by Gurani Anjali
We have gathered here today in this wonderful place of anandam (bliss), in this wonderful place where nothing matters anymore. In this city of bliss, in this beautiful place, we are gathered with one thought in mind and that is to know—to know the one in the many. To be caught in that wonderful embrace—to be held there, knowing that place never changes. It’s a wonderful place to be. Once the kleshas can be seen and overcome, it will be discovered that there is no “me” to feel self-righteous, there is no “me” to always point the finger at someone and see what someone else is doing. We are to feel compassion and sorrow for those that are going on a nice swing in “klesha-ville.” We are to see that and we are to let them know that they are sitting on that swing that goes back and forth, back and forth. You know how it feels when you are sitting on a swing. It feels pretty good. Doesn’t it? It feels really great – to go fly high in the sky and then dip down and go back and forth, up & down. I used to love that. It’s a very nice ride, going back and forth. And sometimes you get so fond of it that you fall asleep on the swing and you are still going, but you are unconscious.
To overcome the kleshas takes a lot of determination. We are to walk in such a way that no one else may fall victim to the kleshas. Sometimes the kleshas creep up very pleasantly—the veils of maya are always very alluring and tempting. And it’s very secretive. We are to open our eyes and see how sweet the world is. It is really very sweet. But then if we don’t honor purusha (the silent witness) in all our goings and comings, in our sittings and standings, and in every minute detail, if we don’t acknowledge and sit with purusha, all the time, we will go under. And then the pain does come. The pain of delusion does come. And it comes, it smacks you around. You have nowhere to turn to. Then purusha is there, waiting, waiting for you. Purusha has it all, you know. That is why he is The King of the Dark Chambers. Purusha, the Supreme Ruler, must be acknowledged in silence, in that quiet place. Without purusha, this body cannot move. See how the body just animates. Look at the movement around you, and then see that from within, there is a Prime Mover. And then be careful of how you move. With your mind you must understand this. All is mind. So we are to liberate the mind for the body. Purusha (the unmanifest) and prakriti (the manifest) are always united. But the mind, going through the insanity of the ages, seems to be dazed. This mind must be clarified through bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion), jnana yoga (the yoga of discrimination), karma yoga (the yoga of action)—all the Yogas and above all gurushiva—serving the guru. I did it, every day of my life! .And you must do likewise. It is our duty to live one life for another. If from my life another has lived, then I have lived, not in vain
In the Bible, it is written, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”1 What shall be gained? We get so overwhelmed with worldly pleasures that we lose sight of that inner ruler. We lose sight and we cover up this body with worldly delights. “What shall it profit a man?’ He didn’t say woman. Wow! “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” He didn’t say woman because women are of the nature of prakriti and they bring to the world many illusions. And man is always an onlooker. A man is always following, first the mother, then the sisters, then the girlfriend, then the wife. Men are just looking on, and they love the show. They love to be covered up. They love that. And therefore it is stated, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” His purusha (silent witnessing) nature. His omnipresence, omnipotence, the alpha and the omega. If you gain this whole world but lose your soul. So we are not to be overcome by ignorance, overcome by asmita (I-am-ness), overcome by attractions and repulsion. We are not to allow ourselves to cling. We must not be overcome, but must take delight in the world. Not so as to be possessed by the world, but to realize that we are the world.
The deluded mind, the mind that is full of ignorance, with no knowledge, will be possessed. What shall it profit a man? Nothing! Because the world of prakriti, the world of illusion, is always changing and therefore you will ultimately not profit anything. Everything is subject to change. Delight in the changes. Look at the changes, be excited in the changes, give praise to the changes. They demand your attention, but not your attachment. The world is constantly changing. What is today is not tomorrow. The changes in our lives demand praise, but not worship.
All religions place man at the helm. All religions are always talking to the men. All religions are doing this. And the whole world is governed and ruled by men for men. And womankind plays a very prominent role in the world of men. Not lesser, not greater, but a prominent role. All religions—every one of them—have done an injustice to womankind. Nevertheless, womankind has a prominent role to play. It is through her that the man’s world becomes. First the mother, then the sister, then the girlfriend, then the wife and so on and so on.
Everything in society, all traditions, all values, everything has been formed and continued by men, for men and through men, and womankind has played a vital role; a prominent role. But a great injustice has been done to womankind. Women must learn of their own ways and be honored amongst men—not abused, but be honored amongst men, in a man’s world. The whole world is such. No matter where in the world you go. No matter what situation you are in—the society produces and continues for the sake of man. In many scriptures, many great books, you will read “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” Power, fame, popularity, ambition, all these are continually perpetuated for men by men.
Men are always caught up in this great bind. They are caught in it, innocently caught in it. This has been going on for thousands of years. And it will probably take another thousand years for deep respect and honor for all to be formed in this world. Therefore Yoga is a way of life. There is no power struggle in Yoga. There is no domination. There is no possessiveness. There is cleansing, cleansing the vrittis (thoughts), understanding the manas (mind) and the buddhi (intellect), coming to the realization of “the one in the many and the many in the one.” Yoga is a way of life, and I hope all of you really get very sincere in your Yoga practice. You have spent much too long in suffering. In trying to have pleasure you have only wound up in pain—so you have suffered much too long. There is no time to waste anymore. You are at an age now where you can really set the path straight for yourself. If you find aggravation or bitterness coming up in yourself or in someone else, quickly attenuate it.
It should be very easy to attenuate the kleshas (afflictions) and look at life from a Yogic perspective. To be a seeker of truth is to really seek. Seek. To be worshipful and devotional one must be a bhakti yogi (Yoga practitioner following the path of devotion). To get rid of negative karmas, karma yoga—to do selfless labor silently, quietly. When you are told to do—do. And when you are not asked to do—then find ways of offering yourself up. Do karma yoga (selfless work) without looking for any gratification. Of course, a habit with humans is to say, “Oh thank you very much, you have done such a great job.” You cannot help but say this in recognition of the other in your life Then, right away the feathers of the peacock will rise and the other person will say, “Oh yeah, oh yeah.” This is the dance of the peacock, always moving.
Oftentimes, right after someone says, “It is wonderful what you did!” the other gets caught in klesha-ville and says, “oh yeah, oh yeah.” All of a sudden, they get very puffed up. The vanity rises. And there is the boasting attitude, “Oh yes, I do this all the time. There is nothing to it.” And then you will also hear, “Well I do this, and I do that and I do this and nobody ever notices.” That one is silently waiting for gratification, not attenuating the kleshas, but looking for maha asmita (extreme I-am-ness). You see Yoga is such a wonderful way of life that catches you no matter which way you want to turn. Om shanti.
1. Bible; New Testament, Mark 8:36↩