| | 
Web Content Display
1- Please say more about the benefits of meditation? When we have thoughts, it is our attention on the thoughts that give them power. By meditation, when we are able to make the mind single-pointed, we withdraw attention from unwanted thoughts. This has a far-reaching effect upon our lives. Our minds become calm, and this state of peace influences us throughout the day. We find that when practiced sincerely, meditation:
2- Do we need to believe in the theory of reincarnation? No. All that we need to accept is the truth that we are today what we made of ourselves in the past, and that we will be in the future whatever we will make of ourselves from today on. 3- Will all my worldly problems disappear if I do the practice regularly? The purpose of a spiritual practice is really to realize our full potential as human beings, not to get rid of problems in this life. But it is a fact that many problems which used to arise as a result of our egotism and samskaras stop coming up due to the removal of those samskaras. However, spiritual teachers point out that some troubles and challenges are necessary for our spiritual evolution, and thus will come our way. Since in overcoming them we are strengthening our will and learning to rise above adversity, it is best if they are accepted as aids to our development. Thus, spiritual practice has the effect of strengthening us to face life's problems in a masterly way. 4- Is it not necessary to be an ascetic, and to renounce family life, to evolve spiritually? It is quite the opposite. Family life is considered as the ideal training ground for spirituality. This is where we learn to develop patience, self-discipline, love and sacrifice, all qualities deemed essential for spiritual evolution. Sahaj Marg teaches that every human faculty has its legitimate function and that the proper use of all our faculties leads to a balanced life. Thus there are no dogmas or rigid methods of austerity to be followed. 5- Do I have to give up my religion to practice Sahaj Marg meditation? Sahaj Marg teaches that all religions have their roots in the same common ground, which is spirituality. The spiritual impulse is found in all people as expressed in the heart-to heart connection between human beings everywhere. The process of developing our inner life should not be confused with a religious practice. A spiritual practice has nothing to do with religion - nor does it require us to give up the outer trappings of our religion. According to Sahaj Marg, religion provides the foundation for inner growth by laying down principles of character such as morality, selflessness, brotherhood and compassion. Through meditation we internalize these qualities and make them a living, guiding experience which ennobles our lives, bringing inner peace and security, as well as harmony in shared experiences with others. You may continue to do the religious practise until you feel the benefits of the meditation, when the practice may just drop off naturally. However, you should try Sahaj Marg to the exclusion of all other spiritual practises, for the method to be truly effective. We sit in a comfortable posture, with our eyes closed, and make the thought that the heart is filled with a Divine Light. We are not required to see the light, nor are we required to imagine the heart. Remember, all that we want to do is to replace all the thoughts that the mind would normally throw up, with one thought, that of the Divine Light in the heart. We are asked to sit in this manner for at least half an hour in the morning every day. 7- What do we do when thoughts interrupt our meditation? When we meditate, we will of course have thoughts. We are taught not to attend to these thoughts, but to ignore them. Thoughts have no power of their own, but depend on the power of the attention that we give them. So, if we ignore them, they will fall off. By developing the ability to hold this one thought during meditation, we progressively develop the ability to regulate our minds. So, we use the mind to regulate the mind. 8- Please say more about samskaras? Science says every action has a reaction in the physical plane. Spirituality says every thought or action performed with the feeling of 'I' or self-consciousness leaves a trail of subtle impressions in the heart and mind. These impressions, known as samskaras, become the seeds of future thoughts and actions which again lead to formation of more impressions. Repeated impressions of the same kind solidify into tendencies, and then into habits - physical, mental and emotional, -- and eventually we become a slave of these habits. A little self-observation will make us aware of some of our habit patterns. Thus, in a very real sense, we are slaves of our past. Sahaj Marg believes that it is crucial for a spiritual system to offer a solution for the accumulation of samskaras, which appear as coverings around the human soul. Through the combination of meditation and cleaning practices, we have the opportunity to live and act in the present moment, gradually becoming unencumbered from the thoughts, worries and emotions that color our lives. 9- How do meditation, cleaning and transmission combine to make us evolve spiritually? Meditation helps to focus the mind by regulating it, and thus prevents formation of fresh impressions or samskaras. Cleaning is to remove the effect of past impressions or samskaras. When doing the cleaning, the abhyasi is requested to imagine the grossness going out from the back as smoke, AND to imagine that grace is filling the heart from in front. This makes us evolve.
10- What role does the guide play in our lives? Sahaj Marg does not ask that we accept the Master as anything other than a guide. It takes time to develop faith in any other person, let alone the Master. The first step is acceptance of the need for a guide or teacher. The next step is the building of trust, through experience. If we keep our hearts and minds open, we will progress spiritually, and come to accept that the Master is serving us, and not the other way around. This will bring about a deep and lasting love for the person who is prepared to give us his all, in his efforts to help us to progress to our goal. Remember, acceptance must come from the heart, and not from the mind. 11- What about my relationships? Will they be affected? This is largely upto the individual, and depends on the quality of the relationships. All of us have a variety of relationships of varying intensities. Some are personal, some business, some mere acquaintances, and so on. Very few of our relationships are life-long and or genuine. Sahaj Marg will help us to see these relationships with a clarity that was often absent, and help us to revitalize them, through love, sympathy, tolerance and forgiveness. 12- Why is no money charged for Sahaj Marg, and how is it funded? How can anyone be charged for being given what they already possess? Sahaj Marg says that spirituality cannot be sold any more than the sky can be sold, for no one owns it. Sahaj Marg is funded solely through voluntary donations, in whatever way people are moved to contribute. There are no paid positions in the organization; all work is done voluntarily. |