Reincarnation Therapy = Pujya Gurudev

An Emerging Integrative Healing Therapy: Reincarnation Therapy

=Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya

A plethora of unknown secrets of this life have deep roots in our previous life experiences stored in our subconscious and so-called unconscious realms. The causes of our present life circumstances can only be understood by fathoming the depths of vast realms of the subconscious and the unconscious. Today many modern psychologists are trying to find reasons of our pain, maladies and difficulties in these fields of the subconscious and unconscious. Countless observations prove the fact that whether a disease is physical or mental, its seeds are hidden somewhere in a persons unconscious self. 

As a result it is necessary to dig up and clean the dirt lying buried in our unconscious layers of the self. After all what is unconscious self? Psychologists consider it as a storehouse of the imprints of our past lives. Yogis call it the "Black Box", in which the essence of all our desires, habits and sanskars (impressions) of the past are stored in a pell-mell state. The hypothesis is that an integral part of a person (consciousness or soul) survives each time the physical body dies, and sooner or later takes on a new body (reincarnation). Whatever we did, thought or felt in the recent or remote past is still alive in this unconscious mind as indestructible memories. It can be said that the accumulated experiences of the past create the unconscious self. If it is full of bitterness, hatred and pain then, it is manifested in this life in the form of all kinds of disease and problems. 
The therapy to solve these problems is called "Reincarnation Therapy". "The basic starting point for reincarnation therapy is simple: problems, whether you experience them as mental, emotional, physical or spiritual, originate in experiences that are unresolved, which can be tracked down, exposed and therapeutically re-lived" (Rob Bontebal, Adam). Reincarnation therapy can also be called Spiritual Therapy. This is an in-depth approach to healing and its perspective is wide and broad.

Spiritual therapy is Indias ancient method of healing. Nowadays it is a major subject of research for western psychotherapists. Modern psychotherapists like Dr. Brian Weiss, Dr. Moris Netherton, Dr. Roger Woolger, etc have accepted the principles of spiritual treatment. Dr. Brian Weiss found that the reason for any patients present pain usually lies in the deepest layers of his consciousness. To some extent he was successful in understanding some of the facts of a patients previous life while delving deep into the personality. 

Because of this success he came out with a new psychotherapeutic theory, according to which, without understanding a persons previous life, one cannot get rid of the problems of this life completely. Many of our involuntary reflexes to certain life situations keep creating an unknown fear in us. For example, walking over a bridge, swimming in water, seeing a fire, seeing blood, sleeping on roof top, encountering darkness, being in the crowd, being administered an injection, swallowing a medicine, using an elevator, etc make us uneasy. There is no remedy for these fears. Similarly some diseases like asthma, migraine, schizophrenia, obesity, addiction to drugs, depression, tension, etc refuse to respond positively to treatment. 

According to modern therapists, these diseases have roots hidden deep in our unconscious. By probing properly and deeply you may find that the reasons for these reflexes are related to either something that happened in childhood or even in previous life. So to cure such diseases, it is necessary to diagnose its original cause. Without doing that, with routine treatment the symptoms may subside temporarily but will re-appear when the conditions again become favorable.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Self-Development III ; Pujya Gurudev

Four Pillars of Four Pillars of Self-Development 

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

(Translation of a discourse by Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyaon Atmonnati Ke Char Adhara  delivered in 1980) Let us begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra: 

“Om Bhur Buva Swa, Tatsaviturvareyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yona Prachodayat” || 

Swadhyaya: Swadhyaya is a wonderful method of purifying the mind and righteous molding of the thoughts and attitude. Our attitude and thoughts are expressions of what we have accumulated in the mind. The activities around us, the nature and conduct of the near and dear ones, the ambience we are exposed to or what we have been experiencing, learning or grasping, knowingly or unknowingly via the automatic process of nature, continuously create subtle impressions on our mind. This accumulation, together with the consequences of what we have been desiring, feeling, thinking and doing remain inscribed in the unconscious mind life after life. What we have inherited from the earlier lives and what has been assimilated so far in the present life accounts for our sanskaras (intrinsic impressions and tendencies). Unless we make an extra effort, our outlook and thoughts and hence our persona is shaped up by our sankaras and our present ambience and training. Swadhyaya is an attempt to choose an enlightened aura of influence, superior ambience for our mind. How? Swadhayaya literally means self-study.

                 It deals with the study of ones own self (ones aspirations, thoughts, attitude and conduct) in the light of elevated thoughts of enlightened personalities. How will you study yourself unless you have a guiding measure for comparison? Why will you study yourself unless there is a motivation and an aim to do that? What is your aim? Self-ascent. What will inspire you for this? The company of those who have achieved it. It is human nature to compete with, to copy, or to follow others  especially the more influential ones around. This is why parents are advised to maintain good conduct in front of the children. This is why you are advised to choose your friends carefully. If you are in the inspiring company of great personalities, you are bound to be motivated to improve and illumine yourself, to rise and experience the fulfilling and glorifying horizons of life. 

                  The present times and environment of life are such that more often than not they encourage and aggravate our negative tendencies, sensual passions and vices. Even our relatives and friends often divert us from the path of self-ascent. They do so because of their ignorance. For them, likewise for most people around, following the popular trends, viz., earning money, comforts, higher worldly status and power are the major goals in one way or the other. They would even criticize, hinder and oppose ones efforts for self-restraint, simply because they are not familiar with such things, or, because these do not fit into the common framework of life-styles they have adopted or desire for, or they don't see any immediate gain in attempts of self-control. Our own tendencies are also not much different from them so we also get attracted by the suggestions of people around us. Then what do we do? Should we let ourselves be entangled in the vicious cycle of downward trends? Certainly not! As you all know it is the nature of water to flow downwards. Water naturally flows, by the law of pressure-gradient, from higher to lower level. Additional force (e.g. by the motor of the pump) of higher magnitude is required to draw it upwards. Similarly, if you want to see the light of knowledge, if you want to broaden your attitude, if you want to rise beyond the insane or wrong trends of the present time, if you want to cross the barriers of your present circumstances and ambience and want to excel in the righteous sense, you will have to put in extra efforts with unflinching resolution. How will you do that? From where will you get the power to move ahead against the resistance of the popular customs, against the downward pull of surrounding ambience and against your own convictions and habits? Who will give you adept guidance and support for it?

                   One possibility to annual the negative is by assimilating the positive with greater intensity. Satsang (good company) of great personalities, saints and sages is most effective and practical method of doing this. But how often do we get this opportunity to attend their discourses or to meet and discuss them? Even if their discourses and meetings are organized in your neighborhood, sometimes, you may not be free in those particular hours. Then? Therefore, swadhaya is the only means which is feasible in the present circumstances and which can serve the purpose of satsang. As balanced food and regular physical exercise is necessary for bodily health, regular swadhyaya is necessary for mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. It is no less important than any devotional practice. Swadhyaya is given utmost importance in the science of spirituality. It is stated in some Vedic scriptures that  a person is equivalent to a beastly human on the day when he/she does not do swadhyaya. As washing and scrubbing is necessary for the cleanliness of the clothes, bathing is essential for the hygiene of the body, similarly, swadhyaya is necessary for the purification of the mind. The untoward accumulations in the mental field are cleared out and elevating sanskaras are strengthened by the trenchant thoughts and inspirations induced by swadhyaya. It lays the foundation for realization of Inner Light.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Self-Development -II ; Pujya Gurudev

Four Pillars of Self-Development -  I

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

(Translation of a discourse by Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyaon Atmonnati Ke Char Adhara  delivered in 1980) Let us begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra: 

“Om Bhur Buva Swa, Tatsaviturvareyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yona Prachodayat” || 

Thousands of complications, adversities and problems in ones life flow from ones nature, outlook and inner personality. Negative attitude, deluded perspectives, ones own vices and infirmities and wrong thinking often invite or add to adversities and problems. It is said that one becomes what one thinks and does. Indeed, most of the present circumstances of life are the results of ones own past actions and aspirations. Well, whatever be the present situation of your life, the best you could do is to face and tackle the hardships with patience, courage and balanced reasoning. If the circumstances are favorable today, make the best use of them for a better future with farsighted vision and prudence. In any case, the process of your self-purification and improved thinking should not stop.

You might wonder what exactly is meant by self-refinement, self-transformation and self-development and how to go about it? To achieve this you will have to adopt four disciplines  samyam, swadhyaya, sadhana, and seva. These are like four essential steps of the excelsior of human life, four foundational pillars of the edifice of accomplished life, four resources of divine ascent of human self. All the fours are interwoven. We cannot expect elevating our life without anyone of them. For growing a crop, four things are crucial  seed (or sapling), soil, water and sunlight (or some source of vital elements). If you want to do a business, again a quadruple is a must; namely, capital, experience, demand and customer! Combination of four things  bricks, cement, iron and wood is essential for building even an ordinary house. Talent, resources, support and appropriate opportunity are required for recognizable success in this world. Paucity or deficiency on any of these four fronts hinders the success-race.

What is most vital for our clinical health? Balanced food (includes water), labor, rest and excretion. Disturbance in any of these upsets the body-system. So you see! Nature has ample examples of four interdependent fundamental necessities. We cannot dream of anything worthwhile along the path of soul-evolution without accomplishing the fundamental necessities of self-ascent. We shall discuss each of them now. 

(i)                          Samyam: Literal meaning of samyam is restraint. It is crucial for us to prevent the drainage or misuse of our powers and potentials. In general, most of us consume our mental and bodily energy in haphazard activities driven by the passions of our ever turbulent minds and sense organs. Even a so-called ordinary person may accomplish wonderful things if he checks the wastage of his capabilities and makes constructive use of his potentials. We have to be vigilant on four fronts and observe abstinence of sense organs, control over the turbulence of mind, and optimal uses of time and worldly resources. For the samyam of the sense organs, most difficult and important is the samyam of the tongue and the sex-organs. These two are the greediest organs vulnerable to addiction. As you are all aware, the greed of the tongue disturbs our digestive system, gulps anything edible or non-edible for taste and spoils our health. The unrestrained indulgence in sex drains out our vital energy and thus weakens our physical and mental strength. Unbridled use of tongue in speech invites animosity and insult. One cannot think of any notable progress or even having a healthy and hearty life for a long time without restraining these sense organs.

(ii)                      There is hardly any moment in a day from the time we get up, when our mind is void of any thought. But what kind of thoughts? Most often these are hazy flashes of auto-wandering of our mind in its world of ever-new desires or abrupt imaginations and retrieval of memory as per egotist impulses. Anger, excitation, depression, etc are all offshoots of an unstable and wayward mind. I don't have to say much on how important it is to have good mental concentration. Be that study, writing, research, focused use of any skill or art, everything requires thorough mental engrossment for success. Even the daily chores can't proceed smoothly unless our mind is calm and stable to some extent. Success in mental control and constructive channelization of thoughts opens up the doors to all-conquering win-win achievements along any chosen walk of life. Time is the most precious resource gifted by Nature to us. But we spend most of it in sleeping or in laziness. We shun hard work and don't do things in a planned systematic manner. When there is some pressure or something of our immediate interest, we get over-enthusiastic and spend all the time in one particular task. This is an extreme, which often burns out our energy or puts us under stress. And, the moment the pressure or interest is gone we just slip back to the other extreme  become dull and aimless; don't even care for how our time is flying in haphazard activities, arbitrary thoughts and daydreaming. Look at the lives of those who have attained success in some field of life. You will find one thing in common  prudent management of time. Equally important is the adept use of available resources. Money happens to be a vital resource on materialistic fronts of life. But unless utilized cautiously, it only encourages addictions, luxury driven life-style leading to a variety of physical and mental health problems; extravagant show-off, which in one form or the other, invites jealousy, anxiety or threats of burglary etc. Those who are not wealthy need to be more careful, as every penny of their hard earned money is important. Those who have substantial amounts for fulfilling basic necessities and duties should invest the remainder wisely in projects that help many others in a viable manner and generate more wealth for wider use. Industriousness, planned budgeting, and thoughtful use of money is the secret of prosperity. Assiduity and controlled use of resources also lend essential support in ones efforts of self-restraint of sense organs and are therefore important for self-dependence and self-development. 

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Self-Development - I ; Pujya Gurudev

Four Pillars of Self-Development - I

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

(Translation of a discourse by Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyaon Atmonnati Ke Char Adhara  delivered in 1980) Let us begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra: 

“Om Bhur Buva Swa, Tatsaviturvareyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yona Prachodayat” || 

Sisters and Brothers, Our Yug Nirman mission has been organized as a laboratory. In a laboratory of chemistry, new chemicals and compounds are invented and presented to the world with a demonstration of their properties and use. Our mission is experimenting on the formulae, on the workable and viable plans for spiritual ascent and reconstruction of the world. Our Yug Nirman mission is a man-making odyssey. It is developed like a nursery to nurture good qualities, to produce enlightened talents. As you know, saplings of a variety of plants and trees are grown in a nursery and supplied to different gardens where they blossom with beautiful flowers and nutritious fruits. Our laboratory is like an agricultural farm where varieties of crops of better health-values are cultivated based on thorough research and the beneficial knowledge and technology is distributed for wider application. 

Our Yug Nirman mission is like a school for the training, development and chiseled refinement of personality. It is an academy to produce the future architects of a happier, harmonious, and integrated society. After all what is the society? It is a congregation, an ensemble of people. People make the society and their collective qualities and conduct shape up the character (reputation) of the society. Transformation of individuals leads to transformation of the society. Therefore, illumined ascent of men and women to a higher level of consciousness leads to transmutation of the society, thus altering the trends of time and creating a new, better, world. This is what Yug Nirman aims at.

The four definite steps to achieve this lofty goal are  vyakti nirma, pariwara nirmaa, samaj nirmaa and yug nirmaa (personal, familial, social and global transformation and evolution). We firmly believe in the pledge Hama Badalenge, Yuga Badalega; Hama Sudharenge, Yuga Sudhrega (When we transform ourselves, the trends of our times will be transformed. When we reform ourselves, the world will be reformed). It is obvious that we cannot experiment on the entire world; all the people across the globe cannot even be reached in feasible time. 

As we know, charity begins at home. So we have to begin with a small group, with our own selves, our families and friends. If all of you endeavor sincerely, the Gayatri Pariwar of our mission will become a model for others to follow. 

This way, gradually the ripples of change will encompass the whole ocean. So the first and most important task before us is self-refinement, self-development. For this we will have to first identify and focus our attention on the central root that directly or indirectly governs the course of our lives. Think and ponder over what really makes one what one is as a person? It is the force of intrinsic tendencies of the mind. The hidden desires activated by these tendencies drive the mind and generate the corresponding currents of thoughts and trigger the brain for matching actions. Although the conscious mind appears to be our decision maker and manager with the brain being its counterpart at the level of the physical body, the real ruler is our unconscious mind. The intrinsic impressions on it are so intense that these block even the voice of the soul. So, for self-refinement and self-transformation, it is essential that we first purify our inner self  especially the unconscious mind, reign in its passions and control its wayward tendencies that dominate our desires, thoughts and actions. Transformation of the central root will transform our life in no time.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Om = Pujya Gurudev

Om -The Primordial Sound, The Eternal Syllable

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Shabdabrahm being generated by the cosmic impulse of Brahm is eternal; its physical manifestation in sonic vibrations also continues to exist forever. As per the Vedik scriptures, its first realization was  the self-existent, primordial Nada (musical sound) of (Om). Physical perception of this sound is described to be similar to what one would hear from the resonant notes of the tinkling vibrations of a big gong struck by a wooden hammer in a consistent manner (e.g. during the devotional prayers  aratis in the temples). In terms of phonetics, the pronunciation of Om is described as  au..3m: au stretched with a stress almost 3 times higher than ordinary short or long vowels followed by the anuswara  sound of the nasal sign (m). The syllable "" for this universal sound "Om" (often referred as om or aum by the Westerners) in ancient Sanskrit script is a monogram of this sound. All the activities and the order in this world are said to be generated and harmoniously regulated through the origin of this omnipresent subliminal sound. 

The phonemes of the Vedic hymns and the seven fundamental nodes  Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni of the Indian classical music have originated (distinctly recognized by the Rishis) from the vibrations of the sublime sound of Om in the Nature. The Vedic quote Ekoham Bahusyami  implies that all the sounds, all the energies, all the motions and everything existing in the universe have originated from the vibrations of this single anahata nada. This is the source of the manifestation of the Shabda-Brahm and the Nada Brahm. Om (aum) became the sacred word hum of the Tibetans, amin of the Moslems, and amen of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Christians. Amen in Hebrew means  sure, faithful. The biblical passage, John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

The New Testament declares that in the beginning God was the Word. According to the Bible, then, heaven and earth-the cosmos-issued forth from the Word. (By "Word" is meant "pure sound" here, because there can't be any language or word in the primordial existence). Paramahansa Yogananda also mentions of "Om" as the Word of the Bible, as the Holy Spirit. According to Yogananda, all aspiring yogis seek to commune with "Om" and understand it. Audible utterance of this sound produces a sense of sacredness... However, real understanding of "Om" is obtained only by hearing it internally and then becoming one with it in all creation.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Faith in the Divine-II; Pujya Gurudev

Attainment of Goals through Faith in the Divine

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

“Aum bhurbhuvah svah, tat saviturvarenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat”. - Rigveda 3/62/10; Yajurveda 3/35; Samveda 1462

Only after reflecting well over these six points, should we choose and determine our goal. But even more important than the six points enumerated above is the seventh, which is our own vision or dream whose rainbowy glow has illumined our inner mindscape since the very beginning. To realize this dream could be the chosen goal of our life. It is a pleasant truth that a dream is born in every heart, we believe in its fulfillment, then our dream takes concrete shape, and a miracle is wrought. Whatever be the goal & career related, economic, material, mental, familial or spiritual & once it has been set, after careful consideration, it is not wise to change it frequently. At the same time, it is necessary that in selection of the goal, the above mentioned seven considerations are kept in view, because impossible ventures, such as settling down on the Mars or pulling down the Sun to the Earth can not be set as the goal in life.

But if a feasible and logical goal has been set, there should be no question of going back. After fixation of the goal, the next requirement is total concentration on it. Total concentration means that the whole personality should merge in that, so much so that the one begins to be identified with the other. When firm resolve, full devotion and unwavering faith become combined, attainment of the goal is ensured. The seemingly impossible begins to be not only possible but attainable, successive steps start gaining momentum, and opportunities begin to emerge spontaneously.

Those whose search of a goal is over and who are advancing towards it with complete faith will ultimately succeed in realizing it. this much is certain. In this connection, the memoirs of the great seer Swami Vivekananda are instructive. Swamiji has written that after the Mahasamadhi of his guru Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansadev, all the guru-bhais (brother disciples) were left without money, home and means. There was no proper arrangement for even food. But, yet, their goal was crystal clear before their eyes. Also, they all had unwavering faith in the nobility and loftiness of the goal, i.e. the restoration of the sublime glory of Mother India and Indian culture, so that the banner of Indian culture would once again flutter in the world. But how would this lofty goal be achieved? To this, there was only one answer divine help, because those who have unwavering faith in the Divine would rediscover their innate strengths. They would be able to run and not get tired; they would keep walking and not feel exhausted. Swamiji says: "The experience shows that the very thought of divine help generates in the mind a unique serenity which is beyond description.

Whenever I have felt loneliness in the course of my sadhana, I have remembered Christs assuring words, Be not afraid, be not disappointed, because I, your Lord, your God, am always with you. I will accompany you wherever you go ". The inspiring moments of Gods help and experience of the Divine are always helpful in attainment of an exalted goal. If, however, the goal is vast and grand, it should be completed in stages. It will be better if it is broken down into yearly, monthly and fortnightly units, and we proceed towards it gradually, albeit steadily, determinedly and faithfully. We should look upon God as our benefactor and the Gayatri mantra as our anchor. This divine anchor imparts to the personality a mystic strength and enables it to cover the distance to the goal easily. One should not, though, neglect ones health during the course of this sacred journey.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Faith in the Divine= Pujya Gurudev

Attainment of Goals through Faith in the Divine

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

“Aum bhurbhuvah svah, tat saviturvarenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat”. - Rigveda 3/62/10; Yajurveda 3/35; Samveda 1462

 "May we behold in our inner self the Supreme Being who is the embodiment of vital energy (prana), the destroyer of suffering, the annihilator of sin, the joy incarnate, the sublime, the resplendent, the Divine. May that Supreme Being inspire our minds towards the enlightened, righteous path." TheGayatri Mahamantra is not only helpful in attainment of noble goals in life, but in essence, is itself the ultimate goal of life. Only by beholding the Supreme Being in the inner self and by resolutely treading the righteous path, can mankind search for and find its sublime goal. An aimless life is a miserable life of wandering in the wilderness. 

The absence of a worthy aim renders all the means and efforts meaningless. Unless the goal is clear, the internal energy and latent strengths can not be channelized in the right direction. All the potentialities begin to wither away in a life without a lofty purpose to pursue after. To prevent this eventuality, it is imperative that a goal be fixed. For selecting and fixing the goal, it is essential to minutely search ones inner being, because only such a close search will unravel the facts whose analysis will enable us to determine the goal. In connection with this inner investigation the first point is to identify the talents hidden within oneself. 

That is, to know one by one all the latent qualities which are yearning to find expression. The second point is to pin-point that specific God-gifted spark or impulse which has been stirring us since our childhood. The third point is those challenges which have frequently surfaced before us and with which we are still surrounded. An intensive scrutiny of these challenges is very essential, because without surmounting them, we can not proceed towards our goal. The fourth is our own value-system of life which we have inculcated within us and cherish. Generally, this value-system abides in us in the form of some noble thoughts and duties, and we are not inclined to abandon them under any circumstances. The fifth point concerns those resources which we possess presently; it is this asset which will come to our aid in the course of our progression towards the goal. And the sixth prerequisite is those opportunities which destiny has bestowed upon us. (Countinue)

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru

Shiv Sharma