If we are to live according to the will of God, then first of all our attitudes need to change. Without that effort, one cannot live according to the will of God. The change takes place in the ideology of the mind.

We think, “I am the doer” – aham karta – and that we can do things to influence our situation, environment and society. We have very inflated ideas about ourselves, especially when we are young and hot-blooded. In everyday situations, we become the actors identifying with the act.

When we identify with the act, we experience every thought, emotion and feeling that appears in that act. “I am the doer, I am the enjoyer” – aham karta, aham bhokta. If we think that we can set things right, we are following the dictates of our mind, not God.

In order to recognize the will of God, this attitude has to change to naham karta –“I am not the doer,” naham bhokta – “I am not the enjoyer.” It is said, “Make me an instrument of Thy will.” Become an instrument so that the divine will can then take over your life.

To become that instrument, we have to work hard. In order to become the conveyor of God’s will, the attitude of “I am the doer, I am the performer, I am the enjoyer” has to change. One has to become empty.

The character, lifestyle, attitude, belief and strength of those who have followed that will is defined by this change of attitude – letting go of the individual identity and merging with the cosmic identity.

However, in the absence of the ability to let go of the idea of identity, we can imbibe and follow the teachings of those who have followed the divine will. The basis of any such teaching is finding what is appropriate in life.

True religious or spiritual teachings – without any social impositions – give us the understanding of appropriate behaviour, function, performance and thought patterns that uplift us, unite us with other people and bring out the human qualities in us. Without social impositions means connecting with the true spiritual component.

The problem arises when different social conditions begin to influence our spiritual ideas. We are all subject to social conditionings. The software that our mind contains and we are born with is not made by us, but by the higher intelligence.

Throughout our life, we function according to the programming of that software. The commands of the software are known as chitta vrittis. We are living that programming, and cannot change it unless we become a programmer ourselves and know the program language.

So, what do we do? We just try to understand our life by incorporating the good and the beautiful that life has to offer. When we are able to do this, we are adhering to the path of dharma. Begin by putting into your life components of goodness, and an illuminated attitude and behaviour.

Ganga Darshan, October 2005

 

From “Yoga Magazine, Issue January 2007”, Sw. Niranjanananda Saraswati

 

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Divine Will

If we are to live according to the will of God, then first of all our attitudes need to change. Without that effort, one cannot live according to the will of God. The change takes place in the ideology of the mind.

We think, “I am the doer” – aham karta – and that we can do things to influence our situation, environment and society. We have very inflated ideas about ourselves, especially when we are young and hot-blooded. In everyday situations, we become the actors identifying with the act.

When we identify with the act, we experience every thought, emotion and feeling that appears in that act. “I am the doer, I am the enjoyer” – aham karta, aham bhokta. If we think that we can set things right, we are following the dictates of our mind, not God.

In order to recognize the will of God, this attitude has to change to naham karta –“I am not the doer,” naham bhokta – “I am not the enjoyer.” It is said, “Make me an instrument of Thy will.” Become an instrument so that the divine will can then take over your life.

To become that instrument, we have to work hard. In order to become the conveyor of God’s will, the attitude of “I am the doer, I am the performer, I am the enjoyer” has to change. One has to become empty.

The character, lifestyle, attitude, belief and strength of those who have followed that will is defined by this change of attitude – letting go of the individual identity and merging with the cosmic identity.

However, in the absence of the ability to let go of the idea of identity, we can imbibe and follow the teachings of those who have followed the divine will. The basis of any such teaching is finding what is appropriate in life.

True religious or spiritual teachings – without any social impositions – give us the understanding of appropriate behaviour, function, performance and thought patterns that uplift us, unite us with other people and bring out the human qualities in us. Without social impositions means connecting with the true spiritual component.

The problem arises when different social conditions begin to influence our spiritual ideas. We are all subject to social conditionings. The software that our mind contains and we are born with is not made by us, but by the higher intelligence.

Throughout our life, we function according to the programming of that software. The commands of the software are known as chitta vrittis. We are living that programming, and cannot change it unless we become a programmer ourselves and know the program language.

So, what do we do? We just try to understand our life by incorporating the good and the beautiful that life has to offer. When we are able to do this, we are adhering to the path of dharma. Begin by putting into your life components of goodness, and an illuminated attitude and behaviour.

Ganga Darshan, October 2005

 

From “Yoga Magazine, Issue January 2007”, Sw. Niranjanananda Saraswati