SIMRAN LEKH NUMBER-5

GURBANI VICHAR - SIMRAN - PART 5

In simran 'attention' has special importance -therefore, it is necessary to discuss it in detail.

When we give our attention to something, our mind relates to it or has communion with it and there is some give and take of good and bad influence.If we are not interested in something, we are unable to concentrate on it and then it has a very superficial influence on us.In other words there is no communion or sharing thus there is no give and take.

This can be further explained through some examples.In homes when there is kirtan or path over the radio or through tape recording, members of the family are more often involved in their domestic chores or absorbed in their conversation.

In the same way when we do simran or path ourselves our consciousness is involved with various other thoughts and due to this our attention is not on Gurbani.

The general'sangat' has the same complaint i.e. the mind doesn't settle in simran.

When our consciousness or attention is not in gurbani or simran, we are not enjoying the company of gurbani. Due to this, we are unable to be in communion with the deep,internal and spiritual benifits of it. In this way we are without the company of the high, pure and divine gurbani and as a result we are deprived of the 'touch- stone'effect of it.
In other words without consciousness or attention whatever religious actions or duties we perform - they are being done in absentia.








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Therefore we don,t derive full benifits from the satsangat and remain deprived of the spiritual benifits of gurbani's path,kirtan and simran.

This is the reason why compared to previous times despite an increase in
religion
religious books
religious temples
religious propogation
holy assebblies
worship
singing hymns
penance
rituals

etc, there is no change in our mental and spiritual state of mind on the contrary our mental state of mind is sinking even more than before.

Without awareness or attention our life is lifeless or it is just like matter. Therefore, human beings are unable to share among themselves the subtle,mental and spiritual strengths in the sangat. There is no give anbd take (of good influences).


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This consciousness is the one that differentiates human beings from animals. In human beings this 'consciousness' is very acute, sharp and has subtle feelings - for this reason they can acquire lofty and pure love feelngs and enjoy them in the company of the sangat. But in animnals this consciousness is low and not well developed - it is incapble of acquiring subtle spiritual feelings.

Our attention is attracted according to our interest. From many previous lives our mind has been detached from the divine world and is deeply absorbed in the material world. Therefore it is imcapable
of acquiring subtle love feelings.

In other words without the divine consciosness has become like that of animals - coarse and gross.

Gurbani suggests the one and only method of changing this animal instinct or low consciousness to make it higher and better and subordinate it to the soul within and that is -

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'Sat sangat or the assembly of spiritually awakened souls.

Directing a thought to something or to a point is called attention.

Attention is compulsory for the material and spiritual progress or success.

If our concentration on something we are doing is deep, one pointed 'to the point of a needle', then the result will be beautiful,
substantial and benificial.

Without concentration none of our plans, thoughts, discussions or work can be successful.

Work carried out with a superficial mind will be

incomplete
wrong
without benifit
harmful
trouglesome

In the same way religious recitals,worship and rituals without attention are also

hollow
joyless
without feeling
withoutbenifit
dead methods



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Guru Nanak, not joining the kadhis in their prayer in Sultanpur because they were not concentrating, is an illustration is an illust
ration of this point i.e. our religious actions and rituals without concentration are fruitless.

To communicate by telephone it has to be connected to a specific number. If this number is unobtainable or if the receiver is not lifted, then between the two sides there will be no

converstaion
sharing
exchange
business

Exactly in the same way, if while reading-worshipping and meditating in our mind or the concentration is not pointed or focused, then, we will be deprived of the innate, deep and very subtle meaning of gurbani and the touchstone effect of simran will not take place.

For this reason we are again and again urged and ordered to:

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In gurbani warning is given as follows regarding the condition of the mind without attention or concentration:

Our materialistic life is a special and practical example of such a situation.
A human being in his ego of doubt and delusion has forgotten his source,God, from many previous lives and is stuck in the quagmire of love and illusion of this world. He is absorbed in the second love (materialism).






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From many previous lives we have been so absorbed in this false materialism that our lives have become a form of materialism itself.Therefore our

thoughts
imagination
thinking
wishes
hopes
love
desires
faith
trust
company
trade
religious actions
labour


or our whole lives are intensely coloured by love of materialism for which reason our

awareness
attention
insight
tendency
contemplation

have penetrated this false materialism unconsciously, spontaneously and unintentionally to the point that it has become impossible for our attention to come out of it.

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In us this false materialism's

awareness
thought
attention
manifestation
faith
tendency
contemplation

etc manifested from many previous lives because of

the company or association of materialism
thinking of materialism
rememberism materialism
practising materialism

to the extent that it has become ingrained in us and materialistic consciousness has become our life style. In this materialistic life
we ahve been

born
living
wandering
carrying out deeds
facing the consequences
dying
falling into the hands of
yamas
being born again


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We carry out many religious actions such as reading religious scriptures and worshipping, to purify our mind - but according to our inclinations we end up by becoming even more polluted than before.

In this way,despite reading of scriptures and worshipping, our mental assesment has moved into debtor balance and the decline is continuing.

When our attention goes to some lowly thought or matter, we should immediately direct our mind towards higher and positive side. But our mind passing through the polluted circle of materialism has become powerless. For this reason it is extremely difficult to redirect the mind's tendency or attention from low side to the higher side.

This opposite procedure or spiritual change is a very long and difficult 'play'which can be easily and quickly achieved in the sustained company of blessed beloved - gurmukhs and spiritually endowed souls or society of divine souls accompanied by a desire to serve.

When we are unsuccessful in completing a task despite all our efforts, we then look towards some other power or support. In the same way when our mind is beyond our control, we need to have the protection or support of powerful divine group or the company of spiritually elevated souls.


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For this reason in Gurbani we are repeatedly urged to be in the holy company of the satsangat.

Our earth has strong gravity which pulls everything towards it.

This gravity works up to many miles around the earth. Beyond that there is limitless space where there is no gravity. If anything reaches this space, it always remains there.

In this universe there are many planets and stars like our earth. Around them, just like the earth there is varying degree of gravity.When something leaves space and enters the surrounding area of another planet, the gravity of this planet attracts it towards itself.

For example, scientists lhave have researched that the planet moon has its own gravity and whatever thing enters the moon's


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atmosphere it gets pulled towards its centre.

Exactly in the same way our mind automatically gets pulled towards materialism by its powerful gravity. This is the reason we unknowingly suffer all our lives by diving into the materialistic world...

To recognise and understand the materialistic circle's gravity or pull and to come out of it, intutional knowledge and divine light are needed.Assembly of spiritually elevated souls or satsangat are needed as support to come out of this circle. Whenever our mind moves away from the sadhsangat , the materialistic circle's gravity overpowers us and we begin to dive in the materialistic ocean of fire and grief.

Seekers have been heard saying that while they are in the surroundings of sadhsangat, their mind remains focussed and their attention is in simran and naam-bani.But as soon as they move away from the sadhsangat, at one, unknowingly and automatically the mind is pulled towards materialism and we are deprived of the divine meanings of Naam-bani simran.

In other words with the motivation of the sadhsangat, the focus of our attention can soar in the sky of divine blissfulness of the spiritual world.

In contrast to this the moment we come out of the spiritual aura of sadhsangat,according to the baser habits and polluted tendencies of our subconscious our attention gets pulled towards towards the materialistic world.

For this reason gurbani strongly urges that the minds attention should be diverted to Naam-bani-simran in the company of spiritually awakened souls.


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This materialistic world or spiritual circle is not a separate country territory or planet.It is the subtle stage of the ups and downs of mental excitements which only rare souls know and recognise

Sadhsangat's

protection
incentive
leadership
help

are taken to direct the mind's attention or concentration -thought- towards the spiritual world. Such action taken by the seeker is in itself divine.











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'Sat sangat or the assembly of spiritually awakened souls.