Baba says, ‘be a jewel of contentment with happiness in your heart and fly in the plane of everyone’s good wishes.’

The confluence age, Baba points out, is the age for remaining content and making others content. The specialty of Brahmin life is contentment. It is the greatest treasure of all, it is the mother of all virtues, He says, if you have contentment, all other virtues follow. Well isn’t purity the foundation of Brahmin life? Yes it is and contentment is the personality of purity of Brahmin life. With this personality, you easily become a special soul, He says. If there isn’t the personality of contentment you cannot be called a special soul. No, then the word would be grumpy!

No one likes being around a grumpy soul, they are always unsatisfied and complaining about one thing or the other. Nothing is ever working well enough for them: ‘Why did this happen? this shouldn’t have happened! Why did they talk that way? Why didn’t they smile? is this the way to run a center? How come she deserves to be an instrument? What will happen now?’ A contented soul means one who is satisfied and with whom others are satisfied. In that stage of being satisfied, the heart does not ask questions. Everything is working perfectly according to the Drama, with that understanding, I apply a full-stop. In one second, there is expansion; in one second, there is essence. When I am satisfied to such an extent, I remain carefree and light, there is no burden. ‘So check‘, says Baba, ‘am I such a jewel of contentment? do I have these signs in me?‘

The meaning of tapasya is that the personality of contentment should be visible in my eyes, on my face, in my expression and in my activity. Because tapasya means one Baba and none other. I have found God Himself and through Him, all attainments. I didn’t have to work for it, I received it all as inheritance. I received full knowledge, full virtues, full powers. The question is have I claimed everything fully or left off a few things? Do I have full patience, full tolerance, full power to adjust…or partial? because that will determine my ability to be content. Maybe I don’t lift a hand to hit anyone but I do have a few buttons that when pressed, I blow smoke through my eyes and ears. ‘To be in the grips of any of the vices is not the personality of a Brahmin, says Baba, Brahmins are not subservient, they are sovereigns. Further’, He says, ‘the Father doesn’t give some children all virtues and others only two or three. Everyone gets everything fully but do you claim everything fully?’ The basis of contentment is to be full of all attainments that have been claimed from the Father and the basis of discontentment is a lack of attainments.

When I am full of all attainments, then I am content with everyone and everything. ‘So check‘, says Baba: ‘Are you always content with yourself, that is, with your efforts, with the effort of transformation of your sanskars, with the percentage of your efforts and your stage?’ Second: ‘are you always content with your mind, words and actions, that is, with the service that takes place through relationships and connections? In all three, not just in any one but content in all three types of service?’ Third: ‘Are you always content with yourself and with others when coming into connection and relationship with all souls?’ Because, explains Baba, this is the fruit of success of tapasya that you have to attain. There should be contentment with the self, with service and with others: with everything.

Sometimes I think effort means logging hours for the sake of logging hours: ‘Baba, I do yoga for four hours every day..’ That’s great that I am able to remain in yoga for four hours but that is the method, the question is what was the attainment of those four hours? the attainment I receive is the success. Similarly I think: ‘Baba has asked me to get rid of anger and so I shall..’ and approach it the old world way- with brute force. I go home and decide I won’t even speak to anyone- if I don’t speak, I won’t get in trouble, right? This is not the way, says Baba, you are not sannyasis! Or I think: ‘Maybe I ought to attend that workshop by that teacher..’, ‘maybe if I increase my yoga by two more hours…’. That doesn’t work either. I don’t need another workshop or more lectures, I simply need to learn how to tune in and work with the Purifier. He is showing me the triggers, the hot buttons, the reasons I get angry…let me pay attention and remain alert for the next time. Yes, I will fail again but that’s okay. Let me skip the pit of shame and guilt and move on to progress. I just learnt something about myself and Baba is with me. I just have to co-operate with Him as He works on me. When I have this attitude, I remain content; the alternative of: ‘I’m not good, I don’t think my yoga is good…’ this kind of complaining makes me discontent.

Looking at others and comparing myself is another perfect recipe for discontentment. ‘They seem to be all put together, why am I like this? what is wrong with me? Maybe Baba won’t waste His time with me…’ Each one’s journey is unique, my strengths and weaknesses are unique too; let me only listen to what Baba is telling me and follow His directions for me. There is no need to try to copy others to be like them, let me be the true version of myself: a pure, elevated soul, a child of God.

Sometimes I try to convince myself that I am content when I’m really not. ‘Don’t be content in that way’, says Baba. One is when my heart accepts and the other is when my head accepts. When it is with my head, I think: ‘what worries do I have! I am carefree..’. ‘This isn’t contentment‘, says baba. You have to be content the accurate way. Experience the signs of contentment in yourself. The heart should always be satisfied, there should always be that personality. If I consider myself with that personality but others don’t, then Baba says, that is self-praise. Contentment means that both my head and heart are at rest; they will be in the stage of comfort and happiness; they will not be restless. No matter where Baba has me, I see the benefit in it knowing He is for me, not against me. I am grateful for my fortune, rather than picking flaws in the place, in people, in myself…

Such jewels of contentment, Baba says, always sparkle as the jewels of the Father’s forehead. Check yourself, He says. Contentment enables you to receive blessings from the Father and all others. And so a contented soul will, from time to time, experience himself to be flying in the vimaan of the blessings of Baba and all others. Such souls will not ask for blessings, rather blessings come to them automatically. To be such a jewel of contentment means to be a tapaswi who is an embodiment of success. It is not success that is temporary; it is eternal and spiritual success. So now ask yourself, says Baba: Who am I?