How to overcome stress and worry with meditation | Thus Spake Babaji, online Q&A #74

Thus Spake Babaji #74, recorded on 11 December 2021, with worldwide participants.

To register for the live online meditation sessions with Babaji please visit: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang 

0:00 Intro
0:07 Does a thought become a worry when we invest in it too much emotionally?
2:31 Why has this mind got the habit of revisiting unpleasant memories?
4:38 How can I plan for an unavoidable unpleasant situation without getting anxious?
6:24 Is the problem the expectation of how something will happen rather than the event itself?
7:38 The way Babaji operates in having a long term aim
13:43 The meaning of your own dharma
14:54 How to avoid caring too much about what other people think
20:27 Is it really possible to live without any stress at all?
22:24 Where does self-confidence come from?
29:29 Was Babaji ever anxious while serving Swamiji that he'd done something wrong?
32:54 How to reconcile being separate from each other but also one with everything?
35:50 What is the difference between mental resolution and a repetitive fear or worry?
36:54 Can reading scriptures become an obstacle to our sadhana?
38:42 When the cleaning process starts in meditation do we experience emotions?
39:50 How to sit in meditation for longer periods
42:23 How to overcome emotions that pull one back?

___
Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang

Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Transcript

Discourse: Thus Spake Babaji - online Q and A No. 74
 How to Overcome Stress and Worry with Meditation
You tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF0WjbimVuc
Recorded: 11 December 2021

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   The first question we have - somebody's asked, “Does a thought become a worry when we invest in it too much emotionally?”

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, very often the thoughts get converted into worries when we become anxious about the future, like, “Will it happen or not happen?  What if it happens?  What if it doesn't happen,” that type of thought also crops up.  Or it goes into a brooding.  So that's what gets converted into a craving of anxiousness, which in turn would give stress, enormous stress also, unnecessary stress.  So finally, you all try to understand, just by imagination you are going into a stress.  Nothing has happened to you - you as that the supreme consciousness, you as that void consciousness, nothing can touch you, nothing can slay you, nothing can trouble you.  Yet you imagine, and you get into a stressful status which is not necessary.  That's what you can get rid when you practice meditation regularly; you become aware of yourself.  I have always told, one more time to clarify - whatever is happening in the world is different, what is happening in your mind is different.  By meditating you have to attend to the problem that is happening within your mind, first.  Simply by worrying you cannot help anybody in the world.  You will add one more casualty that is all.  So if you stop worrying, maybe you would be able to help someone in some way that is possible for you, either by counseling or trying to give them some pacifying, consoling, soothing words.  So these things can be very helpful.  So that is how an imagination can take you to a stressful status unnecessarily.

Question:   Thank you Babaji.  Somebody else asks,  “Why is it that the mind constantly keeps going back to something that happened in the past and causing stress?  Why has this mind got this habit of revisiting unpleasant memories?”

Babaji Maharaj:   One thing, your own inability to keep it neutralized into the present.  And also your habits to go back and keep remembering the past things which you cannot give up.  So that's what the reality is.  Like you are worrying, you are brooding about the past - that means you are unable to stop yourself.  That is the criteria.  So by practicing meditation which will neutralize your mind to come into the present, now, all the time.  Also I have explained previously, a past is meant to learn a lesson and not keep worrying all the time.  Because it will not come back under any circumstances, in any way.  Nothing is there.  It's over.  It's gone.  Yesterday, it's over.  The earth is revolving forward and it's going around the sun.  Days are passing by and passing by.  You are in the present actually, but consciously your imagination is going back to the past and the future anxiousness.  So you have to practice to remain in the present.  That's what will give you peace.  There will be no more anxiousness.  Let it happen, then we will face at that time.  So we don't have to be worrying.  So something that you have to get up in the morning, after your shower and everything go to office and attend to the duty - you don't have to be worrying the whole night.

Question:   So that links up I think with another question where somebody asks, “How can I plan for a situation which is unavoidable but I think it's going to be very unpleasant, How can I plan for it without getting anxious or worrying?”

Babaji Maharaj:   So whatever needs to be done, you plan for that.  And then also see what is possible for you.  So at that time, you just do it; you have to do it and remain at peace. So for that you don't have to be worrying.  You know what you have to do and you just have to do it.  Plan only for that.  That planning doesn't take a lot of time.  It doesn't take twelve hours or twenty-four hours.  Worries take days and days and days.  So you don't have to worry, just plan it.  “We'll do this one tomorrow morning.”  And that's it, go to sleep peacefully, get up in the morning, and then do it.  Be mindful.  So that's how things have to happen.  Finally, what is possible for you, you can do.  More than that, you cannot help.  Simply if you start worrying and lose your own peace, so you will become a casualty mentally also which can be avoided.  So just like a soldier is dying - with all his satisfaction he dies, that he has put an effort, whatever that was possible, to survive and to defend the country and all these things - when it's overwhelmed and not at all possible… [Babaji puts hands up].

Question:   So is the problem the expectations that we have of how something will happen, rather than the actual event itself?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that's also another basic reason - we'll have expected results.  And we fail to accept whatever comes - inability to accept.  So that's what is painful and that's what creates panic, stress, all these things.  We expect, “It must happen only like this, nothing else is acceptable.”  So mentally not acceptable is a problem for your mind’s peace.  But when you are trying, you try with full vigor and courage, that, “Nothing else is acceptable.  This is it - we want”.  So that time you put an effort – “Independence of our country must happen.  This is important, nothing else is acceptable”.  That's fine, we understand.  We have to work for that one.  So like that we work simply.  We don't have to worry.

Question:   Is it also the way that You operate?  You seem to have a longer term aim, that You don't expect things to happen straightaway, but eventually, in time, it may or may not happen?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, so like in my life after tapas also, to build up the Mission, to spread the message, we need definitely help of manpower.  Like you all work for me and host these type of sessions, organize things, archive my talks and question and answers, so many works are there.  These things are all possible only when you all work as a team.  So in the midst of this, sometimes you would get to see somebody refuses to work as a team - they will have their own agenda and they try to accuse you, they don't want to work.  They don't allow others to work - these types of troubles also keep coming.  We have to handle them also and remain at peace all the time.  Say, “Sorry, we cannot take your services.”  What to do?  Somebody comes and they have some other excuse and give something else -  they don't want to work actually.  But they accuse us and give up and go away.  It happened.  So this keeps happening, ups and downs, plus or minus, good and bad.  Some people come - they try to catch hold of our neck, sit on our own head.  When we don't allow that to happen, so they are unhappy and they accuse us and then go away.  So they don't work.  They might be talented.  But simply a talent itself is not enough.  They need to dedicate.  They need to have their love to us in their heart.  That is all important.  If you all don't have love, you won't be working for me, you see?   So like this in our life also, all things keep happening, but we are at peace all the time.  If there are people who will work, it's the Divine wishes.  The teachings will be available for the future generation also.  I keep talking, I keep answering, I have tried to write commentaries and publish the books also.  Due to various reasons, we couldn't publish more books, we couldn't sit down and write more books also.  There is one more book we have written, we have not yet been able to publish that one.  So, these things keep happening, just like any other ordinary person's life.  The plus or minus, success or not success, we have to simply accept.  

   So whatever that has happened, that's the Divine grace.  And if one door closes, another door opens, somebody else comes and they work, somebody else comes and they work; some people keep working.  Sometimes there's only one person and they keep working, like that.  So all these things keep happening.  This is nature; that one Supreme Consciousness energy is working.  Something this happens, this doesn't happen.  Sometimes it is morning time, sometimes it is evening time, sometimes it is summer, hot weather, there's sometimes it's very cold.  So these things happening, we have to accept.  Whatever is not in our hand, we have to accept finally, but we don't give up till the last breath of our own life.  We will be trying; we will try to attract people who can dedicate to this life.  So we keep dreaming and we keep planning but not all the time worrying.  We want somebody who can - like fifty years ago I came as a bachelor and remained a bachelor.  Because then only I could dedicate totally to the Mission work.  If something other duties are there, so they come and then they go away.  They tell an excuse, “So I have some other duty, I have to do these tuitions, I cannot come to Ram Nam sankirtan today,” like that.  So they don't come, they cannot come.  So we do a live stream.  How many are able to listen?  So, they give some excuse and go away.  So we cannot help.  We tell sincerely “This has to happen.”  However, if anybody is there or not, my habit is that, since fifty years, I just do my duty.  In those days also, in the hall of our Dehradun Ashram, single-handedly I used to pick up a dholak and sing.  Sometimes I used to pick up the harmonium and sing, go on - nobody used to be there.  I used to imagine jokingly, lot of sages and gods and angels, they are all sitting here.  And this is the court of my Lord Shivabalayogi. So we do that one.  So even today also I have the same temperament, no disappointment ever.  I do it for my practice.  Finally, I adopt the attitude of our teacher, remember? Who told us in primary school, “I don't know whether you will all learn or not, my practice will always be there.  I will teach you so that my practice is intact always.”  So like that, whoever listens to me or not, whoever practices meditation or not, my practice will have to be there all the time until this body falls down, like a soldier.  When this body falls, sorry, I cannot help because without the body I cannot be in this world, I cannot communicate in this world. Then I will have to be communicated by those people who have total faith and devotion with their mind; through that only they can communicate.  But we will always be working.  We will never give up.  So there is no stress for us.  That is the important point finally I wanted to tell.

Question:   So is that the meaning of the word dharma, you just bother about your own conduct and making sure that you conduct yourself correctly, regardless of others?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah. My dharma is that I don’t define what the dharma is; I keep on doing the duty. All these, the work I don’t give up. To create awareness, let everyone achieve their peace and happiness, they all keep going, keep going. Whenever, whatever is necessary I keep doing that one also. So we carry on our dharma, our duties to our Master. Without expecting any certificate – somebody may criticize, somebody might praise, somebody might not like, somebody might feel jealous, so many things. So ordinary the world’s nature is like that, it keeps happening. But we are not stressed out and we won’t give up, we keep working. 

Question:   Thank you Babaji. I think that links to another question somebody asked. “I tend to care too much about what other people think. Whatever I do it seems someone will criticize me. I can’t win. How can I manage this?

Babaji Maharaj:  We must not try to do things to please the people of this world.  Great sages have told, “O Lord, O God, it's so easy to please You, but not these human beings of this world, impossible.”  You sit down, they will criticize, you stand up, they will criticize.  The old story remember, the father and a son.  They wanted to sell the donkey and it had become old.  They were dragging it; they tied it with a rope and were taking it on the road.  Then some people criticized, “Look at this father and son.  So, this donkey has become old.  Instead of carrying the donkey on their head, they are just taking it down the road.”  So then they thought, “Oh, the people are criticizing.  We must take this on our head.”  So first son offers, “I will carry this on my head.”  When the son is carrying, again some people criticize, “Look at this old man.  He should be carrying this.  He has put this load on the young son.  He is such a child.”  So, then the father takes it on his head.  Then the son is criticized.  “Look at this son, he is young and he could have carried the donkey. He has made the father to carry the donkey.” Like that everything people keep criticizing.  Then tired and stressed out, they come to a river and they throw the donkey into the river and go back home.  

   So that's what happens if we bother about people.  They won't allow me to build an ashram, they won't allow me to sit here.  They won't allow me to do this.  Everybody will criticize; so many are there.  They have done it.  “Oh, why this ashram?  What was the necessity?  You could have sat under a tree also.”  I said, “I'm happy to sit under a tree for four days and fifth the day I would be dead.  So that's no problem if the rains come and kill me, but if my destiny is that I can be in this Ashram, so why not?  I will be.  So, I will do whatever my Guru ordains me.  Why would I listen to you?”  

   People have their own language; they understand a certain language.  I tell, “I'm ordained by my Master, that's why I'm doing this.”  So, like that we have to go like this.  If we bother about criticizing people, you cannot work anywhere.  They will not allow you to work for Babaji or Swamiji or for the Mission; everybody will scold.  Because if you don't please them, if you don't carry them on your head, they will criticize you.  They expect you to do what they want you to do.  Whatever is useful to them, they want.  So you give them money, they will praise you, “Oh how noble person you are, you are a real devotee of Swami.”  So that's what they will tell.  If you cannot do that one, you are just working, and they will criticize you, they will never allow you to do anything in this world.  You cannot do.  So you must not bother for either praise or criticism.  Whatever you think is your dharma, whatever is right for you, you do it.  I wouldn't have been able to come to Ashram fifty years ago if I had bothered what people would say.  Hardly few people only encouraged or accepted or appreciated.  So many types of things everybody said and in the Ashram also they wouldn’t allow us to live peacefully.  Even today also they don't allow us to live peacefully.  Somebody wants to throw us away, somebody wants to take over the Ashram, somebody comes and tell something else.  So these things keep happening but we keep going.  Swamiji told for this, “Just like a horse. It is put like this [Babaji demonstrates blinkers] so that it won't get to see anything that is happening on the side; straight, keep walking, keep walking”.  He used to say, “You are sitting on the horseback in the war zone on a battlefield with a sword.  People who are on the banks of the river, they will be simply shouting and they won't come and help you.  They will never get into the water to help you but they will all be criticizing and shouting at you, doing things.  Now the challenge is you have to keep going, going.  If you look back, your head will be cut.”  So like this, we had to keep going, we have to keep working.  We loved Swamiji, we believed, and we will be working till the last breath of our life.  No keeping quiet and not going back and no expecting any praise or criticism.  We work for the sake of work, we serve for sake of serving, that's it.

Question:  So Babaji, in doing it like that, in living like that, You've spoken about stress-free living, actually living without any stress at all.  That's very hard for somebody in the world, to truly believe it's possible to be stress free, not just reduce stress, but no stress at all.  Is that true that you can be totally stress free? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is possible; you have to work for that.  Meditate and also be strong mentally. You live for what you believe,  you die for what you believe.  Like you believe in Swamiji, then believe in Him.  Not even Swamiji or not even God should be able to disturb your mentality.  When you love Swamiji, you love Swamiji for sake of loving Swamiji.  He is your Lord and you want to serve Him and you serve Him, not because others wanted you to serve Him.  You want to serve Him because you want to serve Him.  So that attitude is necessary.  Other things like Swamiji used to tell, “If anybody criticizes you why are you having one loaf of bread, then that day eat two loaves of bread, then they will keep quiet”.  Give them blood pressure; you don't have to go into a blood pressure.  You don't have to lose your temper.  Smiling, at peace.  Keep doing what you have to do it, you keep doing.  So we have remained silently.  Challenging times happen.  Every day there are people who keep criticizing, who keep talking negative.  They think that they can give me blood pressure.  But finally they end up getting into a blood pressure.  I keep smiling but I don't give up my work also. I keep doing what I have to do.

Question:   So that requires a lot of self-confidence to carry on like that.  Where do You get that self-confidence from?

Babaji Maharaj:   It has to come from within.  Somehow this came naturally for me.  That's why it's difficult for me to say from where it's going to come.  It was an inborn quality or it came inside.   Though outside I've been soft spoken or quiet, don't argue with people, but I remain determined.  That determination was always there.  Once I decide, like nowadays several times several young people have come, “Oh I want to join the Ashram, I want to serve Swamiji.  But I am a little bit confused.  Should I do it or not do it?  Somebody is telling me that I should get married.  Should I get married?”  Like these people have done.  I have ridiculed them.  “Look man, you want to serve Swamiji, you serve Swamiji. Or you want to get married, you go and get married.  Don't get confused either of the two.  It's your choice, finally.  Don't blame afterwards anybody else.  If you are unable to decide, if there is indecision, then you are really an idiot, you have not practiced any determination, you have not loved Swamiji really. You must love the Master really, in truth from the depth of your heart, then I think this determination comes.  You won't bother for anybody else.  And if you depend on what others tell, so finally this is what happens”.  So, everybody, human beings always talk according to their selfishness.  

   There is one boy.  He always has three or four other younger boys who assist him.  So he wants to be a leader.  So he wants to control all of them.  He won't allow them to do anything else what he doesn't like.  If any one of them wants to join the Ashram he wouldn't tolerate, “Oh no, you must be with me only.”  So what to do?  So finally the one who wants to join must join if he wants to join. He should not depend on somebody else whether he has to join or not.  

   There was another conviction for me.  “Come what may, I'm not going to regret.”  This conviction was there.  Because when I came to Swamiji I did not have any imaginations of expectation.  What type of building, what type of food, what type of people are going to be there?  Are they going to welcome with a flower garland, are they going to scold me or  are they going to fight with me?  What type of people, are they going to threaten me?  No imagination of any sort like this was there.  And inside I was just ready to accept anything that came - without any such imagination, I came to Ashram.  So, giving an example.  And whatever came in the way, simply accepted, became flexible overnight.  There was no need for a six months training or a six years training, just overnight, the moment I stepped into the Ashram, then from now onwards I am Ashram, that’s it.  Like that I lived always.  So I never had unhappiness or stress.  Everything that came, whether it was the food or the status or humiliation or somebody exploiting, anything, “May it please You, my Lord, because I love You.”  That love was unconditional; we loved Swamiji only for sake of love.  So I believed in these things.  We go in quest of knowledge for sake of knowledge.  So when you don't keep anything else at stake, then you will not be disappointed.  I wanted to come.  So if it's going to happen in this way, it's all right.  So like that, if you can decide in this world, your life can become stress free; just be determined, you believe.  You believe and you do that one.  Let anybody tell anything, it's for you.  You're all sitting in meditation, “Oh, what will give this meditation, it is all wrong thing.”  So, different people have different opinions.  There are different religions.  Whereas all religions are equal, honorable, because the truth is one - it cannot be two different things.  Different terminologies have been used, different paths have been prescribed.  So when that is prescribed, so that person tries to find some fault with another path. Why the need?  “I come from here, you come from there, we’re all going to go to the truth only.”  If only he has experienced the truth.  So there is no such trouble at all.  So no confusion at all.  

So even if something happened - another example I will tell on the same, stress-free.  So don't bother about who is going to tell what.  Thirty, thirty-five years ago, once a monk came that he would teach me a special language.  And I accepted.  I told, “Look, I'm dedicated to Swamiji and His Ashram.  So whatever time is available, within that only I will come because once I accept to teaching from you, I will have to accept you as a teacher means I will have to show my reverence.  So this should be acceptable to you.”  He said, “Okay.”  Then sometimes I couldn't go because of my work in the Ashram.  Then he started criticizing me. He started talking nonsense.  “This thing happens in your Ashram, that thing happens.”  So, “Look, Master, if you don't want to teach me it's no problem.  I'm happy.  I'm happy dusting the Ashram of my Guru.  I don't have to learn this special language.  This is not going to make me any angel or God.  So I'm happy.”  I left it and came back home, Ashram.  And I thought, “I'm happy dusting the Ashram of my Guru.”  The same peace when it comes, the realization, you don't have to have a special language or a special status.  Even by sitting on a gunny bag also you can meditate.  You don't need a tiger skin all the time.  It's a different thing if somebody donates you a tiger skin, so you can sit on that. Otherwise you just sit and a gunny bag and meditate.  So like that if you're ready for everything, be flexible in life.  Flexible about life, don't expect anything, you go on doing everything.  Then there won't be any stress at all.  Where’s the stress?  That's it.  No problem.

Question:   But when You were looking after the Dehradun Ashram and Swamiji was going to visit, there would have been so many tasks that You needed to do there.  And I know at that time You had very few funds for the Ashram and Swamiji could be very fierce when He wanted as well.  So, were You ever anxious that You hadn't done everything properly, that it wasn't possible to get everything right and that He would scold You because You hadn't done something?

Babaji Maharaj:   No, actually there wouldn't be any time to feel anxious; I'd be so much busy.  So I went on working, whatever was possible, whatever was there.  More than that I didn't worry that I couldn't provide all these things, I couldn't provide a car, I couldn't provide an aircraft, I couldn't run an aircraft, all these types of thoughts never came to me.  Whatever was there, I went on doing simply.  That's it.  And these thoughts never came.  There was excitement and stress-free was there.  So let me just keep doing whatever is in front of me; what was not there, about that I never bothered.  So many, so many things couldn't happen which we would have liked to do for our Guru.  But that's it, acceptable.  What to do, this is all I have, I cannot give.  If I don't have hairs on my head, I cannot give these hairs to somebody.  What to do?  No stress.  So that type of attitude means I had always.  So that's why I think I never felt that stress.  If anybody can adapt and understand this attitude they will never have any stress in life.  

I know it's not as easy as we talk, but one must work for it.  Like there was this inborn quality of determined efforts from me.  Also, I think we practiced meditation, a lot of spiritual exercises, devotional songs and the chant of stotrams and mantra in praise of the Divine.  Continuously we did this.  When we did this, we were totally mindful and enjoyed that.  I think these things gave such amazing determination not to bother about anything else.  So you have to adapt exercises forever mind control, chant mantras, chant of the stotrams, and devotional songs you keep singing and learn, then meditate also.  All these things can be very helpful.  In the karma, you always keep your Master in the mind, you are doing it for the master, not to please anybody else in this world.  You're doing it for the sake of your Master.  Nobody should be able to disturb, not even the Master Himself should be able to disturb you.  So like that you need to be determined.  You practice and it will come, cultivate.

Same questioner: Thank you Babaji. It’s always nice to hear You talking about your time with Swamiji as well.

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.

Babaji Maharaj:   My blessings.

Question:   So You were talking about peace of mind.  And there are two descriptions of the enlightened consciousness.  One of them is where you are separate, you're not bothered by anything, your only in the Atman.  And sometimes maybe the term that is used for that is saaskhi chaitanya, witness consciousness.  And then there's another one, for instead of being separate from everything, you are one with everything.  And maybe the term for that is Brahmastiti, I don't know, You may be able to clarify these.  So I'm wondering how do we reconcile these two descriptions of being separate, but also being one with everything?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, separate means as long as the physical body is there, it appears to be separate.  Only from inside, an enlightened Master, means the one who would have achieved the Self-realization, would have merged.  But in this world when you behave, you behave according to the manners of this world.  Say for example, after doing tapas, the merger happened.  Actually, in the consciousness there is neither a disciple nor a Guru.  Because that ‘I’ earlier that existed in imagination does not exist anymore.  Only the Master is there, but in proper worldly manners I have to identify the Master as a Master and tell that I am at the lotus feet of the Master.  That is the good thing.  In this body I must not claim I have become that Master myself now.  So that is not proper.  Not the worldly good language.  So that's what we learnt like that and I learned this from Hanuman.  Hanuman has answered, “In advaita I do not exist at all, only my Lord Rama.  In the dwaita, the duality, the separation, I am Lord’s servant, and my Rama is my Lord, my Master.”  So that's what He says.

Question:   So when are we dwaita and when are we advaita?

Babaji Maharaj:   Not that.. In dwaita, means in duality, when we, as long as this body is there, Shiva Balayogi is my Master and Shivarudra Balayogi is the disciple.  When this body goes there is no more Shivarudra Balayogi.  One merger finally, that is known as videha mukti; after the body goes, the final merger finishes there, the individuality is over.  [Same questioner: Thank You Babaji.]

Question:   Hello Babaji, what's the difference between mental resolution and repetitive fear or worry?

Babaji Maharaj:   Due to the mental resolution, mind thinking that this may happen, this may not happen, then that worry also happens.  That worry is the result of the resolution only, means mind resolves and a thought appears.  That type of thought appears when it resolves in a particular way or attitude.  So they both are interactive.  One is there because of the other.

Same Questioner:   And it's meditation that can dissolve that resolution and that fear?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, when one dissolves, the other also automatically dissolves.  Only the neutralized present now is there.  [Same questioner:  Thank You Babaji.]

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  So I got a question - can reading scriptures become an obstacle to our sadhana?  And what should be the ratio of reading scriptures and doing meditation?

Babaji Maharaj:   Reading the right type of scriptures can be very motivating, inspiring, that will give you a clue of what you're supposed to do.  It's as good as listening to Babaji’s talks - like that one, scriptures.  So if that scripture has been written by Self-Realized people like the great upanishads, things like Ashtavakra Gita, Yoga Vashista, Rishaba Gita.  So these are all written or told by Self-Realized Masters; such highest things if you choose to read.  If you choose to read miracles and this, that, that can be very confusing - unnecessary hallucinations, traveling in the space and becoming this, going to lokas - they are all totally different.  So if you are interested in Self-Realization, select such selected scriptures and then read.  They can be very helpful for you.

Same questioner:   Thank You, and what should be the exact ratio?  Suppose we have three hours for our sadhana.  So how much should we divide for scripture and seeing between the eyes and meditating?

Babaji Maharaj:   If you can, first all the three hours do sadhana.  So if it is difficult, unable to sit for all the three hours, then whatever is possible you do sadhana.  When you are not doing in sadhana then read the scriptures.  Plus or minus, that is the mathematics.

Question:   Nice to see You Babaji.  At the moment our thoughts are bound to emotions, happiness, sadness.  When meditation comes to us and we get introvert and the cleaning process starts, does it remove whatever we experience in this cleaning process?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, these emotions get cleared when the mind is purified in the cleaning process.  You overcome all emotions also, you are able to keep yourself restrained.  You understand the futility of simply being emotional unnecessarily.  Like, simply you have to think psychologically - simply by worrying you cannot help either you or anybody else.  But if you stop worrying, if you look after yourself first, then you might be able to look after somebody.  So this thing will happen when you practice meditation.

Question:   Thank you, Babaji.  I just want to ask You - Often, you know, the medical profession and doctors tell us not to keep sitting for too long because that would slow down the blood circulation, resulting in cardiac things.  And when our spiritual teachers say, “Sit in meditation for that many hours”, how does one then overcome the other problem of when they say, “Sitting is the new smoking, it can result in so many other complications?”  So does it mean that when You just said, sit for three hours and meditate, we can sort of move every 40 minutes and then go back to meditation move, or just sit nonstop for three hours?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you see you don't have to worry about me telling a young person.  So then also I didn't impose.  I told him in that three hours, whatever sadhana you can do, if it's possible you do all the three hours.  Otherwise, whatever sadhana you do, the rest of the time you read scriptures.  Along with, in my talks and answers I keep advising, taking care of the body is also very important.  Take the medical advice.  If you see how much you can sit - twenty minutes you can sit, thirty minutes you can sit, and then stretch out your legs; for two minutes stretch out, then again, continue some more meditation, then stretch out your legs after another twenty minutes, thirty minutes.  So in this age, that would be advisable for you.  So every twenty to thirty minutes, after that when you feel the stiffness or some pain, then trying to keep the eyes closed and the concentration in-between eyebrows, don't allow the mind also to run away.  Just feel yourself and do the stretch out with your legs and hands for a while.  Then again sit.  If necessary you can stand up and take few steps also, no problem.  I fully understand the need of these things.

Same questioner:   Thank You.  Thank You Babaji, that really answers my question.  And that's what I do most of the time as part of my practice.

Babaji Maharaj:   Very good.  Wonderful.

Question:   Thank You very much Babaji.  I just wanted to ask, sometimes I struggle with emotions when You mentioned before. How to overcome certain emotions or emotions that pull me back?

Babaji Maharaj:   You have to know sometimes emotions can be your strength.  But sometimes emotions can become your weakness.  The other can exploit you if you're emotional.  This is the saying.  So, by undertaking spiritual exercises, whatever way that's possible.  Strongest is the meditation.  Apart from this meditation, any chants, remembering God, devotional songs, all these things, remember God, and do the chantings also.  Chantings can be very helpful to overcome the emotions, in praise of the Lord.  So these two things you can undertake.  Finally, regular meditation, every day if it is possible for you to do one hour.  So that will help you to overcome all emotions one day.  Very soon you can be very strong, and you will feel very peaceful without any emotions also.  You will be able to love somebody is no problem, but you don't have to become too emotional.  So that type of attitude will come to you.  We will also pray for you, our blessings.

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes the session.

 So I deeply appreciate all your participation in this session of meditation.  May you all be blessed by our Divine Guru Shiva Balayogi for fortune - fortune to be more spiritual, fortune to be able to take out time, fortunate to be able to practice and overcome emotions, problems, stress, all these things, achieve that Supreme Peace for yourself.  May you all be blessed.

End of Session