Truth needs no special lifestyle

me: Dear Swami ji, from last few days I am confused about basic characteristics/lifestyle requirements for a seeker to receive truth..... I am trying to say that as truth conveyed by you is quite different from the way of world... when is a seeker ready to receive it and live it?
-: That's a thoughtful question Puneet ! Truth needs no special lifestyle. To realize oneself in any manner, in form of lifestyle, is the easiest. But when we talk about a suitable lifestyle then we get into this trap again. A trap where you create conditions and then try to fulfill them too.

If you introduce a new lifestyle in order to realize the Truth, then the introduced lifestyle itself becomes an obstacle. Life gets "organized" itself upon knowing the Truth, but to organize the life in a particular way to know the truth can be misleading.

Only achievements are planned and achieved. But knowing one Self is no achievement and no planned lifestyle can do that.

When you plan a lifestyle it may improve your style of living but need not bring the awareness of SELF. If it is a particular lifestyle that made people in the past realize their true nature, then it could be so easy. On the contrary the masters from the past seem to have lived such varied lifestyles.

me: I understand that a lifestyle of a certain discipline or characteristics may not bring the understanding of truth but my question is that basic minimum requirements.... yoga talks about certain discipline, Shankara had listed few requirements, few religions like Jainism and Islam have rigid mathematical rules, Buddhism has its own basic requirements... When so many systems have enlisted requirements...so that is why i am asking this question...
-: It's a way of waking up a sleeping seeker. It's not the new lifestyle that brings awareness with it. But the change in the lifestyle does it.

When someone got used to a lifestyle for too long then there is a least possibility of "waking" up. It becomes very predictable and Truth slips through the predictability of a lifestyle.

So when there is a change introduced or brought or forced in, or even happened more naturally (life job transfer, get married etc) the possibility of awareness being triggered about one's strength and weakness is high.

So the religious masters told the followers to change their lifestyles in order to notice one self. It's about leaving a comfort zone and expose oneself to the trials and tribulations. The idea of pilgrimages also came about this way.


me: So what I understand is that more important than a specific lifestyle or certain discipline is to "not become" dependent on it or caught in it.
-: Very well said. No lifestyle can bring about inner transformation. But certain changes in lifestyles can trigger awareness of the inner SELF.

I think if the understanding of what is SELF is clear, then the need for such lifestyles and other ideas will drop for ever. Perhaps next time when you come on line we will make it a point to discuss just the same (SELF).

But do not misunderstand that I advocate no change of lifestyles. In fact lifestyles keep changing all the time for most people. Life keeps changing but awareness happens when you stand apart from changes and observe them. So next time when meet we will get little more closer to this topic.

me: ok swami ji, Namaste !

Shiva represents change

me: Namaste Swami ji !!
-: hara hara namah parvati pataye !
(The above words from master are Sanskrit prayer to Shiva).

me: I remember your explaination of Shiva as destroyer of anything negative inside
-: Is it ? when was that?

me: I am speaking from (My remembrance of listening to) Mantra meditation (Audio CD in master's voice containing vedic mantras)...mahamritunjay mantra
-: ohk ! I don't know if I used the word Negative.. But Shiva represent anything that is destroyed (read *change*)

me: yes...maybe these words..you mentioned destroyer of negativity inside ... words could be different
-: If bill gates changed his mind and shut down the charity foundation he runs even that is Shiva.

Humans and God

me: Namaste Swami ji!I read in your blog "God only make action happen, but does not originate action.". It's interesting...does it mean that an Individual initiates action... how does this statement complement "You are not the controller of your life but you can control such an idea"
-: Namaste Puneet! I read in your blog "God only make action happen, but does not originate action. "

Are these exactly the words? Can you cut paste them exactly or check again?

 me: Words are exact...but the whole context could be different...
God cannot discriminate right from wrong. The discrimination faculty belong only to human mind. No doubt, even mind is just a manifestation of same God but these actions are never originated from God but only from human mind. God only make action happen, but does not originate action.(Copied and pasted)
-: ohk
it means that action is backed by god
but the intent behind is human
..

me: But that would mean that Human's can have a independent intent...how do this and "You are not the controller of your life..." be both true
-: If you wrap a red cloth around the mouth of a torch light it would burn in red color. Though the light burns from inside the torch (God's back up) still the red cloth decides the shade of the light (human intent).


All the different shades that can be wrapped around the torch light are the various intents but the light remains the same illuminating them all..

 me: So what i understand is that human beings provide different ways of expression or creative manifestation... but the source of it is same
-: Precisely !

Prana is the glue that joins body and mind

me: Namaste Swamiji!! I started reading this scientist Wilhelh Reich ..he developed systems to measure this energy which he called Orgone in 1930's...this looked very similar to what yoga talks of Pranic energy. Swami ji, i wanted to know about Pranic energy
-: tell me your understanding of it as of now
or even some experience somewhere
or having met someone
or heard anything
..

me: My understanding is very basic and i don't think i have any experience...all hearing is from people who teach yoga talking about it. As per my understanding about it, it is a energy prevailing in universe and humans gather it through breating, food etc..It should ideally flow freely in the body if there is some block or lack of balance, then it may cause physical problems in body maybe it is what we call vitality.

Scintifically if i think about it, it could be the dark energy which scientists are unable to measure in universe but are sure that it exists. Reiki, Chi etc.. talk of same energy but i do not have any observable experience neither i have seen much physical benefits of any yogic excercise or pranayama..though i must admit that i have not been very regular
-: i understand that puneet !


me: What surprises me somewhat is that why Science does not accept it when whole eastern systems are built around it
-: it is never in the Vedas though or any older scriptures......though there is a mentioning of pranas a lot in vedas.......but to make it a exclusive thing is by the new age healers..

me: So, prana is not exclusive means it is in combination with something...i am not clear
-: Prana is just the vital air sheath. It is one of the five elements

1. Space
2. Air (prana)
3. Fire (agni)
4. water (jala)
5. Earth (pritvi)

me: How is this vital air different from normal air we breathe..
-: Nothing....just that it modifies itself in many ways when it enters the human body as 5 different modes
1. prana
2. apana
3. vyana
4. udana
5. samana
each one with unique function of its own..

me: So it depends on the way one breathes or some other physiological reason...also i have no idea of what each one represents. Can humans have any possible control over these different modes?
-: the control freaks generally like to control everything :). Rather it should be balanced.....
- samana vayu helps digesting
- apana vayu helps ecacuating whats eaten
- udhana vayu can circulate blood
- prana in general sustains life..
these pranas should function in balance, then its called healthy living. If there is imbalance, then one end up in vomiting.

me: ok, thats why you mentioned that prana in exclusivity is not all that is important...the balance involves all the modes...You mentioned physical importance of these modes...Is there any other psychological relation of these
-: yes prana also is the glue that joins body and mind..it influences both body and mind. So when in anger your breathing gets shorter and hotter; then the Yoga Shastra says breath long when you feel anger, then the anger vanishes..

me: So, our emotions and passions probably disrupt normal breating and that may manifest as a physical condition due to imbalance
-: precisely..

me: So deep breathing and other kinds of Pranayama can balance the existing imbalances....
-: exactly

me: I understand that, i have other queries...can Prana be transferred from other ways apart from Air
-: Then its not called as Prana but just some psychic effects

me: How are they different and are they real or just imaginations
-: If you hear a bad news then it may cause head ache or see someone 'bad' then it may cause headache or discomfort in stomach these are called psychological effects.
The aches are real but the way it is acquired is NOT. So also the new age remedies bring goodness but they are just psychological..

me: I understand that and i think it pertains to remedies i usually hear like Reiki, Aura healing etc...So apart from Pranayama, what is the right way to balance and live in a way that imbalances do not occur
-: A expanded understanding of life will sustain balance which is easier said than done..

me: And what is required to bring this expanded understanding..basically how do i know about the gaps and bridge them
-: The gaps are largely between your present and your past and your future if they are bridged, then it all become one WHOLE then you are expanded in understanding..

me: Are ways like Tai chi helpful in bridging it
-: Tai Chi helps harmonizing the body and mind due to the graceful movements of the body......and followed awareness on body with rythmic breathing accompanies
but thats just balancing act..and nothing to do with some special air coming from honkong harbor and enter into your body and bring all the goodies.....Its the New Age Merchants who promote such exclusive ideas about some special pranas (stored only in their custody) which are released at their behest and can heal this world etc..

me: I undestand that difference now.....also i understand that awareness can bring the extended understanding
-: Bravo !!! Grosser the mind greater the choices of finding solutions and subtler the mind, then there is just ONE answer to everything.....and thats why subtler people go into silence.....as if going into silence but the truth is there is nothing much to talk about......and Truth is ONE. We meet up later on again..

me: Namaste Swami ji!!
-: namaste puneet !

The Game of life

The following extract is from an interesting discussion i had with the master on living a spiritual life while being a complete participant in materialistic world

-: One should play the game well and when winning and losing don't matter in that, then one emerges as a winner..

me: so what do we mean by playing it well
-: playing it well is simply not getting lost or trapped or hurt or offended or overjoyed oneself..but to remain steady and untouched throughout and till the end..

The Pathless Path is known only after reaching the destination, till then the paths DO EXIST

me: My idea is to first know if a path is really needed? As there have been statements like the truth is a pathless path. That makes the whole thing confusing.
-: Not really confusing ! Because, to arrive to this understanding of Pathless Path you need a path its more of a paradigm shift in understanding which can be grossly described as 'Path".

From the original thought you had earlier on that spiritual goal is achieved through many paths, then you come to the present understanding that coming is the path actually !

Still I may not agree that you have really come to the pathless land. Because you are 'confused' as you mentioned. Which means you are somewhere on the 'path' still !

me: I do not believe that i have come on the pathless land and that is why i am dwelling a bit on whatever looks like a different path
-: that dwelling on various ideas from time to time is the path and the journey too

me: but i have this feeling that a serious deep dive into one may be required. And i think different paths are for different kind of individuals and a specific path may work best for one. How can one figure it out
-: First of all do not read the pathless path theory now. Stick to your venture of figuring out the right path. Because the Pathless Path is known only after reaching the destination. Till then the paths DO EXIST.

And there is no exclusive paths for each individual but paths merge and emerge. Its like when you step out of your home you may walk through a small lane which will connect to a main road, then the main road leads to highway and free way. You would be sometimes taking a bus or train and flight..

me: I get that. The only difference is that in the case of travel, the destination is known...here it is unknown. So i can not know what i am choosing is taking me anywhere or not
-: There are more differences than what you mentioned here. The destination is 'unknown' only because it is to be achieved in some future point of time.

me: and the path is sort of map to that destination.
-: Its both like a map and the actually time and space taken for reaching the goal. The path and journey are inseparable. Never you can travel separately away from the path. Because whatever life has brought you to is the path.

me: Even if the journey is in seemingly diferent directions
-: Yes. The conflict in the twisting and turning is in itself the path. Not a pleasant free way but perhaps a choked up gally in Chandni Chowk you can say..still its a path.

me: Swami ji, i understand this and that has been my state till now, personally how do i go to a highway now from this choked gully.
-: Going to highway is a sign of more clarity which has happened to you. That is when the confusion about paths and the need to select a path and trying to understand the destination etc. causes the mind to choke and as a result one is stuck up and feel not so much progressed.

me: Agreed swami ji, there is more clarity through the discussions and the quality of life is different due to it... now it is like what next
-: What next is exactly the question that creates the 'path'. From here to what next which means...

1. Where do I go from here?
2. How do I go ?
3. How long does it take ?
4. Where will reach?
5. How far is it from here?

me: Swami ji, i am only concerned about "How do i go"
-: This thought of going somewhere causes the creation of path.

me: So are you implying that i am already on this "path"
-: Whatever you have lived till this moment is the path and whatever you are likely to experience further is the path. It is not separable from you, or from your life.

On your path, at this juncture you are chatting up with me. but you think you are yet to select a path.

Everybody is already on the path. They all have come some distance in their lives. Not necessarily in terms of money only as an ordinary mind would mistake.. but its about intellectual growth and emotional maturity and even physical growth, your psychological understandings too have gone through changes. These changes constitute the path

me: I think i am understanding it, whatever be that path...it is very tightly engrained with life itself...not something seperate to be followed as a routine for few moments of time.
-: Exactly ! Very well said. So what happens is that you dont scramble to find a path anymore.......and dont even bother to choose between paths (the right and suitable path)........and perhaps you don't bother how to reach the goal too !

me: I think i understand it now, it is not about a specific name of path..it could be anything, a mix or nothing..it is about what growth it is bringing as you mentioned above
-: When you have clearly understood that you are on the path from the moment you were born.....and you have always been traveling and journeying......but just that you were NOT aware and at some juncture you meet up some one who points out this truth about path......and upon being aware of it like how you become aware of it now, then that very moment most of the conflicting and confusing thoughts which have been haunting you drops off.

As a result of that you suddenly find yourself airlifted from the Chandni Chowk to a free way and you would be journeying more spontaneously and without much struggle or effort and thats the sign that you have come much closer to the goal.

me: The understanding looks quite simple and yet profound

'You' are not the controller of your life but you can possibly control such a belief

me: The place we left last time was tough for me to understand, also when you talked about the "decisions happening in present" !!
-: Yes ! The so called 'decisions' happen only on the spot. But certainly the universe is not moving in a 'decisive' manner. It is spontaneous and momentary, always new and eternally now.

me: Meaning the future is not at all prepared by anyone and it is kind of painting happening ?
-: Yes. Its a ongoing process just like a painting. 'Its always a completed painting but still in the process'. This painting has no start or end.

me: So the question arises, if as an individual i am just ignorant that i am taking a decision in present, then what takes it. The issue for me here is that i like it that the future is not pre decided and i do not like it that i am not the ultimate controller of my decisions in present
-: 'You' are not the controller of your life but you can possibly control such a belief that you can control your life.

Nobody controls anything for that matter but it appears to be that way.

me: so are we going towards a collective consciousness ?
Consciousness is always ONE and perhaps 'collective', it is never divided but for our convenience we always divided it and then try to call it as the collective consciousness by putting all non existing pieces together.

me: ok, i understand. The consciousness is the painter?
-: Yes the painter and the painted too and even the canvas and all the colors too
all of them as ONE.

me: So, the next question becomes tough. If there is no individual divided consciousness, then why this individual looking life at all?
-: The individual driven life is apparent and a very important aspect of the creation and it is not substantiated with any truth but only a mirage like.

me: The energy force in the humans is this consciousness or something else?
-: The energy moves and hence it is an expression of the consciousness and consciousness supports not only life BUT ALSO DEATH.

me: inorganic matter too?
-: EVERYTHING IS CONSCIOUSNESS. Including the organic and inorganic.

me: So it is like back to square one for me. Now consciousness is everything, how is this painting unfolding...something i am missing there ??
-: Unfolding is like a process. Every moment of it alone is real but there is never a sense of beginning and 'end to this painting any moment is a complete painting already'.

me: so in that terms nothing to achieve for consciousness ?
-: Exactly ! Achieve from and for what ?

me: Swami ji, it looks unbelievable today that my individuality does not exist !
-: It never existed. But I'm sure the picture is yet to be complete for you. I mean there is just little more distance to go towards the right understanding.

me: of course it is not complete for me...the question is how to reach the truth..not intellectually but really !!!!
-: There is nothing wrong with the individuality or the ego. The ego is false only when it does not know its root and try to imagine itself to be independent
of the root called Consciousness or Atman.

When ego(ahamkar) is ignorant of consciousness(atman) then it is a false. But the Truth is when your individuality realized that it does not and cannot function by itself, but only with the back up of the hidden and unknown self.

That realization does not destroy the ego but only modifies your ego little bit which appears like losing the -original- ego and taken some new shape now which is only a addition to ego now unlike before. Earlier on it was only EGO

-> then the search begins by the ego about some Consciousness

-> then EGO is busy trying to remove itself in order to find the CONSCIOUSNESS

-> then it also imagines that it has lost the ego totally and found the consciousness fully (many people believe this way and claim themselves to be enlightened and even teach others the same)

But true realization happens when you (EGO) know that you are not alone but there is some driving force that sustains your life and gives shape to this creation as a whole then without losing the ego or your individuality you simple connect to the underlying force or the Being called Consciousness.

Then what happens is ego + consciousness = awakened you

Ego awakens to the hidden consciousness. In order to awake there has to be a sleeping individual and that individuality is you, then you wake up to the fact
there is something more to you than just what you know now......which means not that you lose what you are now or what you have now but only add the new found thing to you......which as if change the way you presented yourself till then.

So there is never a loss of individuality in the true spiritual awakening.

me: I understand it Swami ji, Now my question is that is consciousness growing...i mean scientifically it is said that universe is expanding and does few people becoming enlightened contribute to it in any ways?
-: The expanding of the Universe in a spiritual sense is not like the astronomical expanding. Spiritually speaking, the expansion can be called as 'growth' just the way you grew up these many years, which can also be said as expanded from point A to B.

So It is not spatial or even astronomical but the expansion is more of psychological.

me: so in that way could this growth be called as goal of consciousness ?
-: Goal ?

me: lets say consciousness wanting the whole painting and canvas and colours to be aware and thus in a way we can say Goal ?
-: Never. Consciousness has no goal or even a path to reach that goal. It does not have an agenda.

me: my question arose as it is said that humans only have this ability to perhaps understand it and still most die without understanding, why this process then ?
-: What perhaps is missing in your understanding presently is that the consciousness does not only belong to the 'awakened' ones but also to the ignorant ones too.

In fact Consciousness is both the awakening and the slumbering too. The goal is always the goal and is never to be attained in some distant future. Its always in the attained state.

me: So too consciousness? It does not matter how many get awakened. It is available for both, the difference is in understanding....Swami ji how to bridge the difference. You mentioned the process briefly above when talking of Ego
-: From the ego point of view it is a process and from consciousness point of view it just IS simply, there is no process for the consciousness.

me: Swami ji.. i think i understand this Swami ji, can we discuss on the process for the Ego in next chat ?
-: Sure Puneet ! we will 'proceed' on the 'path'

What you seek is exactly what IT IS NOW

The following is the chat transcript with the Living Master in its true form.
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me: Can enlightenment come without ever seeking it ?
-: Basically you should know what is enlightenment first before talking about when it would come.

Unless you have an idea how do you know whats coming ? Or can you tell whats coming is enlightenment ?

me: I do not even use the word "Enlightenment" for the same reason as the word would normally confine to a meaning, which in this case is not true.

swami ji, in other sense i can say that the end of all seeking is enlightenment or attainment of truth
-: true

me: but there is a definite quality to this end...kindly specify more on it ?
-: when you know what you seek is exactly what IT IS NOW then the search end now or any moment in the NOW then

me: It is said that this end may not be always pleasant, the truth could be horrifying or is it possible that a seeker may not be able to handle it properly?
-: On the contrary this end is the most pleasant one its a great relief and perhaps you would breath really free for the first time.

You would see life as it is for the first time You would speak, touch hear as if for the first time.


me: so any of such beliefs which may bar seeker from IT are really unfounded and maybe coming from past impressions ?
-: yes from the past impressions which make you imagine about future in a particular way, thus drifting you away from the 'goal' of the here now.

me: Also it is said that we should not really seek IT as a 'Goal'. There is very genuine question that why would one then one really go for IT ?
-: when you stopped going for IT(Enlightenment) you enter BEING then the being 'becomes' the goal

me: so it becomes a living experience is what i understand !
-: Yes. Every moment, moment by moment.

me: Could it be that some people experience IT in moments and it does not become their being, could it be the start of search into spirituality for some ?
-: The starting always happens for almost all in the future as a 'future' reality as a distant goal to somehow reach or attain.

me: So is it inbuilt in kind of DNA of humans to reach this 'Goal' or to a few this seeking happens ?
-: The DNA must be playing a truant here too, but the DNA of the seeker who would 'attain' does not decide anything by itself, because the DNA itself was built by something else to behave that way.

me: That is amazing direction then, though i used DNA in a generic way, it usually describes the directions in which a body will go in terms of height, health etc and it is predecided as you mentioned...but what i get from here is that is the future direction of life of a human is also pre decided ?
-: Pre decided can be a precarious term because when we say 'Pre' then as assume there was a past which decides the future.

But the past is NOT having existence (it is only a memory) and whatever happens is not based on a decision made by something or someone, but it happens and at the time of its happening, the 'decision' also happens, like some kind of on the spot decision.

me: At the time of this happening, probability theory would provide alternates in decision making, so the question is that are these alternates available to a normal unenlightened person?
-: To the 'unenlightened', the probabilities always exist. He thrives on them infact. He does not realize that it is a illusion. He wants to believe that there are many options and ways and paths and he thinks he can choose and follow a path decisively as per his plan.

But his true enlightenment happens only when he wakes up from such a assumed notion or a plain illusory thinking.

me: My understanding was that past karmas or impressions take a person to a particular decision and as an enlightened person is free of karmas, he can take decisions completely in present. But from your answer it looks different. ?
-: The 'enlightened' is not some special creature endowed with special power as if he conquered the matrix and exited the time space dimensions. But a simple being waking up from the 'beliefs' and 'notions' about a life trapped in time and space.

He would continue to still live under the influence of time and space but deep within he had already gotten over with both time and space. As a result he seems to have the freedom to live life without any doubts and fears and the seemingly inevitable 'urge' to reach somewhere.

About this Blog

According to Swami Akshara, the ultimate truth(or enlightenment or god attainment or what i call as IT) is अनिर्वचानीयम, a Sanskrit word which literally means 'beyond description'. Different masters from past thousands of years have tried to explain IT and the possible processes of attaining IT in their own words. Those words have been said in a particular language and in a particular context and time period.

It becomes extremely difficult for a seeker to understand the subtle meaning of those words in current context and the past masters are not around for clarification of doubts. 'Edward De Bono' makes it clear with an example about Eskimo's who have developed 12 different words for subtle differences between different types of Snow. Now if an Eskimo's writing on snow is to be translated into English, all 12 words would be translated as snow or ice and their original meaning would be lost to people reading that.

And the process of understanding IT is much more subtle. We can not read a printed text or listen to a speech and expect to know all about it. There will be many questions whose answers can be obtained only from a living master. And as with any discussion into the unknown, the seeker can not prepare a standard set of questions.

I have got an opportunity to interact with Living Master Swami Akshara over a chat and this blog will contain my questions and its answers from the master in its true form. This discussion has already started and will continue into the future and as of today, i have no idea about what form and shape it will take. I am simply taking a deep dive into the unknown.