1. Vishuddhi Chakra - Lessons 1 to 3

Vishuddhi means which is beyond Shuddhi.

Shuddhi means purification. Ashuddhi means impure. Shuddha means which is pure. Ashuddha means which is impure. Vishuddha means which is beyond pure and impurity, which cannot be contaminated at all.

The Vishuddhi Chakra actually cannot be contaminated. It is always with full of energy and life. Only we cover it with some ideas. We try to disturb it.

Patanjali says, "If you can bend 6 inches today, try bending 6 ½ inches tomorrow ". A Shakthi (Energy) in you will grow and become a force. The Vishuddhi chakra is a storehouse of a great treasure that is Energy. The key and the lock to this are with us. When we don't know that what we have is a key, it is no more a key, it is just an iron rod!

In a beautiful place called AlmoraintheHimalayas,there is a small ashramwitha fewhutsforthosewho wish to meditate. This placeis surroundedbyice-capped mountains andis knowntobefrequented by tigers at night. I was thereforashortwhile during my days of wandering. Whentheheadof the ashram senses the tigers, hewouldringabelland the Sanyasis would get intotheirrespectivehutsand close the doors behindthem.

On one occasion, thebell rangandallofus got into our respectivehuts.Thenextday, the head came aroundtoseeifwewere all OKand foundthatoneofthehuts was closed andtheSanyasiinsidewas shouting throughthewindowthathe couldn't openthedoor. Fourofusgot in through the windowandfoundthat he had placedagrindingstoneagainst the door whichhenowcouldn'tmove.

We jointly nudgedandmovedthestoneaway to open the door. Itsuddenlystruck us howthe manmighthavemoved the stone single-handedlyagainstthe door in the first place?Hewasmoresurprised than us andhereplied"Movedit? I simply lifted it andplacedit!"Whenhe had heard the call of thetiger,hesimply lifted the stonetoplaceagainstt h e d o o r t h a t 's al l . Thereisatremendous amount of energyinourVishuddhi and we don't knowhowtoopen it out.

Jealousy and comparison, that locks, disturbs the Vishuddhi Chakra,

W h e n y o u a r e a c c e p t i n g a n d understanding your own uniqueness, when you are not comparing yourself with others, when you are not jealous about others, this chakra opens.

When there is a non-alignment between your e x p e c t a ti o n a b o u t o t h e rs a n d o t h e rs expectation about you, that is where the jealousy and comparison starts.

The reason for jealousy, root cause for jealousy is low energy, the low energy. Low energy is the root for jealousy, because you are not able to achieve - you feel jealous, you tend to compare, you tend to disturb the others. If you can create enough energy in yourself, in your own Being, to achieve what you want to achieve, naturally you will not have any disturbance or any problems by comparing or by jealousy.

Comparing with others - Comparing with the neighbours, comparing with the nearby person, comparing with colleague, comparing with brothers, comparing between family people. Let us enter whatever the major aspects which creates or destroys our life,

Buddha says to watch the Monkey trainer instructing the monkey. He holds a stick in his hand and shouts 'Dance Rama! Dance Rama!" and the monkey dances. He then shouts " Turn cartwheels Rama! Turn cartwheels Rama!" and the monkey turns cartwheels. In this same way, the Maya Shakthi (The power of illusion) uses a stick called 'Comparison' to run our lives.

Anyway, let us look at the major areas of comparison amongst people. All points of comparison can be brought under the major heads namely money, status, beauty and knowledge what is our status in these category?

• ü Are you a rich man? Are you a poor man?
• ü Are you a man of name and fame?
• ü Are you beautiful?

haunts our life.

You are continuously haunted, disturbed, squeezed by these subjects. But you don't know your status in these four subjects.

Just open your eyes and see. You are creating your own suffering, without having any clear data.you have no clear data, you have no clear concept, you don't have any clarity, but you continuously suffer. Why?

One man was doing rigorous penance in a jungle for God to appear. God condescended and appeared before him. He told him to ask for what he wanted. The man replied that he was a landlord and had lost all his wealth and that he wished to become wealthy again. God said that the following day, if the man ran from dawn to dusk, all the area covered by him would be his. The Man was happy. The next day the man started running even before dawn. He ran as fast as he could. How comparison affects you?

Close to noon, hunger beckoned but he didn't pay heed and kept running. Early in the evening, thirst and fatigue gripped him but he was goaded on by the thought of the neighbouring landlord who owned many acres of land. A little before sunset, he felt giddy and weak but managed a few more steps by merely thinking of the neighbouring landlord, but faltered and fell dead. This is how we all live our lives. We run the race without feeling any true satisfaction,

without even stopping to think why we are running! Shankaracharya describes this as "thatha kim, thatha kim…" meaning "what next, what next…"

Comparative reality Which is not there but which you create is the comparative reality. A continuous comparison with others, actually it is not there which you create, a purely your own creation, your own production.

You are not suffering because of reality. You are suffering because of comparative reality. This is the key. There are two types of existence

When there is a non-alignment between your expectation about others and others expectation about you, that is where the jealousy and comparison starts.

Jealousy starts as the justification. Clear. Then, it becomes a violence

• 1. Positive existence these flowers, they are existing positively. If you want to remove it, you can remove it. If you want to handle it, you can handle it. If you want to take it and keep it here, you can keep it.
• 2. Negative existence darkness which is inside the room, that is negatively existing. Can you do something about the darkness? If you want to remove the darkness, can you remove the darkness? Can you handle the darkness

Just like darkness negatively existing, your comparative reality suffering also is a negative existence. You can't do anything. If you want to remove the darkness, you have to throw light. Directly you can't do anything with darkness. Just like that, if you want do something with your Vishuddhi Chakra,

A continuous comparison and continuous jealousy, changes the route of your life. The negative existence, things which don't exist, haunts you in your life - because you are unaware, because you are in low energy.

That is what Upanishads say, Maya - yama iti maya - which is not there is Maya. But Maya is the cause for all our problems,

sorrows.

Vedantis say, "Maya is the root cause for everything, for all our problems."

How can you be haunted by which is not there? You can be haunted, you can be harassed, you can be nagged, somebody who is existing, which is already happening, that is different; somebody who is existing, if they nag you, its okay. But you are nagged by somebody who is not existing, who is not living, who is ' yama' , who is not there - how can it happen? This is the way it happens.

Which is not there but which you create - the comparative reality.

A man was leading in a 1000-meter race. After running 200 metres, he looked back and saw that the rest are after him and he ran on. After 500 meters, he looked back again and was happy that he was still leading and ran on. Every few meters, he did the same thing and finally won the race. If the man had not looked back and concentrated only on running faster, he would have won the race in a much shorter span of time

In life too, our concentration is always on others and not fully on our progress. We never fully live our own lives.

Mahaveerar says "When we come into this world, we bring with us all the shakthi (energy) needed for our lifetime. God does not send us empty-handed." We spend this energy on watching others' activities and others' desires. When you are at home your mind will say 'It is enough if I have a home and a car for myself." Your mind will be relaxed at this thought. When you step out in your car and stop by at a traffic light, the Mercedes Benz that pulls up alongside your car with a jolt will jolt the relaxed state of your mind. You again start working out others' desires.

Albert Einstein, a famous scientist belonging to the last century was in his deathbed. His junior scientists asked him what he would like to be born as if he had a re-birth. They expected him to come out with desires of being born as a greater scientist in a field other than atomic theory or something to that effect. Einstein replied "I wouldliketobebornasaplumber. Initially, I wanted tobeaplumber,butIwas deceived by the fame andstatus of thescientistsand hence chose to become a scientist.Today,Ihave everything except satisfactionof havinglived.Igave many truths to man but deceivedmyownlife."This is a classic example of how we should start living our own desires and lives instead of our neighbours'.

When you want something, think whether it is for your own sake or because your neighbour has it. Drop the so-called prestige problems. Live in your own way and die peacefully with full satisfaction even if it were in a platform; it is better than dying a prolonged death in a marble house in an air-conditioned

room on a six-inch high bed. We will never meet failure if we live our lives by competing with ourselves. Win yourself with yourself, never with others. Every minute of comparison with others is a waste of time in your own progress. A great problem in the rat race is that even if you win you are only a rat! Lock yourself in a room and analyse how much of time and energy you waste in comparison with others; more than 60% I am sure. We talk of conserving petrol, water and electricity. What about conserving our own Energy?

Emotion: Comparison and Jealousy

Chakra: Vishuddhi Chakra

Location: Throat region

In Sanskrit, Vishuddhi means 'beyond purity and impurity '. The name therefore means that this chakra can never get impure and hence never needs to be cleansed. That is why comparison, which locks this chakra, is like a shadow without an object. There is no basis for the concept of comparison. It is purely a figment of our imagination. This chakra is locked by comparison and jealousy and it can be made to flower when we exhibit our individuality without worrying about others, and express fully our capacity, uniqueness and creativity

Meditation Technique to be an innocent and egoless being:

Shakti Sagar Meditation— A technique from Zen Buddhism

INTRODUCTION: Introduce the children to the topic of comparison.

Comparison is purely a figment of our imagination.

We always compare ourselves with others, and more often than not we feel what others have or what they have achieved is more than what we have and we start feeling jealous. When we are not able to bear others excellence, we get jealous. Comparison is the seed and jealousy is the fruit! Comparison and jealousy are both actually non-existent! We create them ourselves and talk endlessly on how to overcome them. Comparison is like a shadow without an object. There is no basis for the concept of comparison. It is purely a figment of our imagination. We are so busy comparing all the time that we never see things as they are! Our mind is so caught up in comparison that it misses what actually is. If we drop the comparing attitude, we will be able to see things as they are.

Part 2: Vishuddhi Chakra - Lessons 1 to 3_English_part_2.md

• ¤ With whom do we always compare ourselves?
• ¤ When do we start feeling jealous?
• ¤ Which is the seed and which is the fruit?
• ¤ Which two are actually non existent?
• ¤ Which is like a shadow without an object?
• ¤ Which is purely a pigment of imagination?
• ¤ Why do we compare? When can we stop comparing?

• Paper
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Coloring items

Encourage the children to draw a seed and fruit picture.

Comparison is the seed and jealousy is the fruit, with comparing jealousy starts.

Talk about the major areas we normally compare eg: wealth, names fame, power, prestige, knowledge, health, beauty

One player sits on the ground and is blindfolded. Tennis balls are then spread around the blindfolded player (try to have about 5 per participating player). Other players then take turns to sneak up and grab a tennis ball. The blindfolded player must try to stop them. If the blindfolded player touches a player, the ball is put back, otherwise the player puts the ball in their pile. details. gAME of the day:

Once all balls have been taken, the player with the least amount of balls in their pile becomes the next blindfolded player.

Conclude the topic by reiterating the important

Teach the children that comparison is a negative existence.

GOALS: To have the children understand the negative existence of comparison.

Comparison does not have positive existence.

We can group this under four major categories, money, knowledge, beauty which includes health and status. All our problems, all our complexes can be covered under these four categories. We are haunted by a phenomenon that does not really exist! The comparison has a purely negative existence! Comparison does not have a positive existence. It exists only in our minds. It happens only when we exercise certain thoughts in our mind. Because comparison does not exist in reality, you cannot overcome it by simply asking it to go away. You can overcome it by bringing in an understanding about it, just like bringing in light to dispel the darkness.

• ¤ What are major thing we compare?
• ¤ What are categories in which we compare?
• ¤ Which has a negative existence? Which is a pure illusion?
• ¤ What exists only to our mind?
• ¤ How can we overcome the darkness

• Illusion picture
• Sketch pen

Ask the children to look at the illusion picture and talk about it and then ask them to color the picture.

Comparison is pure illusion. Comparison does not exist and it disturbs us. Comparison does not have a positive existence. It exists only in our minds.

Talk about the major areas we normally compare eg: wealth, names fame, power, prestige, knowledge, health, beauty

Everyone forms in to teams of three. A course is set up where obstacles have to be walked around. Two players are then blindfolded and stand back to back. A ball is placed between their backs which they have to keep up. Another player must then direct the blindfolded players through the course. If they touch and obstacle, they start over. If the ball falls down, they 're out for this round. The team to complete the course wins. Everyone should take a turn at being a guide and a blindfolded player. details. gAME of the day:

Conclude the topic by reiterating the important

Teach the children about borrowed desires.

You can never learn to be contented.

Stop borrowing desires. When you are able to look at everything, what you have and what others have and feel fulfillment all the time, then you are fine with it. You can never learn to be contented. Contentment will flower when you understand the negative existence of comparison and jealousy. It will flower when you feel a deep gratitude for whatever is being showered on you every minute. It cannot be imposed from outside. You may never have felt the need for a refrigerator in your house, but if your neighbor buys a refrigerator, immediately you will feel that you cannot do without it! Immediately you will find all the reasons in the world why you need a refrigerator. All these days you were managing without a refrigerator! Nothing has changed, but what has happened?

Borrowed desires happen so subtly in our mind, that is why although they are continuously happening, we continue to say that we are not bothered about others.

• ¤ What are borrowed desires?
• ¤ Can we never be contented?
• ¤ When does borrowed desires happen?
• ¤ Can contentment be imposed from outside?

Art of the day

• Paper, Pencil
• Color pencils

Encourage the children to draw and color their borrowed desires.

Borrowed ideas happen so subtly in our mind so we continue to say that we are not bothered about the others.

Talk about the borrowed desires that the children have in their lives.

The players form a circle. One player is taken into in the middle and is blindfolded. They are the bat. Two more players are taken into the middle and are blindfolded they are the moths. The bat has to catch both moths. To do this the bat shouts "BAT" and moves one step. The moths shout "MOTH" and moves one step away from the bat's sound. When a moth is caught they are out and have to pick someone to be a moth for the next game. When the bat has caught the last moth they choose someone to be the next bat. Everyone should be a bat and a moth at least once. your mind. gAME of the day:

Conclude the topic by reiterating the important details like borrowed desires happen so subtly in