Date Sent: August 16, 2013
Provocation is like teasing a snake. By the time you realize it, it has already stuck. Mostly. Why it happens so?
It is important to know that you have practically no control over your feelings (which is creation of your mind), you cannot choose to feel good or bad. You can, however, train yourself to not let a bad feeling stay beyond a few moments. You can get to the root of those feelings — your mind — and divert them completely.
Mind is nothing but a collection of impressions. It is a bundle of habits. Mind is a Huge Garbage can that has collected Samskaras from thousands of your past lives. It is a collection of desires arising from contact with different objects. It is a collection of feelings aroused by worldly enjoyments and worries; of ideas gathered from different objects. These desires, ideas and feelings change constantly. Mind is compared to money - jumping from one object to another. This monkey drags the Jiva (individual soul with body) with it like a slave.
Your mind is the root cause of your happiness or miseries. Your mind is an ocean of thought waves that are created by Samskaras from thousands of your past lives. If you visit the Grand Canyon you will see the wonder of rock formation that started millions of years ago. State of your mind today is a creation of your actions and resulting Trigunas (Sattva, Raja and Tama) collected from hundreds of thousands of years. Believe me, it is not easy to change even 0.0001% portion of your mind. The Garbage can
(Thought impressions) is created from over thousands of lives. It will take at least hundreds or tens of lives to clean the trash. This is possible only through the grace of the God. Till then Jiva must continue to suffer and swing with the Maya. The only difference is some swings (of emotions) are small and some are big (depending on the combination of individual Trigunas)
Mind is the Atma-Shakti (power of self). It is the dividing wall between the individual soul and the supreme soul. Mind creates this universe (Maya - Grand illusion). It is the principle of thinking and sensation. It is a bundle of Vasanas (habit patterns), thoughts, likes and dislikes. Slay the mind through destruction of the Vasanas to attain the eternal happiness.
Yoga is a tool to attain that goal of eternal happiness and peace!
Here is a nice piece by OM Swami -
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What Provokes You?
I am often asked if it's possible to remain even under all circumstances and if so, what is the path? Many have tried meditation, yoga, therapies, counselling and everything else under the sun without great results though. Why? Allow me to get you to the root of this issue.
Our emotions and responses have a sense of spontaneity to them. You may plan an artificial reaction to something you are already aware of, something that has no uncertainty, but each emerging moment holds in itself a surprise, a miracle. Emotions and feelings are our response to that surprise. You cannot plan your emotions, you cannot tell yourself to feel a certain way when you come across a good or a bad news. Where do those spontaneous feelings and emotions stem from, what causes reaction?
Our feelings and emotions, particularly negative ones, stem from provocation. The trigger of provocation may be external or internal, but ultimately, if nothing or no one can provoke you, you will never find yourself saying or doing the undesirable. Someone's statement, their actions, or simply a thought in your own mind can be the provoking agent.
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At the bottom of provocation sits temptation. It's like the urge to itch, it can be irresistible. And what is temptation? It's a thought that has got us by surprise. Subsequent thoughts, contemplation and actions are only the post-effects, the aftermath.
Provocation is like using a short stick to tease a venomous snake. By the time you realize, the snake with sharper reflexes has already struck. You are mindful, careful, but sometimes you are caught off-guard and before you know it, the spontaneity has done the damage, you are stirred and you find yourself trounced by the negative emotion.
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Know yourself so you may free yourself. It takes a lot to be provoked if you are comfortable with yourself.
http://www.omswami.com/2013/08/what-provokes-you.html |