Preksha Dhyana Self Awareness by Relaxation

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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The real enemy-the tyrant, the progenitor of all worldly suffering, is the karma-šarira. But until this truth is discovered, it is the poor gross body which bears the brunt of the wrath of the sufferer. In reality, the gross body is our ally and not the enemy; at least it could and should be made an ally in the war against the real enemy. Once the elusive real enemy is identified, all efforts must be made to liquidate it. And the gross or physical body could be our ally rather than an opponent in the war. Until this truth is realised, one does not befriend and cooperate with the physical body. The first action of alliance with the physical body is to relax it and make it free from all tensions and stresses.
To perpetuate its existence, the enemy-the karmašartra-has made elaborate preparations. Survival of the enemy is the state of bondage for the spiritual SELF and the death of the enemy is emancipation of the SELF. It is understandable that the interest of the enemy-karma-is to perpetuate the state of bondage. Having enmeshed him in its clutches, it will resort to every means to keep him enslaved. The first line of its attack is to control the functioning of the physical body-unfortunately not recognised as an ally by spiritual self-and its strategy is to keep the body in perpetual agitation, tension and motion.
Delusion, agitation and motion are potent weapons in the armoury of the enemy. It deludes and continues the delusion so that the spiritual self is unaware of its own separate existence.
Tension produces vibrations, shock-waves in the form of primal-drives, urges and impulses. The smoke-screen of the turmoil of agitation is so effective that the enemy is unseen and unrecognised. The delusion of the spiritual self is unbroken and the assertion of its authority nullified. Self-awareness is impossible under the bombardment of waves of excitation and emotion. If there was no motion, if the turmoil was somehow stopped and the calm of motionlessness achieved the spiritual self would undoubtedly become aware of his our
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