THE DAY
THE LOTUS BLOOMED
Reflections on Mindfullness
A Group of us met in Satsang on Saturday 14th July to reflect on the topic of MINDFULNESS. One of our 3 main inputs , to inform our reflections, was a poem, read by Angela , from RabindranathTagore. The following are some reflections on this topic
THE DAY THE LOTUS BLOOMS
Our need for AWAKEFULNESS
The day the Lotus Bloomed
Alas my mind was astray and I did not notice
I did not recognise that such a perfect loveliness
Had already bloomed inside my own being
The quotation above comes from a poem by Rabindranath Tagore . These words can provide a useful ‘hook’ to aid our reflections on our own spiritual Journey. They indicate the importance of remaining AWAKE and ATTENTIVE! to the present moment.In other words we could benefit from becoming more aware of the importance developing our Sadhana Practice of Mindfulness.
So, for all of us Tagore’s words carry an important message, because the ‘day the Lotus blooms’ ( a metaphor for those 'moments of stillness and insight) we may not notice and therefore be unaware of what already has transformed in us. When we are young we often seek ‘those sudden flashes of spiritual insight’. One well known example is that of St Paul on the road to Damascus. But to rely on this example of encountering the Mystery, which is a rarity, is very foolish. Insights are merely the opening of a door, we still have to walk through and continue our ‘Journey’. This is not merely a question of gathering new facts about our Faith or Scriptures but perhaps more a re-arranging of them and a re-focusing of our awareness.
Our life has Physical, Psychological and Spiritual life cycles . These could be drawn as graphs drawn from 0 to 100 years. Our PHYSICAL body grows, matures and then begins to die off . Our PSYCHOLOGICAL life has a similar pattern , but not necessarily exactly like the body. We can maintain our psychological capacity at a higher level well in into our later years. But nevertheless it too eventually declines. However our spiritual cycle is very different. It involves the eternal and never grows nor dies. It IS ! Our Spiritual life has the capacity of AWAKEFULNESS,
As children are gifted with high degrees of Awakefulness. I am reminded of a story once told by ISister shpriya during a Pravachan ( Spiritual Conference Talk) at Die Quelle – The Sadhana Ashram in Austria. It involved a young boy, called Russell, and his mother. This story illustrates something different and important about the Spiritual Cycle..
Russell : Mummy God is very big – bigger than anything we can imagine.
Mum : Yes He is
Russell: Mummy God is also very small, smaller than anything we can ever imagine.
Mum: ´A bit doubtful about a ‘ small God’ said ‘ How do you know this?’
Russell: I just feel it
This is an excellent example of a child's simple but powerful spiritual awareness
Ishpriya then quoted from the Hindu Upanishad a story written thousands of years ago. There in both the Svetasvatara and the Chandoga Upanishads, the sages give a description of the Atman - Spirit that is remarkably similar to Russell’s understanding. There now follows a quote from the Chandoga Upanishad
In the centre of the castle of God, our own body, there is a small shrine in the form of a lotus flower, and within can be found a small space. We should find who dwells there, and we should want to know him.
And if anyone asks ‘who is he who dwells in a small shrine in the form of a lotus flower in the centre of the castle of God ? Whom should we want to find and to know ? ‘ we can answer.
‘ The little space within the heart is as great as this vast universe. The heavens and the earth are there, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars; fire and lightning and winds are there; and all that now is and all that is not : for the whole universe is in Him and He dwells within our heart ‘
Russell's story is an example of a Child’s ( natural and intuitive ) Awakefulness. This is so true and typical of most children’s spiritual awareness and Awakefulness, Unfortunately for most of us life , culture and experiences then represses this intuitive Awakefulness and throughout the rest of life this may go up and down. However, if we really relax into our Practice , with steady and effortless Sadhana, then Spiritual Awakefulness will go up and up.
Modern Society over emphasises Body Psyche and therefore under-values elderly people who very often are more AWAKE . The world needs AWAKEFULNESS so age and wisdom have a great part to play.
We could all benefit by focusing less on what we have done or hope to do and focusing more on what has happened to us on our Journey. i.e. our wakefulness to our Journey is important. Now our culture often advises us NOT to focus on ourselves . It suggests that this is a sign of pride. But we need to discern the vital difference between Pride and Conceit.
Pride can be good but conceit is always ego. Anyway, we need to reflect on our life and its JOURNEY, on those moments of AWAKEFULNESS, turning points from childhood to now.
The Oxherder Story, from the Buddhist Tradition provides a good example ( A copy can be accessed and downloaded from the Resources Pages of the Satsang Website www.satsang-companionship.org.uk. This is a renowned series of drawings that depict the spiritual journey. It involves a young boy and an Ox. We could benefit by looking we look at picture of Boy outside the Hut. This represents us reaching home. It is symbolic. Your life is the Hut and you ( the Boy) are sitting outside – Awake – Observing. You have reached ‘home’.
This is what Tagore is saying. Sit outside your life – stay AWAKE and see the Lotus Bloom. See the transformations to you on your Journey. This growth in Wakefulness, sitting down ( outside the Hut) begins when the effort of PRACTICE is relaxed. There is no need to measure or achieve, no expectations, all has been dropped. We are home. Yes you keep your Practice ( Sadhana ) but it is effortless. You merely notice the changes but do not judge. You merely observe. How might you begin to notice this ‘stage’ ? Ishpriya often advises us to use the following questions in our attempts to reflect on our Journey.
1. Do I feel more relaxed about the idea of a Spiritual JOURNEY? Any Sadhana will be refreshing, it will lighten me and give an energy. This is not necessarily bodily or psychologically, – no it is more spiritually
2. Can I get a Sense of Inner Peace ? This sense is not indifference. It is merely the ability to focus on the essential for the Journey. All else may drift away.
Other signs are: There is no pressure to succeed and one becomes more cheerful. There is a sense that the Journey in the body psyche is ending but this is not a worry. One becomes more careful with self and with others, not hurting, annoying either yourself or others, being more compassionate and attentive to self and others. As we ‘AWAKE’ , we see other’s needs and respond accordingly. This is growth in Spiritual Awareness.
So, it is a good Practice to regularly look back on our Journey. That we stay focussed on simple things. Try to experience the world as beauty – the smaller things are more reliable signs that the Lotus is blooming. They mark our responses to the ‘Wake – Up Calls’ we have received, and continue to receive, on our Journey. Our main task on this ‘Journey’ of Spiritual Awareness is to continue to go on being wide and watchfully awake! This is the only way to remain aware of the many times the Lotus Blooms in our life.
The day the Lotus Bloomed
Alas my mind was astray and I did not notice
I did not recognise that such a perfect loveliness
Had already bloomed inside my own being
I am often left reflecting on the many times I have failed to notice those small transformations in my life. Those times that the Lotus does bloom and feeling more determined to focus on the small things, the here and now times when ‘joy’ seems to blossom. Because I know that joy is a sure sign of the presence of the Spirit.
