Tagged: ocean
The diet of separation
In the world of concepts and analysis, we have been taught to separate things. Even the word “things” implies differences, categories. “Many things.”
When we use that perspective to observe the world, obviously the way that we will perceive it is by separation.
“This is a fish. A fish cannot be the Ocean. The Ocean is by itself and fish are different.”
Ananda was looking at the Ocean. He saw a fish jumping up as if it wanted to take a look outside the water, and then dived into the Ocean.
Could a fish live without the Ocean? We could put that fish in a tank of water, but then we will need to change that water often, for otherwise it will stagnate. Eventually the fish may not survive.
Could the Ocean exist without fish? Evidently no. As otherwise, water without anything in it, will stagnate. Fish need Ocean plants. Every being in the Ocean is necessary to maintain freshness of that Ocean. Every being has a “task” to maintain the Totality alive. Every being is necessary.
We observe different forms but many times we do not realize that those “things” are integrated. They share a common “breath” to survive.
From the perspective of the fish, there is no difference between “it” and everything else… unless the fish learns to “think,” which means separation.
A 3 year old child does not have an identity yet. That child does not know about male and female, ugly or beautiful. That child only observes and imitates “others.”
Once that child learns to differentiate “others” from himself, then a personality will appear that will separate “things.” That is, thinking has appeared.
The adult way of seeing things is very limited and seldom integrated with the Totality.
Notice that religious beliefs as well as moral codes and educational values are built up under the perspective of this separation.
Why is it important to reflect on this view of separation?
Because judgments, comparisons, beliefs, critics, expectations, etc. come from this view, this awareness.
That is why it seems very odd when some moralist tells someone: “You must not criticize. It is “bad.” God is going to punish you, if you do. It has “bad” karma.”
When the whole understanding of this person resides in the awareness of separation.
Obviously, We may even create commandments to “shape up” “others” into not criticizing or judging or comparing; but if my consciousness is rigidly situated in the perception of separation, I will only be kidding myself.
“We are all brothers.” But yet we could kill each other…as brothers… 🙂
“ Let us go green. Let us save the planet.” But yet dump garbage at any other place but “my house.”
“Save the manatee” but who cares about the bees.
This is not some religious, end-of –the-world story. Please observe how that consciousness of separation from our common roots is damaging not only “our” planet but is taking away the sanity within human beings.
Let us take a look at this page in Wikipedia about personality disorders.
The common aspects of those personality disorders are the avoidance of “others” (separation: Paranoid, schizoid) through the need for admiration of the self (ego-centered: Narcissism) on the other side. In other words, those diseases are about strengthening the “I” in separation with everything else (others.)
We are unable to integrate into the Totality. Even some may pray to the one God, who is the big boss, separated from us, to save us all, when we are unable to perceive that same God as part of the Totality, Nature, the Universe, etc.
That is why in Spirituality there are many phases of awareness which all depend on how open our consciousness is.
There are some religions preaching “salvation” if we just accept so and so as the savior of all. Other religions imply that only by “belonging to them” you could be saved.
Nevertheless, when our consciousness is no longer restricted to the individual; when we could finally integrate ourselves into that Totality like that 3-year-old kid or the fish in the Ocean, then what is the need for “ME” to be saved? 🙂
To pretend to save that “ME” is merely the continuation of that ego supporting separation.
A sane, conscious individual will be able to be aware that everything is changing and thus, everything is momentarily. Those changes are unavoidable for change in itself is that recycling movement in life.
That is why enjoyment of the moment is all there is. So, enjoy! 🙂
When we realize that, we could observe things from a center which is beyond the expectation, desires of ego… and we could enjoy the scenes in life not as separated from it, but in integration.
That is where the “true” smile appears, just like the one of a 3-year-old kid: spontaneous, sincere, unrehearsed, alive.
A detached participant of life
Ananda was sitting by the Ocean. It was a lovely morning right after some rain. The Sun was just rising impregnating the turbulent waters with shades of multicolor beauty which Ananda truly enjoyed.
Ananda was captivated by the ripples of the Ocean: A form appeared as a wave of water, moving in the direction of the wind, then a high point, a crest will appear to gradually collapse into the Ocean once again, just so another wave could be born. Truly, dying means living again.
The above could be translated into Spirituality as a “form being born from the formless, just to be formless again when it dies.”
This means everlasting change. The play of form and the formless.
A human being is never the same at any point of his life. The illusion is to believe that a still picture of him, is him. A mind believing in pictures is a dead mind.
Ananda understood for the first time that he wasn’t the same from a second ago. Not even his consciousness. Through this realization Ananda was able to see something which he was unable to see a second ago. His consciousness has changed.
Ananda smiled in awe. He discovered that there was nothing to call “self” for everything was continually moving just like the ripples of the Ocean. Nothing is ever static…but our thoughts, the picture.
To hold on to a still picture of the Ocean is to be lost in the illusion of the self.
To observe the movie of the Ocean without that center that divides the object and the subject is to “be.”
What can you “be”?
A Detached participant of life.
The dividing Omnipresent mind in the Ocean of life
In a windy night, Ananda was looking at the Ocean. He was feeling the wind, hearing the calming sounds of the Ocean…
In a moment, Ananda lost the consciousness of being part of that “movie,” where there is no difference between the seer and the object being seeing; the difference is lacking because there is no dividing thought in between.
That realization was so strong that Ananda changed his ways. He became a Guru without wanting it. It just happened.
In that realization of “union,” some have created a religion called “omnipresence.” A name was given and thus separation arrived.
Ananda’s experience became the thing to defend as the “new guru” of that religion. Followers arrived. However, without the experience of Ananda; those followers merely recited the concepts of : “We are all One,” and “God is everywhere.”
On another night, Ananda was sitting by the Ocean again. He became mesmerized by that beauty. Ananda perceived a wave, Ananda saw how many waves made up the Ocean; a continuous movement. Ananda witnessed how a wave was being formed and then disappeared just to become another wave from the same Ocean.
Ananda called those waves “souls.” Those souls made up that Drama going on in that Ocean. High tides, low tides. High waves, low waves. Duality.
Ananda described those waves appearing as 3 different parts: Beginning, Middle and End.
Ananda went back to his disciples and told them that the Ocean is made up of waves. Every single wave is a human being, a soul. Every soul has a role. That role has a beginning. A middle and End.
God is the beginning of that movement of waves, of souls.
After listening to that description, one of his most logical disciples, Bro. “Addition,” said:
“Ananda ji, you are contradicting yourself. First you mentioned that we are all One. Now you are saying that we are all waves, souls, many. That is not logical.
I followed you for many years, but now I think that you are making up a totally different religion. Seriously.
You are confusing our logical minds. Spirituality is simple and you are making it complex.”
As life is, “Bro. Subtraction,” created his own religion out of that Ananda’s latest realization. He called it a “personal God,” the “creator of waves in the Ocean of life.”
Bro. Subtraction had many followers. Those followers didn’t have the experience of Ananda, but they used the concepts of : “God is a wave. You are a different wave,” “We are all waves, but God is the Supreme wave.”
Bro. Subtraction and Bro. Addition had the most unbelievable debates, where their logical ego minds where displayed. Many were following this as it was amusing to them and at the same time gave them something to “believe in.”
Two religions were created. Religion “Add” and Religion “Subtract.” They gave the “opposite” teachings and use to refer to the perceived opposite teaching as “poison.” “Don’t dare to take that poison” was their mutual line. 🙂
Ananda went to the Ocean once again.
He understood that His perception couldn’t be put in words. His perception was merely misunderstood by those who never had the experience but were following Him because of his “wise words.”
The Ocean is there. When Ananda is not there for his consciousness is in union, there is only oneness. On the other hand, when Ananda is aware of himself there is a separation. When Ananda is aware of the movement of the Ocean of life; Ananda can see many things making up that Ocean, many waves.
A dividing mind creates conflicts, creates definitions. Creates religions and dogmatic views.
A dividing mind can only see “logic,” when there is more to it.
Brother Addition and Brother Subtraction were referring to the same thing under different perspectives, different experiences. However, in their “truth” of division; they could see only opposite views. Those brothers were attached to pictures, when the Ocean is a “movie.” Nevertheless, a movie cannot bring the full experience of feeling the wind, smelling the waters of the Ocean and seeing the sky reflected on the water.
The full experience comes when we can experience it without words, without thoughts.
Spiritual knowledge is beyond that duality and can see more than logic. It can see paradoxes. Rather than dividing; it multiplies by embracing all, by accepting all.
The experience is what is important. Ananda’s experience cannot be put into words and if they are; then they will be easily misunderstood by those without that experience.
Question: dear soul Omshanti. “Baba is beyond experiences” does it mean baba can’t feel anything; at the same time when we say he is ocean of love, purity, peace and happiness?
Dear soul,
Beyond experiences means that God cannot experience. 🙂 Please read this article your answer will be there.
Every soul is the embodiment of peace, love, etc, etc in a numberwise manner. If we want to call God “the ocean of those qualities” rather than a “lake,” that is fine. Words are not the experience. We are numberwise. God is not.
Best wishes!
The sweetheart Ocean
When I feel the word beauty
The ocean comes to mind,
Is the tranquil rhythm soothing the soul
Sounds of moving stillness nurturing the heart
Along the unutterable reflection of a colorful sky
A peaceful, joyous feeling overwhelms my life
That indescribable beauty is caged in just a word
But it is the total freedom of an unmarried wife
What the spirit aims as the glory of a flying bird
If I could explain how beauty propels me
I would have to start with a simple heart beat
A touch from the heart which is sublime
As the ocean’s tide of lows and highs meet
A work of art unfolds with colors never seen before
The majesty of the ocean in a slow dance with the sky
As the birds sing to the stars the time to close the door
Breathing that stunner minute of life is perfection to die
A wave moves to say goodbye dear
The wind stops me from looking back
The sun sets with an intense cheer
As the sky walks away, turning black.
Exploring the Depth of Living 