Tagged: guru
The art of surrendering
Many may ask: What is that state of “no-I” that you talk about? How do you become egoless?
Many want an explanation and a method to practice.
Few will realize after all these articles shared here, that before being egoless, we need to experience the utmost ego that we are capable of experiencing.
That is the principle of polarity in action. Your Ego has to be mature, ready to die. Without that requisite there is no surrender.
In other words, until you have not reached the point of saturation of ego in your Life, to be ego-less is out of the question.
As a matter of fact, any method that we may practice in the meantime, is meant to increase the size of the ego.
For instance, if you join a religion as a method to become free from ego, that in itself is building your ego. That is not “bad” at all. By being in that religion we may feel to be “special,” a “chosen one,” that is enhancing our previous ego. That is wonderful! 🙂
Many do not realize what is actually happening until the polarity changes.
When the ego has inflated itself to the utmost, it will explode like a balloon, then through that explosion; the ego will dissolve little by little. That is a process as well.
That process of inflating the ego, is painful. It brings suffering to our ego, until we give up.
That giving up, giving into something new is the meaning of surrendering.
What do you give up?
Yourself. That ego which believes to be you.
That surrendering could be to a Guru, a God, a loved one, etc. What is important is the process of surrendering not to who you surrender to. It is through that surrendering how something new, a new Life could be experienced.
Our ego will delay that experience of fully surrendering until the ego is fat enough to explode. Therefore, only those who have reached the pinnacle of suffering due to their ego are the only ones who could be ready to surrender and become empty of themselves.
For the rest, any path they may take, whether a Godly or a Devilish path… all of those paths are just methods to increase the size of their own egos.
That is why, there is not a “bad” path.
When you surrender, someone else takes control of your Life. You are not in charge anymore. It is through that experience how someone else, can appear in you instead of the same old ego.
To surrender the ego is an act of love, manifested through the death of that one who was there before.
That is how Love comes out of Death, just to manifest in Life. Life and Death are together.
Without the experience of having surrendered completely to become one with someone, there cannot be love between humans, for there will be only 2 fighting egos trying to possess or to boss around the other.
Eventually it becomes the relationship of the master and the slave. There is a dependency between both roles, there is a hierarchy.
The possibilities in a relationship with someone are as follows:
One ego plus another ego equals the duality of love and hate. That is the typical relationship nowadays. It is about having “security” and that kills love.
One ego plus a surrendered individual means the possibility for 2 to be one.
However, the remaining ego will give the tune to the relationship. This is the model of relationship of the 1800’s when the woman surrendered to her husband.
The surrendered person will lose her ego, her previous Life. The one who did not, will be reflected through her. Lesser ego means to be closer to a “0” a “nothing” so, 0+0 will be nothing, “0.”
That is love. That is freedom. That is death.
Love is no longer a duality, but something to be discovered at every second.
“I” am that… which “you” only believe in
“Heaven is a state of mind, not a location, since Spirit is everywhere and in everything. You can begin making a conscious decision to look for the unfolding of Spirit in everything and everyone that you encounter. I personally do this by making an effort to look upon my world as if I were observing it through lenses that filter out the form and all of the material aspects of what I am seeing, and can only view the spiritual energy that allows what I am noticing to exist. Try putting on these imaginary magical lenses and see how different everything appears…”
The paragraph above is an excerpt from an article in a magazine. The author is a well known “self-help” Guru, who wrote many “best sellers.”
Observe the assumptions. Observe the keywords used: Heaven, Spirit… and observe the “method:” To make a conscious effort to see something that he is not really seeing for the sake of conforming with his belief.
Observe the decision to make “spirit” as something more desirable than “matter” or our current perception.
That teaching has gone into mainstream. If Guru XYZ is perceived to be able to live in a realm of bliss and continuous delight, then that must be the “place” where “I” need to be. If Guru XYZ is seeing something that I don’t, let me “make an effort” to see the same, let me use my imagination and convince myself that this is the “real thing.”
The excerpt above has appeal to mainstream because it is able to give an easy “solution” for the perception of suffering = matter, mostly viewed and at the same time, it gently guides individuals into accepting a different perception of reality.
That acceptance comes automatically with the recognition of the “spiritual advancement” of the Guru writing the excerpt. “ He is a best seller author, he must be good and he must know what he is talking about!”
Heaven as Paradise is supposed to be a “place.” But that place does not exist without a new consciousness. People with new consciousness make that Heaven and not a place.
The belief of going to “heaven” without a change of consciousness is plain ego. There is no religion able to offer change of consciousness, but only change of behavior.
The “spirit” is consciousness. There are many individual spirits like individual human beings, but consciousness is One and for all, manifested according to our nature at a particular time. That consciousness is beyond the grasp of the “I” to change.
What the Guru wrote is not “bad” at all… It is not “wrong.” It is what his intellect was able to perceive. The issue is when followers call that the “truth” and would like to make their particular experiences to fit the Guru’s.
In my perception, I will honor what I perceive without trying to change it by playing mind games, knowing that my perception is not the “truth” but a perception, and that there are many other perceptions according to states of consciousness. The perception will change and the “I” will change as well.
What I find important is not the perception itself but our ability to enjoy that experience. Let me repeat that again. What is important is our ability to enjoy our perception, that experience while it lasts, for it will go away. That in itself brings openness to hear other perceptions, for we are not investing in a particular viewpoint.
The “I” changes as we allow for that change of perceptions. It is not about putting on “imaginary glasses” but we will see things under a different light when the rigid “I” opens up.
However the “I” is looking for “truth” for a piece of information to hold on to as that will give importance and support to the existence of that “I.”
“I have the truth.”
Let me give another example that I read in the same magazine by another Guru:
“In a Hindu text, a wise man is asked: ”Of all things in Life what is the most amazing?” He answers, “That a man seeing others die all around him, never thinks that he will die.” Taking time to reflect deeply on one’s own death with clarity, understanding and compassion, one can move out of denial, confusion and fear and focus on what is important: how to prepare for being present with the dying process, personally and with others. Reflection on death and impermanence is the portal to living a life of true meaning and happiness.”
Observe the words used, the assumptions, the “solutions.”
Does a man seeing that others are born all around him, ever wonder about his own birth?
Isn’t to die a process from the minute that we are born? Why separate dying and living if they go together?
What is the meaning of a “deep reflection” when in the “future,” we will be someone different?
The words “deep reflection” mean nothing, when there is observation of the changes in Life and openness, continuous acceptance, agreement with Life itself. Consciousness will be there even though “I” will die.
Learn to enjoy the experience of changes. It is all change, nothing could be destroyed… it just recycles.
How do I know that?
Because “I” am that, of course. Just like “you.” 🙂 Life itself.
A Pelican: The Guru of balance
Ananda enjoys going for a bike ride early in the morning by the Bay, as the birds awaken the daydreamers with their melodious self-made music.
Going out on a ride will be followed by coming back. That is self-evident. However, what happens in between is part of the newness that Life brings at every moment.
Ananda was riding his bike with the wind. Coming back, he was riding against the wind.
Both are experiences in Life, the completion of both experiences is what brings “insight” as “knowing” but never as the ultimate “truth for everyone” to follow. Everyone needs to ride their own bike and their experience may be different.
On the way out, it was an effortless ride. Although, it felt hot as the temperature went up. On the way back, it was an effort to pedal, but it was cooler and breezy.
Just like Life.
Today your grass may be greener but tomorrow it will not.
Both experiences are just that, experiences which in “reality” are just “One” experience. Going out and coming back is the trip of Life.
Ananda hasn’t said anything extraordinaire up to this point, but he had…. 🙂
“Going out was so easy. I was sweating like a pig, but it was nothing…. but, coming back… that was cruel man! I wanted to quit!”
Sounds familiar?
It is called comparison.
Judgment is included in that as well as a teaching for humanity, that is …everyone else:
“Do not ride against the wind.”
Ananda stopped by the beach to go for a swim. He observed a pelican teaching him what balance is all about: There is a time for gliding and another for flapping. That harmonious combination gives that gracefulness in flying. Funny, the pelican didn’t say a word of wisdom in its teaching.
I could hear some human teachings:
“Don’t be lazy. Make effort all the time. Flap your wings until there is nothing left. Go against the wind or with it. It does not matter. If you look tired is not “good.” Always have a smiling face.”
Or
“Don’t do a thing, man. Let everyone else do it for you. You need to learn how to use people to your advantage. There is always a sucker out there…”
The “black or white” mentality.
The pelican kept flying. You couldn’t see a smile in its face, but a sense of elegance, distinction and confidence.
The pelican does not know what those words; elegance, distinction and confidence mean. The pelican “is” all of that without knowing. Isn’t that paradoxical?
Shall we teach a monkey to “become that”?
If the monkey could observe. If the monkey could know by experience what harmony is, then perhaps the monkey will be ready to learn.
What about if we take the monkey to a school to learn all those things?
Information is not the “thing.”
“Scientific research has proven that 20% of white adult males between the ages of 30 and 45 years will not complain when riding against the wind. That is when riding on a wind of 8 mph coming from the East in a fairly cloudy day with 90% humidity.”
Now you “know.” Your experience may be different but a researcher knows best. 🙂
In Life, we will go out just to come back. If our mind rejects one side of the trip, we have created a duality.
“Going out is better. Always select it. It is heaven. God will be with you.”
For those experiencing coming back in their trip of Life there is “hope:”
“That suffering in pedaling will have a reward in heaven. Don’t stop. Keep moving until you cannot pedal an inch.”
Observe. Be in tune with those who are less intelligent than you. Those who have fewer degrees than you, those who do not have God in their side… those who do not think but who feel Life at every moment, that is those who “live in the now,” without knowing what in the heck that is.
A teacher appears everyday in Nature. When the student is ready to observe, the teacher appears.
How do you recognize the teacher?
There will not be any teachings for you.
Fanaticism
In our quest to have the “truth,” to be “right,” and to find “meaning in life,” we look for ways to self validate our own worth in the realization that Life otherwise, may be a meaningless trip.
How about a belief in the hierarchies of the afterlife?
How about a belief in a religious system or philosophy to get salvation?
How about the belief of having found the only truth?
How about the belief of having found the only God?
All of the above “searches” are only giving validation to an ego looking to survive, to become something valuable.
To be someone.
“ I have read all the books from this wonderful Guru”
“I have known your holiness, for many years. I am very close with him.”
“ I have the mission to teach humanity.”
“ I am the chosen one.”
Pettiness looking for self-aggrandizement.
A fanatic lives through others. He is on a mission. That mission will give validation to an otherwise, empty life.
“You are a peaceful being” “You are wise.” “You are deep.”
Those are the elements the ego looks for validation.
When that validation turns into a mission in Life, then a fanatic is born.
When many individuals are “part of it” the idea of “righteousness” appears.
Righteousness requires supporters to be “right.”
Observe how we have created many icons to follow in what we call Life: The “Jet-set,” the Glamour of the rich and famous; the world renown experts, the “somebody in a world of unknowns.”
None of that has value in Life beyond the borders of our imagination.
It is meaningless to have read all the books of some Guru unless we have recognized in those books, what we have personally gone through, our own experience. That recognition only gives labels to what we already know. Otherwise, it is just to accumulate more information, like reading Wikipedia. Not “bad,” but a good source of Trivia.
It is meaningless to worship someone. That only shows fear.
It is meaningless to believe in only a particular God, when we have experienced that everyone has their own perception, and that perception has equal validity like anyone else.
I am truly amazed on how this thing which we call “spirituality” has been altered into another fad, another marketing scheme to take advantage of desperate individuals or not so desperate.
That clinging into a philosophy, into an idea creates fanaticism.
This “spirituality” thing is merely to look into yourself.
“Salvation” is within.
Do we want the meaning of Life?
Appreciate it.
Do we want a goal and objective?
Enjoy it.
Do we want to find the truth?
Self-honesty has it.
Do we want to worship something?
Start with Life.
Do we want to know a wonder in Life?
Recognize and acknowledge your own Life.
As much as the “Office world” has taught us to look “outside of us” for meaning, and “spirituality” teaches us to look inside, let us not make the difference between outside and inside… it is all One.
A fanatic will support one side and reject the other.
A “Life walker,” a seeker; embraces all and lives in balance in that unity.
From life at the “office” to living Nature
“Life at the office” is the term used to describe our worldly experience of a man-made world away from the laws of Nature.
When our mind is immersed in the “world at the office,” then our understanding of the Universe and the way Life operates will be very limited.
Anne wanted to “improve” herself. Anne was taught that “knowledge is power” so she went to the bookstore where she found plenty of books. Anne decided to go for “Self help” under that, she found “spirituality” and in another subsection, there was “Western,” “Eastern” and “New Age,” thought. The labels were neatly divided into different religions and philosophies and then into different authors.
Anne felt a bit overwhelmed that she had to read so many books to “help herself.”
Anne decided to hire someone, a local Guru who she heard “talks pretty good stuff” to “coach” Anne into getting certified as a “spiritual life coach,” so she can become a teacher to “make the difference in the lives of many.”
Anne heard: “You could be what you want to be. Your past does not determine your destiny unless you decide that. You could follow a proven path to help your clients to reach their goals.”
Anne then had a successful training in the “Secret” and in metaphysical studies.
Anne became a proven knowledgeable Guru of life… She was certified and she went through rigorous training… 🙂
The above scenario illustrates our belief in the “world at the office” to understand “self-help” or “spirituality,” which Avyakt7 likes to call “living life with joy.”
Obviously, there is no way that any sort of “book learning” and “certification” could give anyone the wisdom coming from insight.
But… what about if Anne joins a religion?
What about if Anne stays in that religion for 30 or more years? Could she become a “true” spiritual guru?
Of course she will. The followers of her path will be her audience. She will be the example of dedication and love to whatever they believe is worthwhile in life.
Certifications are not required here, but unbreakable loyalty to a dogma is the most important valued item.
However meaningful that may be, it does not mean that Anne will experience the art of living life with joy, that is to be “spiritual.” 🙂
That cannot be learned by following a particular path, for life is greater than just one path.
Something outlined to be followed to reach “illumination” will present the typical duality: Acceptance of “my path” and rejection of other paths.
Isn’t it? Do we see that?
If you hear someone who is representing any religion, once you heard that person; you have heard more or less all the followers who belong to that path.
You know their definitions. You know their philosophy. You know what they believe in. You know what they represent.
The structure, the dogma becomes very important to repeat. Repression will arise in that circumstance and with that the inability to perceive Oneness.
The “world at the office” has taught us: “This is good, that is bad. This is right, that is wrong. This is moral, that is not. We have the truth, they do not. We have God with us, they do not. We will go to heaven, they will not. Our ideas are correct, theirs is not.”
The Universe, Nature, life, does not support that segregation.
The experience of the path of “certifications” or the path of “loyalty to a dogma,” both are good experiences.
The issue resides in the belief that “we have found the truth.”
That is the biggest illusion. That is the greatest ego builder there is.
If we would like to understand life, Nature, the Universe, that means to become it, to be that truth, not to talk about it.
For that, we may need to observe.
To observe we may need to clean our minds from previous learning.
That cleaning is personal. Every one of us has different experiences, different beliefs, different emotional issues, different traumas, etc.
In other words, as our minds become “pure” by dissolving all the previous learning, we have the space, the openness to observe and learn from Nature itself.
That is the meaning of being born again.
It is evident that no bookstore or teacher is going to teach us that, because all we could get from them is more information (books, CDs, DVDs) that will cloud the mind with preconceptions of life…. of Nature.
However, if the above is just accepted because Avyakt7 says so; that is a big illusion as well.
It has to be realized. It has to be the product of our own experience. It has to be the fruit of previous search, of previous experiences of looking for answers… This is the “homework” that may need to be done so the next chapter starts afresh.
The beauty of the range of experiences in life will take the “life walker” from gaining information into emptying himself from it. The “method” is according to where our consciousness is located. Some may need to gain information, others to dissolve it as beliefs.
As that emptiness is necessary for our insight to appear, we could be like those birds who already know about flying in a “V” formation without ever going to a library to learn… and that insight cannot be put into words for “others” to follow.
It is immediate, intuitive…reflecting only the moment, the now.
Discovering Ego step by step
We have developed a society where the consciousness of individuality is prevalent.
We can only perceive separation from “me.”
As every individual realizes that to “play” in this world in a “smart fashion” is about making sure that “I” get things/privileges/ options/ positions/money/Paradise before “you” then, a “sharp” individual will make sure to get the “job done.”
This implies the “art” of convincing others that “I” am in the right path, that “I” am arriving someplace and at the same time, convincing myself that “I am happy.” 🙂
If we cannot achieve some goal that we have in mind, then there is a “guru” available for us who can show us how to get there… We have self-help books, we have “coaches,” we have subscriptions to the “top minds in business,” and of course, we have religions as well if our goal is beyond this “materialistic degraded world.”
Someone could show you even God. Think about it!!
However, as great the possibilities may be…there is no change in consciousness.
When our consciousness is stuck in individuality anything that we “do” will be about “ourselves.”
We will be full of ourselves. 🙂
“Show the world who you are.”
Who are you? What is so great about you?
In a different consciousness, we are part of the totality of life. Another piece in the giant puzzle.
Isn’t that great?
I guess, that does not fulfill our ego, right?
“I want things to be perfect.”
Isn’t perfect what we think it is? Is there only one way to perfection? Probably that way is “our” way, right?
Isn’t perfection at the mental level nothing else but the rejection of something that we consider to be “imperfect”? 🙂
“Compete and win. Winning is everything. You are a fighter.”
🙂 If you can run faster than another human being, that is great… if someone’s gift in life is considered to be the “thing to achieve” by all, then we are in trouble.
It is another display of “me.” My “country.” My “national anthem.” “My flag.” “My people” is the best…. 🙂
If doing something in life is about “winning” that is one of the most “devastating” things that we can think of and that we can do to ourselves. It is just another way to strengthen our ego. The joy of doing something is beyond the duality of winning and losing.
When we are all tired of “seeing how this world is all about getting to be someone and to get more money” then we could pursue a religious belief in the after life.
Granted some of us had an experience from God, signaling that we are part of the “selected ones.” Our lives are meant to be “different” and to have a “greater meaning.” We are here to “help others.” We are here to “teach others.”
When our consciousness is stuck in individuality all we could achieve is to strengthen our ego. It doesn’t matter if we are “fighting” here in the material world to be “someone” or to “fight” out there in the world beyond.
Please see that as long as we could only see separation and individuality we are “doomed” to “achieve” a greater ego. It does not matter what we do in life. It does not matter what we believe in. It is the same consciousness after all.
Perhaps to “build up” our ego is “bad” for us?
Not at all. Everything has consequences though. An ego out of proportion could do lots of harm to the self and to “others,” because that ego is unable to see interdependence.
“I won a prize in a competition but I did not want to claim it for I want to be humble and want others to enjoy the prize.”
My thought of being a “winner” conflicts with my thought of being humble. The result is another thought which denies itself the experience of winning a prize for the continuation of the “ideal” of being “humble.”
That is called repression not being humble.
The word “humble” in the consciousness of individuality is just a misinterpreted word. A senseless word to repress through thinking something which dwells in a different consciousness.
To be “humble” naturally happens in the consciousness of Totality without thinking about it, without looking for a dictionary definition of that word.
Paradoxically, to be “humble” is a word, which does not exist in the consciousness of Totality.
A tiger is humble, and so a bird and a flourishing tree, but not a thinking human being.
The Spiritual “Method.”
Greater consciousness. Greater awareness. That is the aim of any “true” spiritual path.
This awareness is not “collective” awareness. It is numberwise. Every individual will be awakening at different levels. Therefore, a spiritual path cannot be generalized as the only “method” which will fit everyone. “One size fits all,” may work in the physical realm but certainly it is not the case in spirituality.
Everything has a method. But that method changes according to the individual, that is why the “Guru” system came into an existence. There are teachings given to all but within that, there is a specific teaching for someone according to his level. To recognize the disciple’s capacity was the task of the master, teacher or guru.
Nowadays as everything is for the masses; religions and spiritual teachings have been made as “one size fits all,” for it is easier to put together a book or a CD or DVD with methods to be sold. If for an uncertain reason the method does not work, then the student is at fault; for these methods are “proven to be correct, sacred and holy.”
One the one hand, it is very important to follow a particular method which the spiritual aspirant trusts, have firm faith and feels comfortable with. If the disciple follows that method with this frame of mind, he will do his best and will reach a realization. On the other hand, if the disciple creates a dependency in the method as a reassurance that whatever he has obtained in his spiritual life is due to a particular practice or method, then that student will be stuck. Growth will finish.
A method is just a way to take someone into further realizations, into a different consciousness. True improvement will happen when a person is able to get to that level of consciousness without a method.
Spirituality is like having a piece of candy. The method will instruct someone on how to open the wrapping paper out of the candy, what to expect after that, what is the best time to eat the candy, what are the properties of that candy, etc.
This method could be surrounded by devotional practices such as bowing down to the candy 5 times before opening it, or offering the candy to God before doing anything, etc. Those are the devotional practices introduced to give a method certain sacredness, certain importance. That is fine.
Nevertheless, to be able to taste that candy in the consciousness taught by the method, will give us the right time to let the method go away.
Attachment to a method will not bring further progress, for there will not be openness to experience something else other than a learned method for fear of losing what has been experienced so far.
It is true that it requires a very special individual to follow wholeheartedly a particular method to gain greater awareness; but at the same time; it takes a different kind of person to let the method go away when it has served its purpose.
Spiritual growth happens when we realize that everything has a purpose and when we are able to know its “right” time.
Exploring the Depth of Living 