The physical world around us is one of the truest creations of Almighty. But apart from this there is another truthful creation of Almighty, which is beyond the physical world. This is the world of our consciousness or the world which imparts life.
All the matter that we see around us is only there to support our spiritual life "our consciousness". The people we see around us are not just physical matter that is alive because of pranas and which has a brain to ponder upon. The real life-imparting ingredient is the consciousness that everyone carries. The consciousness is the prayer that one is carrying within and that prayer is reflected in ones actions.
It is the prayer within, which is expressed in one's feelings. As Sikhs even if we are baptized and living according to the rules but we still have a tendency towards greed for money and other physical things, then our consciousness is still very physical. Our Ardas that we carry in our actions everyday does not have life in it. Reading and understanding through Guru Granth Sahib may not bring meaning to life. We spend our whole life running after the materials, but we do not get a chance to spend time for living with our Guru.
What meaning does "Vadde Vadee jo Dise log , Tin ko Viyapae Chinta Rog" bring to a common Sikh? Do we actually believe in it? If it is so then why is there a 'rat-race' of being more influential and more successful in terms of careers and materialistic advancement? Why are we not able to break thought that a person s more successful when he or she has more possessions? The 'practical attitude' is another sophisticated name that is given to immature and sometimes even evil thoughts. The practical attitude talks only of the physical world and focuses on bringing more physical dynamism to life.
The life of consciousness starts from the point when we live life with intuition and feeling. The spiritual aptitude becomes deeply rooted and brings indescribable peace in life. Love for humanity, truth, prayers, happiness and music have no physical existence. A spiritually awakened person is neither stressed nor thrilled. He is always calm. Even though he is very sensitive, he is quite insensitive to the happenings of the physical world. He feels things deeply and is sensitive to the presence of God in all. He is very cautious about his relationship with living. He respects and cares for the possessions God gives to him because he knows that they are not his, but merely “loaned†to him by God in order to serve Him with grace. Materialistic achievements are insignificant to him.
He is pure in his feelings and does not let his mind get contaminated with the desire for physical pleasures. He does not crave luxury. He wants to earn his living by serving his Guru every day. He realizes God in everything and everywhere. His life is like a poem, like a song sung to the music of the soul.
The Siri Guru Granth Sahib is written is Ragas. The singing of these hymns brings new meaning and deeper feelings to those meanings. This is the reason that singing the Guru Grantha makes us awaken to our Guru. But if we are listening to our Kirtan only from a musical aspect it may not have this deep effect. We must listen with our hearts. Our spirit then experiences each wave of the Kirtan. Unless we are deeply moved we have nothing to hold in our soul from this divine music.
"Dukh Daru Sukh rog bhaya Ja Sukh tam na hoyee" Only a spiritually awakened person can realize the truth that what appears to be difficulties in our lives are actually the cure for the sick soul. The Hymns of Guru Grantha are meant to be recited in the Love of the One. These are not a source of income for living. When Love oozes from the soul dipped in the experience of the One, then one's inside and one's outside come into harmony with one's consciousness. It is like tuning a string of a musical instrument that has a resonating effect in the environment.
These stable people are deep. The music of Guru Grantha imparts a soul refreshing stability. How can people with this awakening be influenced by worldly difficulties?
Living in the spirit he sees the Almighty, in the smile of a child, in day and in night, in air and in land. He is not disturbed by the blowing winds of people's opinions, likes and dislikes, for he carries the wind within him. He carries a revolution within. His state of spirit is one in millions, and he carries millions within himself. His subjective state of mind is more important that any outward actions. He balances the inward and the outward, for he has trained himself to go within as well as to enjoy the creation through his senses.
He sits contented for many hours watching the calf being cuddled by the cow. The deep inner state of a farmer watching his crops grow is beyond any words to express. There are no stresses for him. These are his prayers that have born the fruits. They come by grace and grace alone. He thanks the One for all the fruits.
The Hymns sung in the joy of such a state of consciousness may be even sweeter than those of ragis in Gurdwaras, for a life lived without such music is hollow. It is his deep gratitude towards his Guru that generates the endless divine song within himself.
By Amandeep Singh