FLOW IN INTENSITY
The father of Yoga, Patanjali, says, 'Success is nearest to those whose efforts are intense and sincere. You see, no river needs a navigator to the ocean. There are no signboards needed for any river, 'Here is the ocean.' Yet all rivers reach the ocean! They reach the destination.
When your whole energy moves in one direction as a whole, you can move easily. When you are intense and ready to flow you will achieve the goal, that's all.
Usually intensity leads to a solid feeling. You may be intense but you may have lost the ability to flow. Or you may be flowing but may have lost the intensity. See, you may be intense but you may have lost the ability to flow, because you are driven by your ego.
You are determined to achieve what you want, but you have your own rigid ideas about how to get there. You fail to understand that Existence can make events happen in a much more beautiful and effective way than you can plan.
It can be described as a river that flows intensely and smoothly through various paths and courses to reach the ocean. It is indeed remarkable, that rivers always find their way to the ocean, without any navigators.
The river is so intense in its purpose, that even when an obstacle presents itself, it flows around, to reach the ocean. The river, unlike the human ego, does not get hurt when an obstacle presents itself.
Often times, human beings feel hurt by an obstacle on their path and stop flowing. They then become like a lake that has decided to remain where it is, without achieving its goal.
If like the river, people decide to continue persistently on their path, making necessary modifications or turn on their life course as and when necessary; they will achieve their goals.
If obstacles frighten or hurt the ego, then people may stop flowing completely. This can lead to stagnation in growth and possibly depression and frustration.
There are people who are intense but who lost the ability to flow; similarly, there are people who just flow but are not intense.
In Sanskrit there is a word – "Jnanavarishthaa bhakti", used by the famous Hindu enlightened master Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This means that it is important to have devotion or deep bhakti, but it is also important to have the intensity with knowledge.
It is important to have both the qualities of intensity and flow to achieve life's goals.
TECHNIQUE: HOW TO FLOW IN INTENSITY?
ABOUT THIS TECHNIQUE
This technique will teach you how to flow with everything around you. It uses external movement for inner centering.
Whenever you are in a moving vehicle, on a plane or in a car and when you are not driving, you can try this technique.
When we create a movement ourselves, it is easy to direct it. We are in control. Whether we are walking, running, dancing, the direction of movement is in our hands. We can handle it.
But when a current of movement that you cannot control is carrying you, you will observe that your entire body resists the movement.
Actually, your body enjoys being in a state of inertia. Once a movement is set up in the body, it likes the same speed and direction to be maintained. In a moving vehicle, like a train or a car, your body continuously resists the natural swinging movement. We always try to hold on to something so that we don't get hurt.
You don't like uncertainty. That is why even a small jolt in a moving vehicle can upset you so much - because for that one moment, you are not in control!
Duration
Not applicable.
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit comfortably in the vehicle.
Mentally decide that for the duration of the journey, you will not resist any movement of the vehicle.
Don't be afraid! You are not going to get hurt. No big accident is going to happen in the next fifteen or twenty minutes. We always love to visualize the worst scenario, especially when we get into a vehicle!
Now, allow the movement of the vehicle to move your body. Flow with it.
Initially, your body will try to resist. Even if you keep yourself physically loose, not holding anywhere, your mind will be trying to hold somewhere.
Just drop this holding. Move with the natural movement of the vehicle.
Allow your body to sway back and forth. Allow the small jolts to happen.
Even if your body bumps slightly against the sides of the vehicle, don't bother.
Understand, it is not the contact that hurts; it is your resistance to the contact that brings pain.
If you are unresisting, even if you fall, you will fall like a flower. You cannot get hurt.
So drop your fear. Just flow and enjoy the rhythm of movement.
As you enter deeply into the movement, slowly, you will find that you are apart from the movement!
You are not your body, you are just witnessing the movements of your body.
Suddenly, you will see you are disengaged from the 'I'. You will realize that you are beyond the body; you are the pure witnessing Consciousness!
With this one understanding, the fear of losing control of your body will simply leave you. You will experience a deep relaxation in body and mind.
INTEGRATE WITH INTENSITY
Only when you are open to change, you can make your way like the river flowing intensely towards the ocean.
I tell my disciples, plan in the best way, to the best of your abilities, and then leave it. It may seem that all your plans are being completely trampled. Don't get frustrated at that point. Something will happen that is much more beautiful, than what you have planned.
Understand, water becomes steam only at 100 ºCelsius. Even
at 99 ºCelsius, it is still water. It does not transform to steam. In the same way, if you are not integrated in seeking, and all your energies are not integrated, the total transformation cannot happen.
Take up something and follow it with full intensity. Intensity does not mean acting rigidly without scope for updating and change. Only when you are open to change you can make your way like the river flowing intensely towards the ocean.
A small story:
A man moved into a small, remote county. One day while driving he stopped at a gas station to fill gas. The gas station owner started talking casually and started complaining about the local mayor. This man who had come to the city for the first time just heard him and did not reply.
After some time, he drove further and stopped at another place to ask for directions. There also, he started enquiring about the county. That person also started complaining about the mayor. After half an hour, he reached his destination. There also the people were talking ill and complaining about the mayor.
The next day, the man decided to meet the mayor. He got an appointment with the mayor. In his conversation, he asked the mayor curiously, 'Sir, if I may ask, how much do you get paid for your job?'
The mayor replied, 'Money? I accepted this job just for the honor of it!'
Understand, the mayor is thinking he is doing the job for the honor of it, but the people who are living in the county are experiencing something totally different.
You decide and take up something to do. You do not verify whether that decision is being executed or not and whether the purpose for which you decided is still relevant or not and whether the purpose for which you decided is still relevant or not.
TECHNIQUE: MEDITATION TO BE IN TOTALITY
ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE
When was the last time you sang with your eyes? Danced with your smile? Threw your whole body and being into anything, just anything?
If you notice children, their whole body is one organic unity. Whatever they are doing, their whole body just flows into that action. They don't create separation in the body.
It is not as if the head is important and the feet are unimportant.
The truth is that there is no division in your body; no natural demarcations exist.
But by and by the demarcations start coming up. Then the head becomes the master, and the whole body is divided into parts.
We stop experiencing our body as a whole. We create roles for each part of our body, and then limit them in these roles. We forget to be total and intense in anything.
In the martial arts tradition, students are told, 'Your whole body should become an eye!' Just imagine! This is the kind of sensitivity that needs to be developed in the body! This is what is being total and intense.
Totality and intensity is the way to live.
Your mind is always limiting you. Drop your mind and be intense in whatever you do.
Then there will be no hangover in anything. Everything will become a joyful meditation. You will experience fulfillment in whatever you do.
When you miss the intensity, you become fragmented. When you are intense, you become integrated. Being integrated is your true nature. Remember that!
DURATION
This is a twenty-four hours, seven days a week meditation.
INSTRUCTIONS
Whatever you are doing, it naturally becomes your meditation for that moment.
When you are looking at something, look with your whole body.
Understand, you don't just see with your eyes. You can see with your whole body! When you are looking at something intensely, totally, your whole being flows towards that.
But we rarely enter into anything totally.
Now, be total and integrated in all your body movements.
When you are listening, listen with your whole body. Let a deep silence be created in your center. Let your listening happen from that center.
When you are laughing, feel the laughter rising from deep inside you. Let your whole body bubble with laughter!
Even when you are working, using only your hands, feel the movement in your whole body.
Experience your body as an integrated whole. Experience every pore of your skin looking, listening, and laughing.
Don't think, how can I see with my skin?
There are many interesting incidents where blind people have taught their fingers to 'see' colors!
You don't realize, your body is an integrated intelligence! You never use all the possibilities of your body.
When you are total, integrated, and intense a new sensitivity flowers in your body. Your body responds as a whole to life. You begin to live completely with your body.
Not only that, you will find your body expressing abilities that you never imagined. Your body has a tremendous potential that you have never used.
When you fulfill all the possibilities of your body, naturally you become ready to go beyond the body.