Pages

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Meditation - I accept this body-mind by Swami Viditatmananda (Rishikesh camp 2022)

 


Om Namah Shivaya ….chanting

 This is guided meditation in which you just have to listen and follow the meaning of the words.

This is an appointment with myself. An appointment with my own self, because throughout the day I'm so busy with various activities, I hardly have time to be with myself. So this is the quality time that I spend with myself, when I have no other agenda, when I have nothing to do, nothing to accomplish, for the simple reason, that Vedanta teaches us that I already am what I seeking to be. It is the accomplishment of  what is already accomplished.

And therefore there is nothing to accomplish, nothing to achieve. I have nothing to become. I do not need to become someone other than what I am, because I am alright as I am. I realize, I appreciate the many limitations associated with me. I realize that I am a limited being from one standpoint. I am physically limited in the  physical capabilities.

This human body is a great gift. It is a great privilege to have this body, and I'm very, very happy that I have this body. It is true that it is limited, yet that is how it is meant to be. Whatever is created is limited. Therefore, this body also is limited in its capacity. Perhaps it is not as strong as I wish it to be. Perhaps I cannot climb mountains. I cannot win a race. Maybe I cannot swim. I may hesitate to take a dip in the Ganga.

Yes, there are many limitations, as well as many virtues in the body that I have. All limitations and virtues belong to the body. This body is a gift, very precious gift given to me. I'm grateful for this gift whether it's a male body or female body, whether it's young or not so young, whether it's strong or not so strong. Regardless of how this body is in comparison to other bodies, I appreciate, I recognize it as a very precious gift.

And therefore I gracefully accept my body as it is. I have no complaints about this body. I have no demands from this body. There is a graceful, loving acceptance of my body.

I am very comfortable with my body, in spite of its limitations. Because whatever is created is limited. I do not need to judge this body in comparison to others. I need not judge this body by the standards created by others. I accept this body as the most appropriate because it is created by Ishvara, who is omniscient, all knowing, omnipotent,  all powerful, and my well-wisher. Ishvara is suhrd, my well-wisher. With all His Grace Ishvara has gifted this body to me.

I am the possessor of this body. And this human body is most suited for accomplishing what I'm seeking, namely, Moksha.  What I'm seeking, namely self knowledge. This body may not be most suited to be accomplished worldwide, but it is most suited for all spiritual accomplishments. And therefore, I'm very grateful for the gift of this body.

I gracefully lovingly accept this body. I am comfortable with this body. I'm happy with this body with all its limitations, with its aches and pains, with its virtues and limitations. In His Infinite wisdom Ishvara has shaped his body specially for me.

I'm not proud of the body, yet I'm happy with this gift.

I lovingly, gracefully accept my mind. The human mind also is the most sophisticated gift given to me by Ishvara.

I know my mind has limitations. Perhaps limitations of memory, limitations of understanding, limitations of communication. I recognize limitations in my mind, but again, whatever is created  is always  limited. This mind is created, and so it is limited.

There's no reason for me to be unhappy with my mind. I know that sometimes my mind gets angry, I know that sometimes my mind gets jealous. Sometimes it reacts. Often it is happy. Sometimes devoted, sometimes not so devoted. Sometimes my friend, sometimes helpful to me., sometimes not so helpful to me. Sometimes the mind is my friend. Sometimes the mind can turn against me also. However, the mind is, there are limitations in the mind.

At the same time, there are great virtues in the mind also. I can think. I can feel. I can recollect. I can contemplate. There are countless things that I do with my mind. The human mind is one of the greatest gifts that Ishvara has given me. I am happy with my mind, with its virtues and limitations. There t maybe some negativities in the mind, yet I know that negativities is not in nature of the mind. By nature, my mind is loving, kind, beautiful.

Yes, sometimes there is hatred. Sometimes there is cruelty. Sometimes there is resentment. I do find these negative tendencies in my mind, yet I should remember that they are not the nature of the mind. Because of ignorance, because of false notions, the mind is picked up these negativities, but they're not inherent in my mind. Inherently my mind is a kind, loving, beautiful faculty. I'm grateful that I have the gift of this mind with which I communicate in the world, with which I live my life, with which I accomplish what I wish to. Even if my mind will not have the capability of some worldly accomplishments, my mind certainly has a capability of becoming pure, kind and loving. My mind has a capability of the knowledge in the self. My mind is capability of viveka and vairagya. Shama – tranquility. Dama – self-control. All these capabilities are present in my mind and I know that with right effort, they will all become manifest. This mind will blossom because that is what it's meant to be.

 

 

I'm happy with my  mind inspite of its  limitations, inspite of its  negativitites because I know that they will go away someday.

I gratefully, lovingly accept my mind. I gracefully lovingly accept myself.

Whatever I think is not acceptable in me, that is not my nature. That is not inherently my  nature. That is not inherently what I am.

Inherently, by my essential nature, I am a kind, beautiful, loving person.

If I see opposite things in me, there are only extraneous…. incidental.

Inherently I am a kind, loving, beautiful person.

And therefore I am very happy with me.

That is the appointment with myself … an appointment with the true person that I am.

Here I meeting myself is being myself.

I am happy to be myself.

Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham

Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham

Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham

Shivoham shivoham

..

..

..

Please retain this silence in your mind. Do not engage in any unnecessary talking.

Maintain this silence as long as you can. Om

Om Purnam…..

Harih Om

Shrigurubhyo namah

Harih Om

 

Note: Reading these meditations is not equivalent to actually doing the meditations, especially in the presence of Swamiji. You can buy these meditations from Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh www.dayananda.org.