The Method For Cultivating Constant Remembrance
Constant Remembrance of God is a special feature in
spirituality. The method for cultivating constant remembrance
is to think with firm conviction during your leisure hours
whether in office or at home, in the street or in the market
that God is pervading all over and everywhere and you are
thinking of Him. Try to remain in the same thought as long
as you can.
We must remain in touch with the idea of God in all phases
of our mental and physical activities. We must feel ourselves
connected with the Supreme Power every moment with an unbroken
chain of thought during all our activities. It can be easily
accomplished if we treat all our actions and work to be
a part of divine duty, entrusted to us by the Great Master
whom we are to serve as best as we can.
The idea of Guru as the
Supreme Divine force is very helpful in spiritual pursuit. You depend upon
his guidance thinking him to be a superhuman being. If you go on with your
busy routine of life dedicating everything to your Master, imagine what
good will it bring to you in the long run. While doing a thing think that
you are not doing it for yourself but for your Master, rather think that
Master himself is doing it for himself. While at the breakfast table, you
must think that your Master is breaking his fast. When you go to the office,
think that your Master is doing it all. While returning from the office,
suppose you see an attractive dance on the way. Your eyes are caught by
the charming appearance of the dancer. Then also think that your Master,
and not you, is seeing the dance. You will at once lose curiosity for it
because your Master's power will begin to flow in, to relieve you of the
temptation. When you come back from office, your children rejoice to see
you after so many hours. You too enjoy the merriment and it is but natural.
Your attention for a while is diverted towards them, and you feel a bit
away from the sacred thought. What you are to do then is to think that your
Master within is himself enjoying and you shall be in touch with the same
sacred thought again. Even during your meditation, if you cultivate this
feeling and maintain the outlook that your Master is doing everything in
your place, you shall not only be in constant remembrance all the while,
but your actions will cause no impression whatsoever, and so you will cease
making further samskaras.
Who is it who is following me all my life? If I am afraid,
I think it is death. If I am a devotee, I think it is my
Master. Master said, "Think the Master is behind you
in everything that you are doing. On the stray occasions
when you are afraid - for instance, when you are going to
a new place in the darkness - think the Master is going
in front of you." So, fear puts the Master in front.
Devotion put Him just behind. In both cases he must be with
us - in fear, during temptation, in confidence. Without
the Master we are nothing. Either He must be in front of
me, or He must be behind me. Preferably He should be all
around me, surrounding me like the praetorian guard around
the emperor.
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