Walking the path of Life
The master said to his disciple: “Experiences in Life are meant to peel all the layers of perceived knowledge, for those who are aware. Those who are not, merely will react according to likes or dislikes strengthening emotions. A strong like will create an avenue for pleasure, with the mental need to repeat certain experiences. A strong dislike will create a trauma due to a rejection of such experience. Caught up in such duality most human beings are unable to move on towards greater consciousness.”
The disciple responded: “It appears that everything is about the mind ….”
The master took a moment and said: “There are many types of seekers and every one of them is at a particular landmark in that path. In general, the mental layer is the first and perhaps most important at this time, to set yourself free. In this Life path, it is of no consequence to know how the brain works or to understand what is conscious or unconscious. What is very important is to observe what is there and what triggers it. How anxiety comes up? How fear arrives? How the sense of insecurity lingers throughout the day? What is like to feel at ease? Are we able to observe violence as we act? That is important.”
Then the disciple said: “I noticed that many seekers know the theory behind improving themselves. They know what to practice and what not. However, when tests in Life appear they fail the test. Why is that?”
The master responded: “Most likely they are unaware of their emotions. Thought cannot control an emotion. It can only repress it, but eventually; the emotion will surface with greater intensity. At this time, fear is one of the greatest emotions influencing most people. Those who have walked the path, know the importance of the process of catharsis for emotional liberation. While your arms are extending towards heaven; your feet are immersed in the depths of hell. To acknowledge that duality within creates that which we know as self. Transcending it means to integrate it.”
The disciple eagerly said: “Then that will be to know yourself? We arrived. Correct?”
The master calmly replied: “Because there is self, in the world of duality there is also no-self which is the collective consciousness. The most significant aspect of that collective consciousness is experienced through the emotional and mental roots of your family ancestry. ‘you’ are not only what ‘you are’ but what your family has been. There are branches from that family tree influencing you. Most are completely unaware of that. That is how the past is connected to the present and the future. Once that layer is peeled off, you are free to be no one.”
The disciple was a bit disturbed and responded: “No one? That is scary.”
The master immediately said: “And very gratifying indeed. Peel all the layers of the onion. What is left? Similarly, all those onion layers are like armors of ego protecting nothing inside. Do you see that? As you are peeling the onion, you may shed some tears, which at the same time will give you the fuel to smile with greater intensity. That is the gift of duality. To know who you are is to liberate yourself from the cage of yourself.”
Exploring the Depth of Living 
One of the best articles . Thank you.
On Thu, Feb 11, 2021 at 11:41 PM Exploring the Depth of Living wrote:
> ahnanda posted: ” The master said to his disciple: “Experiences in Life > are meant to peel all the layers of perceived knowledge, for those who are > aware. Those who are not, merely will react according to likes or dislikes > strengthening emotions. A strong like will create ” >
LikeLiked by 1 person