By : G.R. Vimal

 Apparently, both the words ‘Thoughts’ and ‘Feelings’ sound to be synonyms, carrying almost the same meaning. The two are, however, fundamentally different, just as we have a popular saying by Kabir:

You say what you read;

I say what I see with my own eyes.

No doubt, both thoughts and feelings relate to man, the same, human being. Yet, the fact is that they spring from two different sources. The human body has two distinct centers from where thoughts and feelings flow separately.

Thoughts arise from the brain. To the brain they come from outside, depending on its training and exercises. Thoughts increase general knowledge and sharpen the intellect. They move on the wheels of cause and effect and reach a stage where they become Science. Based on thoughts, the world may appear like a bunch of flowers, beautiful combination objects created from matter. Through similar process of imagination, one may consider the world to be a centre of all kinds of waves, where currents flow, crossing each other violently.

The degree of mental awareness depends on one’s familiarity with material objects. In fact, that is the maximum the mind can reach out. Since it is governed by this boundary-line, it must operate within a set outline: you can describe it as mental discipline, brain what goes on beyond this limit, relating to the heart, to the soul. That is why thought has little influence on the soul.

Inner Perfection

One cannot be sure about inner perfection even after going through or listening to thoughts in abundant measure. There are many who fail to get at the state of absence of desire and exhibit the sense of detachment, in spite of their hearing the discourses in holy congregations (Satsang) day in and day out, or reciting the scripture continuously. There is no change in their basic attitude. The evil influence of lust, anger, greed, passion and pride on them is not at all reduced. They are unable to yield themselves to the same arguments with which they might have impressed others quite successfully. They fail to adopt their own reasoning in their actions.

The reason for this is that their thoughts have come from outside. Like a guest, they may stay for a short while, for a day or two and then go away. They just cannot stay on permanent basis, since they do not belong to the place. That is why thoughts can only help or educate us to know about the good or bad qualities of matter, its nature and its use. This may have it own effect on our mind and tend to make it dictator, driving it towards absolute authority. And a self-governing mind has always ignored feelings. It is the nucleus of indiscipline, selfishness and moral degradation. Once we lose the quality of faith based on feelings, we face nothing but bewilderment and suffering. The excitement r stimulation that accompanies the material wealth gives birth to a number of evil instincts, bad habits and malpractice, which make the body weak and the mind unbalanced. Material prosperity and intellectual achievement one boasts of spoil the real joy of one’s life and in no way help to attain solution.

Spiritual Check

Man may remain steadfast so long as his mind and spiritual instinct (Dharma) are in harmony with each other. The strength that comes from intellectual ability must be used in accordance with the principles of spirituality. This is the only way to avoid its misuse. In the absence of the spiritual check on the mind, there may be utter indiscipline, compared to which even the most useful achievements of the intellect may lose their value. By intellect or mind, we mean here the thoughts that always remain active to find ways and means to satisfy the wants of the body.

Feelings

So far as feelings are concerned, spirituality is their supreme source and the soul, their treasure - house. The feelings are related to the soul, which attracts them from the outside world, by its own magnetism. Only a person with feelings can realise the sufferings of others. Feelings are not a prescription, but treatment itself which can remove the dull layer of opacity (Ignorance) from the inner eye. Once this happens, man can perceive the supernatural power that pervades every object of the universe. It is after this spiritual enlightenment that man can realise the omnipresence of God, the Formless, and the Super Soul, of which human soul is only a tiny constituent. Spiritualism helps one to realise the self, which enables one to acquire the requisite training and practice that keeps life under the discipline of the soul.

Feelings symbolise the flame, the divine light that emanates from the soul. To ‘experience’ this divine light is what we call self-realisation. In other words, when this divine light manifests and illuminates the whole sphere around the soul, the self stands revealed to us; we are able to have a ‘look’ at it. To understand or interpret the feelings is what we describe as the divine knowledge.

Holy men bear all kinds of hardships with a smile for the sake of the sublime feelings of love, tolerance, compassion, kindness, service to humanity, self-surrender, self-sacrifice and so on. They do not go after self-interest. They are not selfish at all. They ignore worldly gains and go in for apparently losing propositions from material point of view. And we find that such great men who sought to uphold these noble principles were always criticised and harmed by vested interest. Our religious books are full of such examples.

Belief

When the inner feelings are in a position to adopt and bear out one’s principles or ideals with steadfastness, this state is described as belief, and the absolute form of belief is known as faith. It is with the help of faith and belief that one can perceive the Formless, encompassing the inner soul. By bringing the exercise of the brain or the flight of thought to rest and then manifesting the inner feelings, the soul can enjoy peace and stability. Once you reach this state, you start realising the presence of soul in your existence; you develop the sense of natural acceptance of what that soul wants or commands.

The moments of self-surrender are filled with such sentiments only. The merger of the soul with the Formless God is so blissful that one stands convinced, rather starts experiencing that all that has been said about beholding the Formless is a reality. The inner self aspires for feelings that are available only at the cost of opting for the Supreme.

Everlasting Peace

The tragedy, however is that popular traditions and the consequences of our previous actions keep us pulling towards the pursuit of our worldly desires, towards fulfillment of our wants. They induce us to go by our own will. Lashed by inner weaknesses and ego, human soul is unable to enjoy peace endlessly.

The state of everlasting peace is found when we place everything, the body, its senses, breath, mind, wisdom and ego, at the disposal of God. At this stage there is no feeling of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’; whatever is there, it is ‘Thine’ that is God's. When man starts enjoying this feeling of offering everything to God as ultimately belonging to Him, he can rest assured that all his sins of the past stand washed off. Man gets protected by the divine shield and shelter . Once he passes on all the rights of his life, the control of his being to God, he stands relieved of his worries completely. He has no fear, no desire. He rises above pain as well as pleasure. He is always content. He enjoys the divine bliss, the everlasting peace. (Translated)