Written Messages

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   FÁTIMA (PORTUGAL),

18 August 2009

Of all the senses, perhaps the sense of smell is least interfered by ‘I-ness’. It is possible for an eye to stare and yet not see because the mind may be occupied with many other thoughts. So is the case with the sense of hearing. One needs to listen to hear. An obsessed mind may not hear what is said even though the sounds reach the ear drum and vibrate the membrane. But a stink or a fragance is registered in the brain however busy it is with thoughts. It is perhaps because there is not much “I-ness” with all its definitions and divisions  in the case of the sense of smell. And so while one can say see-er or listener, one cannot say “smeller”, because this sense organ is a receiver rather than a do-er.

Perhaps that is why it came from the body of Shibendu during a recent satsangh that a fragrant flower has bloomed in this body and the coordinators, like the wind, carry the fragance in their regions so that those receiving it can know of this and perhaps be inspired to bloom themselves.

The wind has no role except to carry the fragance and those who receive it need do nothing  to receive it. Can there be such a state of non-doing while listening? Such listening is the Guru as it brings about radical transformation in the energy of understanding by ending many undertakings of the mind.

But even the smell-faculty can become a victim of upbringing and conditioning as illustrated below:

There were two friends, a flower girl and a fisherwoman. One day the flower girl invited the fisherwoman to her house to stay. She put her guest up in a room next to a beautiful garden filled with fragrant flowers like the night queen so that at least for one night her friend can enjoy the fragrance of flowers. However, the fisherwoman tossed and turned until midnight and finally got up and went to her friend. “I can’t sleep”, she said, ”I am disturbed by the smell coming from the garden”. The flower girl went to the window overlooking the garden and was puzzled because she could smell only flowers. She turned round to speak to her friend, but found that she was bringing in her fish basket from outside and sprinkling water until the fish-smell filled the room. Then the fisher woman went to bed and fell into sleep.

Is it possible to be available to sensory perception without converting it to sensuality through cultural inputs and conditioning? Let us be available to the fragrance of freedom from false fragmentation in our inner being.

JAI KRIYA FRAGANCE