Maya

Let us come straight to the point. What we are operating in, is the influence of ‘Maya’ – a phenomenon that cannot be said to be present OR absent. Which means, that its depends on what and to what extent one “chooses” to remain engaged or how far does the tendency of ‘clinging’ is taken ahead. As I write this, the words “one”, chooses”, “tendency”, “clinging” etc also express a vibration/ force and hence this form has been taken and likewise this perception of existence is felt by this state of mind. WE see forms, differentiations, names, changes -all because we (as expressions of manifestation) have chosen to stay here. So the force of manifestation (origin of force and matter) is already existent at all scales and this creates manifestation. One may call it force or motion or momentum or impulse or lost equilibrium and so on. Fact is that as long as force exists, there is manifestation. The force of creation and dissolution is what creates manifestation.

The reality of space-force-matter is also felt at the level of “thought” (attachment to body). In a purely abstract manner, ‘Maya’ can be said as a deep feeling that gets generated on account of two simultaneous tendencies present in all manifested phenomena: that of engagement/intent/ compulsion/clinging AND of liberation/ withdrawal/renunciation/transcendence AT THE SAME time.

One force tells us to express and to treat us different from the rest and to harbour fear and believe in the reality of the senses. This generates alternating cycles of pain and pleasure. Since this is one kind of force present everywhere, it is exhibited by everything around us. The other related forces are aggression, competition, insecurity and so on.

Another kind of force (which is much fundamental and deeper and not so easily understood or grasped) is the opposite of outward expansion or engagement. It is about withdrawal, to go beyond limitations or constraints of mind and body, to quieten the ripples of impressions and to become still or motionless or desireless. This state is achieved by meditation, concentration, love, action. AS mentioned in previous articles, the fundamental requirement is to think, act, feel and do something without a limited purpose of ‘me’. Anything done with the intent of ‘me’ is going to generate more attachment and anything done with the intent of realizing consciousness, is going to loosen the binding effect of ‘Maya’.

Our existence as we know of, vibrates in between these two states. This vibration is found in one unit of space to the entire cosmos. Hence, any intent is present in any scale of situation. It depends on finally what we wish to think and alter our imagination.

 

The purpose of saying above things is that all phenomena are cyclic in nature – conceptually as well as physically. There is no end point or a start point. One keeps going or exiting or returning. Hence what we experience as ‘exit’ and what we also capture as ‘return’ is beyond our limited understanding. Since consciousness makes things happen or creates all the manifestation, it is BEST to offer our free will to this reality. Whatever we do is offered and something returns back to us. This is difficult to plan or comprehend, so should be accepted in good spirit. Is it logically connected or no and how fast will something return or when – all these questions are immaterial. We are always catching and throwing something in the air. The idea is to act as “flow” or a conduit for catching and throwing without any ulterior motive. By concentrating on this thought or idea, by meditating, by acting we become aware of this tendency within us. Then our mind can become still and does not run too often after concepts or imagination. Imagination is not real, it is a phenomenon that has a place in consciousness. The motive is to become Consciousness.

Desire and less of It!

 

Desire is so strong in a life form that it continues to generate a flow of imagination in its mind. One may refer to desire as compulsion/ intent/ imagination/ memory/ survival instincts/ attachment/ fear/ insecurity and so on. The words used here refer to a tendency and characteristics. At a fundamental level, the words mean some kind of vibration (of a force) that is a property of consciousness. This force, leads to matter and also to subtle forms such as the thoughts. The entire manifestation is a result of this vibration. What causes this vibration? The answer to this is that it is an inbuilt property of consciousness to vibrate from zero to infinity, to make connections, to form matter and to manifest as a web of space-force-matter.

For humans, as a phenomenon, this desire is made up of tiny vibrations or waves (which I imagine may be present in all life forms and not just limited to us). To perceive these units of vibration means that at this scale, the mind does not exist as we know it, neither does desire nor any kind of compulsion. These units only exist perpetually. These get connected to larger chunks to make up the mind that we know and the body we perceive. Hence our thoughts and body – represent a scale of vibration. And we attract this vibration, unless we make an effort to change the nature or scale of vibration itself. So vibration, in other words, constitute our imagination of us and the universe. This raises the question if at all, a physical universe really exist or it only is a product of our imagination? We need to accept this question as it is, since it reveals the cyclic nature of formlessness to form and vice versa. Whether one state of existence exists, depends entirely on the way one is perceiving it. They seem interchangeable on account of our own changes in nature of the mind.

This brings us to what are we intending to do then? Anything and everything that defines space, time, scale, proportion, objects, subjects, relations, speed, comparisons, actions, inferences are present in manifestation. Our mind currently is dealing with these concepts. It is fluid and it changes and no matter what intent we harbour, it can dig into microscopic unit or reach the macro scale of situation. In other words, desire follows our mind at all scales of existence, hence it is not so easy to control desires if we try to change the scale of thoughts. Whether one is fast or slow or rich or poor or big or small or young or old or black or white – from the lens of desire, it is all the same, compelling all of us to experience insecurity and fear.

This means that, desire or force or vibration (this phenomenon) is NOT related to a situation - -it is just a property of consciousness. However, desire ‘creates’ a world that we perceive and respond. As long as we cannot separate our mind from desire, the desire makes us imagine many things in the world. Hence at a fundamental level, consciousness, which is also present in us, is NOT desire. A state of desirelessness needs to be reached.

How is this to be done? By our mind itself. The mind may appear to completely blur our understanding of consciousness because the mind itself functions in desire.

Before we come to approach of making the mind still, a note on what current AI seems to be doing. AI’s promise to liberate suffering and to bring equality is nonsense. In fact any external manifested system that promises any kind of liberation (or makes you dependable on the system) is taking you for a ride. Any external system is built on mind (therefore desire), hence how can it liberate you? In understanding AI further, what this technology tries to do is to refine or perfect or sequence each unit of thought and to evaluate the same. So the idea of perfection, efficiency, competition, uniqueness, sequencing, optimization, planning (and therefore aggression, stress, anxiety) has reached the micro scales of the mind! Effect is, too much time is spent on thinking, planning, and creating noise. So, AI is not the solution to our problem and neither is anything that will come post AI phase.

The journey to be done is inward and understand mind itself and how it clings and latches itself onto anything, then drops it, then runs somewhere and keeps creating some fuzzy objects that guarantee peace. This behaviour is to be controlled or disciplined or channelized. Meditation and concentration are the key to these things. One can use intellect and infer time and again, things that are important, things that aren’t so necessary to have, things that are valuable, things that are timeless, things that money or age cannot buy. Intellect can also make you realize the importance of time and the myth of multitasking. Intellect will also make you realize that it is ok to go slow, to accept things randomly, to be organic, to absorb organic experiences, to welcome feelings and to take delight in things - -for life is not a competition to be won…it is an experience to know God. Such people will see God as pure intent without any ulterior motive.

Some people have great appetite for caring and loving without being judgemental or critical. They nourish life. This is a very positive force they express. They can try and expand this shower of love to all life forms and not make it limited to their smaller circle. They will know eventually that God is all about love.

Some people do monumental work and express tremendous force of commitment or devotion. If they decide, the same devotion can be applied to any work at any scale for any community for any situation for all times. They will see God as the epitome of commitment and devotion.

So if we see what the approach is required to be, we are saying here that our capabilities of intellect, love and action need to expand infinitely and to such an extent that they become equally relevant to ANY situation regardless of any ulterior motive. This is reaching a state of expression that does not create any sort of vibration in our mind that induces ‘fear’

This is doable, but it needs conscious and sustained efforts.

control and acceptance

 

In some previous articles, the importance of remembrance was highlighted. What is stressed? That there is God, there is consciousness, there is a medium where any kind of vibration (force) may generate and lead to any kind of matter. Being manifested subsequently, the triad of consciousness, force and matter perceives manifestation in their own terms. Thus effectively, the manifestation (or vibrations of any kind) are different states of consciousness.

I think that we always tend to cling to concepts – mind or body. Whatever is perceived as a situation, (through our senses and electrical signals), we add a range of meanings on it. Either we shrink or we expand. Either we react based on what the sense tell us or we respond when we analyse the situation from multiple angles. If we have a spiritual bend of mind, we even accept the limitation of our inferences and our identity may be inferred as just relative and comprehensive – not tied to a situation or a body.

I think the idea of “control” stems from our narrow understanding of the above phenomenon. Analysis may be said to be one of the profound tools apart from observation and concentration to lead us to liberation. Analysis may be about decoding. Observation may be about feeling without judging and concentration would be concerned with action without attachment.

So I may put the idea of thinking as Observation-Analysis-Concentration/Action

We explore two things now.

What is control? Control stems from desire or fear. Desire or fear is the force of our mind operating through us. Every point of space-time is fluid or forever changing and related to everything else. This feeling of change is to be digested. If it is not, there is a compulsion to control things or anything that has manifested. This journey will lead to control of units of thoughts at a microscale.

At that scale, the unit of thought/force also ping pongs between space to particle, so what ever intent we feel at our scale, also follows us at the microscale! This leads to the conclusion that ANY KIND of intent causes vibration from micro to macro scale! This tendency needs to be surpassed! We have seen that in bringing our scope of control to a microscopic unit, it is still impossible to claim any position or any character or any stand! Since the basic unit of consciousness keeps oscillating, everything else will keep changing! This needs acceptance, not control.

The second aspect of control is to expect too much premium on a static point of space-time. This means that one will realize that perfection of a point in space-time fabric is possible only if ALL other connected points present in that space and at that time are exactly known in terms of their behaviour! In other words, we are expecting Space and Time NOT to change at all or that the fluidity or force completely stops! How can that be possible? Manifestation occurs because of vibration! That is the sign of being alive!

Above two main points necessitate us to alter our way of thinking. Of course, there are many ways to arrive at the same conclusion – through work, commitment, action, love, knowledge and so on.

 

Now that above two points are mentioned, what are we hoping for now? How should our response be designed? Here are a few suggestions:

1.      Oscillation or vibration means the source of all things is the same. Hence, our judgements and values and evaluations only are applicable in relative terms but not absolute. Or all life forms are inherently interconnected and sacred. Thus empathy is required, sharing is required and forgiveness is required.

2.      Every form passes through the same dilemma of considering one’s own survival over the larger good. Intrinsically, they respond based on their own understanding of situation. Don’t take it personally on yourself. Many things that people say or do aren’t concerning yourself and they are slaves of victims of their own imaginations – just as we are to some extent. So everyone deserves a chance to improve. So patience is required to appreciate this variety and chaos.

3.      Self worth is a construct of the mind. It has got nothing to do with consciousness. We are inherently blissful regardless of any manifestation. But this needs to be experienced, else it is plain talk. So, this state is supposed to be remembered and meditated upon.

4.      Evaluation, judgments, aggression, dominance, greed, unnecessary comparison of all kinds – need to be avoided. We are here to learn and grow and not to fight or snatch anything from anybody.

5.      Observation without reaction is the key to almost everything. Observe the anger or any kind of emotion that generates in you and see how it travels within and how and where it gets generated? By observing, the fluidity or the aspect of waves is seen.

6.      Concentrate and keep focussing on action without any expectation of result. That itself constitutes a reward.  Expectation comes from desire or fear. This emotion comes from our attachment to body. So all this needs to change.

Engagement

 

Perfection can be spoken about in terms of decoding the thoughts and understanding the tendencies of desire, space, time (manifestation).

I think there is a reason why certain things, that are important, must be practiced regardless of the situation around oneself - -whether conducive or not for implementation. To conclude, generally, things aren’t in our hands anyway at all the time, so to base our decisions on external changes cannot be or shouldn’t be a proper approach. Just as there is unpredictability in the intensity of rains and the sowing of the seeds, and the nature of the crop and the harvesting time, there is unpredictability in everything we respond to. The analogy of agricultural cycle or the monsoonal changes and the activity patterns can also be seen in our own personal events.

In the above example, there is a situation that changes, recurs and we perceive these changes. We are required to engage to this changing scenario by timing the sowing and harvesting periods. We hope to take utmost care of our efforts and the sequences that lie therein with the result that we survive, sustain and thrive. The dependence on this cycle of monsoon/ climate/ geography and our own activities in terms of livelihoods to architecture may reveal to us certain patterns of events and therefore thoughts:

Who initiates these events? How much can we control or optimize our known output? Is there liberation or freedom from this cycle? Can satisfaction be ensured in this perpetual cycle of seasons?

Thinking on this, it may be felt that either we are helpless to do anything or these things need not be taken personally and we remain only certain triggers in the entire web of manifestation. If later is the inference, then by extension, it will be realized there is a huge relationship between external changes and the manner in which they get perceived internally. The entire external-internal phenomenon is one continuous process of manifestation of space-force-matter. Hence we have a choice regarding our nature of engagement and the manner in which our perception develops. The choice can either lead us to a contracted mind full of anxiety, stress and control or towards expanded mind experiencing bliss.

There is an idea of grace. That God hears us. There is an idea of faith. That things will turn out good. That it pays spiritually to forgive, surrender and offer thanks. That God works through us. The entire experience of manifestation is created so we realize what is our true nature. Until then, all thoughts are lessons to learn from. There is an inherent provision in the character of manifestation that it is subjected to an inner turmoil of incompleteness and fear, SO THAT the eternally blissful state will be realized by understanding what is happening and different forms will be generated time and again from the same ingredient of Formlessness (consciousness). That we think we are incomplete or insecure or fearful or cling to things – is a provision made to improve or progress spiritually till we come to the source.

Hence, worrying is a sign of clinging and having a limited idea of perception of events. There is no need to worry. The thing to be done is to keep engaging in a way that everything is offered to God (without a hint of any expectation or desire for any return). For this is how God acts and by acting in the same way, we may become Godlike! My actions will yield something – for which I need not worry. Whether they take a fruitful shape or not, shouldn’t be a concern here, else we get tied by expectations. This is the basis of action and thought. That through us, engagement happens but it does not leave an imprint on our mind.

Essentially, it is silencing the seeds of desire/ cling/fear/expectation/memory so one gets liberated from a specific form of existence (therefore imagination).

 

Person

 

Accept the person in front of you. By ‘person’ what is indicated is a phenomenon of space-force-matter. And just as a person, one is indicating a situation and our perception about the same. Situation or a person exists because ‘we’ as phenomena, who are vibrating in a given frequency, exist! A phenomenon changes, it is interrelated with everything else from this interrelationship, we have perceptions of differentiation and the unity in all forms of expression. Differentiation of us from them and to stick to it – is again a tendency. It is a tendency and what it compels us to do, is something that is to be reviewed by self.

Generally, as a characteristics of existence (or vibration/ waves/ memory/ attachment); following things are indicated

One need not judge phenomenon since it is always changing. To ask for justification, evaluation, security, control is foolish. One incident in life does not define a person and one need not label anybody based on anything in life. Just as a moment changes, the past and future, which are our projections of imaginations, also keep changing. We label something, means we expect something, means we cling to something, which means we do not wish to change. This is not required. A lot of effort is spent in trying to justifying our clinging nature – ego, in short. The antidote to this is to stop judging or evaluating and start loving unconditionally. There is no reason why we should not love or shouldn’t receive love. There is no reason to think that we are incomplete or not perfect. Just work and put faith. Things happen for reasons that may be beyond our understanding. Bottom line is that everything will be taken care off. This also means that a positive focus should be inculcated in life. The greatest positivity is by expanding the mind and dropping the ego. Just help or offer with gratitude. It will start to work wonders. Some much time we remain busy and aloof with our own mistakes and thoughts that we cover ourselves with layers of security. One has to stop the flipping nature of the mind. Whatever we are, we have the mind to ride us to a state of existence. This needs training.

Things come and go. Our thoughts come and go. Vibrations increase and decrease. Motion is there if initiated and not there, if not initiated. Consciousness is there if experienced, manifestation is there if we cling to it. Both are different states of existence.

 

Action

 

Reminding oneself about important seeds of thoughts is crucial. We remain in a fluid environment of thoughts. These are formed from countless impressions/ vibrations that come from consciousness and shape our thinking as a human being, the chief components being the feelings and intellect. These thoughts make us imagine our existence and the manner we see the phenomena around us (space, time and matter). This means that the matter in front of us and the matter that we conceive may get defined or perceived based on our understanding of the cosmos or the connect with consciousness. The visual manifestation is nothing in physical terms. It is the intent through which the form is perceived or conceived, is what will either take our mind to a state of consciousness or towards matter again. For this reason, what we say or do and what we think or act - is instrumental in leading to a state of greater awareness.

This fact is to be impressed upon us. So one may realize that there is no point in judging or evaluating or cribbing or being aggressive.

The necessity of engagement is there, which cannot be avoided and why should it? We avoid taking action since we expect a perfect situation or to take some credit or to coordinate properly lest we fail or to prove something what should be right and so on. We avoid taking responsibility because we know that we can’t control all factors and we remain answerable for everything by people. We know that whatever we do, things are not going to be accepted in the same spirit and whatever we do, all work (no matter how good it is done and thought over) has some defect. Moreover, the same work is seen from various angles by different tendencies hence that doesn’t satisfy all at the same time and neither the work keeps any one person satisfied for eternity! Summarily, all this is an expectation trap. And this trap is set by us because of our on-going desire to perform that stems from fear or attachment to body.

In philosophical terms, above is the illusion or a state of existence we experience. Is that good or bad? It just IS…there’s no judgement in that or there’s no need to place any kind of a value in it and keep us in the judges room. This is a force that will generate motion, desires, actions, time and many other related things. In themselves they are not something independent and something that one needs to compete with or do anything. The whole point is to gain composure or just observe the tendency of this force and continue with the mode of action nevertheless. By developing the strength to not unnecessarily react, the force will subside and eventually the true nature of consciousness is revealed. Then the action will come from a far greater depth of Being.

Human existence

 

 

Human existence is a kind of an experience of space and time dealing with perception and conception – or in effect – imagination. All life forms imagine things or perceive things. In ways of philosophy, it means that consciousness vibrates to create a force and matter. This consciousness, the immaterial or formless or nameless, takes on millions of forms (or manifests) or projects itself as something concrete. This happens on account of “motion” or vibration of consciousness and therefore appearing as space –force-matter phenomenon.

This is felt as physical forms and at the level of mental perception. We are dealing with two dimensions of the fabric – psychic and the physical and each level compliments the other. The manner in which the physical is perceived depends on the quality of physic imagination.

And in perception, we are also indicating the screening of input signals, prior judgements, analysis, assumptions, values, and a response. That keeps creating “impressions” on the mind or the force and we continue to vibrate with a particular momentum.

The crux of philosophy is to become aware of the belief (or our own tendency or inclination) to cling to the force of imagination by which this entire manifestation is felt. Why does this happen? There is no answer. There is only a realization that an effort is required to be taken to become universal and dissolve differences. As consciousness vibrates – it denotes fluidity, change and contraction/ expansion of forces and forms: everything manufactured from the same unit. This motion or vibration that generates a web of contraction and expansion (or movement) also generates properties that are sensed by the organs and decoded by the construct of the mind! The SAME contraction results in mind and body! The same contraction gives rise to forms and names of perceptions. So is there something like an external ‘form’ or a ‘thought’ – this question therefore can be”seen” by us. This ability is reflexive in spirit. And therefore, herein the dilemma of what is to be done and the associated feelings of insecurity or fear.

Through the tendency of clinging, so much defensive is our manner of acting! Defensive, aggressive, competitive, differentiate and what not! We take things personally and we give excuses to defend our actions and beliefs. We do all this circus tricks because we think without any doubt, that we are different so we must survive and expect the best from situation. So much blinded we become in the form of existence. And when a ‘form’ (such as ours) exists, we attract the same signals based on our own capacity of the form. So we keep endorsing our stand of separation and competition and being trampled by variety and feeding on hurt and pain and expecting perfect control.

The challenge, if at all it can be put this way, is enormous. One needs to first acknowledge the effect of vibration and manifestation. Secondly, one needs to accept the behaviour of consciousness. Having accepted the behaviour, one needs to embrace the phenomenon. By accepting the behaviour of phenomenon, one accepts things as they are, one becomes calm enough to see the waves of vibrations and one becomes free of doubt and fear (or of limited thinking dictated by the form).

In action, that means to share and love and forgive and to give up controlling anything. In thinking, it means to decode the clinging tendencies. In habit, it means to meditate to make the mind still. In feelings, it means to connect to all life forms unconditionally and be empathetic.

 

Human existence is a kind of an experience of space and time dealing with perception and conception – or in effect – imagination. All life forms imagine things or perceive things. In ways of philosophy, it means that consciousness vibrates to create a force and matter. This consciousness, the immaterial or formless or nameless, takes on millions of forms (or manifests) or projects itself as something concrete. This happens on account of “motion” or vibration of consciousness and therefore appearing as space –force-matter phenomenon.

This is felt as physical forms and at the level of mental perception. We are dealing with two dimensions of the fabric – psychic and the physical and each level compliments the other. The manner in which the physical is perceived depends on the quality of physic imagination.

And in perception, we are also indicating the screening of input signals, prior judgements, analysis, assumptions, values, and a response. That keeps creating “impressions” on the mind or the force and we continue to vibrate with a particular momentum.

The crux of philosophy is to become aware of the belief (or our own tendency or inclination) to cling to the force of imagination by which this entire manifestation is felt. Why does this happen? There is no answer. There is only a realization that an effort is required to be taken to become universal and dissolve differences. As consciousness vibrates – it denotes fluidity, change and contraction/ expansion of forces and forms: everything manufactured from the same unit. This motion or vibration that generates a web of contraction and expansion (or movement) also generates properties that are sensed by the organs and decoded by the construct of the mind! The SAME contraction results in mind and body! The same contraction gives rise to forms and names of perceptions. So is there something like an external ‘form’ or a ‘thought’ – this question therefore can be”seen” by us. This ability is reflexive in spirit. And therefore, herein the dilemma of what is to be done and the associated feelings of insecurity or fear.

Through the tendency of clinging, so much defensive is our manner of acting! Defensive, aggressive, competitive, differentiate and what not! We take things personally and we give excuses to defend our actions and beliefs. We do all this circus tricks because we think without any doubt, that we are different so we must survive and expect the best from situation. So much blinded we become in the form of existence. And when a ‘form’ (such as ours) exists, we attract the same signals based on our own capacity of the form. So we keep endorsing our stand of separation and competition and being trampled by variety and feeding on hurt and pain and expecting perfect control.

The challenge, if at all it can be put this way, is enormous. One needs to first acknowledge the effect of vibration and manifestation. Secondly, one needs to accept the behaviour of consciousness. Having accepted the behaviour, one needs to embrace the phenomenon. By accepting the behaviour of phenomenon, one accepts things as they are, one becomes calm enough to see the waves of vibrations and one becomes free of doubt and fear (or of limited thinking dictated by the form).

In action, that means to share and love and forgive and to give up controlling anything. In thinking, it means to decode the clinging tendencies. In habit, it means to meditate to make the mind still. In feelings, it means to connect to all life forms unconditionally and be empathetic.