Good Practices

Written by Administrator

Saturday, 18 October 2008 19:25

Good Practices

The importance of good practices cannot be over emphasized. Good practices are
the most important element of happiness--bad practices are the key factor in all
mental and physical problems.

What is the difference between a good practice and a bad one? Good practices are
those actions which nurture the soul; bad practices are those actions which
destroy the soul. In other words, good practices always raise our
consciousness--they make us more conscious of our True Self. Bad practices take
us away from our God-consciousness---they make us forget our Real Nature to the
point where we may even become sub-human.

The human species is the highest manifestation of consciousness. We remain human
only so long as we manifest that Consciousness through our good practices. Our
next birth is defined by our actions here and now. If we engage in sub-human
activities, we will definitely obtain birth in a subhuman species.

What are the basic, elementary practices of a good human being?
A good human being is honest with himself--he doesn't lie to himself, he
doesn't betray his true nature (his Dharma).
A good human being honors his true Self--this is the meaning of being
honorable. He never honors the dishonorable--neither in himself or in others.
A good human being doesn't play into the hands of the wicked--that is, he
doesn't get caught in the snares of the egotistic con-artists, because he is
never charmed by their praises or impressed by their craftiness.
A good human being is wise--he is not a fool. He can see through the facade of
ego.
A good human being fortifies his consciousness with wisdom. He makes his mind
a fortress of good character--he doesn't hide behind the flimsy barricade of
ego.
A good human being is selective about the foods he eats, the thoughts he
holds, and the company he keeps.
    The body (which includes the brain) is the result of food (this is why it is
    called ANNAMAYA KOSHA). Sensations (which include sexual impulses), feelings
    (which include panicky feelings, anxiousness, hatred, agitation, anger,
    etc.), moods (including depression, excitement, etc.) and dreams (which
    include those that occur during sleep as well as those which we entertain in
    our waking hours), are all directly affected (and in some cases, directly
    determined) by the food we eat.
    The mind (whose seat is the brain) is affected by the condition of the body.
    It is also influenced by the impressions and thoughts which it takes in
    through the five senses. We need to be very careful about what thoughts we
    bring into our mind through television, radio, magazines, novels, etc. This
    is especially so during the early formative years (0-16), but is also of
    extremely important consideration during the rest of the formative years (17
    to 100 and beyond). In other words, the mind is always being formed--it can
    be formed into a beautiful palace of good thoughts or into an ugly dungeon
    of despair--the choice is ours.
    The character of a human being is formed by means of association. If we
    associate with gamblers, we are likely to become a gambler ourselves. If we
    associate with a debaucher, we are likely to become a loose-charactered
    person too. But if we associate with saintly people, we too will become
    saintly. But here a word of caution is in order: it is important to
    distinguish between a real saint and a false one, otherwise, we may be led
    on the wrong path and will miss the mark altogether (that is, we will never
    attain the goal--Liberation--freedom from all selfishness). Those who think
    it is unimportant to distinguish between the real saint and the false one
    are mistaken. They say, "It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is
    that I am serving unselfishly. For my unselfish service and devotion, I am
    bound to be rewarded with Enlightenment." Such persons would benefit from a
    reading of the Ramayana: The wicked Ravana went to Sita disguised as a
    saint. Sita (who at that moment was emotionally imbalanced) served the
    so-called saint. She served him without any ulterior motive whatsoever--but
    her mistake was that she stepped out of the boundary drawn by Laksman, and
    was then abducted by the wicked Ravana. Her subsequent sufferings are known
    to all who know the Ramayana.
Our well-wishers (those who are truly well-meaning) are the true saints and
sages. Through their wisdom they have drawn boundaries to protect us from the
wicked and conniving. If we take their advice to heart, we will be protected;
but if we listen to our false feelings and emotions (which are rooted in ego) we
will fall prey to the wiles of the evil-minded (or to our own mental
hallucinations and egotistical impulses), and will suffer unforetold misery and
mental anguish. This is why it is absolutely imperative that we are very careful
about whom we choose as our spouse, our friends, our guide, etc. It is a careful
choice, not a casual choice. A casual choice can lead to catastrophic
consequences.