A place to ask Hari, exchange ideas with him, give some suggestions, or share some ideas with him on existence. This forum is not the place to discuss anything related to his former status or situation. Hari will reply to all texts.
I received the following question via email and thought it might be useful for others.
Thank you for keeping in touch with everyone who wishes to be in touch with you.
I would like to ask you some questions regarding sadhana-bhakti and how you see
it now.
You know that for many years we've been following sadhana process, certain rules
and regulations: rising early, worshiping, chanting, etc. Some were more
rigorous in this process than others. But we've been doing this because we
believed that it will bring us to a certain unknown point of our spiritual
journey to Sri Krishna, or God. And there were moments we were happy in that
process too. We had even a faith that if you do it for all your life, eventually
you get to the point of perfection or self & God realization. The belief to
follow this process at the beginning was based on theory alone but later on the
practise as well because it had some 'juice' in it, although sometimes it was
uneasy, especially to rise early in the morning . But it was part of
agreement, contract so to speak, with the guru because he took responsibility to
bring us to a certain point of self & God realization if we do certain things
and refrain from the others.
At this point I would like to ask you how do you see the situation now? For me
it is sort of hanging situation. The belief in the process (I mean, for example,
sadhana process) at some point have been amputated if we could use a medical
term here. We had that belief and we are dealing with it now. Some may be are
continuing the process to this day fully in the temple or at home after decision
that it is good for them, some don't do it at all because of a sudden change in
belief or lack of it, and others do it partially just because have been used to
it for many years (as myself) and still have some faith in it but at the same
time are doubtful in their minds - will I get in my spiritual journey to that
destination now, to that point were the process suppose to bring, should I make
more endeavours from my part to follow it? I know that we are trying to resolve
those questions ourselves. It is a bit like a baby left without parents traying
to do things. And sometimes making a lot of mess (like my daughter lately
painted all floor, cupboards and walls in the kintchen ).
I would like to know what are your thoughts about sadhana process now, is it
still relevant to you (yet I feel that it has some importance to me)? Does the
God or Angels, or any higher forces reciprocate according to our endeavours
which we put in following certain rules and regulations or it is more like
growing bank account which we are not allowed to use till some time in the
future (to buy lovely things) although we are glad that account is increasing
each day? Or may be it was created by some smart people who wanted to manipulate
followers of those rules and regulations?
From your previous postings I have the picture of your present understanding
related to belief and religion but would appreciate to hear more of your
thoughts and feelings on the mentioned subject.
As you well know, all things in life depend on how you see them as much as on what they are in reality. If you wish to do something and you like to do it, there is no need to ask anyone if you should. But sometimes we do research to examine if what we are doing is the best for us at the time. I assume that is what you are doing now. In the spirit of trying to be of service to you to assist your research, I can answer according to what I think.
I understand your example of your daughter painting everything. I can see how you fear being left on your own and having to make all these grown up decisions in your life as this is a challenge and demands accepting personal responsibility for consequences you fear. It might be advantageous to see your daughter's action as her discovering her world and her capacities. She expressed herself artistically and made her mark and statement on her world. Sure this is a mess for you since normally you would not paint your cabinets like that, but from her point of view she took a chance. How you respond to her will become an important part of her development into adulthood. By being steady and non-aggressive you can explain to her what she has done and how that is not an acceptable family behavior, and thus stimulate her growth as a social being sensitive to the world of others. In this case your presence in her life assists her as you give her the feedback she needs to understand what not to do in the future. She has learned from her own experience. Later she will look back on that and love you more because you accepted her as she is without condemning her for it. Thus you will grow in her eyes.
Not all questions can be easily answered. Neither does simply following something someone else gave you give you full protection. Sometimes it can be counter-productive. It is certain that when you make the effort required to determine what is right or wrong in your life, you will grow enormously and develop strength and confidence. If you simply follow some system your growth may be stunted by your atrophied internal capacity and/or the limits of what you are following. I like the method of your daughter better. Fear not, you are not a child and you have a better developed sense of what is right and wrong. Trust it.
If you were someone who had little or no conception of spiritual culture, I might suggest some principles to help you along. I would suggest that being a vegetarian or close to one is helpful to some extent, but if you were not or will not be one I would leave it be. When one develops in their capacity to act from the platform of love, all the little details fall into place. I wonder if following some principles really strengthens your capacity to act from love or if it tends to harden you and create an elitism that separates people? One can only answer that by examining a large sample of people who have attempted to advance using the disciplined approach and another sample of those who do not.
A good education and training in the early years can go a long way towards creating strength and spiritual awareness later on in life. Thus the varnasrhama ideal arises again! Yet a superior quality educative system, talented teachers, well adjusted family members, and a safe and supportive environment are essential to the manifestation of that ideal, for without them varnashrama education is nothing more than an excuse to experiment with children. Again, it boils down to the personal responsibility of every parent.
As far as restricting some essential bodily functions, it is clear that lack of sleep dulls the intelligence and initiative. But that is another issue.
Many have followed different paths. Some have done everything perfectly and others have not. There are reasons why a person does not follow something and these reasons are important. One of the deficiencies in the understanding of fundamentalists is the idea that if one does not follow what one is supposed to, according to the fundamentalist's understanding, one is simply incapable of following and therefore not very qualified or spiritual. Because of this blindness, they miss good opportunities to adjust their behavioral patterns to make their mission more successful. To do that requires, perhaps, more courage than the usual follower can muster. Let the scholarly research the reasons why things happen the way they do instead of trying to prove that those who did them are deviants. They may be astonished at the result of their investigation.
One should similarly examine why a person will follow something even when it no longer serves their own interest. Such an examination will assist the followers to better understand what it is they are doing and why. If they are doing it because of the faith that they will get a great destination by doing so, then they are gambling that their belief is exactly what they think it is. Such people will also follow their belief even when practically they can see it has no real purpose or value for them.
Those who follow because they actually like doing whatever it is they are told to do and are having good experiences with it, feel little impetus to question until some circumstance arises to challenge their experiences. How they adjust to the new situation depends on their character, courage and honesty.
Those who do not feel like following and struggle against themselves to do so often end up with internal conflicts which tend to tear at their internal psyche. They follow, but do not have much faith it will bring them success. They inevitably lose faith in themselves because they know they don't have enough desire to follow which leads them to condemn themselves and their "rebellion." They feel unqualified because they do not follow, yet they restrict their capacity to change as they restrict transformative experiences out of fear. In such persons, evolution comes slowly and usually through traumatic experiences.
All of them should understand one thing: they are doing what they do because they want to do it and no other reason. Since they are in control of their actions, they can also change their direction when they desire. Understanding this empowers them to consciously create a significant transformation in their evolutionary program.
Whether you should follow or not is entirely up to you. I do what I feel is best for me without considering overly seriously what someone else has said is right for me. Certainly I want to receive input from learned and helpful people around me, but ultimately I have to choose what to do and take responsibility for it. If I do what someone tells me to do and the result is not what it should have been, it is I who must live with the reactions. Others might be somewhat affected, but it is my life that is most deeply affected when I follow something not right for me.
I hope you understand the liberating import of this. Do not naively think that someone else shall take the responsibility for you and your evolution. In all cases it is fully dependent on you. Others may assist, but it is you who makes it happen or not. Yes, you can share that with others and others can give you great support as well, but you are the pilot of your destiny. Blinding yourself with faith does not guarantee you will not run into a tree!
If following something serves your interests, fine, but if not, then it is up to you to have the courage to change it. It seems you already know what is best for you, so why not just do that with confidence in yourself and your intelligence? You are a good person and have a good brain and you can determine what is ultimately best for you. You may surely take advice from others, but you are responsible for what you accept.
It seems to me that you wish to follow some things and not others. This becomes a problem when you live in the temple or your life is dependent on maintaining some position. Otherwise it is not a problem unless you make it one.
Hari wrote:... I hope you understand the liberating import of this. Do not naively think that someone else shall take the responsibility for you and your evolution. In all cases it is fully dependent on you. Others may assist, but it is you who makes it happen or not. Yes, you can share that with others and others can give you great support as well, but you are the pilot of your destiny. Blinding yourself with faith does not guarantee you will not run into a tree!
If following something serves your interests, fine, but if not, then it is up to you to have the courage to change it. It seems you already know what is best for you, so why not just do that with confidence in yourself and your intelligence? You are a good person and have a good brain and you can determine what is ultimately best for you. You may surely take advice from others, but you are responsible for what you accept.
Thank you, dear Hari, for this wonderful answer. It is very important to have on mind this very good advice: You may surely take advice from others, but you are responsible for what you accept. ... Fortunately, we have this forum when we can pick up good advices. Thank you again.
Gracious Goddess, protect me from all harm seen and unseen
Did you try to MEASURE EXPERIMENTALLY amount of different modes at different times of day?
I tried something. When I typed text in natural language, I noted, that after 18 or 19 hours number of errors (found by spell checker) increased around 1.5 ... 2.0 times. This was the case even when I stood up at 14 or 15 hours! So mode of ignorance is real for me.
Also there are many things that can be experienced but not calculated so cleary. They can depends on person, however.
Actually, yes, I have done my own kind of experiments. There is another factor present. I have heard from astrologers that if you were born in the morning, then you are a morning person who works best at that time of the day. According to the time of day you are born, your energy is strong during that period. I see it is true with me. And I see that ignorance can attack anyone at the times which are far from their times of strength.
Passion can arise at any time, and also is connected to the movements of other modes. But it depends on the constitution of each person.
I agree with you that regulations that are consistent with your modes of action according to the times of day, the times of the month (as the full moon and dark moon create different moods in people) or even of the year (the summer creates different energy than winter) and for that matter in life itself (youth creates quite different energy than old age) indicates that regulation has to be tempered by the time and circumstances. Regulation itself is important to maximize energy, increase efficiency and develop personal capacity.
Regulation in some ways is good for sanity, for we like to have stability in certain predictable parts of our lives.
Following some system of regulation (including sadhana) is an austerity. We get the power from austerity.
Sorry I could not restrain myself. I was a confirmed sadhana man. It partly saved me.
. But it was part of