Baba says, ‘in order to claim a high status, always be honest with the true Father‘. You must follow Shrimat.

Sometimes, we can have a hard time dealing with deep rooted sanskars- it’s usually 1 or 2 that are so deeply ingrained that it can be hard to change. We usually find ourselves resorting to 1 of 3 ways to get around it.

1. deny– this is the deep rooted sanskar of bhakti. As devotees, we went to the temple and sang the praise of the deity: ‘you are so pure and elevated, I am so impure and degraded’ but once I left the temple, I forgot all about what I admitted. At home, I thought of myself as pure, good, with no problems. Here too, I sense I have a problem but I am loathe to facing something that is unpleasant. So, I suppress it, deny it’s there.
2. avoid– I see the sanskar come out in certain situations, around certain people. So I rearrange my life so that I don’t have to be in those situations or with those people. In other words, I retreat, leave the field.
3. blame – this is another weapon I use. It’s not me, it’s the center, it’s the instrument, it’s the boss, the colleague, etc. I blame others and defend myself.

This is not purity, says Baba because purity is honesty. And these behaviors show that there is one thing going on inside and something different being projected outside. Be honest with the self and with the Father for only then can the Father help you, He says.

Even in programs such as AA, the very first step is to acknowledge that I have a problem. Only when I do that can I shift into a mindset to resolve it. If I don’t admit to myself that there is a problem, then I am making myself vulnerable to being defeated by the sanskar again and again. I keep carrying that heavy burden within me in every situation, with every one.

‘Children need strength to follow Shrimat‘, He says, when you take the first step of courage, I will match it with a thousand of Mine‘. I have to summon my power to face and decide to tackle the sanskar once and for all. Until I make that determined thought, I cannot help myself and neither can Baba. And the longer I leave it untended, the bigger it grows.

If I get angry or irritated, for example, let me pay attention and observe myself- is it specific situations or certain personalities that trigger the reaction? do I feel nervous or uncomfortable around certain people? why is that? what is the fear based on? is it that I perceive them to be better, more talented than me? I feel my position is being threatened? do I feel they don’t respect me enough? It is often some version of ‘I and mine’ that is getting in the way, that is causing fear, insecurity or anxiety resulting in anger. Let me observe it and the next time, I enter the situation, let me use a different response.

Each little success will add to my confidence and faith, it will give me courage to keep going. I go from feeling like a victim to the mighty sanskar to now taking control back. And I keep on chipping away.

This is why it is essential that I stay in the midst of the Brahmin family, because they teach me about myself. They become instruments for making me pure.

Throughout the cycle, you are to have a relationship and connection with Brahma Baba and the Godly family, He says. Don’t think: ‘Baba is mine and I am Baba’s anyway’. That is not a sign of passing with honors. You are not sanyasi souls or rishi and muni souls. You are not souls that step away from the world but are the souls who are the support of the world. You are world benefactors. You cannot break away from the thread of eternal love of the family. Therefore, He says, never have the thought: I can step away from a part or aspect of service, or from a companion soul and then make my stage good and show everyone. You say: ‘I cannot get on with this soul, I can get on better with that soul, there isn’t progress at this place, there will be better service at that place etc.’ All these are thoughts that will make you step away. Once you instill this habit in yourself, then it will not allow you to be stable anywhere. Nor will it allow the intellect to stabilize itself because it develops the habit of constantly changing.

You must always have love for the Godly family, says Baba. Never lose hope in yourself, in others or in service. Be generous–hearted, not dis-heartened.

To be generous hearted starts with me being that toward myself. Let me be compassionate toward myself by identifying the demons within me and then facing them with help from Baba. Then, I will have the power and self-respect to be generous-hearted toward others. Because I’ve been there…I get it. I will then see beyond the defects, the weaknesses….and actually see specialties. I will not look for or expect respect or anything else for that matter, I will be strong enough to give.

Before transforming the atmosphere and the world, Baba says, first of all transform yourself.