizes the mind. But, as Harijiwan pointed out, most people breathe shallow and do not use the science of sound current (mantra) to direct the mind. Hence, the reason we see so many people living rather animalistic existences. Conscious use of the breath and mantra re-direct the body and mind to find new neurological patterns that restore internal balance. From this place of centeredness we acquire the clarity to see our true self. Even in the face of unimaginable physical and mental challenge, breath and mantra have the power to carry you beyond fear’s grip and re-establish your psyche's equilibrium. Wahe Guru harmonizes the earthly elements and enfolds you in its orchestra of pure balance.
If the body and mind are out of sync, we yield to disease and a whole host of other troubles, especially addictions. Addictions numb and enslave you to a system that intentionally facilitates a false sense of identity and lack of divine purpose. In short, the message is: You're born, you live to consume, and you die. Do you really believe acquiring stuff is the only reason for coming here? Sounds grim, but a vast number of people use this as template for achieving happiness. When you recite Wahe Guru, you set the magnetic impulse to pull in what you want, be it physical, emotional or mental. Wah opens up the space, He (pronounced ‘hay’) pulls you into the space and Guru allows you to manifest within the space. You represent the earth element, Wah is the water sound, He is the air and ether sound, and Guru is the sound of fire and light. The elements are balanced, the components of creation are present, and manifestation occurs. As with any mantra, Harijiwan was emphatic that we use the navel when chanting this as well. “No navel, no naad.”
Naad is the balance of the sound current; the balance we seek. The navel connects the earthly and heavenly realms so the identity is no longer fractured. Mantra is literally the language we use to communicate and link the two energy fields. To ignore the navel when using mantra is to deny yourself access to this supreme connection and all the power it has to offer. This also holds true in our common speech as well. If mantra is the language of the heavens, then the language we use to communicate with each other and with the self needs just as much, if not more, attention. When you look for the structure of fear within your every day experiences, pay very close attention to the language you use.
Remembering the origin or basic principals of words is useful when you are trying to break the habit of using bad language. Nouns name a thing. Verbs bring it to life. Adjectives create the essence of a person, place or thing. Adjectives require special attention since they shape your perception by the very nature of their purpose- to illustrate. In a nutshell, more than any other category of words, adjectives define and shape your reality. ‘Bad language,’ as referred to here, includes words such as hate, starving, or even uncomfortable. The rigidity of these words immediately lead the mind to sort for and access experiences that are limited in their scope or perspective. “Why would you want to create landscapes that do not benefit you by choosing to use bad language?” asked Harijiwan. Like a search engine (think Google), the mind is directed by the language you type in. To muddle things more, you might attach a painful feeling to your word search, which then pulls up the wrong page and requires you to expend energy on finding a way out. Another good example is the over-used phrase, “Are you OK?” This off-the-cuff remark puts the receiver in a mind space where he or she must surmise his/her state of being. ”How am I? Well, I feel a bit tired. Maybe I’m coming down with something,” etc. Unaware of your word choices and phrasing, you create your own mental fixes and attach to one view or attitude. This attitude narrows your ability to think outside the box and limits your capacity to experience multiple realities.
Instead of reaching for the usual caffeine or sugar fix, or reacting instead of acting, use the sound current to change how you feel and behave. If you find yourself complaining about what went wrong, recite Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo to move you out of the space. Understand your feelings are an imbalance in your finite energy field and they can be changed by calling upon the Infinite, primordial wisdom of these sounds. Wahe Guru will link you to the Infinite, harmonious energy and light giving you the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance you seek. Until you have made regular use of positive language a habit, it is nearly impossible to imagine the states of bliss they bring to your life. But, they do! If what you are doing now to eliminate pain and fear is not working, then go back to the basics…back to breath and sound. What do you have to lose? Try something that has been proven to bring happiness and inner peace for thousands of years.
Many blessings,
Erin |
