"Shanti nahi milti...milaygy bhi nahi...dhondhnay sey kissi ko bhi nahi milti...u r not able to find peace...u won't find it...nodbody has ever found it by searching for it"...searching for shanti/peace is the wrong approach.
And why is it the wrong approach...
"Simply because it is not a product that u can go and buy...it is not a thing which is placed at a particular spot and once u reach there u will get it...."
I come across people who say they are searching for peace and they are wandering and they have traveled here and there and more here and there...and they are still searching...from mountains to caves, to fields ,to all that their mind gets attracted to...they are mere tourists just glamourising their travel travails as search for something higher and deeper...and i am not saying that traveling or wandering is wrong...it's ur call...i m simply saying...it won't work because shanti or peace is not in "then and there...it is in now and here"...get this loud and clear "it's now and here"
So if it is "in now and here" then why is it eluding everybody?
It is eluding everybody bcos nobody is present in "now and here"...everybody is busy chasing the dreams,the mirage of the future, or what is to be done next, and how to do it and all this is endless...like the dreaded black hole...bottomless...
And if one is not in future one is in past...remembering it, cribbing about it, glorifying it or repenting it...have you not seen people saying "oh those were the best days"...)))....
"those days"...not that they were the best....when one was there in time one was still trying to sort and streamline the various aspects of ones life...behaving exactly the way one is behaving now....one was not present there at that point in time.
People are always escaping from this moment...they will travel...they will do meditation camps...they will go to satsangs...all kinds of therapies and groups and healings...flying across continents...from Europe to Delhi to Pune to Himachal to Khajuraho to Nepal to Istanbul to everywhere...traveling everywhere but not staying "in here...in this moment...neither a second forward nor backward...just this moment".
Just watch urself, r u present in this moment...no...just 2 seconds and ur mind will pull ur attention to here there and everywhere...to this thought, that though or any thought...and these thoughts will tell u to do millions of things...do this and that, go here and there...call him or her or someone...watch a movie or whatever...there is unrelenting bombardment of ideas and suggestions by ur mind...u r just a slave to ur thoughts and u r not present in "now and here"...so no peace and no shanti.
The other day i was sitting with somebody in the best condominium of the town...the topmost floor...with beautiful view...and the elderly gentlemen i was sitting with was just telling how bad things are...how everything is just getting worse, from economy to health to relationships to society to human psyche...n on n on...and he was lost in saying such things for almost an hour when suddenly i stopped him...i said "pls wait, just wait...i m sitting here with u for last 2 hrs enjoying the view and the beautiful appartment and the of tea and everything around and u r just lost in criticizing things...i can assure u...there is nothing wrong anywhere...atleast there hasn't been anything wrong in last 2 hrs...things are just fine...infact just perfect...ask me...and we r sitting at the same place"...the guy was speechless.
And i said "sir...DROP THESE IDEAS...the world has always been like that...the world will always be like that...ppl come and ppl go....the world is neither good or bad....ppl kill ppl get killed...ppl cheat and ppl become honest...ppl get angry and then ppl become silent...sun comes and goes...so does everything and it will remain so...but it's not about ppl...it's not about anybody else but u...it is what u r doing to urself that matters and what u do to urself u end up doing to others...and the process continues with everybody...and it seems as if there is nothing right here...its just bad bad bad...no it's not...its not good nor is it bad...its a flux...good becoming bad and the other way round...u dont worry abt how everybody or the world is...at least u stick to urself...take care of urself...find ur happiness...bcos u have the right to ur life and actions only"...still...it's ur choice...but let me assure u world has always been like this and it will always be like this...
Things are neither right nor wrong ...they r the way they r...u make ur choice...dont crib...sun is shinning, somebody is blabbering and complaining about the heat...how hot it is....the other person just moves to the shade without saying a single word...u decide what u want...and every moment of ur life will tell about the choice u r making...abt what u r doing to urself...abt what u r doing with ur life...what's goin inside ur head is telling what u r into...the tiredness in ur eyes is reflecting the weight u r carrying in ur head...ur walk tells as to how much u r lost and how much u r present...make no mistake, "every moment is screaming loud and clear about what u have been doing to urself in ur life"....good or bad..right or wrong...it's ur life...better be honest to urself...every word that u speak or every thought that takes away ur attention is an intense indication of ur understanding and clarity about things...dont blame others, thats the easy way out and prefered by almost everybody
So what to do ..this is always the question...)))...
Its simple,don't search for "peace and shanti"...get rid of "ashanti or restlessness"...get rid of the chaos...stop creating more of it...identify the points as to how u create uneasiness in life, THE ARGUMENTS, THE CONFLICTS and be aware of those moments. And when they come again...don't fall for them...don't fall in the same ditch...stop there...just stop being ashant and restless...just drop ur crazy ideas AND INTELLIGENCE THAT HAS MADE U REACH THIS POINT OF POINTLESSNESS...
AND IF U CAN'T STOP DROPPING THINGS WHICH BRING CONFLICTS IN UR LIFE , "KEEP SUFFERING...U DESERVE IT".
Don't worry about doing..."just be...just be aware of the moments when u are about to fall in uneasiness and stop"...
The day ur restlessness and uneasiness goes away, whatever that shall be left is "PEACE AND SHANTI".
HAVE THE GUTS TO STAY IN THIS MOMENT...
THIS IS THE ONLY DIFFICULT THING IN THIS WORLD...THE ONLY...REST IS ALL VERY EASY
IN THIS MOMENT RESTLESSNESS, ANXIETY, BUTTERFLIES INSIDE, ASHANTI IS NOT POSSIBLE...TRY IT...U WILL BE SURPRISED...U WILL BE SURPRISED HOW SIMPLE IT IS...BUT WE DON'T LIKE SIMPLE THINGS...DO U...))).....
All the best
Prem Kamal
Hello Prem Kamal :) Great write-up!! Thanks a lot. Am currently trying 'feeling the inner body' technique to bring me back into this moment. This article is boosting my courage!
ReplyDelete)))........u r welcome...
ReplyDeleteBut please don't try anything....for the inner journey...for peace...for truth there is no need to try ....drop trying,it creates unwanted struggle....and that is where courage is needed...courage to "stop trying" and living whatever is there in this hour...in this moment.....and to "stop trying" u don't need any techniques but just to do things with passion and totality...that's it....to achieve something in so called outer life u need to try but for inner journey it's the opposite....still if u want to do something then create a habit of sitting quietly for one minute every hour....start from this and u will begin to unravel the secret to the ultimate....all the best....(feel free to reject my suggestion).......
There is no way I can reject this suggestion! Thank you! I have been meditating since few months. I have difficulty in differentiating myself from my mind. I fear future(though I feel I will be alright), I haven't set any goals, I don't have any savings and I have no clue where am I heading to. I had once, for a very very short time, stopped listening to my mind(I can say totally). I could feel my whole body being filled with what I can term as 'peace'. It didn't take much time though for me to get jumbled in my thoughts again :( It came back two fold :( So, this is where I stand! Can you see me :D Am saying all this so that you can guide me further(the prescription you see :)). Thanks again- Jyoti
Deletedear jyoti......a few words....
ReplyDelete( I have been meditating since few months. I have difficulty in differentiating myself from my mind.)......u r absolutely right about not being able to differentiate from mind.
It takes time and more than time it takes courage and that is where "watching "comes.This watching is not as simple as it sounds..in the beginning its painful...very painful to try to watch, to be silent and then to come back again to watching when one gets carried away with thoughts...but, don't stop........this is the only thing which will eventually prove worth ur while, rest is all part of a noisy useless drama....)))....down the line , if we stay in touch we will come to this differentiating and watching.
I fear future(though I feel I will be alright......
please understand that future is always going to be fear generating ...it is bcos only and only 1 thing is sure about future and that is "death"...
secondly as long as there is this "I" or the idea of u being this body ,fear is going to be there....that's why the whole search of ur real self which cannot die....where death is not possible...right now what u know abt urself is all mortal and hence the fear will stay...this way or that way...there is no escape....fear of death is the root cause of all fears...fear of not having money...fear of failing relationships...fear of being left alone...fear of old age...all is born out of the basic fear of death...so the earlier u sort out this fear of death the better it is...only then one is able to live totally and fully...else one is always timid and scared...
(I haven't set any goals, I don't have any savings and I have no clue where am I heading to. I had once, for a very very short time, stopped listening to my mind(I can say totally).
my dear please wait...thoda ruko...dont mix fear and danger..fear is imaginary and danger is real..so pls save to begin with bcos if u don't save...there is the real danger of not able to attend to urself when the need arises.Needs are real, desires are misleading...specially the desire to be secure...so save enough for ur needs...roti kapda makaan...food clothing shelter though insecurity will still remain.....bcos in this life nothing is secured..... And not having a goal in itself becomes a goal, isn't it.....pls find the things which brings u joy, which breeds creativity and divert ur energy to those...to the things and activities which take u away from the mind....which helps u in melting....which leads to "let go"...that is where the real taste of bliss begins...and please remember,creativity or learning is not a goal...so if u get focused on smthng ,don't make it a problem,use it to get dissolved...
Listening to mind is not a problem if u r its master......the problem is falling into useless conflicts of mind where it is not required......so remember to withdraw the attention from mind as soon as u realize its just creating unnecessary fights within itself..............
{I could feel my whole body being filled with what I can term as 'peace'. It didn't take much time though for me to get jumbled in my thoughts again :( It came back two fold :( So, this is where I stand! Can you see me :D Am saying all this so that you can guide me further(the prescription you see :)). }...............
i can c u very clearly...very very clearly,for i have been through all this myself. To u i just want to say one thing..."dont be afraid of happiness....there is nothing wrong with it....no matter hw temporary it may be...be happy and all happiness comes from putting ur energy in ur growth....growth in all directions...from music to meditation to health to exercising to poetry to drama to dancing to gardening to....and the list is endless.....enjoy.....and just drop all conflicts and desires to control ..move without any idea of controlling anybody or any situation or any end result...all the best.......
Hey Prem Kamal, thank you soooo much for your guidance! :) I am picking these two things up and will follow them seriously-
ReplyDelete1. Being a watcher(with patience and without any expectation)
2. Saving money
Will come back! :) Take care- Jyoti
1. Watching won't happen like that.....so let me suggest u the simplest yet very effective way. For 1 minute in every hour...close ur eyes and take ur breath to the lowest point in ur stomach...wherever u r , just do it..in the park , in the office , in the living room....dont think about it...just do it....but do it regularly minus the exceptional situations and u will see the change so very quickly...then ill suggest the second part of it ...
ReplyDelete2. Saving is essential but the more important part is to learn the art of investing...its like planting a fruit tree which goes on giving fruits year after year.....so learn that as well if possible.......good luck...
Hi Prem Kamal, I have been following this breathing method since more than a week(with some inconsistency). A few changes that I have noticed are-
Delete1. Being effortlessly watchful soon after coming out of the
breathing exercise
2. Being conscious, again and again, about self-talk
3. Being conscious at will(for a very few seconds though)
4. Have been able to heal an emotional wound(to a great
extent)
Am I good to go? - Jyoti
I need to share one more thing. Yesterday, when I was meditating, a feeling of frustration raised in me over unsettling and noisy mind. It quickly turned into helplessness making me feel like crying. Suddenly, with ease, I could separate myself from that whole drama!! I felt light! And the emotion that raises like a mountain just disappeared!! I could do the same thing even today morning :)
DeleteJyoti ji.....u asked "am i good to go ?"........people have asked me this question in so many other ways...somebody says "how do i know what i should do or not do"....or..."how do i know that what i m doing is right".....well its very simple......if u feel happy silent and peaceful.....u r always right.......it means u r doing gud.....if this is not the case then "stop".........another thing i want to suggest is that don't try to analyze as to what is happening....just keep meditating and what i have proposed to u about 1 min breathing with eyes closed every hour is the simplest way of doing it.....just do it regularly without fail...if u fail start again....but do it and 1 day u will realize everything has changed within u...it will happen ..there is no 2 ways about it...its like creating a bank balance or what u call "SIP"...systematic investment plan....this is inner systematic investment and only this investment is going to pay...rest is illusion....and i m telling u all this from my own first hand experience......every word that i say comes from having lived that way......and it comes after seeing and experiencing all the colors of life..........all the best ....................( and feel free to share whatever u feel like)........
DeletePrem ji, happy to hear from you! :) I will continue my one minute meditation with conviction. I just have one question- when do I get back to you? :)
Delete))))))).........feel free to get back any time and if u r not comfortable expressing something here ...pls send ur expressions at my email address.........
Deletesecondly.........pls note, life will continue like this only ..i.e....something or the other will keep happening....some tsunami...some war....some bad accidents...some natural disasters....some world cups...some elections...some assassinations...and on n on.....these r all distractions....dont lose sight of the "search for truth"...the search for urself....dont ever compromise on meditation .....just make it the only essential thing and rest to be followed after .....all the secrets to this existence ...to everything.....are embedded in this ....embedded in "what am i...who am i ...where am i......".....bas issko bilkul mat bhoolna...distractions are always goin to be there....
and lastly............it takes me sometime to get back bcos i respond to a lot of ppl and am on the daily basis sharing a lot to many friends , so just bear with me on that account....and my next post is goin to be abt a question u asked earliear...."understanding the laws of nature "........)))..all the best...
Thank you so much Prem ji. Aap ki ek ek shabd meri housla badhaati hai. It intrigues me as well! Every answer of yours answers at least one of my unasked questions!! (ex: what you have written about distractions answered an important question of mine) No problem with late reply's. :) I have patience to wait for your answer :) And I must say am really excited about your next post :) It might just bring up a totally new approach towards life!! Thanks in advance :) Take care - Jyoti
DeletePrem Kamal, I can't thank you enough for all this selfless help that you are offering me! I will start with your first suggestion right away. However, I must admit I am not smart in financial matters. In fact, the word 'investment' daunts me. In my current state of mind, your statement 'its like planting a fruit tree which goes on giving fruits year after year' seems so amusing yet totally out of my reach :( I know you are not here to teach me finance but 'if you can(anytime)' then please give me some tips on that as well :D Thanks again for all the support! :) - Jyoti
ReplyDelete