We are children of immortality, the children of one heavenly father. Without him we have nothing. But we do not feel the power of God that is within us. We are essentially pure, sweet, kind and loving. But if you ask your conscience you can easily see, that you are not feeling that purity and perfection that are within you. What is the cause?
There are a few causes - a remote cause, a private cause and a hereditary cause. The remote cause is the influence of our own nature on us. The private cause is our own life style. The third or the hereditary factor is due to the influence of the family in which we are born. But the principal cause is the lack of a strong desire for realization, which can bring all round development. Let us expand on these further.
We are all influenced by the triple qualities of nature which are described as tamasic, rajasic and satvic qualities. Tamasic quality is the nature of laziness and inertia. There is no motivation to achieve success. On the other hand, rajasic quality makes us restless and ambitious. We are busy in the fulfillment of desires. We are hesitant to even rest and relax, and are exhausted from excessive work. Very rarely we are of satvic nature, a state that brings calmness and peace. Without calmness and peace there can be no self realization. So being influenced by rajasic and tamasic nature we do not have the experience of the presence of God who is constantly abiding in this body.
Our environment has a strong impact on our daily life. When we live a life of primarily body awareness, full of physical pleasure, it makes us attached to the body more than to soul or God. It would be better if we spent some time in contemplation and meditation, and remember God's presence in our daily life.
Family has a great impact on our lives. From childhood we are used to a special way of thinking, taught to us by our parents and elders. For example, a child born in an atheist family usually grows up with that type of attitude though there might be exceptions.
We live in this world in a physical body. This body is like a house or tent in which we live. This visible body is in physical and mental realm. Many are always busy with body, mind and emotion. They think they are only the body and the mind. This makes the person extrovert and separate from the realization of truth.
We have another formless or invisible body, the soul, abiding in this visible body. It is the power of God that is the cause of life and activity. Life is vibrant and full of energy only because of the soul.
Our visible body is our illusion, delusion and error. It is prone to death. Even the subtle mind comes to an end in the course of time. The invisible body or soul is the real body. Because of the soul, there is breath in the body. Without breath you are a dead body. Our identification with the physical body and the lack of awareness of the soul within the body is the cause for our forgetfulness of Divinity. This in other words is ignorance. This ignorance can be removed by knowledge. Meditation and study of spiritual books should go hand in hand to eliminate ignorance.
Stitha Prajna - October, 2011