When Maya Visits

 

When Maya Visits

 

When my husband and I started our family business, we didn't know what scams we would face.  We couldn't recognise the con artists from true clients.  But we made a decision early on that we would run our business cleanly, not take more than what was due, not give favours for cash, not cheat anyone, etc.  Little did we know that these rules would protect us from the scams.  By sticking to our code of ethics, those enticing offers were turned down and, after further research, found to be common scams in our industry. 

 

We can now spot most scams straight away, but we still have to keep a look out for new ones and more cleverly disguised ones.  We stick to our rules, and this provides a fair bit of protection.  We keep our lines of communication open with each other, we discuss new requests, we take decisions together.  Sometimes a guest will ask for an arrangement quite innocently, but the arrangement may cheat their employer or the taxman or both.  If we cross the line with something little, it brings us closer to the next line, and these little line crossings means we end up a far distance from where we should be, where we want to be.

 

Spiritual progress works much the same way.  Maya is sneaky, and we may not recognise her at first, but shrimat is there to protect.   As we face situations we learn to recognise the gross forms of Maya.  Baba tells us today to give up waste - waste thoughts, waste words, waste actions.  As we learn to discern waste and give it away, we then protect ourselves against more subtle forms of Maya.  By keeping good company, by discussing finer points of knowledge, by checking with seniors, the intellect sharpens and we take responsible discisions. 

 

As Baba says, we don't want to invoke Maya. We don't want to invite her in. She brings the gift of waste, but we are not obliged to accept it.  Have we forgotten the treasures we already have?  Treasures of knowledge, the Father's love, His company, the parlokik family, Madhuban, etc.  What can Maya possibly offer that would be better than this?  Nothing - but when we forget what treasures we have, Maya sees her chance.  This is why Baba is always saying to remember Him, remember the home.  Drop body consciousness and remember your true form, your angelic form.  What does an angel need from Maya? 

 

Baba encourages us to claim our place on the rosary of 108.  There are so many who came before us, how can I be one of the 108?  Baba says, it doesn't matter, make the effort and if He needs to, He will create more strings.  Don't worry about the maths - leave all that to Baba.  Don't let space appear on the rosary, don't be the missing bead.  Baba does not want to see His children labour, He only wants to see their happiness. 

 

Om shanti.

Isolation and Discipline

I was listening to Br. David's talk - you can still catch it on Madhuban Jewels website - about his experiences  before coming into gyan.  The part that really grabbed me what the idyllic isolation he experienced in the Kimberly region of Australia.  I say idyllic because sometimes I just want to get away from it all.  I'm sure what I suffer is not unique - too much noise, too much clutter, too much information.  In today's world, everything is at our fingertips and if we want a little distraction, we don't have to go far for it.  For Br. David to place himself in complete isolation took courage, but it allowed him to face himself, to learn to listen, to discover, to create.  Without the multitude of distractions that we face today, one is able to make quick progress in any area of life.  And, for Br. David, it was during this time that he had profound experiences that were to play an important part in his own transformation. 

I envy him this opportunity.  I wish I could isolate myself for a year or more and really cut out the clutter of distractions - get down to the nitty gritty.  But this was not written into the drama for me.  My path has a different route and the challenge here is to cut out the distractions whilst they still exist.  Br. David mentioned a hermit that he used to visit during this time and gave an example of how disciplined this hermit was with food.  He would receive his food pack and figure out how often he would allow himself to eat the 'good stuff' so that it would last until the next food pack, whereas David would eat all the good stuff first, over indulge and then have nothing left towards the end.  He was attracted to the discipline of the hermit, he wanted to gain that discipline himself.  Hearing him speak of the hermit, I too, wanted to gain this discipline, to learn to live within reasonable means instead of taking and indulging all the time.  

Time is short, and distractions will keep us from the work on the self that we need to do.  For me, I plan to take a different attitude towards these distractions, be a bit ruthless and find time to be in silence - a sort of internal isolation - so that that work can progress.  Discipline comes from making a choice and then sticking with it - repeating that choice again and again - and never forgetting the purpose of that choice.  

Om shanti.

How to get rid of ego... or not.

In Raja Yoga, ego is one of the vices.  We need to finish the vices, therefore we need to finish ego.  The more I contemplate this, the more I realize that everything is tied into ego - all our past memories, all relations and friends, accomplishments and failures - everything.  

So, how do we get rid of it?  Do we have to erase all memory?  Do we have to forget our past?  Break all relationships?  

In one discussion today, the suggestion came to 'become free from ego'.  A subtle change in language, but a huge difference in approach.

To 'get rid of ego' is like trying to get rid of a playful puppy.  You keep throwing the ball to send it away, and the puppy fetches it and brings it right back, and wants to play more!  The more you throw the ball, the more you attract the puppy.  You can try shouting at the puppy to tell it to go away, but he thinks you are playing a game and sticks around to play more.  And even if you eventually do get rid of him, you are never quite sure when he is going to come back!

To 'become free from ego' means that ego cannot hold you.  You are not the slave to ego.  Ego exists, ego is there, but ego has no hold on you and cannot dictate to you.  In the same way that your past exists, you cannot change it, but it doesn't have to have a hold over you.  You can be free from it.  

These are the early days of churning this, but somehow it seems already helpful.  When one drops body consciousness and adopts soul consciousness, when they truly see themselves as awaken from the dream of the drama and holding all attainments, then there is no need for ego.  Having self-respect the need for ego vanishes and one becomes truly free.