The majority of people feel like doing something for their soul, making the most of this precious human life. Despite feeling this, they don’t understand what to do or may start something and then slow down after some time. Often, even after performing religious practices and sadhana, one doesn’t reap the desired level of result and doesn’t gain the actual sense of spiritual satisfaction by performing dharma.
What emotions (Bhaav) should one engage in dharma with?
Having a meal at 12 pm or 8 pm every day as a habit is different from having a meal when one is truly hungry. Similarly, doing dharma as a routine is different than when we search for the right thing for our soul and execute the right process of Dharma sadhana, Dhyan, and other spiritual practices have fetched the desired level of spiritual satisfaction. Before doing dharma, we need to feel the intrinsic desire and the thirst to do dharma. We need to ignite the curiosity to do dharma and set a goal and after that initiate the process of Dharma, Dhyan, and Sadhana
Do not ever make dharma a routine chore. What would be the result if it were a mere routine? Just because we are Jains, we are taught to perform Samayik and Pratikraman(introspect and seek forgiveness for our vices and sins), and we have been following it for years. But when we do Pratikraman as a routine chore, it will not yield the desired result. Even after years of doing so, do you experience any change within yourself? Are you the same as today as you were at the beginning? Your reply would be – No, there is no change.
If someone asks Bhagwan Mahavir, do you see any change within yourself post diksha? Bhagwan would reply, “One year after Diksha, this was the change within me. Following were the changes within me after five years, and 12.5 years later I reached my result and attained my goal.”
What if you consume heavy food in the morning, afternoon and evening and still the food doesn’t energize you? What if the food doesn’t help supplement your body with the right nutrients and growth? Then is there any value of the meal? It could also mean that either the meal is not rich in nutrition or there is some problem with your digestive system.
What is the point of the Dharma or Sadhana undertaken if it doesn’t yield the desired results? It means that either we lack the right understanding of dharma or we are not doing Dharma Sadhana in the right way. One should engage in Dharma or Sadhana – Aradhana which would help us control our nature and gain self-control. Dhyan is the best process to experience a direct change within ourselves. Meditation is the best medicine for our soul. Dhyan is the process of Thanenam, Monenam, Janenam
You do not need a trainer or teacher to learn this process, but you can do Dhyan anytime and anywhere. Even if you get 5 minutes in the office, engage in the following process.
Thanenam – Make the Body completely still.
Monenam – Maintain complete silence
Janenam- Silence the mind
A regular practitioner of Dhyan can exercise self-control on his body and himself. He would stay calm in any strenuous situation or circumstance henceforth.
On the banks of Rujuvalika river, Bhagwan Mahavir sat in the Godohika Pose to meditate (posture of a cow herder, when he needs to milk his cow) and resolved that, he shall continue staying in that aasan till he doesn’t acquire Keval Gyan (Infinite knowledge, where he can perceive the past, present and future)
Why was Bhagwan able to successfully complete his resolution?
Due to his continual past practice of Dhyan for 12.5 years, Bhagwan had gained self-control and maintained a steady bodily posture.
We need to practice dharma with its full understanding and its rituals.
What is dharma according to you?
Listen to a discourse, perform Vandana (Bow down to Omniscient, Guru and Dharma), chant a rosary, fast or do ayambil, perform Samayik (engage in religious practice or meditation by sitting in one place for 48 mins), or Pratikraman (repent for our sins of the past), or do any ritual, as we please?
Try engaging in Dhyan with the right understanding once. Try the process of Thanenam, Monenam and Janenam once. You shall realize that you can exercise more control over your nature, you will realize that you have started getting calmer and your restlessness has reduced.
You may have observed certain young kids who cannot sit in one place even for a minute, yet others quietly sit next to their mother while doing Samayik, without disturbing her for hours on end.
Why the difference? Because those kids, who could sit quietly, may have engaged themselves in the process of stabilizing that is Thanenam, Monenam, Janenam in the past.
More the restlessness, greater is the anger, and greater are the desires and the wish to fulfill those desires.
A restless person is very sensual as well. A quiet person can also quieten his sensual desires and eventually grow calmer in the process.
Dhyan is a process to reduce our restlessness. It is a means to purify our soul.
