I believe every one of us realises at one stage or another, that there is more to this life than accumulating wealth, progressing with our work, rising in our careers, enjoying material pleasures and sense indulgences. On the one hand, we realise in our heart of hearts that we must make the most of this precious life; on the other we are only too well aware that this life is transient, and that the journey of the soul must continue even after we have ceased to be here. Even those of us who refuse to acknowledge God are mystified by what awaits us after death, “that undiscovered country” from which nobody returns to tell us what it was like.
For those of us who follow the Hindu way of life, our perception is very clear: the purpose of this human life is to escape from the wheel of birth-death-rebirth and attain true Liberation, mukti.
Do not miss the opportunity of making the best use of your existence here, to ‘transform’ your mundane self into a pure beautiful lotus which blossoms forever.
Here is a simple daily routine to begin your sadhana:
1. Rise in the early hours of the dawn, when Divine vibrations are at their most positive.
2. Begin the day with a few minutes of silent prayer.
3. Take your first steps on the path of abhyasa. Start with a simple meditation exercise to still the wandering mind and give it focus and concentration.
4. The ancient scriptures tell us that four ‘auspicious’ hours of the day and night are particularly suited for meditation. I have a personal preference for the early morning hour, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to you, too.
5. We must not give up our worldly duties and obligations in order to meditate. With one hand let us cling to His Lotus Feet and with the other attend to our daily duties.
6. There is a simple breathing exercise suggested by the Vietnamese Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. Use it to harness the power of concentration.
7. The minds of so many of us are full of negative thoughts. We must cleanse them of their negativity.
8. Always entertain positive thoughts. Never harbour thoughts of jealousy, hatred or lust. You will find wonderful things happen to you.
Dada J P Vaswani is a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader
