From a Lazy Bum to a Superwoman (or Man!) – Part 4

Hola-Bola, family! Chilly-Chilly November mein warm-warm Jai Jai Shri Hari-Ma!❤️❤️

This is the last part of the series of 10 Habits to an Extraordinary You. Find the previous blogs of the series here 😀😀-

Part 1 (Kholiye-Kholiye😀)

Part 2 (Kholiye na😀)

Part 3 (Arey bura nhi maaniye! Khol bhi dijiye😀)

9) Journal Writing 📝

This life-altering habit was introduced to me by one of the sweetest souls and one of my dearest buddies, Nalin Bhatt. I used to have a lot bottled up inside me. Although, those stuff were rarely negative. Mostly they were either some deep transformational insights or deeper confusions regarding decoding those insights. Quoting Nalin, here (Bhai, tu maar lena meko iske badle!)

“Diary-writing ko aap underestimate mat karo, didu. Diary mein likhne se bahot kuchh sort out hota hai. Dimag poora sort out ho jaayega. Processing aasaan ho jaati hai. Aapke saare jawaab aapke andar hain. Likho. Your words will show you the way ahead. Highly recommended hai, didu.”

(Translation required? Comment below!😀)

What do I do?

Nalin further shared the technique that he applies. I am sharing everything here. Verbatim. (Bhai! Tu do mukka aur maar lena!)

1) You don’t need to write everyday or keep a routine. Write whenever you feel like to.

2) Write as soon as any positive, inspiring, motivating, creative, or clear thought comes to your mind. If you can’t write it then and there on your diary, write or record it on the phone for the time being and then copy it later in your diary in a much more coherent way.

3) Address it to someone you love. I write ‘Dear Sri Hari’ before adding every new entry.

4) Make your diary your personal advisor. Write down your thoughts and during confusion, process in your head and then write it down and then stick to it.

5) Find a diary not necessarily expensive but which attracts you in anyway to come to it again and again to write.

This literally gave me a lot of clarity into my own mind. I always found my answers in my own journal just as my little kiddo said. I could keep a track of the subtle psychic re-wiring that my Guru and Isht’s grace was doing. This made me way more mindful and  calmer than I ever was thus helping in purgation of my thoughts and purification of the conduct.

Most of us, who are the seekers of truth, are aware of the fact that all spiritual practices, all meditation, all sadhnas are done just for one single thing- to tame the mind, to be above it, to rule it as a master rather being a slave to it. That’s it. Mann ke jeete jeet hai. Mann ke hare haar. The chances of defeating or overpowering someone or something go up exponentially if we understand our opponent well; with all its flaws and strengths.  Journaling is the one of the potent ways to understand the mind. Even our most beloved Swamiji advised it in The Ancient Science of Mantras-

“It’s a very good habit to make a small journal entry of any particular incident or learning that you had that day. Don’t go on a writing spree, be brief”.

Here comes the last simple and yet the most powerful habit according to me. 🤓🤓

10) Pray Before Eating and Sleeping : Date the Divine 💕 

One single realisation that was once a result of a deep transformative tragedy in my life has become the very basis of all my action since then. And I say this from 100% experience.

1. No human love comes even near to your Guru’s and your Isht’s love for you. None at all. 
2. As Swamiji says, “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional”“. If we learn to love our Master and our Isht more than anybody and anything else, all suffering WILL vanish. 
3. This leads to the final realisation – The only true relation that we have in this ephemeral world is that with our Guru/Isht/Self. Rest all the relations are merely the projection of that Ultimate relationship. The strength and beauty of all our relationships depend upon the how strong our Ultimate relationship is. 💕 

Narayan, Maggie Khaayein?! 😋😋

If we truly love someone, how can we forget His or Her presence even for a millisecond! When we eat, we might not see them but they are there..around us. Inside us. Within and without. That’s what love does. It drags Vishnu inside our Vishwa, our own little world. If we love them truly, how can we neglect their presence and eat without sharing our food with them!

Since the age of 12, I have never eaten a single meal, from a bread crumb to Chhappan Bhog, without offering it to Shiva and Devi. I came to know my Guru in 2018. Since then, not a single meal touched my lips without sharing my food with Him along with my Isht(s).

Vidu Swamji says in The Rainmaker,

“…breaking bread with him is one of the greatest joys on earth“.

It really is. Don’t deprive yourself from that joy. 

What to do?

1) Thoda Dhyaan Lagaa, Guruvar Daude Chale Aayengey! 😃😃 

It will take a bit of mindful practice at first. As your bond will grow, it will happen naturally and effortlessly. Every single atom of your existence will remind you to feed Him first before you eat.

Quoting Swamji from The Ancient Science of Mantras for who can explain a piece of wisdom better than Dakshinamoorty Himself!

“…Say grace before you take the first bite. Gratitude is one of the finest antidotes of negativity and emptiness.

You can say grace in any way you like or you can use any or both of the verses below (with Sanskrit or just their meanings).

1st Prayer:

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविः ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥

Brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇāhutam । Brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahma karma samādhinā ।।

Translation: It is God alone who is making this offering of food. God is the food. God is the fire accepting this food (and digesting it). Attainment and realization of God is the only worthwhile cause for the one steadfast in selfless deeds.

2nd Prayer:

हर्रि दाता हर्रि भोक्ता हर्रि अन्नं प्रजापति |
हर्रि: सर्व शरीरस्थो भोक्ते भुज्यते हरी: ||

Harir dātā harir bhoktā harir annaṃ prajāpati | Harir: sarva śarīrastho bhokte bhujyate harī: ||

Translation: God is the giver, God is the consumer, God is food and the creator of good. God is present in every pore of my body. Verily God alone is granting, consuming and digesting this food”.

PS. Find the song Thoda Dhyaan Lagaa here! Though it has been sung by the singer for his Guru but I request you to pay attention to the lyrics and get drench in the Bhaav of your Guru and/or Isht 🙂

Kanhaa So Jaa Zara! (Find this sweet song here!) 😪😪

The same has to be done before sleeping. Offer your breath to the One who has blown the Life Force inside you from His own breath. Why? Not to please any God or Guru. But simply because we love them. Apologise for all the stuff you said or did during the day, intentionally or unintentionally. And then, wish Him/Her goodnight before you sleep.

I like to sing a lullaby for Him every night (Not because I can sing. I am literally an illegitimate child of a frog and a crow in that matter. I sing to Him because only He has the power and tolerance to bear with my crass cacophony)

Again quoting Swamiji from The Ancient Science of Mantras-

“At any rate, once done with either or both (meditating and reading), pray to the Divine expressing your gratitude and seeking forgiveness for any mistakes you might have done in the day. Once again, you can use your own words, or you can use the following prayer:

करचरण कृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वा ।
श्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधं ।
विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत्क्षमस्व ।
जय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेव शम्भो ॥

Karacaraṇa kṛtaṃ vākkāyajaṃ karmajaṃ vā । śravaṇanayanajaṃ vā mānasaṃ vāparādhaṃ । vihitamavihitaṃ vā sarvametatkṣamasva । jaya jaya karuṇābdhe śrīmahādeva śambho ॥

Translation: O Lord, please forgive my inappropriate actions done intentionally or inadvertently, prescribed (out of a sense of duty or due to scriptural injunctions) or not prescribed (done out of habit, afflictions and negative emotions), done either through speech, action, sight, words, gestures or mentally. I adore you Bhagawan, the Mahayogi, who is an ocean of mercy. All glories to you”.

Bas ittu sa hi karna hai. 😀😀

These 10 habits have changed my life drastically making me way more productive and clear than I ever was. They have made me more loving and considerate about others. Although, I still have an extremely low emotional and compassion quotient, yet the little rise that was seen in me was a direct result of these habits.

Try any or all the points if you feel like to. Taking up a new challenge is always fun! If you have or know some more wonderful and transformative habits, do share with all of us in the comment section. Would love to know what makes you such a wonderful person that you are! 😄😄

Till then, stay super happy and stay productive. And do not forget to express your love to Shri Hari-Maa and Swamiji because they alone are Ahl-e-Ishq and Ahl-e-Wafaa, worthy of our immense loyalty to the verge of surrender and immense love to the point of insanity. 💕 💕 

Stay safe. Stay in His love. 💕 💕 

Jai Shri Hari-Mumma! 💓