It is very difficult as our mind is cluttered with junk. There is an accumulation of thoughts, like the barnacles on a ship. And are you aware how difficult it is to remove them?

First of all, a barnacle is made of a white cone which is formed from six calcium plates which surround the crustacean. Four more plates form a door that the barnacle can close or open. It is an arduous and dangerous task to scrape them off. At least they can be removed with extreme caution and diligence.

How to remove?

Let us go back to the subject of our thoughts. How does one remove a thorn from our body? A needle or a sharp thorn is required to prod it out. Our thoughts can only be removed by using neutral thoughts to stun them and then gradually erase them. We can seek the blessings of our Guru to enable us but then we will accumulate even more debris in our mind. It is dumping ground and when the old litter is cleared, new waste material collects.

It is only God’s grace that can clear the rubble of our life. It is as if the darkness is removed by healing sunlight. How we can we clear the dross? Daily prayers thanking and remembering God. Sadhana which is satsang where one listens to talk about God, lectures on spiritual life, and participates in singing bhajans (hymns) and kirtans (recitation, praises and glorification).

According to Swami Satyananda, this is the way with least confusion. We are enabled to purify ourselves and our inner environment.

It is easy; just do not be judgmental and go with the flow of prana.

“Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Ephesians 5:19.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by Nathan Trampe on Unsplash