Clarifications: Role of Abhyasi - I - Cleaning

Cleaning

1. The importance of cleaning ourselves in the realms of the mind and yonder is more important than the physical cleaning which is necessary for good health.

2. The period of 30-40 minutes is advised for cleaning. If it is in excess there may be strain as this is an active process of willing. I do think that you are not getting to states of absorption. We should get up from cleaning only when we feel we are clean and it should not be a routine 30-40 mts affair. But what is required is firm determination to be pure.

3. Cleaning process is not aimed at any specific samskara and to expect to get rid off something which you cling to consciously is not correct. Please do read the article on cleaning in Bodhayanti Parasparam. Not only negative feelings and thoughts but even good feelings and thoughts have formed their coat on our souls. So the purificatory includes cleaning not only the negative samskaras but also positive ones.

4. Cleaning is a very important aspect of this sadhana. Please give more attention to it.

5. Cleaning is a very important and a new feature of this system of meditation. Without proper cleaning any amount of transmission does not yield good results.

6. Cleaning is the most effective way to progress - unless we get rid of our grossness and dross transmission will not be able to do much even as water flowing into the canals which are silted do not take much water inside.

7. Dreams are source of getting rid off samskaras. They reveal the nature of life we might have led in this life and also in past lives.

8. Cleaning or purification of ourselves is the key to progress.

   
   

Ocean of Bliss method of cleaning

Let us think about the process of cleaning "Thou art the ocean of Bliss, we are seated in it, the waves of the ocean are passing through me, removing all the dirt and disease." The first concept or idea that should get established in our mind is that Master is an ocean of Bliss. But our intellect would question 'Is it not that we were told that Master is Void?' To stabilize our thought on this and maintain itself becomes difficult. The next idea that we are seated in it, raises the question 'How can that be?' The next idea that the waves are passing through us raises the question 'If I am seated the waves can only pass over me, how can they pass through us?' So on the thought goes. With this the idea itself becomes difficult to maintain, but if the attitude that "Master has given this technique and therefore let me accept and follow" is there and 'we start feeling happiness, joy and bliss'. We can easily practice this and come out of cleaning process every day with the feeling we are lighter. That at the end of cleaning we should feel light is what Master told and that becomes possible. All this is not supposed to be told but learnt by practice.

Cleaning of atmosphere

Regarding the cleaning of the atmosphere and the clarifications sought for, I understand it like this. It is this pollution of materialism and other such things as mentioned by the Master that we have to attend to. Obviously we cannot attend to this if we do not commit ourselves to that work in the proper manner. Please do read carefully the letters of the Master to my father (No. G 409/SRCM DT/-15"' July 1967) in which the Master spells out that the person at the level of Dhruva is required to attend to cleaning of the atmosphere. It is one thing to know and another to gain understanding and lastly and most importantly the permission to do that work. If permission to work as so and so in the field of spiritual hierarchy is not there the work done also will suffer to that extent. That is the reason why permissions were sought by us to do the work before it is entrusted. It is not automatic that a person can practice, as a Surgeon can once he has passed MS. It is necessary that he should develop the competence to do it. This has been one of the major casualties in the field of religion and spirituality.

Clarifications on Cleaning

Q) During cleaning I had to sit for more than 45 mins to feel light and relaxed and during the period I had to force my attention in cleaning from the thoughts coming continuously because of which I feel some times a little headache also. I will be fine again after 10/15 mins of my cleaning.

A) Regarding cleaning do not bother too much about the pain. However if you give yourself a suggestion at the commencement of the cleaning session that you will be getting up lighter after the process you will not have the problem of headache. Also do not try to be conscious of the specific dirt or dross getting out of you. This will make the cleaning session refreshing even as taking a bath (which is after all cleaning) would give you.

Q) Due to the work schedules I'm unable to maintain the fixed timings for my evening cleaning, but if it is getting late I'm doing before going to sleep and also doing for short time before I start my morning meditation.

A) It is good practice to do cleaning before going to sleep but please ensure that you do not fall a victim of vital instincts. The best way is to ensure that we meditate in a place other than the bed.

Q) I get lot of thoughts during cleaning when I am unhappy only. Otherwise I concentrate on the process.

A) Cleaning means we are purging out what is not Divine in us. The thoughts and feelings during cleaning may be good and also not so good. Since our goal is freedom we have to get rid of all samskaras.

Q) Feeling light after cleaning. Getting up with a suggestion that everything got cleansed.

A) This means that you are off loading your samskaras and that is good.

Q) I am regular in my cleanings; I am not getting a refreshed feeling after the cleaning. It feels normal. Hence I am not sure whether my cleaning process was effective or not. I practice the smoke method.

A) The definitions of freshness or lightness is a very subjective matter. If you do not get crowded thoughts during meditations you can safely assume that you are cleaning yourself well.

Q) During cleaning I find that some kind of heat is leaving me. After cleaning I find that I am relaxed and less irritated.

A) Cleaning is an active process. So there is no surprise that you feel heat. I hope that is not inconvenient to you

Q) I do cleaning regularly in the evening time. Some times I feel lightness after cleaning.

A) Lightness and freshness must always come after cleaning even as it does after a bath.

Q) Cleaning enables me to get back to the state which I got after morning meditation, after day's full of activity.

A) The evening cleaning does not restore us back to the condition that was subsisting at the end of the morning meditation. The cleaning process when performed well leads us to a state of purity and a feeling of lightness encouraging us to proceed in sadhana with more vigour and interest.

Q) I do get thoughts during cleaning. Must I prepare myself before cleaning by reading books by Our Master.

A) Cleaning means we are trying to get rid of our samskaras and naturally this will not be happy and calm. Over several lives, apart from this we collected so many impressions and all of them need to be washed. Please do read our literature on Cleaning.

Q) I feel heavy at times during cleaning. A firm resolve to be pure is there.

A) Cleaning should leave us with the thought of being light. If you attend to the cleaning process in a natural way without strain you will feel better.

Q) During evening cleanings I get absorbed.

A) Cleaning is an active process. On completion of that we should feel light and relaxed. Absorption during cleaning session may indicate that instead of cleaning you are meditating.

Q) Since last month or so I have been following "Ocean of Bliss" method for evening cleaning. Initially, when I switched to this method, it was very effective for me and I used to feel very clean after 30 minutes of cleaning. Now, once again I feel like going back to "Smoke and Vapours method". I do not understand why there are such swings in my mood in following the method.

A) It is wrong on your part to switch the methods. Do not switch the methods of meditation /cleaning without the consent of the trainer. It can harm you.

Q) Cleanings have been ok with light to heavy activity in my back. Feel light after the cleanings. I think that to contemplate on the feelings after cleanings, I should leave a gap of at least a couple of minutes between my evening cleaning and 9 pm prayer

A) Ideally there should be a gap of few hours. As woman you have your problems with children and household work therefore try to make the best possible adjustment leaving everything to the will of the Master.

Q) Once I felt lying in dirty water and am getting cleaned. On 29th, felt brotherly feeling for other sadhakas.

A) It is very amusing to note that you think of lying in dirty waters and get cleaned. Cleaning means coming out of dirt. During cleaning sessions whatever may be the method we should be ASSIDUOUSLY BUSY WITH THE TASK OF CLEANING if we want to get the results. Thoughts of others during cleaning unless it is one of getting rid of attachments have no place.

Q) I am also observing the effectiveness of process of cleaning on my mind

A) The effect of cleaning is mostly in manas and not buddhi. Try to recognise the difference.

Q) During cleaning, on certain occasions, noted very clearly that certain very old memories (probably these didn't surface in last 15/20 years) came to surface. I was totally aghast on the recall of those and prayed Master to clear off those from this life.

A) No prayer is due here. This is the way through Bhog we get rid of the samskaras.

Q) The journey that I have started is long and I have to reach the goal so I should not be attached to the conditions that I am receiving from the Master. Otherwise, during the sittings I have been feeling absorbed with full awareness that I am absorbed.

A) You are perfectly right. We should never bother about the conditions but only note if we can. Expectation and anticipation of conditions is a barrier itself in sadhana. This is dirt of the Vijnanamaya Kosa and we should avoid this. Do not make the suggestion that the journey is long often, lest it becomes so. The goal is very near and it is only cleaning that makes us feel the proximity.

Q) The most noticeable was my condition during my move to a new home. The first two weeks after the move were very frustrating and disappointing. In the new house the motivation for Sadhana was missing and most of the time it looked like I am fulfilling mere formality and the devotion and love was missing from the Sadhana. There were disturbing and lower order thoughts during meditation. However, I continued with my Sadhana.

A) It is true when you change your residence you should first clean the house and if we do not do that the impressions of the persons who were there earlier will affect us for some time.

Q) After doing cleaning for 15-20 minutes I feel fresh. Should I stop cleaning at this point?

A) No. Cleaning must be done for full 40 minutes. Even though you may feel fresh after 15 minutes still you have to continue the cleaning for the remaining time because some dirt may come up for cleaning at the 39th minute too.

Q) If I don't get involved in any activity during the day do I have to attend to the evening cleaning process?

A) You must attend to cleaning even on those days when we don't get involved in any activity. Generally, when we do any activity during a day, we accumulate mala and this is cleaned. We start with cleaning the mala. Then we go on to clean vikshepa. Therefore, if we don't do any activity and haven't accumulated any mala, we still should do the cleaning process because we can attend to the cleaning of vikshepa.