The spirituality of the “middle way” in BK-ism

“The middle way” is another of the most typical misunderstood “spiritual phrases.”
What is the middle way in the BK world?
There is none. The BK world is one extreme of the spectrum. The other may be our society. Is finding the middle between society and the BK world the “true” path?

We say “moderation in everything is the key.” Some say that is the middle. The mind can understand that, but it will put it something like this: Between path A and path B there are 100 miles. The middle is 50. The mind has such a great understanding! What is 50 between Bk-ism and Society-ism?

Let me illustrate this issue by using a couple of keywords with ample use in the BK world: Sex and Celibacy.
What is the middle between sex and celibacy? According to who? How do you measure that, it is indeed the middle? What is moderation in sex? What is moderation in celibacy? The mind wants an accurate, measurable answer, but it goes back to subjectivity: What “i” like.

Unless a seeker is not regimented by his own mind, he cannot know the middle. Why? Because the middle is not a fixed landmark. It changes as Life changes.
The middle could be sex. The middle could be celibacy, but IT CANNOT BE A STATIC MIDDLE.

Do we see that?

The duality of sex and celibacy are extremes. The mind can make up an idea: “ I will have sex twice a week. That is the middle.” However, that is still sex and not celibacy. The mind will feel trapped incapable to figure out what is the “right” solution. It is way easier to say “God says that sex is a sin. I must not indulge in it.” At that point, we are shifting the ‘proof’ of righteousness to a ‘higher authority’ which the mind recognizes as such for whatever ‘reason.’ Then it follows, I will know what to DO. I will know what is “right.” That is what the mind thinks… after all, the mind is only interested in being “right.”

This type of individual is trapped in his mind. He is unable to feel. He cannot know the middle.
What is moderation for such individual? Whatever he thinks it is as long as he finds some reasons, some ideas to support his belief. That is not moderation. That is manipulation.

How can we explain the middle way?
Out of the mind, we can feel it. We cannot say: “It is this,” for that could change and thus, the middle will change as well. The “middle” is not a concept. Something that could be defined, quoted or explained.

It is hard to understand, right? That is because we are using the mind.
Well…. If I am not using my mind how else could I understand?
By feeling. It is not the “answer” which has to be implemented by “me.” Insight implements itself.

In Life, many will know the middle by going through the extremes. Note that it is the mind the one taking us to experiment extremes for the mind only knows “0” or “1.” When we understand this “fact” of Life, then we will have a sense of appreciation for those 2 extremes, in this case; BK-ism and Society-ism, for without the conscious aware experience of those two, we wouldn’t be able to know OUR middle, not “the middle.”
The keywords are CONSCIOUS- AWARE experience, for otherwise; the mind will go into another duality: Truth and falsehood (I was lied by them) or guilt and innocence (They conned me and took away my…..) or perhaps, going back and forward to those 2 extremes looking to be “right” to have the “truth,” to be “saved,” etc.

Life experiences are not “free.” We pay for them. Although I am not referring to paper money or credit cards. However, those who have been aware of what they “invested on” in their life time, will understand what I am saying.

“Tighten the strings of the guitar too much, and you will break them. If they are too loose, we cannot play it.” I am paraphrasing something attributed to Gautama. That explains the middle. However, to know that in our lives; we may need to break strings (extremes.) Nevertheless, there is no formula and tuning the guitar may depend on the type of song that we are playing; what comes in Life. If we are playing with others, we may need to learn to harmonize to make music and not noise. That is a different “middle.”

BK “Yoga of the mind” has its place in society. It is needed, not as the holder of absolute “truth” but as a means for the participant or student to know through EXPERIENCE, his own limits.

Many have accessed to words of wisdom and teachings at different epochs, but those words lose their meaning when given to all without discrimination, for it is not possible to understand them unless we are ready… and “ready” has nothing to do with our mental skills, IQ or degrees.