Three ways to help yourself on the Path
There are three ways we use to help ourselves along the way, this is so that we can realize what we have been talking about before.
Number one is self-giving, where we surrender completely to God, or the true self. But for most people this is difficult. It sounds easy, but it's not. It means you don't have your life. You surrender everything completely to God, absolutely everything. All parts of your life go to God, "Thy will be done."
That's devotion, bhakti. Again, that sounds simple to some people, but it's not, when you come to it, because it means that every decision that you have to make, you leave it to God.
You give your mind to God, wholeheartedly, completely, absolutely. And that leads you to self-realization.
Number two is vigilance, we talked about that, become a witness. Constantly watching yourself. Observe your thoughts. Observe your actions. Sit in meditation and observe what is going on in your mind.
Don't try to change or fix anything. Just observe.
Witness your thoughts in meditation and your actions in your waking state.
And number three is the one I advise, self-inquiry. To ask yourself: "To whom do all these problems come? To whom does karma come? To whom does this suffering come? Does it come to me? Then, what is "me"? I am the self. Who am I? Where does the "I" come from? And tracing the "me" back to its source.
You can use any of these three methods, the one that suits you best. In any way you can, do something. Don't waste your life doing frivolous things. Work on yourself if you want to become free.
That doesn't mean you have to quit going to the movies or going to work or anything. Don't give up anything. Just be conscious of what you are doing. You become an aware being. You become aware of your actions. You become loving, compassionate, gentle with all people. You stop trying to be first. Most of us say, "First. I am first." Forget it. That's how you suffer, that's ego. It's hard to understand, when you put your ego aside, how can your life be better? But it is. Try it, and you'll see.
31.05.2022
