Welcome to the Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where twelve of us write on the same topic. Today’s topic has been chosen by Will. The ten other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order, Delirious, gaelikaa, Grannymar, Magpie, Maria SF, ocdwriter, Padmum, Paul, Rohit, The Old Fossil and Will. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, do give some allowance for that too! Having given us the topic, will Will or won’t Will?
Calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled: a serene landscape; serene old age.
That is what the dictionary defines the term as. Each word worthy of a post by itself but all of them pointing to a state of being which all of us would dearly love to have.
In the Indian system of yoga, reaching that stage of perfect serenity is called Moksha. The nearest English word for that can be Liberation. Moksha is freedom from all limitations. A person seeking Moksha is called a Mumukshu.
Just anyone cannot become a Mumumkshu. He first needs to have certain characteristics. They are:
1. Viveka : The capacity to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent.
2. Vairagya : Dispassion to the enjoyments of the fruits of one’s actions, here or hereafter.
3. Six qualities like Sama etc.
4. Yearning for liberation.
The Six qualities mentioned in the third requirment are: Shama, Dama, Uparati, Shraddha, Titiksha and Samadhan.
Shama: Being in control of one’s mind.
Dama: Control of the sense organs.
Uparati: Ability to perform one’s duties (enthusiastically, without any sense of burden).
Shraddha: Faith in the words of Guru, and Scriptures is Shraddha.
Titiksha: The ability to endure the pairs of opposites like heat & cold; pleasure & pain etc.
Samadhan: The ability to stay focused / concentration.
And we think that Serenity is easy to obtain! My spiritual teacher calls this the modern attitude of Instant solutions. Like Instant Coffee, we look to buy serenity off a shelf in some Ashram from some Guru by offering a dakshina.
When one is a Mumukshu, after having acquired the qualities enumerated above, the work starts in earnest. Meditation, reflection, discussions with other seekers, reading, attending classes etc are then taken recourse to.
Even with all these efforts, there is no guarantee that one will reach that stage of Serenity. In our systme, it is assured that being on the path, if one does not reach that stage in this life, s/he will get an opportunity in the next life by being born in a family where the process will be speeded up. If one does reach that stage in one life, that person is called a Jivan Mukta and there are a number of them amongst us, except that we do not recognize them as such.
Nirvana!
Maria from ‘gaelikaa’s diary’ recently posted..Rediscovery
Rummuser Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 18:10
Yay!
See you there!
Rummuser Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 18:10
I can’t wait.
Genuine serenity is very hard to achieve, amid all the pressures of modern life and one’s own restless personality. In fact I tend to think it’s not achievable by any amount of effort, you either have it or you don’t. Some people just seem incredibly calm in any situation, but if you ask them about it they have no idea why they’re like that.
Nick recently posted..Wardrobe malfunction
Rummuser Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 18:11
In the Eastern traditions, it is accepted that such people are enlightened and they just do not know how to express the condition. It is said that those who know, do not talk and those who talk, do not know.
Jaya Reply:
February 25th, 2012 at 10:09
Very well expressed!
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:59
Thank you.
Serenity, as you said, is not a state of mind, being that can be achieved easily–I don’t drink coffee but my tea bag does the instant part for me alright!!
If we can truly be serene, at peace with oneself, ones thoughts, body, feelings and emotions, even for only short periods of time on a daily basis…then that would be a great achievement, right?
Padmini Natarajan recently posted..SERENE
Rummuser Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 18:12
Right all the way.
serenity – the impossible dream for me
Such clearly defined systems can be great aids. Or … they can become the ultimate trap because you can become bound to a structured attempt to become liberated. As I know that you know.
The Indian system has indeed made the finest science of this, though. Like the eskimos with 27 words for snow, your different words for spiritual states and liberation paths speak volumes about your concentration upon it.
The Old Fossil recently posted..Serenity
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:52
The process should start early enough for the student to internalize the qualities before s/he becomes a grahastha, a householder. That is accomplished in the gurukul system of education which alas, is no longer practiced. Once it is internalized, there is no binding to a structure, as it is automatic.
Like in any other system, corruption by vested interests have brought in aberrations in practice and those are in urgent need to be corrected. For instance the caste system as it is practiced. While urbanisation and and the anonymity it brings with it has helped a great deal, a lot more needs to be done in the rural parts.
I think many of our health problems are caused by a lack of serenity in our lives!
Delirious recently posted..Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: Serene
Jaya Reply:
February 25th, 2012 at 10:14
U are absolutely right.I have been practising a modern medicine faor more than 30 yrs.oue ancient Indain medicine “Aayurved”has found out the causes and remedies of man’s physical ailments in a differnt perspective.
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:53
I am in one hundred percent agreement.
I am afraid I must come back many times to reach a higher level of Serenity, and it is comforting to believe in the opportunity to come back in another lifetime to continue on the path.
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:54
That belief could act as a deterrent too Maria!
Maria from Silver Fox Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 14:26
I had not thought of it in this way. You are right it could be a detterent perhaps it is more a fear of leaving this life for the unknown.
Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode… “Serenity Now”!
Living a high stress lifestyle, serenity sure is elusive.
Lynette@Microwave Popcorn Popper recently posted..Nordic Ware Microwave Popcorn Popper
I’m afraid that sounds a bit too stuffy for me. I’ll just stick with Abbie.
Cheerful Monk recently posted..Busy Day
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:55
Abby is the classic example of a Karma Yogi. She is the embodiment of the post Geetha Arjuna.
Cheerful Monk Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 07:10
I have to admit, I don’t care what the theory says. I agree with the Zen story about the overflowing teacup… erudition gets in the way of spiritual experience. I tend to tune out people who talk about spirituality and tune into how people live their lives from minute to minute. For me that’s what’s important.
Cheerful Monk recently posted..Busy Day
I have trouble with samadhan. No hope for me.
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:56
Don’t be so modest. Your troubles will blow away with a little persistence.
Sorry – I’m lost. I’ve stumbled on one of the many steps. Serenith sounds too complicated.
blackwatertown recently posted..Serenity v calm
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:57
You are already serene. You are one of those who do not know that they have reached!
Accepting myself warts and all is as far as I manage to go. Everyone and everything else is transient.
Grannymar recently posted..Serene
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:57
And that is perfect yoga. Not very easy.
I can only see it at certain times…and again I must question the value and ideal of it. If I thought was in the realm of Serene, then someone else looking in may not. Today I feel serene, I moved onto a new challenge which required me to be up an hour earlier than normal; forego my morning exercise & breakfast. But I loved it and I may well post about it later…
Cathy in NZ recently posted..First time user!
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 05:58
And that is as it should be. Seasons change, and we do too. Accepting that is serenity.
It’ a very interesting topic for discussion,exploration and practice.A person who has a deep insight for the topic will proceed along this path.When he/she intends intensely,the path opens before,otherwise no,never!Easterns have an inborn attitude,apptitude about the path hence an illeterate,poor Indain also tries to have spiritual awakening in all possible means.As u are from Pune,u must be well aware of Bhaktimargies of Vithal.BTW,thanks a lot for your “Bhashya”on this topic.
Rummuser Reply:
February 26th, 2012 at 06:00
Yes, I have a great deal of admiration and awe of the Warkaries. I know some personally and they are among the most serene people that I have come across.
Calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled: a serene landscape;
This would imply – no movement, no clutter, and no noise. What then would make for a serene mind? Thoughts make up the landscape of the mind. How then do we reduce this constant bombardment and clutter of thoughts that fill our minds? I could continue but then you already know it.
Rummuser Reply:
February 27th, 2012 at 19:40
Gautam, what I could not achieve personally, FB did in a trice. Welcome to my blog and I am delighted with your comment too. Yes, we have discussed this topic elsewhere and I have not changed my stance and knowing you as I do, nor would you have. Keep coming back and sharing here as well as in my other blog a link to which I have sent to you by email.
We are in agreement CM. Why are you quarreling with me?