There is a conflict within me. I am sitting here in Starbucks sipping the pike roast enjoying the ambience and of-course great coffee but my mind er... my cognitive centers are far away from all this. Deep inside me is the conflict of monism vs. duality. Although I must make it clear that this conflict is not really a discord of two similar ideas, so in that sense its a pseudo-conflict. Its really a cross-level conflict. One is a concept at the spiritual level, the other at physiological.
Recently I completed reading a book called Jnana Yoga, which clearly brings out the idea of monism - this idea of advaita, this notion of we all being different manifestations of The One. So inspired by the teachings, I am thinking if all that we are surrounded by is just a different interpretation of the real man, The One, then why does each person need someone else in their life to make them "complete." My conflict is this - when advaita is the real truth, then why in the the most basic instinct of each human is there a need to find someone of opposite sex, a dual, a need to find a soul-mate? Why this duality when monism is the real truth?
At a purely physiological level, the idea of marriage of two souls the idea of this need for someone else in your life is predominant. That has been the basis of this so called cycle of involution and evolution. We need to pro-create and continuously evolve and at the same time involve into this most miniscule manifestation of The One. As I sit here gaping out in the darkness of a winter night, there are people walking in and out through the door - mostly couples. And that's disturbing me not that they are couples ;), but the fact that our DNAs are so deeply tuned to find companionship, that we are so far spiritually removed that our physiological instincts always seem to take the better of us.
So we are called "individuals" - yeah I know that's exactly the pun of the word as we normally understand it - we are all called individuals - people who can't be divided, people who are just mere base visitations of The One. So then why do we seek someone else in our life.?Why is each person not instead tuned to embark on this spiritual journey I talk of? Maybe the truth is so powerful that the base reflections of The One would probably crack at the sheer brilliance of that truth? Maybe the reflections aren't powerful enough to handle the truth that they are made simply agnostic or not intelligent enough to understand the real truth? Maybe we aren't emotionally or physically strong beings - we seem to need someone else to lead our life. We have this urge to pro-create and be part of the general fabric of universe? This conflict is within me and I want the answers...
My purpose here is to try to connect the dots, yet any lines I draw seem just obfuscated to my myopic eyes. I am going to try to find answers in the following 4 Yogas, the tenets that Vivekananda says are core to realization of the truth.
Recently I completed reading a book called Jnana Yoga, which clearly brings out the idea of monism - this idea of advaita, this notion of we all being different manifestations of The One. So inspired by the teachings, I am thinking if all that we are surrounded by is just a different interpretation of the real man, The One, then why does each person need someone else in their life to make them "complete." My conflict is this - when advaita is the real truth, then why in the the most basic instinct of each human is there a need to find someone of opposite sex, a dual, a need to find a soul-mate? Why this duality when monism is the real truth?
At a purely physiological level, the idea of marriage of two souls the idea of this need for someone else in your life is predominant. That has been the basis of this so called cycle of involution and evolution. We need to pro-create and continuously evolve and at the same time involve into this most miniscule manifestation of The One. As I sit here gaping out in the darkness of a winter night, there are people walking in and out through the door - mostly couples. And that's disturbing me not that they are couples ;), but the fact that our DNAs are so deeply tuned to find companionship, that we are so far spiritually removed that our physiological instincts always seem to take the better of us.
So we are called "individuals" - yeah I know that's exactly the pun of the word as we normally understand it - we are all called individuals - people who can't be divided, people who are just mere base visitations of The One. So then why do we seek someone else in our life.?Why is each person not instead tuned to embark on this spiritual journey I talk of? Maybe the truth is so powerful that the base reflections of The One would probably crack at the sheer brilliance of that truth? Maybe the reflections aren't powerful enough to handle the truth that they are made simply agnostic or not intelligent enough to understand the real truth? Maybe we aren't emotionally or physically strong beings - we seem to need someone else to lead our life. We have this urge to pro-create and be part of the general fabric of universe? This conflict is within me and I want the answers...
My purpose here is to try to connect the dots, yet any lines I draw seem just obfuscated to my myopic eyes. I am going to try to find answers in the following 4 Yogas, the tenets that Vivekananda says are core to realization of the truth.
- Concentrate on anything you do - make the imprint on your soul, on your Atman strong - this is Raja Yoga.
- Work with no attachments - no expectations of reward - this is Karma Yoga.
- Love everyone as they are all part of The One, the way to reach and find the real god is through worship and love - this is Bhakti Yoga.
- Think, not through your mind, but relate to everything through Him (the Soul, the Self, the One, the God within) - this is Jnana Yoga.
Practice all four in your life - that's the real path to salvation...
-- Sifar
p.s. I encourage readers to leave any comments and welcome them to discuss their thoughts pertinent to the post in the hope of being helpful in connecting the dots. And yes, I will write A-Sher-A-Day pretty soon; this state-of-mind merits more exposure right now!
-- Sifar
p.s. I encourage readers to leave any comments and welcome them to discuss their thoughts pertinent to the post in the hope of being helpful in connecting the dots. And yes, I will write A-Sher-A-Day pretty soon; this state-of-mind merits more exposure right now!
hey, this is a conflict between "I" vs "I" and not "I" vs "we". More interestingly in both situations "I" is the winner.
ReplyDeleteLet the two in you become one and that will be "advaita".
In a physics terms - exited electron donates its energy and attains steady state.
So give love and attain stability. After all giving thyself is a sattva guna.........
deep and thoughtful ,eager to see if your thought process stays the same after you find the right match in your life, thats a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteSalil,
ReplyDeleteMake no mistake - just because I pen down my spiritual thoughts doesn't make me immune to the DNA tune-up of humans. I still have the instincts of companionship and being attracted to the opposite sex etc. And this has nothing to do with opposite sex per-se either. The conflict applies to non-straight people too. The real challenge is to find answers, to find The One.
i agree, that should be our goal in life.
ReplyDeleteI have been in this state of mind for a long time just like you are and slowly trying to find answers. I believe that if we remain on track we will definitely find THE ONE :) I believe that once your ego or the vyakti in you desolves thats being one with the universe or THE ONE. Baki uske saath jo bhi hai...whether u r married, unmarried, straight, gay, old, young, does not matter. However right now i dont think i should comment much on this bcoz i am not even close to that state yet :)
ReplyDelete