Death is not the opposite of life but one of its fundamental components.
Birth is the opposite of death and the two together are the foundations of life, because without birth and death life does not exist.
That which is born is destined to die and in its place something else will be born.
Only that which is beyond forms and the cause of all forms is beyond birth and death, eternal, indestructible, complete and perfect.
Though man fears death, only through death can he find freedom. Otherwise he would be condemned to live in confinement, in delusion, in pain and misery for centuries and centuries.
If the old does not die, the new cannot be born; if we do not die to the lower we cannot be born to the higher.
Not only physical death but also every kind of change and alteration is a kind of death. And while change is the central feature of life, our ego resists all change because of its attachment to what it is used to or likes.
But life, being a constant change, is indifferent to the ego's whims and moves incessantly towards new paths and horizons. The ego is forced to suffer by being attached to its fantasies and habits.
The only solution and way out is death. The death of our false ego with all its vanities, illusions, attachments, beliefs, desires, passions and defects.
Only the death of the ego allows the free flow of life within us (on all levels) and our transformation into a divine being, conscious of our identity with God and the unity of all that exists.
Inner peace and silence are our natural state, but when we lose contact with them, the mind becomes extroverted, turning outward toward distractions and agitation. This disconnection gives rise to restlessness, thoughts, and emotions. However, the mind’s turbulence can subside, and its natural stillness can return when we consciously reconnect with the silence and peace within.
The methods we can use to restore a deep and complete connection with the inner silence are as follows:
1. Questioning Thoughts or Emotions: When thoughts or emotions arise, we can inquire into their source. For example, ask, “To whom have these thoughts arisen?” The answer is “To me.” Then, question further, “What is the source of the ‘me’?” This helps in tracing the origin of our sense of self and reconnecting with inner silence.
2. Focusing on the Sense of ‘Me‘: We can also direct our full attention to the sense of ‘me’ or ‘I.’ In this method, we first use the approach of questioning, but instead of seeking the inner source of ‘me’ or ‘I,’ we focus completely on the sense of ‘me’ itself. We can facilitate the concentration on the sense of ‘me’ by asking these questions: “Can I feel completely this sense of ‘me’?” or “Can I be fully aware of this sense of ‘me’?” By deeply concentrating on this sense of ‘me’, we align ourselves with the inner silence.
Meditation differs according to the degree of advancement of the seeker. If one is fit for it, one might directly hold on to the thinker, and the thinker will automatically sink into its source, namely, pure consciousness (the silent space of consciousness).
Ramana Maharshi
3. Another way to connect with inner silence and deepen it is to focus our awareness fully on the sense of “I am” or “I exist.” To make our attention and mind effortlessly focus on this sense of “I am,” we can use questions like, “Can I fully feel that I am?” “Can I be fully aware that I am?” and “Can I fully attend to the sense of ‘I am’?” By gently being aware of this sense of “I am” or “I exist,” we gradually get in touch with the background of the “I am,” the silent, empty space of consciousness.
4. Inquiring About Connection: Another method is to ask, “Can I connect with the inner silence?” After asking this once or twice, we simply turn our attention within and focus on the inner silence.
Every time our attention strays away from the sense of “I am” or the inner silence, we can use one of the above methods to reconnect with the inner silence. If we use the inquiry method, we ask, “To whom does this thought arise?” The answer is, “To me.” We then connect with the “me” and ask, “What is the source of ‘me’?” If we use the sense of “I am” method, whenever our attention strays, we can ask, “Can I feel the sense of ‘I am’?” “Can I feel that I am?” or “Can I feel that I exist?”. Our focus of attention thus returns to the Sense “I Am”, and we remain gently there, deepening in this Sense “I Am”. Through it, we connect with the silence within.
5. Another way to connect with inner silence is to mentally repeat the mantra “Om.” Repeat the mantra slowly, prolonging each sound, (Ooooommmmmm..) and focus initially on the sound itself and then on how it fades away. After the sound has completely subsided, remain fully aware of the silence that follows. Then, repeat the mantra again in the same prolonged manner, focusing first on the sound and how it gradually fades out. Finally, direct your attention to the silence that remains after the sound has completely vanished, maintaining awareness of this silence. When the mind becomes deeply quiet, we can cease repeating the mantra and focus solely on the silence. If the mind starts to wander or generate thoughts, we use the mantra to regain control and return to inner silence. Each time our mind strays, we repeat the mantra “Om” in a prolonged manner to refocus and reconnect with the inner silence.
How capable we are of maintaining a complete connection with the inner silence and avoiding the extroversion of the mind—thus preventing the loss of contact with it—or, when we do lose contact, how easily we can regain it, depends on the purity of our mind, the extent of our practice and on how much we have developed various capacities such as dispassion, discernment, concentration, devotion, and the desire for truth and liberation.
The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).
1. Many aspirants fail to
enter into Samadhi or Brahmic Bliss on account of restlessness of any one of
the Indriyas (senses). Control of Indriyas is indispensably requisite for
spiritual Sadhana.
2. Develop Vairagya. Without
Vairagya and restraint of Indriyas no meditation or Samadhi is possible. Energy
will leak out if Vairagya wanes. Vairagya is non-attachment to sensual objects.
It is a mental state.
3. Control the Indriyas.
Through introspection find out which Indriya is troubling you and curb it
ruthlessly. Give up the objects which the particular Indriya tries to grasp.
Destroy the thirsting for objects and sense-enjoyments. Then you will be
established in Samadhi or Supreme Peace.
4. Discipline the Indriyas.
Speak truth. Talk little. Observe Mouna for two hours daily. Speak sweet,
loving, soft words. Do not utter harsh words. Do not abuse anybody. This is the
discipline of Vak-Indriya, the organ of speech.
5. Do not go to cinemas. Do
not look at ladies with a lustful look. When you move in the streets look at
the tip of the nose or big toe and walk. Do not look hither and thither. This
is the discipline of eye, the organ of sight.
6. Do not attend nautch party
and do not hear vulgar music. Give up musical entertainments. Do not hear
worldly topics. This is the discipline of ear, the organ of hearing.
7. Do not use scents. This is
the discipline of nose, the organ of smell. Give up salt and sugar for a week.
Live on simple food. Fast on Ekadasi days or live on milk. This is the
discipline of tongue, the organ of taste.
8. Observe Brahmacharya. This
is the discipline of the reproductive organ. Sleep on a hard mat. Walk
bare-footed. Do not use umbrella. This is the discipline of the skin, the organ
of touch.
9. Fix the mind on your Ishta
Devata. Bring it back again and again when it wanders and fix it on the image.
This is the Sadhana for checking the wandering mind and developing
concentration. By constant, regular practice, you can fix the mind on God
steadily.
10. You may think or falsely
conjecture that the senses are under your control. You may be duped. All of a
sudden you will become a victim or a slave. You must have not only control of
one Indriya but also Parama Vasyam or supreme control of all the
Indriyas. The senses may become turbulent at any time. Reaction may set
in. Beware!
May the Lord bestow on you
Vairagya, Viveka and inner spiritual strength to control the senses and enter
into Samadhi.
Discover
the transformative power of the mantra
with my E-book
"Liberation with the Power of the Mantra".
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Ignite or empower your journey to inner peace and liberation
Here
are the Contents and a part of the book
CONTENTS
Gratitude – Dedications
Prayers for World Peace
Meditative Prayer of Oneness
Prologue
UNITY I
Our True Nature is Happiness
Our True Self (Consciousness)
The Ego and the Self
How the Ego Deludes us
The Tree of the Ego
Ego, our Illusory Identity
Desire and Freedom
UNITY II
Self-awareness
Developing Self-awareness
Activities to Develop Self-awareness
The Ability of Self-observation
Self-awareness and Self-observation
UNITY III
The Repetition of Mantra and God´s Name
The Repetition of the Mantra and Karma Yoga
Turning Actions into Spiritual Practice
Self-observation and the Dissolution of the
Ego
Developing Acceptance
The Dissolution of the Ego through Prayer and
the Mantra
Inquiry into a Tendency and its Dissolution
The Dissolution of Ego and Desires and
Liberation
The Nights of Spiritual Practice
Satsang (Union or Meeting for Truth)
Stay Firm in your Practice
Biography
Appendix
Prologue
Although
theoretical knowledge is important, my books are oriented to practice because
only through practice we can purify our mind and heart, realize our true Self (Consciousness,
Spirit, Being) and oneness with God.
Since
our true Self (the apparently individual Consciousness) is identical
with God (Absolute Consciousness), by realizing our true Self we know
God.
Realization of our true Self and establishment
in the Self is the purpose for which we were born into a human body. With the
complete dissolution of the ego (root and branch) and our establishment in our true
Self, we are free from pain and suffering and live in the freedom, fullness,
peace and bliss of God.
In
this book, I focus on Self-awareness, repetition of the mantra, inquiry and
elimination of selfish tendencies through a mantra of God's name and prayer.
What
prevents us from being transformed internally and attaining liberation (Self-realization,
enlightenment) is the lower rajasotamasic[1]
ego. The lower ego keeps us identified and attached to the body, the mental and
emotional tendencies and habits, impulses, desires and programming and creates
a veil that hinders the realization of our immortal, unchanging, timeless,
indestructible, always peaceful and blissful Divine Self.
Therefore,
the central goal of spirituality and self-knowledge is the elimination of the
multifaceted ego through continuous systematic practice and a well-organised
sattvic lifestyle.
Essential
factors in the elimination of the ego and the awakening to our true nature are
the moment-to-moment vigilance, Self-awareness (awareness of the silent
space of Consciousness within), mindful self-observation, meditation,
Self-enquiry and the repetition of a mantra (Japa).
Repetition
of a mantra of God´s names is considered the most suitable and effective
practice for most aspirants. The constant repetition of a mantra throughout the
day is indeed one of the most effective ways to remain constantly alert, to
keep the attention and mind firmly focused on our true Self within
(Self-awareness), to purify the mind and heart and to eliminate egoic
tendencies.
I wish this book will inspire you and help you
to live aware of your true Self (Essence, Consciousness) and to free
yourself from selfish tendencies, desires, attachments and weaknesses.
I wish that your efforts are auspicious, that
they bring light, peace, love and harmony to your life and that you achieve
self-realization (liberation, God-realization) in this very life.
Comment
By
God, I do not mean an Entity outside and separate from us, but the intelligent
creative Consciousness that creates and sustains both us and the entire cosmos
and expresses itself in us as the seemingly individual Consciousness.
Repetition
of a mantra of God´s names is considered the most suitable and effective
practice for most aspirants. The constant repetition of a mantra throughout the
day is indeed one of the most effective ways to remain constantly alert, to
keep the attention and mind firmly focused on our true Self within (Self-awareness),
to purify the mind and heart and to eliminate egoic tendencies.
Gratitude - Dedications
This book is dedicated to life,
to the Divine Mother of the universe (Mahashakti,
the Supreme Divine creative energy)
who gives me strength, wisdom and
guidance to walk the path and frees me from the shackles of the mind,
to the Gnostic teaching of Samael Aun
Weor who taught me to pray to the Divine Mother and work for the dissolution of
egoic tendencies and the conversion of sexual energy,
to my beloved master, Hairakhan Bhole
Baba (Babaji)
who always resides in my heart and
guides me towards the light and the truth,
to the holy and peaceful Hairakhan
Vishva Mahadham
whose divine vibrations transformed my
mind and my heart,
to Swami Sivananda
who through his books and his energy
gave me light, love, courage,
knowledge and inspiration,
to Nisargadatta Maharaj
whose simplicity and clarity of his
words helped me realize my Self,
to the formless and timeless
Consciousness behind all phenomena,
and also, to Aïvanhov, Ramana
Maharshi, Shankaracharya, Sri Aurobindo, Bhagavad Gita,
and to everything and everyone that in
their own way contributed to my transformation and awakening
Finally, the book is dedicated to all
seekers of truth and freedom!
Peace, Love, Harmony, Health and
Prosperity,
to
all beings all over the world!
Atman Nityananda
UNITY I
1. Our True
Nature is Happiness
We are looking for freedom, eternal
life and happiness because we are already these here and now. Our essential or
divine nature (Consciousness, Self, Atman) is eternal Existence,
freedom, peace and bliss but we have to realize it. Our divine nature is veiled
by the Gunas[2]
and the impure mind.
Rajas and tamas gunas along with the
ego and its innumerable desires and tendencies make us identify with the body
and mind and veil our divine Self whose nature is Eternal Existence, Pure
Consciousness, Infinite Peace and Bliss. Because of it we live as a body-mind
entity separate from life and God, we ignore our true Self which is identical
with God and we take the external world as the only reality.
Because of the ignorance,
identification and attachment to body, mind and sense objects we have very
little, if not at all, control over our mental and emotional processes.
Thoughts and emotions come and go like the clouds in the sky that are blown by
the wind, making us experience pleasure and pain and fleeting moments of
happiness, freedom and peace. Desire and attachment cause our attention to be
directed mainly to sensory objects and experiences; objects that seem very
solid and real to us.
Through the senses and the mind, we
enjoy the qualities of sense objects along with pleasure or pain, happiness or
sorrow depending on the nature of sensory experience and the conditioning of
our mind. Our ego likes certain objects and dislikes others due to past
experiences, conditioning, identification, projection and imagination. Identified
with the sensory mind, we try to obtain pleasurable objects and
experiences and avoid the unpleasant or painful ones. As a result, we are
trapped in the ignorant part of the mind, i.e., the external mind[3](Manas in
Sanskrit) which is the sensory-emotional mind that also includes
automatic-mechanical thinking.
Immersed in the world of sensory
experiences we have forgotten our origin, our true Self or Consciousness. Our
Divine Self is always present in us. In reality, our body, mind, sense objects,
the whole world, exist in the ocean of pure Consciousness. We cannot experience
any object without the presence of Consciousness. The light of Consciousness
enables us to experience good or evil thoughts, good or evil deeds.
Consciousness is our essential nature, our constant companion, the silent
witness of everything we know, do, express, perceive and experience.
Nevertheless, since we are so engrossed in the enjoyment of the illusory sense
objects and our intellect is clouded by ego, desire, attachment and selfish
tendencies we fail to recognise our ever-free, peaceful and blissful Divine
Self.
The
bliss of the Self is always with you and you will find it for yourself if you
would seek it earnestly.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
Being ignorant of our true Self (Consciousness),
we try to find eternal peace, happiness and contentment in impermanent,
limited objects. But, is it possible to find unconditioned, limitless happiness
in conditioned, limited objects or situations? Did you ever see any human being
be truly happy because of wealth, money or sex? Instead, many sages having only
the necessary for living, have lived a life of fullness, peacefulness,
contentment and happiness because they have lived in union with their divine
essence within.
Because
of the lower rajasotamasic ego, we fail to experience the peace and bliss of
the Self (Consciousness, Atman) that is constantly present within us since the
ego obscures our intellect and its discriminative power. So, we wander around in the thick forest of
sense objects seeking for happiness in things that can only give us a little
pleasure and enjoyment and much pain and suffering. We try to make the
impossible happen, that is, to find immortal qualities in mortal, perishable,
limited things.
Remember always that sensual pleasures
can never, ever give you eternal peace and everlasting true happiness (bliss,
eudaimonia). They are finite and limited creations of the senses and the
sensory mind. Pleasure is created by the mind, nervous system and vital energy
when they are stimulated by sensory impressions or by remembering or imagining
the objects. When the body, senses or mind are tired or sick, then sense
objects cannot give us any pleasure at all.
2.14. The contacts of the senses with the
objects cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end.
They are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna!
~
Bhagavad Gita Ch. II
Desire, lust and greed for pleasures (and
also for power and fame) are wombs of sin, pain and suffering. Desire in
the form of lust impels us to desperately seek the enjoyment of sense
pleasures, even if only for a while, which leads us to experience a fleeting
pleasure, satisfaction and joy accompanied by much pain and suffering.
After experiencing pleasure, joy or
happiness we realize once again that we did not find the lasting happiness we
thought we would find in those objects or situations we desired so much.
Moreover, after the experience of pleasure and happiness we will again
experience dissatisfaction, uneasiness, lack, incompleteness and an existential
void.
Perfect
peace is of the Self (Consciousness). Peace is your natural state.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
The most important thing to know is
that, the happiness and peace that we experience when we enjoy any object,
derives from within, from our true Self and not from the object we experience.
We believe that happiness comes from sensory experiences because of ignorance,
lack of clarity and lack of discrimination.
When we are in contact with the
desired object, desire subsides along with the emotions (anxiety, worries,
fear, impatience etc.) and the mental agitation which usually accompanies
the desire and the mind assumes its sattvic aspect; i.e., it becomes calm,
one-pointed and introverted. In this state of mind, we experience the happiness
of sattva guna and, to some degree, the peace and bliss of our divine Self (Consciousness).
Nevertheless, because of ignorance, lack of discernment and inadvertence, we
think that happiness derives from the enjoyment of the objects. Hence, we
become attached to experiences and objects and want to repeat them in order to
experience pleasure once again and, through it, happiness. However, we want to
experience sensual pleasures time and again due to the rajasic nature of the
mind, as the rajas quality by nature desires pleasures and is attached to them.
Peace and bliss are our innate nature,
the nature of our true Self (Consciousness, Soul, Atman) however, they
can only be experienced when our mind is calm, clear, steady, focused and
introverted. This can occur on two occasions: involuntary, partially and
temporarily when a desire is fulfilled and the mental-emotional agitation
subsides and intentionally when we, through meditation or Self-Inquiry, achieve
to calm, focus and stabilize the mind in our true inner Self (Consciousness).
As long as we do not know or do not
realize that happiness has nothing to do with the enjoyment of the objects and
given that our mind is attached to sense pleasures, we desire to repeat the
same experiences over and over again, considering that happiness comes from
them……
However, our Self or identity is the
silent space of Consciousness and not the ‘body-mind me’, so Self- awareness,
in its truest sense, refers to our true Self and identity, i.e., the light of
consciousness (Atman) that is experienced as a silent and peaceful
presence. In the spiritual teachings and in this book especially, the
term Self-awareness is used to denote the awareness of our true Self, the
silent presence of Consciousness.
However, the term self-awareness can
be used about our apparent self, i.e., about the body, thoughts, emotions and
all energetic and psychological forms and processes. I would also like to point
out that being aware of ourselves (as far as our apparent self is concerned)
refers not only to the awareness of our thoughts, emotions, etc. but also
to the awareness of the causes of our thoughts, emotions, decisions and
behaviours and the effects or consequences they may have on ourselves and
others.
Consciousness
is eternal, absolute Existence and when it is reflected on the sattvic mind it
is experienced as the sense 'I am’ or ‘I exist’. The 'I am' is a mixture of the
reflected Consciousness in the mind and the sattvic ego and is therefore
partially illusory and partially true; illusory because of the ego and true
because of Consciousness.
However,
because of ignorance and the rajasotamasic ego, we identify the ‘I am’ with the
body and mind. Because of this identification of the ‘I am’ with the body, we
are bound in the realm of material existence and are subjected to the perpetual
circle of pleasure and pain, births and deaths (Samsara). Instead, by
identifying the 'I am' with Consciousness, we become witnesses to the body,
psychological expressions and sensory experiences, and set ourselves on the
path of liberation. We stop identifying and being dominated by egoic tendencies
and programming, we experience inner peace and wholeness and awaken to our true
Self. In order to remain a detached witness of the mind (thoughts, emotions,
etc.), sensory experiences and body and experience the peace, plenitude and
freedom of our true Self, it is necessary to be as deep aware of the inner
silence as possible……
11. The Ability of Self-observation
Self-knowledge
is based on living moment to moment with mindfulness and Self-awareness. That
is, being centered in the present moment, maintaining conscious contact with
the sense of 'I am' and the peaceful silence within, being attentive and aware
of what is happening inside and outside, avoiding identification with mental
and emotional expressions and observing them objectively (avoiding
blaming, complaining and judging negatively).
By consciously keeping our attention
inwards, observing and inquiring about the psychological processes and
expressions, and discerning our egoic self from our true Self (Consciousness),
we begin to know ourselves and work for our inner transformation.
The ability to remember to be aware of
the silent space of Consciousness within (Self-awareness) and the
ability to observe consciously and purposely what is happening in our mind,
body and vital energy (self-observation) are gradually developed through
systematic, diligent practice; over time what is now a practice will become as
natural as our breathing…..
UNITY III
13. The
Repetition of Mantra and God´s Name
(Japa Mantra and Japa Nama)
Part I
According
to great spiritual masters, repetition of a mantra of God's name is the easiest
and most effective form of practice for the majority, in this age of unbridled
materialism (Kali Yuga). Swami Sivananda, Hairakhan Babaji and Amma
suggest the repetition of God's name as the most important and effective means
to purify our mind and heart, eliminate egoic tendencies and meditate.
The water to clean your heart is the Name of God. Of greatest
importance is that the Repetition of God's Name (Japa Nama) increase daily. In
this way, your heart and mind will be purified and only then will you find God
in yourself.
~ Hairakhan Babaji
The
repetition of the mantra, either mentally or verbally, purifies the mind and
heart, dissolves selfish tendencies, negative emotions, desires and
attachments, makes the mind calm, harmonious, stable and luminous, and
ultimately leads us to attain enlightenment or God-realization.
The mind,
by nature, can think only one thing at a time. It can either think of God or
the world. If we do not make the mind think of something higher, then the mind,
out of habit and programming, will think of sense objects, will cling to them,
and will repeat the same patterns of thought and emotion.
The
highest thought of all is the name of God and the constant repetition of a
mantra is the easiest way to remember God (Consciousness, silent presence within) and to purify
the mind and heart. By mentally repeatinga mantra (we can also whisper or say it out loud) we keep
our mind centred on God.
It is
recommended to repeat the mantra that most resonates in our heart (for example,
'Om Nama Shivay[5]', or 'Om
Namo Narayanaya'), or the name of a great divine incarnation
such as Krishna and Jesus Christ ('Hare Krishna Hare Rama', 'Om Sri Jesus Christ Namaha'). Those
inclined to the formless God may repeat some of the great sayings of the
Upanishads (Mahavakyas)
who refer to God (Brahman) in
its formless absolute aspect. These great sayings affirm the identification of
our true Self (Atman,
Consciousness) with the absolute Truth of the Universe (Brahman,
Absolute Consciousness, God). Two of these sayings are 'I am
Brahman’(‘Aham Brahmasmi’ in Sanskrit) and ‘Atman is Brahman’ (‘Ayam
Atma Brahma’ in Sanskrit), i.e., the individual Consciousness (Atman) is
the Universal or Absolute Consciousness (Brahman).
The ultimate goal of the repetition of
the mantra is to become as spontaneous and natural as our breathing so that our
mind remains in constant contact with the silent presence of God. To achieve
this requires constant diligent practice of Japa mantra throughout the day as
well as morning and evening practice at home or at any other time we have
scheduled for practice….
20. The Dissolution of
Ego and Desires and Liberation
Egoic
tendencies and desires develop in us because of ignorance and the pursuit of
happiness in sensory pleasures, sensory experiences and mundane success. Ego
and desire, however, are not two different elements. Desire, or more precisely desiring,
is an expression of the ego. Furthermore, all attachments, selfish tendencies
and negative emotions, habits and addictions originate directly or indirectly
in desire. As I said before, greed, for example, is desiring more and more;
envy is desiring what others have; pride is desiring to feel great, superior
and to be recognized by others.
Desires, attachments, egoic
tendencies, negative emotions, habits and addictions cause our mind to be
dense, obscure, cloudy, inharmonious, passionate, restless, and therefore to
lose its clarity, calmness, serenity, stability, one-pointedness, clear perception
and discernment. And this, in turn, causes us to experience pain and suffering (to
a greater or lesser degree depending on the power of egoic tendencies, desires
and attachments and our state of consciousness) and, on the other hand, to
live unaware of our true Self and not experience peace, wholeness, freedom and
bliss.
Since ego and desires are the root of
our misery and suffering and also the impediments to fully experiencing our
true Self, their elimination leads to liberation (Self-realization,
Enlightenment).
Only with the complete dissolution of
the ego (of all egoic tendencies and desires) we can establish ourselves
in our divine Self (Atman, the apparent individual Consciousness) who is
identical with the Universal or absolute Consciousness (Brahman, God)and attain liberation[6].
In short, spirituality is a process
that prepares the inner organ, i.e., the fourfold mind[7] (Antahkarana in Sanskrit), for meditation and Samadhi, through which the
complete dissolution of the ego (egoic tendencies and desires) and the
establishment in our divine Self can be achieved.
The main goals of this process are the
purification of the mind, the elimination of the egoistic tendencies and the
rajas and tamas gunas from the mind, the development of Self-awareness,
self-observation, detachment, discernment, dispassion and devotion, and all
other virtues and sattvic abilities of the mind. The ultimate goal is, of
course, liberation or Self-realization……
[1]the
rajasotamasic ego: the ego has various aspects. Concerning
the three gunas, I classify the ego in the higher sattvic ego and the lower
rajasotamasic ego because the rajas and tamas gunas cause suffering,
identification with the body, mind and objects and prevent us from living in
conscious union with our inner Self while the sattva, on the other hand,
enables us to live in harmony, love, peace and happiness and conscious union
with our Self. (Read about the ego in the topic 'Ego, our illusory identity').
[2]the
three Gunas:
Sattva, Rajas
and Tamas Gunas are the primary subtle forces of the universe. Read more about
them in the subtopic ‘The mind and the three Gunas’ of the topic ‘Ego, our Illusory Identity’.
[3]the external mind: The mind has four aspects:
1. the External mind (Manas in Sanskrit), 2. the Intermediate mind or
Intellect (Buddhi in Sanskrit), 3. the Inner mind or Subconscious (Chitta
in Sanskrit) and 4. the Ego (Ahamkara in Sanskrit). The fourfold mind is
called the inner organ or instrument (Antahkarana in Sanskrit) in the Yoga and
Vedanta traditions.
[4] the word Self- awareness:since we consider the body and mind to be
ourselves, we typically use the term self-awareness to denote that we are aware
of the body, bodily sensations, thoughts, imaginations, feelings, emotions,
etc. However, our self or identity is Consciousness, experienced as a silent
and unchanging presence. So, Self-Awareness-in the most authentic sense of the
term- signifies being aware of the ‘I am’ and the silent presence of
Consciousness.
[5]the mantra ‘Om
Nama Shivay: The mantra ‘Om Nama
Shivay’ can be translated as ‘I bow to the light of Consciousness (Shiva)’.
[6]liberation: liberation, enlightenment, Self-realization and
God-realization are synonymous terms and the one who has attained this state is respectively called liberated, enlightened,
Self-realized. The liberated one, in Sanskrit, is called 'Jivanmukta' and also
'Jnani' which means the knower of the Self (Atman) or God (Brahman, Absolute
Consciousness) and also ‘Yogi’ which means the united with their true Self (Atman, Consciousness) or God.
[7]fourfold mind: The four aspects or parts of mind
are: 1. the External mind(Manas in Sanskrit), 2. the Intermediate mind or Intellect(Buddhi in Sanskrit), 3. the Inner mind or Subconscious (Chitta in Sanskrit) and 4. the Ego (Ahamkara in Sanskrit).
