Can there be two selves? Asks the Guru!

Can there be two selves? Asks the Guru!

I love myself; I hate myself;

I have to change myself; I have to realize myself!

Says the person, as if there are two selves (I and myself).

Can there be two selves? Asks the Guru!

Can there be a direct and simple question than this one?

The question is so direct that

It is not concerning anything but the self (I)

The question is so simple that

It is neither I need to have prior knowledge of any external things

Nor it has anything do with what I possess

The knowledge includes the language, math, science, all the ‘-logies’,

Relationships, scriptures, testaments and revelations.

The possessions include materials, concepts and philosophies

Thus, the question is applicable to anyone, without any exceptions

Let us contemplate and enquire!

Let us contemplate on our many selves.

There appears many selves claiming I am the male, I am the son,

I am the brother, I am the Employee and I am the father.

The list goes on and on and there is no end to it.

Acting as the basis of all these selves

There appears the body & mind identified self (Ego)

All other selves are derived from this Egoic self

Now, let us enquire if this ego is my true self?

The body identified self appears in the waking state and

The mind identified self appears both in the waking and the dream states

Egoic self and its derived selves are absent during the deep sleep state

But there is a continuity of self at all times

So, which self remains in all the three states?

Who am I then?

During the waking state, we need to ceaselessly enquire this egoic self

Enquiry comprises of paying complete attention to:

The egoic self’s emergence, movement, transformation and subsidence;

And the effects of this egoic self.

Let us enquire into the egoic self, its appearance and disappearance

And discover the substratum / the Self, from which the egoic self appears

Can there be two selves? Asks the Guru!

Can there be a direct and simple question than this one?

The most important question that can root out all the other questions

Yet, the mind that is habituated with the external knowledge and possessions

Doesn’t find this question as interesting, appealing and important

And does not want to pay attention to the self.

If this question is that of the life itself

And has the potential of discovering that we are already free

Let us contemplate and enquire!

Can there be two selves? Asks the Guru!

Can there be a direct and simple question than this one?

Just revel in the present moment!

Just Revel in the present moment

It is Friday, the garbage can is out for pickup!

The passing by dog urinated on the can,

To mark his identity and territory.

It is quite natural to do so and

It is a charm to stamp its presence.

But, why the mind has to try to own the territory?

As if, the identity and territory are permanently secured!

Do not hold on to the mark that you have left.

Or struggle for the one that you are about to make.

Move on, as the life can be never stopped

And be the life that is fresh and new,

Ever blossoming in the present moment

And the present moment is only there at all times

There is nothing to mark as my own,

As everything that IS is within the awareness in the present moment!

Just revel in the present moment!

Benevolent / Monstrous Wave

Benevolent / Monstrous Wave

I desperately wanted to reach the shore

I clearly see that, with my current strength and power,

It would be impossible to touch the coast.

All of a sudden, I found a big wave gently caressing and pushing me towards my goal

Thanks to the big wave, with this momentum, I believed I can.

As I continued the journey three quarters of my goal,

The gracious big wave collapsed and disappeared in the ocean floor.

I can't accept the fact such a thing could happen to a benevolent wave!

In my short span of life as a wave,

I had witnessed, a giant monstrous wave far away from me that devoured many waves.

To my bewilderment this dreadful wave reached the shore successfully. 

Even after several calculations and justifications,

It was unfathomable for my mind to settle down with these two incidents.

My mind has gone berserk, was restless and found it difficult to come to terms.

While the mind is afflicted with suffering,

My journey towards the shore didn’t stop for a moment, but continued!

Suddenly, I find that, I am graciously caressing and

Pushing a wave before me, towards the coast.

Instantly, I became the benevolent wave.

Wait a minute, can I be proud of myself?

I didn’t do anything really, things are happening in its own course.

How can I claim myself as the benevolent or monstrous?

On the same token, how can I judge others?

Who am I really?  What are all these so called actions?

The waves that are appearing in the water, seemingly perform actions

As the ocean, I remain there all the time, while the waves come and go,

Waves embrace and fight with each other in the plane of space and time,

With seemingly experiencing the resultant cause and effect.

In the grand scheme of Ocean,

Can there be a wave that is independent of Ocean?

Can a wave perform an action independent of Ocean?

If that is the case, how can a wave be judged as a benevolent or a monstrous?

Both the ballet and hip-hop movements appear and disappear in the ocean floor.

The mind cannot fathom these movements as they continuously change and come to an end.

Instead, focus the attention and be aware of the changeless behind all these movements. 

A View from (of) the SKY

Flight Journey

A View from (of) the SKY

 In the Sky of Awareness, there are countless Clouds of Thoughts

Some clouds are so dense, others are wafer thin.

In the Wind of Life, there is a continuous movement

This movement brings many relationships among the clouds far and near.

The movement brings about a continuous change

Sometimes the movement is very strong and vibrant

And at other times it is gentle as a breeze.

Accordingly, the clouds are rearranged within and among them.

The Sky identifying with the Cloud(s), feels and experiences the limitedness.

This identification is due to the ignorance of its real nature

Unfortunately, not knowing the precise way for liberation from the limitedness

It tries to break the bounds through external means.

By comparing its own size and density with other clouds in the Sky

It attempts to accumulate the clouds that are favorable

And tries to reject the clouds that are unfavorable.

After such several attempts and tries,

It finds that it is unable to secure its relationship with other clouds;

As they are continuously rearranged, thanks to the movement caused by the wind.

Finding no end in the vicious circle of the movement; it continues to fail miserably

However, by giving complete attention of the struggle without self-judgment

It turns away its focus from the external movement and makes a journey within (inward)

It enquires into the suffering and questions who is suffering

It witnesses that the clouds come and go and the

Rearrangements happens only among the clouds and not within itself

Finally, it understands, after all it is the SKY all the time and not the clouds,

Within its bosom, the clouds appear & disappear and the movement of the wind happens.

When the bewilderment born out of identification with the clouds (ignorance) ceases,

The SKY recognizes, by nature it is boundless and remains eternally at peace;

Totally unaffected by the movement of the wind and its effects.

Analogy notes:

SKY – Self, Brahman

Clouds – Thoughts

Wind – Movement of Life

Rearrangement among clouds - Relationships

Sky identifying with the Cloud – Ego

Break the bounds through external means – Gain liberation through actions

Its own size and density – One’s own position and power

Accumulation of other clouds that are favorable – Desire

Rejection of clouds that are unfavorable – Fear

Vicious circle of the movement – Continuous fleeting cycle of beginning and end

Giving complete attention of the struggle - Witnessing

Turns away its focus from the external movement – Understanding that just performing actions won’t lead to liberation

Makes a journey within (inward) – Giving importance to knowing oneself rather than actions

Questions who is suffering – self-enquiry