Turning Inward

What is meant by turning inward? Most people struggle with this initial thing, the very first step that one has to take in order to walk the Spiritual path consciously. Misunderstanding, the difficulty arises due to the wrong perception that "one already knows oneself". No, accept that you do not know yourself and that's what this whole journey is about, that's what the whole pursuit is for. You have to find out who you truly are, and who you are not. And in order to do that, one needs to turn inward.

What do you do when you go to buy a car or mobile phone or something else? First of all, you very well know that that car or mobile is NOT YOU. So now you become the Subject and that Car or Mobile becomes an Object. Then you the Subject starts researching and learning about various characteristics, features, cost etc about that Object. In order to successfully get all the information you look for information online, you reach out to companies if needed, you reach out to friends who might have that mobile, or car already, and you try to gather as much information from the RIGHT sources as much possible. Once you have all the information you carefully look into your need, to see which one best fits your requirements.

Now in the similar way you need to be the Subject and treat your Body, Mind, and Emotions as Object. Body mostly functions on its own and doesn't pose much of a hindrance, unless you are sick. So main objects to take care of are Mind and Emotions. Now that Subject and Objects are clear, you need to gather as much information as possible about Mind, how it works, how many functions it has and all its divisions, and for that you might have to go through online research, articles, books, materials and people who know about the mind. This requires "research, study, and learning". You have to do similar research, study and learning about Emotions as well. Remember you "cannot" control or properly drive your car, unless you know "where is steering and how it works", and lots of other useful information about the car. You may never use many high-end security features of the car, but you still need to know about them, in the case of emergency, right? In a similar way, you need to know about Mind and Emotions from every angle, perspective.

Once you know the details about Mind and Emotions, next step is to look into your Mind and your Emotions. Now this requires "being present". And this is where most of the people get stuck, and finds it difficult to move forward. You cannot keep on thinking about who did what to you, what happened in the past, what are your future plans, what you have to do today, feeling bad and constantly thinking about stuff AND be in the present. Either you are in the Past, Future or you are Present. It gets challenging here because we are saying try to learn everything about the car while driving. This may cause an accident, right. You need to stop the car in order to learn about its various features. It's not possible to learn about it and drive simultaneously. The mind is habitual of staying either in the past or future, and the present moment NOW is BEYOND the boundary of mind. Only if you are able to stop the mind and it's nonstop thought process, then only you can look into what patterns are there or what it is doing. The same thing is with Emotions. You are always DEEPLY feeling One Emotion or the other, then how can you examine them successfully and be Objective about it? There won't be any time when Mind won't bring up thoughts of past, future, and Emotions won't go haywire to keep you in the loop and all this will not let you have time to be able to Contemplate, Analyze. You will be using Mind to analyze mind and emotions. It's like operating something/someone ALIVE & MOVING FAST (Laughs). So now what?

Now we need to do something to calm down the mind and cool down the emotional furnace. This is achieved by "raising our consciousness, awareness" to the level where "thoughts & emotions" are no longer severe botheration. It's not that thoughts will stop altogether, and emotional fire will be turned off, it's just that both of these won't be able to bother you much. We are NOT trying to kill mind and dry up emotions because we will need them when the time comes. We only have to create some distance between our Mind, Emotions and us. So the question is how to create this distance? How to raise the POWER of your consciousness, awareness? Now a lot of time you will be advised to do meditation. You may do it for 3 to 6 months and you will lose patience, because meditation for you will be an effort of trying to get rid of thoughts, thoughts will be replaced by another thought like "I do not have to think, I am not thinking, Keep Quiet, or think about Color, Sound or something else. This is truly useless, and trust me I have seen people TRYING to meditate for years, and still not being able to meditate. Understand that you are Trying to meditate here, you are NOT meditating actually. Meditation is the process of going into Meditative State means "Thoughtless State", State of a Silenced Mind, State of BEING IN NOW. By sitting and trying to control mind by mind is futile, or keeping the mind in some other music or some other type of Godly, Heavenly thought is futile and doesn't help. Meditative State when achieved by anyone, then it doesn't matter he/she is cleaning the house, or cooking or working in office or driving or doing anything at all, that state doesn't break, and if it breaks, then it only takes less than 5-10 minutes to be back in that meditative state, or just a snap of fingers, it's that much quick and it's that much controllable. Once you TRULY achieve this state, you will never lose it without knowing.  Also understand that Meditation doesn't mean not addressing your mental drama, and/or emotional drama. If on the name of meditation and spiritual journey, you start avoiding, denying your mind, emotions way too much, you will blast someday like a pressure cooker and/or may get physical and/or psychosomatic illnesses. So, trying to control mind by mind doesn't work so much, instead, one loses confidence or become more delusional thinking that one is meditating now so everything is fine, and no need to do anything else. Most dangerous delusion it is.

So what next? What else can we do to calm down the mind, and cool down emotional fires? What else do we have to achieve this? What else can we use?

You have "Prana" (Vital Energy) which your Breathing generates. Here I am not going to explain you entire Prana Science, and you need not know about all that now in that much greater detail. All you need to know is that after every inhale of breath there is a gap of nanoseconds, and after every exhale there is a gap too. In your Mind, Thoughts arise during these gaps. Most of you have disturbed breathing, shallow breathing, you don't even notice that because mind and emotions keep you so busy. The quality of breathing is directly associated with the Quality of Prana (Vital Energy). Disturbed or shallow breathing means disturbed vital energy. Disturbed vital energy is the reason for anxiety, stress, tension depression and all the psychosomatic issues. So if you focus on breathing (Pranayama), then you are killing two birds with one stone (don't kill birds though :-)). How? By doing some really simple breathing exercises, not only your mind, emotions will calm down, but your vital energy will increase too, which will keep your physical body ailment free, and in a much better condition. One most simple pranayama/breathing exercise is Anulom/Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing). You can find out more about it very easily through Internet and tons of free youtube videos are there. Just learn it, and do it for 5 to 11 minutes every morning and evening, sit anywhere, do it anywhere. Slowly over the period of a month, increase the time to 21 minutes. Over the period of 3 months or so, you will notice a substantial difference. Just this Pranayam, Alternate Nostril Breathing is also a very effective way of raising your Kundalini. It actually awakens Kundalini/Power/Shakti/Energy, if you do it seriously. Once you start noticing a difference in you, the effect of Pranayama in you, ADD one more thing to your routine, which is "focus on the breath" while doing anything & everything. Keep your focus on your breath as much as possible. Slowly after couple more months, you will start noticing that you are actually able to look at the sky, clouds, flowers, birds, trees, your surroundings, without "thinking" about anything else. Suddenly you will feel super happy just by noticing this much, that you are able to look at anything, everything without thinking. That means you are in NOW, you are being present. This is your major and first milestone sort of on Spiritual Path. You have successfully "RAISED" your Consciousness/Awareness. Kudos!

In the year 2011, I started with 2 hours long sessions of Pranayamas that I learned from youtube. Yes, I am extremist (High-Intensity Person) (Laughs). The intensity in me is just too much to set simple goals and start low. After 3 months of time, almost 2 hours a day from 3:40 AM to 5:30 AM my Kundalini did awaken and it gave me an intense experience, a glimpse into Reality through very short Nirvikalpa Samadhi which changed me forever. But you need not be an extremist, it depends on from person to person, I guess those who get way too much pain from life and think they are just so done with everyone, everything, they do become highly intense people. Some put that high intensity into wrong, negative purposes, some put it in walking Spiritual Path. The reason I am giving details of my own experience is to let you know that Pranayamas (Breathing Techniques) works! It's thousands of years old proven Science. If I can do it, many others have done it, then you can do it too.

Once you start living in NOW, enjoy that meditative state for some time, to restore the "happiness" in you. Being happy for no reason is a very beautiful experience. And you have earned it, so enjoy it. You will get addicted to this inner joy and whatever will try to disturb it you will address it as soon as possible and be back. Now you will be able to look into your Mental Patterns and Emotional Patterns. You can read more about how to dig deeper into your mind and emotions and do your own postmortem through reflection here. Don't stay stuck here in NOW for too long, don't spend too much time just feeling this inner joy. Why? C'mon, you haven't completed your journey yet, you haven't turned inward yet, so this inner joy is highly volatile and you will struggle way too much whenever you will lose it for few days or weeks. Until you successfully resolve your mental patterns and emotional patterns, the job is not done, and those patterns will keep on wreaking havoc from time to time. So this being in Now is a temporary place, rest-area, the journey is not over yet. I have seen many staying stuck at this stage for years, decades. Whenever life or their own mind, emotions starts beating them, they do pranayama, meditation and try to get back their inner joy. That means it's just a pursuit of wellness for them, which is not bad, but that's not the ultimate goal of doing all this. So start as soon as you are done restoring some inner peace, on the mental and emotional postmortem.

This is what is meant by turning inward. Turning inward means to be able to look at your mind and emotions in a Subject, Object manner and be able to address all past issues, all unresolved issues, that keeps bothering you, that steals your inner joy and keeps you in the suffering.

After turning inward when you have walked all the way inside, you will realize there is no inward, outward, and you will be amazed, in truly knowing yourself, and entirely. Suffering will end, life will be a Celebration in every moment". Now, who wouldn't want that? The question is how badly, intensely you want to know yourself, how mad, crazy you are about finding the True You? If this is not a serious matter for you, then you wouldn't be reading this article up till here (Smile).

One more thing to understand here is that this journey of going inward is a very personal one and approach towards it varies from person to person. Some may be able to meditate within few days, some may start with Pranayama, some may start with some other approach. There is no wrong or right approach here, it's all about the fact that different people are at different levels of consciousness and do take different starting points. One approach may not fit all. What works for the person may not work for the other. So it takes a little bit of serious effort and some time to find out, what works for you, what route you should take, where should you start? Try various approaches seriously for a couple of months and see what works best for you to raise your Consciousness. If you are serious, then there is no way you won't find a way. You will!

~ Adiguru

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How do I control my Energy? It seems some Dark Energy is always trying to get hold of me. How do I handle that?

I often get this question from many people around me who are consciously walking the spiritual path.

First thing is you need to let go of the notion "my energy". There is no such thing as my energy, your energy, his energy, her energy. Why? When you say "my energy" you are isolating yourself from the energy. It's as if you are saying "me" is different than the "energy", which is never the case, because "you are energy itself", there is no such thing as "me and my energy". Energy should be looked at as a whole, and perception should be holistic. Then you will truly understand energy. Then you will accept the presence of energy. Then you will accept your own presence as energy. Also understand that when you say "my energy" you mean, how you feel, perceive energy through your mind and what effect it is having on your body. Now the active presence of the body itself is because of energy. Body and all it's five sheaths are energy, but it's beyond mind's comprehension, so you talk about it in terms of how it appears to your Mind, not necessarily how it actually exists. The reality of energy is different than your mental perception of energy. Many times when you feel other person's energy, it's not his energy that you actually feel, it's the perception of the "interaction" of you as energy to the other as Energy. So be clear about it. Yes sometimes that interaction will not feel nice to you, and you can say that XYZ is exuberating negative or lower vibrational energy, or ABC place has lower vibrations. So when you say "my energy" you are actually referring to that "interaction" that happens and the "mental perception" phenomenon that takes place.

Now that we are clear about Energy's presence as a Whole, the second thing that you need to let go of is "Control". Energy is holistic, it's whole and you can NEVER have any control over it, whatsoever, especially the way you understand "Control". Why? This whole Universe and all its elements and all life, the whole manifestation is nothing but Energy, including you. When you yourself are Energy, then are you saying you want to control yourself? Then that means some outside force needs to Control energy, but then what is NOT energy? What is outside Energy? What is that outside force? Nothing! Then, in other words, you are saying Energy (I) want to Control Energy (myself). So you are actually saying, you want to DIVIDE energy into two parts, Mischievous or Humble Energy (that needs to be controlled) and Controller Energy (which will control the mischievous one). You see here how your own mind is dividing Unity into Duality, that's how your mind understands everything. Now how can you actually divide energy into Mischievous one, and Controller one? Where will you draw the line, and how? See, that is what mind does all the time, it becomes the thief first and then goes on hunting itself acting as police. And it keeps you in the vicious cycle saying that "oh you are not able to achieve something", so keep on trying, keep on looking at different so-called mental solutions and, keep on working and working and working. It's a useless feat. Entire Universe is within us, we are representing entire Universe as Energy.

Now let's say you understand what energy is, and what mental drama about energy is and you have a holistic view about Energy. So let's see what is meant by "control"? Control, as you understand in life, means "power OVER". It could be power over another person, a group of people, or power over anything.

There are two ways to have power over anyone or anything. One way is through "manipulation", and another way is through "love". For a short period of time, both ways will seem fine, and will give you the same end result. But in longer term you will see that if you took the way of "manipulation" then you will completely lose that "person/thing/energy" whatever that you wanted to have "power over". Because through this way, you are "in control", but you are on the "receiving" end, and that other person/thing/energy is on the giving end. But If you fall in love with someone/something, you won't be hunting "receiving" all the time, you will NOT be on the receiving end, instead, there won't be any "giving" or "receiving" ends. Instead in love, you will be ONE with that person/thing/energy, you will be in UNION, and that's how you will have what you need, in fact, more than what you ever needed. In relationship also, imagine you are utterly in love with your partner, what happens then? Their life, their resources, their functions become part of your life, your resources, and your functions, that's when 1 + 1 becomes 11. But when in the relationship you are manipulating your partner, mentally, emotionally, then why exactly are you doing that? You are doing it so you can get your partner's life, resources, functions available to you when you need. You are foolish, trying to stay on the receiving side, thinking this is the way to get, this is the way to control other. This desire to control breeds "manipulation". If the end goal is to unite the life, resources, and functions, then a better approach is through love, isn't it? Where the other will freely merge with you, and will REVEAL what all they can do, will OPENLY let you use their powers, resources.

Exactly in a similar way, when you want to use the Power of Energy, or Water, Earth, Fire, Air, Ether then don't try to get "power over", instead try to be in Union out of love, be in Oneness out of love, devotion, surrender, and ALL elements and Energy will be at your disposal, then it will Reveal its inherent "secrets" to you, then it will reveal what all can be done through it, then it will reveal how actually it functions, and what all can be done, achieved through it. This is true for Mystics also.  They can either manipulate the elements and sometimes that manipulation, control will work, sometimes it will not, Or they can truly "be one with that element", out of love, devotion, surrender, merge with that element and let that element become part of their existence and reveal "how" it truly functions, how can it be used best, what all can be done, achieved through its proper use. A True Mystic Respects, and Accepts ONENESS with entire Nature/Universe. A True Mystic may use the elements, or energy for the greater cause, but will never abuse them, and even that "usability" is not through manipulation, but through love. In love one is never used by the other, instead one offers oneself to the other freely. Such union and offering are long lasting.

So if you truly want to harness the power of Energy for a good reason, then BE ONE with it, Be in LOVE with it, let it MERGE with you and let it be in Integration with you, and trust me, you will have ALL that you ever wanted, that Energy will give you everything that you ever thought of.

Energy is nothing but Shakti, Shakti is who we truly are. Respect it, Love it, Accept it and let it do the dance for you in the best possible way. If you ever had ANY FEARS from Energy, then understand that your perception, understanding about energy is wrong and that you truly were trying to manipulate it, you were trying to "overpower" it, control it in a childish way. Did it work? I know, it can never work in long term, no matter how hard you try. Instead, it will leave you forever Fearful.

If really power of Energy/Shakti has left you fearful in life, then try to respect, accept and love it for what it is, and if you want to harness its power, then OPEN your HEART, and be ONE with it and you can Embody it in it's most roaring, wild form, without any problems ever.

Fall in love with Shakti. Opening your heart is the key!

Five years back, when I tangibly started noticing the dance of Energy, Shakti in me, I fell in love with it, I was in complete "awe". Though that time, I noticed the "Dark" side of it. Dark doesn't mean bad, Dark simply means Energy/Shakti that grounds you to your Earthly experience as a Body, which dances in your human-ness, which lets you experience all dark moments/faces of your life, which lets you experience life through your own body and it's various functions and all senses, emotions at their peak. When I realized it's wildness through me, I had to surrender out of love. I let it dance until it let me go. Yes, you NEVER ascend until you Embody the Dark Energy first. The more you try to escape it's grounding nature, earthly human experience that it is trying to give you, the more you try to run away towards the "Light or White" Energy, more it will pull you back, more it will try to ground you, more it will try to show you your own wildest, weakest, darkest face. Through inner knowing I let it run it's course for 1.5 years, and finally there came a moment, when it felt as if a switch is turned-off in me, ALL wildness, ferociousness, grounding was gone, instead it was replaced by Light Energy, which was very subtle in nature, which was the True Expression of my Spiritual Self, my Soul. It's the Dark Energy which lets you loose to ascend, it's the Dark energy which initiates the process of Ascension. And one needs to Embody dark first.

Goddess Kali holds Dark Energy in one hand, and Light Energy in another hand. Goddess Kali holds Death in one hand and Life in another hand. And that's what it signifies, that as a human you are the Beholder of Dark and Light both. It signifies that experience Death first in order to Reborn as a New Life again. You need to embody Wild, Ferocious, Ravenous, Ruthless, Grounding Shakti in order to hold Subtle, Compassionate, Tender, Pleasant Shakti. You need to embody BOTH polarities of Shakti. In other words, you need to embody your humanness in order to embody your Divinity.

So yes, when you say that a Dark Energy is trying to get hold of you, it's TRUE. It is trying to get hold of you, it is trying to give you an experience that is needed for your evolution, for your ascension, it is trying to show you the wildest, ugliest, weakest side of you, not to harass you, not to torture you, but only to show what you hide deep down, what you fear the most. So you can come out of it, and get rid of your fears forever, and behold, be the Master of your own Dark side, embody the Dark Energy/Shakti. But most of the time, you try to run from it, you try to escape it, deny it, you fear it, you want to hide that expression of yours, you run for several types of healing for body, mind, emotions and that delays your ascension process. That's all that does. Next time when that Dark Energy tries to get hold of you, calm down, see what it is trying to show you, see what is hidden deep beneath the layers of your mind that it is trying to bring up, rejoice in its presence, accept its functioning and dance in you, and let it do what it is supposed to do. Once you do that, you will be free from an aspect of it that it was trying to show you, you will truly ascend! On the name of Spiritual Journey, you cannot run away from Earthly Human Experience, you cannot run away from the wild side of your own, you cannot run away from bodily temptations, demands, needs, fears you cannot run away from those faces of yours which when coming out you immediately respond with "oh this can't be me, how can I be like this, this is horrible me, I can't handle myself". You can only MASTER all this, by letting yourself go through that experience.

The day Dark Energy is done showing you all that you hide deep within, done giving you experiences that show you your own faces, NEVER EVER AGAIN in life this Dark Energy will try to bound you, ground you, scare you, or do anything at all with you. That means you have integrated everything that you feared within, denied within you have integrated all broken aspects of who you are. You are fearless wholesome Shakti.

~ Adiguru

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Shakti - The Divine Feminine

Shakti is Divine Feminine principle. What is meant by Feminine principle? Feminine principle manifests as Life, in Universe as the power of creation, power of manifestation, its Energy that takes forms and shapes and is experienced as light and sound. At a much grosser level or physical plane, Shakti manifests as Emotions in us. At physical plane, Masculine principle, Shiva manifests through Feminine principle (Shakti) as Mind. When we talk about Shiva alone, we are talking about Un-manifest, which cannot manifest on its own and needs Divine Feminine, Shakti to manifest as Mind in us. Feminine principle, Shakti is the power to manifest but needs direction from the Masculine principle mind, which in the first place, is her first gross manifestation which is experienced by all of us on day to day basis. Shakti the feminine principle is regarded as highly important, because without it, one can never transcend this mundane world experience, and Be Shiva! Shiva can become one's reality only when Shakti unites Shiva. One has to let the Shakti flow through one's existence without resistance.

All of us have Masculine and Feminine principles, and energy within us in different ratios. It's not necessary that Male bodies have a more Masculine principle (Mind) and Female body is made up of more Feminine Principle (Emotions), it usually appears that way, because our first perception comes from looking at a physical body, whether it is male or female. As human beings we all are made up of same emotions and our mind (Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Aham) also functions in a similar way. Between Mind and Emotions, it's not about which one is more important or higher, it's the BALANCE between the two which we strive for. A person may have really intense emotion, but the flow may be restricted because of a chaotic mind. Another person may have a well-balanced mind, but the emotional intensity may not be enough, to experience something beyond. We need both functioning in harmony, in balance. Masculine and Feminine should be balanced within, should work in an Integrated Fashion within us to be able to experience the Integration at an existential level.

Due to the abuse of Power/Shakti by many priestesses in ancient times throughout Egypt, Europe, men were forced to create a patriarchal society to protect themselves, and all practices, path, knowledge related to Shakti were condemned, to the extent that today, we are not even allowed to show our emotions freely. It is considered as a sign of weakness. Matriarchal and Patriarchal both worlds have seen enough suffering due to polarity and NOW is the time for "integration" of both principles. Again and again, it is proven that it's only the harmony between the two, an integration between the two that can be used as a ground to breed healthy spirituality,  be THAT/Brahm and later let Shakti flow as Bliss, Love, and Peace in all expressions of life. But that integration has to happen "internally" first before something can be done in the external world. Change has to happen within in order to manifest the same change in the outer world.

Many people live life with mind over heart, while many others wear their heart on their sleeve, regardless of whether they are male or female. Many times females encounter difficult male personalities in life, and many times males encounter difficult female personalities in life. At times it's a reflection of our own IMBALANCE between Masculine and Feminine principles/energy within us.

I have met men who are scared, tortured due to emotional and/or mental manipulation and abuse by females. Usually such men have higher feminine principle within in comparison to their own Masculine principle/energy, and they are finding it hard to integrate within, as society, world taught them otherwise, like they should not cry, they should love using their mind, and be calculative, analytical in every aspect of life, as they are Male. Men were taught, "Be a Man", which meant HIDE your emotions at all cost. They were taught that display of emotions means being vulnerable and is a sign of weakness and femininity. Yes, being vulnerable means being in a "receiving" mode, but from the Divine, from the Universe, from the Shakti. They were taught that display of logical, rational mind is being a Man. Many men constantly are in a struggle with their own feminine energy/principle and end up "suppressing" emotions, in other words, end up "suppressing Shakti", the flow of Shakti is obstructed in them. Until and unless these men go against what society has taught them, they cannot achieve unobstructed flow of Shakti in them, until then their Mind will end up posing challenges, resistance to the natural flow of emotions. The one who is on the spiritual journey consciously has to at times go against social and moral codes, rules, as he/she is trying to live, follow Universal Codes/Rules.

I have met women who are scared and tortured due to physical, mental, emotional manipulation and abuse of power by men. Due to a long suppression and abuse era, women have revolted to that and have adopted more mental ways. She is expressing herself more and more into the arena of mind, through jobs, education, and everything. Society became patriarchal, and did not respect the Feminine principle, and has turned the woman into more of a high masculine principle, which goes against her nature at times. She has been taught to be tough, to be able to manage her emotions through the proper use of the mind. She has been taught to be Independent, and discard, eliminate men if not needed. Abuse of power has happened on both sides. Females started cultivating, nurturing more of a Masculine Energy within, so they do not have to depend on Males for that, and they do not have to be in mental, emotional and physical slavery.

All this has caused a great deal of imbalance on the Planet Earth in terms of Energy. Female bodies are naturally high in Feminine principle, and male bodies are naturally high in Masculine principle. Though this is not the case 100% of the time. The physical body is the resultant of the defining principle within. And it's not a limitation, instead, it's a tremendous power given to us. Though people end up treating it as if Feminine principle/Emotions are limitations, are hurdles that one has to cross, and when they start walking spiritual path consciously, they start struggling with the Masculine principle/Mind. None of these two are challenges, instead are our support, tools to cross the mire of Maya. Earth is the largest living being when Earth lets the seed grow into the plant when it nourishes life then it's Feminine principle is in working, when it grows mango tree from the mango seed, that intelligence is Masculine principle in working, when there are storms, thunder and all that's the process of attaining Balance. Earth actually is Androgynous being. When we as humans want to connect to its life nurturing aspect, we refer to it as Mother Earth, as that's what our physical/gross existence survives on and that's where it will go back. Akasha/Ether that surrounds earth and is the binding principle for humans is referred to as Father who seeds and oversee our existence as human beings. In order to invite grace from the Father, one must approach the Mother first, as it's easier that way. How many times in life you reached out to your mom in order to get approval for something from your dad. You found it easier in life to reach out to your mom and let her convince dad. I am referring to mom here as the one who is more emotional, and dad to the one who is more mental, regardless of their physical body/gender. Similarly, in order to finish the spiritual journey faster, balance and master the Feminine principle within (Emotions, Bhakti Yoga) and then Father principle (Mind, Jnana/Gyan Yoga) will automatically settle for you in the best possible way.

Now if you see clearly "within" it's NOT at all a problem or tussle between Male and Female as a gender. It's a tussle between "Mind" and "Emotions". Though externally in the world, society it appears to be a problem between male and female. When Mind/Masculine principle becomes chaotic, it resists the natural flow of Shakti. When Emotions/Feminine principle becomes chaotic, Shakti's flow hits the dam. The point is "balance" is needed.

Regardless of the physical body, a Yogi/Jnani/Self Realized one is neither a male nor female, a Guru is not male or female, Divine is not male or female, they are "integration/union" of masculine and feminine both principles. They are above & beyond the plane of duality. Shakti is in Union with Shiva in such beings and their energy is Androgynous/Ardhanarishwar. When you are near to such beings, depending upon which principle is more dominant or disturbed in you, you will feel the Yogi/Jnani/Divine's gender/energy as that. If you are in balance within yourself, then you will not even pay any attention to the gender/physical body/energy principle of such beings. Only the imbalance in you will lead your attention towards that. Next time pay attention when you find yourself pondering, oh He is a male Guru/Jnani, or that She is a female Guru/Jnani, putting male or female before Guru/Jnani seems totally wrong. (Laughs)

Shakti/Emotions when flows freely without encountering any resistance from Mind ends up "being LOVE". Love which is unconditional, love which doesn't abide by the rules of the society, the world. Love which knows no boundaries. Pure Shakti is nothing but a free-flow of Love, its wild, it's very hard to contain, its romantic, it's sensual, it's sexual, and it expresses itself in the utmost wildest way if allowed. Which of course is not what society taught us in order to maintain the order. Though it doesn't harm the beholder or anyone else, but no one knows that fact. It only helps us transcend. But society suppresses the free-flow of love, and hence the free flow of life.  How can you feel true love, devotion with tens/hundreds of social rules in mind? Does true love/devotion ever happen within the boundaries of society? Then Radha, Krishna, Meera, Rumi, and lot many others may not have happened. And much more even wouldn't have been Self Realized through the path of Bhakti and Jnana Yoga. Then these two yoga paths should be discarded, right? Because these two often times go against and beyond the boundaries of logical/rational/socially conditioned mind. Because Yog/Union is an expression, manifestation of Shakti, the Divine Feminine.

One can feel or express that free flow of Shakti as love towards nothing, or towards another human, or animal, or flowers, or Divine, anything/anyone can reflect that free flow of Shakti through you. When Shakti encounters resistance from the mind, its natural flow/path is obstructed and one feels fearful. That fear can manifest in different areas of life and that's what is called as "blocked" Muladhara/Root Chakra. Fears are nothing but mental resistance to the Nature of Life, to the natural flow of Shakti. Fears are created by the Mind, as Mind doesn't want to go against the world, society as is known to it, the mind doesn't want to go beyond the boundaries it has created all through the life. The mind doesn't want to be judged by others and goes into the self-preservation mode of its several Identities that it has created by learning the rules of the society, world. The disturbed or chaotic flow of Shakti is Ignorance, Maya.

You can look deeply within to find out, what emotional patterns/constructs are blocking the natural flow of Shakti in you, and using the right knowledge, knowledge of Truth, Universal Laws, you can change the patterns and be free from blockages & fears. Once you start changing the patterns grace dawns by itself to help you. Grace depends on how honest you are with your own efforts in eliminating the chaos and attaining the balance, and how much emotionally attached you are to your own different personalities/identities/social images/conditioning of your own mind. Understand that blocked emotions create the useless mental pattern. Our personality is part of Mind, but our attachment to it is Emotional. Emotions need to be taken care of and balanced first in order to purify the Mind. At times one wants to remove such patterns, but the moment it comes to the total annihilation of identities, one chooses otherwise and clings to them. And it becomes the story of wanting to cross the river on foot but doesn't want your feet wet. So just ponder within yourself, how long it will take you to understand that foot will be wet, all identities, social images, personal images, personalities will be dead in the process of Awakening the Shakti within you, Embodying the Shakti in a clear-cut, unobstructed way. What will it take for you to have faith that merger of mind (Masculine principle) with emotions (Feminine principle) will take you towards Divine, Divine Love?

Jnani/Self Realized one's overflow with this very same Love, Bliss, and Peace, which are nothing but the dance of Shakti in their existence, which is in Union with the Universe (Manifest & Un-manifest).

Let the Shakti Flow! Let all bow down to Shakti, Divine Feminine! Let all find Union within!

~ Adiguru

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Transcendence through Emotions

Yes, you can transcend your human nature, any limitations through your emotions. You have many emotions, Anger, Guilt, Fear, Love and so on, you can pick up any one of the emotion and be absolute "Intense" with it and see what happens. Now you can choose Anger for that matter, but anger may cause physical damage to your body, so you can choose Love instead, and be absolute intense in that state, maintain that state in highest intensity for just a day, and see what changes it brings in you. Having emotions is not a limitation or hurdle that you have to cross, instead, emotions are tools given to us. Just like physical body is a tool to do Sadhana/Tapas and transcend, in a similar way, emotions are tools too, and one can do Sadhana/Tapas on an emotional plane as well. It works.

In many, the emotion of love became highly intense that Bhakti/Devotion arose, which made pathways for Gyan/Jnana/Wisdom/Intellect/Brahmakara Vritti. Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana/Gyan Yoga goes hand in hand and works perfectly. My path was that way, so it was for many others who Realized the Self.

When one pursues the path of Jnana Yoga, without Bhakti/Devotion in place first, then it's nothing but a mental enlightenment, no real transformation takes place in the person/consciousness, instead pride develops over the period of time. Real transformation takes place when "Devotion to Self/Soul/Consciousness/Atma/Divine" has taken roots deeply. Without igniting the fire of Devotion, the fire of Jnana doesn't help anyone.

In order for such a devotion to arise, the logical/rational mind has to loose footing in you, and Faith, Surrender needs to happen. Faith in yourself, and Surrender to life, to something bigger/larger than us, you can call it Divine, Pure Consciousness or Shakti. The Fire of Devotion purifies the Mind/Intellect, so it doesn't work against the life/person, instead, works for it. It kills the mental identities, boundaries, limitations and makes one vulnerable for receiving from Universal Life/Power. This softness, vulnerability is what brings you in the "receiving" position for anything in life, and most of the time mind is scared of this vulnerability, because mind cannot comprehend, it seems foolishness to mind, and it does everything to let it not happen. Mostly people are slave of their mind, not the masters, so they let themselves down in front of their logical/rational mind and pull up their guards against this vulnerability. Important point to understand here is that you cannot invite any experience in life, which is NOT needed for your growth, your evolution, hence trust in Universal Laws is a must, an understanding of Universal Laws is required to successfully end the tussle between logical/rational mind and heart/emotion of love/devotion.

Ignorance is NOT bliss! Ignorance only delays the process for you. Mind's only job is to take you towards your grave, and it will do anything to stop you from going towards bliss, peace, love, Divine, Pure Consciousness, immortality. Mind never wants you to experience that you are not your mind, you are not your body. Now choice is yours! You can surrender to mind, or surrender to life. There are examples of both types of beings, one who surrendered to mind, and ones who surrendered to life, pros and cons of each choice need not be explained much. At times you surrender to mind, but expect an outcome that is tied to the surrender to life, how can it be that way? You want to go to east but all your steps are taken towards west. You are sowing a seed of an Apple tree, how can there be Mangoes tomorrow? Just this much aspect of one's life shows us how much limited mind is, and that its only a tool to help us in a certain fashion, it should never be the Driver of life, it can never be the Driver. You are surrendering to your mind and expecting real evolution, transformation.

If that's what you want, surrender to mind, then that's OK. Be happy with that. There are many lives to live and many bodies to take, if not this life, then in some other one, but one will definitely learn whom should one surrender to. After leaving this body, your Subconscious, Unconscious Mind will be with you, and you will have ample time (probably hundreds/thousands of years) to struggle with the same concept, and arrive at a conclusion and take decision accordingly. It's not something where anyone can push you from outside, it's something that has to happen "internally" within you, based on your choice, your will power. Chosing life is a choice! Chosing to realize one's permanent nature as Pure Consciousness, Shakti, Divine, is a choice! And Emotions are very effective tool to Realize the Self.

~ Adiguru

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Emotional Candy Bazaar

Questioner: I have done a lot for others in life, I have fulfilled all the responsibilities properly and I have given 100% to my spouse, my kids and everyone around me. Despite all that, I feel empty within, I feel I am not loved. I feel empty, incomplete, Why?

Prakriti: Were you ever lost at Candy Bazaar?
Questioner: Not that I remember.

Prakriti: Well, now you are. You are lost at Emotional Candy Bazaar. You were trying to find fulfillment in life through your emotions. You adopted a sense of responsibility and you played with emotions through others. You have an emotional investment in others and now you are seeking a return. Others are not returning you the equal amount of love, kindness and you feel empty. 

See, when you were seeking emotional fulfillment you did stuff for others, in order to spend some good time with them, love them, kindness from them, or something else. Every little pleasure that you looked forward to, was an emotional candy exchange. You felt very happy every time you got one candy and then you looked for more and more. You were seeking fulfillment outside of yourself, it doesn't work that way. Fulfillment, Contentment has to come from within, it happens when awareness arises, consciousness expands. And for that, you have to give up your attachment to all emotional candies. When your emotions are sweet, you call that love candy, when your emotions are bitter, you call it anger, and when there is a change of state, or in between state, you call it anxiety. All these are nothing but Emotional candies and you are lost in that Bazaar (Marketplace). Emotions are Energy in Motion, it turns around every two and half days, in any normal person. So you keep on moving from one shelf (love for example) to another (Guilt or Anger for example). 

Why stay lost? Come out of that Bazaar. You certainly don't want bitter candies like anger, guilt, shame, fear etc. You may want sweet love candy. Let's see what that candy actually is?

What you call love is actually an emotion in you. True love is "Devotion", "Bhakti", where one loses all identities and is ready to die for it. Let the intensity of love in you reach it's peak that Bhakti/Devotion arises. Love someone, something with so much intensity that you are ready to die for it, then certainly you will cross the limitations of love as an emotion and you will truly transcend your nature, behavior, perception and it will open the door of true fulfillment in you. Your logical, rational mind is what prevents you from going into such an intense love, devotion state. A devotee/Bhakta is always content in her/his devotion/love, they never complain that the other is not reciprocating it, may it be a person, thing or God Almighty. Devotees are content always, want nothing, they stay in the state of love and transcend their human nature. Until love as an emotion has transcended to Devotion, it can never provide any fulfillment to you and you will always feel empty, incomplete within and you will look at others to fill the void in you.

Unless this transcendence happens in you, you are an emotional fool lost at Emotional Candy Bazaar. Yeah, I have been there too (Laughs).

~ Adiguru

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1+1=11

When you say, you need a life partner, and you are looking for a relationship, answer this question, WHY? It doesn't matter whether you "need" one or "want" one. Let's not play with those words. So why do you need a life partner, why are you looking for a relationship? Maybe you are single and you do not have one, maybe you are in a relationship and something is missing there. Whether you are already in a relationship or not, let's see on what all planes you are experiencing the "separation". Separation/Distance/Something missing, with or without a partner in life could be felt at multiple levels/planes.

• Physical 
• Mental
• Emotional
• Spiritual/Soul

You might be missing the physical intimacy, emotional intimacy, you may have mental/worldly goals of society, money, kids to achieve, or you may be experiencing spiritual loneliness, in other words, you may have a longing in your Soul. Any or all of this could make you feel you need a "partner or life partner" or you need a union/integration with your partner. This indicates that there is a "need" in you. A "need" indicates that you are NOT whole, you have holes. You are not a complete being in yourself and you are looking for someone, something other than you to complete you, make you whole. This whole philosophy, psychology in itself is incorrect. How? When two incomplete beings come into a partnership, that relationship will be based on "transactions", you give me this, I will give you that. Slowly it will go to the level of "you did not give me this", so " I am not giving you that". Because in relationship based on transactions, there will be "expectations" and whole life will become a pursuit of "trying to fulfill each other's expectations" and there will be a lot of unhappiness in the process, because one can NEVER make the other "whole" and "content", one cannot provide "fulfillment" to the other, instead one will be spent, tortured physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Here I am not saying do not enter into the partnerships, relationships for physical, mental, emotional or other reasons, or need. Do that if you need to, but DO NOT EXPECT any kind of permanent fulfillment from such pursuits. That very expectation will become the cause of unhappiness in you and you will end up blaming the other. The problem is not such transactional partnerships, relationships, the problem is your "attachment to your expectations" from them. Some people do have a very good understanding of the nature of such relationships and they do fine, they may or may not be walking the spiritual path, may not have turned inward, but they run their transaction based business/relationships in a healthy way. They acknowledge the receiving and give generously to the other, without having many expectations. But such people are rare. No matter how much mental or worldly a relationship may be with the other person or business/company or anything, sooner or later there will be Emotional Attachment, which will create unhappiness due to unfulfilled desires. 

If you are entering or are already into any physical, emotional, mental relationship, set your expectations right and try to move the level/plane of that relationship to "Spiritual". This cannot be done by one person alone, it has to be mutual between the two. Moving the relationship to Spiritual Plane will help you see "your reflection" in your partner, and see "their reflection" in you, it will help you fill the holes in you, it will help you become "whole" together. You may have relationships with different people for different needs/reasons, you can use each one of them to see your reflection and fix yourself. That is the REAL purpose of having any kind of relationships in this world/life. Yes, there can be hundreds of "unreal/worldly" purposes to relationships and you may end up beating yourself for whole life, you can kill as much time/life as you want, on the name of such "unreal" purposes, or chose differently, right now. I am not saying "leave" everything, I am saying "shift/move" your focus/priority from unreal purposes to the real purpose. You may stay outward all life trying to fulfill the void in you through other people and on the name of love, sex, emotional intimacy, but it's a pursuit designed to FAIL always if you do not use it to grow spiritually. You can read more about the Reflection process here. Your partner may or may not be ready for any Spiritual understanding, but you can always make it that way for yourself, to grow spiritually, there is no need to wait, life is short and precious. Everyone is running at a different timeline, and that's OK. Not all lemons will be ripe on the lemon tree the same day.

When a person becomes "whole" they do not NEED any partner, doesn't mean they can't have one, but then partnership/relationship is NOT based on need. When there is no need, there are no desires/expectations attached. It's more like sharing whole existence with each other. There is no "personal love" in such relationship instead the foundation is laid on "Universal Love". There are no transactions happening with each other, there is just being Bliss, Peace, and Divine Love. These two people do not exist as two separate entities, they are ONE entity in Union with the ONE/DIVINE. When two such "whole" people enter into such a Divine Partnership, they do not become two whole people, because there is just "one whole/wholeness", there are no two persons/people entering into the relationship, there is wholeness working, living, breathing and is in an embrace with itself. 

Perfect Romance!

In this case, the equation is not 1+1, which results in two. Instead, 1 is in Union/Overlap with 1 and stays as 1 and could become 11 to fulfill Cosmic Will.

~ Adiguru

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Longing & Belonging

That painful sweet Longing that arises slowly inside, and burns the fire of Belonging, to Belong to the ONE are all same. I am that longing and I am that belonging and I am the one whom this longing for belonging. I am the fire that burns and I am the one who burns in the fire and I keep going. Whom to question and what is there to question? Should I ask why the longing is there? Or should I ask for whom this longing for? I exist as Longing, Belonging, and the One, all at the same time and the Leela goes on until eternity. It takes two to tango; right; I am ONE and in Bliss, I play tango, be the lover yearning for the beloved, be the beloved waiting to belong to the lover, and be the love playing itself passionately. I am the One, and can reflect as many, as I please.

It's the same with Pain too. I am the pain, happening to myself. Whom to blame, whom to question? Why reject pain in me, thinking it's something else? Why reject me due to belonging to Pain? I am the cause and I am the effect and I can dissolve all, as I please.

Where is the separation? What is the separation?

When a beloved looks into the mirror, doesn't she sees her lover in her eyes, in her smile? The way she moves, in all her groves, doesn't she feels her lover? He is in each breath she takes, he is in every beat of her heart. She sees him within and without. Is she in him, or is he in her? Is she other than her lover? Both are in union always isn't it? Can mirror really be the separation? Can the world around really cause any separation? No, that mirror is invisible, when she looks it and sees not herself, but him. The world around exists no more, as she is in a union. She is The Union herself, isn't it?

It's the same with Pain too. When in Pain one looks into the mirror, one sees nothing but pain and all the changes that it has caused. In all one's moves and groves, all one feels is the pain. Is one in pain or is the pain in one's existence? Is there any separation, any difference. One is the Pain and Pain is one's existence. And One is in eternal union with Pain too. Why reject, discard any part of ourselves? Can that be done?

That's how Brahm/THAT, and this body, this life, this me are. In Union and The Union. Neither body causes any separation, nor this world. That love, that bond is so.

~Adiguru

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Death of Experiencer - How do I drop my mind/ego/aham?

We have Brain (a physical organ in the skull) which has "sensory centers (bundle of neurons)" which are responsible for taking inputs from our 5 senses. Our body is inert, it cannot enjoy or suffer from those sensory centers like the body cannot eat for itself, the body cannot walk anywhere for itself. Then who drives this body, who enjoys or suffers through those sensory centers? That's the PSYCHOLOGICAL HUMAN (The Experiencer) who does that. This Psychological Human has 4 parts. Manas (Sensory Centers Interface), Buddhi (Intellectual Interface), Chitta (Space/Subtle Interface) and Aham (Personality Interface). Notice that the word I am using here is INTERFACE. Why am I calling it Interface? Because these 4 parts are NOT physical body/organs in us, they are PSYCHOLOGICAL Parts/Tools given to us for proper functioning in life as a Human. 

Since we are born, these Interfaces are functioning, gathering data, through the physical body and the world. Physical body/organs are like Computer Firmware or Hardware. But Firmware/Hardware will not use its high-speed capabilities or faster processor for its own use. And in order, for humans to use it, we need software. The software is that INTERFACE between Human and Computer Hardware. Exactly in the same way this PSYCHOLOGICAL HUMAN is the Interface between the body and the World. And this Psychological Human consists of "Self Learning, Artificial Intelligence" Algorithms/Capabilities in it. So by using this body, and interacting with other people's psychological human and their physical body and this whole world full of tangible, intangible stuff, this Psychological Human keeps on "Self-Learning". 

As I said, this Psychological Human has 4 parts in its own body, Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Aham. Using Manas part, this Psychological Human keeps recording SENSORY inputs like hot, cold, different smells, different scenes, sounds etc. This gathering of sensory related information happens after a child is born and is less than 3 years of age, slowly using this very same center, Likes and Dislikes starts building, and based on likes and dislikes it develops or breaks Relationships, this means Intellect/Buddhi started functioning and taking control. 

Buddhi/Intellect, provides "POWER OF DISCRIMINATION (VIVEK in Hindi)", FUNCTION to this Psychological Human. So through Manas Interface Psychological Human knows Sensory inputs, but which one is the pain (hot for example) and which one is the pleasure (cold for example), that Discrimination comes from Buddhi/Intellect. Which one is good, which one is bad, which one is safe, which one is a danger, all that comes from Intellect/Buddhi. That's what it means when we say "INTELLECT DIVIDES". Yes! it keeps on dividing everything as per the Laws of this Universe into DUALITY. And it's a double-edged sword. Why is it a Double-Edged Sword? Let's see. So Intellect could be SHARP, we refer to it as Sharp, when Power Of Discrimination has WORKED in the FAVOR of our Body and Life around us. But as it's a Double Edged sword, sometimes it starts working AGAINST the body and life. How? For some people Drugs, too much Alcohol are GOOD, PLEASURE, for some working in Gym breathlessly is GOOD, For some having a Wife is Good, for some having a wife AND 3-4 girlfriends is GOOD. For some speaking Truth is Good, for some lying and considering themselves CLEVER, SMART is good. So you see, this Power of Discrimination works differently for everyone. In some, it stays SHARP enough and while dividing everything into duality it ALWAYS considers Universal Laws, like Karma, Cause, and Effect, and that way it doesn't become harmful for the body and so-called life of that Psychological Human instead takes that Psychological Human on the Journey of Completion, Spiritual Journey. Another important thing to understand here is that good/bad, safety/danger are very relative terms, means imagine a poor kid living among gangsters, for him lying and cheating could be the only ways of survival, will you call it good or bad? So ANY DIVISION done by Intellect is ONLY relative, it has no Absolute meaning. All our likes and dislikes truly are very irrelevant. 

Now Chitta is the Substratum where Vrittis (Psychological PATTERNS) keeps on arising and subsiding. Psychological Patterns are Sensory Inputs+Intellect Division+Emotions. For example, a Vritti is - Fear from water/swimming. Now one may not have faced anything in this life to cause such a Vritti, but he may have died by drowning in some past life, or may have an accidental drowning, not necessarily death. Vrittis have STRONG EMOTION attached to it always. That's why Vrittis are very STRONG to Break. These Vrittis in people drives them one way or the other. Because Vrittis will cause one to DESIRE accordingly. A person may never live around water if he is fearful of it, a person may desire to build a fort around him for his safety. So Vrittis are Psychological Patterns from this life, as well as ALL of past lives. To walk the Spiritual Path, to try to know THAT/Brahm is a Vritti too, and is the HIGHEST QUALITY of Vritti, which is why it is called as "BRAHMAKARA Vritti". Now this Vritti may arise due to Suffering or Faith based "Renunciation" in this life, or due to past life Tapas/Sadhana, but it doesn't matter, what matters is how it shapes, drives anyone's life. WAREHOUSE of ALL Past and Present Life's UNUSED/HIDDEN Vrittis is UNCONSCIOUS MIND, which is accessible only in Deep Sleep. If a Vritti is from Past Life, we call it as SANSKARA (Seed of Karma, which hasn't got a chance to be Tree yet), and if a Vritti is from present life situations, we call it KARMA, specially Prarabdha (Present), or Agami (Future Karma). Means that Psychological Patterns may find 100% fulfillment, completion in the present life, or may find it in Next life. For example, Intention to commit a crime is a Vritti, it's a strong psychological pattern with a mix of strong emotion, it could have been due to past life's karma, or it could have been due to present life situations, and it may find expression, fulfillment in this life or the next one. 

Now comes the last but MOST important part of the Psychological Human, which is AHAM. I did some Internet-based research about the use of word MIND and EGO and their Context in the English Language. So BEFORE Carl Jung and his work became really famous, the word MIND was being used in Spiritual Translations of Original Sanskrit texts. And MIND actually refers to ALL 4 Parts; Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Aham. But since Carl Jung explained different Personality types using Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, he used the word EGO to refer to the Personality. Ego actually refers to Personality or Personal Identity, it is still not a straight, perfect English translation of the Sanskrit word Aham. But in a loose manner, we can consider that Aham means Ego. But the precise translation of Ego to Hindi word is "AHANKAR". Which is one of the Qualities of Aham, but is NOT Aham. Precise, direct translation of AHANKAR in English is PRIDE/VANITY, which you see is a Quality of Ego. So let's talk about Aham and refrain from using the word Ego and Mind to avoid any confusion.  

AHAM - These days Strategy based Online Gaming is highly famous, and tons of kids and even adults are playing nonstop around the world. One important thing to notice in those strategy based online games is that before you start playing, you have to Create your AVATAR/CHARACTER/FAKE YOU. A particular type of personality, powers, body, mind creature who will be YOUR PLAYER or YOU in the Game. Who will REPRESENT you in that game? So players are given the choice of male, female body, particular race/ethnicity body, hair styles, clothes, and choice of weapons, powers like teleporting, transmutation, thought reading, electric power, water power and this and that. Everything basically that makes a strong character/avatar/personality type for a Player. So players build their Avatars based on their knowledge about the game, playground (if it's forest, or underwater etc), and their choices about body types, hairstyles, clothes and their knowledge/ease of use of weapons. Yea my son is growing up in Information Age, so I know a lot about this Online Gaming Industry. Now we see that these games are ADDICTIVE. And what is the Addiction? That Addiction comes from an emotional attachment to that Avatar/Character. They keep playing thinking oh I died (my Avatar/Character) died, this time, let me increase it's life, it's power, let me make sure it doesn't die this time and cross this level of a game. They feel bad, sad when their Avatar dies in the game, feeling as if they themselves have died. These games are taking advantage of PSYCHOLOGICAL HUMANS in us, and they are the replica of Real Life. While playing, players start feeling emotional about their Avatar/Character and start behaving accordingly. It's a psychological conditioning. 

Now based on the inputs and functions of Manas, Buddhi, and Chitta this AHAM starts developing itself (Self Learning). Aham starts creating Avatar/Fake You/Personality one after the other. You have MANY personalities/faces and that BUNDLE of Personalities is called as AHAM. You could be an Introvert for yourself or some people, but in office, you could appear Ambivert or Extrovert. You could be one way in front of your mom and the other way in front of your wife. You could be one way in private and another way in front of the world. So let's say all these Avatars/Personality types are PUPPETS. Now who or what is managing the Puppet show? AHAM. AHAM is the Control/Command Center for ALL different types of Personalities in you. AHAM is the one which ACTIVATES or DEACTIVATES different personalities at different times. Now understand that Every Personality in you will have a certain amount of PRIDE/VANITY which has been extracted as a result of different ACHIEVEMENTS in Life. The one who is financially rich may have PRIDE for his/her achievement of money, and in front of his friends he/she may end up displaying that, but in front of his "even richer" friend/family member/anyone he may seem VERY HUMBLE, the Pride may be hidden, means AHAM Activated the HUMBLE Personality in him given the situation. So Aham activates/deactivates personalities according to the situations and the CONTROLLER of ALL Personalities is ANOTHER Personality in AHAM. So layer after layer after layer keeps on developing in that Psychological Human and this AHAM becomes very STRONG. 

Whole life the REAL YOU stays hidden beneath the layers (different personalities/fake you) of AHAM. And that's the story of life for most people. Sad it is though. 

DROPPING MIND - 

Now when Jnani/Gyani/Self-realized one talks about dropping MIND, they are talking about AHAM. Now this word "dropping" is another interesting confusing word which is always MISUNDERSTOOD. 

So now if we say Dropping mind means "Killing/Leaving/Abandoning" Aham/All Personality types, then HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? It's NOT Physical, it's the part/domain of Psychological Human, it's Intangible. You don't know HOW YOU ARE HOLDING SOMETHING, and then HOW CAN YOU DROP IT? If you have to Kill/Leave/Abandon/Drop ALL your personality types, then should you go one by one, or what should you do? 

In order to understand that, you need to understand TWO Steps here. First, you need to understand, HOW YOU ARE HOLDING AHAM? Then you need to understand WHAT IS THE MEANING OF DROPPING AHAM/MIND?

Let's see HOW YOU ARE HOLDING AHAM? So that Controller Type of Main Personality type holds ALL other personality types in you. Each personality gives you a certain type of HAPPINESS/PLEASURE/FEEL GOOD Factor. And being able to play all roles through different personality types is what gives you Great Satisfaction. So in bits and pieces, YOU ARE ATTACHED to different personality types and you have a CEMENTED ATTACHMENT with that MAIN Controller personality type. 

Now is it WRONG to be one way or the other in different situations? Is it wrong to have all these personality types? How come it is wrong for me to be Ambivert in office, and Introvert otherwise? How is it wrong for me to be a worldly person for some, and Jnani/Gyani for some? How is it wrong for me to show emotional love to someone and a cold shoulder to other? If the ENTIRE FUNCTION of AHAM is wrong/useless, then why the heck we came packaged with that?

No! There is NOTHING wrong with AHAM. It should NOT be killed/abandoned/dropped for its use. Do I, after being Self Realized not have a properly functioning AHAM? Yes, I do. That's how I am able to behave one way or the other as per the situations, people, and the environment around me. THEN WHAT IS WRONG? WHAT NEEDS to be DROPPED? or WHAT IS MEANT BY DROPPING MIND/AHAM?

So you understand that you are holding AHAM through your ATTACHMENT to it. So that ATTACHMENT needs to be Dropped. (Silence!). Yes!

Now, what causes that Attachment? DERIVING Pleasure/fake happiness/Pride is the CAUSE of ATTACHMENT in us. Stop taking Pride through various personality types in you, Stop deriving pleasure from all those, and your Attachment will be dissolved. AHAM is not the cause of suffering, YOUR ATTACHMENT to AHAM is the cause of suffering. Like one's kid or dog or relationship or anything is not the CAUSE of a problem, but the underlying ATTACHMENT to them is the CAUSE of problems/suffering/blockage. One may keep on playing online games 24 by 7, or may keep on drinking alcohol endlessly, or may keep on feeling fearful or sulking in life, is that online game a problem, is alcohol a problem, NO... It's one's attachment that is the problem and root cause of suffering. 

How did that Attachment got developed? Through DERIVING Pleasure/Fake Happiness from that. 

So only your attachment needs to be dropped which you have with your mind/aham by STOPPING to take Pride/Pleasure/Fake Happiness from the Pursuits of your mind. And that's what is meant by "dropping mind". The moment you get a feeling of Pride or Pleasure, or that Fake/temporary Happiness comes in you, STOP right there, and talk to yourself, explain yourself that it's USELESS. 

Now WHO is taking that Pride/Pleasure from the pursuits of mind? ANOTHER FAKE PERSONALITY CREATED BY MIND/AHAM. NOT YOU! NOT THE REAL YOU. And this is the most important point to understand and can only be understood through the use of BUDDHI/INTELLECT, which puts VIVEK/Power of Discrimination into use, and says, BABY, it's NOT YOU who is deriving pain/pleasure from anything in life, it's that FAKE personality or AHAM deriving it, so DROP your attachment to it, and you should be fine. This exact display/use of Buddhi/Intellect when keeps happening continuously gives rise to BRAHMAKARA Vritti, which is to finally KNOW/Directly Experience the TRUTH/DIVINE. Yes Intellect Divides everything into DUALITY, but yes the BEST division it does is by telling us "WHO AM I"? and WHO IS FAKE I/ME? Every time we hit the Fake I, it tells us. That's why "Power of Discrimination" is the BEST POWER in us. And using this power we can kill The Experiencer, and this is how we drop mind/aham/ego.

Next >> What happens when The Experiencer is dead when mind/ego/aham is dropped?

~ Adiguru

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Three stages of Existence, Three Reflections of THAT/Brahm

Experiencing, Knowing and Being are, "Three stages of Existence", three planes where we exist, three levels of Consciousness as we exist, Three Reflections of THAT/Brahm. Experiencing is the Gross Reflection of THAT, Knowing is the Subtle Reflection of THAT, Being is the Causal Reflection of THAT. These are also the Three stages of Waking Consciousness, Deep Sleep Consciousness, and Consciousness of the 4th State, Turiya which is called as Beyond. These are also the Three Hindu Gods viz, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh (Shiva). 

If you try to align them on the Spiritual Path, then yes we are Born as Experiencer, with Enlightenment it is dead, and we live as a Knower, then with Self Realization Knower is dead, and we live as Being. So these Three stages of Realization/Living/Consciousness have TWO Events in between, one is Enlightenment, one is Self Realization. Net Resultant of living as a Being is LIBERATION/MOKSHA.

From the perspective of Tantra, Experiencer belongs to three lower chakras, Knower belongs to three upper chakras, and Being is 7th Chakra where Shakti is in Union with Shiva.

Read more about each one of them as below:

1. Experiencing - Experiencing ~ Being Shiva (beingshivablog.blogspot.com)

2. Knowing - Knowing ~ Being Shiva (beingshivablog.blogspot.com)

3. Being - Being ~ Being Shiva (beingshivablog.blogspot.com)

Below is Beyond Existence & Non-Existence - 

ABSOLUTE - ABSOLUTE ~ Being Shiva (beingshivablog.blogspot.com)  - Beyond Existence & Non-Existence

Note - If you look at the Top Navigation of this blog, you will see 4 items along with HOME as EXPERIENCING, KNOWING, BEING, ABSOLUTE. These 4 are added as dedicated pages as these three stages comprise of whole life. And 4th one is BEYOND. Time to time, I will keep adding stuff to these pages. 

~ Adiguru Prakriti

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Guru

Many books and people recommend that having a living Spiritual Guru in one's life is an absolute must and no one can progress without one. My direct experience of Guru is very different, though. 

I have/had no living Guru in this life, like many other Self Realized ones. I understand and agree with the fact that living Guru can save us from lots of downfalls and can uplift us when needed. But first we need to understand that Guru is NOT a Physical Body. Guru is THAT, Guru is the All-Pervading Self. Guru is Everywhere and so Guru is in Everyone. It can't be otherwise. Whenever I needed guidance or direction in life, some book, sometimes even just a sentence from here or there, took my whole attention and showed me what direction I should take. One after the other books that I purchased, if now I look at the sequence in which I read them, it all seems very well planned, it all seems perfectly arranged. Every person that I met was giving me a message, was showing me something within me, and it all worked the way a real living Guru would have. When I was going through my Self Realization and was struggling, my friend Rob Sacks, just appeared from nowhere and pushed me into it, so the process can be completed sooner. My two other friends, Carol Hopkins, and Arathi Kurahatti kept pushing me to write or record what I am going through and kept me in this body. When I went into long Self-Absorption sessions, kids & my family kept on demanding my attention one way or the other to bring back my body consciousness. My friend was driving me around so I do not have to drive for few days. Guru is Self, and Guru is Everywhere and Guru is in Everyone. So Guru played through my friends, my family, kids around me, as and when I needed. Entire Universe became my Guru, and I had so many around me all the time, to make my journey successful. I can never say enough Thanks to all of them, whose presence helped me walk the path of Liberation.  

तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः
~ Adiguru

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