Guide To A Fuller Life

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Guide to a Fuller Life" by Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra, based on the provided PDF pages:

The book "Guide to a Fuller Life" by Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra argues that the difficulties and problems we face daily stem from a fundamental lack of proper training in how to live and grow. We often become overly attached to trivial matters, react intensely to insults, and get caught in a subjective viewpoint, hindering our ability to see situations in a larger perspective. The author suggests that modern life has made us overly sensitive to external stresses, physically and psychologically limited, and prone to a "double-think" where we adjust to circumstances without genuine understanding, tolerating injustice and corruption as temporary measures.

The core issue, according to Yogendra, is a refusal to "grow up" and a reliance solely on physical sciences for guidance, neglecting the inward journey of exploring consciousness, which spirituality can greatly aid.

The text posits that there is a learnable technique to a fuller life. While physical exercises and rituals alone aren't inherently spiritual, they can provide benefits like clarity, help in setting goals, developing healthy habits, and building strength for spiritual pursuits. The author outlines a program for a "Fuller Life" with four key objectives:

1. Acceptance of life situations: This involves accepting life as it is, finding meaning, trusting in nature, and actively participating in the process of living rather than remaining idle or negative. This requires a habit of observation, mindfulness, distinguishing worthwhile experiences, and a disciplined attitude.
2. Arranging priorities of duties: This necessitates a deep study of one's inner self to understand motivations, relationship with life, and the sense of duty. It questions whether actions are done whole-heartedly or ritualistically and how to gain inner grasp and spontaneous insight. This involves examining motivations, understanding emotional influences, self-awareness (seeing oneself as others do), and cultivating a personal code of conduct and routine.
3. Full participation in life: Sincerity, devotion, and duty consciousness are crucial for attention and concentration. This means cultivating steadiness of mind in actions, finding more meaning in work, and detecting subtle changes in consciousness levels.
4. Continuous broadening of our views: We need to move beyond limited self-understanding and egoistic thinking to embrace a larger principle of consciousness. This involves evaluating our ability to forget the ego, seeking direction in life, and connecting with larger life processes.

The book emphasizes that self-development requires support and experience in life situations, not just abstract thinking or reading. Modern culture makes us extroverted, so the approach begins with the tangible and rational, suggesting the practice of Yama and Niyama. Integrating an objective approach can be learned by looking back at past events, like looking in a mirror, to develop concentration, memory, mindfulness, and awareness.

A healthy person in Yoga is defined as one living in a balanced state of body, mind, and soul, whose thoughts and actions align with higher values. A fuller life, therefore, is achieved through harmonious living, which may require a total change in values and habits. Yoga addresses the root causes of problems, viewing illness as originating from an imbalance between physical, mental, and spiritual levels. Materialistic values and constant desire satisfaction lead to pain, suffering, and disease.

The text highlights the importance of healthy daily routines beyond just practicing Asanas. This includes pranayama, internal and external cleanliness, small healthy habits like early morning sun exposure and post-meal strolls, a pure and healthy diet, and psychosomatic and relaxing practices. The spirit in which these practices are carried out is paramount.

The external world is presented as neutral, with our suffering arising from our identification with problems rather than the problems themselves. Like a kaleidoscope, matter's forces (Gunas) create patterns, and our involvement and attachment create feelings. The perspective of "full" versus "half-empty" illustrates how our mindset shapes our experience.

The essence of a fuller life is defined as Karma-Yoga (as per the Gita), involving:

• Belief in a higher reality.
• Acceptance of full responsibility for duties.
• Total participation in work.
• Overcoming the ego and accepting a higher guiding power.

Further practices for self-improvement include:

• Regular self-assessment and reflection.
• Detaching the mind from external distractions to focus inward.
• Becoming aware of the body and mind.
• Conditioning the mind with yogic practices.
• Training the mind to participate fully in activities.
• Developing mind-body coordination through simple Asanas and kriyas.
• Systematic spinal exercise for physical and mental health.
• Controlling respiration to stabilize the mind.
• Cultivating relaxation as an attitude, not just a posture, to overcome tension and disease.
• Meditation and reflection on the true nature of things to purify the mind.
• Using yogic practices to withdraw the mind from sense objects.
• Gaining insight into life's true nature when the mind is tranquil and clear.
• Progressing on the path of self-improvement and a fuller life by engaging in work with a Karma-Yoga spirit.

In essence, the book offers a practical, yogic framework for achieving a more meaningful and fulfilling existence by emphasizing self-awareness, discipline, acceptance, and a shift in perspective from external circumstances to inner attitudes and actions.