Continue to move forward. . . you are a beautiful soul!

Eventually one realizes life is an inner journey. Consciousness itself is the final frontier and there is no limit to it. The mind and body are instruments of consciousness (Atman, soul). Their purpose is for exploration, Self-discovery, and self-evolvement. The final refinement of the mind culminates in complete selflessness. Your Real Self is egoless, all-knowing, all-loving, and ever-full (complete). You are self-contained and immortal. Nothing can make you any more or less than that.

It is the mind that wonders, wavers, wishes, waxes and wanes. When the mind is conquered, you have conquered the whole universe: when we overcome our small self we realize the Self. It is a process. You are in the process; I am in the process. Our lives are ‘work in progress.’

Our duty is to continue to make progress in the ‘right direction.’ The right direction is the inner path, because that path is lit with insights which guide us to Self-realization.

The one who is outward bound is ‘lost and never found.’ Many people have traveled the journey of life but never reached their destination because their lives were spent in the pursuit of personality-glorification and ego-gratification. They passed away without ever connecting to the Real, hence, they forget and are forgotten.

Few people have the guts (and heart) to go beyond their own small self and completely shed the fascade of ego-mentality. When they do, they get a glimpse of Ultimate Reality and never forget it (because it’s not something they remember: forgetting and remembering are states of mind, but the state of Being is beyond the mind).

Remember: the mind and body are your tools; use them wisely, carefully, efficiently, and creatively. The Wise do not unnecessarily but their life in jeopardy, even as a musician is not careless or reckless with his instrument. Create beauty in your life. You are a beautiful soul. OM

Self-disgust versus Self-dignity

Self disgust is the byproduct of bad action. A bad action is an action that is not in conformity with our real nature. Some people will argue that our real nature is of the nature of duality, and that as human beings we are both inherently selfish and unselfish. However, this dual nature is actually our lower nature. This temporary lower nature of duality disappears when our eternal higher nature is manifested. Our real nature is eternal, whereas our mortal, temporary nature is simply the backdrop for the expression of our real nature (real self, Atman, soul).

To express our real nature, it is necessary to revolt against our own ego and selfish mentality. A selfish mentality is the result of an ego infection; that is, it is the result of an ego infected mind. To stop the infection, the ego must be removed. To remove the ego, one must work without the thought of reward or recognition. Seeking appreciation is actually a self-deprecating act; it causes one to lose one’s Self-dignity. True Self-dignity means to recognize oneself as the Self. One fails to recognize oneself as the Self when one seeks self-recognition and appreciation.

Devotion to God and Commitment to the Wise Teacher

Great souls (Mahatmas) come into our lives to awaken us to our own inner potential. They do not come to us seeking adoration or adulation. Naturally, when we come in their contact, we are filled with joy and gratitude for the blessings (good vibrations) they bestow upon us, and this joy and gratitude are expressed through our devotion. The devotional life is a dance of pure happiness.

When we are little babies in devotion, we are happy. When we are young children in devotion, we are happy. When we are grown men and women in devotion, we are happy. This happiness expresses in many ways. As little babies and children we spend much of our time playing and singing. As we mature, we spend more time working and attending to our duties.

The true showing of our devotion is revealed in the way we speak and behave with our loved ones: with our family members, and how we handle ourselves at work and at play.

The Ultimate Minamalist

There are two completely different connotations to the word “minimalist.” The older connotation is a negative one and refers to someone who “just wants to get by,” who puts out the minimum amount of energy and does the least amount of work. It refers to someone who is essentially lazy and self-involved. On the other hand, the more recent connotation of this word is a very positive one, and refers to someone who does not believe in wasting resources, including time, money, energy, food, and other commodities. Mahatma Gandhi has been referred to as a minimalist.

The ultimate minimalist is one who is completely self-contained and does not seek happiness outside him-herself. Such a person is a true minimalist. A true minimalist is not inclined to waste energy by amassing objects of enjoyment or trying to please uncentered people for the sake of emotional gratification.

Nature of Ego

Ego is the idea that “I am the doer, I am the accomplisher.” Ceasing to do actions is not the way to go beyond ego. To conquer ego one must do good actions. Some people say that all actions—both good and bad actions—cause bondage. This is not correct. Bad actions always cause bondage but good actions do not cause bondage. It is only the attachment to good actions that causes bondage. The cause of bondage is attachment to our ego. The only way to break free and manifest the intrinsic freedom of the Self is to do good actions without any attachment.

Essential

Purush/Prakriti (Shiva/Shakti) are two aspects of one entity: the Jivatman (the embodied Soul—Atman manifested as Purush and infused into Prakriti). From the perspective of this world of mind/matter (in other words, from the perspective of the embodied consciousness; Jivatman), this is all that there is (in other words, when we are bound by our ego we can only perceive ourselves as persons). We cannot see beyond what we are (that is, “what we think we are”) until we stop “thinking.” This happens in Samadhi. It also happens in deep dreamless sleep, but no one remembers deep dreamless sleep because the mind is inactive, and the memory is a component of the mind.

Even when one comes out of Samadhi, the recollection of Samadhi is only a faint reflection of Samadhi—actually, the memory of Samadhi is just an impression of “nothingness,” which is the Unmanifest (Prakriti) in its most subtle expression.

Anyway, this expression—this explanation—is not of much importance. The essential import (meaning) of our Life does not lie in analysis. Art is not produced by connecting dots. Music is not played by reading notes. Poetry is not created by stringing words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs. No doubt the analysis is there, the dots are there, the notes, words, and sentences are there, but there is so much more which cannot be produced or understood by the mind. To go beyond the mind, the mind will need to be silenced. To silence the mind, wisdom must be acquired, and to acquire wisdom, ego must be dropped. To drop the ego, the touch of a True Teacher is essential. OM

What’s in a ‘name?’–the call to action

What’s in a name?

Some people think their name is very important. In fact, some people are so attached to their name that they actually think they are their name. So, what’s in a name? What is a name, really?

Your name was given to you after you were born. Even though you existed in your mother’s womb prior to birth, no one referred to you by name until after you were born. So, who were you before you were born? What were you before you were born?

Regardless of your opinion of “when life begins,” almost everyone will agree that a child just a month before being born is in fact a complete human being, entitled to all the protections and rights of a new born baby. Question: is the unborn child “incomplete?” Is the unborn child only a “partial” human being just because the child has no name? Of course not.

When my first son was born, we did not give him a name for several months. We just called him “beautiful soul.” That’s all. We did this intentionally because we didn’t want our relatives (or ourselves) to begin treating him like “a person.”

You see, we are so much more than just a person. Our “personhood” begins when we get caught up in our name and form. The truth is, in essence, we are neither our name nor our form. Names and forms are always changing. But there is “something” about each and every one of us which is not subject to change or alteration. There is “something” that cannot be adulterated by adults. There is “something” that cannot be superimposed upon, cannot be defined (put in a box), or even imagined. That “something” is who and what you really are. You are indivisible, invisible, invincible Divine Spirit.

You are an Eternal Conscious Being!

Now, I know some people will object to this phrase “Divine Spirit,” so let me clarify what I mean. The “spirit” is simply the energy or life force which empowers the mind to think and gives the body the power to act. This energy-field is indestructible and is beyond both mind and matter, which is why it is called “divine.” “Divine” simply means that which is beyond mind and matter—and what is that?—that is Consciousness.

The life force is the energy that emanates from Consciousness. This is called PRANA. Prana is the inherent force of Consciousness. In essence, you are Consciousness, I am Consciousness, and everyone is Consciousness. You are eternal, I am eternal, and everyone is eternal. You are not temporarily eternal—that makes no sense. If your eternal nature begins at some point in time (such as at your birth in the body, or when you are ‘enlightened’), then that could not be called eternity.

You and I are eternal and we are eternally unique—one of a kind; hence, each and every one of us is also one-without-a-second. You have always existed (though not in your present form) and will always exist. But there is “Something” greater than you and greater than I, which is also eternal, and is also One-Without-a-Second, and THAT is the Supreme. Some call that Ultimate Reality the Supreme Being, some say GOD, others say Paramatma (Supreme Soul), and there are so many other names too.

What is the Purpose of a Name?

When we name something we describe its properties. The properties of a ‘thing’, ‘substance,’ or entity are inherent in it. For example, the property of heat is inherent in fire. The properties of eternal things are eternal, but the names used to designate the properties (qualities) may change according to the evolution of language.

Linguists ponder the question of the origin of language. Where did language originate? Is there an original language? If so, are there elementary words which are inherent in the Universe, just like elementary particles? The Vedic Rishis (sages) have explained that all words emanate originally from OM. Om is the primal seed Mantra. The Sanskrit language is made up of sound vibrations which can ultimately be resolved to this single syllable. These sound vibrations form the roots of words, and both the roots and the original words are eternal in the sense that they are inherent in the sound of OM, which is the sound vibration of the Absolute (GOD).

Now, ‘sound’ means that which is heard. When we hear words in our head we do not hear physical sounds, yet we are still “hearing.” When we “hear the Names of God” it means the mind is reflecting on God’s characteristics. GOD’s names are His qualities; for example: Mitra: friend; Dayalu: compassionate; Atiti: indestructible.

Our own names should also describe our qualities. But nowadays (due to the preponderance of shallow personality) many of our personal names are whimsical and meaningless. This should not be so. A name is not a number used for reference and record keeping. Our name should describe the quality of our essence—it should tell something about who and what we really are. Our name should remind us (and others) of our real nature. When the mind is reminded over and over, again and again, of our real nature, our mind begins to look more and more like who we really are. Then we are no longer confused about who we are.

The mind needs to be “washed” (purified, clarified) with correct conceptions in order to have right perception. In other words, the “brainwashing” must be washed away, otherwise our misconceptions will lead to misperception and misunderstanding, which in turn lead to self-deceit, self-defeat, and self-destruction.

To really be who you are (in essence), you need to do what is essential. The most important thing you can do is to do what you say. Of course, if what you say is not true then you should not do it. Remember: it’s the mind that does all the talking. Your self-talk needs to reflect who you really are, and that reflection needs to be projected through your actions. This is why it is so important to put the right thoughts into your mind, because then the mind will reflect on those good thoughts, and the mind will become better. In other words, it will become a better reflector of who you are; your mind will not present a distorted image of your self. Instead, you will see (with the mind) who you really are and you will be your Self. “Being yourself” means being true to your Real Self; it means doing actions which are in harmony with your real nature.

My name is Jai Maha Dev. What does it mean? It means I am a spark of the Supreme Self; it means my life is for the glorification of that Supreme Being—it is not for self-glorification, selfishness, or shallowness. My name reminds me of my real nature and real purpose. Of course, I need to project these qualities through my actions in order to fully realize (actualize) who I am. This is a process and it is called the “art of living.”

The art of living is the unfolding of the truth of being. That “being” is immortal, indestructible, complete, full, and one-without-a-second—but it is NOT one without any equal. On the contrary, we are all equals, and we are all eternal, and we are all permeated with the Light of Supreme Consciousness. That Light is the Wisdom which is our eternal inheritance—there is no greater wealth than that—so we should treasure it.

Eventually everyone needs to awaken to the truth—they need to listen to the Wisdom of Consciousness. When we listen to the Wisdom of Consciousness we are listening to our own Higher Nature. The time will come when we will see God face-to-face. This can only happen when we stop turning our back on the truth. The truth is always staring us in the face—there is no where we can turn to hide from our own Self. So we might as well face the truth and get busy doing the work of refining and reforming our own mind.

Only self-reformation will lead to self-transformation. We reform ourselves when we refine our mind with wisdom and put it into practice. Practice being your Self, that’s all. To practice being your Self, it is helpful to remind yourself who you really are.

Knowing is Doing

Don’t be so attached to your birth name—the name arbitrarily assigned to you at birth—especially if it is not a good reminder of who you really are. In fact, regardless of your name, you should not be attached to it. Remember: a name is only a reminder. Once you know who you really are you don’t need to remember it—but if you don’t practice it, you will definitely forget it, even if you repeat it like a parrot. In other words, “knowing is doing.”

Go Beyond Your Small Self

An uncentered person is one who is self-involved. Self-involved people are out of touch with themselves. They remain disconnected from the core of their being, and this disconnection causes them discontent and despair. To reconnect it is necessary to restrain the mind from its outgoing nature and direct it inward. It is a matter of introspection, not “introversion” (the process or state of being an introvert).

Your true Self is neither an introvert nor an extrovert. Your true Self is beyond duality. Your true Self is not different from the true Self of others—the true Self is the same in everyone—but every Self is one-without-a-second; every Self is eternal and unique. This fact is an expression of the ever-newness, ever-freshness of Consciousness.

The Supreme Consciousness is the Supreme Self present in every Self. The Supreme Self is the Self of your Self. You are Atman, and the Supreme Self (Paramatman) is your Self. That is, GOD (the Supreme Being, the Absolute, Parabrahma) is the Essence that eternally pervades the eternal Soul (Atman: you). You are not GOD, but GOD is your Self. To understand this, it is necessary to leave your ego, your false identification with your small self.

Your small self is the self you “think” you are. It is the imagined self. It is the self you have assumed yourself to be for the sake of acting out the drama of life. Because you are such a good actor, you don’t even know you are acting. You have convinced yourself that you are a mere mortal when in reality you are an immortal.

To experience our Essence, it is necessary to stop playing “mind games.” The drama of the world is really just a side show. The real drama is the divine drama beyond the realm of ordinary mind and ego. To experience the extraordinary Drama of Creation, one must live an extraordinary life. To “live an extraordinary life” simply means to go beyond your small self.

Purification of the Mind

In essence, we are all the same. There is no one greater or less than another, in essence. When the mind is not established in the Essence, in the core of being, we are off-balance. Differences are created by imbalance. The imbalance is in the mind. When the mind is balanced, reality is perceived. When the mind is not balanced, there is misperception. Misunderstanding follows from misperception.

To make the mind balanced, the Truth must be brought into focus. The Truth is brought into focus when images are removed from the mind.

What is the Truth, and what are “images?” The Truth is that which cannot be imagined. Images of the truth can never be the Truth. Images are ideas formed from impressions. Impressions are formed from actions performed with an interested motive. In other words, impressions (Samskaras) are formed in the mind when actions are done with ego. Ego is the idea “I am the doer.” When this idea, which is also an image, is eliminated, all other images are also dissolved.

The idea that “I am the doer” can never be dissolved by simply ceasing to act. Ceasing to act is the equivalent of succumbing to (surrendering to) ego. Ego can only be overcome by acting (living, working) without the idea of ego. This is the essence of Karma Yoga, and Karma Yoga is just another name for Raja Yoga, which is just another name for YOGA. Some people misconstrue Yoga as consisting of different “types,” but in fact the different types of Yoga are really just different aspects of Yoga.

Yoga is the union of the mind with the divine. The “divine” is that which is beyond the mind. The mind is united with the divine only when it is balanced, and it is balanced only when it is free of images. The mind is finally free of images only when ego is expelled from the mind, and ego is expelled only through the performance of action without ego.

The performance of action without ego is a process. The progression of the purification of the mind is facilitated by the practice of Yoga. The practice of Yoga means the consistent and persistent effort to balance the mind through the removal of mental states which are contrary to one’s higher nature. One’s higher nature is the Truth that one is Pure Consciousness, undistorted, immutable, indestructible and unimaginable. The Truth is one’s Essence. When the mind is purified, the Truth is “reflected” in that mind and one is Enlightened.

The Enlightened One is the Self that has completely purified the mind. Enlightenment is the aim of the Game of Life. The Game of Life can only be won by becoming completely egoless, which can only be accomplished by living and working without expressing ego. Merely repressing ego will not result in egolessness. Transcendence is necessary, and transcendence means to live and work and go beyond (transcend) ego. Eventually, this work causes the complete disintegration of ego—that is, the ego ceases to be integrated with the mind (the mind/ego connection is broken). Ego still exists in the Enlightened One; it is just no longer present in the mind. When ego is no longer present in the mind, one has complete presence of mind—the mind fully reflects the light of Consciousness.

This is called the realization of Truth, which means the actualization (manifestation) of one’s real nature (Higher Nature, Soul) through the purification of the mind.

Get Yourself Out of the Way

There have been a few liberated souls who have lived on this planet—there have been quite a few, and there are a few today. They have not saved millions of people, or even thousands or hundreds. Some have saved a small handful, and some have saved just themselves. In fact, neither have they “saved” nor been “saved.” They have played the drama, watched the drama, and left the stage of life to go on to other worlds; they have left other worlds to go beyond, and then they go beyond the beyond.

Do you want to save yourself from unnecessary pain and suffering? Then you need to do your own “homework.” No one can erase your mistakes for you, no one can make you free, no one can give you salvation, and no one can take you to heaven on their shoulders. That is all a hallucination born out of ignorance of your Real Nature.

You decided on your own to play this Game, to live this Life. You knew what you were getting into before you started. Even though you have long since forgotten why you came and where you are going—even this forgetfulness is part of the drama. You will remember when the mind is clarified. You will get to where you are going when you get your self out of the way.