সোমবার, ২৫ এপ্রিল, ২০১১

HUMAN BRAIN AND MIND & MEDITATION AND HOLY-NAME


The Human Brain & its potential: Human brain is composed of about 1500 crore nerve cells & each one is capable of making complex interconnections i.e. sending electro-chemical signals thousands of times every second. The brain works by sending signals to its motor organ. Everything we do and experience, our thinking, learning, intricate body functions, is processed by nerve cells of the brain & nervous system. It is similar to a computer. We are using even less than 10 % of the total capacity of the brain, leaving 1350 crore of nerve cells unutilized. The potentiality of human brain is always under-estimated & under-utilized because of its omnipresence.

Anatomically the uppermost part of the brain is called Cerebral cortex (famous gray matter). It is the center of higher functions like intelligence, thought & learning.

Cerebral hemispheres: The cerebral cortex is divided into left & right cerebral hemispheres. Professor Robert Ornstein of the Langley Porter Institute of San Francisco by doing EEG (Electro-encephalography) of brain found that not only the one side of our cerebral cortex controls the function of the opposite side of the body, but also performs special functions. The left side of the cerebral hemisphere is concerned with Language, number, criticism, logic & analysis. The faculties are very limited in nature. The right side of the cerebral hemisphere is concerned with rhythm, color, dreams, spatial awareness & imagination it is adventurous, discriminative, qualitative & creative with unlimited potential. The right brain is not only creative it works intuitively.

         Technically the right side of the brain (Cerebral hemisphere) has the capacity to receive the intuitive waves emanating from the cosmos.

         MIND & ITS ACTIVITIES: Anatomically & physiologically the place of mind i.e. the human psyche is not yet well defined. In fact this may be throughout the Brain as a whole. So far research in this field to locate the place of mind in the Human body is inconclusive. Mind is nowhere at the same time it is everywhere.
           According to Sri Sri Thakur there are three different types of mind. The pindi-mana is the bodily mind that lives in the narrow worldly activities. The brahmandi- mana is the universal mind that lives with universal interest. The nirmal chaiytanya mana is the mind of supreme-consciousness, is ever meditative, above all complexes, is always pure & does everything being guided by the Supreme Being. (Alochona Prosange: Vol. 19, P -85.).

Dayal-desh, Brahmandi-desh and Pindi-desh: --

        The three types of mind as discussed above correspond to three different planes, the 'Dayal desh', the 'Brahmandi desh'& the 'Pindi desh'. The 'Dayal desh' being the highest seat of pure spirituality, the abode of Supreme Creator.  The next division is the universal 'Brahmandi desh' in the spiritual-material plane, where spirituality overrides the materialistic thoughts. The lowest division the 'Pindidesh' in the material-spiritual plane is the region of individual mind & desire. It is materialistic in nature. The minds of ordinary people roam in this plane.

CONTROL OF MIND. The key to good living is to control & regulate the mind. The environment conditions the mind where we live. We can control our mind if we desire to control it. We have six complexes (ripu) i.e. Lust (Kama), Anger (Krodha), Greed (lobha), attachment (Moha), (modha) & (mathsharjya). These are like viruses, which corrupt our life & are the main causes of all our sufferings. The moment we allow our mind to muse on sense objects & crave for it, invariably anger follows it. Anger brings delusion that obscures intellect. Loss of intellect results in damage to the faculty of judgment. Senses become unrestrained. As a result we become slaves of senses, which brings more unhappiness in life.  Instead of becoming slaves of these complexes of mind we must know how to control & regulate these complexes.

          The way is to attach our-selves to the Lord (Ista), the first step towards awakening one's self. 


YOGA, MEDITATION & GOD: Human life is a play of the mind. It is the mind that can unite us with the Lord (Ista) the Supreme Being, the eternal fountain of bliss. The word 'yoga' means communion with the Supreme consciousness. When the mind & consciousness are united, then the manifestation of yoga becomes evident in our life. 'Yoga' is the way to realization of self & god. Ordinarily the way we live & enjoy the world, our lifestyle, habit & behavior is by activating the left side of the brain.
            The right side of the brain, which has more potential, is not used at all or sparingly used. Meditation selectively turns off the left cerebral hemisphere & wakes up the right cerebral hemisphere. The Scientists, the Prophets, the Purusattams & the Great-men, all of them have right-sided cerebral hemispheric dominance.
   
          In 'Magna dicta' Sri Sri Thakur's sayings are as follows—


                The psychophysical moulding
                          of objects and affairs
                      to fulfill the interest
                                of the Principal,
                         unfurling the faculties
                   of perception, conception,
                     discretion and remembrance
               with a shortening of the reaction time
                       is the fundament
                             of concentration
                                  and Meditation. (117).

God is the manifestation of absolute truth the existence, consciousness and bliss (satchitanada).

Sri Sri Thakur said—

“ He is the existence of all that exits, ---
              thereby He, ‘the Sat’,

        He is the responsiveness of all that responds,---

                      So ‘chit’---that He is;
             He is the becoming of each that comes, ---
                        thus He ---the ‘Ananda’ as known.”
                         (Alochona Prosange: Vol.11, P-250).
 
         Human beings are also potentially divine. The goal of humanity is to manifest these divine qualities within the self.
        Following the principles of spirituality one can attain the goal of Absolute Truth, consciousness and bliss (satchitanada).
       The easy way to spirituality is to meditate on   the holy-name (mantra), the causative factor of all the creations, (mantra means which rectifies the mind; mana = mind + tran = to rectify) after Initiation (Diksha) from a True Master (Sat-Guru).

 

TRUE MASTER (SAT GURU):

                      Sri Sri Thakur said in ‘Satyanusaran’ as follows— “Whose literature, philosophy and science, penetrating the scattered good and evil prejudices of the mind, have been meaningfully adjusted in the Ideal, is the True Master.”

          The True Masters are world teachers in the form of human incarnation, representative of all pervading, all fulfilling, all-inclusive, omnipotent God, as mentioned in holy scriptures of the whole world. The True Masters possess the mind of Supreme consciousness (nirmal chaitanya mana).

              The true Masters are pure and above all complexes and ever meditative in nature and does everything being guided by the Supreme Being. The True Masters descend in this world from time to time, to lead man from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality, worldly pleasures to spiritual bliss.

            True Master is the Living ideal who practically lead and show us the path to “Being and Becoming’ of life. We have to follow a living Ideal, ‘True Master’ for control of our mind and ‘Being and Becoming of life’.          

 

                      

              HOLY-NAME(Sat-naam): Holy name is the cosmic, primordial vibration, the energy and the creative urge of life, which turns into being.

 
In the Holy Bible it is said—
   “ In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God”. The word as referred here is the primordial vibration that existed before the creation, before there was time and space. This is the causative factor, the mechanism of creation of the universe, all time and space. This was with the God and the word was God. When the Universe is created the word transformed itself into energy and matter. The divine intelligence was compressed in this word. The ‘God’ as is manifested in everything of this universe.

      Modern science says the atoms of elements are made up of enormous energy. The different forms of energies are light, heat and sound, being made up of electromagnetic waves or vibrations. Living beings are evolved out of non-living beings. The ‘common Factor’ in the creation of all living and non-living beings is the ‘vibration’ in the virtual level.
           The relationship of the creation, Holy-name, consciousness & meditation is discussed below.

           Sri Sri Thakur's sayings in  'The message' are as follows—

                The booming commotion of Existence
                       that rolls
                in the bosom of the Beyond ,
                evolves into a
                       thrilling rhyme
                and upheaves
                      into a shooting Becoming
                          of the Being
                      with echoes
                        that float
                with an embodiment of Energy---
                      that is Logos,
                          the Word, ---
                            the Beginning! (I).
                                 (The message: Vol. I, P- 34).    


            It is Energy

                     which lies
                        in the embodiment
                  of word that remains
                     as He is---
                though manifesting Himself
                       into all
                           that was created---
                That is God,
                      That is word,
                         That is Divine! (III).
                            (The message: Vol.1, P-37).


The Vedas also said of nad or word, the pranava or Om. Indian saints said as Sabdh (word), Satnaam,
Naam (name), Dhun (sound), Akashbani(voice of Heavens), Bani (sound). Muslim saints called it as Kalma (word), Kun (command), Bang-e-llahi (voice of God), Nada -I-Asmani (voice from the heaven). The Holy Bible said it as Word/logos, the Holy Ghost or the Spirit.      
                    
During discourses Sri Sri Thakur said—
         “The ‘Holy-name’ (naam) is the original causative factor, the thrill or vibration. Everything of this world including you & “I” are the evolutionary forms of this holy-name. This is the causative factor of subtle & gross forms”. —
“There is new creation from the causative factor to the subtle form, from subtle form to the gross form.” (Alochona Prasonge: vol.2, P-233.)

       Sri Sri Thakur further said—
            “Holy-name’ (naam) has become an integral part of my being. It does not spare me. As long as physical existence is there, wherever, in whatever form, ‘Holy-name’ will remain ingrained with the being. Do practice ‘Holy-name’ (naam) yourself intensely, for some days, you will have realization like me.”—
         “In order to reach that stage you have to keep on practicing the holy-name very carefully and regularly. By sincere practice of Holy-name the Lord within is awakened”.

        After the end of World War II, A group of Americans before returning home wanted to visit
 Sri Sri Thakur at Deoghar.
           As with men of other faiths and backgrounds, the Americans came to discuss and find a solution to various problems personal, philosophical and spiritual with Sri Sri Thakur.
         Sri Sri Thakur welcomed all quests, queries of the Americans. Day after day discussions went on all subjects from early morning to late hours of the night.  Whether seated under a tree or in the field, under the sun or the stars Sri Sri Thakur answered their quests day after day in colloquial Bengali, with occasional measured resonant English.
        While talking to Americans about the importance of Holy-name and meditation, Sri Sri Thakur said—
            “Any name has some effect but sounds with higher vibrations such as hring, bhong etc. which possess a creative force are more effective. The repetition is to be done properly and under the guidance of a True Master.
         Proper meditation creates combustion in the brain cells and generates heat so in India it is called tapsya (tapa means heat).
        The intercellular combustion of brain cells by proper meditation causes various colors to be emitted in the form of red, yellow green, it stimulates the auditory center and thus creates sounds to be perceived by the brain ”.

            “The continuous repetition of holy-name acts upon our central nervous system thereby it increases the sensitivity of nerve cells, Thus the response which was beyond our comprehension, gradually becomes comprehensible. Further, those sensitized cells begin to adjust and so they not only respond better but also retain and become more receptive—Of course, if one thinks deeply about Him, through whom the name has been revealed – his ideas, dicta and desires. — The more the sensitivity and power of reception of the brain cells the finer and deeper the understanding and feeling of the external world and internal self”. —
              Sri Sri Thakur said— “It is recommended to concentrate the mind on the third eye that is the pineal gland, with the right practice of meditation, the base of brain becomes exited. This excitement affects the pineal gland so that many suppressed impressions wake up into the conscious brain. Then through ideal centric work and service they get adjusted accordingly. Thus the unsolved thoughts and impressions in the subconscious and conscious level are recognized and adjusted. Therefore ‘pineal’ in English means ‘the pinnacle of supreme knowledge’ or supersensory perception.” 
   
     Sri Sri Thakur further said to the Americans—
                “There is no difference between the Holy-name and Him who has realized the name like Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, lord Christ and Bhagavan Budha—the name connotes the entity of the realized one. If He is not a True master and if there is no real love or devotion to him then the holy-name alone is not fruitful. The bestowing of the holy-name—the vibrating link of love by the true master is Initiation. Hence initiation to the realized master is the yoke to know his name –- the way ‘ to be born again’.

Sri Sri Thakur in 'Magna dicta' said us to meditate as follows—

               Do meditate Mantra on thy lord
                       dawn and night,
               Do repeat the holy name
                     mentally and meaningfully
                        in all the movements of daily life,
               Do materialise the directions
                             of the guru in due time---
                      That is Tapas---
                         The way to achievement! (69).

Yoga Purusattam Sri Sri Thakur taught us how to experience this spiritual way of living and perfection by following his path of spiritual practice. Meditation on holy-name brings psychosomatic & spiritual integration of an individual.

writter: 

                                 Dr. Nirmalendu Das.
                            Professor of Radiotherapy
                  V.M. Medical College & Safdarjang Hospital,                                                                                        
                                     New Delhi.

                      ********************

কোন মন্তব্য নেই:

একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন