The well-known novelist Herman Melville, who authored Moby Dick 170 years in the past, made this attention-grabbing assertion:
Life is a voyage that’s homeward sure.
From a yogic perspective, was he appropriate? What do you assume enlightened yogis would say? In the event that they agree, then what sort of a journey is this life? And what precisely does house imply? Additional, and maybe most vital of all— How will we get there, and is it potential to get there extra shortly?
Dwelling, the truth is, yogically talking, will not be a spot. Swami Kriyananda writes in one in every of his songs:
House is my coronary heart’s land. Dwelling’s the place I’m. Nothing can dim the sunshine of my soul.
Dwelling then, we are able to say is a state of consciousness—a state of being.
Paramhansa Yogananda explains that human beings expertise 5 particular states of thoughts. All of us journey by these states on an inside journey that takes us from darkness to mild, from phantasm to illumination, from ego to soul, and from a international land to our true everlasting house.
FIVE STATES OF MIND
Only for illustration and enjoyable, we are going to take an inside prepare journey representing the journey of life to discover these 5 states of thoughts. We are going to make stops at 5 stations. Every cease will clarify and make clear these completely different states of thoughts.
Are you prepared? Then, please take your seat. Your prepare journey is about to start out. Do you hear the whistle? Fasten your seat belts! Let’s go!
Look across the prepare automotive. You aren’t touring alone. There are numerous different individuals on the prepare with you. In truth—everyone seems to be touring with you!
First station: HAPPINESS
Our prepare is stopping after a pleasant lengthy journey on the first station. This station is known as HAPPINESS. In truth, everyone seems to be disembarking and having a beautiful time. Take a superb look. Everyone seems to be certainly pleased.
Have a look at that man over there—He had a powerful need for a really fancy and quick automotive that he acquired, so he rejoices. The individual subsequent to him received a increase and all of the sudden has a lot, way more cash. See how he smiles! Have a look at the following individual: He simply had a stimulating sexual expertise and feels totally glad.
Then, take a look at that lady over there: She is celebrating the good success of her challenge at work. The man at her facet simply had a dream trip and he’s nonetheless completely thrilled about it. There may be one other fellow close by: He’s light-headed, giddy, and pleased. He has loved a bit an excessive amount of wine. Proper beside him, you see somebody who simply reached their aim and he’s simply jubilant. One other pleased individual to look at is the individual over there celebrating the victory he simply had at his favourite sports activities membership.
On this station, everybody has one factor in frequent: a need has been fulfilled that has given them happiness. That is the primary way of thinking.
Let’s get again on the prepare and see the place it takes us subsequent!
Second station: SORROW
The prepare strikes on and lo, we’re approaching the station. The subsequent station is known as SORROW. Go searching as you exit the prepare.
Everybody right here is gloomy. That brand-new automotive broke down. The cash is gone and poverty awaits. That sexual expertise will not be obtainable anymore however the thirst for it stays. All the pieces at work is chaotic and has failed. After the fantastic trip, the gray, dry routine settles in as soon as once more. The enjoyment of wine turns into an incapacitating hangover and the sports activities membership has misplaced closely.
You will notice gloom, unhappiness, frustration, and sorrow in all places at this station. Everybody right here has one factor in frequent—a need that has been unfulfilled or contradicted now brings sorrow. That is the second way of thinking.
The prepare of life strikes backwards and forwards between these first two stations. The station HAPPINESS is adopted by the station SORROW and vice versa, regularly. Everybody who goes to 1 station additionally has to go to the opposite. It’s all the time a round-trip ticket for everybody.
Third station: INDIFFERENCE
Generally the prepare stops in between these two stations. That cease is the third one. It’s known as INDIFFERENCE. Let’s get off the prepare, take a stretch, and observe how the individuals are right here.
After we ask round, ‘Are you content? Do you’re feeling content material?‘ The reply is all the time the identical: ‘No.’ And once we ask, ‘Are you unhappy?’ The reply is principally the identical ‘No.’
On this third station, the individuals are within the center. They’re neither within the desired station of happiness nor the terrible station of unhappiness. These individuals discover themselves in an intermediate hole – a impartial state of indifference. Additionally it is a station that may foster boredom. Life right here is boring, switched off, indolent, and uninteresting.
Let’s soar again on the prepare once more and get away from right here! Let’s see what occurs on the subsequent station on the journey of life.
Fourth station: PEACE
Our prepare strikes on. There’s a new station in sight. It’s known as PEACE. We are going to get off the prepare and see what the way of thinking is for the people who find themselves right here.
What we uncover is that this: The individuals listed below are experiencing an absence of fluctuations between sorrow and pleasure in addition to detachment and tedium.
View from prepare window between stations!
This fourth station is a really fascinating cease. It’s peaceable, restful, and satisfying. Folks expertise serenity right here. After the tumultuous journey lurching backwards and forwards between ache and pleasure together with intermittent stops on the station of indifference, the passengers who arrive right here profoundly benefit from the calm state of tranquillity and inside peace.
On this station, everybody has one factor in frequent: They’re centered in themselves, much less worldly, and possess a optimistic, sensible, and balanced mind-set. The individuals listed below are serene, poised, safe, and accepting of no matter is.
Curiously, this station additionally is only one cease on the journey. Observe the individuals carefully: One thing deep inside them continues to be eager for one other vacation spot. They sense there’s something extra. We heard somebody ask, ‘Is that this all we are able to attain? Is that this all life affords?’ Another person was heard to ask, ‘That is good however isn’t there greater than peace?’
These ideas percolate up from a soul reminiscence. One thing is reminding them that there’s something else deep down for all of them to recollect.
This a lot is true: After so many turbulent durations on life’s journey, this peaceable situation is most welcome. Nonetheless, after a sure time of peaceable enjoyment, we are going to get this suggestions: ‘Someone, please hit me within the head so I can really feel that I’m nonetheless alive!’
In truth, this state of peace is solely a state during which pleasure has been neutralized. It’s not lastingly satisfying. So, let’s hop on the prepare once more and head to the final cease – our closing vacation spot!
Fifth station: BLISS — EVER NEW JOY!
Wow! Go searching. There are just a few individuals left on the prepare now. These are those that really need a deeper life, the next life, a lifetime of the soul. The prepare will take us on to the final and most fantastic station. It’s known as BLISS — EVER NEW JOY.
Final cease! Everyone off!
We uncover one thing completely superb: Everybody right here has discovered true and lasting pleasure by contacting God in deep meditation and associated methods given by the Enlightened Ones.
One lady ecstatically defined her expertise: ‘Think about that for ten days you weren’t permitted to sleep however had been pressured to remain awake, after which allowed to go to sleep. The enjoyment you’re feeling at that second, multiply it one million occasions, and it might nonetheless not describe the enjoyment that I’m talking about.’
One other individual says: ‘Right here you discover a pleasure you’ll by no means half with, even when the entire world is obtainable to you in alternate. Cash, intercourse, wine—nothing can match that supreme pleasure.” One other individual provides: “It’s an ever-burning radiance in your individual soul.’ One other individual blissfully testifies: ‘This ever-new pleasure stays along with your soul all through eternity.’
Alas, most individuals on this planet have traveled solely to the primary 4 stations. They know solely these first 4 states of thoughts which are the domains of the ego. They have no idea that fifth state, which is of the soul.
The prepare of life takes us to the final and highest station solely by working towards every day silence. In truth, that bliss and ever-new pleasure can solely be attained by perceiving God in inside stillness.
In fact, all of us do keep in mind that fifth, supreme station, that state of bliss. How is that this so? As a result of there was a time once we had been good. It’s for this long-lost perfection that we yearn as a result of we’re all youngsters of God.
The prepare of life will finally take us all house. It would take us to that final and superb station of ever new pleasure.
This brings us again to Herman Melville’s quote:
Life is a voyage that’s homeward sure.
That house is Bliss. We get there faster with meditation. The journey will probably be even sooner if we apply efficient meditation methods.
The prepare of life will take you to the station of true and ever new Pleasure generally known as Bliss. The promise is that this: should you can retain that state all the time, it doesn’t matter what occurs in life, you’ll stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds.
Isn’t {that a} spectacular aim? Isn’t {that a} marvelous station and vacation spot to succeed in? Once you arrive eventually on the station of Bliss — Ever New Pleasure, you’ll really be HOME!
