In times such as these, it can be most valuable to apply ancient wisdom to our daily life in the present world. Maintaining a sense of peace and spiritual vitality seems to be a greater challenge during these episodes of war, terrorism, conspiracy, and the widespread angst that grows with the sprawling cities, suburbs and other facets of civilization. The task that is apparent to me is to interpret and apply the perennial philosophy without creating an American fast-food version of spirituality. The term spirituality, itself, has acquired connotations that detract from the true power of practice and ancient wisdom. For this purpose I shall focus on liberation in the phenomenal world.

The teachings of the Vedas state that liberation is man's highest goal. This of course was true in the case of the Buddha, the awakened one, when he attained liberation from the karmic cycle of samsara. Other rishis and sages such as Christ, and more recently, Ramana Maharshi, have left us with simple yet profound teachings about liberation, self-realization, or, attaining the kingdom of the father. However, in times of antiquity, before the Buddha, the Upanishads were recorded in India. The perennial philosophy of which it bespeaks has certainly endured the earthly transformation of time. This is for the sole reason that the knowledge of Brahman arises from a source that is by its very nature, unchanging.

It is not necessary for us to adopt a whole pantheon of Hindu deities. The experience of Atman, that can be tasted while in samadhi, is beyond the material piety of statues, altars, and other sacred objects of ritual worship. The transcendental bliss, or ecstasy, of Samadhi, is indeed beyond the limitations of our language. Yet the original san scrit words and the subsequent teachings that are echoed in the Vedas and in the Upanishads relate a clear and profound understanding. Therefore I will first explore some of the terms and concepts therein. And to show the relevance of this understanding in relation to the current human condition, I will also include some more recent teachings of Ramana Maharshi, as well as today's Eckart Tolle.

The nature of Brahman is eternal, unchanging; it is the formless ground of being. In an introduction to the Svetasvatara Upanishad, Swami Nikhilananda writes, "Brahman, or Pure Consciousness, which is birthless, deathless, immutable, undifferentiated, and inscrutable to the finite mind, is the sole Reality. Names and forms, which constitute the phenomenal world, are the creation of maya, which has no existence independent of Brahman. To the illumined soul, the universe, which appears diverse from the relative standpoint, is nothing but Brahman. When the truth is known, everything is realized to be Brahman."

It is not due to the projection of maya, but yet to avidya, or ignorance, that we are subject to samsara, the unceasing round of birth and death. Avidya is the power [shakti], by which Brahman creates, preserves, and destroys the universe. It rests in and is dependent upon Atman, the supreme soul. "Under the spell of avidya, the indivisible, eternal, and ever present Brahman appears as the jiva, the embodied soul, and helplessly wanders from one life to another, experiencing the bitter and sweet fruits of its own karma."
 
Of great interest is the concept of maya, which originates in Vedanta philosophy. It is said, "Brahman projects the universe through the power of Its maya." Like avidya, maya is not independent of Brahman. Maya is generally understood as denoting illusion. It is through avidya that we experience the world of multiplicity; this is the experience of maya, the unreal world. Just as the sun reflected in the ocean creates various reflected suns, there is only one sun in the sky; similarly, the one Brahman appears as many in the various manifestations of maya. These manifestations are thus called upadhis and are limitations to the absolute non-dual Self, Atman. The illusion of maya is the experience of duality.
 
Swami Nikhilananda writes, "Maya, or primordial nature, is divided into twenty-four cosmic principles. From maya arise lust, anger, greed, delusion, fear, grief, and the whole nest of phantasms, and also the notions of righteousness and unrighteousness, pleasure and pain, creation and destruction, heaven and hell, births in various bodies, the different stages of life, attachment and aversion, diverse physical afflictions, boyhood, youth, and old age, union and separation, enjoyment, repulsion and penances. Endowed with this knowledge, the wise man should renounce all and live like a muni, taking a vow of silence." It is plain to see that these are the very forces that push and pull us between jobs, lovers, family, location, addiction etc. Yet renouncing everything seems almost absurd in this day, especially in a society that does not support such ascetic life. That is not to say that is not possible, but still the question arises of how to 'be in the world but not of it.'
 
Furthermore, the twenty-four cosmic principles that constitute maya are as follows, "prakriti [primordial nature], consisting of satva [balance], rajas [activity], and tamas [inertia]; mahat [the cosmic mind]; ahamkara [I-consciousness]; the five rudimentary elements [sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell]; eleven sense organs [the mind, the eyes, the ears, the skin, the tongue, the nose, the hands, the feet, the organs of speech, and the organs of generation and evacuation]; and the five gross elements [akasha, air, fire, water, and earth]." Through the agency of these principles, maya creates the universe.
 
However, it is only in association with Brahman that the phenomenal universe comes into being; this is the Causal Brahman, of which is attributed creation, preservation, and destruction, as well as omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. In the Hindu trinity, creation is represented by Brahma, preservation by Vishnu, and destruction by Shiva. With these creative forces in motion, the nature of maya is one of impermanence. And it is for this reason that the phenomenal world of maya is unreal; the ultimate Reality of Brahman is unchanging and ever present. By constantly seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, being ruled by material attachments, and founding our love exclusively in temporary relationships, we are only exacerbating the problem of impermanence. For this we suffer psychologically.
 
Thus, the atman, the individual soul, must overcome the power of avidya and achieve liberation by the knowledge of Brahman. In Vedic non-dualism, the individual soul, atman, is seen as being equal to the supreme soul, Atman. The knowledge of Brahman is then made possible and is epitomized by the Vedic statement, "I am Brahman." Realizing the Self is the key to reestablishing our original nature; Brahman was there all along, yet obscured by ignorance and the ways of duality.
 
This is echoed again and again, "By knowing It [Brahman] alone, one attains Immortality --there is no other way to its attainment." [Mahavakya Upanishad 3.]
"The illumined person, having realized the power of death, attains Brahman, which is of eternal radiance, by means of Knowledge. There is no other way to realize Brahman. The seers know this and remain satisfied." And so the liberated being "passes beyond grief. He is not afraid of anything --neither the approach of death nor of death itself. He fears nothing whatsoever."
 
The fear of death is indeed a great challenge of this time as we live in the uncertainty of war, terrorist acts, prophecy, and ecological crisis. These threats are amplified by the current manifestation of our world and only increase the general state of anxiety that is innate to the human condition. Therefore it is essential, on the path of liberation, to understand these powerful teachings and how they can be applied to everyday life- the 'real world,' that is none other than samsara. We find ourselves in the phenomenal world, in our individual bodies, and are subject to maya. We cannot stop maya, but through Self-knowledge, we may begin to transform our relationship to it, dissolving the mental constructs of multiplicity, until we are no longer controlled by the myriad thoughts and emotions arising from ignorance. Peace resides in the stillness of the mind.
 
Ramana Maharshi, who attained Self-realization while in a cave in Mt. Arunachala, India, at a very young age, teaches the direct path, or Maha Yoga. His essential teaching is not complicated; it is the technique of Vichara. The Vichara is a basic question that one is to meditate upon, "Who am I?" This is akin to the old Indian affirmation, "I am not this, I am not that." When an individual begins to peel away the layers of who we are not, which is primarily based on what we have done in the past and what we aspire to in the future, who is left? Who is that essence?
 
When there is no one left from which thoughts arise, there is a stillness of mind, an inner peace. In this stillness we begin to taste pure awareness. When asked about the effect of a loss of individuality, Maharshi replies, "You ask me to describe this true self to you. What can be said? It is that out of which the sense of the personal 'I' arises, and back into which it shall have to disappear...If you could mentally follow the 'I' thread until it leads you back to its source, you would discover that, just as it is the first thought to appear, so it is the last to disappear. This is a matter which can be experienced..." Reminiscent of the concept of Brahman, these teachings ring out Vedantic wisdom. All things arise from Brahman, the ground of being, and thus return to be reabsorbed into that which is eternal.
 
Sri Maharshi's teachings retained their power as they bespoke great simplicity. The various forms of yoga, alms giving, and other regiment were not prescribed to seekers. The Vichara, or self-inquiry, eventually dissolves the false sense of self, the ego. In pure awareness, one's identity, atman, merges with the one Self, Atman. Says Ramana, "Your natural state is that of samadhi. Know even now you are in samadhi, whatever happens. That is all." He further explains, "Consciousness is the Self of which everyone is aware. No one is ever away from the Self and therefore everyone is in fact Self-realized; only -- and this is the great mystery -- people do not know this and want to realize the Self. Realization consists only of getting rid of the false idea that one is not realized."  Suddenly the concept of enlightenment does not seem so far-fetched; it is in fact our true nature, the essence that lies beneath the impermanent self.
 
When life does breed its inevitable dramas, one particular saying comes to mind. Ramana said, "Raise your head high. Do not look down on the tossing stormy sea of transient life. Else it will engulf you in its muddy waves. Fix your gaze aloft until you see the Splendid Reality." It is useful to be able to see past the inter-personal confusion and politics of society and to realize their impermanent nature. Instead of being caught up in the circle of action/reaction -driven by old thought patterns, there is an inner peace, a sense of clarity, in the midst of dramatic or chaotic situations. However, as the Buddhists remind us, we must remember to act compassionately in the world, for the liberation of all beings from suffering. And so we again come to the question, how to be in the world but not of it?  How can we act out of Self-awareness as we engage in the world? For many of us, it does not seem appropriate to retreat from the world entirely, into a cave or a monastery. There are so many causes, struggles, eco and social crisis, war, illness, suffering, and ignorance. For those that are awakening from the spell of ignorance, now is the time that we must take action, to assist the evolution of humankind and to honor all other life forms on Earth.
 
On applying this Self-knowledge to our actions, here are some helpful words from a contemporary of Indian philosophy -Ajja, "One who, during his lifetime, can translate the knowledge of the Self into action, that one deserves to realize that supreme blissful state. Not only that, he becomes bliss itself. 'Who am I?'... Understanding this, realizing through his search, even when he is engaged in actions and duties, he attains his original nature, which is bliss. So it is through action that he becomes transformed." The key here is that we cannot simply act on the basis of an outcome. The outcome is uncertain as the process unfolds. A sense of detachment is necessary so as to not engage the egoic cycle of thought --action/reaction --fulfillment/nonfulfillment --thought/emotion... and so on. We become lost in subconscious patterns. To act with the knowledge of Self is to act with presence, to be fully in the moment with whatever we are doing.
 
'The Power of Now,' written by Eckhart Tolle offers much insight on how to apply this presence to the various life situations. Tolle also points out that most people are living out of past experience and working for the future; we are not present in the moment, the only moment that truly is. He examines the various ways that our minds lead us out of the now, remaining in the insanity of psychological time. "In the normal, mind-identified or unenlightened state of consciousness, the power and infinite creative potential that lie concealed in the Now are completely obscured by psychological time. Your life then loses its vibrancy, its freshness, its sense of wonder. The old patterns of thought, emotion, behavior, reaction, and desire are acted out in endless repeat performances, a script in your mind that gives you an identity of sorts but distorts or covers up the reality of the Now." Thus we act out of an obsession with arriving into salvation in the future.
 
This is the fundamental motivating factor of much religion, to live out of guilt for our past actions and yet hold faith in a future salvation, after death. It is as if the entire Christian religion, as a social institution designed to control the population, missed the true point of Christ's words. In the enigmatic Gospel According to Thomas, Christ says, "The Kingdom of the Father is spread upon the Earth and men do not see it." In the New Testament, Christ says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega," the beginning and the end. "Before Abraham was, I am." It is he who knows this eternal truth that shall attain the 'kingdom of the father.' It is the realization of the Self in the eternal moment that is Now. Neither salvation nor enlightenment exist in the future. If it exists in the future, then it would not be enlightenment at all. As Maharshi insists, "everyone is in fact Self-realized." It is our task to remove the spell of avidya, ignorance, by our state of presence. For most of us, this may take some time and work, careful observation of the self and its mind/behavior patterns. However, the Realization of the Self can take place at any time, it is not linear.
 
In addition to showing how our minds constantly take us out of the moment, Tolle offers an approach for us to enter deeply into the Now. He states, "When the compulsive striving away from the Now ceases, the joy of Being flows into everything you do. The moment your attention turns to the Now, you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace. You no longer depend on the future for fulfillment and satisfaction --you don't look to it for salvation. Therefore, you are not attached to the results. Neither failure nor success has the power to change your inner state of Being. You have found the life underneath your life situation."  Liberated from the constant state of becoming which drives the ego and competes in the world, we may still act, yet out of present awareness, that is Being. "When you become conscious of Being, what is really happening is that Being becomes conscious of itself --that's presence." We apply this state of presence to the myriad activities in our life and as a result, a transformation occurs between us, and those whom we relate to. Tolle applies this basic assertion of the power of Now to various life situations, love relationships etc. There is no great abstinence prescribed, but simply transformation through maintenance of our presence.
 
In Vedanta, we learn that maya is not real because it is merely a projection of multiplicity and impermanence, names and forms. However, it should be added here that even our science is now confirming this perennial philosophy. According to quantum physics, the world as we experience it through our senses, is in fact an illusion --an interpretation of the senses. Matter and energy have interchangeable qualities implying that even gross matter is a form of energy. Additionally, of the minute particles that constitute matter, it has been suggested by scientists that these particles potentially apply to the entire universe. The cosmos is said to be like a hologram in which each piece contains the whole image. Each is a whole/part. Such theories of connection are reminiscent of the idea of the Atman, the supreme soul that is manifest in the phenomenal world. The conclusions of quantum theory as well as chaos theory imply an intelligent force that is innate in matter/energy and organizes the universe. According to David Bohm, the phenomenal world of matter/energy unfolds from the 'implicate order'; beneath the implicate order is the 'super-implicate order' --the ground of Being. [Maya -- Atman --Brahman.] Einstein also held the vision of the universe as an organism in which each part manifests itself as the whole. Of more empirical relevance, are the implications of ecology, and the knowledge of profoundly interconnected ecosystems. Humanity is but one aspect of the Earth's ecosystem, however destructive, a microcosm in and of the cosmos. We are essentially connected to all life. Separation is a myth of deliberate or unevolved human psychology. To seek God out there, illusive in the sky, is to remain unempowered by the true divine Self that we are.
 
This brings us back to the body. As we begin to identify with the eternal, we know that we are not defined by the body. However, the body is the vessel of consciousness in this life and must be maintained. Therefore it is useful to keep the energetic channels of the body clear, so as to also maintain clarity of mind. There are many such methods, but I will not elaborate here. The deep ecology movement links our own health with that of the Earth. The path to sustainable living and harmonic balance is essential for all life, for the highest good.
 
Being present in the body develops a new kind of radiance, a bright wakefulness. As more radiant selves interact with and acknowledge each other we strengthen the conscious web and further human evolution. There are many of us awakening from the fragmented public mind. We are the Self that discovers itSelf. Maintaining this presence in the Now, even as we face the obstacles to come, is our challenge. With such threats as biowarfare and possibly nuclear detonation in our cities, we must know that death is not the end of us. The end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Instead of being victimized by the collective fear, we must align ourselves with the Eternal Source. [The vertical alignment and the Solar Yoga will be presented in part two.] Simultaneously, as we expand our sense of Self into the cosmos, and into the source, we are humbled and yet growing larger than the ego and its container. Our body is the Earth and the Cosmos. Opening the energy field in this manner, we may experience the transcendent bliss, the ecstasy of Samadhi. Even after experiencing temporary Samadhi, it is easy to become distracted by thoughts and desires; however, this bliss is always available to us and as we progress, we enter deeper into the Now and are eventually liberated from the past/future mind games and the spell of avidya. The new-found peace is liberation in the phenomenal drama of planet Earth -2002. The Vedic affirmation, "I am Brahman," is again echoed in these verses:

"The wise man [or woman] in Samadhi perceives in his heart That something which is Eternal Knowledge, pure Bliss, incomparable, eternally free, actionless, as limitless as space, stainless, without distinction of subject and object, and which is all-pervading Brahman [in essence.]

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman which is far beyond caste, wordly wisdom, family and clan, devoid of name, form, qualities and defects, beyond time, space, and objects of consciousness."

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman which is supreme, beyond the range of all speech, but which may be known through the eye of pure wisdom. It is pure, absolute consciousness, the eternal substance."

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman which is untouched by the six human infirmities  [hunger, thirst, greed, delusion, decay, and death] --it is realized in the heart of Yogis [in Samadhi], it cannot be perceived by the senses, it is imperceptible by intellect or mind."

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman which is the one only Reality, the cause of multiplicity, the cause that eliminates other causes, different from the law of cause and effect."

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman that Reality which manifests as many through the illusions of name, form, qualities, change, but is yet unchanged like gold [in the various forms of golden ornaments.]"

"Realize that thou art 'That' --Brahman which alone shines, which is beyond Logos, all pervading, uniform, truth, consciousness, bliss, having no end, indestructible."

Realize that thou art 'That.'
 
 

Sources include: 'The Upanishads' -translated and introduced by Swami Nikhilananda.

'In Days of Great Peace' -by Mouni Sadhu on life in Ramana Maharshi's ashram.

'The Mountain Path' -journal from Maharshi's ashram at Arunachala.

'The Power of Now' -Eckhart Tolle.

'The Implicate Order' -David Bohm.

Ajja quote from 'What is Enlightenment' magazine.

 www.ramana-maharshi.org

Steve Harkless Last modified: June 14, 2003

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