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Likes and Dislikes
Exercise-3 for third chapter.
What does the third day of war represent in us?.
We are all like
Arjuna not putting knowledge into action. We will read about healthy food
and its benefits but will never put it into practice. We will spend lot of
time in gathering all information about facts but fail to use them in daily
life. Information will mature to knowledge only when it is applied in
action. Most of us are only information gatherers by reading books,
watching TV, listening to lectures and attending satsangs. But never
put that into action. This is why Krishna wanted Arjuna to fight the war, to
put into action the knowledge that he imparted to him.
The
answer to why Krishna prompted Arjuna to fight the war.
Krishna
gave this highest Truth and wanted Arjuna to put that into action to
experience this truth. Without putting into action this truth cannot be
experienced. This should be the experience of every spiritual seeker and not
in seeing lights in meditation. To experience that
we are the Unconditional Consciousness dwelling as pure Awareness in the
body. This is the Spiritual bliss that the Vedas talk about
and experienced by all the Self-Realized saints of the world. This bliss is
known as "Sath-Chit
Ananda".
Sath is Unconditioned Consciousness and Chit is Awareness and Ananda is
bliss.
To
experience not only this spiritual knowledge but even materialistic
knowledge we have to put into practice to experience the knowledge. Any
knowledge is the theoretical aspect and the experience is the practical
aspect of it.
This is symbolized by Krishna taking arms to kill Bhisma and through that he
provokes Arjuna to fight the war. Only through action you can witness the
action if you are not attached to it or to its end result. Hence Krishna
gave first the knowledge and made Arjuna to perform the action of fighting
the war. Only through action can we transcend the Ego and know our True
Self.
How to transcend the Ego and know our Self?
Krishna says our strong likes and dislikes are the main obstacle in the
path. So for next one week pay attention on the strong likes and dislikes
that arises in your mind. You will for the first time discover how deep
rooted these thoughts breeding in our minds. Being aware of the these
likes and dislikes is the fundamental step in conquering the Ego.
Every time when you
say "I like this" and or "I don't like this" ...pay attention....see how
your mind is attached to these thoughts that strengthen the Ego. We say "I
don't like this food" or "I like this food"....I don't like this color...oh..I
like this color......Nothing wrong in the likes and dislikes, but the
attachment is what a problem. We suffer mentally when we do not have
what we like and also when we have what we don't like. So get out of this
mental block of strong likes and dislikes. Only by being aware of the Ego
can be declutched to the "Awareness" state.
Try to bully your Ego by eating or using
something that you don't like. This does not mean to eat foods that
you are allergic to. That is a body condition and not based on your
likes/dislikes. Try eating something that you are not allergic but
you do not like it mentally. Observe how your mind reacts. This is a
wonderful chance for you to get in face to face with your ego. Be cautious
....the Ego will not respond immediately......the more you try to work
against your Ego's likes/dislikes.. it will pound on you like a mad dog.
Be aware of the purpose of this
exercise. The purpose of being aware of your likes/dislikes is to watch your
ego's strength and weakness. It is not intended to torture your body
but to witness your Ego. Witnessing Ego is the best means to witness
the actions. This is the practice that will help you
to de-clutch you from Ego and transcend to your true Self.
If you have done the practice for a week, then go to the next chapter.
Please
click here to continue to read chapter-4.
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