Svadhyayam (Introspection):
Sva means “self’ or “belonging to me.” Adhyaya means “inquiry” or
“examination”. Svadhyaya literally
means, “To get close to something.” In this context, it means, to study oneself
through meditation or contemplation.
This aspect has 2 parts: mimamsa (reflection) and svikruta (acceptance). We have already spoken about mimamsa in the previous blog.
Svikruta (Acceptance): Often one finds himself in situations where none of the options in the solution appeal. One has to accept that which is given, and this is the first step to finding a solution, accepting current state of being. When one accepts current state, then along comes acceptance of one’s actions and its consequences. This results in a solutions mind-set with lower anxiety and stress levels. A key requirement of acceptance conditioning is being non-judgemental.
Anecdotes, experiences and situations to help understand…
Example 1 (Wikipedia Extract) Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc; 6 January c. 1412 – 30 May 1431), was an illiterate, peasant girl born to a middle class family during a period of great turmoil in France, with the French king facing severe reversals in the Hundred years war against the English. At age 13 she has visions of saints and at age 17 she announced that she had been ordered to go and restore the kings throne "I must be at the King's side ... there will be no help (for the kingdom) if not from me. Although I would rather have remained spinning [wool] at my mother's side ... yet must I go and must I do this thing, for my Lord wills that I do so”. Despite being laughed at, she managed to meet the king Charles VII and impress him. She sought and got permission to lead the army and what followed was legendary victory after victory in each battle culminating in the crowning of Charles VII in Reims on Sunday, July 17, 1429. Her victories continued until her capture, followed by trial at the hands of the English who subjected her to heresy trials. Despite being just 19 and illiterate, she protected herself adroitly with a wisdom which confounded her cleric inquisitors. Finally, she was condemned to being burned at the stake through use of false evidence.
This aspect has 2 parts: mimamsa (reflection) and svikruta (acceptance). We have already spoken about mimamsa in the previous blog.
Svikruta (Acceptance): Often one finds himself in situations where none of the options in the solution appeal. One has to accept that which is given, and this is the first step to finding a solution, accepting current state of being. When one accepts current state, then along comes acceptance of one’s actions and its consequences. This results in a solutions mind-set with lower anxiety and stress levels. A key requirement of acceptance conditioning is being non-judgemental.
Anecdotes, experiences and situations to help understand…
Example 1 (Wikipedia Extract) Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc; 6 January c. 1412 – 30 May 1431), was an illiterate, peasant girl born to a middle class family during a period of great turmoil in France, with the French king facing severe reversals in the Hundred years war against the English. At age 13 she has visions of saints and at age 17 she announced that she had been ordered to go and restore the kings throne "I must be at the King's side ... there will be no help (for the kingdom) if not from me. Although I would rather have remained spinning [wool] at my mother's side ... yet must I go and must I do this thing, for my Lord wills that I do so”. Despite being laughed at, she managed to meet the king Charles VII and impress him. She sought and got permission to lead the army and what followed was legendary victory after victory in each battle culminating in the crowning of Charles VII in Reims on Sunday, July 17, 1429. Her victories continued until her capture, followed by trial at the hands of the English who subjected her to heresy trials. Despite being just 19 and illiterate, she protected herself adroitly with a wisdom which confounded her cleric inquisitors. Finally, she was condemned to being burned at the stake through use of false evidence.
- What was is that Joan saw?
- What did she accept as a command?
- On what basis did Charles VII accept her as an army commander capable of defeating the English when he had so many able commanders at his side?
Example 2 - Paul Brunton was a British philosopher and mystic.
He left a journalistic career to study a variety of Eastern and Western
esoteric teachings. Brunton felt charged with the task of communicating his
experiences of inward and spiritual quest to others and to write accounts of
what he learned in the East from a Western perspective. His works have had a
major influence on the spread of Eastern mysticism to the West. In his book, A
Search in Secret India, he outlines his search for a Guru or teacher and rejecting all for very rational reasons. Finally,
he surrenders to Sri Ramana Maharishi and this surrender is not on logical
terms.
- Is such a surrender possible?
- Is it possible to surrender to a concept or person?
Brunton was able to present what he learned from the Orient in
layman terms. He was primarily influenced by Sri Ramana Maharishi, who
maintained that the purest form of his teachings was the powerful silence which
radiated from his presence and quietened the minds of those attuned to it.
Some
teachings of Sri Ramana;
- Of all the thoughts that rise in the mind, the thought ‘I’ is the first thought.
- That which rises in this body as ‘I’ is the mind. If one enquires ‘In which place in the body does the thought ‘I’ rise first?’ it will be known to be in the heart [spiritual heart is ‘two digits to the right from the centre of the chest’]. Even if one incessantly thinks ‘I’, ‘I’, it will lead to that place (Self)’
- The mind will subside only by means of the enquiry ‘Who am I?’ The thought ‘Who am I?’ destroying all other thoughts, will itself finally be destroyed like the stick used for stirring the funeral pyre.
Share your opinion and
experiences
- What is acceptance of one’s fate?
- How does one reconcile evidence with intuition?
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