Law of Cosmic Harmony and Human Conduct

A human conduct is a prerequisite for spiritual practices.

It will make the mind more quite and subtle, with a longing for spirituality.

Human conduct is divided into 5 abstinences and 5 observances.

These moral principles are universal (they don't change with the culture, the time, the place). They are fundamental values relevant for all human beings.

Question: if you go out and kill an old lady? Then you come back and try to meditate. What we will be the result? Will you be able to meditate? No because the mind will be agitated (crudified) by the action. This crudification comes as a reaction to the breaking of the law of universal harmony by not following the principle of non harming. Any violation of this principle will generate such a reaction in your mind, to a degree proportional to the seriousness of the breaking.

The principles are universal because anyone breaking them will undergo the above mentioned negative reaction.

The 5 abstinences:

They are a set of don'ts, geared on preserving the harmonious relationships between all beings, and the cohesion of the human society.

1 Don't harm the harmless:

Let them give example of harm they did. Do they regret it? What was the impact on their lives?

It is impossible to stop harming all other beings and objects. Our very living implies the premature death of thousands of plants, animals, and microorganisms. Show them that what they mentioned was only the conscious harming, but they did much more harming unconsciously. Take example of someone walking on ants and thinking about something else. Let them try to find other kinds of unconscious harming they might have done.
Could they avoid this conscious or unconscious harming? In which way?

Lead them to the realization that we can choose a course of actions and a life style causing a minimum harm.

Yogic Spiritual Cosmology and philosophy can help us understand which creatures are more valuable and how to cause a minimum harm.

Do you think than human beings are more valuable than animals? Why?

Do you think than animals are more valuable than plants? Why?

The goal of life being the merging of the human mind into universal consciousness, the human life (with it's potential for realization and positive actions), is more valuable than other life forms. This can justify his survival by the killing of other less developed beings. In the same way, animals are mentally more developed than plants, and are hosting comparatively advanced minds that need this lifetime as an animal to learn and grow. After that, they will be able to reincarnate into a more complex animal and finally human body to continue this process until they final merge into cosmic consciousness.

With this perspective, it becomes clear that it is better to harm plants than animals, and if we can survive doing that, we should switch to a vegetarian diet more in tune with the principle of non harming.

Regarding harming or killing humans, it should be done only in these cases where non action would lead to a superior death toll.

Regarding harming unanimate objects most of us don't consider it to be bad. But they are also creations of the Supreme, and are doted with a dormant mind, that will one day become a human mind, after passing through numbers of plant and animal bodies. How often did we kick a stone without thinking? This lack of understanding and feelings leads to the destruction of the environment by the human society.

Non harming includes also our own self. We have to learn how to love and take care of ourself. Like make a healthy routine, with enough sleep, fixed times for meals, meditation, asanas etc....

Homework: write your own self introspection in a daily dairy: did I harm anyone or anything today? How can I rectify it or make amends?

In few words, be ecological, respectful of animals and plants, vegetarian, but be ready to use violence to defend the survival and well being of humanity.

2 Don't lie:

Instead use your words and thoughts for the welfare of others.

We have to live honestly, do and say what we really mean, and express our feelings and needs. Otherwise, guilt, remorse, and self condemnation will appear.

Ask them to tell an experience when they had to lie. How did they feel?

Every lie put you down. Every benevolent use of words put you up. Why do we lie? What are the reasons behind it?

Ask everyone to contribute by giving possible causes for people to lie.

I think we most often lie to enhance our prestige, keep our reputation, show an elevated picture of ourself to others, when it is far from the true. Also often we lie not to disturb the feelings of someone near. Or to please others. But among all these reasons, only the lie for the welfare is acceptable. How to differentiate welfare from the other reasons. What is welfare? What brings us nearer from spiritual realization is welfare. Subsequently, anything that help us moving in that direction is also welfare.

Let them make a list of benevolent deeds. "the fight for justice", etc....

So the maintaining of mental balance, the dissemination of spirituality and the building of self-esteem, can all count as benevolent and could justify lies. For example, instead of telling your son he is stupid, even if this is the case, it would be better to tell him he is smart. This positive statement will certainly help him develop out of stupidity towards intelligence. The preservation of mental sanity and balance is also a good reason. For example, if your grand mother died and you had to announce the news to your mother, you should may be say that she is very ill to prepare her mind for the worst. A psychic shock could disturb the mental balance and peace, and disturb the spiritual progress of the person.

Another good reason would be to foster positivity and increase the output of any benevolent work. For example, in His reporting sessions, Baba used to ask workers if they had already completed the target, and He would not take any answer but a yes, even if it was a gross lie. Sometime He would ask: Can you complete this work in a week time? And again only a yes was accepted, even if it was an impossible feat to accomplish. The reason behind this, is that it fosters an absolute positivity and confidence that is bound to materialize itself in an increased output. The fastest way to reach a destination, is to think you are already there, and when you say you have accomplished the target, the thought and the words create an energy that will help you in it's realization. For example, Jonathan Livingston, the seagull could fly with an infinite speed just by telling that he had already reached the destination.

Meditation is also based on repeating a positive lie that is "I am God" again and again, in order to reach the state of God, and it works if we believe strongly in it.

To tell the truth always, will not protect you from any bad reactions, because sometimes the truth can hurt and a more benevolent course lies in lying. So whenever you are going to speak the truth, stop to reflect weather is it will hurt anyone, and weather you could induce more welfare by lying.

And whenever you are going to lie, stop to ask yourself the reasons behind your lying. Are these reasons benevolent (conducive of welfare), and weather stating the truth could not generate the same result. If the reasons found are of selfish nature, you should abstain to lie.

Homework: plan and make 1 benevolent lie. Report to the class next time what lie you made, why, for what benevolent reason, and how it went. Any good output?

3 Don't steal.

Don't take what belongs rightfully to others.

Imagine you go out and rob someone, then come back for meditation. Will that be possible? Stealing is a breach to the universal law of harmony and anyone who does it will have to suffer some mental reactions and crudification.

Bad reaction will also come (may be in lesser amount), if you indulge in the thought of stealing, because it involves intense concentration on the desired object, crudifying the mind. One action has two parts: first the mental action, then the physical one. The mental action may or may not lead to a physical action, but it is a preliminary step towards doing it. You cannot do something without first thinking of doing it. So when someone steals something, he had to first steal mentally, then physically, generating a reaction much stronger (may be twice as strong) than for the one who only stole mentally.

Did you ever think of stealing and did not do it. Tell the story. What was the feeling?
Each time you steal, it brings your mind down, your energy down and your joy of living down.

To deprive someone or some group of their due is also stealing.
Let them find examples of this kind of stealing. Make a list.

For example, a father not spending time with his children, an employee leaving the office early, and not performing one's duty or one expected work come into this category. The capitalistic economic system is also based on some kind of orchestrated, institutionalized stealing from the people to the coffers of the capitalists. To support such a system, is to indirectly join in the stealing.

Tax evasion, traveling without a ticket, using pirated softwares, stealing food at a supermarket are some of the most common and widely done stealing in our time.

Did you do any of these? Share some personal stories.

What are the reasons for stealing?
Necessity, addiction, habit, environment and family, lack of morality, greed...

But none are justified, even stealing by necessity cannot be encouraged as it would break the social cohesion. Instead, the hungry and disgruntled should join force to impose a change on the system or overthrow it violently if necessary. In the case of a revolution or a war, stealing weapons, supplies etc. would be acceptable, because it is just taking back what the exploiters or the enemies stole from us. In this case they are not the rightful owners. Now we have to know how to distinguished between rightful ownership the unrightful ones.

If someone gathers good in exchange of their work, it is rightful ownership.

We can propose that when someone gathers goods by taking them from the rightful owners by force, it is unrightful possession.

Give some example of famous rightful owner and unrightful owners they know.

Enemies, robbers are obviously unrightful owners. Exploiters who are indirectly stealing from the poor through an exploitative system cannot be considered as unrightful owners, because in their eyes and in the eyes of the capitalistic values, they worked hard and disserve every bit of wealth they own. So to steal from them within the system is to go against rightful owners who will judge us as criminals as per their value system. The only way for the exploited mass is to force a change of value and bring about a new system of economic justice. During a revolution, when the two side are at war for dominance, they become like war enemies and taking weapons etc. from one another becomes possible. After revolution, when the new system is put into place, they will redistribute the goods and possessions according to their value system, which does not count as stealing, if it does not deprive anyone from their minimum vital, and to some extent, the fruit of their work.

Homework: Self analysis in a daily diary. Note weather you stole. Reflect about your motivation. Was it to save money? How much? Think that you became an unrightful owner, with a crudified mind, and disturbed peace. Is the money I saved worth the mental price? Choose your future course of action to avoid such problems.

4 Don't look at others superficially (don't forget their spiritual nature).

Instead look at every being as an expression of the Supreme Entity.

As we have seen before, in the class about action, seeing others as physical bodies, or ideas crudifies the mind. Each time we look at an object superficially, our mental plate takes it's shape, and we imbibe it's static qualities. A human being concentrating in this way on a special object, like money, could become so mentally crudified that he could himself be reborn as a bank note.

Once there lived a great king named Bharat who in his old age felt it was time to leave the world, become a hermit in the jungle, and prepare for his death. Without any sorrow or attachment he left his kingdom, his wife and family, and journeyed to the forest. For many days he absorbed his mind in deep meditation and began to shed all bondage: he was approaching the state of absolute liberation. One day while sitting beside the river, he saw a sudden drama unfold before him: a tiger was chasing a doe heavy with child. In great panic the doe jumped the river to escape the tiger, but with her weight could not cross it. She fell in the water and at that very moment she gave birth to her fawn. The mother dear drowned, but the little dear floated kicking and crying down the river, past the old saintly king. The king, in his great compassion, reached down and saved the fawn. He dried it off and warm it before his fire and gave it food. From that time the little fawn lived with the king and played near his hut. The king came to love him as his own child, and even worried anxiously when the little fawn did not return at nightfall. The great renunciate who left his family and kingdom without a backward glance gradually became attached to a tiny fawn. The weeks passed and death approached the old king. He sat down in sadhana and withdrew his mind from his body to absorb his mind in that infinite 'consciousness at the moment of death, that he might attain liberation. But as he concentrated his mind on the Supreme, a sudden thought flashed in his mind: "But when I die, who will take care of my beloved little fawn?" With this thought filling his mind, he died. And in his next life he became a deer. But this deer was jatismara or "birth rememberer"- he remembered well why he had become a deer. He always grazed near the ashrams of saints where he could hear their kiirtan and feel the blissful vibration of their meditations. When this deer body died, he was born in a Brahmin family as a deaf-mute. This life time, he was determined not to become attached to the old in any way. Though his relatives mocked and scorned him he was unaffected and sat alone, refusing ever to speak, engrossing his mind in thoughts of the Supreme until he finally got liberation.

The essence of all things is the Supreme Entity. She is in every being. But often we don't see it or realize it, because we project our center in our perception of others. If we are body centered, we will see others as a primarily a physical entity. If we are intellect centered, we will see others as ideas and thoughts, but the devotee, the God centered man will see others as God. He will see God in all shape, hear God in all sounds, and his mind will be always absorbed in this blissful contemplation.

One day there was a man lying on the ground. A robber passed by and thought: " he must be a robber and he was caught and beaten by the police." Then a saint passed by and thought: " He must be a saint who fell in samadhi."

This shows how we project ourself.

There was a holy man seating near a dog, and he was putting one handful of food in his mouth, then in the dog's mouth. A passer by started laughing at the sight. Then this holly man replied: "Vishnu is seated with Vishnu;
Vishnu is feeding Vishnu;
Why do you laugh, O Vishnu?
Whatever is, is Vishnu. "

So if want to see others as the Supreme Entity, we should first strive to see ourself as the Supreme Entity. That is to become God centered.

One day a devotee knocked at God's door. "it's me!" (the door remained closed). Then again "It's Thou my Lord!" (the door opened).

And the first lesson of meditation with the mantra "I am God", is essential for this as we have seen in the previous classes.

Another to way to change our perception, is to use the second lesson of meditation, or take the ideation of "this is God" or "everything is God" when we start work with some object, or deal with someone.

Saint Francis was repulsed at the disgusting sight of lepers. But nevertheless he came close to them and started kissing them. Then he explained how he could do that: "When I kiss them, at that very moment, they become Christ!"

Once in India a disciple was walking in the street, carrying a tray of food to his guru. Then one beggar approached him but he continued his way. The guru refused to take food from him, telling him that he had already asked for food on his way, and that he had been refused. Another time, it was a dog that approached him for food, and the same thing happened. This disciple understood the lesson, and learned to see his guru (the embodiment of the Supreme), in all beings.

So before every action, close the eyes one instant and take the ideation that being or thing you are dealing with is an expression of the Supreme, and should be dealt with in a way befitting its nature.

Let them face an object in silence. Feel its spiritual essence, feel the bliss and love coming out from it.
Have them look at another person. Feel the consciousness beyond the thoughts. Feel your are one with this consciousness and become the person.

Homework: Write a daily dairy. Reflect weather you treated people or objects as spiritual entities. If you treated someone badly, plan for amend and change this behavior.

One good thing about this principle, is that if the more you follow it, the more you will get positivity and love from others that crave to for this kind of respect and understanding.

5 Don't indulge in luxuries.

Instead content yourself with whatever is needed for your survival, work, and development. Many people follow a luxurious life-style. They hoard, accumulate great amount of unnecessary wealth or possession.

They may do so for various reasons: some because of their background and education, some to get social recognition, some think their possessions will bring them happiness. Some others because of pure greed. Other to appease a feeling of insecurity. Other buy things to fight boredom. None of these reasons justifies this behavior.

To break this principle of simple living is a violation of the universal law of harmony. Because as the physical wealth is limited, the accumulation by some signifies a shortage for others less fortunate. To the contrary, the law of universal harmony stipulates that all beings should live and share like a universal family, and not fight each other for a bigger piece of the cake.

Anyone who breaks this law will be subject to a mental crudification such that the enjoyment of the accumulated things will become impossible.

For example, Imelda Marcos was famous for her collection of 3000 shoes. But her mind was so crudified by such a life-style that she was not able to enjoy her shoes, what to speak about getting real happiness.

I remind you that mental crudification means a lower energy, joy, and peace of mind.

Nowadays, the prevalent capitalist sponsored philosophy of consumerism, incites people to buy as much as they can afford. Advertisements show that the only way to happiness is to consume more and more and to enjoy our possessions. No limits are set for the accumulation, and the whole system is based on the unlimited freedom to hoard wealth, that is a fragrant breach of the law of simple living. The societies mainly responsible like the US consuming most of the raw materials, the oil and other consumer goods of the world. This create a bigger and bigger gap between have and have not, that will lead to economic collapse and the ultimate failure of the capitalist system. This economic depression will come as a reaction to the collective breaking of the law of simple living.

To support consumerism and other hedonist life-styles, we kill our natural competitors (animals and plants), and destroy the earth by forcing it to produce for our short term needs. This naturally leads to an ecological disaster, that is another reaction to the breaking of the law of simple living.

In this respect, animals are better than humans, because they just take what they need. After killing one zebra, the lion will not kill another one just for fun.

On the individual level, we should lead a simple and ecological life. Use things to the maximum, and don't buy things we could do without.

Baba was putting two small soaps together so he could use them as a big soap. And no toothpaste was left in the tube after throwing it.

Use a minimum of water, power, etc....

It doesn't mean we should revert the cave stage with only a deerskin as a possession. Our scientific and technologic growth has to be continued, but while doing it, save as much resources as possible.

The appreciation of what we can buy and possess without breaking the law should not be let to individuals, as it could lead again to extreme like capitalism, but should be decided by the collective. In a society based on such principles of universal harmony, the work would be shared in between all, and the individual incomes and hoarding would be limited by law.

The 5 observances:

The observances are a set of personal rules for a life in harmony with the universe, and for self-development.

1 maintain physical and mental cleanliness.

Physical cleanliness:
What do you understand by physical cleanliness? What places and things should we keep clean? Let them give examples.

The physical aspect includes keeping one's body and environment clean.

Not following it leads in an increased crudification.

In nature, are the humans the only one to keep their body and house clean? Which animals do you think are particularly clean? Why do you think they do that?

Like many animals, humans have the instinctive propensity to keep their body and their home and working environment clean. It's done mostly for hygienic reasons and is possibly an ofshoot of the survival instinct.

Did you ever take care of cows or horses. If the stable, or their box is not cleaned, they will become nervous and angry.

In the same way for humans, not following this instinctive call leads into frustration, agitation, and discontent, leading to mental crudification.

Have you ever experienced some smell that disturbed you? Give examples.

Have you ever been near homeless people that didn't shower for long time? How is their smell? What was the feeling?

Explain that smell also carries one of the 3 forces, and static smells are very mentally detrimental. They can stop your mental concentration if you are trying to do meditation etc....

Other possible negative effects of the non following, are the appearance of body smell that disturbs the mind.

Ask them about their meditation. Where do they do it. Describe the room. Did they try another place. What result? Put them in one room with only Baba photo, and another crowded with objects. Any different feelings?

Another is that the mind will be disturbed by objects that are in sight, it will think about each objects and start other related thoughts as well. So our surroundings should be clean, orderly and simple.

Do they have some experiences to share regarding physical cleanliness?. Tell some of your own experience illustrating this point.

Homework: Make a list of things you can do to improve on this point. Bring to next class. Note also which of the points you started following. Note as well any improvements following your new life-style.

Some added benefits for following the principle of physical cleanliness, are increased energy, joy of living, health, and self-esteem.

Mental cleanliness:
How do you understand mental cleanliness? Make a list of their ideas. Make 2 categories with A and B. Put their ideas within the proper category.

On the mental side, there are two levels: one is not to subject one's mind to degrading objects or sensorial stimuli.

What object or stimulation is degrading according to you? Give examples, make a list. Why do you think they are so?
Explain each objects or sensorial stimulus is carrying one of the 3 forces. The static ones are crudifying. We know if the object is static, if it increases lower propensities, cruder thinking, lethargy, etc.....
Some example are pornographic pictures, violent or bloody movies, heavy metal, meat or wine smell...
Not following that, results in crudification by the objects contemplated. Our mind absorbs everything it experiences. All these past experiences are stored in our mind, and will influence thinking and actions. The more subtle food we give to our mind, the more elevated we will be.

The other level is to put oneself in a cleansing environment. Like going to mountains or forests, or a vibrated place.
Let them give some examples of cleansing environment. Do you go to such places sometime? What's the feeling?
Doing this will make the mind more quiet and subtle, with more joy of living, energy, and an increase of higher propensities, like compassion and spiritual longing.
Why do you think some place can clean you? Write their answers.
What we call here a cleansing environment, is a place that can quieten the mind by it's natural beauty, by it's lack of sensorial stimuli (like a desert or a cave), by it's spiritual vibration built by meditating yogis (surroundings absorb the vibration of whatever happens there, and one of the 3 forces dominates each place).

If you don't follow that principle, and instead run after crude sensorial experiences, your mind will be loaded with impressions that will crudify it. The more loaded is the mind, the cruder it becomes, and the more difficult it becomes to enjoy the sensorial experiences. It becomes addictive, you need more and more input to get the same high, and finally you reach complete saturation and mental staticity.

Let them give some examples of addictive activities they might have. For example, in the beginning you might enjoy watching TV, and you watch it more and more. But after sometime it's get more and more boring, and you need programs of higher and higher qualities to get interested.

For example, if you go to an action movie, it saturates you with impressions, and when you get out, your mind is not able to enjoy your normal life because of it's lack of stimuli ( in comparison with those of the movie). Some very slow pace movies, though could have a cleansing effect on you if your life is hectic. The same rule applies for music and sounds, where heavy metal saturates and crudifies and the sound Ohm cleans you. (But for very agitated or static people, rock music might have a cleansing effect and give them an inspiration to start moving towards the subtler levels). So it is necessary to judge for ourself what experiences are elevating and which ones are not.

Home work: they should make a list of crudifying experiences they should avoid, and elevating or inspiring experiences they should look for.

Make sure you to note your daily progress in this regard.

There was a woman was born blind and recovered the sight in middle age. She was lost in bliss at the beauty of the most simple things: like the soap bubbles. Her blindness had kept her mind clean, free of visual impressions, and tremendously capable to enjoy them.

If we follow this principle of cleanliness, we also will be able to enjoy the simple things of life.

If our mind is very saturated, a clean life-style might be felt as boring in the beginning. Our mind is so used and addicted to sensorial stimuli, that it will react by expressing frustration, etc.... After some time though, it will have adjusted to the new life style and will be able to express joy and many other subtle feelings.

So, in summary, adopt a simple and clean life-style, avoid overloading your mind with stimuli, and always look for a cleansing and refreshing environment.

2 Remain content in whatever situation.

Why contentment is to be looked for? What can we gain by following this principle? Why is it so important that it is included in the 5 basic observances of spiritual morality?

We have two ways to approach our life, that is to react to our environment. The first by showing discontent, the second by showing contentment or acceptation.
Let them tell some experiences, when they were content, and discontent. In which circumstances? What makes you happy? What makes you unhappy? Why?
People usually adopt one or the other according to their predisposition, their environment etc.... Showing discontent is an egoistic expression, when showing contentment is an expression of spirituality.

Do you have any heart's desires? (like to be a pop star). How do you see yourself in the future? Are you happy with your present situation? Do you wish to rich and famous? Do you have any regrets about how you lived so far?

Showing discontent comes with a non acceptance of the reality. Our ego tells us that we deserve some better fare, or that our life is not as it should be, and it makes us envy the life and situation of other "more fortunate" people. Our ego wants us to see ourself as a perfect person, the best of the best, the center of the world and of everyone's attention. It builds around us, a dream world, with countless expectations. And the wider the gap between this dream and the real life, the bigger the frustration, the suffering and the learning about our real self.

Another possible source of discontent is the non satisfaction of animalistic desires. Everyone comes to this Earth with a set of inborn instincts and desires inherited from our previous animal incarnations. For example, the desire for food, rest, procreation and security. For example, passing in front of the ice cream parlor, you develop a strong desire for ice cream. You enter the store full of expectations and excitement but you realize that you forgot to bring any money. Frustration follows...
Do you have also stories where you could not realize your desire. What was the feeling?

A violation of these basic desires could lead in frustration, anger, worry, despair, restlessness, and all kinds of mental crudifications sapping our vital energy, compromising our happiness and the expression of the subtle side of our personality.

The lost of dear ones is a frequent cause of discontent. Almost everyone knows grief and sadness when one of their friend or relative passes away. This discontent is due to the fear that we might not be able to be happy without the person that left us. This is particularly painful when our life is fully centered on that person, that is when all our joys in life come from this relationship.
Let them share their experience if they want to.

Whatever the cause, unhappiness or discontent generates a strong reaction, crudifying the mind and compromising our growth.

To the contrary, the god centered people who know their essence as divine, live in a contented manner. They don't have anything to complaint about. They understand that their present situation is the result of their past actions, and that nothing can be done about this, so they accept it as a deserved learning opportunity. They will make sure their present actions don't repeat the same errors, so they won't have to live similar reactions again. Instead they will try to move towards self-realization and do their best to please the Supreme Entity.

To such a god centered person, the animalistic desires are channeled towards the desire to merge in the Supreme Entity. So he/she won't know discontent for the non realization of desires. Only he/she will be discontent not to have merged in God. But this unique discontent is far less crudifying and agitating than the thousands of deception for the thousands unfulfilled desires.

The god centered person will see God in all beings and things. He is always with God, and this divine presence doesn't weaken when a dear one dies. So such an event won't generate discontent in their mind.

Being content doesn't mean we have to accept everything. For example, if we live under an exploitative environment, cultivating contentment means accepting our situation as a result of our past actions. But it also means that we have to act with a contented mind, we have to do our duty as human being, that is, to fight the exploitation to please the Supreme Entity by serving His sons and daughters.

How to cultivate contentment?

Don't entertain unrealistic expectations.

Don't compare your life, situation or fate with the ones of others.

Learn acceptance. Whatever comes is what I deserve, a learning opportunity, a test of good conduct I have to pass in order to move forward.

Channelize your multiple material desires towards one single longing for the Supreme. Practice kiirtan with the emotional ideation "God, I love You".

Don't depend on relationships for your happiness. Learn to live happily by yourself by depending on God (He can't leave you as He will be always at your side).

3 Serve others by sacrificing your own pleasure and comfort

Let them tell examples of service they have done. What was their purpose? What was the feeling? Did it cost them a lot?

The right motivation
There 3 elements interplaying when we do service. The first is our motivation behind the service. The lowest motivation is to gain fame, or other personal gains. Story of rich man giving a large donation for charity. The next morning he buys the newspaper eager to find his name mentioned as a compassionate donor. Often, a powerful country intervene in another one to purposely "liberate or help" it's inhabitants, but in fact, their main goal is to serve their own socio-economic interests in the region. (Like the US did in Kosovo, China in Tibet, Russia in Afganisthan etc....). Many parents pressurize their kids for learning, not caring about their needs and their long term development, because their failure at school would badly reflect on the family. They serve their children with a selfish motivation to bask in the fame and glory of their children, or get their possible financial support. If they really cared about them, they would listen to their needs, and provide them with a real childhood, with a lot of time to play, to dream, to discover, that's indispensable for their harmonious development, and their future contribution to society.

Can you think about any examples of services done with a selfish purpose?

Anyone want to share a personal experience? What was the feeling after doing it?

The average motivation is to achieve the welfare and good of suffering people. It's the motivation of a great number of sincere and compassionate humanists, trying their best to alleviate people's suffering.

But the highest motivation is to please God by serving His sons and daughters.

The lowest motivation will bring about a crudifying effect on the mind because it concentrates on material gains. The average motivation bring less crudification because your mind focuses on people and their welfare, and the idea of doing the right thing. As per the highest motivation, no crudifying effect will be felt, as the mind is focuses on the Supreme Entity.

The right output
The second element is the amount of good done. The bigger that amount, the bigger positive reaction we will get. But how can we appreciate the quality, the degree of goodness of a particular service? In this regard we have to remember that the goal of individuals is self-realization, and that the goal of any social structure or society is to accelerate the individual movements towards realization. So, the more a service helps individuals or the society to reach that stage of perfection, the better it is. For example, if you meet someone and inspire that person to do spiritual practices, it is a great service, greater than feeding the person or giving him a job. Nevertheless the physical or intellectual services are also greatly needed, before any spiritual service is possible. For example, if you want to teach yoga to some hungry people, it won't work. The basic needs have to be taken care of first, so it is also a great service to do that. Nevertheless, spiritual service is the most valuable, because it will directly and deeply influence people's life towards self-realization, and people who can do this kind of service are comparatively few in number. In the same way, intellectual service is inferior to spiritual service but superior to physical service. It will also cause long lasting psychic changes and create the balanced mind necessary to start spiritual practices. For example, the liberation of people's mind from various dogmas and superstitions is a great service. The work of dedicated teachers who open their pupil's mind, and instill in them a thirst for knowledge, is also a great intellectual service. The work of all the researchers comes also into that category. Only intellectuals can perform this kind of service, which makes it a more valuable service than physical service (which can done by everyone), but less valuable than spiritual service (as spiritualists are even fewer in number than intellectuals). So all services are necessary and important, but but if you are a spiritualist, you should try to do spiritual service whenever possible. And the same goes with intellectuals and intellectual service, and the rest of the people with physical service.

The right sacrifice
The third element is the amount of sacrifice involved in the service. It can go from a total absence of sacrifice (like Bill Gates giving 10$ for the poor), to the total gift of one's life (like Albert Schweitzer or mother Theresa). The higher the sacrifice, the subtler the reaction.

So when we do some service, the interaction of these 3 factors will determine what kind of reaction we will get from it. According to their respective strength, we may undergo crudification (for ex: selfish motive, little good, no sacrifice), stagnation, or a positive cleansing reaction.

We have to try to do the best kind of service, combining the highest motivation (to serve God), a huge amount of good done, and the bigger sacrifice possible, in order to get a tremendous mental purification, that will bring us closer to self realization.

Game: Two teams. Give to each team a list of cases of different services, with specifics: Who did the service, what service was performed, for which purpose etc.... For example:
Case 1: Bill Gate gave 10000$ for charity to improve his public image.
Give 10 different cases. They have to put them in order of value. Which service is best, the second, the third,... the worst? The team with matching the most your answer list wins.

Homework: Write a daily diary. Ask yourself: "Today, did I serve? What good did I do? What was my motivation?"
-Make a list of possible services you can do around you. Prioritize them ( put them in order of importance). Bring back the list and justify or explain your choices.

4 Reach a clear understanding of any spiritual subject.

The study of scriptures and other uplifting materials will generate a powerful cleansing reaction.

How to study efficiently?
When you need to study, what do you do?
The way to study will give different results. Just reading, is the lowest kind of study. Reading loudly is better as it engages both the auditive and the visual. But reading mechanically won't do even loudly. Deep thinking should accompany the reading. A possible way to generate that "deep reading" or deep thinking, is to write short sentences resuming each points as they appear, record them, and listen to them again. As you listen to each recorded point you can close the eyes and try to visualize it's essence. The uneducated can study by listening to live or recorded spiritual lectures.

Any session of study or "deep reading" should be done in a position conducive for study, that is with the spine upwards (never lying down), and in quiet and sentient environment, with a lot of fresh air. Quiet, because we want to avoid any noise that could disturb our concentration. Sentient, because it will maintain our mind in a subtle disposition necessary for deep thinking.

Give a short text to them to "deep read" at home. They prepare and record key sentences resuming the text. Any special feelings or realizations?

What to study?
The material studied will also influence your result. Each scripture will carry the subtle cleansing vibration of it's author. The higher his realization, the stronger and the subtler will be his words, and people who study them will be proportionally uplifted. So we should try to choose carefully the source of our material for spiritual study, to make the best use of our time.

To measure the degree of spiritual realization of a master, we should try answering the following questions :
- What are his occult powers? (name the 8 powers of realized person).
- What is his or her life-style? (should follow human conduct guidelines).
- What are his physical, social, intellectual, artistic, scientific, spiritual contributions?
- What is his or her philosophy? Encouraging division or unity?
- What is his or her stated goal?
Some more detailed guidelines are included in this course, about the selection of a spiritual guide.

Give them some names of spiritual masters they know. Let them choose their favorite, and defend their choice.

Also, the subject studied makes a difference. First it is important to create a motivation by understanding where your origin and your destination. We must first realize that we are not here by just by chance. We have been made by the Supreme Entity with the purpose to merge again in Him. By the study of cosmology we can understand our place and our purpose in the universe. This study will give use the motivation to start moving in this direction. So any books, discourses related to cosmology are to be studied first. Once you understand your purpose, you need to learn how to reach it by studying everything related to the spiritual practices. Finally, the more you understand what is your goal, the faster your movement towards it. So any discourses who can help you to form a clear picture of the Infinite Consciousness, in all it's aspects, should be studied at last, to deepen your feeling and your vision of the supreme. This study is complementary the higher lessons of mediation (dhyana).

Finally whatever we study as to be put into practice in our life. As Baba says: " It's a bigger thing to put one lesson into action than to hear many. You should put into action every lesson in your life."

Did you ever learn or read something useful or some good advice that you never followed? Share some examples.

Homework: Write daily diary. What lesson did I learn today? How can I put this lesson into action? Make plan for action and do it.

5 Take the Infinite Consciousness as your shelter and ultimate goal.

Do you believe in God? Why? Does that make you happy? Do you know some people who don't believe in God? Are they happy? Do they have more problems?

The advantages of believing in the Supreme Entity and centering one's life in Her have been described in the past chapters. No fear of death, of old age, to loose someone, of failure, of being wrong, of being alone, of being disliked, of being useless etc.... For these reasons, the believers of God have always more hope, positivity, morality, than the agnostics. The non believers see themselves as byproducts of chemical reactions, or as the result of pure chance in the process of evolution. For them the world doesn't seem to have a purpose, and the word absurd has often been used to describe it. Often such people want to enjoy life as much as they can, with a maximum of sensorial enjoyment, money, fame, power etc. For them, there is no base or spiritual realization to sustain the concept of universal family which becomes a mere intellectual elaboration, another idea like some many others. As people and the society loose their spiritual goals, the only accepted values are the ones allowing an unlimited material enjoyment.

What is your relationship with God? What did you ask him recently? Any success? Any failure? (something you asked and was not granted).
People who believe in God have many ways to relate to Him.

Some ask Him for help to go against the human conduct. (Please God, Kill my enemy). This kind of static relationship with the divine is the worst. Because your mind is set to the crudest goal of violating the law of harmony.

Slightly better are those who ask help for money, success or health. They don't trust God's capacity to manage fairly the universe, they are afraid He will forget them, or be unfair to them. But God being omnipotent and omniscient, what valuable advises can you possibly give Him? This kind of praying is degrading because the thought of God is polluted by the thought of the material gain you are after. The more you think about it, the more crudified your mind will get. But nevertheless, praying for more money, will have a less crudifying effect than just desiring money. According to the strength of your desire, and your previous actions you may or may not get what you prayed for. As the cash is limited, not everyone can become millionaire!

Still better are the one asking for salvation to escape the sufferings of old age. Or the ones asking: "O Lord free me from my sins, save me!" As they are not asking something material, but spiritual (liberation, salvation), their prayer will not be as crudifying as the previous ones. But the motivation for such demands is to escape either from sufferings, sins, hell etc. and this element of negativity and selfishness will pollute the relationship with God. As you think about your present sufferings or your sins, your mind will be crudified proportionally. If you think about your sins constantly, you will tend to become like your mental object, and become more and more sinner.

But none of the previous worshiper feel any love for the supreme entity. They are solely interested in improving their own condition. God may or may not grant their request, but they won't get God realization, they won't meet Him, or merge in Him. Because they think more about their own problems than God Himself.

So the proper way to relate with God is to establish a loving relationship with Him, so that your mind is constantly drawn towards Him. If you think "God I love You! I love You because I enjoy loving You!" this is a much better way to relate to God. Though such a devotion brings you much nearer from Him than the previous kinds of relationships, you still will think about the pleasure or the bliss you get by loving Him. Your I, your ego is still there separating you from Him.

So, the best way of all is to think: "I love You, I want to please You, I don't care weather I get bliss, or I am in hell as long as You are happy." Your mind concentrating solely on God's pleasure, you attain Him by serving Him and loving Him.

Homework: write a daily diary and ask yourself: "did I think about God today? What did I tell Him? Did I ask anything?
Make a list of things you think can please God. Do one of them. Share the feeling.

The practice of the principles of human conduct will not lead one to liberation, but will create a mental base for fruitful spiritual practices. They should be practiced together with meditation and other yoga practices. We should not wait to be established in them before starting meditation. They complement each other. Morality, by preventing crudification and cleaning the mind, will make meditation easier. On the other hand, the mental discipline and force acquired in meditation will help one to follow more strictly and deeply the principles of morality.

Among the 5 abstinences, the first one is the most crucial because it can prevent the largest amount of mental crudification. I could be proposed that these principles are classified in order of importance, the non indulging in luxuries being the less important of the five.

Among the 5 observances, it is not easy to find a justification for the order used by Baba. An hypothesis is that it deals from the crudest to the subtlest, following the order started with the abstinences. Non harming deals with the crudest behavior, with the biggest potential source of negativity. And the fifth observance deals with the biggest potential source of positivity, and deals with the purely spiritual realm of our relationship with God. The other principles could be some building steps towards the ultimate one. First you have to make sure you don't harm anyone, this is the priority for anyone. Then you start working on eliminating the lies, and stop stealing. Then try remember the spiritual nature of each one. In this way, once you have established a base through a certain control of the previous principles, you can go forward and follow a subtler one, until you establish yourself completely in the human conduct.