Mind the magician!
The entire creation, whatever can be conceived, is a projection of the mind. When there is no mind there is no world. The universe needs a watcher to exist. The watcher alone is real.
The mind creates the duality. It creates
falsehood. It creates a mirage. It creates suddenly, just as the dream appears
suddenly. The dream does not evolve. It is already there in full bloom when you
dream.
The mind is the Lord of the Universe. It keeps
all engrossed in its projection. Duality is the land of experiences; pleasure
and pain. Pleasure has tremendous charm. Even a drop of it enchants and the
pain is forgotten. Duality therefore is much sought after. It is nothing but
the hankering after pleasure.
But every being also treasures sleep. Sleep
provides rest and the utmost satisfaction. Strange. For in sleep everything is
lost. There are no feelings, no possessions. We are happiest when we forget
ourselves.
The teachers say one is awake in sleep and
asleep when awake. In sleep we are closest to the underlying reality. When
awake and experiencing the world we are farthest from it.
But sleep does not reflect the real happiness,
only a shadow of it. It is like the light of the moon in the forest filtered by
the trees before reaching the ground. The real happiness of the Self is the
direct unfiltered rays of the Sun.
If the mind is projecting an illusion,
everything within it is false; whether good or bad. All concepts belong to the
false projection.
We are taken up with the illusion and steeped
in falsehood. The mind creates an identity. That identity is the epitome of
falsehood. By treasuring that identity we are hooked to the illusion.
Emerging from the illusion entails giving up
everything, including the identity. This is difficult. We are not just
intellectually bound. We are bound by instinct. That instinct is triggered and
recoils when the identity and possessions are threatened.
Death is painful because the identity is
threatened. Genuine spiritual experiences also threaten that identity.
When Sri Ramakrishna provided a spiritual
experience to Swami Vivekananda he screamed in terror as he realized that the
world he was in was disappearing and also his own identity. The instinct was
triggered and he panicked.
You can untangle a lot with your own
reasoning. But you cannot take the last step of abandoning your identity
without the help of a realized Guru. At the verge of realization your instinct
will rise and prevent you from doing so.
It is said that consciousness keeps moving
between the heart and mind. To achieve liberation it has to merge in the heart.
A Guru is required to subdue it and merge it in the heart.
While pleasure is sought and experienced, it
is pain that rules in the manifested world. The greatest pain is separation
from the Self. It is like moving away from the gaze and protection of your
mother who takes care of all your needs.
Internally this pain is felt very deeply as an
unexplained loneliness. The cure for loneliness is sought in the outside world
by seeking companions and possessions. The result is again pain. The cure for
loneliness is to move from the world of duality to advaita or non duality.
The mind is perishable. It waxes and wanes and
disappears in sleep. Yet it seeks permanence. It has tremendous convincing
power. Your efforts may cause it to subside but it resurfaces again. It is
powerful enough to survive death and lead the ignorant to another dream.
It is said that the mind inflicts all the
possible experiences before the desire for liberation appears in the person.
Therefore if you seek or think about liberation, know that you have experienced
a lot. You have paid a huge price to be here. Therefore you must never ignore
this longing.
The desire for liberation is the most valuable
treasure that is gifted to a person. Only a human being can make the most of
it. A Guru comes to the life of such a person. Everything falls into place. The
mind becomes a friend. The grace flows unhindered. All of this combines to
bless the person.
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