Talk: Kaivalyadhama, 2007. Right Relationship

This recording of Swami Maheshanandaji comes from an afternoon conversation in the kuti, in the Indian summer of 2007. It is a broad ranging conversation that covers many of the themes Swamiji would return to over the years that we knew him.

Over those years, aspects would be rediscovered and talked about anew. However, there was always one consistency: relationship. In our conversations – right relationship and connectedness, learning how to be in relationship with ourselves, those around us, and the world was the way in which our learning was framed.

So, what is a proper relationship with our partner; our child; our work; our environment; our mind; and our Self? This life is our journey of discovery. This conversation provides some guidelines to reflect upon.

This talk is like a Shakespearean play of 5 Acts: The first Act introduces the overall discussion of “Too much Emotion”, the following three sections explore how polluted thinking is our greatest danger, while the final Act, or section – “Are you in the mirror?” draws all points together and reveals how our relationship with those around us is our learning ground.

The main points of the conversations are written below along.

Act 1: “Too much emotion” 0 – 13 mins

From love springs affection. It is not possible to have affection without love. When there is affection, you take care. Care is the manifestation of the energy called love.

To take care means to be cautious, to place your interest in the right things: to be present mentally and physically. Care is related to awareness, but on a deep level it is related to love.

In the beginning of a relationship, we take care, and so the person feels these emotions – affection and love.

As time goes on, we withdraw the emotions but maintain the relationship. Is this possible? Then it is like a paper relationship, not a family relationship.

Today it is common for people to invest too much of their emotional aspect into their jobs. They do this because no one is waiting at home for them to share their emotions. But then comes the difficulty because emotional problems with work will come, and we will want to withdraw the emotion, but we will need to maintain the relationship. How is this possible?

Act 2, 3 and 4 Polluted thinking is our greatest danger
This theme winds through the main body of the recording, with each of these three Acts having a sub theme: Our happiness depends upon our thinking; Are you able to stop?; and The human energy.

Act 2: Our happiness depends upon our Thinking 13 -18 mins

Today we focus on our polluted environment – our water; air; what we put in our bodies – but, the greater danger is polluted thinking.
The physical body gets polluted by air and water and food. But if you are not using your sensory perceptions properly, if the filter is wrong, the perceiver becomes the sufferer.

It is better to start with the inner environment – the thinking – and take care here. It should not be polluted, because depending upon what you think you will then decide, and according to your decision you will do. Then, you will get the result in the form of unhappiness, or happiness.

Act 3: Are you able to stop? 18 – 29 mins

You are the creator of your own pain and pleasure. You are responsible for your happiness. You are the perceiver, and your perception is wrong.

You don’t require glasses, you say “I can see properly”, but that doesn’t mean you have understood properly and completely.

How then, can you decide? And yet, you have to decide.

So the scenery comes round again, and a replay happens. Are you able to understand the message behind it? And, if you understand, can you decide, think and act correctly this time.

This is the process of education.

If you have got an education, you are educated, does it mean you are a wise person? Have you got a certificate, or wisdom? Do you have the scope to live according to your education?

When you know anatomy and physiology completely does it mean your digestive system will function properly?

And doctors after studying can they prevent disease? In their family; themselves? What makes them suffer? Giving too much service to society and not caring about their own health.

When do you stop? When you are not ready to stop. You become a consumer. A consumer of energy. Non-stop.

And then comes a breakdown. The driver was not ready to stop, so the car decides to stop. Then the driver has no choice.

The driver says “I am in the car”, “I am stopping”, “I am the deciding authority”. But when you are not able to decide “On” and “Off” at the right time and place, then you allow someone else to decide on your behalf.

Yet, you say you are independent. Where is your freedom and independence?

Act 4: The human energy. 26 – 36 mins

We talk about pollution, exploitation and hybridisation. When these things are talked about the focus is on pollution and hybridisation, but no one speaks about stopping exploitation.

We do not want to have the conversation that charity begins at home.

If we did, the picture would be different. But we have special forces to exploit resources to the maximum and the human being is a resource material, a commodity. For what?

To produce material – it cannot produce spirituality. You can produce material with the help of money, materials and the human being. Therefore, the human being becomes a resource to produce the materials. Handle this with care.

There is the human energy, the material energy, and the monetary energy for the production, of more material. Transforming the money invested in the beginning it comes out in the form of profit. In the final product you bring out the material energy.

How do you bring out the human energy in the final product? What have you consumed? You have consumed energy in the form of the human. And, the best product is the human energy.

Continuously from the beginning to retirement they use the person. Then the new person comes; cleaning quicker and better. And new things are more beautiful and attractive, quicker and faster, with greater creativity. That’s why the companies prefer the younger generation: they put their full emotion into the company, and get fully attached to the job.

This is wrong perception.

In the internal environment, the intellect is there, the I consciousness is there. You are not the intellect itself, you become intellectual. You are not the emotion itself you become emotional. You are wearing the dress but are not the dress itself.

When you know that you are not and that you are, then you have a choice to act and live accordingly.

Act 5: Are you in the mirror? 36 mins – end

You look at yourself in the mirror. You stand in front of the mirror. Do you ever doubt that you are inside the mirror? You look at the mirror and understand how you are. Each person is like a mirror for you.

Society is the material mirror hanging constantly on the wall. It can give a reflection at any time.

Whenever there are two people in front of each other. They forget the way to do corrections when in front of a mirror. You forget and try to do the corrections in the mirror – that is in the person who is opposite, in front of you.

Then the mirror starts shouting and you get annoyed. You want to arrange the mirror to give a proper reflection, but the mirror doesn’t want the form of the arrangement by management. So, the mirror responds by correcting the opposite mirror.

Two mirrors fighting, trying to get a clear picture. So, just see, stand back as a person looking at the mirror.