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In terms of anatomy and physiology, the structure and basic functions of the brain is same in all human beings. Then what is the reason that some people become scientists, some artists, writers or otherwise talented and some do nothing, some are intelligent to the level of genius while some are dullards or booby? The intellectuals and thinkers of all ages have addressed this issue.
Ms. Betty Edwards writes in her book entitled 'Drawing on the Right Side of Brain' that - the side hemisphere of the brain is found to be more active in the people who are endowed with creative talents. As such the left and the right parts together constitute the complete brain. However, the right side of the brain is found to be relatively more developed and active in the people having investigative mind with sound reasoning and insight.
It is beyond the capacity of human skill to comprehend the amazing features of the brain or decipher why the eternal creator had given special roles to the two halves of a single organ. The brain-material, which looks like a jelly, brown substance - made up of thousand billions neurons, is the main power generator in the 'factory' of body. It is million times better than the super computers of the most advanced generation. Its central processing unit (CPU) receives, recognizes and processes several bio-electrical signals simultaneously in a matter of just few micro seconds. Bio-electrical signals are processed continuously in an active brain at a high speed of over thousands per second. They constitute the basis for the recognition and processing as per the informational impulses received from the sense organs. The brain automatically produces the energy required for its own processing and continues to work efficiently without any rest throughout the normal life of a human being.
The right hemisphere of the brain has been of special interest to the neuroscientists and psychologists of the modern age. Dr. Stanley Angeleben has written a thought-provoking article on this topic in the July 1988 issue of Reader's Digest. In this article entitled 'Are You Thinking Right?', he has described significant aspects of the unique role of the right side of the human brain. He states - "Most of us do not realize th immense potential inherent in our own self, we are not able to drive our intellect righteously. This is the reason why we are deprived of those qualities which most of the talented great personalities possess as natural endowments. Although it is not necessary for people in general to know the detailed structure of the brain or analyze the positions and processing of special functional centers in it. It would however, be beneficial for all the people to be aware of - how to make the best use of this precious organ to refine and rouse the mental and intellectual talents."
The learned writer further describes that - it is well known that the right hemisphere of the brain controls the motor and sensoty activities of the left half of the body and the left hemisphere does that for the right portion of the body. The right side part of the brain is considered to be the functional center for artistic talents, soft emotions and crativity and its left counterpart is thought to govern talents, skilful activities and extraordinary memoty…. However, it is not found to be so in our daily activities.
When we try to recollect where a particular object was kept, recall a person whom we had met earlier, or perform similar tasks of retrieving the memory, we make more use of the right brain as compared to the left. In the awaken state of the body - that is, for about 16 hours of a day on an average, when the conscious mind is active, the 'shift to right' process is carried out by the corpus calosom. This process requires about 50 watts per hour in a normal person's thinking.
Noble laureate, Dr. Roger Sperry and his associates at the California Institute of Technology had analyzed the activities of epileptic patients before and after the brain-surgery. It was found that the coordination or separation of the dual activities (of the two halves) of the brain change pattern of the electrical sparks (impulses) in it. A split brain syndrome was developed in the patients when the center connecting the left and the right halves of the brain was cut during the surgical Operations. Characteristics of dual personality were then observed in the subjects/patients. Moreover, because of lack of mutual cooperation and systematic organization and fine-tuning of the intellectual functions of the two hemispheres of the brain, such people were unable to make use of the specific talents they possessed. Similar kinds of observations made in several neurological research laboratories have led to drastic change in the classical views, about the role of the two halves of the human brain. Better understanding of the brain functions has raised hopes for creative use of neurosurgical operations.
People in the Nepalese society by and large; force their lefty children to use the right hand instead of the left for most of the essential tasks including eating, writing, etc. This conviction also exists in the western society. The conventional views about 'righteousness of the right hands is rather misleading. In fact, the right side brain of a person who naturally use the left for every activity - be that holding a pen while writing of griping a cricket bat or tennis racket while playing etc. is more active that that in those who normally use the right hand.
Forcing a 'lefty' child to use the right hand triggers the harmful processing of shift to the left in his brain, this disturb the harmony between the two parts of his brain and suppresses proper mental development of the child. As a result, such children often suffer indecisiveness, mental complexes and psychological abnormalities; development of dual personality is a common phenomenon in such cases. According to Dr. Judie Helms of Connecticut, the right brain's major role is converted into a minor one because of a forced transformation of the lefty persons into 'normal' by social convention ones. This should be avoided by generating social awareness about the importance of using the right brain.
Many psychologists and psychiatrists also opine that people can be trained to use their right side brains and thus develop the faculties of balanced thinking and sound reasoning. The oriental philosophy and ancient science of human mind also emphasize that a human being is a controller of his own development. He can rouse the dormant talents and make best use of his mental faculties by realizing the potentials of his right side brain. Negligence of this half of the brain or improper use of its creativity is one of the major causes of the insignificant development of one's personality. We must therefore learn to activate this core of creative talents and intelligence and harmonize it with the left side brain with the help of simple spiritual practices like Dhyan (meditation)
When one mentally concentrates on specific objects and links it with contemplation of divine ideals during deep meditation, his consciousness gets linked with the subtle world. Gradually his 'inner eyes' - the centers of latent intellect - are awakened. If one sincerely performs such experiments at a regular pace in daily life, there is no reason why one would not be able to refine his intellect and activate some portion of the unused 93% of the real potential of his brain! It should always be beard in mind that righteous thinking and integrity of character are the key factors in supporting the elevation of intellect by any practice of conditioning and harmonizing the activities of brain.
Let the above discussion not create the erroneous impression that the writer is assigning a higher or lower status to various faculties of the mind and suggesting that one or the other in itself is an obstruction in the path of Self-Realization. As a matter of fact, it is the mind in totality, which is bringing you nearer to the reality of your true immortal identity and your Inner Self (Aham). Each faculty of the mind has its own specific role in helping the seeker move towards Self-Realization, provided it is properly utilized. The common man uses only the lower, less evolved faculties of the mind. They are hardly aware that different realms of mind have distinctive known and unknown miraculous potentialities. People tend to ascribe their failures to incapability of their mind. However, those aspiring for spiritual awakening are always advised by blame for their failures on their mind. Instead of considering the dormant potentialities of the mind irrelevant for human progress, they should earnestly endeavor to activate them properly. The lesson being imparted here can be put into practice through the mind. All activities leading to success, including understanding an idea and accepting its viability, first take place in the realm of mind only. Hence, addressing the mind of the reader directly, the writer says, "Open the door to receive the wisdom being transmitted from your higher mental faculties." He further pleads, "Please pay attention to this sacred subject. Please do not crate obstacles in the way of transmissions of divine illuminations (Daivi Chetna). These can be received through your faculty of Adhyatm Manas, which has capability of perceiving the Truth. So not create obstacles when it transmits divine energies for enlightenment".
Exercise for differentiating Soul from the Products of Mind
With a calm, relaxed and peaceful state of mind be reverently seated, receptively opening yourself to the higher wisdom, being transmitted through your Adhyatm Manas.
In the previous article, we have come to understand that your "I" is an immortal entity beyond your body, controlling your thoughts, emotions and traits. Now, we proceed further to deduce that all objective and subjective thoughts are products of the mind and therefore are different from the soul. In other words, soul has an independent identity of its own beyond the mind and its qualities and attributes.
Let us examine how the soul exists independent of the mind. Numerous emotional impulses like animosity, anger, maternal or paternal love, jealousy, hatred, elation, dejection etc are endlessly arising in the mind. Your "I" the Inner-Self or Aham can differentiate, examine, analyze or discard each of these. This "Aham" can also observe the state of their origin, maximum intensity and end. After practicing this introspection for a few days, the seeker will become so adept in this process, as though the object of observation were some other person. All such impulses are part of contemplative observation. Their nature can be examined threadbare and impact assessed from all angles. Thus the seer "I" or observer is a different entity than the observed objects - the body or mind. Visualizing the Inner-Self (soul) in this way will make it easier to comprehend.
The very fact that the creations of mind are being examined separately means that these are not part of your real self the "I". W ith practice, this perception of separateness will continue becoming stronger and stronger and ultimately an abiding uninterrupted expression.
Inherent human traits and 'Aham'
It is not the purpose of this article to make the reader impervious to emotions, though it would be welcome if through this Sadhana one could develop a capability for getting rid of one's depraving and downgrading traits. However, for the objective under consideration, the seeker is advised to ignore all traits - whether good or bad, leave them as they are and realize that Aham is beyond these and is an overarching independent entity. Let the seeker now resolutely and clearly make a demarcation between the traits and virtues of three modes of nature (Gunas) discussed earlier and Aham. There is no need to worry that a particular trait has become so strong that it cannot be discarded. Before this trait was established, your Aham was already in existence. It this Aham is capable of clearly discerning these traits objectively and independently, it will become easy to discard them in no time. Remember! Through this exercise, the seeker is experiencing and developing a conviction that the "I" who is using the intellect and its powers, the "I" which considers the mind and its powers as its implements, is the master of the mind.
In the previous article, we have done an in-depth study of the Prabuddha Manas and its creations and found that Aham is capable of discerning these as separate from it. In the same way, the creations of the highest faculty of mind the Adhyatm Manas can be discerned by "Aham" as separate from itself. The seeker may doubt that, since the divine spiritual inspirations are not related to physical body, and these cannot be utilized like emotions arising in the lower faculties of mind, perhaps these are inseparably related to the Aham. At this stage, let us not enter into a deep discussion on this subject, as the seeker still has very rudimentary and fleeting experience of the Adhyatm Manas, which unlike the lower, less evolved faculties of the mind is like a workshop for activation of divine forces in human mind. Seers, who have had the paranormal vision of the "light" (Jyoti) of Aham at the highest level of their spiritual evolution, tell that Aham exists beyond the Adhyatm Manas but it illuminated the latter with its light and that reflection of Aham in the Adhyatm Manas is like the image of the sun seen in water. The enlightened sages say that the brilliance of Adhyatm Manas is only a faint reflection of the inherent and dazzling effulgence of Aham, although first experience of Adhyatm Manas crated an illusion as if this itself were Aham, which in reality it is not. Aham is like an incessantly glittering jewel wrapped under several coverings of cloth (the coverings of the illusory world created by the magical mind). As the coverings are removed one by one, the filtered light becomes brighter and bright. The inherent brilliance of the jewel remains undiminished irrespective of the number of coverings or no covering at all.
The sole purpose of going to this level of consciousness is to create the highest level of awareness of Aham, so that the seeker becomes convinced of the competence of the soul for utilizing its instruments effectively. This understanding empowers him to take off the old, sullied, tattered clothes (regressive traits and illusions) and put on new, resplendent garments (noble, virtuous traits) and with their help carry out the assigned duties and responsibilities of life effectively - thus becoming a role model for others to follow.
After attaining this level of perception through persistent practice, the seeker may be eager to know what remains to be experienced which is beyond Aham. Transcending Aham is the pure, ultimate, immutable Super Soul (Vishuddha Atma) - the almighty God of which the individual soul is a spark. The conviction of this Transcendental Being comes through personal realization. By separating the Aham from the body, the mind and everything else related to these, successively discarding ever subtler layer of ego-bound consciousness, the seeker is ultimately left with the immortal, immutable soul, beyond which, nothing remains to be discerned. The logic is simple. The thinker, the analyst, and the object being deliberated upon, or being analyzed, can never be one and the same. The sun can never illuminate its own self. In the same manner, the soul cannot be something to be deliberated upon, nor can it be a subject of analysis. At each moment of life your consciousness tells you that your Real-Self - "I" is the thinker, the seer and the doer. This "I", as we have already discussed, is neither your body nor your mind in its conscious, subconscious or unconscious states. It has to be some other independent entity, which remains ever vigilant, alert and awake irrespective of the state of the body or the mind. This is what we call Atma or soul in spiritual parlance.
In order to overcome the confusion between the narrow lower self and the Real Self, in the state of meditation visualize that you and your body are two separate entities and you are using your body as your garment or a tool. Try to understand your body as you consider your garments. Visualize that your "I" would continue to exist even after the body has been discarded. Conceptually leaving the body, look at it from a higher level. Look at the body as though it were a hollow nest, in which you live and could easily come out of it. Consider yourself as the caretaker of this house, who is responsible for its sanitation (keeping it pure in thoughts and deeds), strength (keeping it strong) and functionality (physical activity). You are the master of the body and are using it as per your own free will. In this way, conceive: "I" am not this body. It is only My tool. "I" am using it only as a rest house. This body is built up with five basic elements of nature collected by "ME" (my real self) for giving it a desired appearance. (Scriptures tell that soul acquires a body and environment conforming to the traits brought forward from previous births i. e. the inherent traits from previous births are the building blocks of the mind and body of the new born.) During meditation, totally forget about your body and concentrate your thoughts and emotions on "I" as an independent conscious entity. Then you will become aware that the soul has an immortal existence independent of the body. Having had this awareness, whenever you will say "I", this expression will have an altogether a new meaning for you.
(However, it does not mean that you are required to ignore your body. Doing so will be disastrous. Considering body as the temple of soul it is your solemn duty to protect it in every way and keep it healthy and strong).
Paranormal visions and experiences
In the initial stages of Sadhana, the foregoing practice of dissociation from body-consciousness remains an entertaining and relaxing exercise, but as this imagery begins to take roods, the practitioner may feel as though he had actually died and may have such visions which one has at the time of death. There may be flashes of paranormal visions of those things, which are not physically visible at the place of meditation through normal sight. Hazy images of the extra-sensory world (sookshma Jagat) may be seen. Many other-worldly forms and heavenly scenes may appear. It may frighten the beginners, though there is nothing to be afraid of. Sometimes acceleration in the process of Sadhana, because of virtuous traits brought forward from the previous births and latent memories stored in the deeper levels of consciousness (also from previous births) become suddenly activated. This acceleration uplifts the mind to higher dimensions of awareness. With the passage of time, the Sadhak gradually becomes accustomed to paranormal experiences and such occurrences no more surprise of frighten him. With steady progress, the seeker acquires the capability to dissociate the soul from the body at will which, rising beyond the body, becomes aware of phenomena beyond physical sense perception. In this state, however, the soul of the practitioner does not actually leave the body but, like a person sticking out his neck out of a window to look outside and then withdrawing it at will, is able to transcend the limits of the body, without serving connection with it.
The beginners are advised not to be in a hurry to have occult and paranormal visions and experiences. It would tantamount to violating the natural process of gradual spiritual advancement. In due course, worthy seekers will be initiated into the technique of accessing the domains of paranormal visions (Paroksha Darshan). Here a passing reference to such experiences is considered necessary, so that when such visions do appear the Sadhak does not get frightened or nervous.
The second step of Gyan Yagya is -formation of the family. By and large every man creates a family. Those who do not marry, they live with their parents, brothers, sisters etc. This also is their family.
A unit consisting of wife and children is not the only family. Those who have renounced the world and become saints, they also form their groups, sects, ashrams (hermitages) etc. A tradition of Guru-Shishya parampara (the Guru handing down the chief position to one of his disciples in succession) starts and a family of followers is created. If an industry is created and run with high ideals, the workers and associates become family-members. The relationship between students and teachers is in reality a family -relationship. If one develops a little more generous outlook, then this periphery crossing the bounds of country, religion etc - encompasses the whole world. A t that time the idea of "vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (i.e. this whole world is a family) does not remain merely an imagination, but becomes a practical reality. It is a different question as to who earns how much, who is called great and whose personality is great. It is very easy to become great - but very difficult to become an excellent gentleman. Not status but greatness is required to live peacefully and to keep one's associated happy and satisfied. Maintaining greatness is the biggest achievement of human life. The worthiness of any family is in proportion to its progress in the above direction.
If undesirableness and perversities exist in the family's atmosphere, the only reason for them is the absence of an atmosphere which creates goodwill and promotes good actions. Only on creation of such favorable atmosphere will the puzzles get solved. This only is the spiritual reason for clashes within the family. Seen at a physical level other reasons can also exist for malice and quarrels and they can be tackled also, but even then when the intelligence itself has been corrupted, some reason or the other for malice and clashes will crop up and create the stench of rot. Living in such a family the individual can neither remain happy and prosperous nor can he develop the proper qualities and nature for practicing good deeds for significant progress in life. Unfortunate are those who think of money as everything and die for it. People with discretion know that there is no better joy giving material in this world than goodwill with a clean heart. Therefore they pay attention to its nurture and maintenance, even though they may have to remain financially poor.
To create a clean atmosphere and make family-members cultured is only one facet of creating a good family. The second facet of creating a good family is even more important, and that is - controlling or disciplining personal habits, beliefs and activities. This action is possible only in the laboratory that is called a family. The excellence of one's qualities, deeds and nature can be cultivated only by contacts with others. Only mental satisfaction is achieved through lonely reflection, study and lectures, but good actions become ripe only through practice. For this purpose there can be no better medium than the family. Since, we have to live with some people, to change their nature, in reality means changing one's own nature. The requirement of increase in goodness and goodwill in the family must be fulfilled. The mental horizons of the family members must be widened so that they do not become the proverbial frogs in the well i.e. narrow minded. A man many a time suffers damage and stumbles in life because of indifference or ignorance about life's and society's problems. There should be an atmosphere of belief in God and respect for God. Each member must have the habit of remembering God and bowing down to Him. It may take a minute or two, but those two minutes should be utilized.
We must understand that the family is a complete society, a complete nation. Even though its size is small, but all the problems which are faced by a society and a nation, also exist for the family. For a comprehensive development of our personality and for purifying our qualities, nature and deeds, the effort for creating an ideal family should be considered an important experiment in our life. It is a kind of service to the country, society and the whole world in a mini-form. The salvation of self and family-members lies in this only. Needless to say that to achieve success in this experiment, first we have to reform ourselves. This desired second step of forming a decent, integrated family will prove a very important link towards the formation of a new era.
