Achieve your goal through intensity

PROLOGUE

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A stylized illustration of a deity with a gold crown, hand raised, with a speech bubble containing text.

INTENSITY - A
FORM OF LIVING
ENERGY THAT
RiSES AND FLOWS
THROUGH THE
SEVEN CHAKRAS
IN THE BODY

In the Shiva sutras, intensity is described as a form of living energy that rises and flows through the seven chakras in the body, which are the main energy centers. This form of energy does not create conflict but flows smoothly and strongly. It can be described as a river which flows intensely and smoothly through various paths and courses to reach the ocean. It is indeed remarkable, that rivers always find their way to the ocean, without any navigators. It is so intense in its purpose, that even when an obstacle presents itself, it flows around, to reach the ocean. The river, unlike the human ego, does not get hurt when an obstacle presents itself. Often times, human beings feel hurt by an obstacle on their path and stop flowing. They then become like a lake that has decided to remain where it is, without achieving its goal.

If like the river, people decide to
continue persistently on their
path, making necessary
modifications or turns on their
life course as and when necessary,
they will achieve their goals. If
obstacles frighten or hurt the
ego, then people may stop
flowing completely. This can lead
to stagnation in growth and
possibly depression and
frustration.

LIVING WITH
INTENSITY IS TO
LIVE WITHOUT
INNER OR OUTER
CONFLICT.

When a person is strongly
connected with an idea or
thought, they feel they can
overcome any obstacle. They can
flow towards the positive
achievement of their goals.
However, people can also
intensely create conflict. This is
not the expression or radiation of
true living energy within the self.
Intense people who constantly
create conflict can be described as
people who are not flowing
smoothly with people and life.
They have the intensity, but it is
used to create blocks and
obstacles. There is no flow or
natural expression of life energy.

There are people who are intense but who lost the ability to flow; similarly, there are people who just flow but are not intense. In Sanskrit there is a word – “Jnanavarishta bhakti”, used by the famous Indian enlightened master Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This means that it is important to have devotion or deep bhakti, but it is also important to have the intensity with knowledge. It is important to have both the qualities of intensity and flow to achieve life’s goals.

YOUR iNTENSiTY
iS THE ONLY
THING THAT
DECIDES WHEN
YOUR OBJECT
OF SEEKING WILL
HAPPEN

Tantra, the mystical science of
meditation techniques, says that to
know the truth one needs only one
condition, intensity. Be total in
what you are, what you do. Live
intensely in the moment and taste
the real life. Otherwise, you are not
living. You are just waiting for
death.

When you eat, intensely eat. Let
your whole attention and energy
be on the food. Do not divert
your attention and thoughts to
what you need to get done at
work tomorrow or where you
want to go for your next
vacation. Enjoy the food with all
your senses. Taste the food in
your mouth, enjoy the feast in
front of your eyes, touch the food
with love, and smell the aroma of
the food.

A young monk in saffron robes sitting in a meditative posture.

When you eat this way
totally, you will enjoy every
morsel and you will actually
feed into your system the
living energy the food is
meant to give. If you are
drinking water, drink it
intensely. Become the thirst.
Feel the coolness of the
water going into your
mouth, throat and down
your food pipe. Let each
drop of water that goes into
your mouth give you the
feeling of fulfillment.

A depiction of a young deity with ornate headgear and multiple necklaces

The Tamil classic, Periya Puranam,
describes the stories of
the Nayanmars, the ardent devotees
of lord Shiva. There are so many
instances of the devotees realizing
the Ultimate by simple activities
like making garlands for the Lord.

An example is Gananaatha
Nayanaar, a devotee of Shiva,
engaged in simple services like
plucking flowers for worship,
making garlands for the Lord,
sweeping and washing the floor of
the temple and keeping the lamps
in the temple burning. Just this
simple life led him to reaching the
Ultimate and brought him his
name 'Gananaatha' meaning the
chief of the ganas (attendants) of
lord Shiva.

REACH THE

DiViNE THROUGH iNTENSiTY

Don't cheat yourself and be
hypocritical by not admitting
what you feel. You cannot
hide anything from the
Divine. He knows you better
than you know yourself.
Your intensity is the only
thing that decides when your
object of seeking will
happen. If the intensity is
total, it will happen that
moment. If the intensity is
not integrated and total, it
will take more time because
the intensity has to gain
strength in that time.

A beautiful story:

The Sufi mystic Junaid, was taking a walk one morning when a man came up to him asking, 'I need to reach the capital of this kingdom. How long will it take?'

Junaid just looked at the man and
continued walking. The man was going
in the same direction. He followed
Junaid thinking maybe he did not hear
him properly.

So, he asked Junaid again, 'Can you please tell me how much time it will take me to reach the capital of the kingdom?'

A beautiful story:

Junaid continued walking. The man gave up trying to ask further. After some distance, Junaid said, ‘You will have to walk at least ten hours.’

The man was surprised and exclaimed, ‘You could have said that before!’ Junaid replied, ‘How can I say before? I needed to watch your speed first. Then only I could tell you how long it will take to reach the capital.’

In the same way, the time it takes to realize also depends on your intensity. If you are intense enough, it does not need time to reach the Ultimate. Where you are, who are you is irrelevant. You can reach here and now.

INTENSITY

IN YOUR

PURPOSE