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Thread: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

  1. #1

    Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    OM! May God lead this to the deserving!

    Hi Friends,


    Everyone, irrespective of their upbringing, irrespective of their faith and beliefs, wants to lead a happy life. This is a series of articles aimed at exploring the possibility of transforming our lives into Meditation. And here I am using the word meditation in a slightly unconventional style. Here its not the name of a particular practise, but a way of life or perhaps an attitude towards life. None of the practises are dismissed or countered in any way, All of them are fine and have their own place in the scheme of things. Just that this article is aligned towards a different goal: Leading a happy, satisfied life with no inner conflicts .

    I call this living in meditation, meaning its not practising meditation for a stipulated time period but to transform our whole lives into meditation. It is about living in Continuous joy, transforming our lives into a Celebration. Every moment of our lives is a moment of immense joy of Being --- this is for exploring this dimention in our lives.A life where there is no sense of emptiness within, no inner conflicts. External circumstances can never be made perfectly conflictless. If possible we might avoid conflict. But externally there is no possibility of conflictless living. But internally its possible to lead a conflictless life. A life of inner harmony if we may like to term it that way.


    Friends, lets together explore this dimention and see for ourselves if this is practical. The idea is to bring in a cognitive change , a change that will persist. As such, from my experience, this is not against any spiritual practises or the day to day life we lead. Its simply a cognitive and attitude change.

    What Do We Want In Life ?

    Lets first try to ask ourselves what we "Seek" in life ? We need this clarity and this is the kind of clarity with which we will proceed through the whole discussion. So here we go. Lets say God appears before us and offers us a book . We are given a set of options and we are allowed to chose one and only one option of these and that will be ensured in our lives . Rest are not gauranteed. So here is a possible list of options:

    a) Money
    b) Pleasures
    c) Fame
    d) Luxury
    ...


    and finally we add one extra element (0) Satisfaction / Happiness / Peace.

    As I said, in this game there is just one option one can chose and only that option is gauranteed. What would anyone chose ? Well, we tried this experiment in a class room and everyone chose the option (0). Whats the use of money etc if happiness is not satisfied ? And please note that money, position etc do not gaurantee happiness ! This is very important to understand and appreciate.

    Materially, What ever we Seek ... There is already someone who has it ! Do we see this ? If we think money can make us happy, there is already someone who has all the money and still he or she is dissatisfied and unhappy within. If we think position will make us happy, there is already someone who has exceptional position and power and yet he or she remains dissatisfied and unhappy!! The poor man has a hope. He thinks "if i become rich, ill be happy" . But the rich man does not even have this hope!! [or may be he will think ill be happier if i have more money!!] . Thats why we find actors who have every kind of material possessions and yet they are resort to drugs etc in the hope of finding happiness.

    Friends, this is intensely practical. We need to make that Bliss of Happiness our true nature ... a part of our lives 24 7.

    Managing Mind is Like Driving a Car:


    Suppose a car is gifted to me on my birthday. I am excited to get a wonderful car and I get into it and start it. Suddenly, I remember that I do not know how to drive it! I will land in an accident. Same way, if I do not know how to manage my mind, my life becomes an accident. with a car, I have choice to get into it or to remain outside. But with mind, I do not have any such choice. If I cannot manage my mind and my whole life becomes an accident. Long before I know how to manage my mind, a few observations regarding mind are absolutely necessary. Just as, if i want to drive a car, I should know what a steering is.

    We need to know how the mind has to be managed. The understanding that we fundamentally seek a happy and satisfied life is very crucial in being able to handle the mind. This is very significant.
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 22 June 2012 at 02:11 AM.

  2. #2

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Now When I learn to drive a car, the aim is to drive it and cruise through the traffic not to keep it in a parking lot. Same way, mind is a wonderful instrument in our hands, if we know how to manage it, we can use it for our good and we can benefit from it.

    If I think meditation means to not have any thoughts, thats like sitting in a parked car all the time. . The aim in mind management is not to stop all thoughts. Without thoughts no scientific discovery would be possible. We need a sharp and active mind -- at the same time, that mind should be in our hands, we should be using it and not get used by it! I hope this is clear. This could be one of the few differences with other meditation methods. We are not here trying to make the mind thoughtless at all. That is not the objective of this discussion -- though such a practise may have its own advantages. Mind is a wonderful blessing if we know how to use it. If we know how to handle our thoughts, the thoughts are a blessing. if we do not know how to handle our thoughts, the thoughts are a curse. This is what we see in the society. A poor village farmer knows very few things, he is happy with himself. But his son who knows about the luxuries of the city life cannot remain happy with what he has.


    Thats why ignorance is said to be bliss. Coz there are not many thoughts to handle. So if you find someone who is happy due to ignorance... feed a few thoughts in his brain and he is gone.


    Let us not, however, condemn thoughts. Its only because of these thoughts that we have a chance for development. Without thoughts no scientific development is possible. One should know how to handle one's thoughts ... just as the person in the example, above, needed to learn to drive his car. If I do not know how to drive a car I end up in an accident and if I do not know how to manage my thoughts , my life becomes an accident. So that is how important it is to manage one's thoughts.

    Mind - Antahkarana, the Inner Instrument:

    Lets now try to explore this Mind a little. What we call mind in English is called "Antahkarana" in sanskrit : meaning, inner instrument. And Whats that ? Its one instrument that functions in various modes and depending upon the mode of operation, its given one of the following four names:

    1. When the antahkaran is remembering something its memory or cittam.
    2. When the antaharana is functioning in "I am the Doer" mode, its ahamkara. The "I" thought.
    3. When the antahkarana is functioning in the form of Sankalpa-Vikalpas , ie, sankalpa : any positive thought and vikalpa: doubt or any dispersed behaviour [mind is dispersed]. Doubt etc. Its called manas, mind.
    4. When the antahkarana takes a decision or concludes something, its intellect.


    So I start from home and suddenly remember "Did I lock the door ?" ... remembrance : cittam. Doubt: Manas. And now ... as long as i keep toggling "Did I or did I not", its mind or manas in operation. Suppose I conclude "I Did" or "Let me go home and check"... thats intellect.
    So all kinds of constant harping upon something etc are functions of manas. Decisive nature is intellect. This is the overall antahkarana.
    The most important point to note is that there is only one antahkarana which takes all these forms. This is perfectly in accordance with the neural science.

    At the level of the brain, the neural dynamics also suggest that there is one brain which undergoes various neural dynamics and this neural network synchronizes to a particular state or mode -- that is, it takes a particular form -- and that's how it functions. Suppose i see a pot, Ghata, the neural dynamics starts with simple perception and then "converges" to a particular "form" [ie, a particular set of neurons active and some others inactive] and thats when we say I see a pot and also remember all its functions.


    This model of mind is very useful for us to clearly see things.


    Suppose someone criticizes me. At first there is a small perception followed by a whole mental dynamics and finally intellect decides or "Grants" a certain reaction . Thats where we have to work. The intellect "decides" various things. "This person is insulting me", is one decision. "This person is trying to encourage me through criticism to do better" is another conclusion. Yet another conclusion is "These insults etc dont bother me" ! Do we see how this is ? The pure perception is in mind, then there are various thoughts. Lets say all the three thoughts arise "this person is insulting me", this person is encouraging me and i dont care. All three thoughts arise and then the intellect says "i know this person, he is very nice so he cannot be insulting so this must be encouraging". Thats the final decision taken by the intellect.


    Do we see this ? We will try to explore this more clearly and with various examples as we proceed with this study. This understanding is very important because this antahkarana is an instrument. if I get a gadget, I also get a user manual with it. If I know what operation leads to what results I am comfortable in operating the gadget. Instead , If I keep pressing some or the other buttons, the results may not be very desirable. Same way, there are lot of misconceived ideas amongst people. Suppose someone says "I lack concentration" and people are there who will give him techniques to improve concentration . Concentration is not to be "Gained" anew. Concentration is there where we have interest. So clearly when a person says "I am not able to concentrate" it means there is lack of interest. So what we need to tackle is the interest and not concentration.
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 25 June 2012 at 01:36 AM.

  3. #3

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Our Experiences are Colored By Our Intellect:


    This world that we perceive, we perceive it through our intellect, Buddhi. When we experience something - a simple perception of the "event" is the first mental modification. Thereafter what we experience is what the mind describes to us. Its the story told by our mind. Our mind and intellect really decide how an experience is interpreted. That's why someone sees a post but thinks its a Ghost and someone else sees the same post and thinks its a thief.Or, someone fails in an endeavor, say. There are two ways this may be taken. One person lifts himself up and says "I will now work harder and convert this failure into a stepping stone for success" and another person feels disappointed and depressed. So there is just one experience and there are two ways the mind reacted. Please see this.


    So when we present people with such ideas as "Failures are stepping stones to success" or "Do not give up" ... these suggestive ideas aid the intellect in developing a positive frame of mind while facing the challenges of the life. So any experience we have, its the intellect that colors it and presents it to us. The experience itself is really "dumb". IT does not have anything to say.

    Whats The Basis Upon Which Intellect Operates ?



    Lets say someone criticizes me. And there are various possibilities.
    "he wanted to insult me"
    "he wants me to do better and is really a well wisher"
    "i do not care"
    "i feel bad"
    "its unfortunate, every one insults me"


    ...


    these are various thoughts that might arise. And the intellect "Decides" on these, based on a "background mood" ! Suppose I am in depression when I hear this. Or perhaps I am already excited because of a much greater success elsewhere and I hear this criticism. The intellectual disposition is different in both these cases and the same intellect may decide differently.


    So here we have two things: The Right type of intellect and the right type of intellectual disposition. Right intellect ensures right intellectual disposition. And whats the right intellect ? This is decided purely on the basis of its utility value . Suppose the intellect always says "I do not care what others think"! That safe guards me from hurts due to criticism. But then, it also insulates me from the comments and therefore I cannot benefit from it!


    So someone is sensitive and he hears criticism and initially the intellect throws the hurt responses and slowly he learns to insulate himself from all those and now the intellect simply says "i dont care" ... this is some sort of adapting to situations. Its purely psychological.


    Also to be understood ... The "Center" of this whole process is a "ME" for whom all this is done. Intellect has a notion about "Me" . If I do not consider myself a very intellectual person, any criticism related to intellectual abilities may not create much ruffle in the mind. But if i consider myself an intellectual person, there is a definite tendency to take the criticisms related to intellect very seriously.


    So "Who I AM" is the center upon which intellect arrives at various conclusions. Something happens "this is good" or "This is bad" etc is based upon "Who I am" really. And this "Who I think I am" is really based upon my conclusions about myself derived from my intellect again!


    The only purpose of Vedanta or Vedantic teaching is to set the "intellect" and intellectual disposition right, so that one is able to see things in the Correct light. In other words, one is able to remain balanced and free oneself from all forms of suffering. This clarity is what Vedanta presents and we shall see clearly how Vedanta can transform our lives once and for all as we proceed with this text.


    An Example to explain this point very clearly:


    There was a king who donned the robes of a beggar to secretly roam about in the kingdom , unnoticed, and find out what the pupil's problems were. As he was thus roaming, one day, he forgot who he was. He started to think he was the beggar and started to live like the beggar.


    So his intellect now decided based on the idea "I AM BEGGAR", rather than "I AM A KING who is acting like a BEGGAR". And he was in all sorts of troubles. He even tried meditations etc to get rid of his suffering, nothing worked.


    So finally, he met his minister and the minister said "Hey, you are not a beggar. you are the king"!
    Now, this needs some appreciation. He has to appreciate intellectually that he is not the beggar and that he is the king. This is important. And then he has to own up his own kingdom. He does not need to do anything "to be the king", but remove the wrong ideas he holds about himself as the beggar.


    So the beggar at first did not believe. Then he had some level of sradha or value, for the words of the minister. And he was also disgusted with the beggar life [vairagya], so he went to the minister and said, "ok, i am ready to follow you. Please make me the king".


    The minister said "I cannot make you the king ... You ARE THE KING"


    Beggar king said "Ok, now show me how i am the king".
    So the minister first convinces him intellectually, "See you took up this dress etc for a specific reason. you did this, this and now u r like this " ... he Explains.
    And Beggar is now a little more clear. He is able to see himself as king through this. [Sravanam].


    The beggar goes back to his poor hut [that he did not go to his palace itself means he is not firmly convinced]... and thinks it out for himself [mananam]. and is now very clear. Any doubts he has, he seeks help from the minister and gets them cleared.


    The minister says "ok, now go into the palace and "Be" the king", what more to do ?
    Beggar goes with the minister to the palace ... and minister says "OK, go into the palace" !
    he has a little fear... due to his long association with the beggar role. but he overcomes it holding onto his understanding and walks in. as he enters his understanding becomes more firm.
    and then he slowly walks in ... and he hears a huge shout!! he thinks its on him and runs out.
    The minister again says "See, its not u. There is someone else there on whom they are shouting! See there!! " and then he decides to go again... [nidhidhyasana is living This Truth and Being Free]


    and slowly he owns up his position and is totally free now! and then he can come back and enact the beggar role he wants to. The clarity is the overall aid. Sravana-Manana-Nidhidhyasana are the means.
    One has to own it up.


    When he functions from "I am the king acting as beggar" ... understanding ... he may be acting like a beggar but never suffers from lack of fulfillment. even if he gets no money on a particular day, he remains fulfilled. Even when he runs after a person seeking money, he is fulfilled. Coz he knows he is simply acting.


    When he functions from "i am beggar role" ... even if he gets a little money, he is functioning as a "wanting individual"


    Vedanta works exactly like the minister in this story. The guru is the minister and he teaches Vedanta... which is "You are the King", knowledge. The teaching is to establish that We are ever Fulfilled and Free. This understanding, is reached by rooting out the "Wanting person" ! and then one is wise who functions from inner sense of fulfillment.


    A wise man is simply the one who functions as a Fulfilled person --- as someone Who has Reached! This is the person. An unfulfilled person can never become "Fulfilled". A person who is a "seeker" will never Reach. Coz the seeker is really seeking that which is Everywhere. Vedantic teaching dismisses this seeker and leaves one as someone who is not a "wanting person" , but totally Purna, Complete within himself as he is.


    This teaching will really aid us "Live" this here and now. Lets see how it aids.

    How do I see myself - Whats My Self Image ?


    When there is an experience, we have at first a perception of the event as it is and thereafter the mind takes it and churns various reactions or ideas about it. This being so, even "me" and all the notions about "me" are basically mental. My mind presents a "me" which is what I think I am. Fortunately or unfortunately we look at everything in this world through this mind and so also we look at ourselves through this mind alone. There is no choice there. When we look at ourselves also through this mind, what do we see ? What is me , according to me ? This is a very important question. How do I see myself.


    Please note friends, depending on how I look at myself, my whole world is determined. If I look at myself in a particular way, my world of experiences are all colored by that. That's why someone who takes himself to be a devotee finds God everywhere ! If I may be allowed to use the proper phrase, their mind is colored with "devotion".


    There is a very fundamental point to clearly understand. Its always the mental world that effects me, not the external perception. The perception or the "event" is really dumb and has no ability to "touch" us in any sense. A prahallada could cheerfully put up with all the torture his father put him through! A Ramana could remain untouched even when his body was down with cancer.

    What is my self image ? This matters a lot for someone who wants to lead a very happy and satisfied life.
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 27 June 2012 at 04:30 AM.

  4. #4

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Discovering The Fulfilled Person Within:

    This is atonce practical, I need to discover the fulfilled person within, if I want to lead a happy and satisfied life. How do I discover this pleased and "happy" person within? A person who does not "lack" anything ? Because as I see myself, there are many things I lack. There are many things which can make me a better person. Perhaps a better position, better house and riches etc can make me better? and Does this not mean I really lack all these right now ?

    This is where Vedanta is required. Vedanta aids us see ourselves as fulfilled ... even with all the lackings we mention. None of the lackings are dismissed and yet, we remain fulfilled ! This is an exploration really... exploration into our very nature to "discover" ourselves as we are. The claim is "We as we are , are already Purna, Complete and Fulfilled" That is we lack nothing ! And Thats a tall claim that needs lot of elaboration, I would request a reader to please allow me to explain this in detail. For now, this section is simply a summary of what is going to come ... an abstract. Rest of this post is only going to establish this claim without leave any trace of doubt.


    Difference Between What I have and What I am:

    This difference between what I am and what I have is very significant. We tend to "Define" what I am based on what I have and then we become "puny" . Do we see the difference between what we have and what we are ? I have a dog, say. What a difference it is between saying "I have a dog" and " i am a dog" !! The first person is sane, the second one's is a serious case. Isnt it ?

    We may not say directly "I am a dog", but if we compare "my dog is better than your dog" ... that means the unspoken language is "therefore I am better than you" ! what have we done here ? We have identified what we are with what we have and therefore dragged ourselves to the level of our dogs!!

    The crux of the problem is here. We create inferiority, superiority and all sorts of nonsense just by comparing our possessions and in this process we hurt ourselves more than anyone else !! The person who says mine is an exotic breed of Dog is deriving his sense of fulfillment from his possession -- which is dog in this case !!

    May be most people derive their sense of fulfillment from more costly objects ... May be the job or their House or Car. The situation isnt any better though!

    We need to observe carefully and see if we have any object from which we derive a sense of "fulfillment" or a feeling of satisfaction. If we ever depend upon the objects for our satisfaction, then that is enough to lead a life of dissatisfaction.

    Objects give us "Comforts" not "Happiness" or "Satisfaction" or "Sense of Fulfillment" .

    Comfort is Not Fulfillment

    Suppose I come home on a very hot day and switch on the A/C ... thats comfort. Its so for any one. And if just then there is a power failure ... there is discomfort.

    Can we keep "discomfort" as discomfort and not transform into unhappiness ?

    this difference between discomfort and unhappiness is very subtle. Externally there are situations that are preferred and also those that are not preferred. One example is what I have given above.

    When the external situation is not comfortable, can we keep the discomfort at the "External" Level ? Can we insulate ourselves from the "External" world in such a way that what ever happens there ... can create mental changes like comforts or discomforts -- but cannot make me feel "unfulfilled" ?


    Lets explore this possibility by seeing practically how we get affected by anything that happens ... The overall process by which objects or happenings affect us in the first place. And long before that "who is getting affected ?" Who is this "me" who is getting affected ?

    Lets see ...
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 27 June 2012 at 07:11 AM.

  5. #5

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    A Few Fundamental Observations:

    As I make these observations, we can see... how they are true as they are. We need to put aside the baggage of our preconceived ideas and see these to be true as they are. they need not be validated against a set of preconceived ideas. Is this what Ramana says, is this what Jiddu krishnamurthi says etc.
    just see .. the observation is just what is, as it is.


    Observation1: No object can cause a problem to us, until and unless it becomes an object of our mind


    Observation2: Two objects collide at the same level ... A physical object collides with a physical object, a mental object can collide with a mental object alone. So a thought cannot collide with my chair ... it can collide with a mental chair atmost.


    Observation3: A conflict is a collision. Two ideas, two concepts, two objects collide. Thats a conflict. A mental conflict is a collision between two mental entities. Perhaps two thoughts, two ideas etc.


    Observation4: There are two kinds of thoughts : Idam Vritti, This thought... which is the perception. Aham Vritti, The "I" thought, which is My feeling, my idea, my thinking about a happening or what ought to have happened.


    Observation5: When an event happens, the corresponding "Idam Vritti" or pure perception of that happening is in mind. The "aham Vritti" arises and says "I do not like it" or "I want it this way" or "I love this" etc.


    Observation6: A mental conflict is ... things are happening in a certain way, while I would want it in another way. In other words, its a collision between aham vritti and idam vritti [note observation 3]


    Lets Take up a case study and see this clearly.

    Case Study:

    Lets take a simple case study. We have considered 6 observations till now. Now, lets take a simple case study and see how these observations make sense. The idea is to put the observations in context.The first case study we consider is "I am afraid of Darkness ".


    Observation1: If I do not know I am in darkness. That is, if i am in deep sleep ... I cannot be afraid. I have to recognize the fact that I am in darkness. That is, darkness has to "enter" my mind as a thought or situation.


    Observation4: Idam Vritti ... This thought of Darkness. And Aham Vritti "I am afraid" , the I thought exist in my mind.


    Observation5: Series of thoughts arise as follows ... Idam vritti, "this darkness", "I dont know what is there in darkness", "I am all alone in darkness", "i dont like this", "i am afraid" etc. The idam vritti is simple what is. aham vritti comments on what "I" has to say about what is.


    Observation6: The darkness or idam vritti is as it is. While the aham vritti comments on its discomfort with the situation.


    Observation3: The idam vritti and aham vritti collide. The aham vritti says "i am not comfortable with this situation outside... that is darkness"


    Observation2:Only two vrittis are colliding. The darkness outside does not collide with me. The thought of the darkness which is idam vritti also does not collide with anything. The aham vrittis collide.
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 27 June 2012 at 07:20 AM.

  6. #6

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Who is this "I" Thats Getting Hit ?


    Let's take another case study... I am seated in meditation and I hear from outside "This is a wonderful movie" . So at first I hear this as simple perception. Then the next thoughts: "they are watching a movie"; "I miss it";"it is a wonderful movie thye say"; "what could it be?" ; "could it be my fav. movie?" ; "oh! that movie i always missed"; "CD is also not available"; "but i should not get up from meditation" ...


    Please see the stream of thoughts carefully. I am just writing them down as if in "slow motion" ! This is a very subtle analysis.

    The first perception is pure perception: idam vritti, this thought.

    The next few thoughts have an "I" in them: aham vrittis or "I" thoughts.

    What is happening here?

    Clearly an aham vritti is not me. Coz, i outlive it. thought comes and dies that very moment. If I die with a thought, then there is no one to have the next thought. So I cannot be a thought. So whats happening here ? Aham Vritti is not me and more over... lets take two consecutive "I" thoughts: "I like that movie" ; "i miss it now" ... is the "I" of the first thought same as the "I" of the second thought?

    They are parts of two different "I" thoughts. they have no commonality. Please see this. The first "I" and the second "I" are not same persons. they are two different entities. two different thoughts. its like a movie. a series of fast moving static pictures create the illusion of a movie. the first static picture and the second static picture are different. but mind does not see the gap. BTW, i am not suggesting that we should start watching gaps. that’s a good practise, but that’s not the point here.


    The point here is that there is really no continuous entity between these "I" thoughts ... there are only sparks of "I" thoughts that come and die... but like a movie ... they create the illusion of a continuous entity called "I".

    The awareness which is uniform basis of all thoughts is continuous and its continuity is superimposed on the "I"'s which are disjoint. there is really no entity called "I" !! There is only awareness within and a few "I" thoughts happening like sparks and dying there and then. there is no continuity between them. Ah ah! Where is this "me" now ?

    Lets explore this further with some more examples ...
    Last edited by silence_speaks; 02 July 2012 at 01:46 AM.

  7. #7

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Let me reiterate what I just presented. When we see a movie, there is a no "motion". What we are really seeing is only a series of static photos that change and we see an apparent motion.

    Same thing within. There is no "I" really. only a series of "I-Thoughts" that come and pass away that very moment. Each "I-Thought" dies the moment it arises. Where is "I" ?

    Suppose I am sitting in a room and someone knocks the door. I react. But suppose someone goes on knocking at the door of an empty room ? Who is there to react ? This body is like a room. The sense organs etc are like the doors of the room. The external perceptions happen "via" these sense organs. When someone says something or tells me something etc ... they are as if knocking at the doors of the room.

    And inside the "Space" is awareness/Consciousness. And thoughts are like small pebbles flying in the room. Perhaps thrown from outside. If there is "someone" sitting in the room ... the pebbles hit them and they may feel hurt/injured. Nowhere will the space get hit!!! When I remain as space, there is no way any even can "Hit" me!!

    [To be Continued ...]

  8. Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Living happy and satisfied life means understanding that

    1. That I am unique and I have to compare with no one.
    2. This life is test and very hard, and one need to be contend which is state of being happy and satisfied.

    Deepak

  9. #9

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    Dear Deepak,
    Thats nice -- well said.

  10. #10

    Re: Living a Happy and Satisfied Life

    So Living a happy and satisfied life means to live with a sense of fulfillment. This means, really, living without allowing a "Lacking" person to form within. The lacking person is a "me" thats formed of a series of "I-thoughts", as presented below.

    These thoughts , are exactly like a series of static pictures that create the illusion of a movie. The illusion of a movie can only be created in the presence of a non-changing screen ! So these changing thoughts create the illusion of a "me" ... on the background of mental space which is Awareness.

    When a "Lacking-me" is not allowed to form, then life becomes a fulfilled life. infact if i form a relative identify within ... then that identity becomes something that can get hit.

    We play various roles in our lives. To my father, I am a son and at my office I am an employee, at my house I am a husband or wife , father, mother etc. So all these are various roles we play in life. What are these roles based upon ? They are based upon this "Fictious" "I" notion formed of the "I-thoughts". So these roles are simply that. they are like fictious notions of "me" .

    When I function wearing one of these roles, thats when I should be careful not to allow the roles to create a "Lacking-Individual" in me.

    I hope these ideas are understood. Please see ...
    If someone says "Your ideas are stupid", that does not mean "I am stupid"! if the ideas are stupid, one can simply validate and correct. But since the ideas are stupid does not mean "i should label myself as stupid".

    Similarly the other way... I have a brilliant idea, let me not label myself as brilliant.

    the ideas are brilliant/stupid ... In my presence both exist !

    Similarly,
    An action can be bad or good. I need not label myself as bad or good. If the action is wrong, it can be corrected. If the action is correct, it can be repeated.

    But why label myself based on the action as good or bad. its as if ... gandhi is good so what ever he does will be good! A good action is good no matter who does it. if we label ourselves as good or bad ... based on the action ... guilt and pride follow. if we just leave the labels with the action, things can be corrected and improved upon.

    Do We see where we are moving towards ?

    The mind and the body are ever imperfect. We can improve upon them. We play various roles at the mental level. those are also imperfect. But we need not allow all those imperfections touch "me" who is playing those roles!

    This playing various roles in life is exactly like wearing a different dress. We wear various mental dresses ... fictious "I" formed of a series of "I-Thoughts". Lets not condemn the "I-thoughts therefore" , coz without them we cannot function in the world and play the various roles. However , I have a certain mental dress that I can invoke does not mean I must always wear such a dress !

    [To be continued ...]

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