“... Stay free, where no walls divide you

You're free as the roaring tide

So there's no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living

But only worth living

'cause you're born free ...”

(Extract from lyrics of Andy William’s “Born Free”)

 

 

The concept of the Johari Window, named after the first names of its inventors, Joseph Luft

and Harry Ingham, is one that is frequently used to describe the process of human interaction.

According to this concept, personal awareness is divided into four different types, and is

represented by four areas. Area 1 represents the part of ourselves that we see and others see.

Area 2 is the aspect that others see but we are not aware of. Area 3 is the most mysterious, the

unconscious or subconscious part of us which is seen by neither ourselves nor others. Area 4

is our private space, which we know but keep from others.

In this article the focus is on that mysterious area which unconsciously or subconsciously has

become invisible either to ourselves or others.

 

The Me nobody knows

Have you ever asked yourself the question: “How well do I know myself?” Imagine that

someone is holding up a mirror before you and is saying to you: “Look into your own heart.

Tell me what you see.” Now, we have identified ourselves with so many external things, that

our true identity is so masked even to ourselves. Despite our outward display of self

confidence, when confronted with such a task we often find difficulty in really going into the

depth of self and finding that true person that I really am. Some might give a few clever, yet

unconvinced responses, shrouded in the words: “I think....” or “I believe...”

The only way to get to know this real self is through thorough self research. And this takes

time. So it means finding the time to sit or be in silence and allow the inner voice to speak

clearly to me. Many times we allow the inner critic to dictate to us a false description of who

we are; to highlight the negative aspects of the self. And so, through frustration we give up

the quest to really discover the beauty of the true self.

If we can move beyond the negativity, we can begin to befriend the inner critic. A simple

way to do this is to pay attention to our feelings: how do I feel about myself? Feelings can

change so rapidly and there is so much influence, that the best way to look at them is: They

are just feelings, and inevitable one feeling leads to another. When we look behind all those

feelings, there is still me. When I allow silence to enter my mind, I come to know who I am,

deep inside. The practice of Meditation teaches me to be uninfluenced, to be me, safe and

free because I am born free.

 

Healing and restoring

The loveliest thing in the world is silence. Have you experienced the greatness of the power

of silence? As are our thoughts, so will our world be created. Create happy thoughts and in

one second you will experience happiness. Create determined thoughts and obstacles will

disappear like magic. And all this happens naturally and easily in the silence of the mind. In

this silent state true peacefulness is experienced. Dadi Janki once said that peace is such a

quality that it is able to join all the broken pieces. In our experience in the world our heart has

been broken into many pieces. But no matter what kind of fragments our heart is broken into

or what kind of hurts and pains we have experienced peace is such a glue, that it is able to

sort out and put back together all that was damaged through sorrow and peacelessness. The

experience of peace is a very powerful form of glue.

The reasons why there would be sorrow within a human heart lie in our nature to compare:

Some people think- „this one is good or that one isn‟t good‟- they have thoughts of like and

dislike and these are the critical thoughts that goes on in the mind. If someone praises you

then you think that person is good. If someone gives you money, then you think that one is

good and if they don‟t give you money you don‟t like them. This is the way in which you

calculate who your friends are and who you want to be close to. If the intention in our mind is

that of having good relations with other people by dealing with them with honesty and

without any violence then we will be able to keep mind and heart in order.

When we stay in deep silence we are able to take power from the Supreme Being. Through

connection with the divine you develop the power of tolerance and the power to

accommodate. Then you also develop the power to remain content. Wherever I am, I am

content. When you are content then it is very easy to be cooperative with others. When you

have so much contentment then it is as if you are really in control of yourself. If you think I

need this and that it is like you are living like a beggar, dependant on others. Let us always

tell ourselves: “I don‟t need anything. I am free - I am born free”.

 

Belonging to the World

“I belong to everyone and everyone belongs to me. I am a child of the universe.”

To create your future, first you must clear a space to work in. Sweep away the

disappointments and resentments: throw out the dried bones of old failures. Cleanliness of the

inner self has to be given the first priority for strengthening the art of remaining contented.

When we can become free from grudges, grievances, ill-feelings, impure motives, revengeful

attitudes then only can there be the feeling of belonging to everyone. The mind can be

cleansed through daily practice of raja-yoga. Such cleanliness becomes a means to encourage

the powers and divine blessings of God and of everyone else.

Sit still in your nice clean space. Remember God and all other good things. Love is the key to

this remembrance. If we love only for the purpose of gaining then the rest of the world

remains at a distance. Our feeling for others, our mercy towards their suffering, finds it

difficult to express itself. People starving or under hardship, no longer stir deep feelings

within us - but the pain of a close relative totally overwhelms us with sorrow. Many attitudes

interfere with us being able to maintain pure feelings and respect for ourselves and others.

We label others and ourselves with the degrading titles of black, or fat, or white, or skinny.

We fulfil our inner emptiness with feelings of attraction or repulsion, hatred or infatuation,

compulsion or dislike. As the consciousness becomes less and less pure, others become just

the means to fulfil our own desires, and we become totally self-centred. By contrast, in the

state of self-respect there is a growing and natural regard for others, and the innate purity of

the self is revealed. To purify and elevate the atmosphere around you, remember who

you really are. With strong will and this balance in your mind you will find that you are

helping and protecting those around you.

If there are the vibrations of contentment on the face, others would realise your great feelings

for them. With the mind and heart full there is a feeling of belonging to the world. The power

of pure feelings and good wishes for all destroys obstacles automatically and cleanses your

path and theirs. Others will co-operate with you and will have respect for you. Obstacles will

not affect you when you are clearly established in the stage of contentment, because you are

truly free – you are born free.