Wisdom of Consciousness

Why don’t we understand? Why don’t we have that experience of our Essence? Why don’t we get it?

We don’t get it because we don’t go for it. Instead, we go for the things of the mind. Instead, we go for shopping. Instead, we go to the refrigerator for something to eat, even though we are not really hungry. Instead, we go for our favorite TV program, or maybe we go on-line to chat or surf, or maybe just sit and sulk and wonder what it is all about.

Mindless wandering and mindless wondering will lead us nowhere. We will stay stuck where we are until we get up from where we are (in our images) and move our mind to the Wisdom of Consciousness.

The ‘Wisdom of Consciousness’ is not a buzzword or a piece of empty rhetoric. The Wisdom of Consciousness is our connection to our original State of Being. Originally, we were happy and pure and free from malice and ignorance. Originally, our self-identity was not a malignant tumor growing in our mind. Our ego was not a monster, it was just a tiny point of awareness. Originally, our intellect was not distorted or misused to justify anything; it was simply a tool of awareness that we used to express our power of discernment. Originally, the mind was clear and uncluttered, and our senses where sharp and penetrating. Originally, we were established in total well-being, so where and how did we go wrong?

This is the Drama of Life, and we are the author of this drama, we are the maker of our Fate, the shaper of our Destiny. Does this mean we chose to make mistakes, that we chose to go wrong? No, it only means that we haven’t put out enough energy to do it right the first time. We keep getting a new chance, but if we keep taking our chances and pushing our luck we will never get unstuck; we will stay where we are, far, far, away from reaching our Highest Potential.

We have to understand the nature of this Life and admit our own ignorance but never accept it. In other words, just as we have to recognize our own ego but not give it any recognition, in the same way we have to admit our own ignorance but NOT ignore it. We have to remove our ignorance by learning the Wisdom of Consciousness. With the Wisdom of Consciousness we unlearn those habits, tendencies, and attitudes that pull us down and break us apart.

We are broken to pieces unless we learn to get our act together.

“Our good attitude will make us. Our bad attitude will break us.”

Dr. T. R. Khanna

Our life is all about action; it is not all about thinking. We can have good intentions and dream about our potential, but it is only by putting our know-how into practice that we realize our full potential and make things happen.

We are the creator of actions. This Life is a Sport and we have to play with great skill and determination in order to win the Game. We have to overcome our own ignorance. We are opposed only by our own ego and self-will. With the Wisdom of Consciousness we can overcome our opponents and become victorious.

The atheist is one who denies the existence of a Supreme Being, and the theist is one who asserts the existence of a Supreme Being.

The atheist is one who does not believe in the existence of GOD, and the theist is one who believes that GOD exists.

Both the atheist and theist are caught up in their beliefs and ideas, and their assertions are born out of their ego and not from direct experience. Of course, we could also say that their assertions and beliefs are born out of their inexperience.

GOD is not an idea. Ultimately, the existence of GOD is not proven or disproven by an empirical process. Certainly, by an empirical process one can establish the probability or improbability of the existence of GOD, but the PROOF ultimately lies with direct experience.

Now, most people will say that our direct experience is any experience that we have with our senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, or smelling). If something cannot be seen, heard, tasted, touched or smelled we will conclude that there is no ‘hard evidence.’ Of course, there are many other ways by which we ‘prove’ to ourselves (or others) that something is real or unreal. These other ‘ways’ include (but are not limited to) inference and knowledge conveyed to us by others (whom we trust).

What do we really mean by ‘direct experience?’ If we perceive something through our mind, which is separate from our self, can this be called ‘direct’ experience? If you ask your beloved if he or she loves you, and your beloved replies, “I think so,” you will not be very happy. You want to be certain of that love; ABSOLUTELY certain, and certainly you will not be content with a ‘guesstimate’ or even a so-called ‘educated guess.’ The fact is, you cannot rely on their mind or your mind for the answer or proof. The ‘direct experience’ that you seek is somewhere beyond the mind.

If we experience something through our mind, then it is an indirect experience. Mind, in this case, includes our intellect and senses. Then how will we discern the Truth, and who or what does this ‘discerning?’

Certainly, intellect is attributed with the capacity of discernment, but the ordinary intellect (BUDDHI) is subjectively identified with the mind and senses; hence, its power of discernment is not totally reliable, and is often very unreliable.

There is a higher intellect (Medha and Prajna) which is connected to Divine Wisdom (the wisdom of Consciousness that emanates from the Pure Self, PURUSH), which the living self (Jivatman) is in possession of. This higher power of discernment is cultivated by the practice of spiritual discipline in the form of YOGA. Unless one begins by laying the foundation, it is impossible to cultivate this higher power of discernment.

The foundation of Yoga is Non-Violence, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Good Character (as it pertains to sexuality), and non-greediness (controlling one’s desire for more and more things, money, pleasure, excitement, appreciation, personal recognition, fame, EVERYTHING).

With this foundation permanently in place, one begins to purify the senses, mind, and intellect and begins to experience directly the wisdom of Consciousness. In other words, one’s conscious Self perceives (through consciousness itself) the elements of mind, intellect, senses, and the body, and realizes intuitively that one’s conscious Self is distinct from all of this.

‘Intuitively’ simply means one’s understanding emanates directly from one’s consciousness and not from the mind and intellect. It is fair to say that most people are ‘mental’ and are not really conscious, because they live through their mind. They are so much caught up in their mental machinery that they have become living automaton robots. It is extremely difficult for them to perceive that they are other than the mind. Most people think they are the mind, because that is what they are always doing: THINKING. For them, even intuition is just another form of thinking, which is why they won’t understand even a particle of this article.

The mind (including the intellect) is only a part of our being. If we deny that ‘presence’ within us that observes the mind, it is denied only because we are in our ego. In other words, the awareness that we are conscious beings distinct from the mind is obscured due to the presence of ego in the mind. Ego is naturally present, but it doesn’t belong in the mind (or I should say, it is our natural duty as human beings to remove our ego from the mind, because that will make us very happy once it is removed).

The ‘presence’ within us that observes the mind is our conscious Self. When we are conscious of that conscious Self we are self-conscious (in the pure sense), which means we are observing the mind from the perspective of our pure ego. Still, this is indirect perception.

When we are looking down, we might see our reflection in the puddle of water and think we have seen our own self. But to really see where we have come from, we have to lift up our gaze and look to the sun, moon, and the stars and then we will realize that we are just star dust. When we remove the dust, we realize our Essence.

To have the direct experience we have to stop seeing things through our ego. When we finally purify our inner being with the Light of Wisdom, our pure consciousness stands clear of all the adjuncts of ego, intellect, mind, senses and body. We directly experience our Essence, and that essence is the Supreme Consciousness (PARAMATMAN) that pervades our being (pure consciousness, ATMAN).

In that State of Being,

in that state of Ultimate Being,

in that Original and Final Being,

there is neither atheist or theist,

neither day or night,

neither young or old,

neither white or black, this or that.

There is only . . .

……..oooooooOMmmmmm…………

Oh Human Being, why are you wandering in the world of unreality?

Why are you stuck in your images and distorted intellect?

Your intelligence was given to you to guide your mind beyond your small self; beyond your false feelings of ‘me, my, and mine.’

But you are using your intellect to justify and validate your nonsense and your non-self.

There is no validity to your ego, so why do you give it credence?

There is no sense in your nonsense, yet you are trying to make sense of it.

The Wise are telling you to drop your ego, your false sense of identity. They are telling you to follow the path that will lead you back Home to your original Being. Your Real Self is waiting for you, but you are waiting on your mind and serving your ego, and you have no time for the Divine.

Don’t you see? YOU ARE DIVINE. You are NOT the mind, body, or ego. You are beyond all of this. You are beyond what you thought you were, what you thought you did, what you think you are, and what you think you will do.

Knowing is Doing, and thinking is stinking. Living in the state of Being is not a rehearsal, it is not an ‘attainment,’ it is not the object of your life: it is your LIFE. If you are thinking about changing a bad habit (like over-thinking!) you are NOT changing, you are stuck in your thinking. When we are stuck in our thinking, we are not going anywhere; we remain stuck in our images, in our mental mold, and that mold makes our mind stink and over think.

When the mind blossoms with the wisdom of Consciousness, that mind is fragrant (inspired) and that fragrance (inspiration) spreads everywhere. So, open your mind to the Divine Wisdom and stop holding on to your little ego. Open your heart and feel the Presence of the Divine.

You say your heart is open, but your mind is still confused. You do not know your True Self so how can you be true? If your heart is really open, you will listen with an open mind. If your mind is really open, you will listen with a humble heart. The shower of Wisdom is poured upon one and all, but only the humble one receives it. If we are receptive to the wisdom of the Wise, we will never fall prey to the deception of the mind.

We are deceived by others only because we have fallen in the trap of self-deception. We are deceived when we listen to our ego, and when we are deceived, our perception is not clear. When the mind is clouded with misinformation, we are misinformed and our perception is distorted and deformed. In the state of misperception we form opinions and call them ‘facts’. The fact is, we are confused and confounded until we have found the Truth.

We have not found the Truth because we have been looking in the wrong places. We have been searching between the covers of a book; we have been consulting with the ignorant and the conniving; we have been digging into our past or looking to a future based on fantasy; we have been reading, and reading, and reading without any practice, practice, practice. Perhaps we have heard the Truth from the lips of the Wise, or have been introduced to the Truth through their writings or life’s example, but have we really assimilated what we have understood?

Understanding is NOT enough. If we were lost, but now understand how to get back Home, but instead we go in a different direction, or stay where we are and do nothing, then WE ARE STILL LOST and have not really understood.

We are wandering in the world of unreality by our own choice, by our own doing, and we will be undone by our own doing, unless we change what we are doing. Just changing our images, or our religion, or our opinions is not going to ‘cut it,’ it is not going to cut through all the lies and nonsense. To cut through the nonsense we need the sharp sword of Wisdom, and that Wisdom only comes to us when we drop all our images and become humble.

Becoming humble means kicking our ego out of our mind and taking back our life. Becoming humble means using our intellect intelligently, and not as the lackey of our ego. Becoming humble means holding firmly to the principles of goodness and non-violence, and never wavering in our commitment to the Absolute Truth.

Someone will say, “What Absolute Truth? Truth is relative to the one who holds it to be true.” This is called ‘using the intellect to justify one’s nonsense and non-self.’ One who is disconnected will see everything in ‘parts’ and will always be partial (biased).

The little mind (the ‘individualized mind’) cannot grasp the Universal Truth. Only the Universal Mind can comprehend the nature of Truth and realize the Truth is Absolute. In other words, only the mind that is related to the Truth will be able to realize it. The mind becomes related to the truth only when it becomes universal (imageless); the mind can only become universal and imageless when it is filled with the Universal Imageless Truth.

Oh Human Being, become alive again; experience the freshness of Consciousness, the same pure and vibrant State of Being you possessed as an innocent child. STOP the adulteration of your mind! Wash your mind with the pure wisdom of consciousness, and STOP brainwashing yourself with the propaganda of ego. Don’t believe in the false promises and lies of your distorted intellect; and don’t surrender to the charlatans, false prophets, religious liars, philosophical misfits, and, most especially, your own little ego.

Don’t search for the Truth in the eyes of a man or a woman, for you will find the Truth in the eyes of a child. That ‘child’ is your own self, stripped of the paraphernalia of images and ego. Through the perception (eyes) of the Pure Self (your own real self), your search will be over at last.

We are missing the Supreme Self. We are missing our True Lover and Beloved. We are missing our Supreme Mother and Father. We are missing our Eternal Friend. We are missing the experience of Supreme Bliss; we are missing our connection to the Absolute.

Will one who is filled with a sumptuous meal of healthy, fresh-cooked vegetables, lentils, and warm whole wheat bread, go in search of dirty left-overs in a back alley dumpster?

Will one who is graced with the live performance of one’s favorite singer or musician, in one’s very own home, go out to a crowded concert hall to listen to an amateur heavy metal band make deafening noise?

Will one who has just received word of the whereabouts of one’s long lost child, brother, or friend, ignore the good news and make arrangements to take a personal vacation to Los Vegas, Reno Nevada, or Disney World?

Will one who is immersed in deep Samadhi (absorption of the mind in deep meditation), leave his meditation to watch the TV or read a novel?

Will one who is intoxicated with Divine Bliss have any desire or inclination to drink, smoke, or take drugs?

Will one who is blessed to sit at the feet of the Wise, leave the company of the Wise for the company of the selfish, foolish, and shallow?

Will one who is established in the Light of Truth, break his principles and hide like a coward in the shadow of ego?

Will one who has tasted the Nectar of Immortality, thirst for any immoral and dirty thing of this world?

No! A thousand times no! A million times no!

There is no real pleasure in the things of mind and ego. There is no peace in the appeasement of the small self (ego). There is no wisdom in the knowledge of nonsense, and no truth in the half-truth. There is no love in lust, and no trust in lies.

What is missing from our life is the experience of our Essence; what is missing is the solid connection to the solid Truth, to the unmistakable Absolute Ultimate Reality.

If we want to be really happy we have to leave our ego, our small self. We have to embrace the Universal Truth and then we will experience our Universal Self. When the mind is purged of all its images of religion, love, and life, only then can we rise above all the worldly strife and experience the Light of Truth that shines forth from the Universal Self and illumines the whole universe.

When we are established in the Wisdom of Consciousness, we behold that Light spread out in all directions and see the Supreme Self shining in every heart (soul). There is no hate. There is no sorrow. There is no self-delusion for the one whose mind is fused with the Divine.

The Divine is beyond the mind. When the mind reaches for the Divine, the mind expands into Eternity and disappears. All pain, remorse, worry, fear and doubt are gone forever. OM

“Too much thinking is stinking.” We really need to stick to the basics. The basics are this:

Eat healthy foods in moderation

Exercise regularly

Don’t waste time in useless phone calls, useless surfing on the internet, useless watching of television, useless reading of newspapers, magazines and novels

Don’t shop for what you cannot afford, do not need, and have no time to maintain

Study the Divine Wisdom daily and study yourself every moment

Go to bed in time to get up early in the morning for meditation, prayer, silence and deep reflection

Don’t avoid challenges and don’t look for trouble

Practice dispassion throughout the day: Compassion without Attachment

Be simultaneously relaxed inside and energized by staying out of self-involvement

Be what you really ARE, the Light of the Soul and KEEP SHINING!

OM TAT SAT
So be it.

Before this world came into existence there was nothing — there was no ‘thing’ distinguishable. When this world ceases to be, again everything will be nothing. While this world exists, we say that there is ‘something’ I know, there is ‘something’ I do not know. There is ‘something’ I have, there is ‘something’ I do not have. There is ‘something’ I am, there is ‘something’ I am not. But do we know what that ‘something’ is? That ‘something’ is really nothing.

Before ‘something’ came into being, everything existed in the state of non-being. We can say, ‘Being arose from Non-Being.’ It is like saying, “Before something existed, it existed in the state of non-existence.” (Or, you can say it existed as a potentiality.)

‘Being’ (in this example) refers to some ‘thing’ or to any ‘thing’. In this sense, all the objects of this world are things: a thought is a thing; the mind, senses, intellect and ego are ‘things’. Even the living soul, Jivatman, is a thing that exists, that is real, but only in the state of the ‘existence of things.’

Before this Creation (the ‘world’, the Universe, the Multiverse, Life, or whatever) came into being, there was absolutely no ‘thing’ that existed. Therefore, we can say that all that existed (as in the existence of, ‘something’) was Absolute Nothingness. If that nothingness is truly absolute, then it must exist absolutely, forever; and so it does. Absolute Nothingness is PRAKRITI, the Material Cause of all things. Or, worded differently: it is the Absolute Substance from which all things are materialized, although that Substance itself is not a material thing, which is why we call it absolute nothingness. Its existence is manifested (exists) only because of its relationship to the Absolute by which it is pervaded.

The Absolute ‘exists’ absolutely (unchangeably, forever), but never as some ‘thing’, or nothing, nor even as everything. Some people say that the Absolute (GOD, Atman) is the creator of everything; they say that everything came from GOD (and the Self). The truth is, everything came from nothing and returns to nothing. GOD creates everything out of nothing (Prakriti); He does NOT create it out of Himself. Worded differently: everything is absolutely created out of nothing and therefore is essentially, NOTHING; which is why this Life is called a Drama, a Play, a Sport, a Game, and a Dream.

[Those who say God created everything, or that everything came from God (or that the Self is the doer) will have to accept that God created child molestation and child molesters, cruelty, torture, hatred, bigots and bigotry, hell, helplessness, unhappiness, misery, and everything else imaginable. Only an ignorant person will believe or accept this.]

We experience our absolute nothingness in the state of consciousness that the Buddhists call ‘Shunya’, the VOID. Unfortunately, the Buddhists do not see beyond this state of Absolute Nothingness; they do not perceive the Absolute.

The Absolute ‘exists’ absolutely. Its ‘existence’ is not in relation to something, or anything, or even everything. Its essential nature is Absolute Existence, Absolute Consciousness, and (in the case of GOD) Absolute Happiness (Bliss). By ‘essential nature’ we mean that this IS THE ABSOLUTE, which is why we call the Supreme Absolute Sata-Chit-Ananda (Sachidananda).

The Absolute is ever-manifest. The manifestation of the Absolute is eternal and unchangeable, which means this manifestation is not in relation to any ‘thing,’ which is the same thing as saying it is in relation to nothing. The manifestation of the Absolute is absolute, and that ‘absolute manifest existence’ is absolute nothingness (Prakriti). Prakriti is the Substance of the Absolute, or the Absolute Substance, through which the Absolute is manifested. As this Substance is invisible and formless, so too the manifestation of the Absolute is formless.

Does this mean the Absolute is devoid of qualities? No, the Absolute is absolutely formless; and this absolute formlessness is itself a quality of the Absolute. ‘Form’ implies variation or change, but the quality of the Absolute is absolute changelessness and therefore absolute formlessness.

There is nothing in this world that can be said to be the Absolute, because everything in this world is relative: everything in this world is in relation to something, but the Absolute is in relation to nothing (Prakriti).

Absolute Consciousness is forever manifested in Prakriti in the relation of the Pervader (the Absolute) to the that which is pervaded (Prakriti). Again, before this Creation came into being, all was nothing: everything existed in the state of Absolute Nothingness in the form of Prakriti, pervaded by Consciousness (the Absolute).

Absolute Consciousness is not some ‘thing’, which means Consciousness is NOT a manifestation of Prakriti. Consciousness is NOT nothing. Consciousness is the Absolute that pervades Absolute Nothingness.

Again, that Absolute nothingness of the Absolute is called PRAKRITI, and is the source of the primordial matter with which, and from which, all ‘things’ are formed (created). Thus, we can say that ‘everything has been created from nothing,’ realizing that the ‘nothing’ we are referring to is the unmanifested Prakriti, which we call the absolute nothingness of the Absolute.

The Supreme Absolute (the Supreme Self, or simply the ‘Absolute’) is all-pervading (VISHNU), and this quality of the Supreme (like all of Its qualities) is also absolute. It is like saying, ‘the Absolute is absolute’, which is true; and all-pervadingness (VISHNU) being absolute, we can just as well say Vishnu is the ‘Absolute,’ or Shiva (Supreme Goodness, Killer of Ignorance, and Bestower of Bliss) is the ‘Absolute,’ or Brahma (Absolute Creator) is the ‘Absolute’; and it is truly so.

What is that which the Absolute absolutely pervades? Who or what is the beneficiary of Supreme Goodness, and whose ignorance is annihilated, and upon whom is bliss bestowed? What is the creation of that Absolute Creator?

The Absolute absolutely, forever, always, without beginning or end, pervades Prakriti, and also pervades this writer and you, the reader, and every conscious being that lives, has lived, or will live in the future. We, all of us, are the recipients of Supreme Goodness in the form of Divine Wisdom which destroys our ignorance and bestows divine bliss. We, as living human beings and other creatures, and this entire Universe, and every Universe, are the creation of that Absolute Creator.

We were nothing, we are nothing, and we will be nothing. Beyond nothing, we are the Absolute Consciousness. We experience the Absolute Consciousness when we go beyond everything, which is nothing.

The Self experiences the Self by the Self, and this is the state of the Absolute.

[Note: This article contains what may appear to be non-Vedic views. This article is calculated to draw those having a Buddhistic mindset back to their Vedic roots.]

As long as we think we are somebody or something, we cannot find lasting peace.

“We were nothing, we are nothing, and we will be nothing. So why play the ego-game?”

Dr. T. R. Khanna

We waste so much time trying to impress others, or fighting with others, or struggling with our own mind because we have not gotten in touch with our Real Self.

Our Real Self is not what we think we are; so why spend so much time thinking about what we are not? We are not our body, we are not our mind, we are not our ego or personality: WE ARE NOTHING.

Everything is nothing, and nothing is everything, but something is only a very small part of everything, and a very small part of nothing.

We are not promoting existentialism or nihilism, we are simply propounding the truth, and the truth is that what we think we are, WE ARE NOT, because what we REALLY ARE is unthinkable by the mind. Our little individual mind cannot see beyond ‘little me’, and ‘little me’ is a myth, it is NOT real.

We are caught up in Mithya-Gyaan, false knowledge, or we can say ‘mythical knowledge.’ If our understanding is based on a myth, then we will never understand what is real. If our understanding of ourselves is based on ‘little me’ we will misunderstand our well-wishers and never know our real self. In other words, our mind cannot reflect the Light of the Soul, the Wisdom of Pure Consciousness, so long as it is preoccupied with thoughts of ‘little me.’

The Wise see our blight, and so they shine the Light of Wisdom to remove our ignorance. But if we run and hide behind our images, or we put up a screen of resistance (in the form of ego and self-will), the light will not reach us.

Life teaches us lessons, but we are the ones who must do the learning. If we don’t learn from life, we will never become learned (Wise). The ‘learned ones’ are those who have learned their lessons and passed the test of Life. They see beyond the superficial and experience what is Real. Our small self (ego) is not real, and everything associated with it is unreal.

Our ego is the thought that we are something or somebody. When we think we are something or somebody we get caught up in the ego-conflict, the ego-struggle, and the ego-emotional-pain. This is the ego-game, and we don’t have to play the ego-game so long as we stay away from our ego. That’s why we say. . . “I was nothing, I am nothing, and I will be nothing.”

The Shastras (teachings of the Wise) tell us “speak the truth, but speak it lovingly.” There is no harm in speaking the Truth with love and kindness, but there can be a great harm in speaking it sarcastically or harshly. Harming others with our words is an act of violence, and with this act we are destroying the very foundation of Truth. In truth, the foundation of Truth can never be shaken or destroyed; but those who speak the Truth without establishing themselves on the foundation of non-violence, are not speaking the Truth at all, but are only expressing their ego.

This doesn’t mean we should tell a lie to please others. It only means we should tell ourselves off first before correcting another. ‘Telling ourselves off’ means confronting our own ego and ignorance. Self-confrontation is far superior to condemnation of others. Self-confrontation leads to self-improvement. Our own example of self-improvement will inspire and uplift others; whereas our show of superiority will only turn others away.

A good teacher is certainly far superior to his (or her) students in their chosen field of expertise, but a good teacher will reveal his superior knowledge gradually over time, as the students learn. Otherwise, the students may become disheartened and leave their studies, resigning themselves to the path of ignorance. For example, a father and mother shower lots of tender loving care on their infant children. As the infants grow into young children, the parents gently discipline them and continue to guide them through their entire childhood, introducing them to more and more of their knowledge and understanding. It is just not possible, practical, or even healthy for an infant child to understand everything that the parents know.

In this world, everyone cannot know and experience the same thing all at once. In this story of Life, if we were all on the same page, we would all be looking over each other’s shoulders and would never be able to really see or appreciate this story of Life. In this symphony of Life, if we all played the same note, there would be no symphony. Yes, there would be the Cosmic Sound of OM, but that vibration is always present in both unity and diversity.

Diversity does NOT mean perversity, and open-mindedness does not mean acceptance of bigotry, hate, rape, murder and mayhem. Nowadays in some parts of the world, it is popular to embrace the notion of secularism in the name of universality, just as it is popular to embrace nationalism or fundamentalism in the name of honor and truth. Secularism that rejects Truth and embraces falsehood is not true secularism; nationalism based on a false sense of superiority is a dishonor and a disgrace; and fundamentalism which rejects or ignores the fundamentals of Truth (such as non-violence) is simply a farce.

The Truth spoken from the core of one’s being can move the whole world, but the one who is established in Truth can never be moved by untruth. The Truth is far away from those who fail to see the Truth within themselves, but it is very near to those who see the Truth shining in every heart. The Truth is within us and all around us, to the East and West, to the North and the South. The Truth is here NOW in this moment, in the last moment, and in the next, but the Truth is also beyond all of this. Writers write, speakers speak, preachers preach and teachers teach, but the Truth remains beyond the reach of mind and intellect, and far, far beyond the realm of ego and personality.

All conflict in this world is born out of ego and ignorance. Ego is rooted in ignorance. To completely remove our ego, we must remove our ignorance; but to remove our ignorance we must stop feeding our ego.

Those who think they can save the world with their religion, their money, their politics, or their popularity (personality) are deluded. The world would be better served if everyone did their own ‘homework’ and got busy with the practice of self-discipline, simplicity, integrity, compassion, and, most important, NON-VIOLENCE.

The practice of NON-VIOLENCE requires self-discipline, and the practice of NON-VIOLENCE is the only true religion there is, was, or ever will be. Let us practice non-violence by ‘using kind words in abundance’. OM

First, let us come to a deeper understanding about personality. . . .

It has been said elsewhere in this wisdom journal that personality is the flavoring of ego. We have also said personality is the expression of ego. So, this would seem to mean that unless we express our ego we have no personality, and that apparently by denying our personality (that is, by not feeding into it) we dissolve our ego (we loosen the grip of ego on our mind).

Personality is unique to each individual. Many people say that personality is ‘who you are.’ They would say that when you ‘change’, it is your personality that changes. There is only a subtle distinction between one’s ego and one’s personality. Ego is always there, but it is apparent only when it is expressed through our personality. Ego does not really change, it is only its expression (in the form of personality) that changes.

Our personality is an outgrowth of our psychological state of mind. In other words, it is our ego decorated (or embellished) with mental make-up. The mental make-up (or cosmetic) is a blend of the five mental phenomena: (1) PRAMAAN: the Inquiry into, and understanding of, Truth; (2) VIPARAYA: misunderstanding, incorrect or false knowledge, the state of ‘not knowing that we do not know’; (3) VIKALPA: imagination, day-dreaming, and verbal delusion wherein our thoughts clothed in language do not correspond to reality (to what is really happening, happened, or could happen); (4) NIDRA: the sleep-state of mind, including both the dream and dreamless states of sleep; (5) SMRITI: memories.

Our mental make-up, or mascara, is the result of the working of the cycle of KARMA: action, impression, tendency, thought/attitude, and again action. In other words, the mental phenomena described above are the natural by-product of KARMA (action and its associated effects).

It is only when the mascara is applied to the ego that personality takes shape (otherwise, personality remains only a potentiality). Only when we are embodied as a human being is this mental make-up applied to the ego. In other words, animals do not have personalities (even though some people imaginatively assign personalities to their pets or other animals). Of course, animals do have various psychological make-ups, but they do NOT have personalities. Only a ‘person’ has a personality, and animals are NOT persons. The ego of an animal is dormant; it is not active. Its psychological state is the result of its actions (in this, and previous, lives), but this psychological state is not associated with its ego (which remains dormant during the non-human stage of existence).

Some persons may argue that there is no reason an animal, such as a dog, would not have a personality, because dogs obviously have a psychological component to their nature, and have the sense of self-identity (i.e., experience themselves as separate from other beings). However, even if we accept that a dog’s mental make-up could be applied to their sense of self-identity (ego), the resulting ‘expression’ or manifestation would not be substantial enough to really call it ‘personality’. This is because most of the elements of the mental make-up are missing: namely, PRAMAAN, VIPARAYA, and VIKALPA. Hence, it is fair to conclude that only human beings are ‘persons’, and the qualifying characteristic of a person is that element which we call PERSONALITY.

Everyone’s personality is unique. Some people’s personality is very selfish, like the personality of a criminal. At the other end of the spectrum, there are those few people whose personality is totally unselfish, such as the personality of a saint or sage.

One’s personality is a hindrance (causing pain to one’s self and others) when it is individualistic, and it is a joy when it is universal. Our personality becomes universal only when we make our mind universal by opening it up with the wisdom of consciousness. The wisdom of consciousness removes ego from the mind, and this makes the mind universal.

The process is like this:

There is one Universal Mind (MahaTattva, or Cosmic Consciousness).

Ego (the principle of self-consciousness, AHAMKARA) is devolved from the Universal Mind, and the living self (Jivatman) asserts: “I am Conscious.”

Simultaneously, the five subtle states of matter (TANMATRAS) are manifested.

The living self asserts: “I am conscious of this,” or “I am conscious of that.”

With this perception, the individual mind is formed. In other words, the Mind is individualized due to the insertion of ego.

Ego (as the principle of I-consciousness) already exists in the Mind (Universal Mind) as a principle; thus, the ‘inserting’ of the ego into the Mind is an assertion of ego, an illusion, a proclamation of Ignorance (Avidya), which brings into existence the individual mind (individualized Universal Mind — again, this is Ignorance)

From the individual mind, ego, and the subtle states of matter, the individual body is then formed.

The I-consciousness present in the mind identifies the mind (including the senses) with the body, and the mind identifies the material objects (including the body) with itself (mind).

Now, the living self, applying the wisdom of Consciousness (present in the Universal Mind) to itself, comprised of consciousness, ego, mind, senses, and body (and by extension, the whole world), purifies the mind and body both.

That is, by meditation, prayer, introspection, and healthy habits, the living self (Jivatman) removes disease from the body and dis-ease (agitation) from the mind.

When the mind is peaceful, the wisdom of consciousness is clearly perceived and completely purifies the mind by removing the element of ego.

When ego is removed from the mind, the mind ceases to be individualized, and the Universal Mind shines forth in the living self.

From the perspective of the Universal Mind, the living self beholds the Universe as its own body. This is the state of Cosmic Consciousness wherein the Jivatman possesses the Pure Mind (Universal Mind and Cosmic Ego), and through the agency of this Pure Mind, in conjunction with the Cosmic Energy, experiences the union of Purush and Prakriti (the Spirit Self and Nature).

By intense Tapas (spiritual austerity) the Jivatman renounces even this subtlest of subtlest ego (that is, Jivatman gives up its very own selfhood), revealing the pure ATMAN in the Yogic state of KAIVALYA (total isolation of from all duality).

In this ever-pure state of Being, ATMAN experiences the Supreme Self (ParamAtman). This is the Ultimate Yoga.

OM

Self-doubt is the result of being dishonest with ourselves. Self-doubt is created in the mind when we go against our Real Nature. There is another form of doubt which is a natural and useful element of the mind, which is employed to ascertain the correctness or incorrectness of an action, thought, or other thing. However, here we are discussing the self-doubt that is accompanied with a slew of other negative emotions such as guilt, tepidity, feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and so forth.

Observe your mental state. Sometimes, one will find that there is a serious lack of enthusiasm, vim, and vigor. At other times, there is excitement when things seem to be going ‘my’ way or the way ”I’ planned. This excitement is NOT enthusiasm or inspiration, it is just another expression of the gratified and glorified ego. Excitement has absolutely nothing at all to do with the depth of our being, our soul; it is actually a shallow feeling of the mind. When we indulge in excitement we are being dishonest with ourselves because we are going against our Real Nature which is to be steady, calm, detached, and self-contained. Hence, excitement will always be followed by (or accompanied with) feelings of self-doubt.

There are many ways in which we go against our Real Nature. Remember: we are going against our true self when we do something that we know we should NOT do. It is really this simple. We do not need to spend hours, days, weeks, and years analyzing where we went wrong. All we have to do is see what we are doing NOW, or what we are about to do the next moment. If our actions are selfish, those actions will create self-doubt in the mind.

So, selfish actions create self-doubt. What is a selfish action? A selfish action is any action done without regard for others or one’s own well-being. ‘Well-being’ is the state of ‘wellness’ (or health) in body, mind, and spirit. A selfish action is an action done for one’s small self (ego). Egotistical actions trigger the mechanism of self-doubt. Self-doubt appears in our conscience and is intended to stop us from making wrong actions our habit. When we ignore our conscience we eventually become so insensitive that we even seem to completely lose our conscience. When that happens, one is at the threshold of self-destruction.

Self-doubt destroys our peace of mind and we lose our mental equilibrium. When mental balance is lost, the mind is unable to deal with even ordinary difficulties of life. The stressed-out mind causes imbalance in the physical body in the form of hormonal imbalance, nervous imbalance, digestive imbalance (indigestion), and so on. Physical ill-health further exasperates one’s mental state. Unless we intervene with the wisdom of consciousness, this vicious cycle spirals out of control and makes our life a living hell.

The wisdom of consciousness removes our self-doubt by making us realize our errors while simultaneously giving us insight into our Real Nature. ‘Intervening with the wisdom of consciousness’ means applying this knowledge to our life and taking responsibility for our actions. Taking responsibility for our actions means making an effort to change, here and now. We have to go against the waves of our mind. We have to break free from the grip of our ego and move forward. We have to leave our attachment to our small self and embrace the Universal Self.

When we are established in the Universal Self, we are completely free of all self-doubt. OM