Desires-Teachings to Change lives

As humans we struggle in the whirlpool of desires from birth to death. If we are deriving pleasures from these desires, then why do we suffer most of the time?  

Is it wrong to have desires?

Fulfilling desires - good or bad? 

On the other hand suppressing desires, is it the right thing to do.

Why do we need to even think about these issues?

Why can’t we just enjoy everything   that comes in our way like lots of people? 

One of the major problems in our lives is that we just want to fulfill our desires and we do not want any bad consequences. We need to have some kind of insight so that we can assess whether we deserve a particular object in our life. People would like to have anything and everything if possible. Even if we desire something, do we put enough human effort in to it so that we can acquire it?

When we are unable to perform to the standards that are required!

When we do not get what we want!

We get disappointed and our mind takes it the hard way. 

Our scriptures tell us to control our desires and take control of our emotions when they are not fulfilled. But this is a difficult task for most of us.

Sai Baba used to say “All my devotees come to me first with worldly desires but I bring them to the correct path by fulfilling some of their desires according to past karmas. If they run towards the sensual objects they will fall of the wagon”.

We have to come out of the clutches of this vicious cycle and not fall for these worldly objects. We have to learn to accept what Baba wanted to give us. He wanted us to thrive for knowledge (Jnana) rather than running after worldly desires. We need to show faith towards God and walk the path that Baba showed so that we can be free from these whirlpools of likes and dislikes.

Understanding the desires & controlling them:

Passion towards objects or outward things:

The more we think about objects around us, the more we become interested in them and our passion increases. Then we want to acquire that particular object. This fact was emphasized in Bhagavadgita in the 2nd chapter.   

Desire leads to action:

When we start thinking about an object, we will develop an innate need to acquire that object. Then we imagine the happiness we can derive by having that particular object. This leads to some kind of action where we are willing to do anything to fulfill our wish.

Unfulfilled desires lead to anger:

When we cannot fulfill our wish, we tend to look for reasons. We want to understand who is in between you and this object or what factors preventing you to acquire that particular object. This leads to anger and acting out behaviors.  When anger dominates we lose abstract thinking. When a person can think in an abstract way, he or she will make irrecoverable mistakes. They lose sight of good and bad. This is where composure is essential. We need to control our emotions otherwise we will invite trouble. These consequences will follow us forever.  When we suffer, we say, Why me? Why bad things happen to me only? Why I do not have any luck?

Enjoy desires through heart but not through sensory organs:

Baba never discouraged people from asking worldly objects. But he said through grains story (Channa leela – Hemadpant);

“Before the mind, the intellect and other senses enjoy these objects; remember me first so that they become an offering to me. The senses can never remain without their objects; but if these objects are first offered to the Guru, the attachment for them will naturally vanish.

If you desire anything, desire me only!

If you are angry vent your anger on me only! Offer me your pride and stubbornness.

Be devoted only to me”.

Whenever we wanted to fulfill a desire, we should first try to understand our mental state in that circumstance. We got used to using our sensory organs to enjoy any object. If we can learn to feel this through our heart, it makes a big difference. When we enjoy any object, what satisfies us is the satiety that we experience. We forgot to really enjoy the relationships, objects and routine things in our life. We just acquire objects. We do not pay attention to relationships. We shut down our bodily mechanisms. Sometimes we just do things for other people. Other people’s needs become our priorities. We forget that we are human too. We tend to become robots.

When we fulfill desire, we tend to move the vibrations of pleasure towards the objects but not to the heart. This will deprive you from enjoying what you achieved.
 

When desires are understood with our hearts and soul, then we can move away from these objects easily.

Baba’s teachings to control desires:

Baba said;

“Before the mind, the intellect and other senses enjoy their objects; remember me first so that they become an offering to me, slowly.

The senses can never remain without their objects; but if these objects are first offered to the Guru, the attachment for them will naturally vanish.

If there is the slightest desire for the enjoyment of these objects; and you think that Baba is close by, the question whether the object is fit to be enjoyed or not will at once arise.

The object that is not fit to be enjoyed will be easily shunned. In this way, the devotee’s vicious addictions will disappear and an aversion towards the undesirable will develop.

When such a habit is developed, the thoughts about enjoyment of the sense objects are weakened. The desire for the worship of the Guru arises and pure knowledge will sprout.

When pure knowledge grows, the bondage of body-consciousness will break and the intellect will be merged in spirit consciousness, leading to infinite bliss.

When you serve the Guru with a pure heart, desire for the objects of senses will be destroyed from the root.

The mind will become pure and sinless and your “Self” will manifest with effulgence.

Sai Bandhus!

Let us understand our desires.

Let us analyze the real need for these desires.

Let us stop running for the things that we do not need.

Let us turn our attention to Sai.

Let us get Sai’s grace and walk in the path he showed.

OM SRI SAI RAM!