Self cleansing for Spirituality

All religions teach us the importance and imbibing virtues and hence religion conversion does not solve the problem to transform a person. Some people think that visiting the places of pilgrimages or taking bath in holy rivers/streams will wash away our sins. Such acts will only change our moods but cannot reform us as these are mere rituals. The moral and spiritual values are on the wane, recklessly. It seems as if we are sitting on the keg of explosives. To get rid of our problems it is pre-requisite to weed out our vices. We are tossed violently in the wilderness and our life energy is sapped/ drained because of uncertainties and we may be battling the monsters of every kind within ourselves. Bible says that we are living in “the last days” of the present world. The present era would be marked by warfare, disease, famine, earthquake and a breakdown in society. In short, this world, like a foundering ship, is about to sink! To transform for betterment, we should have yearning, determination, discipline and spirit of self-sacrifice through service of mankind. We have to ignite the fire of spirituality and be prepared to undergo blazing heat of vices. The present high paced and burgeoning life has exacerbated many problems. So, we have to clean up our life, full of defilements of vices and adversities of rough times.

God or purity dwells in one’s body. It is, therefore, very necessary to, first, cleanse our inner body as cleansing acts like a score mark/tick mark and cheer about in our life. Every thought, good or bad, emanates first in our mind and if we do not control the unstable (delirium state) mind the situation will take ugly shape. Once controlled and cleansed, it will result in inner glow. Also if we don’t control our sense organs properly, like Rishi Vishwamitra who succumbed to Maneka’s charm, we will earn the agony and displeasure of God. If we go near God and taste His nectar He will help to bring us out of crises/ pangs of distress.

Even the medical doctors give us bitter dose of Neem etc. or advise administration of enemas to cleanse/ overhaul us to purge our inner dross. There is also a dire need of undertaking arduous penance and striving to cleanse ourselves just like the clothes are cleansed in a laundry. Here there is a great need to quote what Sadhvi(monk) Ritambra said citing an example: the sea once asked the river, “why are you meeting me every now and then without any gains as you are full of sweet water whereas I am of brackish one.” The river replied, “I will go on meeting you till I make you also sweet.” Such should be our attitude towards others that our virtues reflect upon/ mirror and leave some dent upon the life of others. At the same time we should become one/ converge, like river with sea, with God and lead harmonious life.

Vices retard our growth and progress in right direction and hence we should not allow them to be the masters of our body and overtake us. Due to several dirty habits we will experience withdrawal from life as they do not lose grip on us so easily. We should have determination to quit them at once. Craving for amassing wealth, materials, and attached forms beyond needs, is insatiable appetite and such desires should be shed off in time to avoid burden later on. These are transitory, illusory and not ever lasting but cause bondage. Our intake of passionate, titillating and untailored food will make our body a breeding ground for all sorts of ills and ailments. Don’t swallow the poison of anger, greed, lust and hatred to become agonized and arrogant but keep such vices at bay as these turn the victim into ashes. Gambling, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse and illicit desires will tempt, pollute/ make murkier, mislead and turn us an addicted person. Alcohol impairs our nerves and faculty of judgment. It may advance our ageing process also. We may fall prey to schizophrenia disease which badly affects and victimizes us from mental disorder involving failures of perception and withdrawal from reality like loneliness etc. Instead of riddance from ills by calming down or coping with anxiety etc., through meditation etc., some people exhume or drown themselves in drinks, pain relievers, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers, cocaine, sneaking pills etc. which further cause asthma, heart/ kidney problems and depression etc. Don’t go by the advice of addicted persons who have, generally, vested interest. They will advocate fallacy to give weightage/ importance to their own views.

Apart from above, we should cleanse ourselves from the defilements of adultery, vengeance, jealousy, theft, falsehood, lust, untruth, likes/ dislikes, deception, plunder, murder, slaughter in the name of sacrifice, reacting over the mistakes of others, suicidal thoughts (which is shirking from responsibility), ego (eradication results in flexibility) and words laced /smeared with sarcasm or use of disparaging words or slight as these act as blockade for growth or relationship and spirituality. Never hurt, tease or cheat the underprivileged/ poor and weak/ helpless or harbor ill will as their curse will have very bad effect on the perpetrator.

While it is desired to remove vices from our life, it is also necessary to imbibe virtues to give impetus for purposeful and sublime life. The virtues act as borax does to gold to purify and make it peerless. Purity cannot be achieved with a desire for power, name and fame but by serving the mankind with pure love. The ‘Sufi’ who is pure achieves with knowledge of outer and inner life. Austerities wash away our sins and the virtues set our lives on right path and make amends. Shri Rama was an ideal man of higher status abiding morals, ethics and virtues. People envy the traits of Lord Rama, even now. If we control our senses, nothing will disturb or irritate us. Lord Shiva subdued his anger of poison within himself instead of spreading to others. One should know the art of tolerance, adjustment and of satisfaction in contentment.

The following virtues also make our life beautiful, being antidote against vices: Love, faith, hope, peace, compassion, atonement, non-violence, destress, renouncement and piousness etc.

There are certain other activities which aid and help us to achieve spirituality and improve health. Music helps in quieting our nervous system and communion with God and mystical love due to performing ‘Kirtanas’. Divine blissful music and singing paeans glorifies God. Dance helps  to reduce our high blood-pressure. Dance also tones up our muscles and improves posture and loss of body weight/ fat and relief from all sorts of pains. Trance helps in controlling all sorts of our sense organs, especially mind. Skipping meals, very often, reduces the risk of diabetes and heart attack and cleanses our internal system. By performing ‘Havanas’ (sacrificial fires) the fire cleanses the environment, chanting potent hymns and verses from three Vedas (Rig, Sama and Yajur) give exalted effect and ward off evils.

Someone has rightly said as to how many moths have lost their life to know the secret—whether the lamp is for burning itself or for burning others. In the same way we have to burn ourselves in the scorching and blazing heat to know and realize God. To sanctify our life, we have to repent arduously for our wrong doings and make amends. Beseeching Lord for help bears fruit. One does not get peace and enlightenment in the crooks and recesses of mountains. It is not possible to achieve our goal without the help of True Master who is harbinger of God, a guide, crusader, a touchstone, and herald of spirituality and against social evils and a rejuvenator as well. He will lift-up our spirits and provide succor during difficult times. He will act as a rudder in the hand of a boatman (life boat) whose boat is sinking in the ruffled waters and will take him to the banks safely across the river (of life).Also one can gain fruits of spirituality if one reads spiritual literature, attends divine congregations and debates of holy people. These acts will prove like adding cherry to ice cream.
                                                                                                                                                   
After cleansing ourselves, we should realize that we are the product of God, fully soaked, rinsed and dried in His hue. We will take an upright path and imbibe/ adopt humbleness by repeatedly doing noble deeds. Don’t forget that even Valmiki Rishi was initially a dacoit/ plunderer and due to making amendments/ chastity became Rishi (sage) and penned down holy Ramayana. On cleansing, waste (vices) is to be burnt and buried deeply, never to show its face again. When inner self is cleansed we know the real purpose of our life and our self-esteem gallops. Our relationships and understandings will improve as by this time we know that we have to, ultimately, leave everything in this world which is finite.

The end result is that we will kiss the threshold of Lord and make it easy to enter His corridors and reach altar. If our heart  and mind do not change for the betterment with virtues and our inner turbulence does not calm down, being a litmus test, this whole exercise will be considered futile. It is possible that the seeker may be labeled as a cynical by the common man but one’s stature will prop up and surge to formidable heights in the eyes of God to reach eternity. On realization one becomes an ardent believer of monotheism and un- corporeal God but most compassionate and powerful. Our virtues and godly wisdom along with prayers of others and God’s blessings/ benediction come in force yielding results in one’s favour and people say ‘WOW’ in astonishment and praise as we are completely redeemed.