Pure Consciousness | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.130

Pure Consciousness | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.130
Recorded on 1 April 2023 with worldwide participants.

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang 

0:00 Introduction
0:17 Amongst the millions of thoughts there is one thing in the mind that is not a thought
7:33 Is the consciousness able to think only when in collision with the brain?
10:19 Why is it referred to as 'pure' consciousness?
13:08 Have we misidentified the pure consciousness as the thoughts?
17:49 Has the pure consciousness created this universe in the same way as the mind creates imaginations?
 22:34 Are we a part of the imagination of the pure consciousness?
 23:55 When one is aware of the pure consciousness of existence 'you don't think of yourself but you really exist'.
29:52 Is there something else we have to realise above the pure consciousness?
30:47 Who is not recognising that we are the pure consciousness?
32:01  An experience of a vision and joyful memories in meditation
37:30 Is it my imagination that we have to go through karma?
38:35 In this technique why do we not focus on other chakras?
39:52 Is there any food or drink that we should avoid?
40:48 What is it in us that wants to stop the thinking?
43:05 Why does being with people affect my state of mind and can it be corrected in some way?
44:45 Can we regain the 100% potency of the consciousness?
46:01 Does the moment of Self Realisation come instantly or is it a culmination?
49:09 How does our progress in meditation carry on to the next life?

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Transcript

Discourse: Thus Spake Babaji - online Q and A No. 130
 Pure Consciousness
You tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwt3OXJYBA
Recorded: 01 April 2023

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   So, the topic today is pure consciousness and the first question, Babaji. Most people when we think of the mind, when we think of consciousness, we think of this bundle of thoughts, the mind, but Babaji has spoken of how amongst the thoughts there is one thing that is not a thought, and that's the pure consciousness of existence.  Babaji has described it as ‘the feeling that you exist’.  Could Babaji please explain a bit further about this, please? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Maharishi Ramana’s words told that the mind is a bundle of thoughts.  So that's how we all recognize.  And I have told that nobody has seen the mind in naked eyes.  It's not there, what it is.  It appears to be there and it doesn't appear to be there too.  But when thoughts are there, with the help of thoughts only we recognize the mind, “My mind wants to do this, I want to go there.”  So, this mind and ‘I’ become the same thing, eventually.  In different stages we recognize it in different names, all these things happen.  When all thoughts and visions disappear in the mind, what remains is known as pure consciousness.  In fact, that thing is a combination of both pure consciousness and energy.  Because of the presence of energy, mind becomes creative.  It's able to spin and become creative.  Means when it imagines, it is the creativity.  That's what happens.  Now the problem that has happened is, common people have lost control over their mind.  That the thoughts and visions are there, they are unable to stop it.  Consistently it works like a chatterbox, mind.  Whether it is wanted or unwanted, any thoughts or any visions, it keeps creating, creating.  That means people's mind has become so habitual that it's unable to stop itself.  Means, you or me or anyone, that's what finally - mind is nothing but you.  Just now we call it mind based on the thoughts and visions that are getting created constantly there.  The technique of meditation is taught so that if you just keep watching and do not analyze, that is how you can get rid of the thoughts and visions.  Otherwise, when you see a thought, the mind has a tendency to analyze – “This is good, this is bad, why is this happening?  Why not stopping?”  Any such things that keep coming.  So, these create further thoughts and further imaginations, further creations, further picturizing things.  That's why the technique of meditation is - we always repeatedly ask just watch in between eyebrows.  

Many people keep coming back with their other experiences.  General notion of experience means it has to be a vision or a thought or some experience through the body, something that is happening.  But they all forget the mind becoming peaceful, quiet is the only real experience that can be recognized.  The rest all due to the creativity of the consciousness.  So thus, finally through the practice of meditation when a person understands that he has to just watch and not analyze, not bother, not think, he can even consider ignoring a thought.  Like I have told, when a thought appears, you forget that thought is there due to imagination.  Instead of that, we get involved with the thought, considering that thought to be a fundamental reality.  Whereas that thought is not a reality.  Like the general example always is given, a friend might appear as a foe, foe might appear as a friend.  A food might appear as a poison, poison might appear as a food.  So, this is what happens.  So, we get cheated by our own imaginations.  We presume; once we presume and then we make a judgment, “This is it.”  We don't know whether it is apple or not.  Just because the whole world is calling it as apple, we also call it apple.  So, in this world, it may be suitable because others also are calling it as apple.  So, for communication that is suitable.  But for truth, we do not know.  Graciously, we have to accept.  We really do not know what it is.  Just like this universe also, we don't know what this universe is.  So, whatever is in the mind, we don't know what it is.  At least in the mind we can tell it is there simply because of our own imagination.  So, when these all go, clears, all thoughts, no more visions, when peace descends, still that consciousness of existence will be there.  That's what we call it as a pure consciousness.  Mind regains its form of pure consciousness.  It is there.  If we apply it anywhere, we can become aware of that.  Till now it was getting applied to its own imaginations.  Now when it becomes quiet, it gets applied to itself.  So, thus, it becomes aware of itself.  That is such an awesome experience.  That's what the infinite form of the Self.  “O, this is ‘I’.”  Just before going into nirvikalpa samadhi and all such things, experiencing the ultimate truth, a stage comes, “O, this is that ‘I.’  More than that we cannot define what is this.  It is there and it doesn't seem to be there.  I have given the example just like the room is filled with space, or room is void with space.  So, like that, pure consciousness, mind and mind regaining the form of pure consciousness.  And that pure consciousness is nothing but the Self, you.  

Question:   Thank You so much Babaji.  There's a lot there to try and ask more further questions in depth.  So Babaji, the ability to think, the imagination, that creative ability from the consciousness and energy - so this is a quality of the consciousness and energy to be able to think, and is that just when in collusion with the brain that it's able to do that? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes.  For now, we can consider.  That is the one thing that is visible in front of us; in collusion with the brain the mind is able to think and imagine. But we cannot simply brush aside.  Imagining is a quality.  That's why when it is able to imagine we call it a better word, as a creativity.  The mind becoming creative.  Through this creativity only, the entire universe is run.  We have discovered, we have invented, we have named, we communicate, we have languages.  So many things.  So, it's all based on the creative quality of the consciousness.  When it is creative, when it is thinking, creativity, thinking - creativity happens by thinking only.  An imagination comes into existence. As we imagine, a thought or a vision - it comes as a thought process or a visual effect in the mind, within.  This is significantly to be understood.  Any such thought or vision cannot go out of the mind.  It always remains within the mind.  Though so much might be discussed, the mind's powers, mind's power to create.  In my opinion, this present mind of human beings does not have that much capacity to meddle with the Creation.  Just by thinking you cannot make a mountain disappear, a person disappear, like that it doesn't happen.  Because the potency is very less.  The highest consciousness which would have created this universe, that has the ability.  But we have the ability to make it disappear, whatever we have created within our mind.  So, all these things are the reality, truth that we need to observe.  Everything is within the mind only.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  So, on that point, the pure consciousness is all pervaded, as Babaji has said.  Could Babaji explain why it is referred to as pure consciousness? What does it mean to be pure? 

Babaji Maharaj:   In spirituality, if a thought or vision appears, and if that thought and vision doesn't disappear again, that is considered as a corruption.  Corruption, why this is called corruption - means that can eventually make the consciousness forget about itself and get carried away with the imagination that it has made.  It can get involved with the thoughts and visions.  Like I have always told, when you think, a thought appears within the mind, but watching that thought mind quickly forgets that this thought is there simply because of my imagination, and it need not be the truth.  Like I might be considering in my mind you as a foe, but that need not be the truth.  You might be a best friend for me, you might be a well-wisher.  But an ego occurs; because my mind is telling, “No, it is the foe”, and it starts believing like that.  So, thus it forgets.  When it forgets, that mind, that consciousness becomes corrupted into mind, because it is going to hold on to that thought or vision.  And thus forgets itself, that itself is only a pure consciousness, it is a pure entity.  Nothing is there, no corruption is there.  No such imagination is there.  That's how a yogi, when he does tapas and achieves total nirvikalpa samadhi, his mind is pure consciousness at all times, because he does not think or presume anything.  He doesn't make any judgment about anybody, anything in the universe.  He's just a witness.  He doesn't think “O, this person is very bad.”  He doesn't decide like that, doesn't make any judgment.  “O, this person is very good.”  No, he just watches.  That is all.  So, that's what is the pure consciousness or the corrupted consciousness which has become mind.  That's why we call it a consciousness and use an additional word as a pure consciousness for sake of understanding again.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  So, everything in this universe, this world, as well as our thoughts, they are all within this pure consciousness only.  So, have we simply misidentified the thoughts to be a different form, whereas actually it is the pure consciousness itself?  Are the thoughts in fact pure consciousness?  Can we say that, Babaji? 

Babaji Maharaj:   We have misidentified and assumed that as the truth, whereas everything is just within the mind.  Now, scientifically also we all see the big universe.  This universe might be extended, galaxies after Milky Ways, galaxy after galaxy space, galaxy like that it may be simply extended. But no matter, however long distance, however this is simply spread, this is within the space only.  That is the truth.  Any educated person can think and understand.  Everything, all galaxies, all Milky Ways, whatever terminology, astronomers or scientists have used, that is all within the space only.  So, this is the thing which Adi Shankara faces - commonly I have told that example.  In the story, a small ego had occurred to Adi Shankara for a while. When He was going to have a bath in the holy river Ganga, Ganges He came across a person.  It is said that the Divine, Lord Shiva came as an untouchable person with a country made alcohol on His head.  Watching Him, Adi Shankara tells “Give way.”  Durangatcha is the word that is used in Sanskrit.  That means, “Give way, hey don't come in my way, give way”.  To that, that person answers, “In this brahmanda,” means, for the entire space they have used the word as brahmanda, means the imagined world where it exists, that space as the brahmanda.  “In this brahmanda, you and me both exist here, live here.  If there is any place beyond the brahmanda, means if there is any place beyond the space - just like in this very home, you and me have to exist. If there is any place outside the home, then I will go away -  like that, taking it.  Now, practically speaking, in this space, see, such a universal, harmonious word that has been used here.  If all humanity can realize we all belong to one space.  We might try to go to some other planet with all our skills and imagination, discoveries or inventions, but we may not ever be able to look for another space and go there.  There is only one space.  That's what, if we think, we all belong to one space, one home.  That should give us harmony, peace.  We all need to live in peace and in harmony.  No point in violence, no point in fighting.  Let us live like brothers and sisters, all one family, whatever it is, let us live in this space.  That realization.  That's what the Divinity tells Adi Shankara.  “If there is any place beyond the space, beyond the brahmanda, show me then I will go away.”  Instantly Adi Shankara realizes, “Oh, this is not an ordinary person”.  Means knowledge has been given so much of valuable status.  “The person who has this knowledge cannot be an ordinary person.  He is the wisest perhaps”. Thinking that, “He is equivalent to my Guru, my Master, who has taught me this.”  Then He prostrates.  Then the story says the Divine disappeared there.  So thus, He learned.  Means for us to learn this, one space, all-pervaded ness.  So thus, like for a character that is in your mind, your mind is all pervaded.  So, for us in this body, this space is all pervaded.  

Question:   Babaji has spoken about how the higher potency consciousness, or can we say the pure consciousness, has created this universe using the same technology in which the thoughts appear in our mind.  Could Babaji explain this as well, please?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, one thing that we need to realize, always a higher capable entity only can create a lower entity.  Once it’s created, sometimes it might become more stronger than the entity that has created, for a while.  Just like, I have given the example of a railway engine.  The same, our own consciousness, human mind with its imagination, creativity capabilities, discovered that this thing can be made and made to work.  But always we need to have a killing button, what they call it.  Killing button here means, say if we make a railway engine, we need to have a control over that engine.  To run, to stop; we should be able to move that engine and utilize the service, then we must be able to stop.  So finally, control should be in our hands.  Otherwise, if that button goes, if something wrong happens, then it can meet with a disastrous or a dangerous result.  The engine can kill thousands of people, hundreds of people, it can do anything.  That's what happens.  In the same way, why the spirituality meditation is recommended? So that when our mind is imagining, we need to have that killing button, we should be able to stop the thinking when and wherever that is necessary.  We should not allow our minds to go into a violence.  We might be harming ourselves, we might become dangerous to others in this world, we might be going into violence.  That must not happen.  That's why everybody needs to follow the right spirituality in its right sense, understanding the right techniques, to control their own minds is important.  We need to understand each other, communicate in a proper way with each other so that all of us can live harmoniously, peacefully, all countries, all human beings, it is necessary to be non-violent.  Otherwise, there can be a danger; everybody, if they pile up their arms and are ready to hit each other, the whole world will be in danger.  So that's what happens often with humanity.  That's why spirituality is recommended.  I tell we have tremendously advanced through science and technology, that's wonderful.  We appreciate all scientists and those people who made it.  We salute them, but we should also understand that we should not forget spirituality which gives us an ability to keep our minds under control in non-violence, harmony, peace, consideration to each other - how much importance in all these things, you see?  That's how the higher consciousness has to think always. Thus, this universe, our mind wouldn't have created; our mind's potency is very small. Though our own mind's capacity is enormous, amazing - humans have achieved so much in this world, amazing things, awesome, but yet it is very less compared to this universe.  The Milky Way, galaxies that people are discovering - they are discovering, but we cannot simply control all these things.  We can understand, we can watch, that's a different thing, but we cannot control this world.  It becomes so difficult.  A collective effort if it happens, at least we might be able to keep this world in peace, in non-violence, in harmony, that would be possible.  That means, in my opinion, a higher consciousness which is higher than this universe, higher than this creation we are seeing outside our body would have created this by its own imagination, by its creativity.  

Question:   Thank You Babaji.  So, we are a part of the imagination of the pure consciousness.  Is that correct? 

Babaji Maharaj:   In fact, I would say this body is a part of that imagination.  We have also become a part, temporarily by becoming a small portion which we call it as mind or ourselves, individualities - that which we call as an ego also; individual, imagined self.  That's the sentence I have used often, because we have forgotten our real Self, what we are.  So thus we also have become hidden, bound in this creation.  Though there is no need for us to be binding - we are that all pervaded, that ultimate truth.  That’s what one would realize when you achieve nirvikalpa samadhi.  This body is, of course, within that imagination only.  It's a part of this world, this universe.  That's why it is bound in so many ways to this universe only.  We cannot simply get out of the things.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  So, Babaji has said that during the Self-realization, when you overcome the bundle of thoughts, what remains is the pure consciousness of existence.  And at that time, you do not think of yourself, but you really exist.  So, you're not conscious of something, you're simply conscious, or you simply exist.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes.  Yeah, this is another very significant part, because when I was talking previously, I told this entire universe has been created by a higher consciousness.  But that higher consciousness wouldn't have been the ultimate truth.  Because when we realize the ultimate truth… Like in our consciousness, we become quiet, totally quiet. In nirvikalpa samadhi the ‘I’ thought also disappears, the ‘I, anything.  It's an amazing, awesome experience which cannot be explained through any language, any imagination, impossible for that state.  It is there and it is not there, it is void and it is absolute, it is the zero and it is the absolute - like that type of thing is there.  That is why the ancient sages called as simply ‘That’, ‘Tattva’. When they were discussing, when they were explaining their own experiences, “That is simply ‘That’, that's all.  Attributeless; beyond any attributions, you cannot name it.  Anything you try to name, you will end up imagining, that's what they discussed.  So, it is simply ‘That’.  That thing is like that, that is like that, that's how they discuss in upanishads and all such things.  That is the first word they have used.  That is simply called as ‘in mahasamadhi’, means in total absolute quietness, existing in itself. Just like the space exists in itself.  It doesn't exist in any other object.  Though for a while it might appear that the space is inside this room, but this room is not binding the space.  You remove the room, the space is independent, it is there.  Simply it appears for a while in an illusion as if the space is inside the body, as if the atman is the dweller inside the body, for a while it appears.  But when that realization happens, when it is totally liberated, it merges into the quietness.  That is the ultimate liberation.  

Thus, that ultimate truth wouldn't have created anything.  In other words, I have also used, this world is happening due to Divinity, but not according to the wishes of Divinity.  Divine doesn't have a mind type of thing, He has not lost control.  Also, another thing I explained, what we had heard in stories from my Guru, that in the beginning, an enormous amount of consciousness arose from the ultimate truth which created.  But after creating, it did not get involved with the creation.  Means, it remained in pure consciousness as a witness.  That is why the first that created consciousness is also known as Divinity only.  Divine personalities or divine concepts which usually we call as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.  Like Brahma, the one who creates illusion but doesn't get involved in the creation, remains beyond that creation.  And Vishnu sustains that creation for long time, yet doesn't get involved with the creation, remains as a witness.  And Shiva withdraws that without getting involved mentally in any way.  Doesn't think “This creation has gone out of control, I have to withdraw,” no such thinking.  Simply by a means, it withdraws after some time.  So that happens.  All these happen only in illusion.  Some schools of thought tell, “There never was any creation, there never happened anything.  Everything was illusion.”  Even Yoga Vashista tells this.  

But this, you cannot go on arguing, there is no end for this.  It's very mind-boggling.  We generally advocate people to go on meditating.  In the end, as Vashista advises Rama, “When you yourself achieve the nirvikalpa samadhi, at that time on your own you will understand.  Or at that time if I try to explain, then it will be understandable for you, but not now.”  So, He continues with the things.  So, like that, the higher consciousness is there in mahasamadhi.  Though people, here also I would advocate, do not get confused, please.  If nothing is going into the mind, if there is any confusion, forget about it for now.  For now, just go on meditating one hour every day.  Practice; as you are able to increase, as your mind becomes more and more silent, then you are able to experience the pure consciousness of yourself.  Finally, one day when you achieve nirvikalpa samadhi, you will realize all these things happen.  

Question:   Namaste Babaji.  I have two questions.  First question is, the higher consciousness which actually was involved in the creation of this world.  Is this the same pure consciousness that we are talking about here?  Or is it the same or is it something else that we have to realize above the pure consciousness? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, it is the same pure consciousness because it would merge with the ultimate truth.  Thus they remained in the ultimate truth only, they did not come out actually.  In the same way when you are able to achieve a pure consciousness, what we are talking, then your pure consciousness, you as the pure consciousness will also be able to merge with the ultimate truth.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You Babaji.  So, second question is, when we say we don't recognize ourselves as the pure consciousness, who is not recognizing it?  Is it the mind or the consciousness that is not recognizing itself?  Who is that entity that is not recognizing? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is the same entity, same entity. You keep imagining in different terminologies at different places.  When it is pure, there are no thoughts. It is the same pure consciousness that is you.  And the same pure consciousness becomes mind and starts thinking about it and loses control.  The same pure consciousness becomes to be known as the mind.  Both are same and you - there is no difference.  That is why I have used the words - for sake of understanding only, I have imagined that ‘individual imagined self’.  Just now any personality, any status is simply an imagined self.  It is not the truth; the truth is much more beyond that.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You Babaji.  

Question:   I wondered whether You would help me with my meditation, please?  I have two questions.  At the beginning of the meditation I was very still and I seemed to reach the place that I reached last time very quickly.  Whereas last time I had more thoughts, a monkey mind, and it took a long time.  But this time I went straight into stillness.  And it didn’t last unfortunately - the monkey mind did come in later.  But at the beginning, my mind was still and I didn’t have the monkey mind, the thoughts.  But what I want to know is, I had an experience, I had two things, and I want to know whether they are distractions.  So please, if I tell you what they were.  So, the first one was immediately my mind was still.  I had “is this a vision?”  The experience was like waves of the sun, orange wave of the sun.  But it is not sunny here.  I had my eyes closed and it has not being sunny here – so that was the first one.  But perhaps I ask the second one in a minute.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, let me answer for this.  Now, you said that your mind had stopped becoming monkey mind but had like a vision.  That means if it is continuous for some time, if it had happened, one good indication is that your mind had become more concentrated.  It stopped into one thought, that is what is the creation of that vision.  Though that vision was created by your consciousness only, at least instead of creating millions of thoughts, it had stopped into one thought.  So that is the indication.  Like that if you continue, whenever any such vision appears, without bothering “what is this vision and why?”, just try to focus, continue focusing on that.  Eventually, that will also disappear and you will regain the pure consciousness.  The next question. 

Same Questioner:   Okay, Thank You.  That makes a lot of sense.  Thank You.  So, the second one, I had monkey mind and then I came back to the more single focus.  And then I had an experience.  This was later on in the meditation.  I felt…I had an emotion, like I felt joy.  I had a thought that one must try and cultivate positive thoughts.  And then I had a feeling of peace and joy.  And then I felt like I wasn't present in the room at all.  If you like, the walls had disappeared and I was in three places, joyful places that I know.  So that's perhaps my imagination.  So, it's three places like on the beach on holiday, I felt joyful.  I've been to Columbia and it was a very nice experience.  And another place I go where I can walk a labyrinth, also very joyful.  So, what is that?  Is that imagination and distraction? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you know, for a while, your mind became totally concentrated, becoming more pure.  But when it was enjoying, that got converted into a thought, “I am enjoying.”  Then it also imagined how that enjoyment, going to a beach – “that is enjoyment”, going somewhere else.  So, like that, your mind would have imagined.  Enjoyment means, generally for human beings, anything of this world, having a beautiful scenario, going to a beach, whichever place they liked, that's a stronger imagination instead of having millions of thoughts again; that one thought is there.  So, that is the enjoyment.  So, if you had focused on the enjoyment, instead of thinking how that enjoyment came, then it would have remained more into a single-pointedness.  That's what you need to take care in meditation.  If an enjoyment comes, just remain focused on the enjoyment, don't think from where the enjoyment is coming.  Because actually, enjoyment comes within.  Whenever it becomes quiet, then the enjoyment happens.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You.  Is that like two different doors?  One was a visual door that if I’d focused, I could have gone through, and the second one was a feeling door.  Either of those doors could have led me through a bit further into that meditative mindful place.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, unknown to you, the mind wants to know how the enjoyment was coming.  Then it ends up imagining, imagining a door, imagining something that is happening.  So, that needs to be stopped; you get back to just watching that scene.  

Same Questioner:   Yeah, I understand.  Thank You very much.  That's really helpful.  Thank You.  

Question:   Okay, so is it my imagination that this is the planet of karma, that we still have to go through our karma?  Or is that my imagination? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you see, when you imagine like that strongly, you will get to see such a vision only, means undergo such karma only in your imagination.  So, the imagination if at all it is there, it is always taught in bhakti marga, try to imagine about the atma, you as the soul, you as within the Divinity, you as that peace; better imaginations.  Then you can become more single pointed.  Otherwise, if you imagine this world is a place of karma, you have to undergo karmas, don't bother all these things.  If you imagine, then you will get to see and undergo all the karmas.  So instead of that, you just remain focused in meditation, is very important.  That is the highest point.

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  I have two small questions.  The first one is, Babaji, in this technique, are we only focusing on the third eye center? Because in the yogic scriptures there are other chakras that are mentioned like from muladhara, swadhisthana and manipura, heart and sahasrara.  So, what about those chakras?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, important thing is many scriptures might have spoken many things, many masters would have said about many methods.  But just when a Guru, you get initiated, when the technique is told, so you need to trust that technique.  If you just concentrate here, the consciousness will take care of all the chakras because the body consciousness known as kundalini needs to rise through all those chakras.  That will be automatic.  You don't have to think about any chakra, name, bother what is happening to the chakra.  If you just focus on it, this mind when it gathers here, it will uplift the body consciousness known as kundalini also.  So, that is important because otherwise you will get involved into a mind-boggling definitions, definitions, definitions, world after world after world.  

Same Questioner:   Babaji, the second question is, whoever is following this meditation technique, is there any recommended food or drinks we should not take like tea and coffee or…?

Babaji Maharaj:   See, more than that, making a big list, so I would just recommend have a lighter meal at one time so that you can digest properly and then go on meditating, then your own mind gains the ability - what is suitable for the body, what is not suitable for the body.  Like that you will gradually give up and adopt only such healthiest best foods, will be possible.  So, continue meditation, you become more mature, then you yourself will adopt such things. 

Question:   Namaste Babaji, my question is, You said that we have to stop the thinking, but what is it in us that wants to stop the thinking?  What is the entity who wants to stop the thinking?  Is it not the thinking entity, is it not the thinking itself that wants to stop the thinking, so it never ends somehow? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Actually, whatever entity is thinking, that entity needs to stop thinking.  But just now, if an entity which is thinking started thinking but doesn't know how to stop it, then a technique is given to the same entity.  You just watch in between eyebrows, then you will stop thinking.  That is the idea of this meditation's technique.  Because in one day everything cannot be explained; it will be an overdose for the consciousness.  So it’s just told in between eyebrows, you concentrate.  So, you understand? You are the one who is thinking.  If you concentrate and just watch, you will be able to stop the thinking.  

Same Questioner:   Babaji, is not the thinking process itself like a natural movement of life within our own system?

Babaji Maharaj:   That can be, that is no problem. But all that is needed, you don't go out of control while thinking.  You gain the ability by doing meditation.  After that when you come out of the meditation, you will have the ability if needed to think.  And once that thinking job is done, you will be able to become quiet.  Otherwise, generally when you have lost control over your mind, you start thinking and you are unable to get back to the silence again.  So thus you will suffer good, bad happiness, unhappiness; that keeps happening in the mind.  So, that is the idea of meditation, because you won't have to lose the mind; you always will contain the ability to think if necessary.  

Same Questioner:   I have another question, Babaji, which is more personal. I feel a very great sensitiveness when I am, for example, too long with people, and somehow in some ways I feel it affects my state of mind.  I wonder why it is so?  Can it be corrected in some way to have the ability to be more with the world?  Otherwise, it is like I always need to withdraw from the world to find this peace.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, mind, when it continues in a particular way, whether it keeps quiet or whether it thinks - if it is thinking, it becomes habitual to keep thinking all the time.  If it becomes silent, then it becomes totally silent.  It becomes habitual, it becomes its nature.  So that's what it is.  In my talks also I had told, to make the mind or yourself to go into samadhi is a different skill.  After you achieve that samadhi, silence of the mind, when you are in the world you need to practice to come back to the level of brain and be able to think.  But what you would have achieved is total control over yourself.  When you want you can think, when you don't want you can keep quiet.  This ability, both skills you would have practiced, will be possible eventually.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  In one of Your examples You give the analogy where in the beginning we would have had something like hundred percent potency, but with each birth we are losing that and now the mind has become so weak, we have lost the habit to be able to control.  So, now through the practice of meditation when we can achieve quietening of the mind, so would we be able to gain back the original hundred percent potency?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, yes.  You will definitely go back.  As the mind becomes quiet and quiet, it starts going back to its origin.  When it's into imagination, it comes out and it becomes quiet, that becomes one.  That's why we also tell; the real worship or aaradana of Divinity, is when your mind becomes quiet.  So that is the reason in bhakti marga also, whatever you try to worship, whichever ritual, you have to apply the mind also so that the mind becomes single pointed.  In here, meditation, you are practicing to become quiet mentally.  As you become quiet, you will elevate yourself to go towards that ultimate truth.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You Babaji.   Pranaams.

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  So, I had a question and it was about does the moment of Self-realization come in a specific instant or is it a culmination? Like take for example, You had to do five years of tapas, Swamiji did twelve years of tapas.  But Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa sat with Sri Totapuri for, I think, three days, and after He got past the visions of his mother Kali, Totapuri said He was able to achieve in three days what took him thirty years to achieve.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, one significant point, if you have thoroughly read Sri Ramakrishna's story, biography, before that, before Totapuri came to Ramakrishna also, Sri Ramakrishna was doing tapas.  At the time He was a devotee of mother Kali, He worshiped her, then often He used to go into that Panchavati garden area quietly under a tree.  He used to even remove His sacred thread everything and then used to meditate deeply, thus He was doing tapas for some time.  So, this is what the point we forget often.  Like you are in New York and you need to go to Washington.  You keep walking towards Washington, the whole distance you would have walked.  Finally when you reach, the last step, in one step you would have reached in Washington, but that doesn't mean that just in one step you reached Washington by coming from New York.  You forget that you have walked all through the distance.  That's how the real Self-realized Masters all have done a lot of sadhana, then only that achievement has happened.  And those people who claim… Ramakrishna never claimed that “I achieved Self-realization only in three days.”  Present day a lot of gurus does this, with due respect to everyone, not directed against any guru.  Just for an example, some people might tell, "I was sitting on a stone boulder on the top of a mountain, suddenly I got enlightened."  So, things don't happen because it is the mind which has to stop.  Then it stops when it merges, then that enlightenment comes actually.  It is not a thing that, "O, it is a square, this enlightenment is in a square, I became realized suddenly.”  It is not the thing.  Enlightenment is when you totally become quiet once for all and merge with the real Self.  This is my opinion.  

Same Questioner:   So it’s definitely a culmination then.

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, 

Same Questioner:   I thought so.  I was just trying to get a little deeper of an understanding.  Thank You.  

Question:   Namaste Babaji.  Babaji, in Gita, Krishna says that, "Whatever spiritual development that you achieved in this life will be carried on to the next birth."  But I've been meditating for quite long now and what I found was, one day I got a fever for four days.  I found that the whole quality of meditation that I had been having throughout these many years had gone down, and I wasn’t able to meditate for four days, five days.  I did a lot of practice again to get into that state of mind, whatever I had - I'm not saying it was a great state, but whatever I had been having.  So, then I got this thought that, "How will I get this thing to the next birth?" 

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, what is important here, inclination and the circumstances where you will be born, and the exposures that you get.  Now, at this age you are a young man, you would have got so much exposed to the world.  In today's science and technology has advanced so much, so many gadgets, social medias, everything, gives so much of exposure.  So, the mind is absorbing other things also.  That's why it has appeared to you.  But when you are practicing steadily with dedication every day, until the moment of your death of the physical body, that will be carried as a habit, as an inclination.  Means, by a strong habit you would assume a birth, will be born to such parents who will be more pious and more spiritual, will be able to inspire you, give the samskara, habits and the circumstances, situations, everywhere that you will face.  And your own ability of observation, understanding, all this will increase.  So thus, you will be able to carry in a much better way from childhood itself.  Imagine, from childhood itself if you were meditating, you could have achieved by now.  However, it did not happen, but in the next birth, it can definitely happen.  You need to have that faith.  If you have the faith, it will definitely happen.  

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes the session.

   Ok, so wonderful.  I appreciate all of you participating in this meditation.

End of Session