Saturday 8 April 2017

Vedic Ethics: Chapter 3

Vedic Ethics: Chapter 3 Who am I? Know Your Soul Profile “I am not my physical body, as I know, once my body dies, nobody wants to touch it.” (Adi Shankaracharya in the Bhaja Govindam). “I am not my mind as I know whenever I am in trouble; the mind asks the heart for help” (Deepak Chopra in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success). “I am my consciousness which is residing in the core of my heart” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 5.8). “This consciousness is nothing but a web of energized information situated in the void” (Chandogya Upanishad Chapter XII — the Birth of the Gross from the Subtle) “The consciousness is timeless, has no beginning, no end, weapons cannot cut it, air cannot dry it, water cannot wet it and fire cannot burn it” (Bhagwad Gita 2.23, 24). Each one of us has a physical profile (as defined by our height, complexion, collar number, waist size, etc.) and a mental or ego profile. A few examples of ego profile are: my bank balance, my car, my job designation, my locality of residence, my size of house, my contacts, my power, my clothes’, etc. Similarly, each one of us also has a soul profile. We should give sometime to ourselves to know our soul profile and revisit it at least once in a week. According to Dr Deepak Chopra, to know the soul profile, one should ask the following 7 questions to one’s consciousness while sitting in a meditative poise or in state of relaxation. The answer to each question should be either in 3 words or 3 phrases. 1. What is my purpose of life? 2. What is my contribution going to be for my friends and family? 3. Three instances in my life when I had my peak experiences. 4. Names of three people who inspire me the most. 5. Three qualities which I admire the most in others. 6. Three of my unique talents. 7. Three qualities I best express in my relationship. These 21 answers will characterize your soul profile or will be your passport for every action you perform in your life. One should act from the soul profile in day-to-day life and not from the ego profile. Unlike the ego profile, the soul profile cannot be manipulated. There are only 3 ways to improve one’s soul profile and these are: 1. The choices one makes should be soul-profile oriented and not ego-profile oriented. Whenever there is an opportunity for an action, ask the head for choices, then ask the heart to choose one, and finally order the hand to take action. A soul-based action is one, which is based on the truth, is necessary, and which makes the person and the people around him or her, all happy. 2. Total clarity of vision of “What do I want” and “What I do not want”. 3. Learn to enter into discontinuity of thought processes using “beej mantra” or doing primordial sound meditation 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. These can also be equated to the eight limbs of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, where the “choices I make” represent Yama and Niyama, “what do I want” represents Dharna and the “entering into discontinuity” represents Dhyana and Samadhi. Dr KK Aggarwal National President IMA & HCFI

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