The sense organs are the windows of the mind. Each message from the phenomenal world passes through these windows for presentation by the mind to buddhi, the intellect. Whatever happens transpires within a continuum of action and interactions. Intellect is the adviser that stores all past experiences and all possibilities that future holds. It is conscious of the positive and negative aspects of everything that mind presents, and always perceives through a three-dimensional framework of past, present, and future. Like an honest friend, it guides the human organism while remaining unattached to anything.

While intellect judges, ego acts on these judgments, envying that which is unacceptable and acting out that which is acceptable. Ego is the self-concept, which creates a sense of separation from other beings. It is the faculty for extending being into the phenomenal world.

Chitta is the core of being. All the actions of the ego register in the chitta. Acts that are in accord with the inner nature, produce feelings of bliss, whereas the contrary actions create feelings of pain and displeasure. Chitta is beyond the senses, and beyond evaluation and identification.

Energy in the form of light, sound, smell, taste, or touch reaches the eyes, ears, and nose, taste buds, or touch receptors. This incoming energy excites the sense organs, starting a process that culminates in the brain. These incoming currents cause detectable changes in the function of the organism.

Sense perceptions energize the mind, and a duplicate of the original stimulus is presented to the intellect and ego within the skull, within the tissues of the brain itself. Energy from outside the organism penetrates the brain (the gross manifestation of mind) through the sense organs and nervous system, to be manifested as changes in consciousness. Perceptions of the outside world are actually events within the mind/brain, triggered by an external source of energy. For example, what one hears is not the external sound, but electromagnetic pulses of the nervous system vibrating in resonance with the external sound. One does not hear the external stimulus itself.

One is continually surrounded by objects of sensory stimulation, and the act of centering attention on any one source can often be accomplished only with great difficulty. Other sources compete with the object of concentration, causing lapses in the attention span. And it is through the mind that all distractions come into consciousness.

Let’s take an example that you are concentrating on writing a letter and at that time you see a motion out of the corner of one eye. Now, the mind has presented a sense perception to the intellect. Intellect now registers the motion as of indeterminate origin and of unknown possible consequences to the organism. Ego, concerned with the presence of the unknown and seeking to make a positive identification, directs the head and eyes to turn toward the source of motion. And you discover that it is merely the wind blowing a curtain. Pleased and relaxed, you return to the task of writing.

In this mundane sequence, all the four elements are clearly visible. Mind presented the blur of motion to intellect. Intellect gave an “unknown” signal to ego. Ego, not content with uncertainty, strove to make the identification by commanding the body to act. The feeling self, once the identification was made, registered relief.

From the original task you were distracted into a long and involved process, which shattered the original sequence of thought. To return to the letter now necessitates a moment of reflection and recollecting of “gathering your wits.”

Sense perceptions are presented to the intellect for evaluation, and then passed on to ego for action. Intellect is the function of consciousness that scans the raw content of sense perceptions, looking for aspects that correlate with past experiences. Each of these aspects is then integrated into a single judgment, and on the basis of this judgment the ego acts. The ego attaches to sense objects, desiring to attain for itself those that have been deemed necessary for maintaining or extending the identity.

The very act of evaluation, coupled with action that follows, is a process of projecting conscious energy outward in the form of attachment to sense objects. This phenomenon of desire accounts for the daily depletion of energy.

One receives energy from the material world in the form of sense perceptions. This energy is then projected back onto the material world in the form of desires and attachments. Normally this flow of energy back and forth through the gates of mind reaches an equilibrium – as much as one receives, one gives back.

But to attain the state of meditation, to work consciously to raise the level of being, one must raise the level of energy present within the mind. One must begin to perceive the world without attachment, without value judgments, without desires. And to reach this state, the energies in the organism must first become single-point focused. This state of concentration is the necessary precursor to meditation itself.

There are many methods which can be done to induce the primary levels of concentration. Tratak is one of the methods. Tratak induces the state of single-mindedness by first stilling and harmonizing the breath, and then by providing a fixed source of sensory input at which one gazes, both eyes sharply focused, until the mind frees itself of all external distractions.

A flame or black circle is customarily used, for either of these objects may be easily perceived without attaching valuations. This enables the meditator to still the flow of thoughts that often begins with the perception of a sense objects. The lens of the eyes, in turn, focuses the image on the retinal surface where it is passed through the optic nerves to the occipital lobes of the brain. All energy is thus focused on one point, incoming and outgoing. A closed loop is formed.

During the course of gazing continuously, as tears start flowing, the meditator closes the eyes and visualizes the spot or flame internally, where it appears as an afterimage on the retina-the surface of the brain’s optic nerve. The eyes are brought to one internal point, just slightly above the center of the bowlines. The eyes are now directed to the plexus (network) of the three nerves considered most important in yoga physiology. The plexus is activated by the pineal gland. The pineal, located in the center of the brain between the two hemispheres, is the only gland in the human body that is receptive to light. For this reason, it has been called the third eye in traditional spiritual literature. It is this gland that converts the energy of light into the electromagnetic frequencies used to govern the operation of the entire glandular system. The pineal literally feeds on light, and denied proper input normally atrophies by the age of sixteen. It is for this reason that even today the traditional Indian families keep an oil lamp burning in an infant’s nursery at all times during the first crucial forty days of life. And while most forms of meditation are expressly prohibited for children, tratak is prescribed at a very early age.

Yoga has long recognized the significance of the pineal, and of the necessity of disciplines to prevent the atrophy of the “master gland” of the body. Fortunately, the pineal never completely withers. It remains always sensitive to light, and with proper stimulation can redevelop. By concentrating all frequencies of the visual light spectrum into one compact but not-too- intense source-as with the flame of a lamp fueled by clarified butter-light and heat can be conveyed to the pineal through the optic nerves. Regular practice of tratak on a flame initiates the gradual process of redevelopment. When proper pineal function is restored-virtually impossible without some form of regular concentration on light-light is converted into electrical energy and sent from the pineal under conscious direction to the other glands of the endocrine system through the nerve junction in the region of the forehead where the eyes are upturned both in meditation and unconsciousness. When one is conscious and experiencing the flow of energy through this plexus, one experiences intense bliss. This moment, when the energy is first brought under conscious control, has been called the opening of the third eye.

When the function of the pineal is restored, the body gains a new balance. Nerve energy flows evenly through both halves of the organism. Neither electrical nor magnetic currents predominate. In this state, the central passage of the spinal cord opens and energy flows upward through the spine into the brain. It is this upward rush of energy that is experienced as bliss, the state which the meditator knew long before-and which drove one to seek the disciplines of self-evolution. The opening of the pineal takes time. What took years to wither does not miraculously regenerate overnight. Tratak is a discipline of yoga requiring regular and persistent practice. But there are immediate effects as well enhanced ability to concentrate, greater awareness of the visual realm, a more centered and relaxed state of mind and the positive feelings that flow from the knowledge that one has at last discovered a means of elevating consciousness.

Concentration on the flame opens the door to single-mindedness, and all potentials are but the extensions of a single point. Scriptures says that one who practices tratak regularly develops the faculties of intuition and imagination. Past, present, and future appear with equal clarity in a state of pure rapture, beyond all limitations and attachments. Tratak works beautifully for children. Although meditation is not for children until he/she is of thirteen years of age, but I understand that children can be safely introduced to Tratak, as this will slow down the atrophy of pineal gland and the child will also learn the art of enhancing his abilities to think, learn, retention.

Mind is a tool which can be used both in a negative and positive way. It tends to hold each and every memory stored safely. There are both good and bad memories. If good memories bring smiles then the painful ones bring sadness. These memories can create havoc in person’s life, when one keeps on holding it so tight that it begins to suffocate. How can one break this noose of bad memories? Is it easy to forget ugliness, animosity, dejections, and rejections? Doesn’t seem easy. Well, nothing comes easy. Cheap things come for cheap prices. And the ability to not to be dependant on others is something which is the most precious thing. It is not difficult to have it. To make it easy, you just need to do bring a small change; and this change is not to be dependant on others! As long as we live in dependency, we will create such situations for ourselves where we become prone to pain and hurt.

We are tied with rope of expectations, which is why we are always looking towards others – they should do this and that for me, then I will be happy, and if they don’t, then we are sulking. If we want to rule the lives of others, dictate and direct them, we can never be peaceful. But this is what is happening in every relationship. Parents in the name of parenting do this to their children; husband to wife and wife to husband. We are so much focused on actions, language, motives of others that we have forgotten to live our own life. Everyone is trying to rule life of the other person and the other person is busy planning for yet another person; what a chain. Those who don’t know how to live with thyself are the people who will always be dependant on others for their moments of happiness. Somehow, as you know that others are dependant on you, others too know this, so we tend to exploit one another emotionally and psychologically. Wife knows that her husband will come to her for his fulfillment, so she will not leave a single opportunity to lay down her demands. Husband knows the same and thus tries to rule the roost. Aren’t we tormenting each other in name of love? Mind is looking for appreciation and appraisals all the time. This hunger is so great that we tend to put ourselves in such odd circumstances that we experience a great turmoil at all times.

One needs to correct this. Learn to love yourself, accept yourself as you are, and meditate. Learning to be in the moment, accepting it with full gratitude gives us fresh new zeal to live with awareness. People are busy in collecting more and more money, good houses, better cars, smart husband or boyfriend, beautiful wife or girlfriend; mind is hungry for flashy designer clothes, thicker wallets, and heavier jewellery. You work so hard to get this and yet all this will not make you happy or contented. Why? Simple: you will still be dependant on someone to say, “Wow, you look beautiful” and if there is no one to praise you, you think that all the make up, accessories, etc, which you have madly collected have gone wasted because no body noticed and praised you for all sthis. Learn to be with yourself, devoid of any kind of dependencies-what a relief! No one can give this to you. It is something for which you yourself have to work. When it is your responsibility to make your life happy, why leave this for tomorrow. Do it now! Breathe deep, look outside the window at the tree or sky, and close your eyes with a deep resolve that you will take this responsibility of your life. Create beauty around you, love life, and let love flow to others. Be a giver not a beggar. Let mind be free of all pretensions and assumptions. Just be natural, be in the moment-the moment called life.

To meditate in the right way a positive attitude is required; equally important is the physical posture. It is nearly impossible in a normal situation, to sleep in shirshasana, the head-stand posture. But it is pretty easy to doze off while lying down or even while sitting. Thus, when the body is in a comfortable position, sleep comes naturally. But in the standing position it is quite difficult to fall asleep. For meditation the right posture is a definite pre-requisite.

When one learns the art of meditation, then one truly understands the art of distancing oneself from the rumblings of the mind

If the spine is not erect but curved, the gravitational pull of the earth has a greater effect on the body – you feel like relaxing and there is an inclination to lie down. All through the day our arms are by our sides in a vertical position, so they do not hurt or pain. But if we are asked to hold our arms straight in front of the body in a horizontal position, it will be a punishment. Why is it so? Because in the horizontal position the area acted upon by gravity increases; in the vertical position the area acted upon by the earth’s gravitational pull is lesser as our arms span a smaller area.
In exactly the same manner, if we sit straight then the area of gravitational pull decreases and it becomes easier to be alert. Body posture also includes the positioning of our hands. The hands should be placed in the lap – one above the other – with the palms facing upwards. Or they should be in the gyaan mudra with the tip of the thumb and first finger joined.
When we meditate, vibrations and auras arise in the body; to contain them the hands should be positioned in the right manner so that energy does not flow out to the earth but remains in the body. This bio-plasmic energy travels; we have to ensure its smooth passage so that we get all the advantage and benefit of the rising energy. Once this energy is experienced in its full force, then you can definitely share it with others: human beings, the earth, air, water and animals.
The posture of the body is very important for proper meditation. In the Gita Sri Krishna says:

With the senses withdrawn from all objects
Spine kept erect and contemplating at the middle of the brows
Concentrate on balanced in and out going breath
Such a person is called a conqueror

Let me explain this in detail. Sri Krishna says that first and foremost a person should take leave of the sensory world for a while and let the sense organs rest. If the eyes yearn to see the world and the tongue to taste – in short, if you are seeking pleasure in smells, tastes, sights and fragrances, if you are engrossed in a futile search for material joys, how will you be motivated to strive for meditation? At least momentarily, for the time being, the senses have to be turned inwards and the spine has to be kept erect at a ninety-degree angle.
Sri Krishna says that all attention has to be brought to the centre of the eyebrows – an area which is also called the ‘third eye’ or Shiva netra. You should then focus on the breath which should be balanced. He says that a person who is able to do so will conquer the senses. Such a person is yatindriya – one whose senses are tamed and whose mind rests in peace and does not wander in search of joy; a person who has attained the right balance in life. Yatindriya is not a person who denies his senses or lives a repressed life, but a person who experiences immense joy from within. He is a person who is free of all slavery and bondage.
By constantly practicing sadhana and dhyana, the urge to seek the Lord’s blissful form can be awakened in the heart
Man is enslaved to woman and woman to man as both are dependent on each other for sexual gratification. But a person who attains inner bliss will communicate at a different level; there can be friendship and understanding, but there is no exploitation in the garb of social relationships.
Man is not the master of his life as he proclaims himself to be – in actuality it is material objects which rule man. I remember a Sufi story:
Once, Sheikh Farid was walking in the outskirts of his village with his followers. They saw a farmer taking his cow for a walk. Farid asked his followers, “Who is the master, the cow or the farmer?” The followers replied, “Definitely it is the farmer, sir.” Baba again asked, “If someone hits the cow and the cow runs, who will follow whom?” All the followers started thinking. Farid went and hushed the cow; it started running towards the fields and the farmer ran after the cow cursing Farid for playing such a prank on him.
Then Farid spoke: “It looked as though man was the master of the beast. But the animal is least bothered about ownership, and in a way it is the cow that is being followed by the man and not the man being followed by the cow.”
Such is the pathetic state of our mind that we have enslaved ourselves to objects, to money, to status and to prestige. But Sri Krishna says that man can become the master of his own world; a human being can become yatindriya by following the rules given by him for meditation. One has to learn to get rid of the shackles; all chains and all bondages are to be broken. Then for the first time in your life you will be able to breathe freely. In another shloka Sri Krishna says: “Anger and tension take leave of such a person and he is satiated once and for all.” For those who taste the nectar of spiritual wisdom, this becomes an experience and does not remain a scholarly discourse.
As I have mentioned earlier, in ancient times two stones were rubbed together to generate sparks to light a fire for a yagna. Similarly, by constantly practicing sadhana and dhyana, the urge to seek the Lord’s blissful form can be awakened in the heart.
You have probably heard innumerable discourses on dhyana and yet you have not been successful in understanding their essence. Why? It is because you lack the practical experience of meditation. Many may have a mantra which they repeat mechanically while telling the beads of a rosary. But have you achieved single-minded concentration? Or is meditation a mere formality, a chore that must be performed to satisfy the conscience?
Knowledge is established firmly only by experience and not when it is based on hearsay. For instance, there is a general superstition that prevails about solar eclipses. People confine themselves to the four walls of their homes with the curtains drawn, so that even the rays of the sun do not enter and harm them. The period of the eclipse is considered very inauspicious, but a student of science knows that there isn’t an iota of truth in this blind superstition. When a solar eclipse occurred recently, crowds collected at places like Neem Ka Thana, Bharatpur and Calcutta, to observe the phenomena through special dark glasses. Slowly awareness and understanding has grown in the general populace that it is the shadow of the moon that falls on the sun and partially veils it.

Tulsidas says in a verse:

Until I see it with my own eyes
I will not believe the words of my dearest guru

Without seeing with my own eyes, how am I to have faith in my guru’s words? Not that Tulsidas was an atheist or a non-believer, rather he was a devotee – a bhakt of Sri Rama. Although a truly conservative person, even he says that his belief can not be based on mere words. Without experiencing something for himself, he could not accept it for what it was. We value our shastras, our ancient textures, the Gurbani and the Gita, but why not experience the message contained in them and know the truth for ourselves? I call upon all who want to tread this path; belief in the scriptures is not essential.
You are aware that the mind is always on the move, never still for even a moment. It is like a mad monkey that jumps restlessly from one branch to another. So what then is meditation? It is taking the mind to a state where the thoughts are stilled and emptiness prevails. But how does that benefit us? Normally the mind is in a state of turmoil, filled with anger, jealousy, worry, hatred and ill-will. It is continually pulled in different directions resulting in constant restlessness. An unhealthy mind with polluted thoughts invariably leaves its mark on the physical health; stress and pressures of the mind lead to a disease-prone body.
The economically weak class spends most of its waking hours engaged in strenuous labour, thereby having no spare time for unnecessary and unwarranted thoughts. Where diseases like blood pressure and cardiac ailments were once common amongst the well-to-do sections of society, today materialism has entered the fabric of our society to such an extent that every man from a rickshaw puller to an owner of a posh car is in a rat race, thus facing immense stress and suffering from stress-related diseases. Mammon is worshipped openly; money is the new god!
Exhibitionism, possessiveness, attachment and thrill seeking have become the common hobby of this generation. Instant gratification is desired; this generation that belongs to the times of instant noodles and instant coffee can’t wait to experience happiness in the future; they want everything now – be it fame, health, wealth or celebrity status. The hunger for titillation is so strong that morals, ethics and religion have been left to stagnate.
It is only when serious damage is done that people wake up from this blindness. No one is ready to listen; everyone wants to acquire wisdom, but perhaps the harder way and not like you, sitting comfortably in your seats and listening to the words of wisdom. I wonder: Are you really listening even now?
Psychosomatic diseases are spreading like bush fire. People can’t sleep well; all six systems of the human body do not work properly. Have you ever felt real hunger? Today people feel like eating when they watch food commercials or see billboards of food advertisements. They get hungry when they see advertisements of burgers and pizzas on the television – a false hunger takes over and they call for home delivery. When you eat because of false hunger, how will your stomach digest the food? It will simply rot in your intestines and will lead to various diseases. And when stomach ailments affect you, then you need medicines for indigestion, constipation, ulcer and acidity! When a sedentary life style complements a high stress job, insomnia is the result! And sales of sedatives rise!
Today’s is a cola, coffee, fast food generation. The result is: rash, brash and trash – diseases of mind and body; no deep sleep – often no sleep at all – no real hunger and no real happiness.

Normally the mind is in a state of turmoil, filled with anger, jealousy, worry, hatred and ill-will – leading to disease-prone body.
In meditation, mind moves to a state where the thoughts are stilled and emptiness prevails

Therefore meditation is extremely vital to maintain physical and mental health. Recently a conference was held in the US entitled ‘Medicine of Tomorrow’. Leading cardiologists from Germany, Japan, Canada and America participated in it. I too attended the conference and elaborated on the fact that for a healthy heart, medicine in the form of meditation is a must. Today the medical fraternity completely agrees with the observation that the rise in incidence of cardio-vascular disease is due to unhealthy lifestyles and high levels of stress. Some doctors are themselves victims of these diseases.
Prevention is better than cure. Why not pay attention to this often repeated dictum? Rather than visiting doctors and incurring heavy hospital bills and unwanted worries, take charge of your life and bring a wise discipline into it. Eat right, sleep right, meditate right.
Once a man was admitted to a nursing home after a severe heart attack. A week later when he was discharged, the doctor cautioned the family members against anything that would upset him or cause any sort of excitement as his heart was weak and would not tolerate the stress. Hearing this the patient promptly turned to the doctor, “Sir, then I sincerely request you to refrain from presenting me with the hospital bill as my poor heart will be unable to bear it.”
Keep your heart healthy. The scriptures say that god is in your heart – do not defile it with vices and ill will. Let it be pure.

Sri Krishna says:

O Arjuna! Though I am omnipresent
If you wish to find me, I am always dwelling in your heart!

If you wish to see the Almighty, turn inwards for He is to be found in the depths of your heart. He who resides within should be sought within. The source of ‘I’ is God who is present where you are. What you need to do is to go back deep into the source of your roots.
Meditation is the process of plumbing deep within; it helps us to unburden the mind. The mind becomes free of thought and thus we are able to feel the Lord with heightened perception. One who meditates takes care to follow the master in spirit; in the process of meditation he remains extremely vigilant and alert. One who is on the path of peace cannot be careless, lax or ignorant.
A mind which is a compulsive thinker suffers and spreads suffering to others too. Therefore, for your own benefit and for the benefit of those around, we need to learn the art of mediation, which in other words is the art of managing the mind.

Let us try to understand this in another way. If you are given the choice of running or walking to a particular destination, which would you choose? Obviously walking will be the preferred choice as it involves lesser strain. Then again, between walking and standing the choice would be to stand as it involves still lesser physical strain. Similarly, between standing and sitting it is obvious that sitting would be an easier choice. Between sitting and lying down one would prefer the latter, and if the choice is between just lying down and sleeping one would opt for sleep. And now the last question: Would you prefer sleep or death? Shouldn’t death be more relaxing, more peaceful than sleep? Isn’t it so? But you will mess up your death as you have messed up your life. What does all this teach you? You must understand that happiness increases with decreased activity of the mind!
Happiness increases with decreased activity of the mind!
The lesser the activity of the mind the more integrated and calm it becomes. Just as the body needs time to sleep and relax, the mind too needs time to rest and relax. Although sleep is designed by nature to provide us mental rest, we human beings have polluted our sleep with more of dreams and less of deep sleep; the time of restful sleep has decreased considerably. In an effort to sleep, people toss and turn in bed and as a result they wake up tired. If you cannot sleep deeply, you will lose your sanity within days. Sleep provides natural respite from the constant chain of thoughts; had there been no sleep, the entire human race would have gone mad!
When a person is asleep, the mind is seeped in the slumber of unconsciousness and so you do not really enjoy being asleep. Sleep provides some relief from the madness of the mind. Have you ever wondered why an alcoholic cannot stop drinking, knowing well enough that it is destroying his health and family life? The reason is that the mental relief he gets in drunkard-ness is so alluring that he is deaf to all counseling and advice. Human beings can’t really be pulled away from intoxicants unless and until they learn to experience a state of mind where one is conscious and yet not disturbed because of the mind; when one knows how to manage one’s emotions and feelings with detachment. This can be learnt only through meditation.
When one learns the art of meditation, then one truly understands the art of distancing oneself from the rumblings of the mind. As the mind becomes empty and non-productive, stressful thoughts vanish and the mind becomes determined and focused. It is then our best aide in helping with external interactions and it stops being a nuisance. As awareness grows, a quietude envelopes the mind and calmness simply oozes from every pore of one’s being. Serenity pervades your being and a singular joy is felt deep within.

Who is a Guru, what is Guru’s strength, what is Guru’s power? Is it because he is sitting on a bigger chair – Can anyone who sits on that chair becomes a Guru? If that is so then I will get up and leave this seat and sit somewhere else. I can leave this couch and sit comfortably anywhere in the hall. Any one from the audience can sit here – will this seat make you a Guru? It is not even the color of robe or style of clothes, which makes Guru – a Guru. Is the one who wears ochre colored robe a Guru? If so, tomorrow I will wear pink, day after that I will wear purple or something flashy to dazzle you. Guru’s attributes are not in the clothes. Guru’s wisdom is the secret of being a Guru. Now I am wearing a long tilak on my forehead, tomorrow I will not wear it, would it change my status of being a Guru? Who is Guru – one who speaks Sanskrit language, which you will not understand? Guru is not even the one who can lecture you or narrate you stories.
Guru is Guru because of the wisdom, experience, and state of consciousness. So if you have to follow Guru then follow Guru’s sadhana. Do it as Guru did sadhana with dedication, sincerity, and intensity. Be dependent on your experience and not on the words spoken by the master. Master’s words can be a map, but you have to travel with the aid of map. Don’t sit with the map – walk with the map.
Guru is your friend, guide and motivator; don’t turn Guru into a crutch. Guru is the powerhouse. Who is a Guru? The one who has the wisdom, vision, experience and the power of discrimination. Guru is the one who has awakened, who has evolved. Once upon a time even Guru was as foolish as you are now and did same mistakes. Anyone who is wise today was a fool once upon a time, and then the fool grew up and became wise.
Who is a Guru? The one who has learned from his or her mistakes – who has the life experience and learned from it and matured.

Who is a fool? The one who will never learn – neither from his mistakes nor by listening to the discourses or by reading great books. A fool will always be a fool. If you import a donkey to U.S.A, he will still remain a donkey. India very recently has sent a satellite named ‘Chandrayaan’ in space; say if you send a donkey in the rocket, will he become a man? It will still remain a donkey. This is the bitter truth: a fool will remain a fool – well most of the time.
The Guru is not ashamed of his past foolishness. Guru knows that the entire journey has made him mature. When Guru sees his disciples, he sees his own reflection in them. Guru can also see the future of present fools, and knows that one day the fools will become a gyani – wise. In Sanyas tradition, Anand is added to the name of a sanyaasi, like Akhanadanand, Satyanand, Anubhutanand, so even a ‘moorh’ (fool) in Hindi language is called Murkhaanand. Respect is must and it should be given to all, whatever the status might be. To call fool, a fool is disgrace. One day in the life of a fool, a Satguru comes and slowly transformation happens. Negativities like greed, selfishness, anger and lust persist in him but with Guru’s guidance and with the fire of sadhana slowly one after another all negativities are removed.
So there is a hope for every fool; one day he too can become wise. But first a fool has to know that he is a fool – this is the first step in the direction of becoming wise. Once this first step is taken then the journey of fool begins. So your real search can begin only when you know that your present condition is not good – you realize that you have to do something about it. Most of the people are living as if they have no senses or intellect. They are happy in their self-inflicted miseries; they don’t know that life can be lived in a much better way. I do not want your life to be filled with sorrow, pain, and misery.

Who is a Guru?
The one who has the wisdom, vision, experience and

the power of discrimination
It is part of Guru’s responsibility to help the disciple to become emotionally and spiritually strong but Guru alone cannot do this. Kabir has sung glory of master in lofty words. But at times people misunderstand it. Now and then, there are going to be ups & down – turmoil in life. Unintentionally, people depend on the Guru as a person and not on the teachings.
Kabir’s verses explain how to behave with a Guru. Kabir gave a beautiful name to Guru, it is ‘Sahib’ – meaning my Lord.  Guru is seen as a form of God. Many Sufi masters have said that we have not seen God with our eyes but after seeing Guru we know God does exist, otherwise how can a mortal being be such luminous, pious and compassionate.
What does Guru give? Maybe in the beginning it will be just a mantra. Mantra is not just plain set of words. They are sound waves, which have very specific effect on human brain. Every sound has an effect on body and our ancient masters used mantras to create much needed changes in seeker’s brain. Brain is the place where the most important glands are working, namely – pituitary and pineal gland, which are further related with hypothalamus. Mantra is a sound wave which has a great effect on these organs. For spiritual practice one needs concentration, equanimity, focus, de-fogged mind and with mantra recitation practitioner creates such waves which are slowly going to bring these desired elements in mind.
Initially, the Guru gives the mantra and one should practice the mantra sincerely. Mantra works like a bridge in between Guru and disciple. It connects both – the Guru and the disciple. When Guru gives the mantra to disciple, it is not only mantra which is given but also powerful energy gets transported. Chanting mantra regularly can give lot of strength to your body, and it unclutters the mind so that intellect can be made pristine and clear.
Shishya, the disciple, benefits from love and compassion of Guru. We need Guru hence we seek Guru, not vice versa. Our scriptures have been written by those individuals who themselves had gained everything from their respective Gurus, thus it goes without saying that to excel in this life one definitely needs guidance from the master.
Seek master with understanding, love and surrender. But do not ever think that once you have found Guru it is solely the duty of Guru to give you Samadhi – the total absorption state; disciple has to work hard with the Guru to match his steps – step by step.
Seek Guru’s guidance but don’t be dependent on the Guru, as it can be a dangerous affair – as any such bondage is a hurdle in this path. By being dependent, you turn your Guru into another angle of emotional dependency. If you follow the guidance of the Guru meticulously then Guru’s blessings will shower on you – that too without asking. And if you become dependent on your Guru then you have turned your Guru into a crutch. The seed of emotional dependency is rooted deep in the human nature – first it is on mother, father, and then it is wife and children. You depend on your money, prestige, and this tendency keeps on growing. When everything else has failed you, then it is your Guru on whom you begin to depend on. Guru can be a guide but Guru cannot walk the path for you.  Solely depending on the Guru and not practicing what Guru has taught, won’t work at all.  Just listening to the discourses and not implementing the words won’t serve you. In the end it is you who can redeem you – not the Guru.

The temples of Khajuraho are India’s unique gift to the world. They express love in its most unique form. Khajuraho Temples are the most graphic, erotic and sensuous Indian sculptures, the world has ever known.  They are famous for their erotic carvings.  Khajuraho Temples are standing testimonials of the glorious past of India.
History

The Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 AD in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. They were built during the Chandela dynasty of Central India (These rulers claimed descent from the moon, hence the name Chand-ela). After the decline of the Chandela dynasty in 13th century, the temples were left under the cover of dense date palm trees for many years, which gave the city of Khajuraho its name, Khajur in Hindi means a date.

In 1838, a British army engineer, Captain T.S. Burt rediscovered them. It had at least eighty-five temples, out of which twenty-two exist today.

Something interesting regarding Khajuraho Temples is how its name came into existence. Khajuraho derives its name from the tree khajur (date palm), which can be found in abundance in that area.

Location:

Khajuraho temples are situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh in the Chhatarpur district. They are famous all over the world for their spectacular architecture and bold artistic statement. They are quite different in architectural style and are the one of the most captivating temples in India.

Khajuraho temples are grouped into three categories namely Eastern group, Western group and Southern group.
Some of the important temples to visit at Khajuraho include the Lakshmi and Varaha temples, Kandariya Mahadev, Devi Jagdamba, Vishvanath Temple, Chausath Yogini and so on.

Western Group of Temples:

These are the largest and the richest temples in Khajuraho:

Lakhmana Temple – It is one of the oldest and finest temples in this place. The unique aspect of this temple is the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with Lakshmi ( Lord Vishnu’s consort).

Devi Jagdamba Temple – This temple has some of the finest sculptures of Khajuraho. It is dedicated to the Goddess (devi). The Devi Jagdamba temple is known for its erotic sculptures and houses Khajuraho’s most talked-about image, the mithuna (the sensuously carved figures of amorous couples). It has three bands of sculptures, of which the third and uppermost of these houses some of the most erotic sculptures.

Chaunsat Yogini – It is the oldest surviving shrine out of the three granite temples dedicated to Godess Kali. It is the only granite temple in the Khajuraho temples group.

Chitragupta temple – It is dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and faces eastwards to the rising sun.

Eastern Group of Temples –

This group consists mainly of Jain and Hindu temples.

Parshvanath Temple – It is the largest and the finest temple in this group. An amazing feature of this temple is the exquisite carvings that depict the timeless beauty of a women. The sculptures on the northern outer wall are something that you should not miss.

Adinath Temple – It is dedicated to the Jain Saint, Adinath. It consists of a lot of sculpted figures.
Brahma Temple – It is one of the oldest temples of Khajuraho and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is made entirely in granite and sandstone.
The Hanuman temple, Ghantai temple, Vamana temple and Javari temple are some other outstanding temples in Khajuraho that have excellent architecture.

Southern Group of Temples –

Dulhadev Temple – Duladeo temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It lies south to the Ghantai temple and is the last temple of Khajuraho. It enshrines a Shivalingam and the most notable feature of this temple is the apsara and ornamented figures.

Chattarbhuj Temple or the Jatkari Temple – It was built in 1100 A.D., and it is well known for its architecture. It is the only temple that is devoid of any erotic sculpture. An outstanding feature of this temple is the massive 9 feet Vishnu Idol that has been intricately carved.

Spectacular Khajuraho Temples:
Khajuraho Temples are particularly known for their erotic sculptures that undoubtedly fan the flames of physical desires of an individual. Khajuraho Temples are an excellent example of outstanding human creativity in the form of sculptures. Unlike other temples Khajuraho temples are said to have a theme (women), which comes in front while going through the temples.  The Khajuraho Temples are famous for their sensuous depiction of the Art of Love making. Candid Eroticism and delicate sensuality have found their ultimate heights in the Khajuraho temples.

Dance Festival:
Khajuraho festival is a 7 day festival celebrated with fervour and joy, during the pleasant Hindu spring month of Phalguna (spring), corresponding with the months of February/March. There are many celebrations that involve Indian Classical dance and music. These are believed to have originated in the Hindu temples. In the month of march, visitors are drawn to a dance festival which attracts some of the best and outstanding classical dancers of India.

Trip Schedule:

Visiting Khajuraho is an exciting experience. The temples can be explored in one full day. If you happen to be here in the month of March then the dance festival will be an added bonanza in your itinerary.

Summer: Summer 47 Deg. C. 21 Deg. C.
Winter: Winter 32 Deg. C. 4 Deg. C.
Rainfall: 114 cm. July-September
Best Season: October to March.

Travel Connectivity:
Khajuraho is easily accessible through air, rail and road.
» By Air: Regular services link Khajuraho with Delhi, Agra, and Varanasi.
» By Rail: The nearest railheads are Harpalpur (94 Km) and Mahoba (61 Km). Jhansi (172 Km) is a convenient railhead for those traveling from Delhi and Chennai; Satna (117 Km), on the Mumbai-Allahabad line of the Central Railway for those coming from Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi.
» By Road: Khajuraho is connected by regular buses with Satna, Harpalpur, Jhansi and Mahoba.

It is a  pleasure to wish the pioneer of spirituality, GuruMaa, on her Enlightenment day. Gurumaa, may we ask you to please address us on this joyous occasion?
I am really, really surprised that how come I do not know which is my Enlightenment day and you know which is my Enlightenment day! I never, ever had this inkling in my mind that someone will one day talk about the day when I got enlightened and it will be an honorable, celebrative day!
I had no clue. So honestly speaking, I cannot give you one particular time or day when I got enlightenment. 11th April is the day when I wore ochre colored clothes for the first time. In India, when someone does that with the permission of their Master, it is called Sanyas, Sanyas-Divas, Sanyas Day.
But as I have said many, many times, my Sanyas is not a traditional, ritualistic Sanyas. No ceremonies were involved, no prayers were done. No special chanting was done. And even the Master who had given me this permission to wear the ochre color was not present physically. Traditionally, someone has to give this permission, only then you can wear it. You never wear it your own. In my case, that Master too was not physically present when I wore them. So 11th April is the day when I took the ochre color, but it is definitely not Enlightenment day. Because I was enlightened far, far before this thing happened – when I chose this colour or anything like that….
It has nothing to do with what happened within, and I was rather wondering that when my enlightenment day is. It is a riddle, it is a puzzle; I don’t know….
Osho gave a date that he got enlightenment on this particular day. I think  it is 21st January or 19th  January, something like that. And from him, many other Gurus too followed his example and everyone started saying, “Okay, I got enlightened on this day.” It is by chance that Osho could say, “Okay, this happened on this day”. But that is one exceptional case. The truth is this – maybe I am more Zen-like and in Zen, no announcements are made. And those who announce this are considered to be false. Their claim is null and void, they are speaking untruth.
Kabir too affirms this and he says, “Those who say that we are enlightened are not enlightened, and those who do not say so, are definitely not enlightened as well”. However, it is not a question of saying this, it is not a question of your announcement. It is not a question of standing on Lal Kila or some fort and making an announcement like the Prime Minister of India, “Okay, this is the day, the day when we got independence.” So, enlightenment is the day when I got my real independence.
There is no need to do that too, so just a small correction which I would like to make is that it is just a Sanyas day, nothing special. It is just calling all of you and having a celebration, so it is just an excuse, Nothing serious in that. The reason for a celebration can be made anytime and every time.

Meditation is not meditating upon something but just being with oneself. There is no movement, no flickering – only being fully in the moment, in the NOW! When a person meditates, he loses all restlessness, his thinking stops and in that moment, he is a pool of energy. He becomes tremendously powerful. Meditation relieves you of all these pressures and artificial living. You begin to see the world with clarity and wisdom. When you see how fickle the world is and understand – impermanence, it opens up new avenues for you. The peace experienced during meditation works as a balm, soothing the mind. Remember, no one gives you pain – it is you who have induced pain on yourself. See life retrospectively – how you have lived and what mistakes you made unknowingly. Once you do, then it will become much easier for you to make the transition from living ignorantly to living consciously. Meditation is being with our true self; being able to control all activities of the mind and senses a well as making the right choices. It is an antidote to the mounting stress and tension. The tremendous transformation that meditation can bring to you can be derived only by delving into its experiences with the child-like innocence.

Mind is always restless, always in a state of flux. It is difficult for us to sit in the silent mode, to be in a relaxed state of mind. What to say about meditation, even simple relaxation is difficult. We need to undergo catharsis to remove all the repressions, all the emotional clouds, all the useless chattering that goes on in the mind. When we achieve this state, we’ll be able to relax totally. Meditation is the quietening of the mind. The power to heal comes from meditation. Meditation gives right knowledge and the right training to handle life. A blind man needs a stick to walk safely, but if we can cure his blindness, then he can do without that stick. Most of us are metaphorically blind. The eyes of our mind are shut. We need to open up our inner eyes – the eyes of our awareness and then we’ll be able to enjoy the every-flowing bliss of life. And then everything will be clear – meditation gives pristine clarity towards our life. True happiness can be experienced when our mind is peaceful. Even when we are presented with adverse conditions if our mind is calm then we can be happy all the time. The mind can be trained through meditation to achieve this state. One is no longer disturbed by external situations.

Urja Meditation or Dynamic Meditation is based on ancient methodology of a special breathing technique called Kapalbhati which involves strong and forceful exhalations.
It is powerful and easy method to get free from all the suffering, tensions, and garbage of mind. It refreshes our body, mind and intellect. Urja should be practiced by all of them who want to live their life with lots of energy, joy and calmness. It works as a great de-stressing tool and even helps the mind to clear off the negative thoughts.

This technique should be done on an empty stomach or at least three hours after eating. Sit comfortably in any meditative posture. Sit erect. Breathe normally for about five minutes. Once composed, you can begin. In Kapalbhati more attention is to be given on forceful exhalation while the inhalation remains passive. Exhale through both nostrils, contracting the middle and lower abdomen portions. Release the contractions quickly and immediately follow with another forceful exhalation. Inhale passively and effortlessly. Gradually increase the frequency. This technique increases exchange of gases in the lungs manifold. There is large-scale elimination of carbon dioxide and a huge absorption of oxygen. This process brings about catharsis which cleanses the inner recesses of the mind – and then mindfulness becomes easy. This exercise can give excellent results if done with conviction. You will glide into a state where mind will be totally at peace, relaxed and energized. Layers upon layers will get clearer and once all these are cleared and there is emptiness, then there will come this bright light of consciousness.
Regular practice will lead you to higher level of consciousness.

All meditation techniques of Anandmurti Gurumaa are backed with soulful music which is especially composed for the particular method. With easy-to-follow instructions, meditation becomes a joyful journey.

‘Daughter of the Mountain,’ Parvati Devi is the primary personification of Shakti Herself. Her consort is Shiva; Her children are Ganesh and Skanda, but in fact she is the mother of all gods and goddesses, of all humanity and of creation itself. Being Shakti’s ‘base form,’ Parvati manifests her wrath as Durga and Kali; and her benevolence as Lakshmi and Saraswati. She is every other goddess as well; when we worship any goddess, or for that matter even any god, we ultimately worship her.

A Balancing Principle

Parvati is Shakti’s (i.e. the Divine Feminine’s) second incarnation as the wife of Shiva. After Shiva’s first wife Sati died, her divine body parts were strewn all over India (all the places where these parts landed became Shakti peeths, or ’seats of the goddess,’ and are now sites of Devi temples) and Shiva turned his back completely on the world, resuming the life of an ascetic in a remote Himalayan cave, while the demon Taraka overran the heavens above and the earth below.With no ‘living’ Shakti (manifest Divinity) to balance Shiva (transcendent Divinity), the Cosmic order was thrown into disarray. Shiva had no interest in the world, and in any event he was ‘powerless’ (Shakti = Power, Energy) without Shakti. And so the gods prayed to Shakti to reincarnate and bring Shiva back into the world, thereby restoring the cosmic balance and saving the world. Shakti agreed and thereupon took birth as Parvati, the daughter of Himavan, the Lord of the Mountains.

Of course she grew up to be a stunningly beautiful, charming and alluring woman – her ‘mission’ after all, was to lure Shiva out of his ascetic life and make him take her as his consort. And so every day, she would visit Shiva’s cave, sweep the floor, decorate it with flowers and offer him fruits and other gifts of the earth, hoping to win his love.

Personification of Shakti

However, Shiva never even opened his eyes to notice her. So Parvati enlisted the help of Priti and Rati, the goddesses of Love and Longing. They transformed Shiva’s cave into a sensuous pleasure garden filled with fragrant flowers, exotic songbirds and buzzing honeybees. With the stage thus set,

Kama, the beautiful God of Love appeared and shot Shiva with the arrow of desire. But Shiva, unamused, simply opened his third eye and blasted

Kama with an energy beam that incinerated him on the spot. And so Love was lost to the world.“Do not despair,” Parvati told the gods when this happened. “Shiva will be my consort. And when he does, Kama will be reborn. “Whereupon Parvati disappeared into the forest, and became an ascetic herself. She performed the most rigorous self-mortifications – sitting amidst bonfires on the hottest summer days, going without clothing in the winter snow, standing motionless on one foot for interminable periods, eating next to nothing, and engaging in the most astonishingly intense sadhana. In fact, Parvati fully matched Shiva’s own asceticism, detaching herself totally from the world; completely mastering her body and mind. So perfect an ascetic was she that the other forest renunciates named her Aparna.

“The story of Parvati’s efforts to win unity with shiva, is in itself a most powerful allegory of the sadhak’s quest to merge with the Divine”

Finally the heat (tapas) generated by Parvati’s amazing austerities shook Shiva out of his meditation. He stepped out of his cave and learning of her accomplishments, agreed to be her consort. They married amidst the most divine celebrations and then together left for the

peak of

Mount Kailasa, where the two became one, and

Kama was reborn into the world.

Parvati and Shiva’s marriage is a happy and full of blissful companionship Under her benevolent influence, Shiva the ‘great ascetic’ became Shiva the ‘householder’. However, in addition to their games and pleasures, they also had serious conversations in which they questioned one another on the most profound philosophical issues. Those conversations formed the basis of the Vedas, the Yoga Sutras and the Tantras - the three principle foundations of the Hindu faith. Inspired by Parvati’s intelligence and beauty, Shiva also became a fountainhead of the arts, dance and drama.

Parvati – More Than A Consort

Shaivite approaches to Hinduism tend to look upon Parvati primarily as the god’s submissive and obedient wife and helpmate. However, Shaktas focus on Parvati’s equality or even superiority to her consort. Take, for example, the story of the birth of the ‘Ten Mahavidyas’ or ‘Wisdom Goddesses’ of Shakta Tantra. This event occurs while Shiva is living with Parvati in her father’s house. Following an argument, he attempts to walk out on her. Her rage manifests in the form of ten terrifying goddesses who block Shiva’s every exit.

As the scholar David Kinsley explains, “The fact that Parvati is able to physically restrain Shiva, dramatically demonstrates the fact that she is superior in power. The theme of the superiority of the goddess over male deities is common in Shakta texts, and so the story stresses a central Shakta theological principle. The fact that Shiva and Parvati are living in her father’s house in itself makes this point, as it is a tradition in most parts of India for the wife to leave her father’s home upon marriage and become a part of her husband’s lineage and live in his home among his relatives.That Shiva dwells in Parvati’s house implies her superiority in their relationship, which is also demonstrated in her ability – through the Mahavidyas – to thwart Shiva’s will and assert her own.”

The Great Disciple

It is not necessary to insist upon Parvati’s ’superiority’ in order to realize the power and value of her teachings. As the scholar Ellen Goldberg notes: The story of Parvati’s efforts to win unity with Shiva, is in itself a most powerful allegory of the sadhak’s quest to merge with the Divine. As a yogini (female yoga adept) and tapasvini (female accomplisher of great austerities), Parvati offers all of her devotees an inspiring model by which to master the intricacies of their sadhana. Goldberg writes: “Parvati (Shakti) is the yogini/ tapasvini par excellence. As a rule, the only necessary requirements for the [yoga] path are: access to teachings; a guru; one-pointed dedication to the practices. Parvati fulfills all three requisites. The hatha yoga tradition clearly affirms that the transmission of oral teachings proceeds directly from Shiva to Parvati. This primeval discourse in turn reflects the prototypical relationship between guru and disciple. As a yogini, Parvati performs her austerities (tapas) dutifully – subjecting herself to strict penance like eating tree bark, standing on one foot and so onto win or unite with her beloved Shiva.” “Her ascetic disciplines prepare her for a progressive ascent through body, speech and mind and lead her via preparatory and purificatory practices, to the higher attainments of yoga realization. Once her karma is dissolved, Parvati, as a model disciple, is drawn into deeper and more subtle forms of meditation, leading to the merging of herself and Shiva in the form and figure of Ardhanariswara.”

Parvati and shiva’s marriage is a happy and full of blissful companionship. Inspired by Parvati’s intelligence and beauty, Shiva became a fountainhead of the arts, dance and drama

“In this model, active engagement through asceticism or tapas is advocated as the prerequisite for unionwith Shiva: Parvati takes form as a human disciple (nari), dresses in the clothes of an ascetic, and with matted hair (jata) and modest diet (mitahara), remains in one-pointed tapas. She knows that to effect a union with Shiva and to actively save the world she must perform these tapas.” “Shiva is informed by the devas of Parvati’s effort, and he appears before her as a brahmachari (celibatemonk) who speaks of Shiva’s wrathful nature to test her resolve and commitment. Parvati is steadfast,and Shiva is duly convinced of her one-pointed determination and devotion. He then appears to her as himself and agrees to marry her. Her tapas won-over her self-chosen husband, Shiva. Parvati thereby actively subverts the normative mode of behavior for women (stridharma). In this narrative, Parvati is not an object of sexual desire, rather she is a spiritual heroine who earns her rightful status by the side of Shiva.”

Why Not Bring in the Clones?

Michael Levy is the author of eight inspirational books. He is a prominent speaker on health maintenance, stress eradication, wealth development, authentic happiness and inspirational poetry.
Most people looking for success on planet earth – with only a physical self-image of who they believe themselves to be – may never locate true success, no matter how much money they accumulate and/or how much notoriety they achieve. At best they may earn a lot of money, own a big house, a big car and a big identity crisis later in life, when the so called luxuries no longer satisfy their desires. Pitiable are people who are looked up to by the entire world and yet are strangers to their true selves. Therefore, why don’t we do some soul searching in a way that is different from the norm, pinpointing answers that will elude most people dwelling in a scientific, hi-tech, media driven world.

“Very soon we will have robots that can think for themselves”

Controversies abound over the science of cloning human beings. Scientists have successfully cloned sheep and other animals, therefore it is only a matter of time before we have walking, talking replicas of ourselves. Science and religion have always been at loggerheads. Too many wars are caused by strong beliefs that rely on the ego’s view of the world. The more people seek the truth, the more it seems to elude them.
The question asked here is: Will clones have a soul? I guess the answer depends on how we define a soul and who we think we are. It is a deep probing question, and many philosophers of the past have come up with a variety of answers as to the identity of the soul, but humanity as a whole has not settled on any meaningful answer to date that will satisfy everyone.
Indeed, can any answer be found that will satisfy everyone? Well, how about looking into the future with the following scenario: An atheist by the name of Will is fifty years old. Would you say Will has a soul? If you ask him he will say no, because he does not recognize any image of God cultivated by other people, as his reality. However, that does not necessarily mean that God does not exist in Will’s world, by another description and unknown to Will. Likewise, Will – the atheist – may not know if a soul is his true identity when he sees himself in the mirror of life as just flesh and blood.
Will is very wealthy and decides he would like to create a clone of himself. So a clone is composed and is physically identical to what Will looks like in the natural. The clone studies hard, is very religious and becomes a priest. Does the minister not have a soul? Can religious people say: “God is going to disown the clergyman because his human double does not believe in souls and he has not been born naturally?” Is Will the atheist, the same as ‘Will’ the clone – apart from their beliefs?
What about the advancement in microchips? Very soon we will have robots that will think for themselves. They may be solar powered, or they may even generate energy by inhaling oxygen. Science fiction is fast becoming science reality. Androids may well look just like human beings, but that is artificial life, and a machine does not have a soul – but can it?
It may well be that machines are made exactly like human beings in every detail, with live cells that have the ability to acquire the means to access universal intelligence in the same manner as naturally born humans (although most well educated human beings on planet earth will disagree that they have that ability). Radical thoughts are possible sometime in the future as science fiction becomes scientific reality.
Now more than ever, people need to understand who they are and the reason why they exist. If human beings go through life with no idea of who they truly are, they will get more and more lost in the high-tech revolution. Humanity requires a truthful, sound, solid foundation upon which to build its life.

“Every life-form is energized by something so why not universal intelligent energy, that encompasses love & joy and acknowledge it s a soul”
Every life-form is energized by something, so why not call it the universal intelligent energy that encompasses love & joy, and acknowledge it as a soul.
Therefore, if we characterize our life’s energy as soul, a clone with a life-force will be energized by a soul, once the breath of life is infused in the body. To reiterate, the life-force, the true identity of all life forms is the soul, which is another name for intelligent energy manifesting love & joy. As time goes by, we may not be able to distinguish between a natural born and a clone.
Spirit is another name humans use that has many definitions and can describe anything that is not physical. Why not call the source that forms intelligent energy and which is in all life: spirit. Religious, pious people may think their religion has an exclusive contract with the spirit of their god. They may feel anger and hatred towards the thoughts of cloned humans. However, if they cannot distinguish a clone from a naturally created human, they have nothing to fear.
Many people who do not understand what intelligent energy is, may declare that a clone has no soul, and therefore is not really human. Many religious people think they are superior to a dog or a cat when it comes to God’s creations. They believe a soul is located somewhere in the human brain. They may well believe animals don’t possess a soul; however, if they possess intelligent energy, how can they not have a soul if it is defined as a life source?
Blind faith and dogma has been programmed into human beings for thousands of years. That could be the reason why many religious people can’t be happy. They say that the afterlife is where they will find heavenly peace. They believe God is exclusively in their camp of ownership just as they safeguard their personal possessions. Their belief system detaches them by denomination from other human beliefs, that are also mostly misinterpreted pathways to God and to all other species of life.

Some people go as far as to think that other humans are not in God’s camp at all. Many different schools of thought, lined up in divisions of the ego’s blind thinking, and so much time wasted worrying and hating others. Millions of people have been slaughtered by religious dogma and what has it proven? Nothing but the fact that human beings are still living in the realms of primitive ignorance.
Oh! by the way, did I mention genetic engineering? I hear that today they can put genes in our food to make us fit and well. And maybe also to control our minds in case we feel like protesting against the clones! Some doctors who believe they know best because they have academic papers to prove it, pressurize school children with high spirits, to take mind-dulling drugs that can become addictive and also induce devastating side effects.
On another note, athletes are experimenting with all kinds of stuff to make them compete faster. One-hundredth of a second can make the difference in big sponsorship money, and athletes will try anything to become winners.
With such competition in sports, how long will it be before gene therapy is introduced and injected into sportsmen. We will be able to tailor-make our bodies. Maybe we will re-manufacture a human being to suit a trend… maybe we will become designer beings in the same fashion as designer clothes.
Stem cells which are cloned cells, may be injected into human beings to fight disease. Does this mean they will lose their soul because the cells are cloned? The possibilities of modern science boggle the mind. The cures for many diseases maybe just a few years away. Can the planet cope with a population explosion?
This is just a brief glimpse into the future. How do you think the folks who lived two hundred years ago would comment on today’s lifestyles?
Science is advancing at a warp speed and the way humans are destroying the earth, humanity’s very survival may well depend on modern science and technology.

“Now more than ever, people need to understand who they are and the reason why they exist. If human beings go through life with no idea of who they truly are, they will get more and more lost inthe high-tech revolution”
Before we get too carried away, we need to acknowledge that moments in life are precious and few. We are on earth to enjoy our lives; to enjoy the wonderment in a sunrise; to hear the birds sing; to gaze at a sunset. The things in life that are free are enough; simplicity in all things is the answer in any era – everything else is just the icing on the cake. How big a slice do we need?
We all need to recognize that we are the energy that drives the motor but we are not the motor. We are the energy that feeds the mind; we are not the mind. We are the energy that feeds the thoughts; we are not the thoughts. We take a ride on the carousel of life, but we must remember not to go around so fast that it makes us sick and dizzy.

Who are you? What are you? Where are you?

There is a story in the Upanishads of ten students who studied together in a gurukul. One day all of them went to attend a function in a neighbouring village. They had to cross a river which was in spate. They held hands and cautiously waded through the powerful current of the water till they crossed over safely. The leader of the group said, “Let me check if all of us have reached the shore safely. God forbid that anyone has been washed away in the current.” Everyone lined up and the leader starting counting: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine – the line finished at the ninth man! They were all shocked. Where was the tenth man?  Another student offered to re-check and he changed positions with the leader; he too counted in same manner and again the count ended with the ninth man!
Now the finding was confirmed; tragedy had struck! The tenth man was missing. They started crying, all of them grief-stricken. A wise man was passing that way. Taking pity on them he asked what the problem was. Sobbing uncontrollably they narrated the whole story. The wise man immediately understood the problem! First he assured them that they had no cause for worry as he knew where the missing tenth man was. But they would have to pay him for the help he offered. Encouraged by his words, they all agreed and took solace in the words of the wise man.
So this wise man made them stand in a line and asked the leader to count each one. The leader did as instructed and again the count came to nine. The wise man slapped the leader and said, “And you are the tenth man.” Everyone was ecstatic and all of them started dancing and singing, thanking the wise man for having solved their problem.
This is a story from the Upanishads. Through such simple stories seers explained great philosophical truths. Every one is looking for the truth, for god, as though god is lost somewhere. But no one realizes that the one who is searching for truth doesn’t know who he himself is.
In creation, starting from one’s own body, a gross physical entity, (individual and cosmic total) is objectified. If the gross and subtle entities are effects then the entity which brought them into being, (individual and cosmic total) is objectified as the personal as well as the total ego entity. In short, the gross, subtle and causal entities are objectified.
These gross, subtle and causal entities are objectified very clearly in the waking state, are vague in the dream state and completely resolved in the deep sleep state. So there are three distinct entities, each of them objectified in three states of experience. What is objectified must be different from the subject. Just like in the Upanishad story, the ’self’ is apparently missing, but all the above mentioned nine entities are counted by the ’self’ itself.
The ’self’ is the subject and distinct from the above mentioned nine entities. But it is seldom realized as the one which counts the other nine entities. Thus this story establishes the existence of the ’self’. The analogy in the Upanishad story must be used only to the point of establishing the existence of the ’self’. Every example should be taken only up to the limit it is meant to be taken to. The ’self’ cannot be grouped with the gross, subtle and causal entities of waking, dreaming and deep sleep states, as it was done for the ten students mentioned in the story.

Every one is looking for the truth, for god, as though god is lost somewhere. But no one realizes that the one who is searching for truth doesn’t know who he himself is.
The study of the ’self’ is not just a study by itself, but an exploration of the ’self’. We are focused on the body and senses, and even more focused on the objects of the senses, i.e sound, sight, smell and taste. Our senses are exposed to all the five objects and the mind is in an ever non-gratifying mode; it asks for more and more – the hunger of the mind is insatiable. The mind can eat all it pleases and have sex with all the men and women of the world, yet it will crave more. Our whole journey is towards the outside world. Your involvement is with everything; the identification with the mind is so great that it is not even as though we have just attached our self with the mind, but as though we have become the mind itself. So the important question that arises is: Who is the one who is behind the mind and beyond the mind?
We know about the mind and its hunger. We count the titillations and the material achievements, but what about the one who is a silent witness to all the flimsiness, the wanderings of the mind, the ego trips and the physical sensations? We never ever wonder about the one who is the master of the body, the senses, the mind and the intellect. The self which we have created is a false self. The route to this false self too is via the mind. This Upanishad story provokes you to seek the real self – the universal self, in its nakedness, stripped of the body, senses, emotions, thoughts and perceptions. Who are you? What are you? Where are you?

Knowledge is that which stays with you in life; information stays in the head alone and it has no link with the life you are living.
You have lost your real identity and taken the false self to be the real ’self’. If the body is the ’self’, then where were you when there was no body? Were you there or not? Were you there or not when the mind did not exist? Were you there or not? Who are ‘you’?

Know who you are, not through the head but through experience. Know who you are and that you cannot objectify your self.
Knowledge is true knowledge only when you are focused on searching for the real ’self’. Is the ’self’ an amalgam of emotions, senses, thoughts and perceptions alone, or is the ’self’ more than this. Is ‘I’ limited by space, time and object, or is the real ’self’ way beyond this; is it omniscient and all pervasive? If yes, then is ‘I’ a part of god or is god my own name – a bit different and exotic!
Knowledge cannot be gained from external sources like books and scriptures. Gurus can provide you with only information, and information is not at par with knowledge. Real knowledge is experiential and not abstract.
I once heard of a vedantist who fell sick; he was in tremendous pain. His brother disciple came to meet him. Seeing him writhing and shrieking in pain he said, “O brother, the pain is in your body, and you are a brahman. So why are you cursing everyone? Be calm and witness the whole drama.” The vedantist shouted the choicest of abuses and said, “To hell with brahman, I will break your head if you dare lecture me again. I am dying with pain and you are lecturing me.”
Knowledge is that which stays with you in life; information stays in the head alone and it has no link with the life you are living. Know who you are, not through the head but through experience. Know who you are and that you cannot objectify your self. Keep on peeling off the layers around you – the truth which you seek is you – not in you, but you. You are the truth!

Desire for sex is natural. It is neither right to fight your body and mind, nor should you feel depressed about the sex urge. Nature has created this body and its glandular systems. These glands start functioning around teenage and they release chemicals called hormones. In the brain, the hypothalamus and the pituitary control the functioning of these glands. The male hormone testosterone is produced by the testes and the female hormones progesterone and estrogen are produced by the ovaries.
The sex hormones help the body of a boy grow into a young man, and that of a girl grow into a young woman. This leads to an attraction for the opposite sex, and happens only after the release of these chemicals. Before this stage, boys and girls have no such feelings in their mind. As children approach the age of 12 or 13, the sex glands begin to get active. Nowadays, due to exposure to media and television, these glands have started functioning earlier – sometimes as early as the age of 9.
Even a highly sexual and pornographic mind, such as of those people who engage in mental visualisations and fantasies, or of a totally addicted person, loses the sexual urge if we inject a special type of hormone in the body. This happens because the body clock is taken back to the stage when there were no secretions of the sex hormones.
Whenever there is an excess secretion of these chemicals – for whatever reason, it leads to addiction. Any addiction, whether it is for tea, coffee or sex, is just an addiction. You cannot say that one addiction is better than the other – that an addiction to cigarettes is better than an addiction to liquor. Addiction means a stage of dependence in which one cannot survive without the fulfilment of the addiction. It is a stage when one thinks and dreams about the object of one’s addiction and when one lives with it and for it.
The first thing to understand is that our mind is connected to our body and to our brain. Changes in our body and mind affect us. For example, if you have not slept well at night, there will be a deficiency of melatonin and serotonin, the two chemicals released during sleep. These chemicals relax the body and the brain, and their deficiency will make you feel tense. Your mind will begin to oscillate, your circulatory system will get affected and blood pressure will be raised. The restlessness will affect you to such an extent, that you will need to take some drug to balance the paucity of the chemicals.
This is how those people who drink more and more liquor, provide the chemicals the body needs, although alcohol does not supply melatonin and serotonin. The chemicals in the liquor have a drug like effect and they soothe the nerves and numb the brain; somehow this is experienced as relaxation by many people. Any form of drug, cigarette and liquor soothes the nerves. It is a different story that these are all poisons that destroy the body systems. This is the additional effect of these drugs which no company is ever going to advertise; they will just talk about how good you are going to feel. Thumbs up! How cheerful you will be when you consume the poison of this drug!
Similarly, during the sex act, chemicals are released by the brain and this gives you a high feeling – a good feeling. Some tests have been done on rats and mice, in which the areas of the brain which are activated at the time of sex were injected and made numb. Once those portions were numbed, the rats and mice lost interest in copulation; they were just not interested any more.
So basically what our body seeks is to experience the good feeling. Some feel good with food, but for others sex remains the only medium which gives them a high; nothing else does. For sex, one is dependant on another person. As I had said earlier, these days you can not only order a pizza and a burger at home, but also sex! Even that is provided!
The question is, what does sex give? It gives a feeling of elation and a feeling of being appreciated – although the person doing the appreciating may be doing it for your money, for the security you provide or for the gifts which you will shower on that person! So the process of give and take goes on. Dependency does exist.
No wonder husbands and wives blackmail and exploit one another; they know that the other person is dependent on them for sexual release.  Actually, if you take away the sex, there won’t be a husband and wife relationship left. Most couples are together because of the children or society; or because they don’t know how to live alone. They benefit greatly from the relationship, and so do not want to lose out on services like house maintenance, laundry, cooking and entertainment etc. All these things provided by the spouse make you further bind with the spouse.
The question is, if sex could give real enjoyment, a real high, then it should last for a few days atleast. But it does not endure for even a few hours! It is an unending process. Again and again a person is entrapped.
First and foremost, never condemn yourself for having a sexual urge. Through all your physical and mental experiences, you gain something – or maybe you will gain something. Those who never get a chance to explore these things may still harbour the seeds of desire in their subconscious mind. They just dream, repress and suppress their feelings.  At the same time, exploring this territory should be done with an understanding of what you will get out of it. Ask yourself: Am I getting the happiness which I hope for?  How long will this happiness last? Will I get dependent on the other person? Will I lose my freedom? Is this the only way to feel a high? Is this the only door through which I will get physical and mental relaxation? Most husbands the world over have sex to release their tension and not for love.
I would like to point out that a man who is really in love with his wife, will need less sex, because his satisfaction will then come from a higher plane. Attention, appreciation and companionship are more important than carnal pleasure. I am not saying that there is something wrong with sex, that it is sinful or that it is something one should not indulge in.
If sex had been ugly, or even worse – if it were a sin or something to be guilty of, then our temples would not have sculptures of couples copulating. Have you ever seen the expression on their faces? Have you ever visited the Khajuraho or Konark temples? Outside the periphery of these temples, there are hundreds of such images on the domes; they are carved so meticulously and with so much time consuming labour. A huge amount of the kings’ money went into the making of these temples. Dharma, artha, kama, moksha – all four are a part of life. It cannot be said that artha is important and kama is not. If we deny these facts then we are just being hypocritical.
All that happens in society – all the money, the wealth, the businesses, the jobs, the education – just  go to the core of it and see what everyone is striving for. You will end up with just one answer – sex. If you have wealth, you can have the most beautiful girl or the most handsome man. Your very being, your physical being is because of sex. Can you deny that?
But your parents are not guilty of sex. They might be guilty of sex in general but not of your birth. Are you guilty of your daughter? You are joyful for your daughters. You are joyful for your sons. You are full of joy for your children and even more joyful for your grand children. They are all offsprings of the sexual act. You cannot say that it is bad, ugly or sinful. This point has to be understood very clearly.
Society at large is under the sheets; behind the wall everyone is in it, and outside the wall everyone condemns it. They condemn it and yet they are in it!  The more they are in it, the more vehemently they condemn it – this is a vicious cycle. Throw away the attitude that sex is bad, ugly and sinful. What is bad about it? It is your body and if you wish to explore it in any way, just go ahead and do so.
The only suggestion I would like to make is that you should know what you will gain, what will you lose and why you are indulging in it?  It is true that the body chemicals – the hormones, are active and therefore there is attraction between the sexes. The stimulants are there right in your head – the sex organ is none other than the brain – that is the real sex organ!
So this means that you need to make some changes in the brain if you wish to make some changes in your lifestyle. How can that be done? There are many ways:
First, you have to balance your body and brain, so that you do the act when needed and you don’t think about it all the time. When you are hungry you eat food – you are never guilty of eating food, are you? If you have an itch in the throat, you cough – you never feel guilty about it. But if you have an urge for sex and you satisfy it, you feel guilty later on – whether you recognise the guilt or not is a different story.
When a husband and wife are in the sex act, all the scriptures, mahatmas and sadhus’ voices keep ringing at the back of their mind, telling them that what they are doing is bad. But the urge of the body is so strong that they cannot stop. It is somewhat like schizophrenia – based on all the discourses of mahatmas and books that you have read, the brain says don’t do it, but the body speaks a different language. Mind you, whenever there is a fight between the body and the brain, the body will win because animal instincts are more powerful than abstract thoughts and ideas.
Celibacy is just an idea which the mahatmas have given to people. That is not your experience; your experience is that when your body wants something, you have to get it. When a person is thirsty he will drink water from the most polluted pond – it has happened!  In difficult times, as during a war, what else to do?  When there is thirst and the body asks for water, people have been known to have drunk water from the ponds in which corpses were floating! The suffering from thirst, the pain was so great, that inspite of seeing the floating dead bodies, they just cupped their hands and drank the water!
The urges of the body are very strong. When hunger troubles you, when your body asks for food, no gyan will work – you need food by any means, anyhow. Normally you eat when you are hungry, you drink when you are thirsty, when you are exhausted you go to sleep and you are never guilty about it. But if you continuously think about food, then something is wrong. If you keep on eating and filling your stomach the whole day, then it is a disease. If a person washes his hands when they are dirty, it is ok for that is routine hygiene. But if he keeps on washing his hand a hundred or two hundred times, then it is an illness. It is a psychological disease if a person feels he is dirty, or the phobia of germs is prevalent in his mind; this needs to be treated. Similarly, healthy married couples do feel the real urge for sex.
Now this is something to be noted – distinguishing between the real and the unreal urge. The real urge comes from the body, and if you fulfil it, it is definitely as natural as a hungry man eating his food. But this urge can also be an unreal one. How does that happen? The society in which you live, your friends, associates, the woman you are seeing, the men whom you meet, the books which you read, the magazines which you flip through, every channel, every movie – all of them – titillate your senses and excite your mind. When the urge arises because of this titillation and excitement, I call it an unreal desire – it is not a natural desire.
You will have to see when it is a natural urge and when it is an unnatural one. When you have a natural urge, go ahead without the feeling of guilt or sin.  Marriage is a licence which society has given you; have sex as many times as you want to, but the moment you stray from your licensed spouse, the whole of society looks down upon you. This is bad, this is wrong, this is immoral! In a polygamous society, it is not considered wrong to stray, but as per Hindu law, and in monogamous relationships which are popular and widely practised today, it is considered wrong. I believe that if a man or a woman has an extra marital affair, it is not because they don’t get sex, but because they don’t get true love.
Understand that sex can never fulfil your mind – love can. Love should be the foundation of marriage. The more deeply you are in love with your spouse, the lesser is the need to stray. When a man and a woman do not appreciate one another, do not attend to each other’s needs, do not gel at the mental level, do not have similar choices, then there is sure to be trouble. Some people simply live with their situation; others move away. But this damages the institution of marriage.
There are many things to be considered. First: identify the real and natural urge. How to do that? Well, you need to discipline your brain and body, and to do that, yogic asanas are the perfect solution. When you do sarvangasana – the shoulder stand, blood rushes to your brain as your feet are up and head is down. Due to gravity, the blood rushes to the brain. The most important gland which is the master computer of the body, the hypothalamus, is in the brain. With this asana, fresh supply of blood and oxygen is carried to the brain nourishing the hypothalamus and the pituitary. The hypothalamus begins to work properly and it orders the right amount of chemicals to be released. Once this happens, you feel the sex urge only when needed and not otherwise.
Second: the way to balance the glandular system is to do pranayama. When you practice pranayama, your mind will be soothed, relaxed and cool. You won’t feel excited even on seeing an attractive woman; you won’t be titillated; titillation will have an effect only when you are ready for it. Sometimes, if you tickle a person, they are in peels of laughter, but there are others who roll on the ground at the mere sight of a tickling gesture. Just moving the fingers is enough for them to say, “don’t do it”!
Often people play with young children; they tickle them and walk holding their two fingers. They walk their fingers on the baby’s arms saying, “Here I am coming”, and even before you reach the forearm the child is laughing and pleading with you to stop. But as the child grows older, the same act will not have the same effect and could well evoke the response: “Papa! Grow up! What are you doing?”
The same rules apply to scantily clothed girls who show their bodies in such a way that it turns any man’s mind- just as a woman’s mind may be affected on seeing a half naked man who has a beautiful and muscular body. But this titillation can happen only when you are ready to be titillated. Let me say this very clearly: I do not condemn even titillation, but it has to have some objective.
In the sexual act, it is not that you lose just semen in ejaculation, but you also lose something more than that called ojas -  energy. It is not the semen which creates the baby, but the ojas in the semen which creates the baby.  This ojas can be used to make progress in your spiritual development.
Every food you eat carries a hidden energy in it. Our body has to digest the food and our intestines have to absorb the nutrients which go to the liver and from there to the blood and thence to the entire body. Our seers who understood this phenomenon, suggested that this energy should not be wasted for whimsical reasons, but should be conserved. The more you conserve it, the more energetic you grow and your capacity to do sadhana also increases. This energy also enhances your concentration and attention levels. The reason why the rishis suggested sexual abstinence was to conserve ojas, and not in order to suppress the sexual urge. The idea was not to suppress sexual energy but to sublimate it.
It is important to understand the sexual energy in order to manage it well. Deep down if the mind is insecure, then this insecurity can become a reason for excessive sexual behaviour. If you did not receive real love and comfort from your mother in childhood, then this can give rise to excessive sexual behaviour of the mind. If you have any kind of inferiority complex, it can also give rise to an overly sexual behaviour. If you were exploited or tortured during childhood, even this can lead to excessive sexual behaviour. There are multiple reasons and that is why we need to understand our mind; we need to go deep into our mind.
Every time the urge arises, do not condemn yourself, rather try to understand from where it is rising.
Our mind is a deep, dark and mysterious cave where millions of ghosts reside – the ghosts of our past memories. We are not very comfortable facing these ghosts, and that is why we watch television, we spend time with friends but do not like to invest any effort in studying the mind. We just do not want to face the complexities of our mind; this compounds the problem.
Now, how to manage the sex urge, whether natural or unnatural, real or unreal?  One way is to indulge in sexual intercourse; the second way is to masturbate; the third way is to suppress the urge by chiding yourself, taking a cold shower or going to a temple and expressing regret for having fallen again. Then there is a fourth way also – it is a particular technique given by Tantra to all aspirants who wish to work on controlling the sexual urge – the Ashwini mudra with kumbhak.
Ashwa means horse. Ashwini mudra is actually taken from a natural act performed by horses. Have you ever ridden on horseback?  Have you seen a horse defecating?  It moves its anus – actually it pushes out its rectum and you can see a layer of pinkish muscle. The horse pushes its rectum out of the body once it has defecated; when it has thrown the faeces out of the body, it pushes out the rectum, moves it and then pulls it in. This is called Ashwini mudra.
So with the practice of Ashwini mudra, you can develop control over the muscles in the lower regions of the body around the anus. The exercise is done as follows: you squeeze your anus, contract it, and then relax it in the first part of the mudra. In the second part you repeat the exercise with breath control – when you inhale you relax and when you exhale you contract – proficiency comes with practice.
Initially you should concentrate on the first part which is rather easy, and once you have mastered it then practice with the breath. Remember that you contract while exhaling and relax when inhaling. When you inhale, relax; contract with breathing out.
In the third part, you contract the anus while exhaling and hold your breath for a count of 3 and then relax. Inhale and exhale, contracting while exhaling. When you breathe out, hold your breath out – one, two, three. With time and practice, you can increase the retention period and can even take it to a count of 5 and then 10 – but it should be done very comfortably with no stress or strain.
This ability to retain your breath and contract your anus muscle will control the urge for sex – this is the golden mantra. Whenever  the urge arises – whether real or unreal – at that time if you begin to focus and start doing  the exercises in sequence, within 15 minutes, not only will your urge be gone but you will feel like meditating more – you will feel like sitting for some more time. Your mind gets relaxed and so does the body.
We should not ever fight with the body or the mind. If there is an urge for sex, it is no big issue, for every issue has a solution which can be learned and focussed on. So at the level of our mind we need to understand and respect it. Actually, the more you resist it, the more you get trapped in it, because anything that makes you feel guilty also gives you the joy of breaking the rules of society.
There is no fun in taking your wife out for dinner; it is more exciting to take your girlfriend out. Even the most lecherous person fears being seen, hence no one ever announces in the drawing room in the presence of friends and relatives that the last time he went to Singapore on a business trip, he had three prostitutes! No one ever announces this; no one ever boasts of this. Even the most lecherous and libidinous person will hide this.
We need to know and understand that sex is not the enemy; sex is not a sin; sex is not a shameful act that should lead to guilt. It needs to be appreciated that nature has given this to us and it is the reason for the entire procreation and recreation. Sex is not a means of releasing tension – for that you should do Yog-Nidra – it is indeed very relaxing! Sex should not be a means of releasing your frustrations either. It is and can be beautiful provided you know and understand what it is; provided you manage it with awareness; provided you are deeply in love with your spouse.
A loveless relationship is a sin. The problem is that in our society relationships are not based on love but on money, prestige and status – these three are most important – then comes the shakal [looks] and akal [intelligence] of the boy and girl. If the boy is a walking hippopotamus but has money, there are many girls who will not refuse him. Their attitude is that it is fine to marry someone like that, no problem at all; once married they plan to make the poor chap slim down. You too must have seen some weird matches – in fact they are no match at all, but the families get them married. Now after the marriage they are expected to love one another! How is that possible? I find it very weird!
But our ancestors had made a different system. They would get the boy and girl married at an early age but keep them apart. Immediately after the marriage ceremony the girl was taken to her parents home and then the entire society and family would pester and tease the boy reminding him that his spouse was at her parents’ home.  “Don’t you want to meet her?” Their bodies would be growing and their hormones raging. That is how psychologically they were made to like one another and to want to be with one another. This distance created the attraction. After another ceremony, when the girl was finally brought to her husband’s home, the boy was lusting and waiting for her.
Again, this is a drama which has been planned by society and families. I have nothing against arranged marriages but I do have some issues with it. Loveless marriages can never satisfy; love has to be there. If there is love in an arranged marriage then it is fine. Some amount of effort is needed on the part of the husband and wife to understand one another in order to seek and create room for compatibility – to be able to appreciate one another’s qualities, to ignore the errors and mistakes of the other person, to not condemn the spouse – appreciation will change the partner. These are important things. To manage the urges of the body and to be in a position to distinguish the real urge from the unreal one, yogasana and pranayama especially ashwini mudra with kumbhak, will pave the way for a very healthy married life.
Life with a dumb person can be hell – but marriage can be a great pleasure trip, an enjoyable experience once there is compatibility – for which one has to work for it won’t happen on its own. You have to work at it and the more you work with understanding and with an agenda, the more quickly will you see the results.