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Assignment for Amma’s retreat 2018 for Amrita Book Club Toronto

Learn about the 6 qualities in of a true spiritual seeker: SHAT SAMPATH (in )

1) SAMA – Control of mind Your mind is a tool to accomplish many things in life. Like any tool, it needs to be under your control. No matter what, negativity somehow or the other enters our mind. It is up to us on what we do with it. A method that Amma recommends: When negative thoughts enter our mind, we can ask ourselves, “Will this thought really help me in life? Will it help me attain my goal? Will it benefit me and society?” HOMEWORK: Contemplate in the Toronto 2018 retreat on how Amma’s Bhava (Her regular white attire form) can intervene in the control of your mind as you watch Her. Journal your experience and thoughts.

2) DAMA – Control over our senses The five senses are the sense of hearing located in the ears, touch located in the skin, sight located in the eyes, taste located in the skin and smell located in the nose. A good analogy of this quality is given in the Holy on Ch.2 Verse 58: “When, as a turtle withdraws its limbs, he withdraws his senses from the sense objects, his wisdom is then set firm.” When the turtle senses danger in the external world, it withdraws itself in its shell till the danger is passed. We can do the same thing with our sense organs by controlling them from harmful sense objects. For example, we are diabetic and want a piece of chocolate cake, we can easily think about the consequences of having a piece the cake to our health and stay away from the dessert table. This is using DAMA. The idea is to sublimate the desire of overindulgence or our senses with a higher goal. HOMEWORK: In your Toronto 2018 retreat experience, which instances can you observe Amma effectively as the Master of Her senses (such as bodily pleasure and comforts, etc.), and how can you implement the example that She shows in your own life from now on?

3) UPARATI – Self-Withdrawal This is being able to turn the mind away from external objects and overindulgences and other distractions to keep our mind peaceful and steady. In other words, it is to reach a state where you are no longer bothered by the external disturbances around you. HOMEWORK: Amma is a beautiful example of how She turns Her mind away from the external indulgences of the world. In the Toronto 2018 retreat, observe where you see this in Her physical presence and think of this quality and ways on how you can practice this and share.

4) – Forbearance This is the quality to endure certain inconveniences and discomforts to ourselves, such as heat or cold, pleasure or pain, etc. to reach our higher divine goal. The best way Amma gives us to practice this quality is channelling our energy into in our lifestyle and especially during Her Tour programs. HOMEWORK: During the Toronto 2018 retreat, you are usually assigned a SEVA on your retreat form, or you are a co-ordinator of a SEVA. Think about past SEVAS you have done and the external inconveniences you experienced (Were you in a cold or hot atmosphere? Were you in a crowd with too many people surrounding you? Were you getting dirty, etc.?). In your SEVA for this retreat, see if you can practice TITKSHA in a certain inconvenient circumstance, and share how you have felt after.

5) SHRADDHA - Faith This is true Faith in our Guru Amma, and putting in efforts to practice Her teachings, believing the Truth in them, and doing our best to apply and experience them in our own lives. HOMEWORK: Take a journal and pen during the Toronto 2018 evening retreat programs and write down 2 teachings that stuck with you during Amma’s evening discourses throughout the retreat (usually there are 3 discourses). Discuss what they are during our meet and suggest to the group in our next meet how you will practice them.

6) SAMADHANA – One-Pointed Concentration/State of Poise and Tranquility Amma provides the perfect tools for us to achieve this and stay focussed on the task at hand through , meditation, and chanting the 108 names/1000 names of the Divine mother. To attain the goal of one’s life, this quality needs to be highly cultivated, Amma calls this “Lakshya Bodha” – awareness of the goal. HOMEWORK: Practice this quality after your darshan with Amma. Usually after a darshan with Amma, we are made to sit in the chairs for a bit around her (post darshan seating). This is when Samadhana can be practiced at ease. Share your experience, and relate if it was successful to practice it around Her. Also observe Amma’s physical form practicing Samadhana, and share.

Readings to support your homework: Pg 96: – Power of Amma’s words (Qualities to observe: SAMA, UPARATI, SHRADDHA) Pg 115 – Like a River Flowing (Qualities to observe: TITIKSHA, SAMADHANA) Pg 154 – Every Moment a Precious Lesson (Qualities to Observe: TITIKSHA, UPARATI, SAMA) Pg 160 – The Lost Son Found (Qualities to Observe: SHRADDHA)

*REFERENCES ● The Timeless Path – Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri ● www.manishamelwani.com – Do you have the Qualities of a True Spiritual Seeker?