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Lavan
104 pages, Hardcover
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January 19, 2025
Despite being a short read (135 pages), "Lavan" is packed with a thought-provoking analysis of scriptures and an introduction of ideologies while exploring the four spheres of spirituality: Actions, Hearing of Anahad Naad, Springing of Renunciation, and Union with God. What especially left an impression on me is the brief covering of the relationship of the mind with the body. While I have read many great works, "Lavan" included, I cannot help but feel that the mind is, to some extent, oversimplified. While I admire and seek to learn of all different takes and studies by influential beings, I have found that the mind is treated in every piece as a separate entity; the mind is not ours. But I disagree with this take. The mind is a part of us, and it is us; it is not an evil entity that masters us and makes us do things we do not wish to do; everything an individual does is done through awareness and roots from what they know in that present moment. However, how the mind is spoken about feels separate from human existence but not individual. How we train our minds and the relationships we develop with ourselves, affect whether we perceive the mind as evil or good.
The portion of the book that gave room for my reflections on the mind and body was when Maskeen Ji spoke of bodily punishment, which humans receive because of the actions of the mind. When we cannot catch the mind, socially, we catch the body and prescribe punishment through laws and regulations. I found this to be a profoundly interesting example: the criminal justice system, punishment on the body for the deeds of the mind. I am still reflecting on this specific point. But the question that arose within me is: then how can we explain self-punishment, deliberate harm to one's own body with no reason of violating laws or committing crimes? The previous example is a social one, and it (to me) once more separates the mind from the body. However, from the thoughts I hold at this moment and from all I have acquired at this moment, I believe that the mind also punishes itself through bodily punishments; the mind and the body are not separate. Our souls and our minds may differ, but they are one. I cannot help but also look at this complex topic from a psychological standpoint; for example, people who engage in self-harm (NSIF - Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder) perform such acts because their mind tells them to (along with many other factors) and it is a form of self-punishment. If we are to approach this group of individuals with the same logic, there is no one to separate the mind from the body, such as the legal system. They engage in the activities of self-harm because the mind feels they deserve the punishment; they believe they deserve to be harmed. The mind can only project its sorrows and shame on the body it inhabits. The mind punishes itself. There is no way to separate the mind from the body then, it is a witnessing of the mind in intense turmoil and loathing.
In many of the readings I have done, the most prominent topic of discussion is the ego, but the mind is not ego-dominant; it encompasses a variety of forms of consciousness, and the ego is one of them. I believe our primary attention is on ego and negligence to recognize different parts of our mind, then oversimplify the mind, and we treat the mind as if it is a separate entity, something that must be conquered, an enemy we carry within, but such is not the case. The mind is a part of us and reflects our thoughts and desires because of the different stages of spiritual growth we are in, but the mind can be quiet. When one is balanced, the mind is silent and at peace. It is not the enemy; our vices are the enemy.
I am not sure if this makes sense.
But this is a fantastic book with so much insight and so much to take away from it; I recommend taking the time to read it.
Favorite quotes:
“All actions comes to an end. All actions were being done so that we may become actionless. The mind should come to a stand- still and if the mind comes to a halt, it does no action; then whatever action happens, it happens on its own, effortlessly, only then one meets the Perfect Paramatma.”
“This human life was bestowed upon us to attain a higher purpose of life and alas! a person is losing it in dishonesty.”
“The curtain of ego must be in front of your eyes, that is why you are unable to see God.”
“The deeper the concentration, the higher the knowledge. The power of higher knowledge makes a man rise to heights of moral behaviour; in fact makes a person great— a man of high thinking.”
“‘Kar Kar' has come twice, meaning the action is being carried out physically as well as mentally. Such an action is recorded inside the heart. When an action is recorded inside the heart. When an action is merely done physically but the mind is not in it, such an action is not recorded.”
“Any action done with complete mental concentration is recorded inside the heart and such an action becomes one's nature, one's character and one's knowledge. And whatever is recorded, keeps coming in the thoughts again and again. Whatever is not recorded does not become a part of one's thoughts. And what is not recorded does not become either knowledge or our nature.”
“Every individual has a different physical body and different mind but the soul(Atna) is not separate.”
“God is individual Radiance, but because Man has given God various names, he has divided God also in parts.”
“Finally one understands that with unending physical action also one reaches no where; one gets exhausted but achieves nothing. Then the person understands that this is a journey
of the mind.”
“All fears are a dirt. A burden on the mind.”
“Hence, such a person understands that whatever is outside is also inside; and whatsoever is inside is also present outside.”
“…a person of deep spiritual insight considers all desire-based actions as worldly action. Such actions can fulfill the desires and wants, but cannot change a persons heart or personality. No change can come in their life.”
“The human body only operates after being influenced by the mind. The society and the law inflict punishment on the body only.”
“Any action with which we attach a desire is not an action but merely a business.”
“The world is dirty and all the desires are also dirty which only increase the dirt of the mind.”
“Most of the tension and distress in the mind is born out of ego, greed and desires. And as long as the mind is in stress and tension, all the physical comforts also turn into sorrow and pain.”
“Now he has been influenced by the power of God. When does a man get such an influence? The day he realizes that all the pleasures and comforts of the body cannot give him the mental peace and joy.”
“When this life comes to an end. all the vices go along. Inside this physical body there is a subtle body called soul. Whatever we do, it is written or recorded inside there.”
“We got this human life to attain an immortal life which we could not attain and lost this life too.
After getting and achieving so much in this world. one realizes that he has attained nothing.”
“What do I know, that whatever I am today or am going through, is the outcome of those actions which I have done in my previous births.”
“Sheikh Saadi says, judge your own mind yourself, do not ask thers to give judgement about you. How does the other person know the state of your mind? "Tu khud bamunsuf Shuah'. Be your own judge. Do your own judgement and see what you are. Do not ask the world to judge you. The world will give a wrong judgement about you; in fact it cannot judge you, because it cannot reach upto your mind.”
“Secondly, tili today whatever he has been able to achieve, he has attained it from the outside world. He has been able to establish family relations froin outside. He has attained big mansions, beautiful house to stay and has got lot of respect and pomp and show from
the outside world. Therefore, he thinks he will get God also from outside, may be from some pilgrimage place or from some hidden cave in the mountains. Because whatever he has achieved till today, it has been from the outside world.”
The portion of the book that gave room for my reflections on the mind and body was when Maskeen Ji spoke of bodily punishment, which humans receive because of the actions of the mind. When we cannot catch the mind, socially, we catch the body and prescribe punishment through laws and regulations. I found this to be a profoundly interesting example: the criminal justice system, punishment on the body for the deeds of the mind. I am still reflecting on this specific point. But the question that arose within me is: then how can we explain self-punishment, deliberate harm to one's own body with no reason of violating laws or committing crimes? The previous example is a social one, and it (to me) once more separates the mind from the body. However, from the thoughts I hold at this moment and from all I have acquired at this moment, I believe that the mind also punishes itself through bodily punishments; the mind and the body are not separate. Our souls and our minds may differ, but they are one. I cannot help but also look at this complex topic from a psychological standpoint; for example, people who engage in self-harm (NSIF - Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder) perform such acts because their mind tells them to (along with many other factors) and it is a form of self-punishment. If we are to approach this group of individuals with the same logic, there is no one to separate the mind from the body, such as the legal system. They engage in the activities of self-harm because the mind feels they deserve the punishment; they believe they deserve to be harmed. The mind can only project its sorrows and shame on the body it inhabits. The mind punishes itself. There is no way to separate the mind from the body then, it is a witnessing of the mind in intense turmoil and loathing.
In many of the readings I have done, the most prominent topic of discussion is the ego, but the mind is not ego-dominant; it encompasses a variety of forms of consciousness, and the ego is one of them. I believe our primary attention is on ego and negligence to recognize different parts of our mind, then oversimplify the mind, and we treat the mind as if it is a separate entity, something that must be conquered, an enemy we carry within, but such is not the case. The mind is a part of us and reflects our thoughts and desires because of the different stages of spiritual growth we are in, but the mind can be quiet. When one is balanced, the mind is silent and at peace. It is not the enemy; our vices are the enemy.
I am not sure if this makes sense.
But this is a fantastic book with so much insight and so much to take away from it; I recommend taking the time to read it.
Favorite quotes:
“All actions comes to an end. All actions were being done so that we may become actionless. The mind should come to a stand- still and if the mind comes to a halt, it does no action; then whatever action happens, it happens on its own, effortlessly, only then one meets the Perfect Paramatma.”
“This human life was bestowed upon us to attain a higher purpose of life and alas! a person is losing it in dishonesty.”
“The curtain of ego must be in front of your eyes, that is why you are unable to see God.”
“The deeper the concentration, the higher the knowledge. The power of higher knowledge makes a man rise to heights of moral behaviour; in fact makes a person great— a man of high thinking.”
“‘Kar Kar' has come twice, meaning the action is being carried out physically as well as mentally. Such an action is recorded inside the heart. When an action is recorded inside the heart. When an action is merely done physically but the mind is not in it, such an action is not recorded.”
“Any action done with complete mental concentration is recorded inside the heart and such an action becomes one's nature, one's character and one's knowledge. And whatever is recorded, keeps coming in the thoughts again and again. Whatever is not recorded does not become a part of one's thoughts. And what is not recorded does not become either knowledge or our nature.”
“Every individual has a different physical body and different mind but the soul(Atna) is not separate.”
“God is individual Radiance, but because Man has given God various names, he has divided God also in parts.”
“Finally one understands that with unending physical action also one reaches no where; one gets exhausted but achieves nothing. Then the person understands that this is a journey
of the mind.”
“All fears are a dirt. A burden on the mind.”
“Hence, such a person understands that whatever is outside is also inside; and whatsoever is inside is also present outside.”
“…a person of deep spiritual insight considers all desire-based actions as worldly action. Such actions can fulfill the desires and wants, but cannot change a persons heart or personality. No change can come in their life.”
“The human body only operates after being influenced by the mind. The society and the law inflict punishment on the body only.”
“Any action with which we attach a desire is not an action but merely a business.”
“The world is dirty and all the desires are also dirty which only increase the dirt of the mind.”
“Most of the tension and distress in the mind is born out of ego, greed and desires. And as long as the mind is in stress and tension, all the physical comforts also turn into sorrow and pain.”
“Now he has been influenced by the power of God. When does a man get such an influence? The day he realizes that all the pleasures and comforts of the body cannot give him the mental peace and joy.”
“When this life comes to an end. all the vices go along. Inside this physical body there is a subtle body called soul. Whatever we do, it is written or recorded inside there.”
“We got this human life to attain an immortal life which we could not attain and lost this life too.
After getting and achieving so much in this world. one realizes that he has attained nothing.”
“What do I know, that whatever I am today or am going through, is the outcome of those actions which I have done in my previous births.”
“Sheikh Saadi says, judge your own mind yourself, do not ask thers to give judgement about you. How does the other person know the state of your mind? "Tu khud bamunsuf Shuah'. Be your own judge. Do your own judgement and see what you are. Do not ask the world to judge you. The world will give a wrong judgement about you; in fact it cannot judge you, because it cannot reach upto your mind.”
“Secondly, tili today whatever he has been able to achieve, he has attained it from the outside world. He has been able to establish family relations froin outside. He has attained big mansions, beautiful house to stay and has got lot of respect and pomp and show from
the outside world. Therefore, he thinks he will get God also from outside, may be from some pilgrimage place or from some hidden cave in the mountains. Because whatever he has achieved till today, it has been from the outside world.”
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