Practical Sri Vidya – In the light of Lalitha Sahasranam by Sri Dr.Niranjan(USA)

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Practical Sri Vidya – In the light of Lalitha Sahasranam by Sri Dr.Niranjan(USA) Chadur bahu samanvidha … She who has four arms … We are surrounded by divinity in one form or another in all four directions. Whichever way we turn, if we look long and hard, we will discover a path. Mother Divine’s four arms seem to suggest that. All four arms are attached to one body. Each of us may start our spiritual journey at different times and in different places. Space and time collide into one point when we reach our true inner self. The inner journey may begin and end with a single thought if we persist long enough with that thought. But for most people, the journey ends almost instantaneously as the focus of attention switches repeatedly from one thought to another. Only thoughts that stay long enough in our awareness have the hope of turning into actions and accomplishments. In one sense, we are lucky that thoughts are not scarce. When we lose focus on one, the next one arrives instantaneously. Normally, this continuous stream of thoughts is a distraction and a source of restlessness, but this same process may be helpful in the early stages of a spiritual journey. Since our power of attention and concentration may not be sufficiently strong, losing focus on one thought is to be expected. When the focus on a particular thought disappears, especially if it is a thought related to a spiritual practice, all is not lost. We can transfer the contents of that thought onto the next one that arrives. The only skill to be developed is not getting influenced and distracted by what that next thought may bring, but in using that thought’s energy as a vehicle. The mistake we make is allowing thoughts to control the content. We have the power to control its content, but this power is rarely developed or exercised. Just as a credit card number is associated a bank account, our thoughts are linked with our unique individual awareness, which may be compared to an individual’s bank account. Let’s say we lose a credit card. All we must do is call the bank and ask for a replacement and put a freeze on the card that was lost. We don’t have to change banks. Similarly, when we lose focus on a particular thought, we can easily transfer its contents as long as we remember to call the “bank of awareness” and ask for a suitable “replacement” thought. How much we put in a bank determines how much we can take out. Similarly, greater the awareness, greater is the ability to transfer the contents of one thought to another. As we grow in awareness, speed of transit of thoughts will also slow down. Imagine speeding in a car, driving well over the speed limit. There is always the danger of a collision and making turns may be extremely dangerous at those high speeds. Only when we slow down at an intersection can we safely turn in one direction or another. Also, it becomes easier to read road signs. Similarly, as the stream of thoughts slow down, we can start to hold a particular thought for a longer duration. With a firmer grip, we can start to “drive” thoughts in the direction we want. When one first starts driving, it seems like a difficult task that takes all our effort and concentration. This concentrated effort makes the mind meditative in a way. But there is uncertainty and fear associated with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of a chunk of moving metal weighing


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Practical Sri Vidya – In the light of Lalitha Sahasranam by Sri Dr.Niranjan(USA) by Mulavarg Foundation - Issuu