Are You Ready to Lose Yourself?

Right now you are immersed in your identity with this body and mind. Based on years of conditioning of the mind, you have established yourself to be the body and the mind.  A body with a name. You believe yourself to be an entity, a body-mind entity with a name.  The name could be John, Josh, Arjun, Akbar or whatever else your parents told you. On asking about who you are, you have no hesitation in pointing to this body and saying "this is who I am".  You look at yourself in the mirror and take pride in saying " my body". Yet, you have never given careful thought about your own TRUE IDENTITY. If inquired into, you will realize that you are neither this body nor this mind. But, before you come to this realization, you may have abundant questions. Questions about non-duality, about why the world is like this or that, about religion, about various rituals and religious practices, or about which practice or sadhana you must follow in order to attain this Realization. Questions, questions and more questions.  Never ending questions. Why? Only to add to your already existing base of knowledge.  Often, armed with this added knowledge you may want to impress your friends and show them how spiritually advanced you have become. By throwing this jargon of words around, you no doubt impress some people.  But all along you very well know within yourself that all of this is just a facade. You are still trapped with the strong conviction of being this body and mind and the story that comes along with it. All this knowledge from the wrongly directed questions will have only resulted in the strengthening of your identity of a form with a name, you ego.

If you happen to be in such a situation, do not get dejected. It is an all too common scenario and you just have to look around in the world of spirituality to see how many people fall into this situation. The main question you must ask yourself at this stage is whether you are really, really willing to get to the bottom of this quest or is this quest just to boost your ego and self worth. If you are really, really willing to get to the bottom of this quest for knowing your True Identity, in that case you must be willing to lose everything that you have gained so far.  You must be willing to plunge yourself whole heartedly into this venture. You must be ready to lose yourself completely. You must be willing to give up your current identity and surrender it at the feet of the Guru. You must be completely humble and not take credit for anything or any action. When you have thus left the load of your identity and the suffering associated with this identity to be carried by the Guru, you immediately become free. All problems and suffering is directly associated with an identity to the body and mind. You suffer only because of problems related to the body or thoughts (the mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts).

Now, if you do not identify yourself with the body or the mind, what questions can you have? All questions arise only when you identity with form and a name.  No identity of form and name = no questions = silence or absence of thoughts.  This thought-less state is the state of Just Being.

You are truly formless and without any identity but you are suffering only because you have falsely taken upon yourself this identity with the body and the mind(thoughts).  Don't waste any more time in acquiring more outside knowledge. All the knowledge you want is within your own self.  Just inquire as to who you really, really are.  That is all that is needed.

No Time for Realization

The idea of being a separate and independent entity called "me" is the reason why one thinks that some effort and action is required for Self Realization. In reality, the Self is already Realized. You know you are, right now and right here. Yet, this simple fact is ignored by almost all seekers since they have invested so heavily in the idea of a separate entity.  They strongly believe that some form of tapas or ritualistic action or path would have to be followed to experience the state of the Self. The concept of time is an essential element in the concept of karma. On careful analysis of one's own True Nature, it becomes evident that time is but a concept.

Come to think of it, if that Real State of Self is to be experienced at some point in the future through some path, it should exist now as much as it should in the future.  The fact that you say you cannot experience the Self now would amount to saying that the Self is non-existent at one time and existent at another time. Since the Real State should be present at all times (the past, present and future), the very idea of the Self not being experienced now but at some point in the future would negate Its Reality. A  state which comes at one point of time and goes away at another point of time cannot be the Final or Real State since that would not be eternal and unchanging.  However blissful the state may be, it cannot be Eternal if it is only experienced intermittently or at some point of time.  The Real and Eternal State of the Self just IS. It always IS. There is no question of coming and going for the Self. The very thought that the natural state of the Self has been lost and therefore will be found through tapas is false.

So, you may ask, what must the seeker do in that case?  We come back to square one as to 'who is the seeker who wants to know the Self?'.  It is not a question of knowing the Self.  On the contrary, it is a question of knowing the real identity of the seeker, the "me". The seeker has only to establish the falsehood of being a seeker. Through careful inquiry and discrimination of the Real from the false, the seeker must realize that he/she is a non-entity. The Self which is self shining will be self evident, as soon as the false "me" is removed.

As Ramana Maharshi once said, "After understanding theoretically that the Self is non-dual, and after staggering again and again in one's efforts to attain the practical experience of the real Self, when finally one's mental efforts subside, the knowledge which then shines in the heart is the nature of that Reality."

Absolutely Effortless

You want to know the Self. You want Self-Realization. You have been told by many a Guru and through literature that Self-Realization can be attained by anyone and everyone. All it needs is a certain practice or ritual to be performed by you on a regular basis. Simple, you have been told. Well, if it is that simple then why have you not got it as yet, you wonder. You have tried it all, be it Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation, Mantra Chanting, Kirtans, Spiritual Seminars, Spiritual Books, Bhajans, and still you are suffering.  You begin to question  "Is Advaita Vedanta a philosophy only, with no practical value?". 

Contrary to the conclusion you may have reached, the Guru has actually told you repeatedly that you ARE already what you are seeking. So, you cannot fault the Guru for making it amply simple and clear. It is obvious, that the one to burden the entire blame would be you - the seeker. The Guru has told you that you can never know the Self objectively. Yet, you insist on knowing the Self objectively. The Guru has told you that you cannot become what you already ARE. Yet, you insist on some action or path that will somehow lead you to your own Self.  To become something other than what you already are.  You believe that you have to DO something to GET something.  Does that not sound ridiculous on your part to keep on insisting on a method or practice (sadhana) when the Guru keeps pointing you in the opposite direction. All actions and practices (sadhana)will lead you away from your Self.  The very idea of doing some action or practice is due to the mental conditioning since childhood that to achieve anything one must put in effort and act accordingly. All actions are generally done with the intention of getting results or fruits of the action.  Even the spiritual action or spiritual practice or sadhana.  This desire to attain something which you believe you do not already have, is the so called suffering.  You feel incomplete and hence you believe there is a need to act or do some practice to become complete and put an end to the suffering. Now, it is easy for some teacher to say "act without caring about the results", but you very well know that it is next to impossible to comply with that statement. Don't fool yourself otherwise.

Is there really anything you can do? Well, are we not back to square one with that question? Well, yes, there is a practice which is actually not a practice as such. It is a way of denying reality to something which is false. It is way of realizing the false as false. There is nothing you can do or have done to attain the Self. The Self is already realized.  You already KNOW YOU ARE.  The only way to Self Realization  or Understanding is to do Self Inquiry. By the action of Self-Inquiry, the one who is in the wrong belief of being an entity doing the action ceases to exist as an entity. The Self which is self effulgent, self shining, and self evident continues being so as always and Realization is nothing other than the seeker ceasing to continue in the false belief of being a separate entity. Although, to the seeker, there is apparent action and practice being performed, as soon as the Clarity of Seeing becomes evident, such a question does not arise anymore. You (as a seeker) are just as false as the appearance of the world that you believe in. All action is just as illusory as the world itself.

You have never done anything and will never do anything. You always have been and always will be solid, non moving, action-less, silent witness to the appearance which is constantly changing and moving and seemingly acting. The one who thinks is doing any sadhana (practice) is false and must realize the falseness of itself.  Being as you are is absolutely effortless.

Nobody, Somebody and Everybody

To begin with you are a nobody, a no-body. This nobody gave rise to the feeling of being somebody or rather this body. Actually, it is the nobody getting confused and thinking it is somebody.  With the notion of being a somebody,  this same nobody which was the essence of peace and bliss, started suffering. Because the notion of being somebody meant being separate from other bodies, it started feeling insecure and vulnerable. As a somebody, it felt alienated in this world of other bodies, which it assumed are not itself since they appear to be separate from this body. This somebody became the embodiment of suffering. This somebody started searching for an answer, an answer to the end of suffering. Thereby started the search and this somebody became a seeker.

At some point in time, this somebody was told by a Guru (who also appeared to be somebody but was established as a no-body) that the True Nature of this somebody was actually nobody.  "All along, you have been nobody but you have falsely believed yourself to be somebody and hence you have been suffering", were the words of the Guru. This somebody started meditating on what the Guru had told. In a fraction of a second, suddenly and without any effort on part of anybody, this somebody suddenly Realized that actually everybody is nobody and just because they think they are somebody, they feel that they are independent and separate from other bodies and hence the suffering.  As soon as somebody Realizes that they are nobody, then the suffering stops, and the seeking stops, for the seeker is the sought. 

It becomes clear to this somebody, that there is nothing to be sought and all that is necessary to put an end to this suffering is to establish the false identity of this somebody. Everybody arises from and subsides into nobody.  Therefore, nobody is the source of everybody. Nobody is also the source of everything since one has to be somebody to perceive the world of things as objects. 

Just SEE that you are no-body and stop pretending to be some-body.

(Maybe this clarification will help some readers. No-body = Consciousness. Some-body= Ego or Jeeva or body-mind entity called "me". Every-body= all Jeevas.)

Anchor the Mind to Its Source

The mind is both the source of joy and sorrow. Since the seeker associates himself or herself to be an entity with a mind, the entity goes up and down with the mind. Hence, the feeling of being happy or sad. This problem of ups and downs is the reason most seek out an answer.  Everyone wants to be only happy and who would not? There are two ways to go about figuring out how to get out of this mess.  The best way is to disregard the mind and investigate the entity ("me"). The other way is to investigate the mind itself and realize its nature, its functioning and source.

A lot of spiritual practices will encourage one to control the mind.  Mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts.  It is not an objective entity. One who has tried to control the mind will be able to testify how difficult this can be.  Instead, would it not be a lot easier if the seeking entity (called "me") SEES the falseness of itself and disengages from the activities of the mind?  If one can come around to doing Self-Inquiry (vichara), there is no better solution than that. However, this article is for those of us for whom Self-Inquiry is not feasible or easily understood. Perhaps for some, purifying the mind may be the first step towards greater and eventual goals like knowing one's own True Nature.

It is peace of mind which the seeker wants and is that not what most of us want?  How can one get peace of mind?  Common experience tells you that the more you try to control it the more it rebels.  Meditation is certainly a temporary solution. If peace of mind, even temporary, is what you want, then meditation is not a bad answer. But what kind of meditation?

When one keeps oneself engaged in thoughts, the thoughts multiply. One gets lost in more and more thoughts.  The thoughts lead one away from one's own self.  However, if the mind can be turned around and gently focused on the source from where the thoughts arise, then the thoughts gradually lose their energy and subside into their source.  Do not try to stop the thoughts. Just watch where they come from and be the silent witness of the thoughts.  Do not get carried away into the thoughts.  Always bring your attention back to the source of the thoughts. Anchoring the mind to its source brings about peace almost immediately. One falls into the state of thoughtlessness, which is your Natural State.  Repeated practice of this simple meditation of bringing one's attention to the source of the thoughts will take one deeper into further insights of one's own True Nature.

Despicable Me

Most will read this blog and other such material on Advaita and wonder "what does it have which will benefit me?". Well, before you begin to read any further, let it be clear that there is nothing here that will benefit you. In fact, be warned that the more you read and digest what is being said here, the more likely is it that it will result in you losing all that you valued so far. The one thing that most people value is their identity with the body and mind- the "me".  Just try insulting someone and you will get an immediate taste of what is being pointed to! Or how about if someone insults you.

As a result of the belief of being the body, one caters to the body and become a slave of the desires of the body. They become a slave to the demands of the mind.  As is obvious, the mind can be a dominating and ruthless master. The "me" that is being pointed to here is the identity of being an individual. One may call it the ego, if they wish.

This individual identity is the well established feeling of being this body and this mind. Since early childhood, this has been ingrained into one's psyche by family, school and society. So strong is this individual identity that despite being convinced that one is neither the body nor the mind, the identity still persists for almost all but the very rare few.  The three pillars of faith, devotion and surrender to the Guru are absolutely essential, in the opinion of this author, to dispel this idea of being the body and the mind i.e. an individual.  Without the three pillars of faith, devotion and surrender to the Guru, this despicable "me" is not willing to give up the battle.

By constant inquiry into the nature of one's own self (vichara) and with the support of the three pillars, the despicable "me" will eventually subside.  With the subsidence of the "me", one is in one's own Natural State which is beyond any description but always available to all. It is just a matter of seeing the false as false. The "me" is a false entity and should simply be recognized as such.  Otherwise, this despicable "me" will make one dance to its tune. Hopefully the one reading this is that rare one to realize the false as false.

For God's Sake

The message that is published in this blog is nothing new. The same message has been dished out by thousands, if not millions, of mystics and ordinary people from all around the globe over the past many many centuries. This is not a message restricted to a few cultures, religions or race or geographical location.  The message has come out spontaneously in all who have made the simple effort to look within. It may have been spoken in many different languages but the language of love for God is the same.  Just so that one does not get the impression that Advaita is from the East, this author has selected some poems and brief excerpts from the Western mystics who have spoken the same message of Non-duality or Advaita.  For those of us who have an unquenchable thirst to know God and be in union with God, these simple and succinct messages will hit the message home.  These are not messages from  individuals. These are messages from Consciousness as there is nothing apart from Consciousness.

This is just a small sampling of some of the poems and brief messages out there. The earnest seeker will understand the simplicity and bluntness of these messages.

GOD WHOSE LOVE AND JOY

God, whose love and joy
are present everywhere,
can't come to visit you
unless you aren't there.

          --Angelus Silesius


GOD IS A PURE NO-THING


God is a pure no-thing
concealed in the now and here:
the less you reach for him,
the more he will appear.

       --Angelus Silesius


EFFORTLESSLY


Effortlessly,
Love flows from God into man,
Like a bird
Who rivers the air
Without moving her wings.
Thus we move in His world
One in body and soul,
Though outwardly separate in form.
As the Source strikes the note,
Humanity sings--
The Holy Spirit is our harpist,
And all the stings
Which are touched in Love
Must sound.

       -- Mechtild of Magdeburg


THE SUM OF PERFECTION


Creation forgotten,
Creator only known,
Attention turned inward
In love with the Beloved alone.

      --Saint John of the Cross


UNSOPHISTICATED TEACHERS SAY


Unsophisticated teachers say that God is pure being.
He is as high above being as the highest angel is above a gnat.
I would be speaking as incorrectly in calling God a being,
as if I called the sun pale or black.
God is neither this nor that.

          --Meister Eckhart


AND THEREFORE I AM UNBORN


And therefore I am unborn, and
in the manner in which I am unborn
I can never die.

In my birth all things were
born
and I was the cause of myself
and of all things; and
if I would have wished it,
I would not be nor would all other things be.
And if I did not exist,
"God" would also not exist.
That God is "God",
of that I am a cause;
if I did not exist, God too
would not be "God".
There is no need
to understand
this.


          --Meister Eckhart       



YOU WHO WANT


You who want
knowledge,
seek the Oneness
within

There you
will find
the clean mirror
already waiting.

        --Hadewijch II