Moksha or Liberation

 Moksha can be understood as a higher consciousness that is worth aspiring to. Moksha essentially means liberation. Liberation from what? From the bondage of the dualities that we are all caught in. For example, Day-Night, Light-Darkness, Contentment-Desires, Restlessness-Peace, Compassion-Frustration, Courage-Fear, Clarity -Illusions, Pleasure- Pain, Knowledge-Ignorance etc. We are torn and bound within these pairs of opposites. The World that we are living in is full of these dualities or pairs of opposites. It is our Consciousness/Awareness that is bound or free. So Moksha is the state of higher Awareness that takes us beyond the dualities of life that we call bondage. This bondage is the cause of our miseries and suffering we all can easily experience. We cannot have one without the other; that is bondage. However there are yogic practices to achieve this higher consciousness.

The Higher State of Consciousness called Moksha when one achieves lives in a way that is untouched by these dualities and so no impressions are made that is the cause of re-incarnation. And therefore there is a choice of having a re-birth or no rebirth. The soul will be enjoying this choice. And this is something that can be experienced when one is still in body also. Not only after death. Therefore it is a matter of achieving or arriving at a higher consciousness called Moksha. There is still a tremendous spiritual journey to trek after this. This is the least a human being must aspire to. Therefore Moksha is an evolutionary state of Consciousness that is possible to be experienced here and now.

The Heart-Centric Life

 

My dear friend Thyagaraju has invoked the word ”heart-centric” in the discussion forum, and he felt that I can share something about it. I therefore attempt to express what is inexpressible about the “heart” and its place in our life. I try to be as brief as possible.

Heart is our Centre of Existence (CoE). Physical heart is only a container and that too is the CoE of our physical body, in the sense that if this stops, everything stops in the body. The physical heart is the place from where the purified blood from lungs is supplied to all nooks and corners of the human system.

But here we are referring to the spiritual heart, an idea through which a person is described such as kind-hearted, warm-hearted etc. We never say one is kind-minded. The heart describes what a man is.

Heart is the Source of the Divine which is also our Source of our existence, if any difficulty in accepting, you can take it as an idea. It will take us somewhere surely. Let’s try it.

Heart is also where the innermost voice is, which we call as Voice of Conscience (Manassaakshi). Therefore the heart never misguides one in life. Even the mind or intellect are supposed to follow the heart but apparently behave as if they have nothing to do with the heart. The heart’s voice is still alive in us however feeble it is for us to listen.

It is this Voice that guides us when we are about to do something wrong or undesirable, pops up every time we are trying to cheat, or being dishonest for instance. But man successfully manages to suppress it and goes by the head.

And it is said and can be verified in one’s own experience that “Buddhi Karmaanusaarini”. That is the Intellect follows the Karma/Impressions/Vasanas irrespective of what heart says. But even intellect should be resonating with heart and vibrate in tandem. The nest moments in our life one can recount are when one followed his/her heart OR the moment when intellect worked in perfect harmony with heart. These are matters of personal experience.

In Spiritual Science, this heart is figuratively called the “Anahata Chakra” or the Heart Chakra. Surprisingly, the Heart Chakra is a Chakra which is connected to all the other Chakras directly. Therefore there are many spiritual traditions that suggest to meditate on Heart Chakra. Anything you do on heart is distributed all over the human system that includes – Sthool, Sookshma, Karana Sharirs.

Heart is also the Centre of Feelings and Inspirations and our life revolves around feelings and inspirations. All sacred scriptures have accepted that heart is where the Divine resides. Therefore the way to God or Reality is through the heart.

We can safely say keeping in view all what has been said above, that Life will be what it ought to be if we follow the heart or even the head should follow the heart. Every time that we act away from the heart we create stress for ourselves. It is no surprise why every human being is so stressful like never before. Reverting to heart can be the only solution.

Modern research also reveals that heart has it’s own intelligence within and it does not depend on our intellect much. (Refer The HeartMath Institute).

Therefore living life in a heart-centric way IS the way forward for all of us. Please try and see. Be an Experimenter, the Experiment and also the Result of your own Experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

Attempt to Express the Inexpressible Gratitude

 

This is my favourite Mudra of my First Master Pujyashri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachariji (July 24, 1927 - Dec 20, 2014). This picture was taken when he just concluded Meditation by saying ‘That’s all’ perhaps in Pune in 90s. One can feel the radiation of the deep Compassion and profound Love with which he is looking at his flock and humanity at large.

I started Sahaj Marg on March 23, 1990 at Hyderabad, India. I was introduced by a brother called MS Padmanabhan who was a guard in Indian Railways known to me. Shri Dr. Subba Rao was my Prefect who introduced me into the Mission with 4 Introductory-Meditation sessions. Within a month Dr. Subba Rao used to constantly tell me that I need to go to Chennai and meet Master at the earliest and also used to say, “Krishna, never leave His feet in your life.” I took it to heart. I was in the way of exploring various Gurus and Missions as a part of my inner quest to find my answers to innermost queries that I had a LOT that were bothering my mind at that time. In that spirit I decided to meet him and found an opportunity also. This was the Celebration of Babuji’s Birthday at Jaipur, Rajasthan on April 30, 1990. I reached Jaipur by April 27, 1990. Master was staying in the Palace and abhyasis were waiting to meet him where he was expected to sit. I was also waiting for him to come. I never had any idea of how he looks like as I have not seen any of his photographs. I only heard something about him from Dr. Subba Rao. I had no other acquaintance but him in the Mission.

He finally arrived, a towering tall personality, well-built, charismatic, and holy at the same time, his face radiating bright light, his presence mesmerising. He has not yet talked. He came and sat on a chair. I was sitting nearby but only looking at him with awe and wonder… no thoughts, no questions, not feeling like talking, a deep inner silence as if all my questions that were bothering for years were absolutely silenced or it was as if I found instant answers without his talking to all my queries spontaneously. There was immense peace experienced within that I never experienced before and my heart instantly was wedded to him and said, “Your search for something stops here and just be with him.” And when I heard him talk, I was floored by the Lion like voice that had tremendous Conviction, Clarity, Content, Wit and humour and the spiritual power to penetrate into and transform any heart with great ease. Naturally my heart committed itself to him; I had no choice; and decided that this life is for him and him only from this instant. That was my profound First Exposure to Beloved Chariji. And that great moment, that profound state of awe and wonder continues to unfold even now. For me this moment is as fresh as it happened today. And this is the moment that is carrying me still and has been protecting me in the turbulent periods of my spiritual career. I have been associated with this Master from 1990 to 2014 physically and of course eternally in the spiritual sense.

Ever since April 27, 1990 when I had the first Darshan of the great Master, my life has taken great turn. It was not the same and constantly improving in a natural way. He fixed my engagement with my better half Ramani, an abhyasi too in the Mission and solemnised our marriage on April 30, 1993 at Babuji Memorial Ashram, Manapakkam, Chennai. He named my son and daughter as Radhakrishna and Nalini. He gave me the opportunity of translating the Sahaj Marg literature into Telugu which still continues ever since 1992. He has been a great Protection in so many ways in my spiritual career. He allowed me to publish a book compiled by me (and supported by my dearest Brothers Ulhas and Shareef) titled “HeIS” that he liked very much. The book was released in July 24, 2004 at Thumukunta, Hyderabad. He also released another book compiled by me titled “Fire Eternal” during a Bhandara in Tiruppur. He approved my decision of taking to Voluntary retirement in Sep 2007 and said “ My blessings”. And I am experiencing his blessings very vividly. Made me a Prefect on Dec 16, 2012 at Manapakkam, Chennai. He also acknowledged my other compilations and expressed that they be preserved for possible future-printing titled “Pearls from Deep Within”, “So you see…”, and “Divine Showers”. He made me a member of Editorial Board for Sahaj Marg literature (in Telugu) in 2012. Approved backdrops designed and conceptualised by me for various Bhandaras of the Mission. The concepts were, “Serve to Deserve”, “He IS”, “Consume yourself and illuminate others” and “We should work All as One.” He also permitted me to be a faculty in the Centre for Research Education Sadhana and Training (CREST, Kharagpur) and allowed me to organize Telugu Training programs during 2011-2013. He has also permitted me to translate the Whispers from the Brighter World messages into Telugu in 2013.

His association physical, mental, emotional and spiritual through his Presence, his teachings, his Work trained me unconsciously on the various aspects and traits of my personality and Character and laid a great foundations in me that are slowly manifesting with the blessings of Pujya Daaji under whose guidance my training and my spiritual pursuit continues. All my training was more indirect than direct. He was gracious enough to answer a few of my personal letters to him that changed my life’s orientation.

I longed for a personal relationship with him physically as a student/disciple which I feel has not happened. Though my First Moment was driving my spiritual pursuit, I had some disappointments with him in some way or the other because of my lack of necessary understanding that I now feel. I was especially annoyed when he apparently used to pamper certain people when there were more people who were ready to die for him, I felt. But the tremendous training that I am benefitted with outweighs considerably more than the disappointments. And now all the disappointments are also dissolved after Daaji shared the pain that Chariji has undergone in his lifetime.

And towards 2014, when he was seriously ill, my heart started feeling the pain of separation and the worry that I could not complete my spiritual journey during his time gripped me. It was unbearable and could not share it with anybody. That is the time I was blessed with a dream where Pujya Chariji hugged me and said, “I know you are a hard worker.” I said, “I want ONLY you, I desire nothing else.” To this he said, “it shall happen, don’t worry.” And handed over me to Revered Daaji. It was an effortless smooth transition that I never expected happened later after his Mahasamadhi on Dec 20, 2014 at Chennai. A renewed spiritual consciousness took over me and is still unfolding in front me under the guidance Beloved Daaji whom I have accepted heartily as My Gurudev that I used to address Pujya Chariji in my correspondence. And my journey thus continues…

 

 

Regulation of Mind through Heartfulness Practices

Most of us if not everybody are not conscious of the need to regulate our minds until life knocks on our heads hard. We get on in life with the default state of mind that we somehow got from birth. But Life teaches us the need to regulate or discipline our minds at some stage of life. We are lucky if that stage arrives at an early stage of our life. However the effect of the current upheavals that the world is undergoing like never before in the history of mankind is somehow making the humans introspective and turn inwards to search for answers to the existential questions such as “Why am I born?”; “What is the purpose of human life?”; “Who am I”; “Why there is so much suffering around?” “How to be happy under all circumstances?”etc. Our Science and technological advancements have no answers and the questions stare at us day in and day out more intensely than ever before perhaps. Scientists today are engaged in the research on Consciousness like never before; and it is no surprise that there is more inclination towards Meditation, Yoga and the Evolution of Consciousness today.

Fortunately, it is better late than never that we are trying to be more aware of our inner Self, Mind and Consciousness. Our Rishis of yore and Spiritual Giants born in this country discovered innovative ways of discovering our Selves. Heartfulness System of Meditation is one such effective systems prevailing in India 100 years old tradition. Regulating Mind is the most important ingredient in the process of Evolution of Consciousness.

Mind is a critical component of Consciousness and the main cause of one’s fall if it is not regulated and also becomes the cause for our emancipation if regulated. The words Mind and Consciousness will be used interchangeably in this context. Consciousness technically has four main components: The Mind, Intellect, Ego and Consciousness called Manas, Buddhi, Ahankar and Chit in Sanskrit language. In the present context regulation of Mind includes all other components also. All these are invisible entities/faculties inside our human system.

The question comes how to handle these invisible faculties that are responsible for our life. If one observes keenly, the life of a human being revolves around these four things. And they are polluted by our fears, worries, negativity and impurities such as Desire, Anger, Jealousy, Miserliness, Pride/Arrogance, hatred etc. These impurities create complexities that our mind is stuck with. Complexities are complicated thought patterns created due to the impurities that we have accumulated over a period of time. Now the job is to restore the original purity of these faculties and NOT to reject them. The whole attitude should be to NOT to treat Manas, Buddhi, Ahankar as enemies but befriend them and put them to right use for our evolution.

The Heartfulness practices were received from above by the Great Rishi Shri Ram Chandra  (of Shajahanpur, UP, India) of 20^th century when he was in the highest Yogic State of Consciousness. They are very simple practices designed to suit the needs of the busy modern man. They can be easily integrated into our modern day life. In fact one of the cardinal teaching says, one should balance the material and spiritual aspects of life for the successful flight of the soul to soar high; and one should not ignore one for the other.

What is Heartfulness at the outset? Heartfulness is all about heart essentially; the centre of our Consciousness; a place where we experience everything; the seat of the Divine; where one experiences Feelings and Inspirations; the compass of our life; the source of inner guidance, the Conscience; and so many other things that we would discover as we tread the path.

The Simple Heartfulness Practices include Relaxation of body and mind (that relaxes and prepares one for Meditation); Meditation in the morning; Cleaning Process in the evening; and Prayer as a Yogic process at night just before going to bed.

What makes Heartfulness stand apart from other prevailing practices is Transmission of divine energy or Pranahuti in Sanskrit and the yogic process of Cleaning. Transmission is a subtler than the subtlest energy prevailing in Nature; a vibration less vibration that has the power of transforming a human being at the fundamental level that percolates to the surface as we progress. The Yogic process of Cleaning is something that removes the past impressions that includes negativity; also removes the heavy emotional baggage associated with the impressions thus making us feel lighter and lighter. Anybody with a brief practice with an open mind can experience the effects of Transmission and Cleaning.

The Relaxation process removes the stress accumulated at various parts of the human body, relaxes the mind to an extent and makes the practicants ready for Meditation. The purpose of Meditation is to regulate or discipline the Mind; The purpose of Cleaning is to get rid of the past and negativity and also to deepen the Meditations; The practice of Prayer on a daily basis helps one to get rid of guilt feelings that causes heaviness in the heart and also helps one to develop selflessness, humility, an attitude of surrender to the Lord.

As cited above, the Mind, Intellect, Ego and Consciousness are the invisible entities/faculties whose state defines the life of a human being. They are also called the Subtle Bodies, or the Sookshma Sharir in Sanskrit. The idea of any Yogic and Spiritual system is to restore the purity and simplicity of these faculties that are corrupted by complexities and impurities also called Karma, Vasanas, Samskaras in Sanskrit created by our wrong thinking and actions. In other words all the subtle bodies are stressed out and Yoga is the process of de-stressing everything about the human system at all levels.

Normal interactions with the external world done with “I” consciousness forms impressions on the heart and gradually solidify into tendencies or Samskaras which in turn would settle on these subtle bodies and misdirect/misrule the subtle bodies that effect human life in total. These impressions/samskaras can be removed by the Heartfulness Yogic process of Cleaning. Deeper impressions can also be cleaned with intense Cleaning procedures. Anybody with a brief practice can experience the lightness or the buoyancy that is experienced at the end of the Cleaning session; and a sense of simplicity and purity starts prevailing. This Yogic process removes the hold of the past on us and allows to approach life with freshness and thus one can avoid developing Prejudice the greatest evil in human being that arrests our growth. This practice also improves one’s will-power and self-confidence.

Meditation according to Heartfulness is continuously thinking about the source of divine light present already in the heart of the human being. Thought is supposed to be highest thing or kingly thing in the human system. We use the thought power in this Heartfulness Yoga to restore the Purity and Simplicity in us. As we meditate, the thought evolves/matures into feeling; that is we start with the thought of “the source of divine light in the heart” and as we hold onto this thought for some time we start feeling the Presence of this Source of Divine light. Over a period of time one starts to almost get rid of thoughts and attains an almost thoughtless situation (it is important to remember that this is not the goal of meditation). After every Meditation one feels a state of Peace and also there is a shift in consciousness. Meditation facilitates the expansion of consciousness to soar higher into the sky of Super Consciousness and also dive deep into the sea of Sub-Consciousness. A peaceful heart performs at its peak in every endeavour. Expansion of Consciousness helps one to become more accommodative, more tolerant, accept the challenges in the right spirit and thus solve effectively.

And the Prayer is something that connects us with our innermost Self, the real Self, the higher Self, the Lord. And it is practiced at the end of the day just before going to bed; that is the last activity of the day. There is a four-line prayer prescribed the Heartfulness System which when repeated mentally twice or thrice with an attitude of humility, love and devotion and meditate on the meaning of the prayer, creates a vacuum or emptiness in the heart, that would instantly connect to the higher Self and one starts receiving the transmission from the Source indicating the connectivity. The practice of this prayer on a daily basis over a period of time changes the inner environment into prayerful state always attracting the Grace of the Lord. The qualities that one develops through this are humility, selflessness, an attitude of surrender, love, patience, empathy etc.

In the final analysis, the Mind whose function is to think and the breeding ground of thoughts becomes full of divine thoughts, the most refined thoughts; Intellect evolves into Intuition and then into Wisdom; Ego transforms or gets refined into Humility or Love. And the Consciousness evolves into a Divine Consciousness. And this is termed as the Evolution of Consciousness to the highest.

The practice of all the above practices on a daily basis develops a meditative state in one’s self and acts as an armour that protects us from forming fresh samskaras or impressions. This meditative state is also called Constant Remembrance that finally matures into Love Divine, the unconditional Love and finally ends up in attaining the state of the highest human perfection that is open to any human being.

Thank you.

 

 

 

Tools for Character Development - Introspection

 The meaning of the word “Introspection”, as an online dictionary suggests is soul-searching, looking within, contemplating on one’s own thoughts, emotions and feelings, self-analysis or heart-searching. Introspection especially is an un-ignorable tool to improve one’s inner spiritual life.

What Introspection is NOT

Introspection is NOT meditation; it is NOT concentration; is NOT sitting quietly.

What Introspection IS

Introspection is to look within; looking at one’s own self as a third person without being judgmental; watching one’s own self “as he/she is” and finding one’s own self as it is.

Introspections helps one to accept one’s own self as he is. Acceptance being the first step to Change one’s self. It helps us to identify our strengths and weaknesses/problems. Helps us to watch one’s own thoughts, emotions and feelings as they are. Helps one to identify the areas that can be worked upon; identify the areas that are difficult to work upon; and also helps us to identify the areas where there is no possibility to work upon and accept them.

That which can be worked upon should be worked upon consciously and got rid of immediately. To deal with the areas that are difficult to work upon, we need to invoke the help of the Divine within or with the help of the Guru can be got rid of. The areas that appear to be impossible to work upon must be accepted heartily as they are by adjusting ourselves thinking it to be a part of the Divine Scheme and think that they have a significant role in our ultimate evolution. Thus ‘introspection’ as a tool can play a very vital role in accelerating our natural evolution.

Death

 Anything that is born is sure to die at some point in time. In fact, the moment it is born, it has already begun to die like the unwinding of a clock. It is only a question of time. In the same way, the moment of our death should be the moment of our birth also. 

What is Death really?

How does it happen?

When does it happen?

Why does it happen?

What dies really?

Where does it happen?

Who is the cause?

These questions often stare at us, generally with no answers except to take refuge in the great scriptures and the experiences of great saints.

They say that the human being is a complex of body, mind/consciousness, and soul or the spirit or the being. One is subtler than the other and the soul or being is the subtlest entity. And it is the body that dies NOT the other two - mind and soul. In Nature, anything that is subject to change dies.

The human being is said to be comprised of three bodies - Sthool Sharir (Physical body), Sukshma Sharir (Subtle body), and Karan Sharir (the Causal body). And what we call Death is nothing but the death of Shool Sharir.  

The human being is so structured that they say it comprises of 5 sheaths/layers/koshas - Annamaya kosha (the layer of Physical body), Pranamaya Kosha (The Life Force layer), Manomaya Kosha (The layer on Consciousness or Mind), Vignanamaya Kosha (The layer of Wisdom or real knowledge) and Anandamaya Kosha (The layer of Bliss). All the koshas are spread throughout the human frame, they are so intermingled that they cannot be separated. One layer s subtler than the other. At the time of death, all these layers withdraw one by one. So our Saints say, that Death happens by stages and not suddenly. 

When a human being dies, they say, "he is gone." In every language strangely we speak the same thing "Mar gaya" (Hindi); Chanipoyaadu" (Telugu); "Satthi poyitaan" (Tamil); and so on. That is as long as the human being is alive, we refer to his body but when he dies we refer to something other than the body. Though the body is very much there in front of us. But as long as we are alive each one of us identifies ourselves with this body. The body-consciousness is predominant. Therefore the fear of Death. 

Nobody precisely knows to this date, as to when, how, why, and where the death happens. That is why all have to agree that it is in the hands of the Creator (if any) or the Unknown called God.

How to know what is Death? There is only one way perhaps. And that is - one has to experience Death before the actual Death as one of the saints said. Is that possible? Yoga says, Yes. Especially the Heartfulness Sahaj Marg System says, Yes. By establishing ourselves in the soul-consciousness thoroughly detaching totally ourselves from other layers of Consciousness, perhaps that is the ONLY possibility. 

This System of Yoga teaches us how to die every day in an incremental fashion and not being aware of it. (But not to worry, every time there is death, there is also birth. So while learning how to die properly, we also learn how to live properly through this Yoga. It is both an art of living and the art of dying.)

During Death, the physical organs, the senses, the life-force, (the prana) everything is withdrawn stage by stage. Something like one achieves through Samadhi condition. In Yoga, we consciously practice this withdrawal with the help of the Guru or Master and experience Death while the body is still alive. Perhaps it can be called a sort of spiritual simulation of death. And when one experiences Death in such a way, it is said that one achieves mastery over death and life and perhaps the choice or need for being born again or to die again rests with the Soul. And the spiritual journey or Yatra continues towards Infinity.

My Favourite Bhajan - Dinan Dukh haran ... written by Surdas that invokes Bhakti/Devotion to the Lord

Dinan Dukh haran ... written by Surdasin Brij bhasha in 15th century and sung greatly by Jagjit Singh. Also it was sung by the great saint from Shahjahanpur (UP, India) Shri Ram Chandra ji Maharaj, affectionately called Babuji,  the ONLY song that was recorded lovingly by his disciple Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachariji Maharaj. The pangs of separation of the Seeker from his beloved expressed so beautifully! The lyrics and meanings are as follows:                                               

                                  Deenan dukh haran dev santan hitkari

ajamil geedh byadh inme kah kaun saadh

panchhi ko pad padhaat ganika si taari

deenan dukh haran dev ...

dhruva ke sar chhatra det

prahalad ko ubari det

bhakta hetu bandhyo setu

lankpuri jaayi

deenan dukh haran dev .....

gaj ko jab grah grasyo

duhshashan cheer khasyo

sabha beech krishna krishna draupati pukari

deenan dukh haran dev .....

itne hari aaye gaye

basnan aaroorh bhaye

surdas dware khado aanadhro bhikhari

deenan dukh haran dev santan hitkari

deenan dukh haran dev .....

Meaning :

 

The Lord who removes the pain of the sufferers and the humble;  well wisher of all the saints

Azamil , the vulture , the hunter , tell me who was perfect among them?

Who taught great words  to a bird and made it Ganika (a man who lives with a 

went to a prostitute -here Azamil ) who moved him  across this bhavasagar the ocean of this world ...

Who protected Dhruva's by giving him  shelter, and saved Prahalad

Who constructed the bridge to go to the city of Lanka,  for the sake of a devotee?

When the Crocodile grabbed the Gajraj (the elephant) in his jaws ...who came to save him ?

When Duhshashan unrobed Draupadi,

 "Krishna Krishna "  called Draupadi  from the midst of  the Hall ..

Who saved her with robes? 

So many times God has (descended here) come and gone...

but Surdas, a blind beggar  is still standing at Your doorsteps -

When You have showered  so much  grace upon so many,

Why don't you also be kind towards me.

Knowledge, Action, Money, Service

Knowledge, Action, Money, Service - These are the four basic energy-orientations found all across human beings everywhere. Although all orientations are found in everyone in some measure, one of these four is predominant in a very human being, in the sense that, however he/she may try to be away from one of these predominant orientations, he/she CANNOT budge from it. If one has Knowledge as his energy-orientation, the second one has Action-oriented, the third one is more oriented towards Money and the Fourth one is oriented towards Service. 

Interestingly, the fundamental and common orientation that is found in all of these is the orientation towards Love/Happiness/Fulfillment. 

It can be perhaps said that there are four categories of human beings - Knowledge-oriented, Action-oriented, Money-oriented and Service-oriented human beings. And every category of this human being has his own place and importance. This can be recognized once the human being realises the underlying common orientation that is Love/Happiness/Fulfillment orientation. 

And this Love/Happiness/Fulfillment orientation is something that has the potential of integrating all the human beings with all the differences in their approaches towards life. And that is what Yoga or Meditation offers that can develop an attitude of Tolerance, Unity, Respect, Trust, Love etc .

More so it applies to Heartfulness Way of Meditation that helps one to integrate a Yogic orientation to our material-orientation that is more Fulfilling, that gie more Happiness and makes our hearts FILLED with that Unconditional Love.

One just needs to COMMIT about an hour every day for himself or herself out of 24 hours that he has at his/her disposal. Ultimately it is the Heart that integrates all human beings. And Heartfulness teaches us how to meditate on the heart, how to clean or purify our hearts,  how to listen and follow our hearts, how to live a heart-centered life that gives utmost Fulfillment and unmatched Happiness/Bliss.

I heartily invite you to attempt this for  few days and experience yourself. Please click the Heartfulness link that is available on the blog.

Lord Ganesha - A Symbol of Human Perfection

Lord Ganesha is a great symbol of what really a man should strive to be like. He very much represents, what a perfect human being should be. In Sanskrit, the word "Ganapathi" means someone who is the chief of a group of people. In that sense, all Presidents are Ganapathis, all kings are Ganapathis and one who is the pathi of all of us, the God is also Ganapathi. This meaning changes the whole perspective of viewing Ganesha from what we have been seeing since childhood. Going by various people talking about this unique form that he has, apart from the puranic stories, the following description of His form helped me to view the same icon with a different and very inspiring, and helps us to see this rather peculiar image with a profound perspective:

Starting with vast foregead of Ganesha, it represents enormous intellect and nowledge; His big ears represent that one must give more importance to Listeniing, the highest communication skill for a human being; Small mouth represents that one should talk very less; huge stomach indiactes that He stomochs any number of inssults and moves on;his lon trunk represents that he is highly sensitive that he can pick up even a needle fallen on the ground; the mouse on which he travels represents the desires that is controlled by apparently heavy body of Ganesha; His body is so light that he can travel on a mouse; that is a man can become weightless and light when he commands the desires. His small eyes denote theat he is visionary and can see distant future very distinctly; in essence, the peculiar body structure of Ganesha represents how a Perfect human bing should aspire to be.

To sum it up, the form of Lord Ganesha should remind us always, what a human being should aspire to and let us all rest not till we achieve that. human Perfection.

Jai Ganesha!

Logic/Reasoning, Intuition, Transcendence and Reality

Logic is an intrinsic quality of human mind/intellect. Human being by default thinks logically, arrives at things rationally, what they call man is a rational being. Man studies everything in and around him with logic/reasoning and only then he accepts it as real. Logic is an instrument of perception. As we transcend logic perhaps intuition takes over to perceive the next dimension of Reality.

Intuition is an intrinsic quality of the Heart or Conscience. It is a source of direct knowledge that needs no proof or reasoning. It does not depend on the accumulated knowledge or experience unlike Logic. Being intuitive is the quality of heart. The intuition in animals is called instinct. They are not logical, but are instinctive in their behaviour. So in this material world human being utilizes both the instruments of perception to navigate through life with more and more refined understanding. But what is perceived through intuition can be  expressed with the help of logic.

Reality is what it is. Reality is beyond logic, beyond even intuition, beyond understanding. It can only be experienced or felt only through transcending everything.

Human being needs logic and intuition, both for a comprehensive experience of Reality. But they are to be transcended. Logic cannot take us to Reality. But mysteriously Reality stands to logic. Logic helps us to realize that it cannot take us beyond a point. From there one needs to take-off and transcend into a different dimension. It is with intuition that we perceive this higher dimension of Reality. And as one progresses into higher and higher dimensions of existence, the intuition appears to be getting more and more refined till it achieves the intuition of the highest order.

In the pursuit of Ultimate Truth, as Swami Vivekananda said, “we do not move from error to truth, but we move from a lower truth to a higher truth.” That is why it is called as the Ultimate Truth or Ultimate Reality. The Ultimate Reality is First and all other things (mind, heart etc) came later. Hence the need for transcending and human being has that capacity of transcending innate in him.

This is expressed as longing or restlessness inn every heart/soul to get back to the Source. One needs to yeld to this restlessness sooner or later. And Spiritual Science says, it can be hastened consciously through Meditational practices (such as Heartfulness) by which these tools of perception get progressively refined and are finally transcended to experience the Transcendental Realities. This continues till the Longing is absolutely satisfied perhaps, and that would perhaps happen only when the soul merges into the Ultimate Reality finally.

Buddhi (Intellect) follows Karma while the Heart follows the Divine

How to follow the Right path in life? Who decides it for us? How to discriminate between good and bad? Who decides it? How do we know we are in the right direction from moment to moment? Single answer to all these questions is the Heart that is within us. It is the Heart that is within us that guides our real aspects of life. Heart never misguides.

It is mentioned in our scriptures that Buddhi or Mind is something that is also in us but follows one's Karma. That explains the varieties prevailing in the human species. They say - buddhi karmaanusaarini - buddhi follows karma. But there is also something in us which follows the Divine and that is why never ever misguides us - the Heart.

So we have within us Buddhi that follows Karma and the heart that follows Divine, and are in between, to follow either Buddhi or Heart. The quality of one's life depends on where he/she pays attention. We do NOT actually have really this choice. But most of us pay attention to Buddhi than the Heart. That is how Karma becomes apparently powerful. All that we need to make Karma weak is to pay attention on the Heart consciously and we can gradually perceive the loosening of the Karma's hold on us, though the Laws of Karma cannot be escaped . That is what is spirituality is all about, especially the Heartfulness Sahaj Marg Meditation, a very simple and Natural practice. (Please visit www.heartfulness.org)

Therefore it is OUR ATTENTION that makes the Karma or the Divine in us powerful. Conscious and sustained practice or sadhana would help us to lead a life of Heartfulness. Living life according to Heart becomes natural.

How does one know whether it is the Mind or the Heart that is really guiding?

Heart immediately guides us when we are going wrong and keeps silent when we are right. And when one needs to take a decision between what is right or wrong, the answer that comes from heart will not have any choices but Mind's answer will give lot of options. Heart's decision may be challenging but that is the only right thing that should be done at the moment. When heart says something there will absolutely be no doubt. Generally we lack courage to follow the heart; to follow mind or buddhi is very easy, it needs no courage. This courage can be developed again through a sustained practice by purifying one's own heart. Because the Heart follows the Divine it is NEVER wrong. Because the heart knows the purpose of life it rightfully guides. It is onlt because of our lack of our ATTENTION that we are not able to listen to its voice. Thw whole idea of any spiritual practice is that this voice of the Heart should be audible more and more clearly so that one's life is clear and in the right direction in proportion to the clarity in the voice. There is no end for this clarity it goes on improving as we go deeper and deeper into the Heart through practice. One's evolution is proportionate to the degree of this discrimination he/she possesses. And this discrimination is proportionate to the depths that he/she has achieved in this pursuit. And so the life should go on in the only direction it should be going.

The collective evolution also depends on each heart's evolution. And so the need for every one to meditate on the heart.

May be we can say that Buddhi is karmaanusaarini and Hrudayam or Heart is Daivaanusaarini (follows the Divine Principle) and that is why it is never wrong and NEVER ever misguides and the only thing that is present in each one of us to guide from within. All that we need to do is to pay continuous ATTENTION.

Tools of Evolution - Prayer

Nobody is a stranger to the word Prayer. Nobody really need to teach anybody how to pray. Because when one is in deep distress or in a utterly helpless condition, when all the doors appear to be closed with absolutely no hope, whether one believes or has faith in the Almighty Lord or NOT, what emanates through him/her naturally is Prayer. It is an deep inner cry of the nature inside to the Nature outside. That is exactly the time that Prayer happens and not done. Prayer must happen and Not done. This is an unconscious prayer.

Prayer can also happen consciously. Prayer is more an inner Attitude than an activity. Prayer refers to a state inside the heart when one feels utterly helpless; when one feels that he /she is small and Lord is SO Great; when one's heart is completely filled with vacuum, with love, with devotion, with purity.

Thus Prayer becomes a tool of connectivity with the Unknown, Almighty, Power whoever He is or whatever It is. It is a tool with which one develops a relationship with the Creator or the Lord or the Almighty Unknown Power. And mysteriously the help comes; the answer comes.

Prayer is NOT asking.

Prayer is waiting; Prayer is placing oneself as he/she is before Him, in the most humblest attitude. And whatever has to happen will happen. And whatever is NOT to happen will NOT happen. This kind of heart is a prayerful heart that has a possibility of attracting Lord's Grace. And if the heart is always in a prayerful state one would constantly be attracting His Grace.

Prayer is done consciously on many a occasion:

when one is utterly helpless to help himself/herself;

when one expresses deep gratitude to the Lord (Thanksgiving prayer);

when one prays for others.

Prayer establishes a relationship of Love with our Creator. One should approach the Lord with Love and not with a transactional attitude for the simple reason that He knows Best what is good for us; when to give and when not to give anything. Asking amounts to reminding Him His duties towards us.

Spiritually it keeps the EGO always humble. This single attitude of Humility eliminates a sea of problems that we suffer because of our Ego. And also simultaneously open up the higher possibilities that are available for human being to evolve.

Single Sincere prayer can make a difference across not only to the self and others around him/her, not only this whole Universe but affects the higher realms of Consciousness that we are not yet aware of. Prayer has the potential of changing the course of Nature also.

As we regularly practice Prayer in the right earnest, our attitudes our way of Prayer keeps on refining that we will not know almost that we are in prayer even. Leaving absolutely everything to Him and be in His intense remembrance without being conscious of what is being asked for or being prayed for. In fact we do NOT pray 'for' something, we JUST pray.

This is so profound that can only be experienced and can never be described.

Prayer and Meditation (another tool for our Evolution)

"Prayer is talking to God and Meditation is listening to God."

Prayer Connects to God and Meditation continues the prayerful state.

Tools of Evolution - Longing

“No matter how great your longing is for God, IT WILL NEVER EVER compare to His Longing for You”

Longing, Craving, Restlessness, Yearning, spiritual hunger/thirst are all synonymous and are commonly used in spiritual life and spiritual literature. And they all point to our deep, innermost state that is hungry for something we know not what. This inner state is something every soul has as an inherent ingredient.

While some of us are conscious of it, some of us are apparently not. For those who are NOT apparently conscious, it manifests in various other ways such as drive for money, power, name, fame etc.

Those who are conscious realize it is longing for something more deep within, for something more profound, for something beyond and perhaps for something more fulfilling. It perhaps emanates from the SOUL.

But this longing is something that accelerates the evolutionary process or the growth process and helps us to grow in the real sense. Longing for anything for that matter brings the thing that one is longing for more close. It is the driving force to achieving something.

However the REAL Longing is when one does not know what he/she is longing for; it is an eternal thirst that drives us from within to traverse in unknown territories, exploring unknown inner worlds, gives the necessary push from inside to move forward; and it appears Nature also cooperates/facilitates this deep inner urge in some way and guides one where one is destined to go.

Longing I feel is associated more with the heart than anything else; and it gives a very beautiful pain worth having; it’s taste is indescribable but very fulfilling. More Longing results in more restlessness, more pain, more hunger, more thirst for something we know NOT what. This is a sure tool for our spiritual growth for highest point of consciousness that is open to human being. The deeper the longing the closer the Goal.

How to develop or deepen our longing?

If we are not having this longing, this can be triggered by exposure to great beings, great ideas, or taking to some spiritual practice such as Meditation.

If we already have this longing this can be deepened in a systematic way by practicing Meditation on a daily basis.

Some Quotes:

“Soul often speaks through longing” – Sue Monk Kidd

“No matter how great your longing is for God, IT WILL NEVER EVER compare to His Longing for You”

“The river of human life meanders along, through many a valley, leaps over many a cliff, loses itself in many a marsh, and seeks to empty itself in the Ocean of Divine Grace” – Atharva Veda

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong. “ – Unknown

“God put a longing in our hearts for unfailing Love because He knew it would lead us back to Him.” – Renee Swope

Shravanam Mananam Nidhidhyaasanam Saakshatkaaram

Spiritual Education or Brahma Vidya is essentially an education that transports us from the present state (whatever it is) to the ONLY state that we need to be in (The Reality). And this process of Education involves basically three steps viz., Shravanam (Listening that is to hear with attention), Mananam (Continuous Reflection) and Nidhidhyasanam (Deeper Contemplation or Meditation)that should ultimately lead to Saakshatkaaram (Realising or Actualizing the Truth). These steps apply to any process of Education specifically to spiritual education without which Realization that every soul is craving/yearning for remains unachieved.

Shravanam means to listen with attention. Listen to whom? Listening what a Realized person has to say. Even reading or watching a video or listening to an audio of that person can also be called as Shravanam today. Their words are to be heard with absolute attention in absolute silence without missing a single pause, gesture, tone, feel or expression.

Mananam which means trying to reflect uninterruptedly on what has been heard; trying to understand not only the superficial meaning but deeper meaning and also trying to perceive what is is said without being said - reading in between the lines. As Great Beings do not say anything directly to any person that is to be corrected in him/her. It is left to us to understand and make the necessary amends. Mananam should go on for sufficient time till one is satisfied enough that he has not left off anything to understand. Mananam also involves thinking of pros and cons of what has been said, questioning in one's own self to understand all the possible aspects of what has been heard. This should result in comprehensive understanding of the subject that one has heard. Education is not yet complete. This step also involves referring to various literatures, discussions and debates if required.

Nidhidhyaasanam which means deeply meditating on the meaning of what we have heard and reflected. It does not involve thinking because all thinking is done in the previous step Mananam, now it is ONLY contemplating deeply on the essence so that it is digested thoroughly and becomes a part of our system. This in some way completes the learning but education is yet to be complete.

Saakshaatkaaram is the final phase of this spiritual education where the contemplated Truth becomes the Reality or is actualized in a very real sense and one is face to face with Reality so to say and there is no iota of doubt of what one is experiencing which amounts to acquisition of Real Knowledge - Brahma Vidya.

Real Knowledge is acquired ONLY by following these steps. This is a tested truth and it has been followed since aeons in India from Vedic times.

Following The Conscience

Every human being possesses Conscience. It is the Compass of of human life, always shows the right direction. This is the Guiding force embedded in each one of us. Human misery is directly proportional to the distance we are away from it. That is as the distance grows, our misery grows, as the distance decreases the misery reduces, happiness, Peace, Quiet, Serenity, Love, Patience, all these values increase, If the distance is zero, one is at Maximum Happiness, Bliss, the Most desirable state a human being; perhaps that is Perfection or Divine that all the saints talk about.

This Conscience is also known as Inner Voice or the Heart. It has no physical existence but it is there not leaving us for a moment. The whole drama in and around us is the manifestation of the distance that we are away from this. Though there are many voices from inside, they should be called noises to distinguish from the real inner voice which is always right. There are the voices of out thoughts, emotions, sentiments, impressions, prejudices that are often confused as the voice of Conscience. How to distinguish with clarity which one is the real inner voice? When the Voice is of the Conscience, there will be no element or trace of doubt in it; we will be damn sure with gut feeling. And when there is an option, then it is Noise and NOT Voice. One more test is generally the Voice of the Conscience is heard clearly when something is going wrong.

What is this Conscience? It is a Presence of Purity within. We can call it divine. It must be the combination of all the subtle bodies mainly comprising of Mind, Intellect, Ego and Consciousness in their purest form. Because these are the individual noises that we hear from inside that are a result of impure mind, intellect, ego and consciousness. Next comes the question how to purify these invisible entities called Mind, Intellect, Ego and Consciousness? This is where a System of Meditation can help us, that is directly involved in purification of our numerous subtle bodies. I recommend Heartfulness Sahaj Marg Meditation which I have been practicing for quiet sometime now. (Please visit www.heartfulness.org) This system will teach us ans give us the experience of purification of these subtle bodies and make us progressively experience more and more fulfilling life. Anybody who is seeking and above 16 years of age is welcome to try this and have first hand experience and explore further at his/her own pace.

We have no choice but to follow our Conscience whether we like it or not; whether we accept it or not; whether we believe it or not. This will not leave us until we are so much Centered and absolutely established in it. It will chase us several incarnations till we follow. The sooner we accept the faster our evolution. Because to evolve is to be absolutely in tune with this Conscience that guides to our destination here and also hereafter.

Thoughts on Positive Thinking I had in 1990

A few thoughts occured to me on Positive thinking during 1990

• Any thought which makes us strong physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually strong is a positive thought.
• That which contributes to our ultimate well-being is positive  irrespective of what it is to  others.
• That which emanates from heart is s positive.
• Positive thinking helps one to evolve infinitely and something which never stops.
• Thinking against one's own self is negative thinking that resists one's evolution.
• Man evolves only if he is willing to do so unlike other species where evolution is automatic.
• Positive thinking is being charitable to one's own self.
• Setting up of an ideal helps in one's self-development of positive thinking.
• One who always thinks positively has  no disappointments and no regrets.
• Positive thinking can also be termed as nothing but the commitment to the ideal that one has set for himself/herself and continuouslybeing conscious of It during all activities of daily life.
• Though thinking is of the mind, if it is guided by the light of the heart, it becomes positive.
• Positive thinking is devoid of the influence of the past, that may corrupt our present to destroy our future.
• Positive thinking should ultimately lead us to the Final Perfection or God or the Ultimate Truth.

Life Always Revolves Around The Invisible, The Intangible

The most mysterious thing about Life is Life itself. It is ONLY the Life that teaches what is Life and that too one-on-one. Even to learn from the experiences of others be it elders, Gurus, Nature or the Life around, even these things are part of Life; hence it is ONLY the Life that teaches itself how to live – in a harsh way if we do not heed; in a beautiful way if we are in tune. If one revolts to be in tune with, it adopts the harsh way. It is wisdom that we be in tune with Life (inside and outside), which is also called Nature (inside and outside). How to be in tune with Nature? It is only by tuning into one’s own heart. Heart is something that is always pulsating with Life giving us a hint that it is our own Centre/Source to be in tune with.

It is interesting to note that every life, (without exception, whether it is human life or plant life or animal life or mineral life); whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, revolves around things that are invisible and intangible.

Let’s take the example of human life that has physical aspects; mental aspects; emotional aspects and spiritual aspects.

At the physical level: Thirst, Hunger, sensuality rule our life – all invisible. Human being just responds to these instincts or signals.

At the Mental Level: Thought; Urge to know; Intellect - again all invisible, human being just acts according to thoughts and the urge to know more and more.

At the emotional level: Feelings; Emotions; Inspirations; ego – the invisible things that rule our life; we either succumb or yield to these prompts.

At the Spiritual Level: Craving/Longing; Purity; Simplicity; Profundity; Perfection – again most invisible things, the substratum of all the invisible things mentioned above. These innermost things govern human life.

Normally the first three levels are active in every human being and the fourth level is dormant; that is not awakened or mildly awakened. If this realm is awakened somehow, the human life falls into place in scheme of things of Nature/God/Unknown/Life/Ultimate Truth.

The point is our whole Life is driven constantly by so many invisible and intangible forces; We are only yielding to or trying to gain control over these things; We are incessantly dealing with The Invisible and yet apparently we are also denying this reality. This I feel is because the fourth dimension in us not awakened still. This is awakened by yet another Invisible and Intangible Subtle Force/Principle called Guru. May every one deepen their Longing for Guru or The Guiding Principle that makes one’s life be navigated in the ONLY direction that is right!

Life is a Journey towards Infinity

Life, it is said is a journey. If it is so journey towards what? How do we realize it? As we are born and grow up as an adult and continuing to live experiencing various stations of life - childhood, teenage, adulthood, married life, oldage unconsciously we educate ourselves and get to realize many things in life, of life and may be beyond life. In our experience of life we are exposed to apart from the life experiences of one's own self, the experiences of fellow human beings and also of other creatures around us. Human being keeps learning from all this. 

Ever since life started on earth, man has been studying life and still continues to learn and evolve. He discovered many ways of living, discovered the purpose/ no-purpose of living, wrote many books and some of them became religions or ways of life. And there have been so many individuals who personally discovered the best ways of living, seemed to have realized the purpose of living and the process still continues. Some of the ways of living resulted in mystic paths or spiritual paths that seem to show a better way of living and evolution.

However each human being has to realize himself/herself, their purpose of life, what is the journey about and towards what is the journey. The entire experience that human being achieved so far helps in some way or the other for one to navigate through this life in a fulfilling way.

From my life, and my study of life and my experiences so far ceratainly realize that Life is a Journey. A Journey

From Birth to Death through Childhood, Adulthood, Old age

From Animal nature to Human nature to attaining Divine nature

From Ignorance to Knowledge

Evolving from the lowest to the highest Consciousness.

From Finite to Infinite.

From Limited to the Unlimited and so on.

The problem before every human being is how to fulfillingly complete this journey to reach the desired destination. Who can teach this? Only the Creator should be able to do it. But He is not accessible. Then who can teach? A Guru or Master who has successfully made it. Even he is NOT accessible so easily. Because it is so difficult to choose a Real Master or Guru. Then who will teach? It is Life itself. Life itself would teach how to live properly.But if it is left to Life, the lessons are very hard and much time is lost. And so the need for a Guru or a Master. 

We shall see in the next blog as to how to get access to the Real Guru or Master.

Evolution as I understand

What is really Evolution? And what is human evolution in particular? Is Evolution same as Transformation or Change? Is Evolution automatic or is there any effort involved? Is it a Conscious process or an unconscious process or both? Can Evolution be accelerated? What are the tools of Evolution if it is a Conscious process? Does one need any help  from anybody to evolve? Does Evolution have any limit or Goal? Does Evolution end? Why should one evolve? Do we have any choice? What if one does not evolve? 

These are some of the many questions that have been bombarding me constantly for several years now  and I am still trying find convincing answers about Evolution in my own way. I shall attempt to share what I have understood so far thus:

Evolution is inner growth in several dimensions - physical, mental, emotional, moral, spiritual especially when referred to a human being.  Physical evolution consumes several million years takes very long. It is said in our scriptures, it takes the soul or Being  to go through 8.4 million yonis (bithplace of any living being, the vulva of the species) to evolve into a human being. That is it takes 84,00,000 species for a single-cell organism to evolve or become into a human being and that takes several millions of years. Thus every human being according to our scriptures has travelled quiet a distance so far. This agrees with Darwin's theory also. But Darwin's theory does not talk about Evolution after the stage of human being.  So the physical body that we have can only decay or disintegrate but cannot evolve. So this is about physical evolution.

I don't think evolution and change are same though evolution involves change. Even decaying or disintegrating involves change but that cannot be called as evolution. May be Evolution can be called as Change for the better or improved situation. Changes may refer to the external s while evolution pertains to something inside, let's call it Being. The Being in every species is the one which evolves. While Change is automatic but Evolution is automatic to a certain extent. For example: according to my Spiritual Master, evolution is automatic up to the level of human being. But after the level of human being there is much more evolution yet to happen, that is called spiritual evolution. But Nature wants now only willing participants for further evolution. The choice is given to opt for evolution or not at the level of human being fortunately or unfortunately by Nature. Perhaps that is the reason why there is apparent chaos around us. Or perhaps there is order in the chaos where we need a refined a sense of perception.

So it is clear that there are always some evolutionary forces that are trying to pulls us up and also there are always anti-evolutionary forces that are always trying to pull us down. And we are in between. The fact that who we are with - evolutionary forces or anti-evolutionary forces- determines our level of evolution. And this is exactly where the Effort plays the role to be always with the evolutionary forces. And that is where the role of all spiritual practices comes. Spiritual practices can be termed as tools of Conscious effort to align with the forces of evolution or Nature. Because Nature or Creation itself is still evolving. Creation is not done and it is still continuing. And the conscious effort is possible only at the human level and NOT in other sub-human levels where the evolution is automatic. No effort is involved at sub-human levels. No effort at the human level can pull human being being to devolve into sub-human levels or continue at the human level till he naturally evolves. The conscious efforts or spiritual practices only hasten the process of evolution as they are aligned with Nature or Creation. Unconscious evolution applies to all human beings and is always there. But the conscious effort or process speeds up the process of evolution that is aligned with Nature. Thus evolution of human being can be accelerated only if one is willing. Why should man be interested to evolve? Because it is the very nature of Nature to evolve. And no living being can afford to go against the Nature as we pay the price for it, again naturally. 

Assuming that Conscious process or Effort hastens the evolution, what are the tools that we can use? All normal human beings have gross body (physical body), subtle body (that consists mainly of  mind, intellect ego and consciousness) and the causal body (the soul). Now among these bodies, the subtle body is something that evolves and that determines the overall evolution or the inner growth of the being. For most of us human beings, if not all these subtle bodies viz., mind, intellect, ego and consciousness are in a corrupt state/impure state. Unless these faculties are refined or purified there is no desired evolution. They are called subtle because they do exist but cannot be seen with the physical eye. Here there are various tools such as Meditation, Yoga and other spiritual practices suited to each one's mind-set that can contribute to refining/purifying these subtle bodies to restore to their original state when they were created. This is evolution. 

Why should we be willing to evolve? To be with the Nature or in tune with Nature. For we cannot go against Nature. What happens if we do not evolve? We either stay there where we are now or we devolve into sub-human levels as it amounts to falling down. And falling down in any context does not involve any effort at all. What happens if we evolve? Especially the human being is always enjoy peace, tranquility, stillness, Love, Bliss in spite of the challenges that the being faces. The very act of participating in the Nature's evolutionary process gives all these privileges and helps us to face the challenges boldly and effectively which in turn again contribute in our evolution/growth further. 

Is there any limit to evolution? It appears there is absolutely no limit to evolve. And it is spiritual evolution that is the fastest than other levels. And hence the need to lay the emphasis upon. In fact we do not have choice to evolve though apparently it appears that we have an option. It is only that we go down for a while only to realize that it is essential to evolve and we come back. No being can go against Nature or Creation as it is the integral part of it. And the faster the human being realizes that he does not have choice, faster is his evolution, for he would involve in the process consciously making necessary efforts. Evolution is innate in every being.

Can anybody help in the process of evolution? Yes. Like we seek an adept in any field to excel, we do have fortunately the adepts apart from the scriptures that can guide us to evolve in this process. One cannot select the adept with his limited faculties and abilities, so one should wait in a particular way for the adept to pick us up. And when he/she appears, the being will intuitively know and recognize. And that is the moment we start a new journey in this evolutionary process. Finding an adept is as if the problem is mostly solved. Most of the time gets invested in preparation only. May the Adepts find all the seekers at the earliest! And pray that All Beings evolve to the highest possible limit in this very incarnation.