Man must tend the garden of his soul and care for plants and bushes in it, weeding, pruning and looking after this garden, else, things will fall into the garden, choke it, and produce undesirable results. The natural law of the world is that it puts forth, that is, natural objects (plants) grow, put forth blossom and seed, flourish for a season or so, and then pass away. So also, there is a mental law (for man’s mind puts forth) and a moral law (all human action shows the values and choices of the individual doer). From the Natural Law, Allen arrives at these mental and moral laws which govern the circumstances of a man’s life.
Man, being the maker of himself, must put effort into himself.
Mental and moral laws indicate the fruit of thought and character. Allen considered that thought and character are one and the same; for character is but the embodiment and enacting of thoughts hidden within. Through mental activity and disposition, man creates his world; The outer world reflects the inner man. Man often wails he is a creature of fate, chance, and the caprice of an indifferent world. He laments that he is a creature bound, victim of his environment.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches that man’s environment is reaction, reflection and resound of what is within. “As is the feeling, so is the result” is a frequent aphorism of Sai Baba. Sai Baba teaches that the mind is simply a bundle of thoughts. Most are slaves to the mind, and not master of the mind; hence, the mind is not the servant, but the master. The Ego, always wanting what it sees, desires more and more. This is the tyranny of the ego. Take control of the mind, master the mind, and become a MasterMind, teaches Sai Baba. Allen teaches the same.
Man ought to stop his wailing and take control of himself. Taking control means taking control of the mind. One who masters the mind is master of his environment. Controlling thought is a full time job. Thoughts are energy directed outwards. Thoughts blossom into actions. Good thought produces good fruit. Bad thought produces bad fruit. Man is the maker and shaper of his circumstances.
Man does not attract what he wants; man attracts what he is, what is in his heart. One can look at bad things happening to good people and ask Why? The bad events show what is in the heart of man. Man fights with his outer circumstances, yet continues to nourish the cause in his heart. Suffering is caused by inconsistent, impure thoughts held within the heart. Fighting with the environment does not change what is within the heart. Fighting with the environment simply shows that man assigns blame for his state of affairs to without, instead of looking within.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches: First of all, correct yourself. Rectify your own defects and mistakes. When you are not flawless and idealistic, you have no right to blame anybody and point out the mistakes of others.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches the purity within man is the unity of thought word and deed. Any action done with this triple purity reveals not only integrity, but also nobility. As is the thought, word and deed, so is the result. Man’s destiny is in his hands.
Man can improve his environment by improving himself. Goals, ends, wants and desires can be achieved by self mastery. Man must have thoughts within which harmonise with his goals and wants. Allen tells, “Stop whining and reviling against circumstances”. Take responsibility. Search within. Change, mend and repair the mind. This will produce change in outer circumstances. The state of affairs displays the true secrets of the heart.
Since time immemorial, man has believed that his thoughts are secret from others. There can be no secrets for the outer circumstances show the inner heart. Thoughts become habits, which become behaviour, behaviour mirrors the man’s heart and creates his circumstances. Circumstances show the heart of man.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches that nothing in this world is useless. Everything depends on your mind. Your thoughts and counter-thoughts are responsible for all you feel, say and do. God created this world for the benefit and betterment of Mankind. Use, abuse and misuse depend on your mind. Therefore, you go through certain experiences and the corresponding results.
Man cannot choose his circumstances. Man CAN, however, choose his thoughts. The world mirrors the thoughts within the heart of the man. So man must tend the garden of his soul, put in good thoughts, weed out the impure and vile thoughts and keep the garden protected and safe from weeds falling in.
Man, being the maker of himself, must put effort into himself. Sathya Sai Baba explains:
In agriculture, the land is ploughed well, watered and manured, weeds removed and seeds sown. The human heart is a field. This has to be tilled and watered with love. You have to take the plough of self enquiry to plough the field of the human heart. You have to raise the fence of discipline. Bad qualities are the weeds that have to be removed totally. Then you can cultivate a crop of bliss. It is enough if you have a small area of fertile land. Why have many acres of barren land?
