“This is indeed a beautiful subject – Potentiality to Actuality!”

This is indeed a beautiful subject – Potentiality to Actuality! From the time immemorial, be it spiritual mystics or modern day scientist, everybody has reiterated the fact that man does not make the optimum use of his whole energy, his consciousness or his full being. He is found wanting or lacking, whether it is physically, mentally or in his conscious level. They do not realize or actualize their potentiality. Mystics call the actualizing of the self potentiality as Self-Realisation. Modern day psychologists call it Self-Actualisation. Whether Self-Realisation or Actualisation, it means the same. ‘Realising’ the potentiality or ‘Actualising’ the potentiality is one and the same. Whether it is the Mind, Body or the Being, we do not express or experience our Being completely. Unless one experiences his ‘Being’ in totality, he cannot express himself.

We receive information through our eyes or the Chakshu. It is something like the USB in a computer, the whole data is digitized. All the sense organs are the Chakshu or Indrian. Any data that comes in through the eye or other sense organs are processed and converted into a digitized file. The file then moves into our memory. In the memory, the data file is analysed. For example, consider that you are seeing the present scene now through your eyes. It is digitized inside your eyes, and then the digitized file is transferred into the memory. The memory starts the analyzing.

At first it is the analysis of what it is not i.e. ‘this is not, this is not’ or neti, neti. After the analysis, the file is moved up into the Mind or Manas. Here, the recognition takes place in the form of ‘this is it, this is it’. Then you relate to what you recognize e.g. ‘this is a glass’, ‘he is a teacher’ and so on. The identification processes happens in the Mind. Then the whole file takes a quantum leap to your Ego. There the Ego starts analyzing with ‘how or what do I have to do with that or him?’ It is compared with the past memories. If you had a pleasant memory of the past then the Ego accepts it, but if you had had an unpleasant experience then the ego tries to escape the situation and moves away. Thus, the decision comes from the Ego and you act according to that.

We need to examine the above carefully. You must understand that in the Mind-Information process, the ‘Eye to Mind’ happens in a conscious way, a logical way or an intelligent way. However, if we are unconscious or not aware of the nature of the reactive nature of the mind, the file suddenly takes a quantum leap into the past memory that is not at all related logically to the present situation.

An unconscious mind relates to an event in the past, whether pleasant or otherwise, and draws inferences about the present situation based on the past experiences. If somebody has an unpleasant experience with a person or a situation, then the tendency of the mind would be to move away from the present situation, however irrational the inferences drawn to the present situation may be. For instance, if a person had an unpleasant past experience with a person wearing a white dress, then the tendency of the mind would be to always shun a person wearing a white dress. This happens unconsciously. Therefore, unpleasant memories that are stored in the mind tend to continuously influence / interfere in the logical reasoning processes by going back to the unpleasant experiences again and again.

The reactive nature of the mind is as the result Samskaras or Engrams (engraved memories). The mind processes and takes decisions based on such illogical / irrational stored data. The Mind process is logical or conscious till the thought travels from Eye to Mind, and is intelligent. But when the quantum leap takes place, then suddenly for no reason at all the mind takes an unconscious or illogical decision which leads to repentance or remorse. The individual then disassociates himself from the decision taken and induces himself into thinking that it was not him. If one feels remorse or repents his actions with a feeling that what actually happened was not a part of him or his doing, understand that his unconscious is actually living only in the ‘Instinct Level’. For example, everyone is conscious that smoking a cigarette is injurious to health. It is also clearly inscribed on every packet of cigarette. But, despite the warning the file being processed in the mind, for no rational reason, takes a quantum leap and the person starts smoking, only to repent later.

When a file being processed in the mind takes a quantum leap, the mind then operates only on the instinct level. The next important point to note here is it limits our potential or capability. So, our potential is then never realized or actualized. This is due to the fact that more the number of Samskaras or Engrams, more is the processing that required to be done. The file then has to pass through more impediments or disturbances. Therefore you must understand that, the more you are filled with Samskaras or the Reactive mind or the unconscious mind, the lesser decisions you tend to take or effect. It is similar to a file being routed through many tables, in a chaotic manner, before arriving at a table where the decision would be actually taken. This results not only in a delay in taking decisions, but also leads to confusion, distortion and lack of clarity. The more important fact is that, much your energy is sapped or wasted in taking one single decision. It is said ‘Hands can be a thousand, but the Head must be only one’ or ‘many heads for one decision leads to confusion’. The major part of your energy is blocked at this level itself. It is similar to the Hard Disk in a computer being filled with many high resolution photographs and therefore not being able to handle other data.

It is in the same manner that when a person is filled with too many Samskaras or Engrams or past memories or a reactive mind, his decision taking process is grossly impeded and he reacts from the basic instinct level without clarity or intelligence.

To explain further, consider this equation:-

Let, Tp \= the Time taken to Process a decision at a Conscious Level from Eye to Mind.

Let, Tq \= the Time taken for the Quantum Leap.

If, Tq \< Tp, the being is in the Instinct Level, is the slave of the Reactive Mind (less than)

If, Tq \= Tp, the being is in the Intellectual Level.

But, if Tq \> Tp, the being is at the Intuitional Level. (more than)

Therefore, it is clear that more the number of memories stored (more number of files) leads to continuous restlessness and arrival at a hasty decision. The individual does not take enough time or interest and wants to get over with the task earliest.

This concept is explained beautifully in the Gita. The Gita says:

“Karmanye Vaadhika-raste, Maa Phaleshu Kadachana; Maa karma-phala-hetur-bhoorma, MaTe sangostwakarmini”.

“Your right is to work only, But never to its fruits; Let not the fruits of action be thy motive, Nor let thy attachment be to inaction”.

The Gita propounds, “Do your duty without expectations on the outcome of the result”. If one is continuously worried about the outcome or the results, it leads to passing continuous judgments / preconceived ideas instead of focusing on the task in hand. Therefore, it results in less time spent on Tq. When one infuses consciousness and silence into this unconscious zone he burns all his engrams, he becomes Shiva, and he reaches super conscious level. When Tq is less than Tp you are an animal; if equal you real human; if Tq is greater you are divine.

When an individual continuously passes judgments in expectation of outcome of the result, he remains in the Instinct level or the Survival level. Most of our decisions are taken on this instinct level. We don’t even live logically and at the end of the day we regret our actions. We also refuse to believe or accept what we did.

This also pertains to our mood swings. Throughout the day our mood keeps swinging back and forth unconsciously. We are not even aware of our mood swings and therefore have no conscious control over it. This is also as the result of our being in the Instinct level. We just survive instead of living!

A Small Story: - In a remote hamlet in Germany, a small Bi-Plane was found abandoned, a remnant of the World War II. The people of this small hamlet had never seen even a tractor, leave alone a Plane! They naturally thought it was an Oxen cart and therefore started using it as an ox driven cart.

Few months pass and along comes a young man who had seen the world beyond his small hamlet. Since he was familiar with a machine tractor, he suggests that the plane is indeed a tractor and is to be used as one. He goes ahead and starts driving around, using it in the village.

Few months later a Pilot, adept in flying the aircraft, comes along and makes them realize that what they thought of as an oxen cart or a tractor was in fact an aircraft. He shows them the real utility of the machine by flying the aircraft.

Similarly, we don’t realize what we are capable of and what our true potential is. We tend to live in the instinct level, not looking beyond, and we tend to use the system like an ox cart.

For a person who has reached the Tq \= Tp level, he performs the actions at a Conscious level. He does not repent for any of his decisions. A person with no remorse for his actions is at the level of intellect. You use your system as a Tractor!

A person who feels rejuvenated continuously on taking his decisions is finally at the level of Intuition. It means that the person is at the Super-Conscious level.

An average person who is at the Instinct level is a victim of too many assumed personalities, memories or Engrams. The mind is too reactive being loaded with too much of memories about the past, self or the life in whole. The entire lives are spent in passing too many judgments.

Judgments, are of two kinds. One is passing a judgment by collecting all the arguments. The other one, the destructive one is, forming a judgment and then collecting the arguments to support the judgment. The later is at the Instinct level. The person who is at the Instinct level continuously feels tired despite the situation being favorable. He feels tired even if he was sitting on the chair throughout. He also experiences body pain and is stressed out. A person at the Intellect level is operating at the Conscious level. He does not feel stressed out even at the end of the day. One can analyze himself by examining himself at the end of the day whether he was operating at the Instinct level or the Intellectual level.

Whereas a person who operates at the intuitional level does not feel tired and on the contrary feels rejuvenated! In fact, there is a saying in the Ayurveda that as a person grows older, he learns the ‘Art of Living with the Body’. The older a person gets he should feel rejuvenated continuously since he has mastered his body. However, if one feels tired as you grow old, you have not understood your system totally or have not been in touch with yourself. It is logical to say, ‘more the experience, more the efficiency’. Therefore, more your age, more should be at ease with your body and lesser should you feel tired. This feeling of depression or tiredness is also as the direct result of too many suppressions, memories or Samskaras.

At the Instinct level the decisions made are illogical. The illogical decisions come out Fear and Greed. One can overcome these illogical decisions by inducing silence or peace in this area. Once your deliberate and induce peace/ silence in the process of decision making it leads to Consciousness and Super-Consciousness. More the Awareness you bring into your decisions, more is the onset of Consciousness.

Actualizing your Potentiality is what is called ‘Self-Realisation’.

Let us now internalize our understanding with a few questions.

Q’s & A’s

Q) Swamiji, is it possible to work at the Intellect or Intuition level as a part of a whole group or even as a group of people?

Ans) What you are asking is whether we can apply this principle when working as a team or a Group. Of course, you can. Understand that when you really create a level of Intuition or Intellect, when you enter into this zone, not only do you gain clarity but you get the ability to make others also clear. Your decision will be so concrete or solid that the others in the group simply follow you. It is a fact that most of the time it is not the leaders who lead the group but it is the followers who lead the group, be it Religious, Political, Spiritual or any other group. It is the collective group energy or the Consciousness that leads the group. When two persons with similar level enter this zone they do not contradict with each other but in fact complement each other and contribute to the group energy. Contradiction happens at Instinct level, but Complement happens above the Intellectual level. When you operate at the Instinct level you tend to suppress the group energy. The group is therefore submissive and does not follow you whole-heartedly. Whereas when you operate at the Intellectual level and above, i.e. at least a level of Tq \= Tp (a level must for all leaders), it benefits not only the Individual but the entire group. Have you ever noticed a child? A Child never has a reactive mind, he has no suppression. That is why a child is so alive! Has anyone seen an ugly child! No, you can never see one in any corner of the world. Conversely, have you ever seen a beautiful grown up man! (Laughter) No, because once a man grows up he accumulates so many memories and engrams that he loses the grace.

Q) So, how do we get rid of our reactive mind?

Ans) Yes, here is a direct to the point question! The answer in a single word for this is ‘Meditation’. Spend at least 20 mins to be at peace with yourself, every day. Be clear that the 20 mins surely will not go waste. I would like to share with you that a research that was carried out on my brain at the time of meditation showed that the right hemisphere of the brain was many times faster at processing information as compared to the left brain. (the research reports are available at the website www.nithyananda.org). When you infuse silence into your being, you process the information 20 to 30 times faster than when you are doing now.

It also gives you the pure state of health. What you all understand by health is in fact ‘Disease-less-ness’. Disease-less-ness is being clinically healthy. On the contrary, healthy means that as you wake up in the morning you find a spring in your step, you feel like dancing as you wake up! It then means that you are alive and healthy. Therefore, when you spend 20 mins with yourself everyday, you actually experience good health in true sense. There are so many meditation techniques available; you may follow any one of them. You may also download it from the website. Of course, none of my meditation is based on any religion. Remember, the light bulb was discovered by Thomas Alva Edison, but it belongs to the whole world. Similarly, the meditation techniques may have been discovered by the Rishis, but now it belongs to the whole world. If you do not want to follow any technique, even just watching your breath, is good enough.

Any decision taken during the process of meditation is always at the Intuition level, be it a mundane or a complicated decision. Meditation does not only change one part of your life. It has the capacity to change your whole life. It does not only change the quantity, it changes the quality! It will change the quality of your decision, your thinking, and your whole life. It not only changes the quality of your work output at your office, it also changes the quality of your relationship, and it becomes much deeper and blissful. Actually, in relationship we do not ‘relate’, we only live together for a few months after which you create an image of each other. We then relate only on the basis of the image, we don’t live with the real person, husband or wife. We actually create and live by our judgment of the other person and in the process the open-ness is lost.

Q) Swamiji, I understand that meditation is a process whereby you empty your mind.

Ans) No, there is no need to try and empty your mind. Just following any technique is enough and will take care of it. Do not confuse Yoga with Meditation. Yoga is to do with the body. Meditation is to do with the Mind. Mind is the Master and body is the Servant. By changing the servant you cannot change the Master, but by changing the Master you can change all the servants. Therefore I advise all the people that instead of going from Yoga to Dhyana (Meditation) come from Dhyana to Yoga. Everything would then happen automatically on its own. Touch the Mind first. So, you don’t have to completely empty your mind, all you have to do is to infuse silence into the ‘Unconscious’ Zone. Do not feed new data but allow your mind to settle down.

Q) Swamiji, is it wrong then to have memories?

Ans) You may still handle your memory, but you should not have emotional attachment to your memory. The memory itself is not wrong, but it your wrong emotional attachment i.e. hatred or aversion, love or attachment or the illogical aversion towards the memory is what is the problem. When there is no emotional attachment to the memory, naturally you take a clear cut and a logical decision. The Data or the Information is never the problem. It is the attachment that you create, creates the problem. For example, even remembering an unsavory incident or a place creates an emotional upheaval.

Infusing silence into this area is the best solution to escape from this turmoil of the reactive mind or the unconscious mind. If you can liberate yourself from this, it is the greatest liberation. You will experience the vital energy or the Atma-Shakti. The experience of the energy of your being can become your life.

Q) Swamiji, what is the difference between Prayer and Meditation?

Ans) When you pray, you pray to god. When you meditate, you become God! Meditation is therefore far more superior to prayers. It is true even from the religious point of view. Be clear that I am not proposing Meditation to be as part of your Spiritual or Religious growth. I am proposing Meditation to increase your efficiency in your day to day life, in this world.

Thank You.

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