Practiced Thoughts Perpetuate Suffering...Not Problems or People

It is said that all suffering is self inflicted. While this blanket statement has a lot of room for discussion around varying levels of emotional wounds or trauma, the idea is that our own ruminating thoughts are the driving force that perpetuates suffering, instead of the hands of another person or experience. 

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi discusses this concept in relation to individual behavior in his book, The Science of Being and the Art of Living. Maharishi was a trained physicist who became a meditation teacher under the direction of his Guru Dev, and later introduced the Transcendental Meditation technique. In his book, Maharishi describes the impact that harboring negative thoughts about someone else’s behavior has on our own suffering. If someone treats us improperly, our tendency is to respond with an equal or stronger reaction that will likely be received negatively. Maharishi explains this response doesn’t allow that person the opportunity to improve their relations with us, which will also add to our suffering. He adds that even if this person was acting with ill intention toward us, we can still choose to include love in our following interactions with that person that will benefit the both of us long term, “Even if he does harbor ill-feelings toward us, we will benefit him and ourselves if we still behave toward him with love and tolerance.” Maharishi explains how the “doubting or unkind mind” perpetuates suffering in the individual when “even if there have been reasons for the doubts in the past, [the doubting or unkind mind] fails to enjoy the joyfulness and sincerity of the other. Thus, it is not the present behavior of the man that is causing the other to be doubtful; rather it is the state of his own mind”, Maharishi, 2011, The Art of Behavior...Behavior and Surroundings, para. 6-10.

Through the practice of Transcendental Meditation, the practitioner experiences bliss consciousness, where our natural state of peace, harmony, and clarity directly infuses with our everyday activities. This technique is taught by a certified teacher, to ensure the integrity of the teaching as well as the understanding of the student. Through instruction, the student is drawn to a quiet space at the source of thought, accessing a deeper space of awareness where our natural state unfolds spontaneously. Through this system for accessing one’s integrated self, “we vibrate a good influence of life and peace, harmony and joyfulness, around us”, Maharishi, 2011, The Art of Behavior...Behavior and Surroundings, para. 11.

This helpful reminder helps clarify the momentum that is found in negative thinking (all thinking really). When we fuel negative thinking with more “air time”, they become more powerful and influence not only how we feel or act toward this person in the future, but inevitably in the participation of our own suffering. 

References:
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Science of Being and Art of Living. MUM Press. Kindle Edition.

Karma and Epigenetics, East Meets West

The concept of Karma refers to a widely held spiritual principle of cause and effect, whether in this lifetime or in future existence. This curious, yet widely held acceptance of “as you sow, so shall you reap” parallels current biomedical research and findings in the field of epigenetics. 

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a physicist who became a meditation teacher of the Transcendental Meditation technique also encouraged scientific research to study the impact of meditation on mind and body. In his book, “The Science of Being and the Art of Living” Maharishi explains the action of Karma can impact an individual in this lifetime or at some point in the future. Maharishi also explores resolving the impact of Karma through the process of Transcendental Meditation. Transcendental Meditation is a technique for inner peace and wellness that is both preventative and curative by providing a means for preservation of mental and physical health (2015, February 17). Through Transcendental Meditation technique, one can access a state of quiet stillness free from thought or mental activity, a transcendent state of Being. The force of Karma can be leveraged from this state, and assist evolution toward the experience of bliss consciousness, where doing highest good for oneself compliments maximum benefit for humanity. (Maharishi, 2011, Karma and the Art of Being, para. 45-50).

Through the study of epigenetics, scientists are discovering that while our genetic makeup defines physical traits and the potential for certain diseases, how those genes express may be more influential on our day to day health and even more interesting is that epigenetic expressions seem to be capable of being passed down to future generations. Similarly, Maharshi states “If an action is performed now of which the influence will reach the doer in a thousand years, that influence will reach that soul wherever in the universe it may be” and if the doer is no longer alive, his nearest living relative will attract the karma, “Blood affinity is the agency through which the reaction reaches the doer” (Maharishi, 2011, The Art of Being, Karma and the Art of Being, para. 10).

Today the impact of meditation on the physiology is more widely accepted and the ability to change biomarkers of predictive health are more explored than ever before. After attending a recent conference where the two worlds of science and sacred knowledge combined, one of the areas explored was around neuropsychology and epigenetics. During the panel discussion, experts expressed that while 5% of our genetic make up is set and unchanging, it is possible up to 95% is dependent upon how our genetic make-up is expressed at any point in time, and can be influenced by direct experiences in life. Also important to note is that 95% could include imprints made during the lives of our ancestors. One example was a person living today could be influenced by the trauma experienced by their ancestor who was a holocaust survivor, even if they had never met. This epigenetic inheritance may influence our current state of health based on the behavior, diet and environment of our ancestors and can be impacted through changes in our current behaviors (Siegel & Tanzi, 2019).

Perhaps Karma and epigenetics represent another parallel between objective science of the west and the subjective inquiry of the east, both supporting the impact of current environmental factors on physiology and overall health.

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

References:

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Science of Being and Art of Living. MUM Press. Kindle Edition.

Siegel, D. & Tanzi, R. (2019, November) Neuropsychology & Epigenetics Panel. Panel discussion presented at the 2019 Sages & Scientists Symposium, Bentonville, AR.

(2015, February 17). The Science of Being and Art of Living by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Retrieved from: https://tmhome.com/books-videos/science-of-being-art-living-maharishi/

From Positive Thinking to Positive Being

Positive Being is the broader version of positive thinking. Positive thinking requires work, effort, attention, discovery….

The power of Positive Being is described in the 45th verse of the Bhagavad Gita, where Maharishi explains that equanimity of the mind persists through great joy or negative emotion because the “heart is by nature full and contented”.... “even while experiencing the diverse nature of the world”.

Positive Being is your authentic self, and the birthright of every human being. Through meditation, one learns that the desire for more is innate, and can be drawn from this quiet space at the source of thought, accessing a deeper space of awareness where Positive Being unfolds spontaneously. This system for accessing our innate and natural state of positive Being, where one’s integrated self experiences the full expression of life, provides a keen ability to see the unfoldment of opportunity through both negative and positive life experiences. The opportunities are not only where the “grass is always greener”, but also in seeing the rapture in the incomplete. By experiencing something we may on the surface see as lack, we create expansion in desire, through which we can lean into, “surrender” or remove resistance toward. This movement outward from a place of Positive Being and not just positive thinking is built on a foundation that can be curated through the everyday practice of Meditation.

Positive Being is not determined by the quality of life’s negative or positive experiences, it is determined by our quality of Being.

Meditation

• Pranayama - Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, and hold for a count of 4. Continue for 5 mins.

• Visualization - Imagine yourself in the ocean, dropping just below the surface and look up at the top of the water. Notice the waves as they float by and see that the waves are your thoughts. These thoughts, just like waves, float toward actions you might take. And just like the waves, all action creates expansion. When the wave hits the shore, it will push the earth outward or draw some of it back into the water. Your thoughts have the same impact, creating movement toward expansion, in one direction or another. Some “expansion” results in an uncomfortable or undesirable experience, but expansion is occurring just the same. By experiencing all of life, you are expanding the innate nature of desire within you. Through these life experiences, we are simply refining desires over and over, causing expansion not only within you, but for the collective human experience.

“Through every thought, word, and action, a man produces waves of influence in the surrounding atmosphere”, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the Science of Being and Art of Living, 1963.

• Mantra Meditation “Sat Nam” or “Truth is my Identity”. Introduce the verbal mantra que to help anchor your thoughts.

Use the mantra to anchor your thoughts and attention. Let yourself float to the bottom of the ocean with this anchor (or your breath, or simply experience the stillness). At the bottom of the ocean, you no longer see the thoughts, yet at the top of the ocean they are still active. You have space between you and the surface activity of the mind. By cultivating this experience of silence, and what that looks like for your individual awareness, you integrate the full knowing of yourself and that of Pure Consciousness. This integration will be felt as you return back to the surface, merging again with life and the glorious variety of both positive and negative experiences therein.