This two-day workshop was experiential and focused on an inside-out approach. It started with a discussion on mental health and how mental disorders like Alzheimers need to be approached. Dr. Yogesh outlined the attitude we need to keep in approaching mental health issues. The first is, to recognise that our surface mind, the mind of which we are normally conscious of and which controls our body and behaviour is not the final word. There are layers of consciousness more powerful than the surface mind. Since mind and body are connected, allowing higher layers to exert influence on the body can help with the healing process.
Dr. Yogesh provided another critical insight: All disorders or symptoms are in the realm of possibilities where a higher harmony arising out of a higher consciousness can heal them. However, labelling them as specific disorders imprints it in our consciousness and body at a physical level, which then requires the help of physical drugs. So, the best approach he suggested would be to refrain from concretising a diagnosis and get in touch with higher and deeper layers of our being and invoke those forces to act on the body to bring in the needed harmony. One attitude we can take towards this is to view each such disequilibrium or symptoms as an opportunity for growth, to bring in higher forces to establish a higher harmony. This would need sustained practice and steadfast adherence to the recommended attitude.
The crux of the message of day 1 was the understanding that our surface mind is like a small cup of water which can be disturbed by small issues, akin to small pebbles. In terms of practice, he suggested:
1.Knowing that the surface mind is not the final word, not to be too attached to the surface mind and /or take its thoughts, emotions and feelings very seriously or hold on to them.
2.Raise to a higher consciousness which can influence the surface mind so the mind can be used for its intended purposes.
Dr. Yogesh led the participants through a guided meditation that an involved progressive relaxation of various parts of the body akin to yoga nidra and moving the awareness to the breath to feel the energy and calm it. Once body and mind are relaxed and sufficiently quiet, feel the connection with Mother Earth. Participants were asked to release any darkness and heaviness in our body or emotions or thoughts while inviting higher light and force in its place. When the being feels light and infused with light, we dwelt deep inside the heart to feel the psychic being / presence of the Divine Mother inside of us. We visualised her form as Ma Durga and offered to her all the reins of our life, all our thoughts and responsibility for all our life; without fear or doubt and with complete joy. We strove to be in communion with the Presence inside and strove to always open ourselves to Her and surrender to Her. Realising that Her Presence is the most beautiful and precious thing one could have, enables one to sustain this state. The participants shared experiencing deep joy, peace and light and Presence of the Mother in this concentration.
Dr. Yogesh reiterated that the Mother’s Presence is the only thing that matters. All the worries and chatter of the mind would keep us running in circles. So, focusing our consciousness on the Mother’s Presence inside us and allowing it to fill and guide our life is the way for highest mental harmony / health. Day 1 ended with a prayer that our mind be transformed so that we live by Her will, by Her conscious Will and not by ego.
Day 2 of the workshop started with reinforcement by James Anderson of the utility of surface mind on body, which is affected by repeated habit patterns and physical discipline and for a complete mind-body health, the need to go beyond the control of surface mind and allowing Intuition and higher planes of consciousness to directly influencing the body. Dr. Yogesh brought our attention to the fact that real action comes by the consciousness deep within.
The crux of the discussion was around the reality that our life is much more than a brief meaningless journey where we try to keep our little cup of water safe by running after small comforts and safeties. The key is to not get lost in endless attempts at temporary solutions to keep the small cup of water safe from pebbles but to transform it into a large pond, lake and then an ocean of immense vastness and depth which no pebble can disrupt. A quote from Savitri may well summarise this discussion:
“A death bound littleness is not all we are:
Immortal our forgotten vastnesses
Await discovery in our summit selves;
Unmeasured breadths and depths of being are ours…”
Dr. Yogesh repeatedly exhorted us to move on from protecting the comforts of our little self to expand our consciousness and more and more and live in the influence of the higher light. He guided us through a meditation to:
- Feel the descent of a Force
- Offer our mind to this Force and invoke it to penetrate into our deeper layers of being.
- Identify and place everything in us that is born out of ignorance, greed and distortion of the divine in front of this divine Force and pray for its transformation.
- Offer the superficial mind and the obstacle of ego which keeps us confined in small false structure to the Force and pray for it to demolish those structure and progressively expand us.
- Offer all identities and bondages of gender, education, family and false notions of fear, feeling of inadequacy and self-limitations which diminish us.
- Visualise Mother as goddess Durga, identify with Her form or consciousness and invoke her to destroy all the falsehoods and small structures that confine us. Offer oneself to the Mother and feel her Presence in the body at the cellular level.
- Identify with Her so that Her Will be your will, her Work be your work, her Power be your power. And remember to use Her consciousness for Her work, and not misuse it for yourself.
- As consciousness descends in our heart, it destroys every element of fear and jealousy in the being and awakens the courage and the strength.
Aspire to the Mother:
- To give you a work you can do for Her with her Force. The primary work is the transformation of our own being, making our body, our mind, our vital fit to be honest, conscious and sincere instruments.
- To overcome all our weaknesses, all our limitations, reject all the falsehood, the darkness.
- To make our heart, our psychic, a permanent temple for the divine.
- To turn our whole being on the path of the Divine.
- To be willing to do anything for that, to give up everything which comes in the way - small little joys, pleasures and distractions.
There is no joy greater than the joy of the divine’s Presence within us. There is no greater accomplishment than the realisation of the psychic within us. That and that alone must become our first priority. We must be bold enough to declare the Divine as the goal of our life.
Dr. Yogesh discussed the importance of the purification and transformation of the mind. Since our mental beliefs shape our actions, behaviour and destiny, a quiet mind, surrendered to the Divine that allows higher Force to act is a very powerful asset. So, the key is to always strive to quieten the surface mind and raise to higher consciousness. The descending light will solve all issues of the mind such as the confusions, anxiety, depression and phobias automatically.
We noted that after every intense practice, the tendency of the mind would be to get back into the ordinary life which is far from divine consciousness. The important thing is to develop the consciousness in which we can always feel the Presence of the Divine.
To sustain this state:
- Declare / affirm this reality for ourselves.
- Use some symbols (pictures, books, sacred objects, etc.) around oneself to help connect back to the Divine.
- Feeling the Presence of the Divine, living for the Divine and in the Divine must become our normal state or at least our ardent aspiration.
And we seek the divine NOT for our own petty satisfaction of desire but because that’s the Truth, that's who we are, because there is no other way.
Some of the participant comments are paraphrased here:
“I note how often the surface mind wanders. Repeatedly drawing it to the inner Presence seems to me the sadhana. Feeling a deep sense of peace and gratitude. Praying to Mother to sustain this state. Thank you”.
“Remembering the Mother’s prayer - ‘to turn towards Thee, to unite with Thee, to live in Thee, to live for Thee, that is supreme happiness, unmixed joy’, it was a beautiful feeling. I felt this poem is a good symbol to get in touch with the Divine. I was also immensely moved by the superficiality of the unreal world around us and the realisation that only the divine is real. Being able to experience that contrast moves me every time. Thank you, Dr. Yogesh and James”.
“I was absorbed in the pouring down of the Presence. Felt some visions and sensations in the body”.
“Felt peace and sensations in one side of the body and a sense of churning which led into a deeper immersion”.
“When we were observing at the cellular level, I could feel an overflowing Presence and saw the Mother and Sri Aurobindo seated in my heart and they felt joyful and happy to be there. All my questions about what actions to take, how to be useful, etc., received answers. Feeling tears of gratitude. Thank you so much”
“I fell asleep but woke up refreshed”. To this Dr Yogesh commented that the real work happens in deeper layers and the registration of it in the surface mind is of lesser value.
To summarise, the workshop began with keeping our mind open and not forming rigid notions of diseases in our consciousness. This was followed by practical interiorisations to realise deeper and vaster layers of consciousness beyond the surface mind. We discussed the need to silence the surface mind and open the mind and body to the action of the higher consciousness and its force. We experienced it by going deeper to touch the presence of the Mother in our psychic and offering all of our being, limitations and falsehoods for its Light to penetrate and transform. The highest solution to mental health is to fix it on the Divine, life for the Divine and live in the Divine and we identified practical means of persisting in this state.
Feedback:
“Transformative”
“Awakening to firmly move inward, Godward.”
“Felt the Mother’s Luminosity and Force. Anchors me to dwell on the Divine, purpose in life to manifest the Divine in all that I do, speak, write.”
“Their Presence felt delightful, wholesome.”
The meditation was truly powerful.”
“To reject surface thoughts and preoccupations. To draw upon the Mothers Light and Force, to turn toward Her, live in Her and for Her.”
“Yes – the technique to breathe Divine Light and Consciousness into every part of the body is instantly healing, gratitude to Dr Yogesh, to Mother Earth for the Lightness.”
“The intensity of the descending Force so precise, accurate and safely guided by Dr Yogesh.”
“I’m familiar with meditation. Going beyond the surface mind was clearly demonstrated but it seemed that working on mental health was not the primary goal.
“While listening to the recording of the first session, I experienced the Mother situated on a place high above my head. Being online present in the second session I experienced both the Mother and Sri Aurobindo and their delight.”
“I’m familiar with meditation. Going beyond the surface mind was clearly demonstrated but it seemed that working on mental health was not the primary goal.”
“I had a wonderful experience in this workshop.”
“Yes – it firms up my resolve to evolve my psychic being.”
“I would like a bit more time or guidance to move from deep within to the present here and now than to talk about your experience while you're still in it....” This
[Practical take-homes]
“A collective meditation can have a big impact to experience their inner presence.”
“Practising Inner Consciousness in our daily life.”
“Embark on the Sadhana and stay at it, grow and serve as the perfect instrument of the Divine at each moment.”
