Some
other articles from current issue
Who Is God? by Shri Andrew Levitt
It is very interesting to note that Yoga
comes from Samkhya, which itself is an atheist system.
This has no doubt had a profound affect on Yoga. Instead
of resting solely on theism, Yoga adopted a series
of individual methods to realize the highest. Some
of them included an understanding of God, some did
not. It is in this way that the study of Yoga becomes
applicable to all people. Yoga is the sum total of
techniques used by he ancients to reach the highest.
Our duty is the selection of those techniques most
suited to our development.
If one is inclined to have some kind of faith in
a higher reality, Yoga recommends that we use it.
Let our own inner desire for God lift us up. Faith
is extremely powerful force, if we feel endowed with
it, let that feeling grow.
In Yoga, God is the master teacher whose lessons
led us inevitably to spiritual heights.
God has created life and work both together to aid
in our growth. This is why our world always moves
us constantly into greater and greater levels of growth.
This growth is not material growth.
God seeks a growth in spiritual understanding. That
we birth an interest in the higher aspects of spirit.
Love, divine inspiration, wisdom. When we stop watering
the seeds of materialism then we can turn that saved
energy in the direction of spirituality. Growth is
bound to follow.
Some day we will walk down that road. Letting go
of all the binds and slip into divine bliss. Now we
must content ourselves with being aware of its existence
and aware that God seeks only our highest good.
Even though God may be active, Yoga still clearly
demands that we do our best in life. We need to establish
peace in the present moment; evolution requires us
to face the current situation and change ourselves.
This belief in Yoga is firm that every situation happens
for a definite reason and that if we are able to remain
balanced, we will find our growth undeniable. The
ups and down will continue until we are able to learn
the lesson of the situation and grow beyond it.
The highest is to face the current reality with this
spiritual awareness, remaining fixed on the higher
aspects of divinity and trusting them to help one
find peace in the situation. This individual should
also be doing a lot of work on strengthening themselves
through prayer, scripture reading, Asanas, and all
the other Yoga practices, only such a one can hope
to overcome the evils which seem so overwhelming.
The fundamental belief is that God desires our growth
and provides us with constant opportunities for self-growth.
God will not hesitate to confront us with short term
pain for long term growth.
SATYAKAMA by Smt. Sarita Modi
Satyakama got salvation by tending the cows.
His Guru Gautam Rishi asked him to take the cows where
plenty of grass and water was available for the cows.
Satyakama sincerely obeyed his guru. He took great
care of cows and sacrificed his youth for the service
of cows. Pleased with him the Lord of cows blessed
him.
In the story of Satyakama we see that no work is
low if the aim is spiritual progress. When the work
is done with sense of dedication it creates a difference.
In Indian mythology, when God himself incarnated
as a menial worker of picking up used plates in the
Rajasuya yajna of the Pandavas.
None else but such dedicated souls are an inspiration.
In this material world it is very difficult to understand
and believe in the value of work. One may come to
know of it but to follow it is still more difficult.
We have to have very strong conviction about the value
of work and then boldness to follow it up and then
patience to see the result. |
