How Best to Benefit from the Month-Long Lock-down?
We are odd people; ghastly odd: when we have to work daily, we often complain that we need a break from the daily grind. We have even thought how nice it would be if we could work from home, waking up just moments before the hour of work, be casually dressed, lounging about, savouring tidbits from the fridge, and responding to our bosses' emails from the comfort of our homes.
People who do not have long annual leave often wondered what it would be like to stay at home doing nothing. These are self-same people who expressed their hopes in the subjunctive, "If only I had the time, I would read all the books that I have wanted to read, and catch up on things that I have neglected all my life".
But now is the time for all these dreams to come true. A time that would never come unless there would be a world war or a nuclear or economic Armageddon. The free time that we looked for is now here; yet, we complain; this time, we complain that we have been locked down, and that we cannot bear the seclusion, the forced "ostracisation". We complain that time hangs heavy on our hands, and we dread it, loathe it. We feel acutely claustrophobic.
Odd people, aren't we? What happened to all our wishes and hopes for free time?
No-Time Complaint
Then, there is yet another group of people called "spiritual people", whose oft-repeated mantra is, "I have no time for sadhana (spiritual practice); I am a busy man; whatever time that is available to me is entirely expended on buying groceries and tending to loved ones." If only I had the time to finish the tomes of scriptures and spiritual books that line the walls and shelves at home, they bemoan their lot.
Holy cow! isn't this the time that they have been waiting for? Or, are they randomly flicking through and searching their TV channels and Netflix list of movies?
Paramahansa Yogananda, the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, has said: "On holidays and in leisure moments, instead of wasting time with senseless diversions and worldly people, the devotee-seeker enjoys time with God---taking refreshing walk to a quiet lonely place to meditate, for example." (pg. 428, The Second Coming of Christ, Vol. 1 by Paramahansa Yogananda).
On the point of seclusion, Paramahansa Yogananda says: "India's sages counsel not only a regular day for seclusion, but stress the need for quiet meditation during four specific periods every day. In the early morning, before you get up or see anyone, remain calm, feeling peace. At noon, be quiet for a while before taking lunch; and before your evening meal, have another time for peace. Before going to bed, go into that silence again. Those who faithfully observe silence in seclusion during these four times of the day cannot but feel in tune with God. Whoever cannot manage four times a day should observe each morning and evening a period devoted to God. By doing this you will have a different, happier life." (pg. 313, Man's Eternal Quest by Paramahansa Yogananda).
People who do not know what to do with the free time that they now suddenly have may benefit from the advice from Swami Sivananda, who says: "Shut yourself in an airy room. Do not talk to anybody. Do not see anybody. Do not hear anything. Get up at 4 a.m. Start Japa of the Mantra of your Ishta Devata or your Guru Mantra and finish it at sunset. Then take some milk and fruits or Kheer (milk and rice boiled with sugar). Take rest for one or two hours. But continue the Japa. Then again start the Japa seriously. Retire to bed at 11 in the night. You can combine meditation along with Japa. Make all arrangements for bath, food, etc., inside the room. Have two rooms if you can manage, one for bath and one for meditation. Repeat this four times a day. This practice can be kept up even for 40 days. You will have wonderful result and various experiences. You will enter into Samadhi. You will have Darshan of your Ishtam. I assure you." (pg. 19, Yoga in Daily Life).
This is also the time to devour all the books that the bibliophiles and bibliomaniacs have ambitiously bought but have not had the heart to read. Paramahansa Yogananda advises: "Meditate and read good books more. There are so many inspiring things to know, and yet Man spends his time foolishly. So don't waste time seeking new excitement." (pg. 72, Man's Eternal Quest by Paramahansa Yogananda).
Swami Sivananda assures us, "Seclusion is a must in sadhana," (pg. 71, Kingly Science, Kingly Secret by Swami Sivananda). And, He goes on to say, "Read the whole of the Gita on Sundays and other holidays. Study carefully again and again the verses in the second discourse, which deal with the state of the Sthitaprajna (a perfected Yogi and sage). Also study the eight nectarine verses in the twelfth discourse." (pg. 83, Hindu fasts & Festivals).
In-between activities, we can do chanting, too: "Write down daily in a notebook your Ishta Mantra or Guru Mantra for half an hour. When you write the Mantra, observe Mouna. Write the Mantra clearly in ink. On Sundays and holidays, write this for one hour... This is Likhita Japa. You can develop a wonderful power of concentration." (pg, 81, Japa Yoga by Swami Sivananda).
What humanity has today will never come, as I said earlier, unless there is going to be, God forbid, an Armageddon or world war. Therefore, let us treat what we now have in the form of lock-down as a holiday: "On holidays more time must be given for Japa, Dhyana, concentration, Nishkama Karma Yoga, Mauna, etc.", so says Swami Sivananda in "Saint, Sage and Godman" (page 291). Let us "Utilise every second on Sundays and holidays to your best spiritual advantage" (pg.372, Science of Yoga Vol 5 by Swami Sivananda)
No Time for Sadhana/Spiritual Practice?
Do we still have the temerity to say that we have no time for our sadhana? Swami Sivananda, berating us, pronounces, "Your statement: 'I get little time for my spiritual development', is a lame excuse. Where there is a will, there is a way. Business with God is a question of demand and supply. If there IS a keen demand for God, the supply will come immediately. You are not thirsting intensely for the supply...," Swami Sivananda (pg. 364, Science of Yoga, Vol. 6)
Instead of lavishing time before the goggle-box, and tapping, swiping and checking the smart phones, "We must minimise all unnecessary waste of time in futile thinking, gossiping, aimless activities, wandering, etc., then, we will get plenty of time for our spiritual practice." (pg. 341, Meditation and Spiritual Practice by Swami Yatiswarananda)
But now is the time for all these dreams to come true. A time that would never come unless there would be a world war or a nuclear or economic Armageddon. The free time that we looked for is now here; yet, we complain; this time, we complain that we have been locked down, and that we cannot bear the seclusion, the forced "ostracisation". We complain that time hangs heavy on our hands, and we dread it, loathe it. We feel acutely claustrophobic.
Odd people, aren't we? What happened to all our wishes and hopes for free time?
No-Time Complaint
Then, there is yet another group of people called "spiritual people", whose oft-repeated mantra is, "I have no time for sadhana (spiritual practice); I am a busy man; whatever time that is available to me is entirely expended on buying groceries and tending to loved ones." If only I had the time to finish the tomes of scriptures and spiritual books that line the walls and shelves at home, they bemoan their lot.
Paramahansa Yogananda, the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, has said: "On holidays and in leisure moments, instead of wasting time with senseless diversions and worldly people, the devotee-seeker enjoys time with God---taking refreshing walk to a quiet lonely place to meditate, for example." (pg. 428, The Second Coming of Christ, Vol. 1 by Paramahansa Yogananda).
Swami Sivananda assures us, "Seclusion is a must in sadhana," (pg. 71, Kingly Science, Kingly Secret by Swami Sivananda). And, He goes on to say, "Read the whole of the Gita on Sundays and other holidays. Study carefully again and again the verses in the second discourse, which deal with the state of the Sthitaprajna (a perfected Yogi and sage). Also study the eight nectarine verses in the twelfth discourse." (pg. 83, Hindu fasts & Festivals).
What humanity has today will never come, as I said earlier, unless there is going to be, God forbid, an Armageddon or world war. Therefore, let us treat what we now have in the form of lock-down as a holiday: "On holidays more time must be given for Japa, Dhyana, concentration, Nishkama Karma Yoga, Mauna, etc.", so says Swami Sivananda in "Saint, Sage and Godman" (page 291). Let us "Utilise every second on Sundays and holidays to your best spiritual advantage" (pg.372, Science of Yoga Vol 5 by Swami Sivananda)
No Time for Sadhana/Spiritual Practice?
Instead of lavishing time before the goggle-box, and tapping, swiping and checking the smart phones, "We must minimise all unnecessary waste of time in futile thinking, gossiping, aimless activities, wandering, etc., then, we will get plenty of time for our spiritual practice." (pg. 341, Meditation and Spiritual Practice by Swami Yatiswarananda)
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