Posted on: Nov 17, 2013
Reclaiming Shakti
Recognising and nurturing the gentler side of our being
Radio
Sai concluded its Navaratri celebrations for 2013 with a special
discussion on 'Reclaiming the Shakti'. Drawing the participation of
Angela Dickson (AD) and Shivani Sola (SS), the conversation with
moderator Karuna Munshi (KM) examined how the imbalance within, without
and around us could be tackled through tapping into our sensitive,
selfless, nurturing, caring and compassionate nature rather than the
stark frailties of the human condition. The panelists focused on how the
feminine energy within could be tapped to achieve a balance between our
'yin' and the 'yang'.
Angela Dickson is a Sai devotee from Scotland, UK. A mental
healthcare specialist, she holds extensive experience in counselling men
and women as well as children in the field of spiritual exploration and
empowerment. Currently, Angela and her husband reside in Puttaparthi
pursuing their spiritual goals by following the teachings of their
Master - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Shivani Sola is a top performing investment banker turned spiritual
counsellor. She holds a Masters in Business Administration. In 2008,
Shivani and her family moved back to India from the US. Her husband
serves as a cardiologist at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher
Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS) in Whitefield, while their son is a student
of Baba's school in Puttaparthi. Their lives focus on love and selfless
service as practitioners of Baba's teachings.
KM:
Sairam Angela Dickson and Shivani Sola. Allow me to start off with a
quote from Alice Munro - the Canadian writer who has just won the 2013
Noble Prize for Literature. She says - 'There are no such things as big
and little subjects. The major things - the evils that exist in the
world have a direct relationship to the evil that exist around a dining
table when people are doing things to each other'. As Munro suggests,
the world around us is only a reflection of the world about us and
within us. And right now there is a lot that is disturbing about the
world around us.
To give an example, we live in India and just today I found this
report in a German national newspaper that said - “India has never had
it so bad. Stealing in government has never been this brazen. Government
officials are now so audacious in their corrupt practices that they do
not give a damn about who is watching. Supreme Court directives are
routinely flouted, crime rates are up and security of life including
women's safety, which is the first responsibility of every government,
is at its lowest ebb”.
Looking at the world from this perspective, it is worth questioning
whether what we see around us is but a reflection of the chaos within
us. Are we projecting this internal chaos? And, what role can
‘Reclaiming Shakti’ or the feminine energy play in restoring our inner
and subsequently outer balance?
One starting point for restoring the Shakti principle could be to recognise the role that women play in society.
And this is what Baba has to say in this context and I quote him - 'From
ancient times, the feminine aspect of the Divine has been worshipped in
various ways. The Vedas declare that where women are honoured and
esteemed, there divinity is present with all its potency. Unfortunately,
today men consider it demeaning to honour women. This is utterly wrong.
It is a sign of ignorance. A typical woman is described as Adi Shakti
- the primal source of all energy having a whole array of powers. She
is hailed as the mother of the children of immortality or Amrutasya Putrah."
This quote is taken from
Bhagawan's divine discourse delivered on the occasion of Ladies Day at
Prasanthi Nilayam on 19 November, 1995.
Understanding gender balance is vital to recognising and identifying
various energies within us including the Shakti principle. Each one of
us, men, women, children, animals... carry feminine and masculine
energies as does everything else on this planet. If we can learn to
respect these energies within ourselves, we will not feel the need to
create false images of ourselves.
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Given this ethos and before we proceed to recognize this intangible energy called Shakti within us and speak about how we can reclaim it, Shivani could you share your thoughts on the present condition of women.
SS: The
entire planet is experiencing this imbalance, which is really about the
imbalance within us - the imbalance of Shiva and Shakti, of the
masculine and feminine. I would not really say that this is an imbalance
only in men. I would say that this is an imbalance in each one of us.
We have experienced the imbalance of the collective male ego dominance
for ages now. Since the time of Ramayana or Mahabharata – we have seen
evidences of this attitude. But now, this shift that is taking place is
pushing this male energy into balance with the feminine. Hence what we
are seeing around is really the last spurts of the resistance from this
male energy. But rather than pointing fingers at men, it would be more
pertinent to say that it is the women themselves who need to balance it
out within them. It is really a key learning for everyone on this
planet. We all need to balance the Shiva and Shakti.
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Going back to the
Mahabharata, we all know that an entire clan was destroyed because of
the way a woman – Draupadi - was treated and the tears that a woman had
to shed due to the disrespect and humiliation.
If
we want to see a healthy new era, if we want to move into the golden
age that Swami has spoken about, if we want to experience divinity at
its fullest, then we must learn to treat this feminine energy, this Shakti within all of us, with utmost respect.
And perhaps as part of this shift, it could be the men who are learning
to be more human or respecting towards their creative side - the side
that allows them to feel, to be sensitive, to be colourful and creative.
And, the women are also tapping into the side that allows them to be
strong, confident, and courageous. These are aspects of the Shakti that calls for a complete balance.
AD: I also
think that we as women have a responsibility to help the male species
develop the principle of Shakti within them. It cannot be a scenario of
men on one side and women on the other. There needs to be a synergy.
Mothers
specially have a responsibility to teach and inform their sons about
the Shakti and Shiva energy and allow them to grow in the Shakti realm.
And, we as women need to look within and at ourselves and ask – 'Do we
really send that aura towards each other?'
Shakti is like the Divine
Love, the Divine Mother and the Divine Compassion. But often I just sit
and witness and think, 'Is there a sisterhood within this entire world?'
I don’t think this exists in the world today. This makes it more
important that we as women need to look within and address the energy
and thoughts we are emanating towards each other. We want men to respect
us, to revere us. But we also have to learn to respect each other, to
revere each other, to think kindly and lovingly of each other also, to
honour the Shakti within the self and all others.
KM: Very beautifully
said. I do believe that women fall short when it comes to building that
sense of camaraderie among us. And, you have rightly pointed out that as
mothers we have an important role to raise boys with sensitivity
towards their own Shakti power to make them a lot more compassionate,
caring and creative.
Perhaps the media has
contributed to creating this image of machoism, that we have to raise
little boys into little fighters whose favourite toys are monster
trucks, fighter jets and combat planes and they must play games that are
very competitive and aggressive. And most certainly, the onus falls on
women to ensure that the correction is made.
Shivani, in your opinion, why are we in this state of imbalance?
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SS:
This is something that has been happening for ages now, where the
masculine energy has been dominant. But I think it is more important
first to understand what is meant by masculine energy or feminine
energy.
Masculine energy can be defined as a supporting energy, a protecting
and caring energy. But unfortunately, when it goes to extremes it takes
the form of suppression, of control and violence.
The feminine energy, on the other side, is a caring, nurturing and
extremely nourishing energy. But even this can be stretched to an
extreme where the woman allows herself to be a doormat, allowing
everyone to walk over her and treated like a punching bag.
And on the
other extreme, imbalance of the Shakti energy in women can see itself
express as manipulative. Both extremes are not good, and it is important
that we learn to achieve a balance within us.
This male energy has actually gone into an extreme gear, the reason
why we see so much of violence around - whether it has to do with
politics, the judicial system, commerce or the corporate system. We see
aggression expressed in different ways everywhere.
In fact, when women get into the corporate world, many of them feel
like misfits so much so that they try to adjust to the corporate world -
they begin to dress like men, speak like them or eat and drink like
them because that is how they feel that they will fit in. The reality
remains that they don't. In the bargain, they begin to close their
hearts and begin to feel more masculine. They are even convinced that
any show of emotion is considered a sign of weakness. So, there is this
total shut down of the feminine energy that is happening in women too.
This sort of
imbalance that is occurring in both men and women is being manifested in
everything around us, be it the government or the political system.
Swami has indeed described this as a reflection, reaction and resound
phenomenon.
KM:
And the media has done its bit to fan the flame. For example, India is
so glued to its television soaps that brazenly reflect this collective
imbalance of extremes of male chauvinism and extremes of female
manipulation or weakness where women are trampled all over. One thing
that Swami has said is - 'A woman is the
wealth of the home as man's faithful companion in the pilgrimage towards
God and realisation, and as the mistress of the house. If the women of a
country are happy, healthy and holy, the men of that country will be
hardy, honest and happy'. (Divine Discourse 9-9-1958)
Beautiful use of the letter 'H'. This describes an ideal situation. But why are we not there? Why are we so far from it?
AD: We are
far from reaching such a state because we are so far from ourselves. We
don't know really who we are. We have drifted so far away that we are
not able to connect to our own self, leave alone connecting with each
other. I do believe that all this unhappiness and turmoil are because we
are so far away from the self.
SS: In
my experience, all of us as Sai devotees are in search of the Ultimate
Truth - the Supreme Reality. We all want to experience that. If we are
not balanced, then how can we hope to achieve this Truth? Some may ask,
'why should we focus on this when we are already divine, why should we
need to think about this balance at all?' The answer to this is if we
are not balanced, then we cannot have that level of awareness of being
Swami or of being God. So it becomes important to understand that
balancing the heart and the mind, this sense of giving and receiving is a
major step on our spiritual path. Only then can we experience for
ourselves the complete beings that we are – as an individual who can
feel and think, a beautiful blend of logic and reasoning and at the same
time kind and compassionate.
KM:
Shivani, talking of women in the corporate who try and behave like men;
can we not be industry captains and leaders while staying true to our
compassionate and sensitive nature?
SS: Swami
has been encouraging women to take on leadership roles. And, I would
say this is the time when women need to move forward. It is enough that
we have been passive for so long. It is enough that we have chosen to
remain in the background. Now is the time for us to take the step
forward in whatever way we can.
KM: But why now and why not until now?
SS: Well, the golden age has just begun. From what I gather, 21 December 2012 marked the beginning of the golden age. This
shift is happening and is unstoppable. At this time, as women, it is
our responsibility to take those steps forward and show the way -
whether in the corporate world or the home – we can balance them
beautifully in a way that shows how logical, analytical we can be even
while suffused with a so much love and emotion. No more do we need to
shut any side of us. What better endorsement do we need than Swami’s words; I believe He had said once – ‘If you want moksha, just hold on to the pallu of your wife's sari, she will take you across’.
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At this point, I would like to add Swami’s words that, "Women are not to be treated lightly. The Geetha says that women are endowed with seven kinds
of powers while men have only three. It is sinful to look down upon women.
"Consider for instance this fact - there
are a number of women who have tried to bring back their dead husbands
or to venerate their memory. How many men have done likewise for their
wives? Many hasten to acquire a second wife. In this respect, Bharat has
been an example to the world. Wherever women are honoured, there is
prosperity and happiness." (Divine Discourse 19 Nov 1996)
I guess the current state of India reflects lack of honour for women.
And, today, as we speak of Reclaiming the Shakti, I would like to quote Swami’s words that are so perfect – ‘Humility,
purity of thought and manners, forbearance, surrender to high ideals,
sensitivity, sweetness of temper - the peculiar blend of all these
qualities is modesty. Modesty is essential for women. The modest woman
will ever keep within limits through her innate sense of propriety. She
becomes automatically aware of which behaviour is proper and which is
not. If a woman has no modesty, she is injuring the interest of
womanhood itself besides undermining her own personality’. (Dharma Vahini, Ch 4 - Masculine and Feminine Natures)
So what do you make out of this stress on modesty?
AD:
From a western point of view, looking towards the Indian women, what I
see is that the majority of Indian women are very modest. Their dress is
very modest, they talk very sweetly and they are very involved and very
caring towards their family and their spiritual devotion is very strong
also.
KM -
And I am sure Bollywood does not represent us as a section of society
because that is some fantasy group of people who live in some fantasy
world where they are driving on clean roads without traffic and speed
breakers and people live lives very different from our daily struggles.
Nor does the Indian media reflect the quintessential Indian women.
Bhagawan is the only one who has constantly gone back and tried to
remind us who we are supposed to be, who we are and to encourage us to
reclaim our Shakti power.
Shivani, as participants in the Golden Age, how do we start? What is the first step?
SS: Women
must first have this ability or establish this very strong connection
with Swami. Also ever since Swami has left the physical body, many of us
have felt disappointed or sad or have been living in grief for some
time although we have eventually realized that Swami is everywhere and
His presence is as powerful. Our practices
should be to strengthen this inner connection with Swami. We can ask
Swami to give us or strengthen each of the qualities that you just
mentioned. We can ask Him to show us the way forward, to hold our hand
and to show us how to put them into practice in our daily lives.
We just spoke about educating our own sons, brothers, and children
of how to regard women. We could start with guiding them to show this
respect to the women who work in our homes. Creating this awareness
about the feminine energy will then reveal itself in different facets of
the society.
Once we make
this an ongoing process, we will see the education system bringing in a
fresh perspective in students. Instead of the way it is now, about how
much is scored in math, social studies or science – we will have
education inculcating skills on how to give up our fears, how to tune
into our higher consciousness, how to tune into Swami, and make
decisions based on His will. Education should not be so much about what
happened in history so many centuries ago, but about cultivating this
connection and true wealth with the inner Sai. And as we begin to
practice these teachings, we will gain strength from this connection
that will eventually lead us to the Golden Age.
I believe that
the Golden Age begins when we feel that connection within each of us,
when we experience the Divinity within each of us.
I had a dream
once when I asked Swami about what would happen in the Golden Age. He
just looked up at the sky as if it is one of those things and said, ‘In the Golden Age, anything that takes root in dishonesty, cheating and lies will all go away’.
So, we
really don't have to worry about how these deceits will go away – it is
enough to be aware that these negativities are indeed diminishing. It
simply cannot last because the vibration of the New Age is such. And
again the female energy revealing itself or surfacing to the top will
happen whether you like it or not. It is up to the male energies to
acquire knowledge about it and recognise it. And as we say, there are
three ways to learn - the hard way, the harder way or the hardest way!
KM: When you speak of
the need to balance the two energies – it is relevant to men as well as
women. It is not men versus women. Every woman who has dominant
masculine energies needs to balance them and bring out the feminine
side, as much as a man.
Angela, any spiritual practices that come to mind that will enable
us to tune in better and, as Shivani mentioned, strengthen our
connection with the God within? To become more awake to the
responsibilities that God has placed on us?
AD: Swami came to me in a dream over a year ago and He kept on repeating the 'Gayatri Mantra'. He gestured with his hands to show me that Gayatri Mantra is to be placed into the body as well as chanted outwards. And through chanting Gayatri Mantra, which we all know is the most powerful mantra
in the universe, I have been privileged to witness a great deal of
transformation. Women who have suffered violence and are under severe
stress, full of fear, with no self-confidence and feel weak – they can
experience an immediate transformation simply by chanting the Gayatri Mantra or by placing it into their body.
But to balance
this again, even men who are honest and acknowledge their shortcomings,
and say they are afraid of themselves because they have these
aggressive tendencies and tempers – it is important to encourage them to
place the Gayatri Mantra into their body. It is incredible how it transforms the negative, aggressive violent energy into positive Shakti energy.
For me, this journey with Gayatri and watching the transformation has been really wonderful sight to behold.
KM: How about those who say they cannot chant the Gayatri because they are not Hindu?
AD: Gayatri Mantra is a universal energy. It has no caste or creed. It does not matter what religion or country you are from. As Sai devotees, you are probably aware of this. With Sai organisations in every part of the world, Gayatri Mantra
is being chanted in every country of the world helping the individuals
to absorb this new higher energy. Chanting the Gayatri also helps us
emanate the mantra from the throat - the light then radiates from within and goes out to touch many lives.
KM:
I understand that it is a very powerful formula and anybody can fall
back on it. Now, if I chanted it as an individual, obviously it might
benefit me but will it also benefit those around me, knowingly or
unknowingly?
AD: Yes. When we chant the Gayatri through the head chakra, there emanates a light that connects directly up to the Divine. So, we make that connection.
Also by chanting Gayatri outwards the throat chakra
also emanates the light and the energy of the Gayatri. Now, what
happens with women whose husbands are aggressive, violent and nasty?
When they start chanting the Gayatri, and even though the husband does
not, the negative energy will gradually dissipate. The transformation
will set in when the husband becomes quiet for no apparent reason. This
transformation is purely because of the Gayatri energy being chanted
outwards from the wife’s body.
KM: And, will it have the same benefit if a man who has difficulty with his wife at home or the boss at work, chants it also?
AD: Yes, it will.
KM: So, regardless of
who chants it, the Gayatri will have a positive impact on the
individual, as well as the surroundings at home and workplace.
AD: Yes.
And, it is also said that the Gayatri Mantra is very, very protective.
So, if we women chant Gayatri Mantra, we can be guaranteed full
protection right away.
KM: Like a force field of divine energy.
AD: Yes, indeed. The negative energy or the violent energy just tapers off.
KM: This is a good tool
to have. Baba has said you don't need a particular place or a time to
chant the Gayatri. You can do it anytime, whether you are traveling or
driving or on the subway or walking in a dark street and feel insecure.
Chanting the Gayatri definitely helps. I also understand that it
develops or sharpens your intuition.
SS: I
have noticed that every time I do the Gayatri the way I normally
practice it, I feel a sharp sense of awareness, you are so much in the
present moment. I would even go farther to say that you are one step
ahead of the moment. Your awareness is so acute that you are able to
experience the outcome of that moment. And then the realization comes
that we are Gayatri. The two are not separate. There is no Devi who is
separate from you - you are Gayatri. And, it is this intense realization
that the chanting brings; the reason why we must all practice it as
much as we can and as many times as we can.
AD: I also think it is important that we as Sai devotees pass the Gayatri Mantra on to others and give them an explanation of the power of the Gayatri and what it can do for the individual.
KM: Help them ‘reclaim their Shakti’.
AD: Just
this morning I got a call from a wonderful Sai devotee - a gentleman and
he cried over and over again on the phone. This was amazing because
ever since a child, he could not bring himself to cry. His emotions were
so locked up as he was brought up in a strict, disciplinarian lifestyle
where it was not allowed to express emotions. But through chanting the
Gayatri, his pent up emotions were unlocked and burst forth. He kept
apologizing for crying and I kept encouraging him to cry. This is
another imbalance in our society – that men are not allowed to cry and
show emotions. Men are as loving as women but often they have been
prevented and suppressed from demonstrating these emotions. The Gayatri
Mantra helps men to open up and express these pent up emotions.
KM: I remember Swami recommending the Gayatri Mantra
to us as students to handle exam jitters. He told us that when we sit
down to write exams, we tend to get all nervous and feel a knot in our
stomach despite preparing well. He said to be able to recall and
reproduce what we have studied, we need to have a connection to the
higher consciousness, have our antenna tuned in correctly - for just
chanting the Gayatri a few times before we begin will help us recall
what we have studied and express it correctly. He said we would be able
to download the files in our memory if we have chanted the Gayatri.
On 27 October 2013, a special discussion was recorded in our studios, on the Gayatri Mantra which was aired as Part of the Morning Glory Segment of 31 Oct 2013. You can download that segment of Thursday Live by Clicking Here. Or you can read the transcript of that enlightening discussion by downloading the transcript by Clicking Here. |
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Now if
we take this discussion a little wider, beyond men and women and our
individual homes and our families, we need to reclaim the Shakti within
our environment too. Right now, our oceans are receiving all kinds of
effluents and pollution, there is deep earth drilling happening. Mother
Earth is crying in pain because there is so much of pollution and
exploitation happening everywhere. We are choking the environment around
us. And Mother Earth is in pain and perhaps that is why she is throwing
up these violent cataclysmic events. And, this is a phenomenon that is
happening all over the world. Mother Earth needs to reclaim her Shakti.
Not just as individuals, but as a collective whole and as a society,
we have a responsibility to restore this Shakti balance in our
governance, in our legislation, in a wider sense.
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| Ms. Shivani Sola at the Studios of Radio Sai, October 2013 |
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SS: One
thing that we all can practice is ‘Ceiling on Desires’, which is a
part of the nine point code of conduct given by Swami where we learn not
to waste time, food, money and energy. So, on a personal level, if all
of us take a chance that instead of indulgence, instead of over using or
misusing the resources that we have, we actually ask Swami within
whether anything that we do is appropriate for us. We could ask, “Swami,
is this what I need now? Should I be buying this or should I be
acquiring this?”
KM: We must question whether it is a need or a desire?
SS: Exactly,
and when we start doing that, we will realize the extent of wastage we
are creating around us. Whether it is in terms of clothes we have or the
household items - it is a long list. So, if we start controlling
ourselves, controlling these desires, then I think we are on the right
track. When you look at what is happening
in the environment too, the common approach is – ‘how can we acquire,
how can we misuse, let us just use and abuse it’. But this is again
Mother Earth, and she nurtures and nourishes us. So our attitude should
really be - how is it that we can support it? How is it that we can
nourish Mother Earth back?
I would like to give an example of a 39-year old woman who lives in
Bangalore. She was a senior manager in a multinational company and
recently decided to step back from her successful corporate career. She
has now started a group that is totally dedicated to serving the
community. This group is called 'Whitefield Rising' with more than 1,000
members.
This lady has divided the
entire group into smaller units to look into areas such as composting,
planting more trees, feeding the poor on birthdays and other
celebrations – in other words, different forms of seva. For
instance, one group meets politicians in different areas to draw their
attention to the problems – about the road that is not in a good state
or about too much trash getting generated by the hawkers or shopkeepers
in that area. These volunteers take pictures, put it up on social media
and say – hey look this is the problem we are facing, help us with
this. And they are doing it in such a positive way where it is more
about co-operation not operation, as Swami would say. This lady is a
strong representation of what the feminine energy can do. She had the
best of jobs in the corporate world and now has taken her inner strength
to the community. It’s amazing the way people are joining this group,
the way people are volunteering to be a part of its activities. And
everyone is working in harmony and with so much love. Now, when you
actually go into these areas, they look so different. And, it is all
initiative of this one lady.
KM: The Power of One. Each of us has the power to make such a big difference.
SS: And
if we were to look at what the balance of the male and female energy
does - it creates harmony. We are seeing such examples being revealed
every day.
KM: If we could just back track, Shivani, you spoke of 'Ceiling on Desires'. Under that program, Swami said that we should keep a watch on four areas of our life - money, food, time and energy.
And if each of us were to make a careful assessment before making a
purchase or before deciding on doing something with our time, about
whether it is really necessary or not, we would collectively create a
reduction in demand because supply and demand are the foundation stones
of capitalism. And if we dig deeper, desire is what creates demand. For
instance, during Diwali festival or wedding season, Indian ladies' gold
purchasing trends impact the price of gold in the international
markets, thereby establishing a direct connection between our desires
and the markets. So by being as conscientious about our spending
patterns as the Ceiling on Desires program prescribes, do you think we
will be a generation of self-deprived people?
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SS: Swami
always said moderation in everything is good. But even if we were to
give in to impulsive indulgences such as another set of dishes for the
kitchen or a new car, we would never gain true happiness.
What we experience at that
moment is so fleeting and temporary, it’s all about instant
gratification. Let’s also not forget that the more we get, we get
greedier and there is no end to that greed. We fall into that cycle of
acquiring, boredom, and acquiring again. It is almost as if there is a
vacuum within us that we are trying to fill and say - if I get this one
more jewellery set or this expensive sari, I will then be happy. As long
as that focus is external, happiness will always elude us.
But
instead, if we choose to ask Swami within and say Swami would you like
me to buy this – you are sure to get the right answer. Remember, Swami
doesn't want us to be unhappy. He does not want us to deprive ourselves.
He does not want us to live in lack but at the same time He certainly
expects us to live in moderation.
To give you a personal
example, every time I feel I am wasting my time or could have put the
time to better use or feel I need to talk less, I ask Swami and say,
‘Swami can you show me how is it that I am wasting time? How is it that I
am wasting food? Is my mind chattering?’ Either in a dream or as an
experience or as an inner awareness, Swami tells me what I need to do
and where I should put my focus on. This is how I remain accountable to
Swami. This is how I manage to talk less without wasting too much
energy. And, Swami waits to show us the way. He simply waits to guide us
and tell us how we need to live beautifully, live in moderation and in
contentment.
AD: I agree
with Shivani. To share my own personal experience – when you live in the
West, you are like a hamster on a wheel as you have to constantly work
to keep the house, to keep the car, to save for the holiday, there is
always something. During the economic crisis, the houses went, the cars
went and the jobs went. And everyone was like, ‘Oh oh!’ But what really
replaced all of that is absolute freedom! All those things were like a
burden that we did not realise. Swami blessed us in having freedom, in
having more time to focus on Swami, to work deep within the Self, and
more time to share the experience with other people and to be of service
to others. This was in direct contrast to our earlier lives when it was
just about work, mortgages, loans, and bills.
It is indeed a huge blessing to have that weight thrown off your back. A great freedom!
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Ms. Angela Dickson at the Studios of Radio Sai, October 2013
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KM:
I think we create our own vicious cycles. We create our webs, we allow
others to define our choices – where to go on a holiday, what to wear,
how to look. And we allow the media and the advertising industry to
dictate those terms and create that perfect ideal image of the person
who is successful and conforms to a certain lifestyle. Women, for
example, are told it's beautiful to have a certain skin colour, hair
colour, weight and size. Or, men need to have certain symbols of success
and affluence to establish their level of success. It becomes so
cumbersome to meet these expectations. So when you follow Swami's
teachings as in your case Angela where you left all that behind and came
to India to only pursue your sadhana, it must have been truly very liberating!
AD: Absolutely!
KM: What then is holding
the rest of us back? Why are we afraid to take that leap of faith and
make the decision with determination?
AD: I think
it’s all about how the media bombards the mind with images of who we
should be and what we should be. Swami again gently guides us, teaches
us, shows us who we really are and enables us to become free of such
parameters or myths. He shows us how to experience the Self, His beauty,
His love, His direction and His teaching.
KM: Going back to the
concept of ‘Ceiling on Desires’ and the sense of liberation it endows –
well, I attempt to practice this to some extent and find it extremely
refreshing. It just takes away so much weight off my mind. Let
us take this further - once we practice this and we reduce our
consumption and reduce our wastages, we would make Mother Earth heave a
sigh of relief because each one of us would be doing our bit to reduce
our carbon footprint to some extent.
SS: That’s right.
KM: Swami has said we have five mothers. Apart from our biological mother, there is the cow that gives the food, Mother Earth, Veda Mata and
your country. Recently, I received this thought that the amazing
feminine energy within the earth is totally reflected within our bodies.
So, if the Mother Earth is polluted, the mother within us is polluted
as well. As women, it is said we go through the same cycles as the
Earth. All life is said to arise from the oceans. When a female is
pregnant, the amniotic fluid is basically of the same consistency as sea
water. As above, so below. As within, so without.
When we
disrespect the earth by literally robbing her of her resources, we hurt
all life forms. The earth is a loving mother and provides us everything
we need. And if we don't show any respect or gratitude, it will strike
back. Now, when nuclear waste is poured into the oceans at alarming
rates as it is right now - it will result in nuclear waste making its
way back into the amniotic fluid of future mothers. And that would lead
to a disaster because such an alarming phenomenon will lead to all sorts
of birth defects.
It is indeed important as
women to realise that we are the earth. There are millions of us,
Swami's devotees around the world; all we need to do is make a
seismic shift in our human consciousness. Why aren't we doing that
already? We all love Swami. We have a commitment to His teachings. We
all believe in everything Swami has told us and we are sizeable. Out of
the seven billion people on the face of the earth, there are actually
several millions of us who live our lives and pray in the name of Swami.
Why are we not able to pray hard enough and connect with and practice
what Swami has taught us, to make the difference.
SS: The first reason why we are not able to put this into practice is because we feel we are not good enough.
We have low self-esteem and low self-confidence. Swami
says that self-confidence is the foundation to any spiritual growth. We
lack that faith; we lack love for ourselves. So, when we lack that love
for ourselves, how can we love anything else or how can we believe that
we are capable of such magnificent changes. We need to first experience the conviction within us and only then can we manifest it outside of us.
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KM: What if somebody
attempted that but they are in an environment where they are always put
down and the ambience does not support their growth? What would you say
to such men or women?
SS: In
my practice, I meet many such women. The answer again comes back to
reaction, reflection and resound. The more we work on ourselves, the
more we intensify our sadhana, and nothing negative can ever affect us. And when we do this sadhana with that focus and intensity – such as the one Angela just mentioned about the Gayatri Mantra
- then the environment changes automatically. That vibration has to
change. But unfortunately, we are yet to believe that it will. We are
yet to believe that we are as powerful and instead prefer to regard
ourselves as helpless victims.
KM: I think this is an
endemic problem across the board because low self-esteem is very common
in youngsters in the West as well. And it reflects in very high suicide
rates and poor lifestyle choices, or substance abuse.
AD: Yes, it
is a huge problem. But in India, as I've got to observe, you have an
opportunity to go the temple each and every day. And, even if you don't
go to the temple or other places of worship depending on your religion,
our ears are filled with temple bells or the prayers from that distant
mosque and so forth. You can even hear the chants trickling in from the
home next door. So, you remain in that aura. But in other parts of the
world, let’s say my own country Britain, there is a lack of spiritual
strength. Ironically though, more and more of our young people are
getting tired of all this materialism that surrounds us. They are
feeling a sense of vacuum and increasingly looking for positive change.
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SS: And
this is where parents have a responsibility to own. Parents actually
set an example by practicing the change themselves. Let's say for
example, if the parents chant the Gayatri everyday 108 times, the child
will follow suit. I always say that the biggest gift parents can give
children is learning to connect with the inner Sai.
We ask Swami – ‘What is
your will? What do you want me to do?’ If your child asks for the latest
smartphone or video game, you need to tell the child to ask Swami if He
would like him to have that. Once this way of engagement with Swami
becomes a practice or habit, children will naturally tune into that
energy to the higher consciousness as a way of life. But, such an
initiation needs to start early.
KM: That’s the key – parents need to start early to set an example. You cannot preach what you do not practice.
SS: It’s
important to start early simply because you cannot suddenly expect your
child to start following Swami’s teachings unless you have set an
example yourself. But then, in this Golden Age, the change has already
commenced. In that sense, the children that are a part of this Age are
highly blessed. They are already acquiring that level of awareness.
KM: And, children are so
sharp and quick to absorb. We need to make sure that we don't mess it
up by providing a difficult or challenging environment for them to grow
up in.
AD: I would
like to say something here. When Swami was in the physical body, we all
sat before him and spoke to Him saying - ‘Swami I need this, I am
experiencing this, help me with this one’. But
now, Swami is telling us to be Swami, the Shakti and Shiva
manifestation. Swami says – ‘find Me within yourself’. I think it is
important to recognise this – in this present moment.
KM: For each one of us to realize that I am Shakti and I am Shiva?
AD: Yes,
primarily because Swami has told us often who we are. And, as Shivani
said, we do not believe in our own self, we do not acknowledge the true
self despite Swami’s repeated reminders. But now, this is the time to
find the Swami within, the Shakti within and then live it, express it.
Be the example of it and, in doing so, help others to find themselves
and find their God-self and live in that knowledge.
KM: Live your Shakti self and manifest all those qualities! How much inner work do most of us need to do in order to get there!
SS: The
time is perfect. There couldn't have been a better time as the golden
age is just unfolding. If we had done this say 15 years ago, the impact
would not have been as effective. But now, if you practice this
consciousness even a little bit, the impact is bound to be a hundred
times more.
KM: Because the vibration or the spiritual environment of the Universe is more conducive?
SS: Absolutely.
It is as if a large window or a huge opportunity is opening up for
every soul on this planet. It is for us to either take this opportunity
or let it pass by.
AD: I agree.
KM: I say grab it with both hands. We would have gone through many, many lifetimes to have been born as contemporaries of the Avatar,
to be aware of His glory, to know of His teachings. And, if He has said
that we are Shakti, we are Shiva - we better believe it.
AD: For our benefit and the benefit of all.
KM: And, for the benefit of our planet - Mother Earth. Your final thoughts on Reclaiming our Shakti?
SS: Women
should know that they have the right to make choices. Most women
believe that they are helpless victims and their whole energy is getting
completely eroded and they don't have any rights. Well, we all do. We
are all divine beings and we have as much right as anybody to make the
choice - choices as guided by Swami.
KM: And I think we will
be more powerful in expressing our choices if we do it with restraint
and self-confidence. I say this because we are emotional beings and we
tend to go over the top sometimes. Swami always advocates that restraint
and modesty strengthen us. Unfortunately, both these attributes are
considered as weakness when they are actually strengths.
AD:
To reclaim the Shakti it is very important to love ourselves and then
in loving ourselves to love others; to truly create a sisterhood and
brotherhood of mankind. Sairam!
- Team Radio Sai
(Graphics - Mohan Dora, Radio Sai)
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