Life on this planet offers many opportunities, outwardly and inwardly. Most human beings, however, are lost in the externalization of the mind and remain unaware of their inner realms. While religious practices take us somewhat inside, they too soon become organized into activities that feed the ego. Thus, notwithstanding the true import of religions, the mind continues to remain externalized. Then there are the meditative systems which do better in the sense that ‘Group Fanaticism’ does not manifest in their practices. However, unfortunately, the meditative systems too feed the ego in the form of expected achievements in the spiritual realm. It means that the ego gains ground while giving the opposite impression. In order to understand the journey of life, we should embark boldly on an inward journey towards the unspoiled consciousness in us. Dissolution of the externalized state of mind takes place when there is the simple self-awareness. It is a spiritual awakening not based on any man-made system. The inward dive is not one of psychological introspection, nor is it one of intellectual analysis. During the inward journey, deep passivity characterizes the mental state. Its quiet potency is observed in its ability to melt the crystal – the crystal that the mind is hardened into by repetitive thought in the form of ‘I’, ‘me’ and the ‘mine’. There are many issues in our lives that can give us a push towards dissolving that crystal. Some of these arise as questions in the following manner:
1. Is it possible to lead our life without emotionally belonging to any group based on nationality, religion and the like? We tend to adopt that habitual attitude, falling a prey to the ‘attachment-resentment’ syndrome. That leads to our becoming secondhand human beings, consequent to being a slave to the group psychology. It is good to remember that group psychology differs from mob psychology only in degree, not in kind.
2. Why do the atheists and agnostics – who call themselves non-believers – adopt a stiff stand and do not enter the arena of cheerful spiritual exploration?
3. The world oceans are very quiet deep down – there are no waves or turbulence. Can we adopt a passive attitude towards the ups and downs of life so that we bring in the calmness from the esoteric depths of life?
4. Does the philosophical content of our mortality invite us to discover the meaning of life and the afterlife? Can the messages from NDE help?
5. What can move us into leading a cheerful life in spite of life’s vicissitudes, without having to psychologically depend on a belief system or a guru? Such dependence sustains fear and keeps the mind in a ‘disturbable’ state under a self deceiving façade of protection. This statement itself would cause disturbance in them!
A strange self-awareness begins to settle in us as we apply ourselves to the above kind of spiritual exploration. As we pay attention to them, we begin to let the inner light permeate our outer being. The purity of inward aloneness makes us feel our proximity to Divinity beyond all concepts and conclusions of belief systems. A natural tenderness towards everyone and everything becomes a concomitant factor. The book entitled “IN QUEST OF THE DEEPER SELF - A Joyous Adventure” can be a wayside companion to those who find the above puzzles interesting. Details of the book can be found in http://spirituality.yolasite.com