“HOMA PSYCHOTHERAPY: STEPS 4 & 5”
Taking a deep breath is easier said than done by millions of us. Covid-19 prevents many from taking deep breaths and, most sadly, more than 800,000 will never breath again.
Were we to take a deep breath and assess where we as
planet are today, some prominent points stick out:
1)Taking a deep breath is easier said than done by millions of us. Covid-19 prevents many from taking deep breaths and, most sadly, more than 800,000 will never breath again.
2) there are two major forces in play:
A) the virus itself
B) human behaviour (misbehaviour) leading directly to the inability for many places to contain the disease, and, in fact, accelerating its spread.
With HOMA PSYCHOTHERAPY, besides the protective qualities of Agnihotra and the benefits of steps 2 & 3 of the Fivefold Path—Daan and Tapa (as discussed in an earlier article)—on the immune system as well as increasing the ability to engage in palliative and preventive actions, steps 4 & 5—Karma and Swadhyaya clinch the deal.
How and why?
It would appear that many of our brothers and sisters do not believe in or trust the Law of Karma. If they did, they would not continue to ‘roll the dice,’—that is engaging in risky behaviours whether the odds are in their favour or not. Attending Gambling Anonymous meetings is one option. I shall discuss another below.
Engaging in fantasies and extreme examples of wishful thinking expecting magic cures to appear on their doorsteps are further examples of diluting the importance and relevance of Law of Karma. Some individuals may do this, but several heads of government do it for political expediency.
Once the inviolability of Karma is understood, wearing masks and gloves, decreasing hugging and kissing, social distancing and basically ‘getting with the programme’ become more likely.
Realising the difference between freedom and the freedom to harm others is another useful tool.
Grace is attracted by intense good Karma. We might think of it as a slight bending of Law of Karma IN OUR FAVOR. And if ever humanity needed Grace, a strong case can be made that now is the time.
But Grace must be earned. It is not a free pass; it is not a discount coupon. It is an element of doing the right things.
Swadhyaya, the fifth and last step of the Fivefold Path of Vedic Satya Dharma, is a 24-hour, non-stop endeavour. Like living in consonance with Law of Karma, it requires EFFORT as well as clear thinking, willing, and feeling. How else can we discern WHO AM I, really? WHY AM I HERE, WHAT IS MY SPECIFIC ALLOTTED TASK in this lifetime?
Once such questions are answered, then, and only then, it might be said, can we proceed to act in the most efficient and purposeful fashions.
Swadhyaya is exponentially helped by perspective, humility, honesty, openness and willingness.
But it is a solitary job mostly. Surely we can interact with others of like mind and ‘self-develop’ together.
But when ‘push comes to shove,’ where the ‘rubber meets the road’ it is SELF development.
Just as we do Agnihotra for ourselves and for the environment, we engage in Swadhyaya for ourselves and our planet.
The better and more enlightened I become, the more Light manifests on our needy planet.