Category Archives: Karma and Yoga and Jane Austen

While Jane Austen wrote about love and marriage, the basis of lasting relationships, she shows us, is rational— based in esteem and gratitude.

With nary a kiss between lover and beloved, Jane Austen wrote what are considered the most romantic novels ever written. This is noteworthy yet there’s more to such ‘self-help’ oriented writing because she gets us thinking —and I wish to encourage you also think about what exactly makes a good character…and one worthy of falling in love with. Austen’s stories stimulate our consciousness because they are set in a moral universe with characters so vivid and realistic as to pull us into their lives. They learn to see the truth—after discovering their mistaken ideas—and then try for the best course of action to find happiness. Invariably, the process they use is part of a system of meditation! Austen heroines practice meditation to achieve calmness and clarity of thought while preparing us for making better choices.

Today, it is easy to be distracted as we navigate a world full of narcissistic people, and fueled by social media. I believe Jane’s heroines are excellent mentors for real people dealing with—real jerks!—even though written 200 years ago. They go head-to-head with some pretty egotistical characters. Just consider all the mind games of the Thorpes in Northanger Abbey, or the Crawfords in Mansfield Park. Then there’s the insufferable meddling of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, in Pride & Prejudice. We know these people! The great thing about Jane’s young and unworldly heroines, is their ability to deal thoughtfully and heroically with the Dark Side of the Force —when required. Of course, “greatness of mind” is a rare quality in this world.

We should not be too surprised that greatness of mind is scarce in a world where people are focused on social media and consumer trends. Indeed, deep thinking is almost a lost art. Sadly, many of us are philosophically ‘hydroplaning’ our way through life, yet there’s hope as Jane Austen coaxes our intellect into gear by reminding us that it’s a metaphysically based world. Life improves dramatically when we become aware of consequences – that is, karma happens! Jane knew this, which is why her higher characters get better partners and rational happiness while the ‘lesser’ characters whose actions and words show their indifference to others, end up with, well, “less desirable” partners and awkward situations—often choosing these with their eyes ‘open.’ Jane depicts every step and every thought which lead to these outcomes. Let’s explore!

In Mansfield Park, Henry Crawford was, for all his “sex-appeal” totally callous to the devastation caused by his insincere attentions to the Bertram sisters. Here is a man who intentionally raised romantic ‘expectations’ in woman so as to elicit an emotional attachment, and with no real intention to marry. Jane Austen considered this behavior nothing less than…barbaric. She presents Fanny Price to us as a timid and very socially marginalized character. Yet she is the only woman not fooled by Henry Crawford. Where does she get this bulletproof wisdom? By self-knowledge. According to yoga philosophy, wisdom is the source of happiness and happiness is based in and achieved by, self-knowledge, or as we now call it, self-realization. Our real ‘self’ is a conscious, eternal being, and not the body. Fanny is less focused on worldly distractions and thus has a better state of mind that keeps her from falling into Henry’s lies and deceptions—and he is very deceived as to his own motives and character. Fanny can see this, yet her more highly educated cousins, who absorb their minds in all the niceties of external society and polished manners cannot. Fanny is silent and observant. Her meditation helps awaken spiritual understanding. Her connection to truth (yoga) is essential. Having a practice that keeps us connected to our Source is our first act of wisdom. The first priority is to know ourselves—our self (soul or consciousness) is eternal and naturally blissful, in it’s pure state. In the beginning, even with limited knowledge, a little practice and this simple understanding of self can change our lives. It can be our saving! In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett’s life is forever changed after reading Mr. Darcy’s letter. As she discovered the truth she understood, “Until that moment I never knew myself!” Excellent breakthrough moment! By the way, in the 1800s, happy endings were the norm in any literature with a moral message. Jane Austen’s message was that happiness is the result of a good life and, even today, many people would agree with this. So as far as romance is concerned, we might wonder why movies now seem cynical about love. Love stories are not often about love, but lust-a messed up sort of love. It seems that rational happiness is not ‘considered sexy’ enough or that romantic happiness lacks realism. Yet the ‘messed up’ love story is not inevitable.

A healthier and more realistic message for those seeking romance, would be that normal, healthy love is about rational happiness in a stable relationship, and with plenty of room for comedy and error! Humans, along with some animal species, mate for life so why deny the possibility for humans to grow-or to have healthy romances? I believe that any message that denies the possibility of normal human relationships cannot be psychologically healthy.

I enjoy the humorous romance movies of Charlie Chaplin, for example, and usually not overly sentimental or ‘mushy’ —and Jane Austen strictly avoided excessive sentimentality. She was all about rational expectations. Pure vanilla!

The truth is, that witty and rational characters are more interesting, and their struggles also tend to inspire us and make for a better story. We can relate! Getting a few excellent heroines and heroes into the mix makes for powerful romance. Consider Pride and Prejudice, where there are not just one but two, very attractive characters. Of course they are initially presented as flawed beings. That’s okay. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are clever and endearing, and they eventually, cleverly, find their way out of their confusion by discovering the ignorance of their own perceptions. This is excellent romance! It inspires us to reimagine reality. Consider that, if romantic happiness is not to be expected, then what else of ‘transcendent’ importance do we have to live and aspire for? Another issue: I find modern films so often confusing. Many present intimate relationships based on selfish motives as completely normal, yet no one with any sense wants a relationship with a selfish jerk. It is sign of these narcissistic times that we hardly understand the basics of good relationships —or the fact that civility and respect are necessary for romantic love. This is why I love Jane Austen’s novels.

So how does Jane depict romance in a moral universe? Let’s take a look at Pride and Prejudice, one of her most romantic novels. Many folks see nothing wrong with Charlotte Lucas’ choice of Mr. Collins as a partner yet the fact is that Jane Austen meant to create a stark contrast. There is a significant difference between Charlotte’s ideas about matrimony, and the heroine, Elizabeth’s. We are first presented with what a romance should definitely not look like. Poor Charlotte Lucas chooses her marriage partner so unwisely that she leaves herself devoid of true comfort, as hers was a comfortable home “only when the owner could be forgot” and his company was so irksome that her domestic arrangements were prioritized by how well they assisted her in avoiding her husband’s company! Mr. Collins was a “conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly” man and yet Charlotte would overlook everything but the ‘comfortable’ home. Charlotte’s marriage may be considered ‘prudent’ as to fortune —and that’s all! Mr. Collins, too proud of his situation, ironically tells Elizabeth that he and his wife seem to have been “designed for each other.” Truer words were never spoken as neither truly loves the other.

Charlotte explained that she was not the ‘romantic’ type yet does this really make her decision more rational? Not at all. On the other hand, Elizabeth only seems to want more than what is rational in making the declaration, “I am determined that only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony,” yet she follows through with her decision . She waits for the right person. She is not in a hurry. She shows discernment.

One more thought: Even though some may claim Mr. Darcy’s wealth was the primary reason for Elizabeth choosing him as a partner, this can be easily proved false. If her choice had been all about money and a comfortable home, Lizzy would not have rejected his first proposal. Furthermore, if she had accepted Mr. Darcy before he had changed for the better then her marriage would not have been any better than Charlotte’s and probably would have been much worse. The happy ending is in large part earned by Elizabeth’s higher character and her accepting the good advice of her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner, who hinted to her to be cautious and who gently seems to have corrected her bitterness against Mr. Darcy. In contrast, Charlotte did not take Elizabeth’s warning and disposed with all such higher principles. In modern language she ‘settled.’

Elizabeth considers her friend’s situation as something to think of with concern:

“Poor Charlotte! it was melancholy to leave her to such society! But she had chosen it with her eyes open;… she did not seem to ask for compassion. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms.“

—Pride and Prrejudice

No, they had not lost their charms, or at least not yet. Still, a thoughtful person can imagine what her life will soon become when those insignificant little charms do wear off. Here’s a link to hear Professor John Mullan present the unthinkable awkwardness of Charlotte’s marriage situation. In Jane’s description of a romance based in the ‘deepest’ love, we find love based in true friendship!

In Jane Austen’s day, even if people were nearly as financially straightened as many are now, they certainly had a more developed awareness of the need for contemplation. 200 years ago, Jane chose the word, ‘meditation,’ or “the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed”,^[24 to describe her heroines’ strategy for mental balance. For Jane’s heroines, it was a way to find peace and a sense of balance. For everyone and at all times, it is the best support for a healthy psychology, rational perspective and freedom from anxiety

Meditation is a the only true panacea, clearing negativity and promoting an evolution from confusion to enlightenment, from negativity and The Dark Side of the Force to, you know, your better self. We can attain a whole lot of this peace of mind for the low low price of a few minutes of your time! It gradually purifies the mind and trains it to be nice–to you! No more raging mind is a blessing yet most of us live chaotically with the untrained mind. This practice turns the breaking-bad mind around because it has the power to pull the mind away from darkness. ‘Man‘ means mind and ‘tra‘ means to ‘free,’ so this mantra frees the mind from anxiety and ignorance. People have been practicing mantra meditation—or chanting the names of God—for thousands of years. Our “New age” friends, or those who are traumatized by the ‘God’ concept, can think of it as addressing the source of our existence. It works for those who ‘work’ it. Now we will explain a bit further. Those of us who practice this ‘bhakti-yoga’ approach sincerely appreciate all the holy names but yet the name of Krishna (a Sanskrit word meaning “All-attractive”) indicates the being who possesses, unlimited beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength, power and renunciation. If an extraordinarily beautiful, famous or rich person walks into the room, it is natural to be attracted and if we hear about a billionaire giving a lot of money away in charity (an act of great renunciation), we are naturally impressed. As the possessor of every opulence in full, Krishna is naturally most attractive as well as being the very source of our existence.

It is a travesty that we are living in such an unbalanced world, one which contributes to our ignorant condition. By meditation, we reawaken our dormant spiritual consciousness and find relief from stress and anxiety because we reestablish our connection to the supreme being. As is stated in many scriptures, the supreme is present in the sound of His (and Her) divine names.  Any holy names will do, yet there is a mantra that I prefer to chant which has been given as the perfect antidote to this crazy world, and it packs enough potency to break through the ignorance of this age. I want to share it with you, and hope you will share with others. Of course you will because your friends will ask you how you became so peaceful and content. You can tell them that by practicing self-knowledge (self-realization) the solution is achieved.

The founder and spiritual mentor of our society, who is affectionately called Prabhupada (pronounced “pra-boo-pa-da”), explains the way mantra meditation works:

Krishna Consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived…This chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness–namely sensual, mental and intellectual… As such anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification…

To bring The Force into your life, try chanting the names of Krishna, Hare (the Feminine Divine) and Rama (the Supreme pleasure potency) every day, as a part of your normal operating procedure. Here is a link that further explains the mantra. A little chanting goes a long way. Think of it as a sort of mental hygiene. Even 20-30 minutes in the morning before your day starts will make a big difference in your peace of mind. It is so easy that you can chant anywhere and any time, while driving, taking a walk or cooking dinner. George Harrison of ‘The Beatles’ enjoyed chanting and wrote many songs that glorify Krishna. “My Sweet Lord” was one of his most popular tunes. I’ve been chanting for over 40 years and it only gets better. Here is a link explaining the mantra. It is interesting that Saint Theresa of Avila (pictured above) recommended 2 hours of mediation per day and that is what I do myself. It is wonderful. I hope that you will try it and experience a life of freedom and happiness.

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In Winchester cathedral, on a wall near Jane Austen’s remains, there is a lovely quotation from Psalms, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness.’   We know that she wrote with wit, humor and irony but also much truth and wisdom, that the heroines dropped tiny doses of philosophy (combining the words “philo” or “love of” with “sophia” or wisdom).  We get truths even from the mouths of flawed characters.  In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett begins to understand herself as she pieces together the cause of her past prejudice which blinds her to Mr. Wickham’s duplicity and to Mr. Darcy’s worth.  She analyzes herself in this way:

Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself.” –Elizabeth Bennett, Chapter 36

It can be challenging to face our flaws and to really know ourselves and besides that we have to deal with the effects of the modern world.  Honestly, when does modern social media or any media promote wisdom?  If we trust the mundane propaganda and these materialistic leaders who often try to lead us further from the truth in their quest for a bigger slice of the ‘pie’ then what force is there to bring us back from the edge of complete illusion?  Where do we find knowledge related to consciousness?  From what I can tell, people are now far from being interested in this kind of knowledge, due to misunderstanding themselves to be the body.   Modern entertainment, to keep up sales and ratings, fills our heads with sex and violence and keeps us far removed from philosophical contemplations.  People are also slogging so hard that they are almost too tired and stressed to stop and think about what real peace would look like.  It’s very sad to see entire populations so misled.  Here we are, these amazingly beautiful eternal beings and yet we are bombarded by advertisements that urge us to believe that the temporary things of this world will satisfy us.  How can we become a little more rational and really know ourselves, and what can save us from such perverse ‘truths’?  The heroine Elizabeth admits that she ‘hardly knew herself,’ and we hardly know ourselves.

Consider the probabilities of errors in ‘knowing ourselves’ when at virtually every moment we are encouraged to be as narcissistic as possible, to think of ourselves as perfect and flawless.  For example, universities now coddle students in so-called ‘Safe Spaces’ because some of them, like infants, still believe that they are the center of the universe and are unable to encounter anyone holding a different opinion from their own–and if they do hear someone with a different opinion than their own it becomes a medical emergency.  Jane would not approve of this kind of lame narcissism, where students are entering a place of learning with an intolerant attitude towards new ideas.  What is happening here and how does society become so warped and manipulated?  Well, don’t forget that we listen to ads telling us that we are perfect (or we will be perfect if we just buy their products).  Our rational faculties are being weakened, controlled and blinded by vanity.  It was, “vanity working on a weak mind” that misleads Harriet in the novel, Emma. Absorbed in vanity, weak minds see no value in philosophy and are easy targets for the flattery of advertising agencies, social media and, not least, the pressure to conform. Purchasing what we hope will gain us social acceptance, we find frustration  and dissatisfaction.   The soul is sadly, starved for true knowledge and real happiness. Again, how do we return our minds to a state of objectivity and the force of honest evaluation of ourselves?  For truth seekers, there is spiritual practice.

Yes, spiritual practice and the reading of Jane!

I’d like to compare finding the path to self-knowledge to Lizzy Bennet’s finding out where she would ‘be at’ as they used to say.  In Pride and Prejudice, the heroine, Lizzy, often torments herself to the point of ‘an headache’ while trying to make out Mr. Darcy’s character.  Then she got the important letter from Mr. Darcy. Before the letter she was positively consumed in thoughts about his apparent incivility, and after the letter she is finally able to do away with all her ignorant notions and prejudiced ideas and sort out her heroes from her villains. Mr. Darcy’s good information gave her the roadmap to finding her way back to the truth, and to finding her way to happiness. She even declares, “Til this moment I never knew myself.” Exposure to the truth is such a cathartic experience! From this moment Lizzy “could only think of her letter”…and of course the happy ending follows. When one gains this knowledge of self understanding, the effect is something like being obsessed by the happiness of knowing. Otherwise, like Lizzy, before her letter, the mind spins us round and round, and we never arrive at a solution

My own teacher-mentor introduced me to dear Jane and it changed my life.  Before that, I had persistent yet vague intuitions in the department of self-understanding and knew that my life was not proceeding in a positive direction yet I had no idea how to actually live and to change my consciousness.  It was like being stuck on that train “going nowhere.  I was sincere and did a lot of praying yet there was a bad experience with a bad teacher-mentor and there were also people who tried to convince me to give up my search.  They only wanted to control and exploit me and were not my friends.  I sometimes compared my experience to poor Catherine Moorland in Northanger Abbey, who was tormented by the conniving (Isabella and John) Thorpe siblings who were shamelessly manipulating her.  After a while she became aware of their schemes and was able to escape them.  In this world there are many who have similar agendas, despite being educated.  Northanger Abbey teaches us that we may have to fight against such people to attain our freedom and that we must appreciate and search out good society.  Catherine stays the course and finally comes to recognize the truly ‘heroic’ characters (Mr. Tilney and his sister), and the ‘happily ever after’ followed, of course.  There is a relevant verse from Bhagavad-gita (Ch. 2. verse 41) which says that those who are sincerely following this path of self-knowledge are ‘single-minded’ and their ‘aim is one.’  It is the focused determination of the yogi (or yogini in the case of ladies engaged in this process).

Like many Americans, I had a desire to be rational and scientific about existential questions and yet science cannot explain consciousness.  Bumping into this meditation practice and meeting my teacher was truly my good fortune.  Now, I am so interested in Jane Austen’s novels and the spiritual science of yoga that is found in the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.  Both books are gifts that help us gain better awareness of ourselves.  The honest scientist must be open to a serious exploration of consciousness, and to a rational journey into higher consciousness.  I hope you are enjoying my blog and if you are then please take a minute to subscribe.