2025-04-29 - Four Questions by Vaiśeṣika Dāsa
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Krishna by Octavio Ocampo
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I found this book in a little free library. I usually don't go for
religious books, but picked up this one because it's new (2024),
has nice art, and it touches on personal growth and yoga.
Preface
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Wisdom traditions throughout the world share a common thread: they
remind us that we can look here, there, and everywhere for happiness
outside of ourselves but that ultimately true happiness can only be
found when we look within.
The word sadhu comes from the term "sadh" which means to accomplish,
attain, or succeed. A sadhu, therefore, exemplifies a spiritual
practice. Sadhus are known for their wisdom, self-control, and
spiritual accomplishments. They are tolerant, generous, and treat
all living beings with respect.
Introduction: Questions are the Answer
======================================
Punctuation marks do practical work: a period stops us; a colon
announces upcoming information; a comma divides data. But the most
powerful punctuation is the question mark. It's shaped like a hook,
and with it you can catch people's attention. You can snag ideas
from the depths of your subconscious. It can take you beyond the
mundane to the metaphysical. With a question you can discover truths
of ancient wisdom, investigate your own heart, and discover your true
eternal nature as an individual conscious being.
When you ask the right questions with the right attitude you can
learn the answers to all of life's secrets. When we sincerely ask
relevant questions to qualified people, we can be sure that we'll get
the answers we seek. Even before we know whom to ask, by merely
formulating our questions, we have begun the process.
Those who think they already have all the answers cannot sincerely
inquire and therefore will not receive solutions that will help them
to progress.
The yoga texts say that humans also need to ask survival questions,
but to be happy, they must also ask bigger ones.
"Now is your chance to ask the big, important questions, ones that go
beyond the survival or comfort of your body."
Armed with the questions "Who? What? When? and Where?" we explore and
navigate the world. Then there is the standout metaphysical
question, "Why?" which can take us beyond the world of matter.
"Why?" questions take us into the realm of purpose, motive, and free
will, which are beyond the elements and mechanics of the physical
world.
The bumper sticker "Question Authority" also warns about blind faith
and suggests that we not accept authority until we examine it. The
evil twin of blind faith, however, is blind doubt. Those who blindly
doubt are also faulty: they rule out things that seem unlikely,
because the subject is beyond their perceptual horizon.
Question One: What Is My Purpose?
=================================
Purpose is the reason for which something exists.
When we are disturbed, we are anxious and less productive. When we
are aligned with our purpose, we act with integrity and vigor. Both
our mental and physical health improve, and we become more effective.
When we know our purpose, we proceed with confidence.
In his novel /The Brothers Karamazov/, Fyodor Dostoyevsky writes,
"Thy mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but
in finding something to live for." ... Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
stated, "Life is not worth living until you have found something
worth dying for."
To determine your purpose in life, it can help to first list and
order your priorities.
Try this: Set aside some time to sit down with pen and paper and ask
yourself, "What are my priorities?" At the top of the page write,
"What is the most important to me?" and then just start
brainstorming. You don't have to worry about coming up with the
perfect answers, just take the time to write down whatever comes to
your mind.
Once you've come up with an initial list, mull it over, process it.
Then try reading it to mentors, close friends, and trusted family
members. Ask them, "What do you think?" The more you churn your
priorities, thinking them over and discussing them with others, the
clearer they become and the more you'll feel a fixity of purpose.
As soon as we sincerely ask, "What is my purpose?" we'll be provided
with the intelligence to answer the question.
Problem solving in geometry starts with a premise. We can't solve a
problem that says, "Given nothing, solve for x."
The premise, or axiom, in yoga teachings is that we are non-material
entities. That is, we are categorically different from matter, a
fact we can see through the incongruity and frustration we feel as we
deal with matter. ... We are spiritual entities, not part of the
material world.
Journal Prompts
---------------
Set a timer for ten minutes and write down any responses that come to
mind when you ask yourself, "What are my priorities?"
Then, go through your list and put the items in their order of
importance to you. When you have your priorities in order, make your
list visible so that you can read it daily.
(Repeat this practice periodically, or whenever you feel your
priorities need to be adjusted.)
Question Two: How May I Be of Service?
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Our fundamental nature is to contribute to a greater good.
The problem with this path [of renunciation] is that as conscious
living beings we all have an inherent spirit of attachment. Our
nature is to be attached to something or someone.
If you find yourself in a frustrating situation or feel like you're
caught in a whirlpool of anxiety and don't know how to get out, try
asking yourself, "How may I be of service? How can I serve in this
situation?"
Selfless service stems from love. ... Such a selfless perspective
also properly adjusts our relationships with material resources.
If you just stay open to the idea and keep asking yourself how
/you/ can serve, then you'll eventually find your service niche.
Journal Prompts
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Fan the spark: Give encouragement or appreciation to someone.
Write down how it makes you feel.
Perform an anonymous act of service for someone--no matter how
small--remembering that an essential element of that service is to
not seek credit for doing it.
Question Three: What Is the Lesson?
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The world often moves in ways contrary to our plans. When things go
wrong, rather than ask "Why me?"..., we can instead ask our third
question: "What is the lesson?"
To consistently ask "What is the lesson?" requires practice,
diligence, and an introspective attitude. We humans are designed to
learn from experience, so it's not only possible, but natural.
What's more, the search for lessons brings meaning to life. We come
to see how so-called reversals of fortune, even calamities, can be
blessings in disguise.
Every circumstance is an opportunity to learn. When we ask, "What is
the lesson?" the universe becomes our schoolhouse.
Our present life is not our ultimate destination; it's a stopover.
While here, we're meant to develop impeccable qualities.
This universe is designed for learning, not comfort. We are subtle
spiritual beings ensconced in a material world with which we are
incompatible.
The material world is inconvenient. If we try to live a life of
convenience, we'll be disappointed. If, however, we view the
incidents in our lives, including the inconvenient ones, as
opportunities to learn and to refine ourselves, we'll experience the
exhilaration of progress.
Journal Prompts
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Think about a challenging time in your life. It could be something
with which you've been struggling, or something from your past. Jot
down what happened and how it affected you emotionally. If you
believe that you acted in an improper way, write that down too.
Getting these things out of your mind and onto paper will give you
some objective clarity.
Now ask yourself our third question: "What is the lesson?" Come up
with as many different lessons as possible.
Chapter Four: Where Am I Investing My Attention Right Now?
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Giving something attention is making an investment in it, putting
energy into it, and as we all know, different investments bring about
different outcomes.
.. according to the yogic teachings, we, as sentient, conscious
beings, are sparks of the Supreme. We have the same qualities as our
divine source, just as sparks have the same quality of the fire from
which they emerge. Our source is supremely conscious--omniscient,
omnipotent, and omnipresent, and has unrestricted free will. As
spiritual sparks, we are infinitesimal. We are minutely conscious,
our free will lies in our volition to decide where to focus.
Awareness of this freedom is exhilarating: from moment to moment, we
can choose where to place our attention. Or we can decline to choose
and let ourselves be carried along in a kind of mass consensual
trance.
Rather than waking up from an absorbing dream, we sometimes resist
and want to keep sleeping, even when the alarm clock rings or someone
tries to wake us up. As the saying goes, it's impossible to wake up
a person who is pretending to sleep. Similarly, one cannot wake a
person who is dedicated to the status quo...
Those determined to remain in their trance, to ignore the power of
their own ability to choose where they place their attention, seek
the association of those who support this constricted way of
thinking.
To plan one's daily activities may be practical, but more than mere
time management, we need /attention/ management. Ask, "Where am I
investing my attention /right now/?"
We can only /act/ in the present. ... If we keep asking, "Where am I
investing my attention right now?" we realign with the only point at
which we have power--the present moment.
I like to call this "preparation mode." If you don't like the state
you're in, go into preparation mode. That means living in the
present, which automatically helps create a better future.
How we utilize our attention also affects our relationships.
Improving the quality of our relationships can be as simple as giving
full attention to other persons. In any relationship, our attention
is our most valuable asset.
The quality of attention we give to people--to all living
beings--determines the quality of our relationships with them. And
purposeful, undivided attention conveys the message "I care."
Ancient yogis were extremely careful about what they allowed into
their consciousness through the senses. They didn't allow degrading
impressions to nest within their minds. In this regard, as noted by
one commentator, the yogis realized that their minds were as
sensitive as eyeballs. Consider how the eyes are two of the most
delicate surfaces on the body, irritated by the touch of even a tiny
strand of hair. Meditators and yogis today retain an awareness that
whatever we allow to enter our consciousness will remain and have a
lasting effect. They're careful, therefore, about what they allow to
enter....
To focus our attention, the yoga wisdom texts recommend the process
of mantra meditation--fixing one's mind on a kind of potent sound.
Authentic metaphysical sound vibrations may seem like any other
sound--just a combination of syllables--but Vedic mantras originate
from outside of the material world. They are eternal mantras passed
down by generations of sadhus. These authorized mantras lift us...
Journal Prompts
---------------
1. List the ten things you spend the most time doing.
2. Figure out which ones take the most time.
3. Decide which ones you'd like to invest more (or less) time in.
4. Make a tweak to your schedule to improve your ROA
(return on attention), starting today.
author: Dāsa, Vaiśeṣika
detail: <
https://thefourquestionsbook.com/>
ISBN: 9781925850031
tags: book,self-help,spirit,yoga
title: The Four Questions: A Pathway to Inner Peace
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self-help
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spirit
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yoga
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