Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté smaranam,


These are the correct things to give up, yet to do this as a selection process, as a thought and not anchored in the actual experience of ātman (Self), one has missed the mark.

For us to hit the mark it must (IMHO) be anchored in Being, pure awareness i.e. the SELF. I use the idea of 'mark' as we are considered arrows (bāṇa) in the praśna upaniṣad. It is when the arrow hits its target , its existence is justified, fulfilled. Like that, we become fulfilled , without wanting, when we too hit the mark of brahman.


So this giving up can be symbolized by eliminating possessions - yet the thing we wish to give up is the ignorance of not personally experiencing this Being, Self, brahman, and this comes with practice, with sādhana and with study. And this is where the whole conversation started, yes? What do I have to give up ?


This is the intent of sādhana , to bring in the light - a bit more daily. For some it comes in swiftly , for others slowly. But it is the 'effort' here to bring in more Being, light, brahman.

So now the next logical question - why do we always read, hear, discuss the notion of giving up things? Some give up activities, some leave their families. In the beginning the first to be given up are 'habits' which are not life supporting (healthy) to one's self or others, this usually is the first to go. This giving up is a simple thing - it is not having distractions, things that are not supporting one's intention of the arrow (bāṇa) to hit the mark. Less things, less management - more time for one's intent.



praṇām
PraNAm Yajvanji

Thank you very much for the sound advice. I agree, and especially the last part , that is why I had said further

That is why it is said "accept what is favourable to your spiritual progress, reject the unfavourable".
I do not have many bad habits , but some very subtle disguised as sattvic -
like for instance, the appearant spiritual pursuit itself , leaves me disinterested in daily things .
Fortunately, once I take up a task (let's say weeding the garden) I finish it in silence and with a good feeling , and may not even want to leave it half done.

Another thing - my family complains I am too attached to the computer
And coming here for instance, I cannot agree less. So I have to stop coming to HDF now Yes, not a good thing to say in a forum - since attachment to satsang is dettachment from the world.

I do agree the internet is a library and HDF is librarians. I should not be adding to it but living a solitary silent life of my own, which may go slightly ignored and out of schedule if I stay glued to reading scriptures and discussing them and especially the computer. Just because 'this' is more appealing.

From an ordinary material life point of view, I was better at the mundane life Karma Yoga then than now.
However, I am a relatively free person, not afraid of simple people-ego confrontations, Krshna has taken me across THAT bridge for sure, and feel extremely lucky for that.

So, I am more at peace, but a peaceful and peace-loving procrastinator.

What does meditation do ? Inertia , more meditation. And you will say - then your meditation is wrong. Perhaps , from worldly point of view.

But there is more of Krshna in the shastra, bhajans, satsang than in the chores and projects as long as they (the projects) are not utterly important in my view. This is the current illusion, and I need to find more Krshna in daily mundane life.

Namaste