Waking up is not enough. You need to be aware of the here and now, and of what needs your attention the most. For this, let your heart guide you at all times, writes KAMLESH PATEL
Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached,’ aid Swami Vivekananda, guiding us during our struggle for Independence.
This quote is from a shloka in the Kathopanishad. Interestingly, the title of the book, Razor’s Edge by W Somerset Maugham too has been inspired by that shloka, which says the path towards salvation is thin like a razor’s edge and it cautions the reader to travel safely and wisely.
The shloka from the Kathopanishad and Swami Vivekananda’s words are a wake-up call for everyone, because the freedom we have is not yet complete or real and can be robbed at any moment if we are not cautious.
The very act of waking up can happen any day, or even at night. Instead of waiting till dawn to wake up, I would say, be ready all the time, and be conscious and aware, even in sleep. Babuji Maharaj once wrote that you may miss the signal from God if you are not aware.
The very act of waking up can happen any day, or even at night. Instead of waiting till dawn to wake up, I would say,be ready all the time, and be conscious and aware, even in sleep. Babuji Maharaj once wrote that you may miss the signal from God if you are not aware.
Swamiji said, ‘Arise, awake.’ Rising is not enough. Becoming awake is necessary. And for that, awareness is needed. We must get out of the ‘Matrix dream’ we are trapped in, thinking we are awake when we have only arisen. Now, when we are conscious or awake really, what happens? Slowly we are awakened within ourselves. It is not a mere act of waking up in the morning. That girl on the beach was aware of the peril the starfish was facing at that moment.
Now, awakening is not enough. Staying awake is necessary. In this context, I remember the quote ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,’ attributed to Thomas Jefferson. This is very valid when defending the freedom of a nation. It is also true in the case of a spiritual seeker or mystic on the path of conscious evolution. If there is a difference between enlightenment and Realisation, it is in the permanency of wisdom and the continuity of the state of awareness. Many sages on the path to freedom have fallen off the path due to egoism, or the pull of the senses.
What we need on waking up is an awareness of the here and now. Awareness of what needs my attention most, and avoidance of all distractions. I need precision even in my focus, in my pratyahar.
In all honesty, this kind of focus comes with wisdom to follow the guide, that guide in our heart. Saint John Henry Newman wrote a hymn in 1833 that goes like this: Lead, Kindly Light... I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me. The wisdom to take one next step is enough. But I must be sure in my heart that the direction is right. Like Sage Yagyavalkya told King Janak in another Upanishad, ‘That light in heart can guide you in the dark forest even when there is no sunlight or moonlight or even the light from the fire.
Waking up is to see the divine light in one’s own heart, throughout the day and to feel its presence even in the sleep. The heart too must be awakened, not just the mind. The heart’s intelligence takes us to another dimension, beyond the mind’s intelligence. Listen to the heart carefully and follow it faithfully. Let it be your inner guide at all times. ■
The writer, also known as Daaji, is president of Shri Ram Chandra Mission
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