ADVENTURES IN ADVAITA VEDANTA...

Adventures in Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy and science of spirit. We are one you and I; are you curious why?..


Look Upwards/Inwards

Hari OM
Story-day is for cultural exploration, puraanas and parables and finding out about leading lights in spiritual philosophy.

We are following the text "Beyond Sorrow" in which we explore the nature of suffering and how to manage and move through difficulties.

Again, a very long essay; the summary is given below.

SEEING GOD IN EVERYTHING
Swami Yatiswarananda

Advaita tells us that in no way is the Divine in existence separate from us. It is the goal of spiritual seekers to Realiser this Truth. The sceptical, of course, always cry, 'how is it possible for God to be in everything?!' They are particularly concerned when it comes to the matter of good and evil. It is easy to accept that God is in good - but the evil? How are we to see the essence of the divine in the person who commits crimes? If we reflect properly, however, we can see that by the very fact we have asked the question, we have been forced to consider and contemplate upon the matter and this is surely the good within it. When we are faced with strife or pain, if we instead of lamenting our sorrows cry out to the Lord "Hail thee! Glory to thee! Blessed is your mercy!" is it not fair to say we are overcoming the evil, that we have turned it to our advantage?

There is the simple view, too, that it is only in the presence of that which we would call good, that we can make a decision against that which we take as 'not good'; we may not always named it as evil, but this is our constant state.

Further, to accept that God is in everything, we  must regard that same everything as emanating from that single source. This view is both scientific and philosophical. There is the substratum, the essential substance upon which all sits, then there is the 'creation' which does the sitting. In Vedanta, the creation is called as prakRti, but is also known as Maya - the grand illusion. To know and understand the substratum is to turn oneself towards the divine Knowledge; to be distracted and submerged in Maya is to find oneself in evil itself.

The great Rsis delved deeply into their intellects and subconscious selves to ascertain the Truth and the condition of Mankind. They resolved that what matters most in our spiritual life is our reactions, and not the objective manifestation we call 'world'. All that is external to us is a source from which we can develop our natures through our reactions, and if we use them to turn our spirits inward, then they - the evil of Maya - can be blessings in disguise.

In order to build a more inward/higher way of existing even as we must reside in Maya, we must understand the basics. We are made up of the gross body, the subtle body and the causal body [NB;these have all been discussed in Tattva-bodaH and Aatmabodha]. The purpose of a life well lived is to keep raising ourselves into the causal body, the spiritual ('third eye') level where we can touch the divine and glimpse Reality. When we practice well, we will understand that we still remain the individual, but that we are part of a much greater whole, the cosmic body (Iishwara)… and beyond that, if we are well practiced, we will connect with the 'Oversoul' - Brahman, Aatman, Sat-Chit-Aananda… this alone can mystics Realise.

St Francis of Assisi is considered as the greatest of the nature mystics in the Western world; he had the visions of That and he also came to understand That was manifest in all This. The elements were his brothers and sisters. His Love for the divine, his fellow humans, the animals and birds, was second to none.

There are many examples and records of saints and sages who were able to transcend the traps of Maya. It is in seeking to attain this high level of mysticism that many others have at least discovered their better selves, have been of use to their fellow beings and have, in accepting the presence of God in Everything, even when they still cannot actually see it for themselves, received the boons of a decrease in stress, lessening of sorrow and the ability to cope with strife and strain.

Therefore seek the company of those who travel this path. Listen to all the good teachers in all faiths that you can. Practice some of what is preached. Meditate, worship, pray. The purification of yourself is what will start to bring a new attitude, better coping and a refreshed zest for life.