This is the month in which Christians all over the world contemplate about the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Let us therefore pray without ceasing in the words of St. Paul.
It was my Grandma, Violette de Fonseka, who triggered the curiosity of a 10 year old with the recitation of the Rosary — sequences of the Lord’s Prayer followed by ten prayings of the Hail Mary. Her life after the death of my Grandfather, Bernard de Fonseka, was one in which she earnestly prayed without ceasing. She used to recite the Rosary in a seemingly undisturbed pattern of contemplation. As a small boy I wondered why; it made no sense then.
One purpose of this Holy month in which a period of Lent is exercised, we are called upon to withdraw our attention from the world and immerse our lives in one of those quiet moments; this could surely lead to the mysteries of the true Christian heart and so culminate in the final Easter celebration — the resurrection.
Read moreWe must therefore say the "The Lord’s Prayer and Hail Mary" closing our eyes, sometimes even saying these poetic and emotive verses aloud; this helps us to focus our minds. We listen with our hearts. The words of Prayer must then, by themselves and on their own accord, transform from one of beauty and meaning — blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus — to one of "nothingness." As we devotedly progress neither are the words heard nor does this prayer persuade us in our faith. In this abandonment of perfect silence, the world full of interpretation and selective perception must eventually fade away!
One word is sufficient to enter the presence of our Lord if we but seek Him.
Actually no words are required.
Scientifically, it has been proved that saying one word repeatedly could inspire the singularity of time and lift the brain waves to the revered Alfa state. It is an altered state of consciousness. Maharishi Yogi called this practice TM and two Russian mathematicians observed this phenomenon in their study and practice of meditation. The Alfa state, or altered mind states, can be achieved through various other means also; viz. through the reception Baroque music or through use of dangerous drugs such as LSD or mushrooms.
Meditation comes in various forms — in Gestalt’s awareness and in Zen mastery et al. It does not matter.
In contemplation the student becomes aware of his implied union with God and cogitates over this notion until a quickening of spirit is sensed while in meditation nothing is sought after — except that the process of undoing is galvanized — in which the conscious mind focuses on a critical singularity. Both paths, however, may be undertaken, either singly or in alternate patterns; and they drive the spiritual aspirant, or the humble student, along the path to union with God.
The resurrection, in this sense, is the mind that is wakened. It is a mind wakened to God. Actually, it has nothing to do with the body which is a popular misconception. When the mind is aware of the body, to the practitioner of metaphysics, it is aware of "nothing". The mind that is aligned to truth serves its purpose. When the mind transcends the body, it is aware of "everything"— God is.
The world and the body are smokescreens. Paying attention to them only misleads the mind to illusions of grandiosity. In the Alfa state we are in the midst of where the doors of perception are being cleansed. And when this is done and completed, according to the poet and mystic, Blake, we could arrive at that point — the Omega point — where "everything will appear to man as it is - infinite."
In this Holy month, we must also realise the meaning of the ascension. If we use this season to contemplate and meditate on the virtues of the Christian life, we may come closer to the mind that was in Jesus. It is the pure in heart that shall see God. This is the moment for "Metanoia" — of change and repentance; "but though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow." We simply join with him who is our role model for conversion. To do so, we must cast aside our egos and reach him in plane simplicity.
The prayer: "Lord, help me" shall indeed suffice.
Once the resurrected mind dawns, we shall be lifted out of this material plane in consciousness, no longer a slave to this mortal kingdom, but become a disciple of the Lord in consciousness. Right attitude follows right action, a precept which is so akin to advanced Buddhism. It does not matter what we do, but what we think will change our lives. In St. Augustine’s word, "love and do what you will." If action is motivated by love, then it need not be justified. Some actions involve doing nothing. We can thus serve only one master and that is facilitated through this singularity we find replete in the practice and devotion to the Rosary.
Courtesy The Island By Hiran Perera
