The Many Faces of the One - Article 20 - the unpublished esoteric writings of an aging yogi.
"'Spirit' has given me life and is always renewing me with life. I live in the fullness, beauty, plenitude and love of life because I am divine creation of pure 'Spirit'. I act on whatever honors 'Spirit' and all that 'Spirit' has created. I always align my thoughts, words and actions with the divine will and power of 'Spirit'. I am free to be all that 'Spirit' intended and created me to be. I am always living my life in the complete awareness and appreciation of 'Spirit'. 'Spirit' is the answer and fulfilment of my every need. 'Spirit' blesses and fulfils me in all areas and facets of my life. I radiate pure 'Spirit' at all times, in all places and in all my thoughts and actions. I am always deeply connected and at one with pure 'Spirit'. OM, shanti, shanti, shanti. 'I am', peace, peace peace."
"Your way is very good for you, but not for me. My way is good for me, but not for you." - Swami Vivekananda. "A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it." - Dogen Zenji.
KNOWING THE TRUTH FOR ONESELF
If you have intentionally or accidently found or viewed this esoteric blog on Atman-Yoga then I feel it is important that I be very frank and open about what is accessible here for you on this blog.
I am very cautious and extremely wary of foolishly painting or presenting a spiritual ideal or idyllic picture of what so-called 'spirituality' or 'being spiritual' should look like or feel like, or be. The simple message here is that 'Only God is Real' and that only the Deathless Self alone is. And for me, all is this, regardless of worldly appearances, events and ever-changing conditions, dramas and phenomena.
At present, I find and know no other spiritual truth or conclusion of reality and identity that surpasses this and I know there are esoteric and philosophical teachings, both past and present, that are mostly agreeable with the conclusions offered here, and yet I am also aware there are those who would happily debate, argue and disagree. Obviously, this is of no real consequence to me, as what is presented here on this blog encompasses and openly respects all spiritual paths of Self-inquiry into the truth of reality and identity and their esoteric conclusions, and it does not seek to assume to hold or have any sole authority or ownership by foolishly displaying or claiming any grandiose self-importance and superiority of spiritual knowledge and esoteric knowing. Personally and impersonally, I speak the truth as I find it, and each individual must endeavor to take the spiritual adventure of Self-inquiry and Self-realization for oneself, and with all that is happening in the world at present, we are now presented with the genuine opportunity of a new spiritual renaissance of Self-discovery and esoteric Self-awakening.
I make no personal predictions or conclusions to what this will look like, but quite clearly for us all we can see that the world we once knew is globally changing, and potentially this presents an opportunity for us to venture into the unknown, to 'look within' and to genuinely rediscover what has been lost in all the self-importance and self-centeredness that has been placed on consumerism, social status, power and excessive wealth.
I also feel with so much spiritual information, opinions, views and esoteric teachings so easily and readily available to us today due to the huge and welcomed growing success of the internet and social media age it would be foolish of me to not seriously consider that anything I blog here couldn't be easily misinterpreted, misunderstood or wrongly abused. Over the years I have seen and experienced how easily spiritual ideals, opinions, views and expectations can get attached to certain spiritual individuals or renowned teachers and masters, and their teachings. Intentionally or accidently they can become personified or even immortalized with colorful stories that sometimes distant them from anything that would be recognized or known as being anything ordinary and even human. As much as I can understand and accept why this happens and that many of these recollections and stories might hold some resemblance of truth, they can also present a very false ideal and idea of what so-called 'spirituality' and 'being spiritual' should look and feel like. Like the saying goes, "be careful of wolves in sheep's clothing."
Personally, this has always concerned me, and over the years I can see why it has also been used and abused to wrongly represent an idea or ideal that only those individuals of exceptional and extremely gifted qualities, attributes or intellect could accomplish and attain such elevated and rewarding levels of God-consciousness. Let me make this very clear I do not see or hold myself as a spiritual teacher or authority or do I represent any affiliated spiritual teaching or organization. I am, as directed, simply making available to other like-minded souls what my so-called path of Self-inquiry and Self-realization has been kindly graced and blessed with. I would certainly say at this point that the book I have listed with the recommended reading material article on this blog called 'In the Light of the Self' by Alistair Shearer comes closes to what I feel speaks mostly to me in reflection and light of my own Self-inquiry and individualized awakening into the true nature and essence of reality and identity. I also acknowledge and respect that there are many esoteric paths and methods to Self-realization, and I personally place no self-importance on my own or any other individuals. I was unexpectedly introduced to the book, 'In the Light of the Self', only few years ago and I was instantly touched and reassured by the story of Adi Shankara and his teachings on the Yoga of Non-dualism. I find it to be a welcomed and wonderful account of an inspirational young man and his spiritual teachings and antidotes to suffering.
KNOW THY SELF AND TO THY SELF BE TRUE
I admit the 'mind' is very tricky. It can so easily and convincingly adopt an idea or ideal and act it out as if it is a living truth known through genuine personal experience or spiritual awakening, and yet it is purely an intellectual grasp or mental concept of reality and identity. I certainly have been guilty of this in the past, and it wasn't long before it revealed itself to be such to others. I can assure you as a temporary so-called individualized form of humanity I am certainly no one exceptional or particular gifted. I would happily and lovingly say I am what would be considered below average when it comes to the ridiculous lengths we go to as a world society to inform and present to others what is considered the ideal human being or form. I still find it challenging to commit to anything and to take responsibility seriously. I still fall easily in and out of love. I still have a weakness for beauty, and I still love drinking coffee. But frankly, what does this matter.
For me, spirituality has always been about fully embracing what it means to be human and accepting our humanity, whilst staying with the truth of knowing, and not denying or running away from what life is. For me, it is being in the world but not fully of the world. For me, it isn't solely about trying to fix everything and denying what it means to be human. It is not about waiting for the world to be something that it isn't. It is not about expecting people or the world to behavior and be a certain way. It is not about pretending that life is something that it isn't. It is not about having an ideal or idea of reality and identity just in order to pretend or distant oneself from the harsh and challenging truth of reality, and what it means to have a body.
It is clearly of the nature of the body to be born, grow old, decay and die. No amount of intellectual or spiritual reasoning and knowledge is going to change this. By its very nature, birth and death, the body dies. The body is acquired and therefore it can be taken away. It is made and there it can be broken. It has a beginning and therefore it has an end. Like all things that are conditioned, this is simply the way of things. No one is to blame. No one did anything wrong. No one commit some cardinal sin. This is the very nature of things. This is why we can so easily form a dispassion for life, and all its on-goings demands, challenges and expectations and this is why so many spiritual teachers talk of being detached and non-attached.
LETTING GO
Attachment to the body can only cause suffering. The body is of the very nature to be born, to grow old, to decay, have dis-ease and die. Does this make it bad or wrong? No, it simply is the way of things. The real cause of death is birth. No birth, no death. This is why in spiritual Self-inquiry and Self-realization the seeker of truth into the nature of reality and identity seeks to find what transcends the on-going trappings and ever-changing conditions of birth and death. What they call in the teachings of eastern philosophy and spirituality, samsara. Atman- Yoga is not to simply deny what life is and to live in some kind of delusion and pretense but to be one with it, despite all its imperfections, disappointments and flaws. It is to have complete esoteric unification of the knower, the known and the knowing as one. Everything is met anew in the esoteric light and spirit of knowing. The Self and the world as one.
I would say, that we are drawn to love, because we are love itself. We are drawn to peace, because we are peace itself. We are attracted and drawn to beauty, because we are beauty itself, and we are drawn to a sense of immortality because this is the very nature of our true essence and identity. Our mistaken tendency is to project these desires and needs on to others only to be left disappointed and dissatisfied. Again, this is why we are instructed by the spiritual teachers, mystics and masters of both past and present to 'know thy self' or 'to go within' or to ask 'who am I' or to 'be still and know that I am God' or to find 'nirvana'. To be at one with life is not us waiting for it to be something that it isn't. It is not something bound by the past or the future. In fact, life can still be what it is with all its ever-changing challenges, uncertainties, changes and disappointments. We can still fully love, accept and celebrate what it is to be human and all the challenges and changes of our temporary humanity, and yet what is realized in the spiritual pursuit of Self-inquiry and Self-awakening is these are only the conditional and impersonal needs, desires and on-going demands of the mind/body experience and what life is in its true essence is eternal and free of any kind of bondage or limitation.
What I will say to you, is that the truth is there to be discovered, and what better time to do it. Once known, peace, love, beauty, fulfilment, plenitude and freedom are with you always, no matter what the world is or is not; no matter what your life looks like or not. The ever-changing vicissitudes of life will not move you from this esoteric place and platform of knowing. You will be content in this esoteric knowing whilst all the world continues to do its dance. This I can say with certainty. So please view this blog as a blog, and not as a voice of authority. Nothing here can replace the invitation for you to look within and know thy true self, and to that self be true. May you radiate pure 'Spirit' at all times, in all places and in all thoughts and actions. May you always be deeply connected and at one with pure 'Spirit'." OM, shanti, shanti, shanti. 'I am', peace, peace peace.
This is the essential and core message of Atman-Yoga. The Deathless Self, alone is.
Atman-Yoga Daily Mantra: "I am. Life is. I am one with all life and all life is one with me. Oneness in body. Oneness in mind. Oneness in all things."
Song of the Deathless Yogi:
I am 'emptiness'. All is 'emptiness'. 'Emptiness' is all.
Form is 'emptiness'. Only 'emptiness'. 'Emptiness' is form'.
This esoteric blog is dedicated to my earthly mother 'Rita' who transitioned on the 12th December 2021.
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