As a young child, I was curious about my situation on this planet. I would pester my mother with questions like….”what would it be like if the world wasn’t the world?”……”where would I be if I hadn’t been born?” I had some feeling that I must have existed previously to having been born in this particular body, and sensed there must be somewhere else I existed before planet earth. Unfortunately she didn’t have the answers and I was told to stop asking stupid questions! Even though these were the questions of a young child, most people at some stage of their lives will wonder about who they are and the purpose of their existence. Very important and natural questions.
From the beginning of our birth in this world we are subject to material influences that can cause suffering or pleasure. We very quickly realize that we don’t like suffering and we prefer to be happy. So begins our quest for happiness, and we are taught to search for it in matter. We falsely identify with our material body… I consider my body to be me….so I think I will be happy if I satisfy my body’s senses. I want to be the controller and enjoyer of my world, and I struggle hard to achieve this. I may have some temporary success in this endeavor, but it never lasts! I can’t find real, lasting satisfaction or happiness. I will still experience frustration and anxiety and emptiness. Because I am identifying my body as my self, I feel anger, confusion, misery and without purpose.
This in turn causes endless social problems. Crimes are committed because of the materialistic idea that I will find satisfaction in sense enjoyment. Feelings of purposelessness and hopelessness may result in an attempt to cease existing by committing suicide, or to forget my stressful existence by taking drugs and alcohol. I see happiness as some temporary relief from misery. Conflict between nations, races, religions and sexes are due to mis-identification of the body, or bodily labels, as the self. We end up exploiting the environment and each other in our attempts to be the master and enjoyer of this world. This mentality causes me become very selfish, arrogant, envious, and hard-hearted. I am always in anxiety. I try to forget the fact that I must inevitably face disease, old age and death!
“What’s going on?” “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “Why am I suffering?” “Why is the world in such a mess?” “Where can I find lasting happiness?” are the questions that we must ask ourselves. The answers to these important questions ARE available and if you are sincerely seeking the truth, you will be shown where to find it.
I feel very fortunate to have been introduced to Real Meditation.
By practicing the recommended methods, (Gauranga breathing, Japa, and Kirtan), I have been able to gradually gain more understanding about who I really am, and where real happiness can be found. A mantra is not an ordinary sound vibration. A mantra is spiritual or transcendental sound vibration and as such has spiritual power or potency. It is the descent of the Absolute Truth in the form of sound vibration, and is received from a bonafide spiritual master, who has received it from his spiritual master…..it has been passed on from spiritual master to student since time immemorial.
By regularly hearing and repeating these mantras, my consciousness becomes purified and enables me to perceive things more clearly. I can understand my real identity as eternal spirit soul. I am not this material body, I am temporarily residing in it. Because my essence is spirit, I need spiritual food to feel true satisfaction and experience the inner peace and happiness I am searching for. This spiritual food is contained in the mantras. Such a simple method of self realisation and it’s available to everyone! I am especially attracted to Kirtan meditation, (the hearing and repeating of mantras with music). Usually done with a group of people, it is a most enjoyable and uplifting experience.
By engaging in this practise, the qualities of tolerance, humility, compassion and caring for others become more accessible to me. I can begin to experience peace and the real purpose and meaning of life.
Thank You!