One can not express the glory of the divine parents in mere words. Reading the life histories of the bhakta-s who were devoted to Her, and the saints in the periyapurana is inspiring. So is the reading of the thiruvilaiyadal (leelas of Lord Shiva), the various puranas like the basava purana, brahmananda purana, the shiva purana, the devi bhagavatam etc. However, all of these fall short of the actual experience one has when one stands before Them with folded hands and stills the mind.
One is right to question on who am I to even talk about their glory. However, I take consolation in the fact that no one is. Even if Brahma was to sit down and detail the intricate lilas of Lord Shiva and Shakti, he wouldn't come close to finishing the dissertation before the end of this yuga.
The reason a servant talks about his master is not because the master needs publicity or support, but because the servant is happy doing so. A child may talk about his mother, sometimes even wrongly and mistakenly, but the Mother always forgives the child because She loves him. Such is the case here.
Some of you may be confused with the non-dualistic experiences and thoughts below and their connection with the divine parents. The state of non-duality can be achieved not only by self-enquiry as to 'Who am I?' but also by unconditional surrender to the divine parents by offering everything in a spirit of sacrifice (though in a sense there is nothing to offer or sacrifice, since everything belongs to Them).
Further, Shiva-Shakti does not mean just manifestations seen by the senses but also mean consciousness at rest and consciousness in action, respectively. Thus they represent the noumenon and phenomenon, respectively. Who can know Shiva ? Who can know Shakti ? Only those who experience the Self. Since God is omnipresent, He is surely within you as the Self. Intellectual movements in the consciousness can not hope to fathom the glory of the spirit. Any mind which operates by exclusion, in duality cannot hope to realize the nondual reality. Until one surrenders completely, breaks the chains of devoring desire and ignorance, Shiva-Shakti will remain but a nice idea, someone who is worshipped, a interesting aspect from a distant land....
Humble obeisances to the eternal couple - ShivaShakti - always in undivided union and abiding as the universal consciousness which inheres as the Self (Atman) in all, from which all creations are projected and into which everything is finally dissolved.
May we joyously participate in the lila of Shakti
while being established in the consciousness of Shiva.
Every one of us seeks happiness. While some may seek happiness by relying on outside things, I have found that it simply does not work (in my case). Living without expecting a "desired result" and thus being indifferent to both pain and pleasure, while continuing to be compassionate to every one is my definition of happiness. It is my philosophy that pain and pleasure are just two sides to the same coin.
If you define reincarnation as the birth of a new thought and the extinguishment of an old thought (which continues irrespective of the physical body), and define heaven and hell as the peace of mind and turmoil of mind, respectively, then I believe in rebirth, heaven and hell. After all, where does the heaven and hell exist apart from the reality created by the mind. The body-mind and the ego will live long as it is desired. It is not important that they live long or enjoy or suffer because we are not them. Further, I feel that we should not spend time worrying or even thinking about the past or future rebirths. We should find out who we really are in this birth itself, instead of worrying about future rebirths. Even great saints like Ramana Maharshi have emphasized this. His words 'What makes you think you are born now ?' ring so true. If we identify with the Atman, what makes us think we were born since the Atman was never born. It is only because of our misidentification that we think we have a body, a mind, and undergo rebirths. We always are the ever-free Atman.
The past influences the future, and the only control we realistically have is the present. Let us live in the now forgetting about the future or the past.
Let me quote the famous sanskrit poem,
Look to this day, for it is Life. For Yesterday is already a Dream, and Tomorrow is only a Vision. But, Today, Well lived, makes every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness, and every Tomorrow, a Vision of Hope. and the english saying, Yesterday is history Tomorrow is mystery Now is the present -- Accept the gift.
The first principle in living a spiritual life is to be full of Love. Love is not a desire to become God, escape from the suffering, or even escape from rebirths of thoughts. It is simply Love in the non-dual sense. It is the will to be one with Shakti, not because She is the all powerful divine mother, but because She IS Love. In complete Love, a separate entity of I does not exist apart from Shakti.
To translate this in daily life involves two things, not to wilfully hurt someone, and secondly, seek out an opportunity to help someone. The former arises mainly due to thoughtlessness; a cruel word is said and later regretted. The thoughts repeat themselves in a neverending cycle. Any opportunity to help someone is to be taken as a divine gift bestowed upon us to carry out. Help should be not provided so that one can appreciated, or because of the love to the world, but because helping others should be our very nature since in essence, there is no one else other than the Self.
The second principle is discrimination. While usually associated with the discrimination between the real and the unreal, it is something more. Between good or evil, the choice is obvious. But between the will of the Self and the will of the mind/body, the choice becomes more difficult. At every step of the life (i.e every minute), we should ask ourselves whether the Divine would will it such a way. Often we are unable to hear the inner voice, not because it is non-existent, but because the clutter and noise of the mind (thoughts) is so much that it blocks the voice of reason and strength.
For example, when the mind wants to help others, the body complains it is too tired. When the body is well rested, the mind dwells on desires making you feel jealous, envious, greedy etc. Both the body and mind should be fed and rested, not because they are real but because they are the vehicle of your reality. Of course, moderation is essential. Socrates once said, 'I visit the market to see how many things I don't have nor need.'
The third principle is tolerance and desirelessness.
Possessions Happiness = ------------ DesiresIf you don't have much desires, even if your possessions are meagre, there is infinite happiness. Besides having desirelessness of comforts, un-needed possessions, there should also be a desirelessness for results. Often a help goes unappreciated, but that shouldn't bother us. Tolerance is the key. Everyone learns at his/her own pace. What seems right to you need not be right for anyone else. It is worse to impose on someone rather than help.
Desire, as such, is not wrong but only its smallness. The desire can be transformed to love, and to devotion of being real. The desire to be happy is inbuilt, but what is rarely understood is that happiness is within us.
As my friend says, 'Act as if everything matters, while Be as if nothing matters.' Often, we encounter material failures or successes and get carried away with it. My friend, who lost all possessions in a fire, put it succintly 'I did not lose anything, since I owned nothing. All I lost was something so unreal that a mere flash could take it away.' There is only a magical sentence to cure all depressions or elevations. 'This, too, shall pass.' Whatever happens, always remember, you are ever free and that only the body and the mind suffers or enjoys.
The final and the most important part of life is to be one-pointedness towards your chosen ideal and also practice self-enquiry. An one pointedness means that nothing ever will turn you away from the path. Failures, successes, temptations may all play a minor role, albeit momentarily, but the goal of the path is always remembered. The one pointedness cultivated by daily meditation also helps you in staying on the path. Treading on the ideals of the path will become your nature that turning away from it, would be like turning away from yourself. The more earnest you are at remembering who you really are, the sooner you will become aware of yourSelf.
Possibly, the most gratifying of all meditations is the self-enquiry. The question 'Who am I' is posed, or the thought 'I am' is maintained without any qualifying adjuncts. The thoughts are not fought, since the mind is a good fighter, but instead watched till they quietly calm down. It is akin to standing on the Lakshman joola (a bridge on the river ganges) and watching the water pass by. Water is passing by continuously, but gazing at a particular cross-section of the water one-pointedly without following any particular stream of water makes us feel it is still. Similarly, watching the thoughts standing aloof makes us realize that we are not the thoughts, but the witness of the thoughts. The final step is, of course, to step beyond the duality of the seen and the seer but that state can not be described by the mind but should be experienced. The closest I say is that it is like being aware while being unconscious.
We are the source of the animating force of life, the source of all creation. The spirit may be called Brahman, paramatman, Self, unified field or whatever you prefer, but it is simplicity itself. We are That. To realize this pure consciousness, our essential nature, one has to spend time with ourselves. In the silence of the mind, one communicates and communes with the cosmic mind (and the spirit). The spirit whispers to us in the silence. Let us be quiet and listen.
The pain and pleasure are only sides to the same coin. Wise chinese men aptly have the same word for crisis and oppurtunity. Suffering and pain are states perceived only because the state of lack of suffering and pain has been perceived. The individual, ego, mind all are also objects of perception. It is only by a habitual error that we identify ourselves with our perceptions and this is the cause of all suffering.
The ego exists within this anxiety and fear. Seeking pleasure and running away from suffering, one is constantly choosing based on past perceptions. Eventually, it is realized that all intention and will was only to free ourselves from the suffering incurred by the ego. The object itself does not contain pain or suffering. Neither does the object bring joy. It is only when we attach a name or form, and compare it based on past memory does the feeling of joy or suffering arise. Acceptance of suffering and joy unconditionally weakens the ego. The ego then accepts and dissolves within the Self, our true being. What is left is clear sighted silence, an objectless non dual experience.
By this awareness, free from all references of the past, or thoughts of the future, free from choice, repetition, habits, fear and desire, is a spontaneous understanding which has nothing whatsoever to do with mental activity. The accumulation, choosing, elaborating, and worry which take place on the time limited frame disappear. Being uninvolved with this circle, the swinging between past and future stops and we are awake to liberating awareness. Agitated swinging from past to future prevents you from living now in fulfilment itself. In your natural state, that of the Self, there are neither reminders or anything forgotten. Thoughts and feelings still flow but you don't associate them with you.
You exist not because of the body and mind but because you are a manifestation of the Self. Direct perception awakens you to this living. You cannot reach this state by logical analysis because your true nature is only being. True concentration and meditation can take place only when the subject and object relationship is transcended and there is no meditator ! Established in the Self, it is apparent that the ego/mind never did even exist in Reality !
Emotions, by itself, are not wrong, but they are often concerned about something petty. Emotions channeled right can turn into bhakti (devotion towards God). One who practices a "path" has to learn to look at the movements of the nature in all its manifestations, without interfering with it. That's is what is meant by living in the world, but not of it. However, this is a 'higher' stage.
First, the person has to recognize that all the imperfections reflected in the world are mainly due to his/her own judgements. The stormy duality which seemingly exists in the world is only a faithful mirror of himself. Then, the question arises on how to detach oneself from the world when all one knows at the initial stage is the body and the mind.
This is where yoga comes to help. Yoga quietens the mind to a great extent and an equanimity comparable to complete rest. This rest is accentuated by a bliss and joy (usually called samadhi). However, more importantly it becomes clear that all the happenings in the world is only a play, lila. Slowly, the vairagya (learning how to observe ourselves without emotions, judgement) is cultivated. Thus, the emotions and passions which create the turbulence in the mind are checked by emptying the mind of all images and stepping beyond the duality. Though this state may last only a few minutes initially, with the person returning to his habitual reactions, all that is neccessary is only this brief moment of illumination, or rather the brief glance at one's Self. Meditation is the art of awareness. Awareness always brings an end to addictive habitual reaction. It is the only way for the unaware man not to be enslaved to habitual reactions. It will be soon discovered that the habitual reactions are not actually real and will slowly lose its grip on the person as the persons continues to abide in his inner being, the Self.
It may look like the philosophy calls for emotionless, loveless life. On the contrary, what is called for an egoless love and emotion. When one has rediscovered his inner being, so to speak, he is nourished by a pure Love that has no basis in what is commonly seen as love among humans. It is at once liberating, and leads to a condition of happiness never before experienced.
I will conclude with an example. It is impossible for a driver of a cart to know whether he has the control of the cart until he stops. Once he stops, he can evaluate that the nature of the wheels. Similarly, so long as one is immersed in the world, in material life, and governed by its emotions, whims, rhythms and the cycle of success and failure, there is no hope of permanent happiness. One has to withdraw into himself and observe the world with detachment to see that the world operates of itself, and the judgements are largely self-imposed.
One can talk about this forever and never experience the reality which is being talked about. It is entirely up to you to take the step. This does require risk in the sense of losing "grip" of what you have been familar with all your life. But this step in absolutely neccessary. No one can do it for you. Once you have taken that step into the infinite void of bliss which is nothing but your Self, you will understand the oneness of life. Though we may not be able to change the manner of how the world operates, we can change ourselves to abide in the Self and view it differently. To lead such a life is both joyful and fun, believe me !
Objectivity is lost when one becomes swayed by desire or fear. When a thing provokes either a reaction to enjoy or avert, the attempt to escape becomes so engrossing that detachment disappears. Feelings of fear or desire leave a deep mark in the unconscious mind [This mark is called samskara]. Later, it reappears in the conscious mind and brings with it the charge of feeling causing one to become involved with it or take an action motivated by it. This makes the samskara be invested with more energy. It will therefore rise again with an even more compelling push towards Words, Action, Thoughts eventually resulting in the Character and Habits of the person (WATCH). Remember that the bad habits have to replaced by the good ones first before all of them are dropped off.
The only way to get out this eternal cycle is to ignore the samskara. As it rises repeatedly and gets no additional investment it loses it power to motivate and compel and is dissipated. Thus the saying
When the mind exists undisturbed
nothing in the world can offend [or please] ...
and when a thing can no longer offend [or please] ...
it ceases to exist.
This bundle of samskaras which results in habits comprises the character or personality. It is basis of our uniqueness and individuality. It is apparent that the selective weighting of samskaras creates an individual which forms the ego 'i.' The ego is then, from this perspective, essentially an illusion . If the habits are broken, character and personality are rewritten and when all the samskaras are allowed to dissipate, this ego 'i' would disappear revealing one's true eternal unchanging nature of awareness beyond the normal consciousness.
Not heeding to the ego and satisfying it's wants amounts to losing the ego. Caution and clinging to known concepts prevents one from taking the step into unknown. This frantic clinging to attachments becomes a matter of desperation and cuts off further growth. Further, there are cultural and society pressures which foster the growth and maintainence of ego. Investing time to develop beyond the ego is discouraged in almost all the societies in the world, especially in the countries where economic and material successes play a fundamental role in the society. Though the spiritual practice to subdue the ego and eventually ignore its control is difficult, it is a necessary one to realize our true nature.
Often, pseudo-growth is difficult to distinguish from authentic growth. There are magnificient fantasies on what would be done after destroying the samskaras and thus 'attaining enlightenment.' But all these are cast from the present desires and fears and based on the ego itself. Thus, the basis of destroying an individual personality is not destroyed but is strengthed. The actual process of evolution, on the other hand, is a step into the unknown. The frantic struggle to 'improve oneself' with known concepts and expectations must be given up altogether since these are in terms of an ego, essentially an illusion.
For true change to occur, the limits of the present ego must be fully admitted. It must be examined in detail, stripped of all pretenses, and exposed for what it really is. When a desire or aversion is exposed to the uncompromising crest jewel of discrimination, it loses its ability to grow or sprout again, much like a parched seed. When objectively discriminated, all of life's pleasures and fantasies are seen to be ephemeral and they come to seen as trivial. Giving up one's treasured attachments (to objects, person, concepts) entails a certain temporary pain. When the pain is viewed with detachment, a new perspective is gained. Breaking the binding nature of the ego is difficult only because most of us are accustomed to it by habit. However, when the association with the ego is broken, no questions about duality arise. One restructures the notions about the world and himself until the ego no longer controls. Then, we always abide in our eternal nature.
Our nature is awareness beyond the ego. One's imagination imprisons, for the person identifies with this imagination. The ego is an error, a lack of true vision. Thoughts, feelings appear and leave their imprint, if unchecked. Memories of them constitute a continuity which is non-existent. Awareness is reflected in the mind's mirror giving birth to ego. Confused by the reflection, the ignorant one believes himself to be an separate individual. In reality, we are beyond the space and time.
Don't surround yourself with imagined limitations, and impose a image on yourselves. This condition is the root of ignorance and the cause of all suffering. Be alert and see the things happening on an mind/intellect level, but never associate yourself with it. You are indeed beyond all constraints ! Indeed.
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