Formula for living life

Is there a single second in our lives, that there is nothing happening within us? There is action even in inaction. Breathing, thinking, working, motor activity everything is going on all the time. Activity cannot cease, for if it does, we shall cease to exist.

Therefore, considering that action is inevitable, the question before us is twofold–

1.     What should be the purpose and intent of the actions and consequently,

2.     What the nature of activity is.

People generally work for the satisfaction of the five senses, and getting some comfort from it, one gets attached and binding increases, wishing for repeat performances of that act. Not being successful, one grieves. This constant striving for fruits of action creates the unending cycle of happiness and sadness, pleasure and pain.  We increase our load of work mostly due to attachment and greed, and till the end of life the burden makes us over-worked and over exhausted.

The mind is the ruler of the senses. Wherever the mind goes, the senses follow it. If the mind runs towards sense gratification, then all senses will get activated for want or greed of various sounds, touch, beauty, taste and smell.

As the army becomes victorious when the king is captured, similarly, if the mind is controlled, all indriyas will follow suit. As the sun is invisible if covered by clouds, but can be visible as soon as the clouds have passed, similarly the mind which is covered by passions, become clear as soon as passion has left. As the light of the sun is always present in spite of the clouds, similarly the true knowledge in the mind is always present, one just needs to unveil the curtains of “false concepts or knowledge” that has sullied the mind.

So what is true knowledge and how does one act ?

The mind generally runs towards sense gratification increasing attachment and greed. How can we make it work for service to others?

Existence is the unfolding of the Divine plan. This process or flow is fuelled by Divine intelligence and energy. From the vast Universe to the cell, from the material world to the human race, from the smallest unit to the infinite, from the Big Bang to the present, the flow of the Divine Plan is intelligent, evolutionary and cyclic. This flow is not independent of us; we are a part of it, as participant not just observer.

The Divine plan, flowing from millenniums, seeks to enhance the lives of those in existence. Being a part of the Divine, we need to plug into this plan, and thus it becomes our function and duty to work for the betterment of others. An analogy would be that the Divine flow is like a river and we are the small fish in that river. It is our choice to go with the flow or against. It is our choice to work for service to others or use our narrow, sense-driven false concepts and ego to swim against the direction. Life would be much happier when going with the flow than against.

Therefore, I have made a small formula to live my life – C2S3.

C ~ Clarity on the purpose of existence (reading and reflecting– The Gita and the Vedanta thought process leads from ignorance to knowledge. A knowledge that teaches escape from the cycles of births. Understanding of a journey that starts from the lower consciousness but leads to the highest consciousness and beyond for salvation.

C ~ Cleansing of body to prepare to accept the Divine energy (various practices, food, diet, pranayama, meditation)

S ~ Sadhana to access the Divine energy (kriya yoga - intellectual understanding while extremely important, would still be only speculative; it could not have any spiritual value. Like reading a recipe without experiencing food. Thus, it is not by “thinking out” the entire reality, but by a change of consciousness that one can pass from the ignorance to the Knowledge. For direct experiencing of Reality, this knowledge will have to be converted into spiritual experience by intensive sadhana of Kriya Yoga. Deep and intensive practice can lead to opening of chakras or inner consciousness. And on opening of chakras, the journey from lower consciousness to higher to supreme consciousness begins.)

S ~ Surrender to allow the Divine energy to flow through me. (Access the working of the Divine intelligence and energy and become a part of the same)

S ~ Sewa or service that is selfless using this Divine energy (accessing the supreme consciousness or the Divine energy cannot be the final destination. This should never lead to an individual achievement of the Divine realization for the sake of an individual, but something to be gained for humanity. This Divine energy needs to be brought down to Earth-consciousness and should be used for betterment of humanity and existence. And this work should be done without desire of name, fame, power or any selfish motive, but as a surrender to the Divine.)