VijnanVikas

Bhakthi - Intrinsically Motivated Selflessness!!

2011-01-21T02:28:00.000-08:00

Selflessness and Intrinsic Motivation

- The Devotional Service to the Power of Self

(Based on Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 12)

Whether it is Self Realisation (Spiritual Knowledge) or Self Actualisation (Secular Knowledge) there are a host of qualities that need to be developed to reach perfection. Selflessness is the ultimate of those qualities. Sattwic qualities have to predominate over Rajasic and Tamasic tendencies to propel the seeker forward in both the worlds of the mundane and the mystic.

There is always the doubt as to whether getting practical knowledge is superior to acquiring abstract knowledge. One can definitely say that getting practical knowledge is easier and faster, as the more physical the concepts, the easier it is for the mind and intellect to assimilate the knowledge. But in either case what is required is the need to focus the mind and intellect towards acquiring knowledge. Ultimately keeping focus and engaging in activities for the welfare of all is what matters.

If keeping focus (steadfastness) is difficult, then one needs to put in self effort to keep up purposefulness. If even that is difficult then one need to try and accomplish the assimilation of knowledge through setting priorities. If even that is not possible, the only other way, and possibly the best recourse, is to engage in actions purely for the sake of those actions and not for the results thereof. This is the state of unselfishness or the state of intrinsic motivation that brings out the creative best in people.

It is said that having knowledge is better than mere practise; having experienced (contemplated) knowledge is superior to mere abstract knowledge; and ultimately the most superior is the knowledge born out of unselfish actions or work emanating out of intrinsic motivation. Those who are thus selflessly engaged in activities will be at peace with oneself and the world at large.

Engaging in selfless activities through intrinsic motivation, as mentioned above, in pursuit of ‘identification with knowledge’, is the ultimate devotional service to the ‘Power of the Self’ within. This is the perfect devotional union with Truth. Noble and pure qualities already inherent in the individual, but veiled by selfish passions and ignorance will be slowly but surely unveiled in a progressive manner. Pure qualities of faith (belief with knowledge), determination, compassion, equanimity of mind, equipoise of intellect, self esteem born out of self confidence devoid of any egoistic pride and finally an ultimate sense of selflessness will prevail over such individuals. For them the Knowledge of Truth will dawn and peace and tranquillity will prevail. They will easily identify themselves with the Truth and become one with it. Their inherent value systems will acquire maturity and grow into ubiquity (become spontaneous) very soon and such people will exhibit perennial peace and tranquillity.

Therefore avoid dependence on extraneous factors for motivating yourself to do selfless service for the betterment of others and the actualisation of self capabilities. This is true devotion to the Supreme Self

Aum Tat Sat!!

References:

Bhagavad Gita references (Chapter 12)

Bhagavad Gita Bhashya – Adi Sankaracharya

The Complete Works - Swami Vivekananda

Gita Vahini - Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The Holy Gita – Swami Chinmayananda

God Talks With Arjuna: Royal Science of God-Realization - Paramahansa Yogananda

Bhagavad Gita - International Gita Society

Also interpretations of Bhagavad Gita by - Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

Others:

Creativity, Innovation and Society - Sociology 214, spring 2008, Princeton University

“How we think”, John Dewey, 1910

VijnanSphurana on 25 Dec 2010

2010-12-11T23:42:00.000-08:00

Towards a meditative mind...

2010-11-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

Successful meditation can only be achieved after acquiring the pre-requisite conditions of the mind. It is a process of right living devoid of petty idiosyncrasies, sticking to higher order values with zeal and conviction, being unselfish and being of service to others as much as one can. A conceptual schema is given below towards the successful building of moral values, mental equanimity and intellectual poise. This is a virtuous circle - the more you live right, the more you develop this divine wealth and the more you have this wealth the more you develop passion to live right!

Pride, Self Confidence and Self Esteem

2010-11-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

PRIDE

q A feeling of self-respect and personal worth;

q Satisfaction with your (or another's) achievements;

q The trait of being spurred on by a dislike of falling below your own set standards;

q Unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem;

q Pride is generally competitive; in relation to others. (Ego comes in);

q Pride + EGO [this can easily get bruised, shaken]: makes one believe one is better than everyone else;

q Pride – EGO = Self Confidence [harder to shake]: leads to Self-esteem

SELF CONFIDENCE

q A measure of one's belief in one's own abilities, qualities and judgement;

q To trust and have faith in oneself;

q An individual's belief that they can successfully perform a desired behaviour;

q Self-confidence is ‘knowing’ that everything is okay with you and therefore you are confident in who you are.

SELF-ESTEEM

q Self esteem is about how we rate or appraise ourselves;

q Stems from accomplishments;

q If we believe we are somehow less than others, we may feel the need to please, be submissive to others wishes, try to be perfect, have low moods or feel depressed, feel guilty often or we may even feel we have to try and prove that we are better than other people.

SUMMARY

q Self esteem is about how we rate ourselves internally.

q Self Confidence is about how much we trust ourselves and how much faith we have in ourselves and can also be about how we project ourselves into the world and how we want others to perceive us.

q Self confidence can give a feeling of self-respect and personal worth, turning into pride.

q When this pride is governed by selfishness, it becomes negative

Starter

2007-05-27T00:57:00.000-07:00

Will be back soon with more...