Keep On Improving
Your Nature
Jai Maha Dev
The
only thing we take with us at the time of death is our bent of mind,
our nature. Everything else is lost: the wealth we worked
so hard to acquire, the numerous relationships we formed and tried
to maintain, and all the various skills we spent so much time in becoming
proficient in—all are forgotten. In
the next life, in the next incarnation, we will have to start all
over again: once again we will have to learn to take our first step,
pronounce our first words, brush our teeth, and tie our shoe laces—everything
will have to be relearned. But when we take rebirth, there is one thing
that we definitely bring with us from our previous birth—our
nature. Our nature is formed by the thoughts we think, the food we eat, the people we meet, and the actions we do:
(1) Out of association is born
identification: just by the sheer act of being with someone (or a
group) a mental association is formed in the mind.
By repeated association, an identification with the person
or group is formed. In other
words, we begin ‘to identify’ with that person or group, which means
that we mentally form an image of ourselves as being in some way similar. (2) This similarity (whether real
or imagined) results in more familiarity (and vice versa), which in
turn strengthens the identification. (3) Naturally, we will tend to
support those with whom we identify (whether it be a single person
or a whole nation of people). At
the very least, we will support them in our mind if not by other means
too. ‘Supporting others in our mind’ means that our
attitude will be to sympathize with them and support (or at the very
least, condone) what they do. In
other words, our attitude toward them will be favorable (we will lean toward them, which means we will become inclined to emulate their
behavior). For example, if a teenager joins a gang of kids and
the gang kids all drink alcohol and smoke pot, he or she will most
likely begin doing these things too, even if only in the name of ‘experimentation’
(initially there may be no desire, or tendency to do these things,
but he does them just because the others are doing it and they are
his ‘friends’). Similarly, if someone makes up their mind to
go to Satsang (the gathering of wisdom-seekers), and attends regularly,
that person is likely to begin emulating the Wise, even if at first
there is no strong inclination to do so.[1]
Thus, the company we keep has a far reaching impact
on our lives. Often we don’t
even realize how much we are influenced by our relationships. Our behavior is an integral part of our nature. In fact, we can even say that the two are synonomous,
because the sum total of our mental, emotional, and physical actions
really constitutes our nature. The ‘person we are’ is based on what
we think, feel, and do, mentally, emotionally, and physically. The ‘person we are’ is the only ‘person’ who will accompany
us beyond death. No friend,
no relative, no son, no daughter, no husband and no wife will go with
us. The ‘person we are’ is the ‘person we have become,’
and herein lies the secret of
enlightenment: (1) in essence
we are not just a person, or some person, or any person. (2) Beneath our personality lies our true self,
which is simply pure consciousness,
untainted awareness. (3) The
‘person we are’ is the expression of that consciousness.
(4) To the degree pure consciousness is expressed (manifested),
to that same degree we are a complete person.
To the degree that pure consciousness is inhibited, to that
same degree we are incomplete, unfulfilled, and unhappy.
(5) Because the ‘person we are’ is always a ‘person in the
making,’ we can always change the person we are. Everyone would like to become an enlightened person: no one is content to be morose, depressed, morbid, and unhappy. We become enlightened only when we make our nature shine. How do we make our nature shine? We develop a shining nature by thinking shining thoughts, reading inspiring materials, eating healthy foods, being in the company of wise people (people who do not think, speak, and do stupid things), and by constantly doing those actions that promote wellness in ourselves, our loved ones, and our environment. This is the work we need to do in this human incarnation.
It’s not much, but it counts for a lot. It may not be
recorded in the history books or inscribed on stone monuments, but
it will definitely be recorded in the mind (as
samskaras, impressions) and find its way
into the gene pool from which we will again take birth. Perfecting our nature is the single most important
work we must accomplish in this life, because this is the only accomplishment
that is going to make any difference. All the trophies and awards will be left behind,
all the friends and relations will be forgotten, all the wealth, name,
and fame will be turned into ashes, but long after the fire of this
life is extinguished, our consciousness (soul-awareness) will remain.
That consciousness carries with it the seed of life (spark of life),
which contains the subtle (akashic)
codes (even more subtle than the physical genetic markings) by which
our nature is reconstructed from birth to birth. There is nothing we need to prove to anyone. The only thing we need to do is to improve our nature. The proofs are internal. When we have the proof (of what is real) inside
of us, we have no need of anyone’s approval and no fear of anyone’s
disapproval. The more we perfect
our nature the more we are free from the uncertainties of the gross
nature. Our future is secure only when we are sure of our Real Self. As long as there is doubt, there is death.
Doubt is Death—death of the consciousness of our True Self. Death is in the mind, and so also is immortality.
When the mind is filled with things of mortal nature, the mind
takes on the qualities of the mortal nature.
But when the mind is filled with the wisdom of the Absolute,
the mind takes on the nature of immortality, and the ‘person we are’
becomes a person of eternal nature, a person whose love is eternal,
whose commitment and courage are immortal, whose character is immortal.
That is the person we must become to become ‘the
person we really are.’ When
we perfect our nature, then our essence, our Real Self is manifested
and we have attained the highest state of consciousness. This work must become the focus and the hub of our life. All the different activities that we engage ourselves in are like the spokes in the wheel of life, and the hub of life is Self-Realization (which is only attained by perfecting our nature, i.e., constantly improving and refining our mental/emotional states, and fine-tuning our mental/physical/spiritual well-being: becoming more compassionate, loving, caring, alert, selfless, helpful, wise, energetic, deep, steady, balanced, responsible, dispassionate, etc.). The wheel of life keeps on rolling forward. In the same way, let us all keep on improving our nature. [1] Every living being is a composite of spirit and matter and possesses both spiritual and materialistic qualities and potentialities. Often our qualities and potential only manifest when there is a conducive environment. |