Baby steps for inner observation

 

 

Once someone has made the decision to become “spiritual,” that is a self signed contract to observe the self.
You will be the witness of yourself.

Sounds weird?

That is because we are trying to “make sense of it,” conceptualize. It is just a matter of “doing it.” We will be able to do it, when we become aware and remember. That is, when it is important to us.

When we observe we basically could “reject” everything that comes in our way as “illusion” or we can accept everything coming in our way without further judgment and without identifying with it. Those names are meant to label those paths, but they do not offer rejection or acceptance to life. Those are just labels to get to my point.

Please be aware of the above, for as far as I know; all religions and spiritual paths will follow either one of those paths. Very few, both. 

The issue is that religions and philosophies feel that “their path” is the “true” path. Ignoring that there is a need of “different strokes for different folks.” Number wise is the keyword.

Either path will take you to the same place, that is a greater awareness of the inner world in relationship.

How that works?

In the path of “rejection,” we are aware that everything that I sense, that I think, that I believe is an illusion. Whatever is going on in my head an heart are illusions. This realization could be backed up with intellectual knowledge or a simple strong belief, the point is to see “illusion” in “my” perceptions rather than the “holy truth.” 

Then the question of what is real? Will arise. At that point we know that thinking is not, feeling is not but still there is something or someone “there.” The depth of this realization and self-discovery will bring greater awareness in the individual.

In the path of “acceptance,” we take everything in, we let it be. However, we do not identify with anything. I am not labeling things as “illusions,” there is a perception of things, but my mind and heart do not hold on into anything. We become open doors. Everything goes through it. That is self-less.

Let me give an example to explain this.

Let us say that we are listening to this song: “He is the greatest dancer” by Sister Sledge.. [oh my... a spiritual sister!  ]

In a “normal” individual, her emotions will be stirred up when listening to the tune. Fantasizing will be unavoidable. At the same time, the message of the song will be “subliminally” incorporated into the psyche of this unaware person: “He is a good dancer, He wears designer clothing, He is good-looking, He does not leave the disco alone…” For a female that could be translated into “my type of guy,” for a male; “the type I want to be.”

Now let us see some other “reactions” from the public:

1. For a “religious God fearing person,” this song is sinful. There is no question about listening to it. That song brings “bad moral standards.” You must never listen to such song. As a matter of fact, just to be on the safe side, you must never listen to any songs from the 70′s.  and if you do not listen to any songs at all, then you will maintain your ears holy and clear…This works good at the beginning, but closing doors to the world means rejecting the world for what it “is” and that will definitely bring karmic accounts…

2. For a person who does not know English, that song has a lively beat, it helps to create a fun environment. It is about having a good time, so no moral decisions have to be made.

3. For a person who is observing the self, if he lets everything in; then he will not “process” anything. His mind will be like an empty glass. He could dance, he could enjoy the tune but once it is over, it is over.

For a person who “rejects” everything, he will know that he is enjoying an illusion and because of that, once it is over; it will be over as well.

Here may lie one of the greatest misunderstandings of those “following” the path of rejection. Most adherents feel that it is about “not doing.” – I will not listen to such a song, I will not dance such a song… as a matter of fact to have a “good time” is “bad,” for we are “wasting time.”

There is no “waste of time” when the wholesomeness of the individual’s life is at stake.

and the 1 million dollar question arises… Is that song “good or bad” Is it “holy or sinful”?

As we can see, it depends on the consciousness of the individual. This is an important rule of thumb to remember in the Spiritual path.

Please note that in both paths, the important item is to live the moment. Enjoy it. Then if the mind is being pulled to those things continuously, there is certainly attachment, there is emptiness which needs to be fulfilled somehow. There is identification. This is the path of the “normal” individual.

Once there is observation, then we could realize all of this in ourselves and filter things when we are aware or when we have reached some mastery of the mind, then nothing will bother us; either because it goes right through us or because we know about its illusory nature, or because we are aware and “filtering” and we realize that someone who selects a partner just because he is good-looking, a good dancer and wearing designer clothes may need some “growing up” to do and hopefully that will not happen in the company of a cute baby on her side…

A 5-year-old dances a song. That 5-year-old is not concerned about buying the song afterwards or remembering the tune of the song. Because he has innocence, he is not concerned about designer clothing although he may wear it. He is not concerned about having a pretty face because he is not-self aware yet. Because his mind is empty, he does not have those prejudices yet, which we grown ups are easy prey to pick up.

Therefore, the task of someone in the spiritual path is to liberate his mind and to clean it up with soap and bleach so it becomes innocent again. Like the one of a 5-year-old.