Science and Philosophy of Our Inner Transformation Gopal Chandra Bhar
Our Inner Time: warm we experience the passage of time. This Psychological and Physiological is determined by our attachment, emotion, and wami Vivekananda said: ‘If we are de- so on, by the degree of attention to events when Sveloped from animals, the animals also may they occur. It is a personal time generated within be degraded men. … Our struggle for the our body, which is perhaps best understood as higher life shows that we have been degraded against our awareness of common chronological from a high state.’1 Time flies, crawls, and races. time. It passes relatively swiftly for us while we Like tide, time waits for none, but in dramatic are enjoying an activity, but it slows down dra- moments it also stands still. There are popu- matically if we are waiting anxiously for some- lar accounts of how Albert Einstein’s relativity thing we like. theory could be explained to a layperson: ‘An The elasticity of this kind of time is perhaps hour sitting with a pretty girl on a park bench best appreciated when we are the spectators of passes like a minute, but a minute sitting on a the performance of a concert or a lecture or in
IMAGE: HTTP://WWW.TAPINTUNEIN.COM hot stove seems like an hour.’2 This is psycho- meditation. We have another time called physio- logical time and has to do with how hard or logical time, which consists of a series of organic
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changes undergone within a human being from Internet, time has, in essence, triumphed over the beginning of one’s embryonic life to one’s space. The temporal boundary that separates one death. Some of these states are rhythmic and place from another is abolished by making the reversible, while others are progressive and ir- entire world a global village. Only proper time reversible. Our bodies are chock-full of living management can bring success in life. Thomas à clocks that govern us all along. Physical time Kempis said: ‘You will always be glad at evening is foreign to us, whereas this inner physiologi- if you have spent the day well.’4 cal time is of our own spring from within. Solar time flows at a uniform rate consisting of equal Our Inner World and Outer World intervals. But the physiological time differs Carl Jung, the noted psychiatrist and psycho- from one person to another. The body is an en- therapist of the last century, on studying human semble of organic movements, whose rhythm behaviour, classified them as extrovert and in- is very fast during infancy, much less rapid dur- trovert.5 These people make decisions based on ing youth, and very slow in maturity and old two very different sets of criteria: thinking and age, when our physiological activities begin to feeling. When a decision is based on logic and weaken our mind. reason, they are in the thinking mode. When a It is because of the different individual physi- decision is based on a value system, they are op- ological times, that physical and mental matu- erating in the feeling mode. Our entire life is not rity come early for some and late to others. But fully governed by either, though decisions are society never thinks of advancing schooling age made entirely by thinking or feeling processes. for someone who reached early mental maturity Most decisions involve some thinking and some nor does it think of lengthening retirement age feeling. Normally the thinking mode comes of one beyond sixty to those having their physi- from the brain while the feeling mode comes cal and mental capabilities intact. It is also in the from the heart. We all are accustomed to both same context that we, particularly in a joint fam- the modes, but we often put more trust on one ily, experience a generation gap between young mode or the other depending upon our inbuilt children and their grandparents, and even be- or inherent values like the two categories of our tween children and their parents in these days. inner time. But the parents want their children Because of this generation gap they live in dif- to be specialised in their chosen field without ferent temporal worlds in spite of living in the any attention to the children’s inbuilt talent or same family.3 And for the same reason, a mother tendencies. The dynamics of both these worlds cannot treat her daughter as her own sister. Our are entirely different like inner times. failure to match in social structures, the rapid The extrovert category naturally likes to stay gains in longevity, health, and style of life has led with the external world of friends, television, to such unintended consequence of creating a mobile, and so on in their leisure time, while poor fit between social institutions and people’s the introvert category prefers to be with their capabilities and responsibilities at every age. own internal world even forgetting their body- We all have the same amount of time but it self. Each is imprisoned in its own activity. We is just a matter of how we utilise it. In order to know much about the outer world, yet very little produce greater results, one is required to change of the world within us. That’s why our environ- one’s strategy with respect to time. On the ment wields such inordinate control over us. For
544 PB July 2019 Science and Philosophy of Our Inner Transformation 21 people belonging to the extrovert category, it is own wisdom. The discoveries of the inner worlds very difficult to enter into the spiritual world, of Moses, Jesus Christ, Buddha, and Sri Ramak- where the primary need is silencing the mind it- rishna are far greater than the discoveries of Co- self as demanded by yoga scriptures. Sri Ramak- lumbus and Newton. rishna’s basic message for us, especially those en- We usually live in the outer world almost un- tering spiritual life, is the harmonisation of one’s aware of our inner world. But spiritual persons thought and speech. Success, even in worldly usually live in their inner world. Sri Ramakrishna activity, demands that it should be in tune with could stay in both the worlds, a special charac- thinking and speaking. teristic state termed as bhavamukha in Sri Rama- Our entire educational system aims at teach- krishna literature. The expression of such state ing how to tackle the external world irrespective often comes out through a Bengali song: Dub‘ of one’s internal world. The so-called gentle-peo- dub dub rup sagare amar mon; O my mind, dive ple, established in worldly knowledge, constantly deep into the inner world of gems.’ Sri Rama- try to run their life through suppression of truths krishna also used to sing the mystic poet Ram- of their inner world. Danah Zohar and Dr Ian prasad’s Bengali song: ‘Mon tumi krishi kaj jano Marshall rightly commented while connecting na; O mind, you do not know how to cultivate intelligence with spiritual intelligence: ‘From the the land.’ moment we begin school we are trained to look Apart from this, some dedicated scientists, outward rather than inward, to focus on facts artists, and litterateurs also often live in their and practical problems in the external world, to inner world. Their behaviour in the outer world be goal-oriented. Virtually nothing in Western is often seen as insane. This happened to the Eng- education encourages us to reflect on ourselves, lish poet P B Shelley and to some of the great on our inner lives and motives.’6 This internal scientists as well. This harmonisation is the great- world is full of tendencies of our earlier life re- est problem that one faces in life. That’s why maining dormant in the subconscious mind. Swamiji said: One becomes successful if one’s inner world is We are caught, though we came to catch. We strong. Only for children and the insane, the two came to enjoy; we are being enjoyed. We came worlds are the same since they do not usually talk to rule; we are being ruled. We came to work; rationally with reference to reality in the pres- we are being worked. All the time, we find that. ent world. Children are loved by all due to this And this comes into every detail of our life. We simplicity. To be spiritual one has to go through are being worked upon by other minds, and we are always struggling to work on other minds. a transformation of one’s inner world from one’s We want to enjoy the pleasures of life; and they inbuilt samskaras. Mere outward or objective eat into our vitals. We want to get everything transformation makes one religious. For spiritu- from nature, but we find in the long run that ality, one needs subjective transformation and nature takes everything from us—depletes us, this requires prolonged and rigorous spiritual and casts us aside.7 practice for many years and a genuine spiritual experience must transform the character of the The Architecture of Our Subconscious experiencer. Inner life primarily concerns one and Conscious mind as a spiritual being. One can become learned by Our thoughts and emotions comprising another’s learning but can be wise only by one’s our mood and sentiments produce strong
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impressions on the face, which is like an adver- Almost all of our activities involve subcon- tisement board depicting what is going on inside scious to conscious processing. So all the con- the mind. On the face, one can hardly hide our scious processes are bound to be influenced by thoughts though we may foolishly think that we unconscious pre-conditions, such as past expe- have kept up our thoughts in secret. Thoughts of rience and emotions. Every thought, word, or lust, greed, jealousy, anger, revenge, hatred, and act of a person goes to form her or his tenden- so on, at once produce their vivid expressions cies, impressions in the subconscious state. That’s on the face. why Swamiji warned us to be careful about what All memories, feelings, and thoughts that are we do or think. What we are and do in the con- out of conscious awareness are by definition ‘un- scious mind is on the surface. An iceberg float- conscious’, also termed as the subconscious. The ing on water can serve as a useful metaphor to conscious mind is constantly supported by un- understand this unconscious mind. As only a conscious resources. By halting our thoughts, small percentage of the whole iceberg is visible stilling our minds, engaging in mental silence, we above the surface, the conscious mind is like the give ourselves mental rest, when it comes up with top of an iceberg, a small portion of the whole. the very best of thoughts that can deliver more We spend our entire life living on this surface of truths of life. Yoga is an exalted state of the mind. the mind. That’s why the mystic Bengali poet It starts with stopping of the thinking process. Kazi Nazrul Islam lamented that our entire life The aim of yoga is not only to control the surface is spent in floating on the surface while it should of the mind but also to rein the mind in depth, have been a deep inward-flowing river: Tomar‘ thereby requiring establishment in moral values. jale roilam beshe jonam obdhi; I have been float- It is self-administered, drugless psychotherapy. ing on your waters all my life.’ Access to the subconscious mind therefore Imagine our life as a flowing river. Through- comes from calming the surface and on coming out our life, we keep on floating on the surface in contact with certain external factors when of the river. Spiritual life is an attempt to go be- the necessary conditions are fulfilled for these yond the limitations of our present state and can subtle impressions to manifest. And this may be achieved only by transforming the conscious happen while going to sleep, under drug or al- mind. There are three states of the mind: uncon- cohol, or even in coma when the play of con- scious, conscious, and superconscious. The un- scious mind is withdrawn, even though the conscious, apart from the instinctive drives, is a subconscious mind continues to control all the storehouse of samskaras or past tendencies. The vital processes and functions of our body. Most instinctive mind is also the seat of passions, de- activities of the human brain are unconscious sires, sensations, and feelings of the lower order and routine. The condition of a person’s vegeta- that we have in common with animals. The in- tive life is regulated in an unconscious fashion. tellect is the mental principle that separates hu- Without any conscious choice on our part, our mans from lower animals. Our education system heart is kept functioning automatically, and the is aimed to enrich this. Apart from the intellect, vital functions of digestion, blood circulation, the conscious mind comprises concepts, emo- and breathing are carried on by our subcon- tions, imagination, and intuition. scious mind through processes independent of The next higher level is the awaken- our conscious control. ing of the intuitive mind, being a part of the
546 PB July 2019 superconscious mind, which sets in motion spiritual powers. The intellect uses the rational mind, while the intuitive mind uses the heart. The inspiration for transformation comes from the awakened heart, but the natural tendency is to follow the dominant mandate of our in- born habits in spite of better promptings. Sri Krishna rightly said in the Bhagavadgita that it is a natural tendency for one to go after one’s own in-built nature. Even a wise person, aware of good and bad qualities, acts according to, in keeping with, one’s own disposition or nature. Therefore, all living beings conform to and fol- low their nature.8 The conscious mind of the experiencer con- tinues to create impressions under the surface of the mind and carry on as memory in the sub- conscious mind, but if we go deeper into the unconscious mind, we cannot readily remem- ber. It is well known that our perceptions and cognitions are overwhelmingly determined by our subconscious minds. We are moved by our impulses, habits, and tendencies which are em- bedded in our subconscious minds. Thus, we live in the past and are not anxious to live in the pres- ent. In spite of our best efforts, we are forced to do certain actions, which are harmful, not only once, but repeatedly. When we are directed by an impulse, all our controls slip away, though we regret it later. Arjuna asks Sri Krishna in the Gita: ‘Impelled by what does a person, though There is no physical or chemical process unwillingly, engage oneself in wrongdoings, as to wipe out the imprints of the subconscious if compelled by force?’ (3.36). All this behaviour mind. Our mind is a slave to unexpected and only verifies that we are governed by our subcon- undesirable forces lurking within us. The law of scious mind and that the conscious mind is of mass action in physical chemistry, propounded not much help. When we try to concentrate in by Cato Maximilian Guldberg (1836–1902) and meditation, the mind is also distracted to catch Peter Waage (1833–1900), says that the direc- the depth as we normally cannot control the sub- tion and dynamics of a chemical reaction are de- conscious mind. So, the subconscious mind has termined by the remaining amount of reactants:
IMAGE: HTTP://ARAKANPHOEKHAUNG.BLOGSPOT.COM a major role in shaping the future and the char- ‘The substitution force, other conditions being acter of an individual. equal, is directly proportional to the product
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of the masses provided each is raised to a par- Transformation: ticular exponent.’9 This law can also be stated The Role of Neuroplasticity in these words: ‘At constant temperature, the Spiritual life is an overall transformation from rate of a chemical reaction is directly propor- different bodily and mental states. It involves tional to the active mass of the reactant present turning inward and withdrawing from the ex- at that time.’10 ternal environment. But our present attitude, The mind also operates on the same lines. Sri behaviour, and reactions are largely determined Krishna says in the Gita: ‘For, by that very past by our past experiences, as highlighted earlier, practice, one is carried forward even in spite of and continues to disturb our present life. For oneself.’11 The good and bad tendencies remain- a spiritual aspirant, it is important to weed the ing in our subconscious mind will simply over- mind out of all unwanted subconscious impres- come the mind by their sheer mass and might sions and tendencies. We are to undermine the put a person on a particular track, through the baser inclinations that have taken root in our efforts made in previous births stored as seeds in subconscious mind. It is possible to sow the de- samskaras. If the tendencies with which a person sired plant only after replacing the weeds from is born are good, the growth would be conducive the ground and making it fertile. The furrows to spiritual well-being. The abovementioned law that have been dug should be smoothened by the says that the momentum of these tendencies will newly ploughed ones. It is like cleaning an old carry one a long way and a little effort will meet dirty inkpot requiring persistent pouring of clean with great success. water, much like pouring good thoughts into the There is no disparity in the world that one subconscious mind by the conscious mind. Apart usually grumbles about. It is solely one’s ac- from the conscious mind, our mind is comprised tions in this or previous life that cause appar- of the unconscious mind, lying below the con- ently whimsical effects. The impressions of scious mind, and the superconscious that lies past acts will follow like shadows throughout above the conscious mind. Thus, one has to or- one’s life and there is no escape from it. There ganise three categories of transformations: is no physical or chemical process by which Transformation within the subconscious one could wipe out all the imprints of past mind • The main fight in controlling the mind is actions. In this context the thoughts of the against these impressions because they influence, French mathematician and moralist Blaise Pas- inspire, and affect our creative urge. Planning is cal (1623–662) challenge us: ‘We never keep necessary to fight against these impressions with ourselves to the present moment. We look for- the conscious mind. Much of the early struggle ward to the future as too slow in coming, as if in spiritual life is to free the conscious from the to hasten its arrival, or we remember the past hold of the unconscious. to hold it up as if it had happened too quickly. Transformation of the subconscious mind We are so undiscerning that we stray into times to the conscious mind • The more one’s past which are not our own and do not think of the is rediscovered and accepted, the more the un- only one that is truly ours, and so vain that we conscious mind gets transformed into con- dream about those which no longer exist and scious mind. allow the present to escape without thinking Transformation of the conscious mind to the about it.’12 superconscious • This superconscious is also
548 PB July 2019 Science and Philosophy of Our Inner Transformation 25 called turiya or transcendent when the mind is the environment provided for one’s growth is freed from all impressions, both of the conscious conducive to spiritual well-being, the momen- and subconscious levels. tum of these tendencies can carry her or him a To obtain anything in life, we must first ex- long way and a little exertion or effort will meet amine whether our pre-programmed subcon- with great success. So one should start filling the scious mind is right and is in tune with our pres- mind with nobler thoughts, clean bad samskaras ent wish. If it is not in line with the wish, we with good ones since our brain and psyche are better bring changes in our mindset and alter plastic organs. the programming. The best way to overcome The mind is forced to be occupied with good the previous programming is to replace that pro- thoughts. One should continue to think spiri- gramming with new programming. This means tual thoughts or the precepts of Vedanta till one continued affirmations. We were programmed falls asleep and till death, as goes the popular to do every single step we take. Every word we adage of Vedanta: ‘Asupteramriteh kalam nayet heard from someone, we took it and placed into Vedanta chintaya; spend time on thinking Ve- our conscious mind. dantic thoughts till you fall asleep.’The mind All inputs to the conscious mind go into the can be controlled through habit and dispassion subconscious mind for processing, which in as said in the Gita.14 Sri Krishna also says that turn creates a reaction, or what was processed patiently, little by little, one must free oneself is stored in memory for later retrieval. On com- from all mental distractions with the aid of in- ing in contact with certain external factors like telligent will (6.25). environment, association, and so on, the nec- Modern science supports this through the essary conditions are fulfilled for these inbuilt principles of neuroplasticity. According to impressions to manifest. Everyone is born with neuroplasticity, thinking, learning, and acting a certain spiritual potential and if this is not ac- actually changes both the brain’s functional tuated to the full extent, one’s life would be in and physical anatomy. Neuroplasticity allows vain.13 If one does not consciously avoid impure adaptation to any and all experiences, good or company, one will be unable to remove evil ten- bad, and the changes we may encounter, free- dencies from the mind. Bad company is easier ing us from merely responding reflexively as a to avoid by the conscious mind but the effect consequence of genetically determined hard- of our former imprinted bad company and im- wiring. The plasticity of the brain works in two pure thoughts thereof is far more troublesome directions; it is responsible for deleting old to get rid of. connections as frequently as it enables the cre- The seeds of desires are to be burnt, for which ation of new ones.15 It means it has the ability the first step is getting established in moral dis- to learn, adapt to its environment with all the ciplines. Removal of bad samskaras is the so- challenges brought with it, and acquire new lution suggested by Sri Ramakrishna and great knowledge from fresh experiences throughout masters. This means that the mind needs forc- an individual’s lifetime. ible and repeated assertion of higher nature and This happens through a change in the good samskaras, which are taken over by the sub- strength of the neural connections, adding or conscious mind. If the inbuilt tendencies with removing connections, and by the formation of which a person is born are dominantly good and new cells. This means that we have the potential
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for successful intervention, but it also means that Ramakrishna: ‘When flowers bloom in the deep planned and unplanned interventions may have woods, the bees find them.’17 Further one can- undesired, direct and indirect effects. Of course, not know and be a great judge of oneself, since what is desirable to one person may be undesir- facial expression, body language, words, behav- able to another. Some of our most stubborn hab- iour, and actions can really be judged by others. its and disorders are products of our plasticity. Listed below are some of the visible qualities that Once a particular plastic change occurs in the signify inner transformation: brain and becomes well established, it can pre- Tolerance: Progress in spiritual life is visual- vent other changes from occurring. It obeys two ised through the experience of awakenings like key principles: requires repetition and an appro- conversion of ethical precepts into conduct priate amount of intensity. According to yogis, and training oneself to be conscientious, de- it takes a practice of twelve years to achieve this tached, and temperate. As a result, inner strug- gle would appear to one, who otherwise has a plastic change. truce with the lower mind. The attitude of a With the attainment of these qualities, the person with a developed mind is that we are automatic power that one generates in oneself not the only ones in the world who have been is a spontaneous energy that speaks in its own singled out to struggle, and these struggles are language. It is the language of nature itself. It not to last forever. is the feeling of things, which is different from A New Set of Values: When one grows to ap- psychological functions. These feelings, which preciate one’s inner self, the attachment to the are supernormal, are nothing but the vibrations outer world gradually diminishes. Most rel- that are produced in harmony with the natural evant in this context is the quote of the Greek system of things. But our practice really helps cynic philosopher Diogenes while roaming in a us to break down the obstacles as the cultivator market: ‘How many things I can do without.’18 does for the irrigation of land as illustrated in One will perhaps be able to develop a new set of values. Conserve mental energy by philo- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.16 All weakness is dropped sophically accepting inevitabilities of life, dis- with one’s original, natural divine perfection ren- eases and old age, fortunes, and karmic forces. dered free and fully manifest. Sensitivity: The development of a high degree of Some Indications of sensitivity of the sense organs in worldly deal-
Inner Transformation ings is an asset in spiritual life. Normally, the degree of human sensitivity varies from person One cannot find one’s own drawbacks until one to person. Some require physical assault, some has lived a life of continence. It is through pain rude words, while for the most sensitive, a mere and failures that one might reach the summit of gesture is enough for conveying disapproval. spiritual life. But experience is the highest proof Nerves become more susceptible even to subtle when it comes to changing one’s temperament forms of joys and sorrows. Such a person sees and outlook of life. Such a person does not dis- suffering everywhere as pointed by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.19 This means that most discrimi- play her or his strength but the very appearance, native persons can see everything in the world attitude, and behaviour reveal strength. Just like as full of sorrow. The Gita says that just as fire a thoughtful person may learn much of God’s is covered with smoke, every endeavour in this wisdom and goodness amidst the solitude of world is associated with some defects.20 In this nature and its salient laws. In the words of Sri world anything having creative power is also
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associated with destructive power. For example, Non-attachment: Develop dispassion towards water extinguishes fire but the very constituent the objects of the senses. When one passes of water, oxygen, when brought in contact with through moral and spiritual tempests the test hydrogen, bursts into fire. is whether we are becoming less attached; when the mind is away from sense objects, whether Suffering: We do not always think best in our we are able to stand on our own feet. When one cool hour. Tremor and sadness often agitate the grows in inner values and the attachment to the soul far more powerfully than joy or security. outer world gradually diminishes, then one will They inject emotion and sentiments higher in perhaps be able to tolerate a few harsh remarks intensity and momentum. The aspirant sees about this outer covering, thereby developing that all worldly suffering is a God-given op- a new outlook. portunity for one’s own spiritual benefit as if for testing one’s strength and forbearance. The Sublimation of Ego: The greatest sign of spir- ideal of mukti becomes real only when one feels itual development is the sublimation of ego, intense suffering. It is the time when the inner which drops down to a minimum. In the lan- force acts in full extent. guage of Sri Ramakrishna, such a developed and sublimated ego is the ripe ego. Jesus Christ A spiritual aspirant relates all problems in said: ‘Thy will be done.’24 One will have no life with God. It is God’s way to infuse in us separate will for oneself. The personality is to- the required strength to go through the inner tally merged with one’s chosen ideal. Such a struggles. Even great litterateurs like Rabin- person will not display her or his strength or dranath Tagore, mystic poets Atul Prasad Sen fear anybody else in the world as there is no and Rajanikanta Sen created their best in the duality. With the opening of spiritual vision, times of their difficulties. The Holy Mother Sri the inner meaning of everything becomes clear Sarada Devi said: ‘Misery is truly a gift of God. and thereby attains an unimaginable progress I believe it is a symbol of His compassion.’21 in any work. ‘Misery is a greater teacher than happiness’, said Swamiji.22 The famous prayer to the Lord by The Golden Law of Adjustment: If, however, Kunti, mother of the Pandavas, in the Bhaga- one wants to lead an idealistic life, one is re- vata, illustrates that a true spiritual seeker as- quired to follow Sri Ramakrishna, who taught pires difficulties all through to get the presence the Holy Mother to ‘adjust one’s conduct ac- of the Almighty just to develop one’s discrimi- cording to time, place, and circumstances’.25 native power: ‘I wish there were more of those He connects every action, every experience to calamities, oh Master of the universe, so that spiritual growth. In the words of Swamiji: ‘Ad- we could meet you again and again, for meet- just the microcosm (which is in your power ing you means that one no longer is confronted to do) and the macrocosm will itself adjust with a material existence.’23 for you.’26 Acceptance: Accept all things as they come due Conclusion to the effects of past actions and develop the We are merged in our own world by creating our wisdom to tackle situations without complain- own inner time, psychological and physiological, ing and keeping an open mind. Everything that the inner world through our inbuilt samskaras. we encounter, read, or hear has something to teach us. A thoughtful person learns much of ‘The world is God and is real, but that is not the Almighty’s wisdom and goodness amidst soli- world we see. … “taking the thing for what is tudes of nature and its laws like the Avadhuta not” … We see reality, but distorted by the me- in the Bhagavata. dium through which we see it’, said Swamiji in
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the Inspired Talks (7.33). So we have to struggle to control, to overcome, through scriptural disci- Princeton University, 1971). 6. Danah Zohar and I N Marshall, Spiritual In- plines including yoga. Swamiji assured: ‘Relative telligence: The Ultimate Intelligence (London: knowledge is good, because it leads to absolute Bloomsbury, 2001), 285. 7. Complete Works, 2.2. knowledge’ (ibid.). If the intentions and practices are sincere, 8. See Gita, 3.33. 9. P Waage and C M Guldberg, ‘Studies Concern- selfless, and unwavering, matters are so ar- ing Affinity’, trans. Henry I Abrash, Journal of ranged that one shall acquire requisite aids for Chemical Education, 63/12 (December 1986), spiritual pursuit from the so-called distorted 1044–7; 1046
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