When we say sadhana, we are not talking
about any particular aspect. We are talking about using every aspect of life –
both internal and external – so that it is a continuous nurturing for our
life. Because the very nature of a human being is such, unless there is some
dynamism, some movement in his life towards betterment within and outside of
himself, he will feel frustrated. He has to keep moving to a newer and newer
possibility. Sadhana is that which facilitates that.
Everything can be sadhana. The way we eat, the way we sit, the way we stand, the way we breathe, the way we conduct our body,
mind and our energies and emotions – this is sadhana. Sadhana does not mean
any specific kind of activity, sadhana means we are using everything as a tool
for our wellbeing.
It doesn’t matter how many years of
sadhana we do, we will not get anywhere. Not that we might not, we
will not. Because the idea of doing sadhana is not to go somewhere. The
idea of doing sadhana is to come to a state where we can simply be here
– to understand and know that what is here is everywhere, what is not
here is nowhere. Getting beyond the need to go somewhere, that is
sadhana, because in fact, there is nowhere to go. There is only here,
and there is only now. The rest is all in our head. Sadhana is to bring us to a state where at least for some period of time in the day............, just
sitting is good enough. If we live, we are here and now, if we die, we are still here and now. We cannot go anywhere. There is nowhere to
go.
Sadhana is a deviceSadhana is a device. It is a method to bring us to a certain level of maturity where the need to go somewhere is gone. That is why people who are steeped in sadhana are not moving anywhere. If we travel around the world, we will still not know whether the world is round or flat........, forget about knowing the intricacies of life. But if we are truly here, everything that is worth knowing is right here, because we cannot perceive anything on the outside. It doesn’t matter if we sit here or there...or in the Himalayas or Africa or the United States or South Pole or North Pole. Maybe certain atmospheres are supportive, certain atmospheres are not supportive, that is a different thing – but essentially, we can only experience what happens within us. 
So, wherever we go, only this is there. Look, these mountains here are called "Velliangiri".
That means “White Mountain.” We can make them the Himalayas – that is
what it means. We also call them “Kailash of the South.” If we sit here
long enough or involved enough, they will become the Kailash; we don’t
need to make the journey. We can only experience what happens within us. We cannot experience what happens in the mountain, we cannot
experience what happens in the sky, we cannot experience what happens
anywhere else.
We can sit here, look at someone, and "experience love". We can close our eyes, just think about someone, and experience love,
isn’t it? We can either stimulate it from outside or simulate it from
inside, both are possible. Either we are on “push-start” or “self-start.” Either we are a current machine or a past machine. We look at the moon, we look at the earth, we close our eyes, we open our eyes – still what is happening
within us is all that is happening to us only – nothing more, nothing less.
Sadhana is to bring ourself to that level
of maturity to simply see, it does not matter what we do, it does not
matter whether we climb a peak or sit in the valley, it does not matter
if we are successful or not in the world, it does not matter if we
are well-known or not, it does not matter if we are eating whatever we
dream of or not, it is just the way we experience it. This is not a
trap, that is the beauty of life. There is really nowhere to go. One can
sit here and be blissful, ecstatic; he can sit here and be miserable. He has a whole range of choice. He can sit here and think, “This is
the most blessed moment in my life.” He can sit here and think, “This
is the most torturous moment in my life.” Life has not put any bondage
upon anyone. In fact, bondage is all our making. Existence has left us free,
absolutely free. The only thing is, one should sit here and that’s it. Nothing needs to
happen, and yet he can go through life in a most wondrous way because
of what he does within his own self. Or he can go all over the place and do
all kinds of things, and still go through life in an utterly miserable way. Both are his own making.
Getting rid of the itchSadhana is that blessed process through which one realizes this, that there is nowhere to go. When the need to go stops, sadhana is successful. Then you just sit. Sitting need not necessarily mean you are physically sitting in one place. It is just that the itch to go into this and that is gone. If you sit, you are fine, if you run, you are fine, if you fly, you are fine, if you walk also you are fine. Wherever and whenever you are, you are just fine. Once the itch is gone, you are at ease. Once you are at ease, you don’t have to do anything. Just a little bit of waiting, that’s all. Only if you are in love, you can wait, because when you are in love with somebody, you are feeling emotionally pleasant. Love creates a lot of mental anxiety because that is your idea of concern. So your mind is getting unpleasant, but your emotion is pleasant – and still it is worthwhile.
If you are irritated, agitated, frustrated
or angry, you cannot wait because you are unpleasant. Depending upon
the type of karmic substance you carry and the kind of active and
dynamic help that you get from outside, the period of waiting may alter.
It may be a few moments, a few years… just sitting and waiting. When
your insides are pleasant, waiting for a few years is not a big deal.
You just wait......all is well.
Now shall we accept our daily activity including our business/service as SADHANA...?
If yes..........., then
then...... all is well.........well & well only.
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