Thinking about It

Just as the same 8 musical notes can come together in different ways to produce thousands of songs, all of our diverse selves are made of the same 5 elements (space, air, fire, water and earth). Even our most basic desires can make up such a variety of thoughts or reactions to things!

In all-pervading divinity, we put up divisions of "me" on our body, and "not me" to all that outside of us. We then build on that limited entity, using color (culture, skin, lineage, etc.) to define the person as "better" or "worse". But while we can accept that we're not just pretty faces, it's harder to see that we give importance to other superficial aspects as well and overlook our essence. Our personality, values, habits, intellectual achievements, or emotional temperaments is not all that we are.

Everywhere around us, there's space. All-pervading, it's both inside and outside everything. So whatever we create is in that space. For example, walls create boundaries of the space in a room. But space is not conditioned by what is created as it is pervasive, untouched and indivisible. The truth and divinity that we are trying to understand is the same. We feel we are distinct and separate, but everything is inside of truth and therefore, not separate. Nothing can divide the truth, or us.

Each jewelry, whether it be a necklace, earring, nose ring, or bangle, has a different shape, size, design, or thickness. But in essence, all of it is the one same gold. In creation too, when we see things, we see it all as unrelated and distinct individuals. For example, when we look at buildings, oceans, or each other, we see me (one entity) and you (separate entity). But it is all from the same oneness; tied together in existence and in our ability to see, know or understand it (ie. consciousness/chit).

All creation comes from, plays in and dissolves into the unaffected substratum of truth, Supreme Self or divinity. For example, dreams are created by our mind, live in our mind and dissolve back into our mind. Even in terms of our own world, whether it be a belief, value or emotion that we create, it comes out of us. It exists for as long as we choose for it to before it goes back into us. So what exactly are we creating, how long do we want it to last and when are we going to be ready to let it dissolve?

We're constantly projecting onto things, a value, belief or attitude that's not there. In Vedanta, this is explained as superimposition on the substratum, after which, we see only the superimposed as real. For example, we superimpose gender, personality or aspirations on ourselves, seeing that as who we are. We even make sense of the world all based on our superimposed thoughts! Notice how quickly we assume something to be correct, important, or true when we haven't even questioned it?

Despite having experienced our dream or an argument to have all been in our head, we still assume everything we're experiencing is real. We feel the same palpitations, anxiety and dread every single time until it ends. Similarly, we passionately hold on to our likes and dislikes, let them grow into love and aversion and give them so much control over us. But they are as real as the dream for they change, and their hold is only for as long as it ends. Is that worth letting every thought direct us?

When we listen to Satsang or study the scriptures, uplifting thoughts are introduced. Despite adding more thoughts into a mind that's already filled with them, the quality of the new thoughts changes the entire texture of our mind. This also changes who we are and what we experience as the purifying thoughts of the higher clear away all other useless or unnecessary ones. So in a mind free from pettiness, likes, dislikes or judgements, we enjoy what the scriptures explain to us is our true nature - love.

The Sun's always there and shining, but when clouds come to cover the Sun, we wonder, "There's no Sun today!" In the same way, our true nature of bliss, love and joy is always there and self-effulgent, but our own thoughts rise in our mind to block us from seeing our truth. And just as the wind blows away the clouds so that we see the Sun shining brightly in the sky once again, we meditate to quieten our mind. Upon letting go of every single thought, in the blissful silence, we come to know ourselves.

When we don't know, we feel we are lacking and incomplete. We then want what we think we don't have, prompting us into action. But when action is a product of our ignorance, it can never be the solution for it. Only knowledge is what opposes ignorance and can remove it. Thus, while Japa and service to mankind is important, they're not going to give us knowledge but simply prepare our mind. So are your actions encouraged by your fears and desires or are they bringing you closer to getting knowledge?