" ...drop all your burdens and to be free." -Ammachi

Om,

In every encounter, in every moment of our lives really, stating it simply, we have three choices:

We can be passive

We can be assertive

We can be aggressive

and a forth: The forth may be aspects of the above intermingled. Or, something other..

I believe that the something other-the ineffable-is similar to Nicolas Cage's character 'Benjamin Franklin Gates when he takes the Declaration of Independence in the movie "National Treasure."

He acts with resolve; with faith:  the ineffable sankalpa with shraddha.

Ammachi says..

“A spiritual aspirant should be alert and vigilant in all his or her actions. Shraddha entails both love and faith. When you have love and faith, alertness in all your actions will automatically follow.”

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“An individual's situation in life is like that of a soldier in a battlefield. You can imagine how alert and watchful a soldier has to be in the midst of a battle. An attack could come from any direction. If he isn't extremely alert and constantly on the watch, he could be killed. In the same way, life can bring you any kind of experience at any given time. You need a great deal of shraddha to be able to welcome those experiences and to stay unperturbed in all circumstances. This is what spirituality teaches us.”

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“The meaning of shraddha is to be constantly aware. But this is only possible when you are relaxed. A tense, agitated person, who is constantly thinking about his failures in life, cannot be watchful, nor can he be fully aware of the present moment. It is the same with a person who keeps dreaming about the future. Both of these moods will make you inert; you lose your creativity and cannot be productive. Relaxation, however, will enhance your awareness and bring out your real being. Only a relaxed person can be ever watchful and aware.”

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“Closely observe the mind and its different moods. As you consciously observe, you can clearly see what is happening within you. If you are watchful when anger arises, it cannot escape without your knowledge.”

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“Constant watchfulness makes you so pure that, at last, you yourself become the very embodiment of purity-and that is your true being. Once you reach this highest state, your every intention, word and action becomes pure. The burden of impurity is no longer there. The light of purity is all that exists. You then behold everything as Pure Consciousness. This means that you see everything as equal. External appearances are no longer significant, for you have developed the ability to penetrate deeply and to see through everything. Matter, which is ever-changing, loses its importance. Within everything you see only the immutable Atman (Self).”

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“Fixing the mind in each external action, we should proceed with attention (shraddha). Shraddha is most necessary. Every action should be done as an offering to God. Without external alertness, internal alertness is not possible.”

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“No word or action that is undertaken with shraddha can ever be a waste. If not today, you will get the benefit tomorrow.”

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“Nothing should happen without your knowledge. Not even a single thought should go by without you being aware of it.”

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“Children, do not consider anything as insignificant or unimportant. Even a needle has its own place. We should develop the proper eyes to see it and a mind to place each and every object where it should be placed. Neither a higher place nor a lower place should be given to it. This should be the attitude of a true seeker. Forgetfulness and inadvertence are not the proper attributes for a spiritual aspirant.”

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“It is external discipline and attention which leads to internal alertness. A spiritual seeker should learn to do things in an orderly way. At present, the mind is in total disorder. We have to regain and restore the lost order and harmony of our mind first. Once that has been regained, the mind becomes conducive enough to contemplate upon the Supreme Self. To attain that inner harmony we should begin with external orderliness and cleanliness.”

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“We should be aware of the value and possible use of everything. Then we won't allow ourselves to waste anything.”

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Question: "How do we develop alertness when the mind is more attached to worldly pleasures?"

Amma: "It is true that mental control is a difficult task while living in this world. It is like standing on the seashore. Even if we do not go into the water, the saline mist will stick to our body. It is just like taking a bath in a room where coal is kept. However much we try to clean our body, there will be coal particles all over us. Children, even then, those who are really determined to attain the goal can score a victory over the mind."

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“Surrender everything to God, or greet all circumstances with a smile. Forget the past and the future, and deal with what is happening in this moment, with alertness.”

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“The attention we give to each detail can bring us closer to God. The shraddha with which we perform our actions outwardly unveils the treasure hidden within us.”

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“The world is not the problem. The problem lies within ourselves. So be watchful, and you will see things with greater clarity. Watchfulness provides you with a penetrating eye and mind, so that you cannot be deceived. It will slowly take you closer to your true being, the bliss of the Atman.”

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“We should be aware of the value and possible use of everything. Then we won't allow ourselves to waste anything.”

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“When you are watchful, you cannot move in the wrong direction, nor can you do anything unrighteous.”

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“Whenever you are doing something, try to be aware. If you are constantly watchful, you will slowly begin to take notice of the unnecessary burden of negative thoughts you are carrying. Watchfulness helps you to drop all your burdens and to be free ....”