It is customary for us to spring-clean our homes during this festive season,
in the run-up to Deepavali. Cleaning is essential activity. All unwanted stuff
is disposed of; what can be given away is set aside and homes are given a good
wash and some get painted too. So pick
up a broom and as you sweep the dust away, tell yourself that this is your
consciousness that you are cleaning. Internalise the outward process.
We have heard it said that cleanliness is godliness. It is, for when we
live in clean surroundings, don't we feel happy and energetic. Isn't it
heavenly. But when we are in dirty places we feel miserable. We want to get out
as soon as possible. We cannot feel peace. So too with our internal state of
affairs.
Nature teaches us all the time to engage in cleaning. Dust here, pick
out the weeds here, wipe off the stains there; cleaning is an endless process
because this is nature’s way of ensuring we do not go to sleep; we do not slip
into complete inertia.
But how often do any of us undertake to clean something ourselves we
delegate the job. We busy ourselves in gaining knowledge... or so we think.
So much we read and study, all the time but how much of it is really
relevant to our life. We are constantly gathering information; we need to stop
and do some spring-cleaning here. All that information is useless if it does
not help you uncover your consciousness.
There are three types of dust that we gather within ourselves. One is
our own negativity. We think negatively, act and perceive negatively. This
accumulates inside of us, changing our responses. Secondly, we gather negative
influences from our surroundings, from the people we meet, and pick up negative
vibrations from them. Sometimes we let ourselves slip into unethical activities
because we have cluttered our lives. Hence we need to clear the clutter and
confusion to be able to think and act with a clear conscience.
The third type of dust is perhaps the hardest to get rid of misuse of
powers vested in us. We use our senses to fulfill our instant pleasures.
We know it is wrong but we seek immediate gratification, for selfish ends. In
this manner we cause great injury not only to ourselves but to all of society.
We, each of us, have tremendous potential within us. We have the divine
within us. Once we know that we have allowed soot and dirt to accumulate inside
and that it is obstructing us from experiencing the divinity within, we will
instinctively know how to do it.
There is no one method that can be applied externally. The first step
is to be aware that we need to initiate the cleansing process. The process of
cleaning outside and suggesting to yourself that you are also cleaning within
will help initially to actually get it done.
A selfless attitude is helpful in cleaning out the consciousness. In fact,
it is the best form of cleaning. When you give, you recognize the universal
divine nature. Just like nature gives of herself at all times, when you give,
you automatically get cleaned. In today's world of competition,
people fear that if they give, people will exploit their kindness and walk all
over them. This will not happen. Human progress takes place only when the
consciousness is clean and disciplined.
Courtesy: The Times
of India
