A Vedic Counselor’s Perspective on Life

“In the vision of Vedanta, a person, by virtue of his own essential nature, is totally, absolutely, pure and free. Compassion, love, giving, and sharing are all dynamic forms of this absolute happiness (aananda). You are limitless, fullness, complete, lacking nothing.”- Swami Dayananda Saraswati

My Nānijī

Nānijī would lovingly start every conversation with “Sai beta, please share with me a few words of spiritual wisdom…” I would respond, “Nānijī, keep your mind on ‘Om’”. In her last few months, Nānijī could not even digest daal water. She would burp loudly during our conversations, mostly listening to my voice telling her to keep her mind on her Higher Self – her “I am.” We never discussed the topic of death directly, but Nānijī knew that it was near and all she wanted to do was rid herself of the immense suffering her body was going through. I reminded her often that she was neither the body nor the mind; that she was beyond these two that caused suffering; that she was pure love, infinite, ever-present awareness – the “I am” that vibrates in the “Om.” In this state of mind, her last moments were not consumed with questions or attachments to the material world she was to leave behind, but rested on her deeper, Higher Self.

Nānijī and I also practiced forgiveness meditation where over the period of several weeks we learned to forgive those who have hurt us. I could feel that as Nānijī neared the end, she was more free, lighter – she divested herself of all of life’s experiences and settled in her Higher Self; her mind was consumed in looking up at the Divine rather than holding down on to the material plane. One day, while sending her healing energy in my meditation, unbeknownst to me, Nānijī passed away in her sleep. She finally merged with the ever-present, indivisible, infinite awareness

Vedic Counseling

I share this story because I was engaged in a form of counseling that I didn’t know existed: Vedic counseling. After much reflection on how I engaged with Nānijī, I decided to explore Dr. David Frawley’s (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) course on Vedic counseling. I became a Certified Vedic Counselor and began my formal journey into Vedic counseling with the hope that I am able to become a compassionate guide to others in their time of need, particularly those nearing death. In time, I developed my own Vedic vision on life drawing from my practices in yoga and study of Vedanta as well as learning from numerous teachers.

Dr. David Frawley explains that Vedic counseling can be understood as dhārmic guidance on right living, right action, and right awareness. It draws upon Vedic knowledge rooted in Vedic Sciences such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Vāstu, Jyotiṣa, among others, and provides life guidance to those in need so that they may access the unlimited wisdom, energy, and vitality inherent within themselves while connecting to the universal intelligence that helps them move beyond their human constraints (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling). Vedic counseling then is counseling of inner observation into our internal reality and a Vedic counselor sets in motion a deeper process of observation and investigation in the individual with the goal of awakening an already-present deeper intelligence (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling).

As I reflect on my conversations with Nānijī, and others who I had spent their last moments with, I found that my guidance has organically always led to a focus on the changeless element of experience, the ever-present, indivisible, infinite awareness of “I am.”

“I am” – A Contemplation

Consider the following contemplation from spiritual teacher and philosopher, Rupert Spira:

“Look around the room you are sitting in and reading this article. Look at the objects, what’s on this table, the table, the walls, the chair, and so on. Now bring your attention away from the objects in the room and bring your attention to the space in the room. Have you ever contemplated this space? Have you ever thought of this space or brought your attention to it? Perhaps the only times you become aware of this space is when you move into an empty home or when you move out, but in between, you fill it up with various objects.

Now bringing your attention to the space in the room, ask: is this space limited to the four walls? Remove the four walls and what happens to that space? You realize that the space in this room pervades this room but is not limited to this room. Relatively speaking, it is infinite. When the building is taken down, the space will remain exactly as it is, as it has always been. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). Similarly, the self or awareness of yourself pervades the body but is not limited to the body. It is utterly intimate with itself, but it has no personal qualities or limitations. It is infinite. It is not located in a body or mind, but you notice in your direct experience that the awareness with which all experience is known, like the space, is not located in any particular experience. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). It has always been there. Everything, including the body and the mind, the experiences you have in your life, all appear in that awareness.”

Similar to the space with all the objects in it and similar to the way we identify with only those objects but not the space within which they are in, our lives are always qualified and colored with the “I am” with thoughts, feelings, sensations, or perceptions. Notice that all those objects of thoughts, feelings, sensations, or perceptions that follow “I am” all appear, exist for a time, and vanish, but “I am” remains. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). In fact, this awareness of “I am” has always been there.

Take a step back from your experience and step into this “I am.” Contemplate this “I am” and soon you discover that the body and the mind is what we are aware of; it is not what we are. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). In other words, the awareness of “I am” precedes all objects and content of experience. It has always been there. This awareness, this presence of awareness, is the most important thing we can understand about ourselves. This awareness is so caught up and mixed with experience that we have forgotten this “I am.”

Be with this “I am.” I am. When a thought arises, ask: are you aware? And you find that the “I am” is aware of that thought but a thought is not aware of itself. When a feeling arises, ask: are you aware? And you find that “I am” aware of that feeling but a feeling is not aware of itself. In this way, you find that no object of experience is aware. And then you ask what is it that is aware of experience? And you find yourself back in “I am” – the knowing and being that is “I am.” Keep going back to this “I am.” (Spira, The Place of Refuge). Stay there. (See also Kavitha Chinnaiyan, Svatantra Institute, Bliss Meditation)

Role of a Vedic Counselor

Our entry into the world is pervaded by duality. From the moment we are born, we are conditioned with the subject-object relationship. As a result, we already begin our lives from a place where we feel limited, incomplete, so we start seeking and resisting. We desperately try to feel whole and complete in our daily activities and relationships. This feeling of separation ultimately leads us away from the one reality — that single, indivisible, reality behind all the objects and people that derive their apparently independent existence. (Spira, An Introduction to Non-Duality). This sense of separation ultimately brings disharmony between ourselves and the world. A Vedic counselor is one who understands that sole reality and guides an individual to an understanding that they lack nothing, that they are already complete.

The apparent separate self or ego, an illusory self (real but not what it appears to be/an arising in awareness) mixed with objects of experience, is sometimes in need of practices or instruction. (Spira, The Place of Refuge; also see Greg Goode, Standing as Awareness). The Vedic Sciences are practices and techniques that facilitate the individual to arrive at the recognition of “I am.” Ayurveda is the Vedic Science for well-being of body and mind; Jyotisha is the science of time and energetic effects of cosmic bodies on the mind; Vastu is the science of space and directional influences,; and other sciences lead us to the vision of Vedanta, which is the philosophy of awareness. (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling).

These Vedic Sciences are the preparation ground to allow one to arrive at the “I am.” (Spira, the Way of Surrender). These Sciences provide processes and solutions to the suffering, needs, questions, and fears of this separate self. (Spira, the Way of Surrender; also see, Chinnaiyan, Shakti Rising). They cater to the separate self’s unique needs before finally resting in the awareness “I am.” A Vedic counselor identifies a particular Science or a mixture of these Sciences and sets in motion the processes to help that separate self dissolve into awareness. Ultimately, the Vedic counselor facilitates an individual to take a step towards themselves, to go home to themselves, to be simply with the knowledge of themselves, to surrender to themselves and open up the possibility of the dissolution of their apparent separate self or ego, that illusory limitations that the separate self acquires from thinking, feeling, sensing, perceiving and so on, into the infinite, ever-present awareness that they already are.

Every investigation or surrender to dissolve this separation that causes so much suffering results in coming back to ourselves where we simply live and be aware of our being, of the “I am.” This is the death of the separate self before the death of the physical self.

The End of the Illusory Separate Self

Visualize yourself on your deathbed. You’ve been told you have three days to live. What would you be contemplating about? What would you want to be thinking about? How would your mind approach the moment? Will it grasp for all that content of experience it has gathered over this lifetime or will it divest all that experience and go straight to the unblemished, essential self? Consider the contemplation on “I am” we just discussed. Would it change how you approach the last few days, hours, minutes, seconds in your mortal coil?

As I reflect on Nānijī’s physical end, and the physical loss of so many other friends and family over the last few years, I find myself constantly reflecting on death. Particularly, on the death of the separate self, and all its illusory limitations, before the death of the physical self. Consider the possibility of having the separate self die well before the physical.

The Sufis call this “dying before death” and Vedantans call it “liberation while living” (jivanmukta). What is meant by this understanding is that when the mind constantly dwells in the “I am” instead of the qualified, colored experience that contracts that “I am,” the mind finds itself in the open, in spaciousness, clarity, and peace; in other words, it is restored to its pristine, unconditioned state. As the body deteriorates in various ways, the mind remains illumined in the knowledge of “I am” – that true self, infinite, ever-present awareness. Many of us fear death, but when we have the capacity to clearly investigate our separate self with a healthy body and mind – especially when that body and mind are healthy now – we can immediately get in touch with ourselves deeply. That is, instead of constantly identifying with experience and desperately holding on to it – the experience of thoughts, feelings, perceptions that say “I am old,” “I am wrinkly,” “I am losing everything” – return back to the one constant, changeless element that has always been there no matter your age: the awareness of “I am.” Keep your attention there. See where this takes you. Does it liberate you from the fear of dying? Remain there.

We find that no matter what happens to this body, the death of identifying with experience, the illusory separate self, gives rise to the birth of peace that is already our being. In this way, when the moment comes when the body is finally done, all that shines in our minds is our knowledge of “I am” – the pure, peaceful, ever-present awareness that has always been there – that awareness that has preceded our birth and that awareness that continues after our death.

**My sincere thanks to the teachers that continue to shape me: Shri Guru, Bhairava Baba, Shri Atmananda Krishna Menon, Shri M, Rupert Spira, Sri Ramana Maharishi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Greg Goode, Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan, Dr. David Frawley, and all those numerous beings who continue to teach and guide me.

The post A Vedic Counselor’s Perspective on Life appeared first on Hindu University of America.

With the knowledge of Bhagavad Gīta in mind, let us bravely make our way through the Kurukṣetra of this pandemic and emerge victorious not only against the virus, but also against our unsteady mind.

COVID-19 and The Bhagavad-Gīta

When I heard the news that my younger uncle’s mother-in-law and my grandfather have left their bodies hours apart due to COVID, I was left in shock. Three days later my older uncle abruptly left his body. Four days after him, my grandmother left her body. Admitted to the hospital around the same time, each did not know that the other had passed away. As we received each piece of news around 3AM EST, our family fell into a deep state of grief and depression. Completely helpless, there were no words to explain this suffering – the loss of four lives all in one week. Even today, it is mentally difficult to grasp what transpired. All I can still think of was how gentle these beings were. This was my mother’s family. The fact that she couldn’t be there in person to bid them goodbye left her devastated. 

When the dust settled and reality set in, I could feel the absence of our loved ones in our lives; I no longer have grandparents to play chess with or share life’s celebrations. I found myself fighting a battle within – my heart and mind were trying to find answers to some fundamental questions: what is the nature of this world? If someone leaves their body, are they really gone? What is death? Where do we go from here? As my heart plunged into grief, all I could do was ask questions. When my heart regained its strength and the mind regained its capacity to contemplate the answers to these questions, I found that it is tragedies like these that are the real teaching moments in life.

I took this tragedy as an opportunity to really dive into Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa’s dialogue with Arjuna in the Gīta. In moments of joy and sorrow, I have always found refuge in the Bhagavad-Gīta. I found a few verses on the nature of the body, the soul, and the mind that slowly lifted me out of my sorrow. As I have found comfort in these verses below, I hope they come to your aid in your time of need as well.

The Body and The Soul

In Chapter 2 verses 13 and 22, Kṛṣṇa talks about the nature of body (deha) and soul (dehī). The key teaching here is that when a loved one leaves their body, they are no longer confined to the limitations of their body and this world. No longer bound by a physical barrier, they remain with us at all times. As all material objects in this world are reduced to ashes at one point or another, so is the body. Our body and the bodies of those we grow attached to and possess with intensity as our own will come to an end. But it is important to understand that while the material body is lost, the soul is not. The soul only possesses a body for a finite amount of time after which it journeys on to its next destination – be it another body or absorption back to the unchanging Reality. The soul experiences the world through the body; it experiences both pain and pleasure, and when the body can no longer function due to the conditions of this world, the soul leaves. Whether or not we believe in rebirth or reincarnation, which is what this verse indicates, take your life as it is in this very moment. We know our body changes in various ways depending on the input we give it through our senses – from birth to youth, middle, and old age, to death. Yet, do we not perceive that there is an unchanging Reality, an immortal being, within us that experiences this world? 

In Chapter 2 verses 23 and 24, we learn about the unalterable (sthāṇuḥ), immutable (achalaḥ), and primordial (sanātanaḥ) nature of the soul. While the bodies of our loved ones are reduced to ashes, their soul is not (nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ). The soul is neither destroyed nor subject to any destructive force like the wind (mārutaḥ); it is not impacted in any way by the elements of this world. In other words, the body is mortal, but there exists within the encased body an immortal being within all of us, including the loved ones we lost in this world. That immortal Reality continues to exist without the body and is utterly unaffected by the world. We can then take comfort in knowing that all beings have within them this unchanging Reality, and it is to that unchanging Reality that we bow down to when we approach each being when we are alive. Realizing this Reality is within all beings and knowing that the physical bodies of those beings are finite, we develop a sense of higher love, reverence, and deeper appreciation for all living beings. With this knowledge, we can arrive at a state where we no longer grieve over our lost ones because they continue to exist in their immortal form. They are more liberated than we are because of this. Thus, Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna repeatedly to remain steady in this wisdom.

Death and Rebirth

In Chapter 2 verse 27 we learn death is inevitable so is rebirth. We often talk about rebirth but we seldom examine critically the nature of death. We accumulate, consume, and discard as if we are going to live forever, and we cause harm to many beings along the way. But we do not take a second to grasp the impermanence of this world. Death seldom comes up as a topic of discussion. Now Kṛṣṇa gives us an opportunity to examine it very closely. Although we do not know how or where we will be reborn, consider death in this life here and now because it is certain – it is coming for you, for me, and all those we love. We can choose to ignore death and confront it at an uncertain time in our lives when we (our minds) are utterly unprepared to face it, or we can decide to accept, understand, and embrace it here and now. When we know we cannot overcome death, we learn to accept and embrace it. When we embrace it, we start looking within, and deeply look within others as well. It is only then that we really start living and treat others with respect.

If death is certain for us, what should the mind do now so that at the actual moment of death we are in a state of ease and peace? Here lies a profound insight: we can use our lives to prepare our minds for death. When death arrives, our minds can whole-heartedly be ready to accept it because we have prepared the mind to meet that moment. No one had expected COVID to happen the way it did; I certainly did not expect my family to pass the way they did. Naturally then knowing death is certain, this moment or next, we must strive to attain a peace of mind.

Mind: Friend or Foe?

How do we attain peace of mind? Consider Chapter 6 verse 6. When tragedy strikes, our mind experiences a variety of emotions. One moment it is in deep sorrow. The next, anger at God, at the circumstances, and at the utter helplessness of the situation. Does the relentless acquisition of wealth and power bring back a lost life? So how do we make use of a difficult moment to turn a turbulent mind around? At the core of the mind is a thought. These thoughts can benefit us or they can harm us. The question is, how prepared is your mind to face a difficult situation?

In a tragedy like this, lots of exchanges take place. Some of these exchanges are unpleasant and cause great pain. We do not take a moment and give ourselves the time and space to say, “the mind is grieving, it cannot make sense of the situation, let me give it some time to settle down before it says something or makes me do something harmful.” Once this settling down of the mind happens and it regains its composure, the mind then has the potential to become our friend and work for our benefit. Each thought can be controlled and turned to benefit us. Naturally the mind will react to moments of tragedy in terrible ways, but with each tragedy the mind, with careful choices and efforts, can be prepared to bring about a deep friendship. This wisdom may then heal us and help others too. In this way, we may move from one difficulty to the next established in steady wisdom where the mind becomes our friend rather than our enemy.

So what is the point of suffering? Is suffering an opportunity to transform the mind? What active steps can we take to turn the mind into our friend and rise above this world of pain and pleasure? It is clear that an innate characteristic of this existence is suffering – dukkham. The circumstances leading to the death of my family members during COVID made this very clear. Now what causes suffering? Take my grandparents. I was extremely close and attached to them. When they ceased to exist in this world, all I was left with was suffering. No doubt we must let our hearts weep because they are tender enough to feel pain and compassion, but we must also be established in knowledge. This experience has taught me that attachment results in suffering. 

Towards Mental Equanimity

Now, how can we put an end to this suffering? Consider Chapter 2 verses 54, 55, and 56. The primary teaching here is to attain a mental state of steady intellect or equanimity (sthitaprajña). See also 12-18 and 19. Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa about the characteristics of those established in such a mental state. How do they talk? Sit? Walk? Kṛṣṇa answers that when, through constant effort and deliberate choices, cravings or selfish desires (kāmān) come to end, that person is said to have attained a mental state of steady intellect or equanimity. Such a person whose mind was previously affected by pain or pleasure, praise or insult, heat or cold, now having perceived the immortal soul within, becomes unaffected and transformed.

To become free from selfish desires or cravings requires constant effort. We can slowly use every moment to overcome the agitations of the mind by adopting a certain path. Based on our mental proclivity, we may adopt Karma mārga, a path where each action is performed without attachment to the results – ultimately culminating in work solely for loka-saṅgraham. 3.20-21 and 3.25. We may adopt the path of Bhakti mārga, a path of loving devotion towards any personal deity – ultimately culminating in complete surrender (sharanagati). We may adopt the Jñāna-mārga, a path of contemplation and self-inquiry – ultimately culminating in the realization of true Knowledge. Then there is the path of Dhyāna, where the mind remains on an object of meditation, be it “OM,” a deity of your choice, or the formless unchanging Reality – whatever is easier for our mind – ultimately attaining the state of absorption (Samādhī). These are a few paths Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna. These paths help the material being, full of selfish desires, turn into a spiritual being, completely selfless in thought, word, and deed. The ordinary mind is then transformed into a Divine mind free from sorrow (ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti). The finite, mortal being then slowly perceives oneself to be an infinite, immortal being and attains the ultimate state of peace and bliss. This is one way to put an end to our suffering.

In conclusion, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, step by step, reveals this knowledge to Arjuna and convinces him to fight and do his duty. He tells Arjuna that he has nothing to fear because nothing is lost in this world. He stresses the point that every being has a spark of the Divine within them, and just because the body is lost, it does not mean that the Divinity that resides within each is lost. He helps Arjuna arrive at a mental state of steady intellect or equanimity where the mind is firmly established in this knowledge. In many ways, we are all Arjuna. With this knowledge in mind, let us bravely make our way through the Kurukṣetra of this pandemic and emerge victorious not only against the virus, but also against our unsteady mind. As Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says towards the end of the Gīta, yathechchhasi tathā kuru – ponder over this [knowledge], and then do as you wish. 18-63.

Cover Image Source: Creative Commons

The post COVID-19 and The Bhagavad Gita appeared first on Hindu University of America.