Vibrations

In the Brahma Kumaris world, I recall that many followers used the word “vibrations” to refer to some sort of influence that every human could add into the environment.

“Spiritual vibrations” became a term borrowed from Physics, where there is oscillation of matter to reach a point of equilibrium. Through that idea, it was inferred that matter is made up of energy that oscillates.

It is that oscillation the one capable of interfering with other matter, as it vibrates with higher frequency.

In the “spiritual world,” every individual has a vibration according to his state of consciousness. It is that consciousness, the one able to influence the environment.

Therefore, we cannot “think” to add greater vibrations to the environment. We cannot wish for “higher vibes” around us. We could imagine, and that is the extent of it.

As we “ARE,” so our vibrations will be. BEING is the key.

Thus, “purity” of vibrations cannot be a practice or something obtained through some recipe.

The extent of “purity” of our vibrations will follow us, as our fingerprints do to our fingers. Vibrations will change to the extent that we change.

Spirituality of the mind

I would like to share that as part of my on-going changes in this experience of Life, writing is becoming somewhat a heavy task. It seems as if written words no longer have an appeal to me. However, I realize that in order to share, I need to use writing at this time. Thus, my writings in both blogs will be shorter.

I am finding myself more inclined to drawing, playing the guitar, observing my plants in their pots as they blossom and change, listening to the language of birds (adamic language) than using the computer and the “virtual” world.

As I watch the world being more “connected” through videos, words, pictures, news, more mental than ever before; I feel that the gap of human closeness is growing larger as time goes by. That is the paradox of being connected but without closeness.

Have you ever listened to the song the “Tin man” by America? Great catchy tune. Have you ever tried to make sense of the lyrics of that song? That is the mind in action. That song is enjoyable as it is, without further interpretation by enjoying the sounds, even words are mere sounds helping to increase the overall experience. Whenever the mind wants to make sense of it by analyzing the lyrics, the magic is gone. That is true in Life as well. The mind will only interpret, which many times is not what truly is. For me, that song means that when we ARE truly “good,” we do not need justification. My interpretation may not be what the author had in mind but it is “my” reality about that song. The mind makes up its own reality.

The “pandemic era” has a value for those who are willing to know themselves. It is a clear opportunity to be someone new. Many would like to keep things as they “have been,” and thus, obtaining their support from the known and comfy mental world, but there are those who will need to “transform” and become different in order to live a different experience. That is the challenge.

In society there is the well known phrase: “Survival of the fittest,” where the stronger will survive. In Life, however; and at this time, it is the courageous who will be able to go on. Courage is required to change and be someone new.

I realize that I am going further away from the main topic of the Brahma Kumaris in this blog as time goes by. That is perhaps one of the signals of newness. When day transforms into night, it is a subtle experience as when leaving something or someone behind, thus I changed the title of the blog to Brahma Kumaris and Beyond.

Projection of the mind

“The perfect man uses his mind as a mirror. It grasps nothing. It regrets nothing. It receives but does not keep.” – Chuang-Tzu

One of the most useful quotes I have found to explain the reality of “no- mind,” is the one above. If we have ever observed our thoughts, our perceptions through the mind; the above will make perfect sense; but if we have not, the above will be difficult to understand and even considered as nonsense.

It is in each of us to go as deep as we would like. It depends on our level of experience; how often we are able to put the above in “practice” in real life and identify how it works.

Nevertheless; awareness, observation, requires no practice. It is like breathing, a normal, every day affair, but as we go through Life in automatic-mode, where the mind is our world, then we will need to stop, breath in and out consciously for a few times and realign with how present we could be in the “now.”

The mind will give us information all the time. We believe it. We make forecasts as to how the future will look like, we even play victims by recalling experiences which are no longer here. If the mind acquires, grasps some information, then “we” will believe it. It happens all the time. If I read something or someone “important” said something, or someone writes a quote from a spiritual teacher, then it must be true. I believe it. That information will stay with me. It has been grasped.

The other day someone wrote a post in a group that a particular well known spiritual teacher was making a fortune out of his teachings which were only recycled in every book. Many fans of that spiritual teacher reacted defending him, that is rejecting the post. That is a form of regret, that is declining something. The other form of regret is when a state of sorrow is triggered from a memory.

Someone could be angry at us. Someone could react toward us in a negative way. Do we keep that experience so it will be nagging us and producing a bias against a particular individual or someone who looks like her? That is to keep something within us.

A mirror reflects. How we perceive something only talks about ourselves, it is a description of ourselves. However, what we typically do not examine is how we could project previous information into a new experience. For instance, while living in the USA; I met someone who asked me where I was from due to my Spanish accent. I told her: ”From Peru.” She said: “ I am glad you are from there and not from Colombia for all the drugs in this country come from that place.” Imagine, that is an extreme case of lack of awareness: That person was projecting information that she either read or even experienced ( her brother was an addict,) but nonetheless it was projected to someone who probably has nothing to do with importing drugs to the USA, just because he was coming from a particular country. The mind likes to generalize and put items in containers, something like: “ You are from Colombia then you are part of the problem I have.” The Colombian container.

That sort of projection has caused plenty of sorrow in the world. Jews were treated all under the same bag due to some projection. Similarly is the fate of snakes and the belief of them being representatives of evil.

Generalizing is easier to observe than projecting, for a projection can include many other unobserved beliefs to uplift or degrade a person, an idea or ideal.

When a mind is not observed, we believe the information it gathers without doubting it, without seeing how it could affect us emotionally, in that case we are still sleeping although believe that we are fully awake.

*** Will resume writing on December 15th. Until then!!

Pain and Suffering

The other day my friend Mathias was telling me that Life offers opportunities to change the direction in our Life. The signals may come from different places, people or events. We just need to “listen” to those signals.

There is a huge difference between “listening” and “hearing.” Those who actually listen will have an experience which could make them change their current path. However, many times that experience gets buried through thoughts, beliefs and conditioning which will take over and eradicate that new seed which was ready to grow and blossom. In a few words, we will become unconscious, sleepy. Those who only “hear” on the other hand, will continue moving on in “automatic” pilot for what they heard is not part of their experience yet.

Nevertheless; for those who listened and yet forgot, the body will react to remind us, giving another chance. Many times we still do not listen to it. What is the result then?

Pain. That is another signal.

It has been said: “When emotions express themselves, there is liberation. When they do not, the body aches.” That is another opportunity to “Listen.”

Mathias also shared with me that there are 2 types of pain: 1) Pain due to “purification,” that is when a person changes into a new being which could be observed when a child has new teeth, when a boy becomes a teen (psychological distress) or even when the vibration of our physical body changes into another element (“5^th Dimension” comes to mind) and then the most common one, 2) There is pain due to stubbornness.

Those types of pain are part of the human experience, but stubbornness is a trait which many times reflects rigidity and as my friend Mathias said, “Perfectionism and Rigidity are intimate friends.”

Whenever we experience physical pain, there is the experience of it but eventually it will go away. The mechanism is exactly the same as pleasure but in the “opposite” direction. When the mind comes to play this “game,” the anticipation of more pain (future) or the memory of it (past), is known as suffering. Observe that suffering is in a way the unnecessary extension of pain. Now, what could be the equivalent of that in the side of pleasure?

Any guesses? It is called addiction. Yes, it is another mind “game” for the most part.

Where pain and pleasure are facts of Life, suffering and addiction are optional. What makes it so hard to break away from those if intellectually, I see the issue?

It is the depth of the habit. (For how long, how many times, how integrated it is in our life, how dependent we have become, etc.) For that reason many religions including the Brahma Kumaris, will make an emphasis on the type of habits that we introduce in our lives, for eventually those habits will break the delicate balance between health and sickness, whether physical, or psychological.

However, when we have a set of daily habits which are clean, wholesome and positive, many will fall into rigidity, perfectionism and again the fine thread of balance and harmony will be broken: Discipline vs. Flexibility.

As we can see; rejection of pain or pleasure is not the answer, for that duality is meshed together through fine golden threads of balance. That balancing act between pain and pleasure, is something which cannot be spoken or put into commandments, for everyone is in a different journey. Some have labeled that balancing act as “the middle way.”

Celibacy and Sexuality

Sexuality is a mirror of who we ARE. In a violent world, sex will have that violent color at some point. Constant ejaculation will deplete a man’s vitality. While there are techniques to have sex without ejaculating, as our spirituality blossoms by healing wounds and unlearning conditioned patterns, then what is “achieved” through techniques, becomes natural without techniques.

As our consciousness changes, so will be our sexual life. BEING is before DOING.

In my time as a Brahma Kumaris where I “practiced” celibacy for 10 years (that is no sex at all including masturbation,) that experience showed me my own repressions: I could observe that even though externally in my demeanor there was a non-sexual behavior, internally there was an inner fight: Dreams at night insinuating sexuality and even “wet dreams” which at the time I even counted how many episodes I had within a year and that gave me my “baseline” for what I thought was “improvement.” Once every 6 months was “my record” of non-conscious nocturnal ejaculation. Sometimes it was more, depending on what was going on in my Life at that time. As my rejection towards sex and sexuality increased, I could feel that I was a firm BK with a firm hold on celibacy, but I was just beginning my path in the understanding of sexual energies. Prostate inflammation was the price I paid for that lesson at that time.

I didn’t know that inner violence, unhealed traumas, emotional repressions as well as living mostly in the mind; will not allow the easy flow of sexual energy. As the heart center was developed and the acknowledgment of feelings took place, then little by little the repressions staying in the first and second “chakra” started to clear. I observed that as a kid I loved to dance and I was pretty good. However, as an adult in repression mode; my ability to move with fluidity and dance freely ceased to be.

Through this small article I’d like to urge the BK organization to give their followers useful, positive information about sexual energy. In my time as a BK I looked for trusted information as I did not know Bks who were open to speak about their findings and experiences. When sex becomes a taboo, only repression could happen and that is not celibacy at all. The BK literature about “Brahmacharya” (celibacy) may need further revision as the methodology of infusing fear of sex is not the path for a healthy view of human sexuality.

Now, I realize that as we heal emotionally and allow for the heart to have the driving seat of our BEING, then even the “practice” of celibacy changes totally. There are no “wet dreams” anymore, no repressions but there is the acknowledgment of sexuality as an integral part of Life’s expression. At one point that manifestation was only physical, but then as consciousness evolved, there is a need for the emotional component to be there as well. That is why it has been said that the expression of the mind, body and soul (feelings) together in unison, in alignment, are the complete, wholesome action (DOING.) When those 3 are present together through sexuality, we can label that action as “making love.” Many could be self deceived with the terminology, unless they have a clear recognition of what comes from their mind, feelings and emotions. For most this will be the journey of recognition by going from the mind to the heart.

Celibacy means to transcend sexuality in a natural way and not as a repression of it. However, the balancing point between sex and celibacy is for each of us to feel and observe, as everyone is at different stages of our spiritual development.

I am happy to report that my ability to dance and move the hips with fluidity and grace came back again and I welcomed that experience as the father did to his prodigal son.

Words and their influence in Spirituality

It is unfortunate that we need to use words to try to explain what cannot be explained. What we call “spirituality” or living Life, is beyond the realm of words and therefore the understanding of those come by assimilating an experience and not by intellectual understanding.

On the internet, I see plenty of information about anything and even about “spirituality.” There are plenty of quotes from masters, gurus, saints, etc. However, many of those quotes are out of context and even the words used are not the exact words uttered by those individuals.

For instance, take the words of Tao Te Ching. Many individuals will only recite them and use them out of context. When the idea behind those words of the “Tao” are understood, that is because of the living experience we have had. That realization can seldom be put into words to explain to another without those words being misinterpreted.

That is why we end up with “easy” religion and “spirituality for all,” as the words used to explain their ideas and philosophies are only behind the general ideas of “good” and “evil,” that is the antagonism of good vs. bad.

Thus, something “spiritual” or “religious” just supports the ideas of what is “good,” “moral” and “acceptable” by the majority and easily denies and condemns those other words representing what is “bad,” “evil,” “immoral.”

As I am here writing these words, I wonder then: “What is the point of sharing through words many things which will be misunderstood by many?”

The answer for me at this point is that “few” will identify something positive since they had similar experiences. That is the end of it.

Truly, I see the need of words to inspire others and those words need to be “black” or “white.” Easy to digest without much trouble. However, do not hope to find something deep in those words. For example: “Perseverance is the glory of Christ.” That is a thumbs up for Christians as it is the meaning of the words “Yoga with Baba” for BK followers. However, what do you mean by perseverance? How do you act when you believe that your action demonstrates perseverance? Is it only perseverance what you believe to be or there are other forms of it? Can perseverance ever be detrimental?

Nevertheless, the word perseverance has a wide positive connotation. It has good social marketing. Can we teach someone to be perseverant? The short answer is “No.”

The long answer is that perseverance cannot be taught when there is the purpose to teach it as it is with any other so-called “virtue.” We need to BE the ideal to teach it, that is the ideal of perseverance and someone else who is watching us, the student; should be able to detect that. It is said that “when the student is ready the master appears.” Well, ready means when the student is observant and has done his “homework” in Life to get to that point where he will see someone in action and “get it.” The student recognition is merely the perception of a reflection of the mirror of Life. In that case, the “master” could be anyone. This act of recognition is true knowing that it is free of any sort of intellectual cultivation, or effort to achieve something.

In this world of technology where we could get plenty of information to “become better,” by signing up to many websites and face to face classes, or even in planned retreats, all we can hope for is “inspiration” which is important but superficial.

In the past students and masters used to live together, that is how the student used to learn from the master. I wonder how that changed into a mere transmission of words and fancy terminology?

The different experiences of self-realization

In my “spiritual career” so far I find that Self realization is the discovery of no-self, that is the experience of BEING no-self while embodied in a self. Another way to say the same: To be one with all. Another way to say it: The experience of non-duality. Although, we already ARE, we are not aware, thus without realization. This is not a matter of mental understanding, it is BEING it, not DOING it or pretending it. Interesting how words could be misleading. My little “definitions” above are logically contradictory. Irrational. Worst yet, there is no scientific proof to those. In a few words sheer nonsense. However, few will find some value as those words could match their experiences, then they will know not to be alone.

While some “spiritual” individuals will put in their resume that they “want to attain self-realization,” it is that “I” behind, driving their “efforts.” They think the word “self-realization” is the thing to attain. It is a wild-goose chase.

Despite many recipes on “how to” become self-realized, the fact is that there cannot be a single path. Why? Because everyone has different life experiences and therefore, different things to heal, dirty laundry to wash, etc. Different “Karma.”

Imagine someone reading a book on how someone “achieved” self-realization. Without a doubt they may want to DO the same. Monkey sees, monkey does. Eckhart Tolle “slept rough on Hampton Heath,” England; which means that new modern “wanna be” gurus will have in their background some of those stories to tell their crowd on how they slept near a library or lived homeless as that will increase their chances to be accepted as self-realized by those who take Tolle’s experience as the “path.” It is tough for “seekers” to find a bona fide self-realized person nowadays.

For starters, the “normal” every day individual cannot recognize a self-realized being, not even if that person lives with him/her. Jesus was crucified, and Osho poisoned, imagined that! There are countless lesser known cases all over, but world history is mainly driven by whatever happens in the USA and Europe. Someone may say: What about Indian saints? Well, they came to the “world picture” thanks to England, as India was a colony at one time. However, rest assured that there are many self-realized beings in all parts of the world and from all walks of Life, specially at this time when there is the “ascension to the 5th dimension” deal.

A seeker wants the “official road map” to self-realization. How do you know how to get there? Those who are honest can say that they have no idea. Observe the case of Eckhart Tolle: He was going insane and all of the sudden he woke up changed. How is that for a clear road map? His books are well known thanks to Oprah Winfrey, a well known talk show host in the USA and from there, the masses accepted those books and he became famous. A “normal” guy wouldn’t have recognized the value of his books without some background and experience in spirituality.

Consider Gautama the “Buddha.” He followed an ascetic path of isolation before “reaching” there while meditating (as the story goes) similarly with Mahavira who “attained” self-realization in an ascetic lifestyle. Thus, the story of meditation and asceticism as “tools” to “attain” self-realization came up.

But now consider, J. Krishnamurti. He came to this world surrounded with a special aura as a child and later was recognized by some Westerner spiritual leaders as the upcoming “world teacher.” Or Yogananda’s journey following the path of celibacy while on the contrary, his master (Yukteswar Giri who I understand was a self-realized man) followed the householder path for he had briefly a wife and a daughter. Then, the story of Brahma Baba and the Brahma Kumaris where an entity who he named as “Piyush” and followers as “Shiva,” had a role in Brahma Baba’s self-realization. For those who believe that self-realization is just for men, here is a woman as an example: Anandamayi Ma. In her path she had spontaneous revelations so she did not need to study anything. She just knew. Her insights of Life and spiritual paths are deep with simplicity. That is the ultimate paradox. She is quoted as teaching: “The supreme calling of every human being is to aspire to self realization. All other obligations are secondary.” Completely agree with that. Whenever we “seriously” reach that conclusion, then Life will be helping us to get rid of those things which are no longer needed. Many do not like that. Then, it is best just to talk about self realization and become a writing guru. That is the time when we recognize how honest we are: One thing is to BE, a different thing is to talk pretty words about it. Here is a pic of Anandamayi : That is bliss not pleasure. How many know the difference?

As we can see the stories will be so different and with much variety and spice as Life itself.

There is a difference when you know the process and live it day by day than when you don’t know it and suddenly “it happens.” There is also a difference between a guru with hundreds of followers and one with just a few, or one, or none.

However, knowing the process does not mean to know the path. Two different things. Everyone has a distinct, unique path.

One thing is certain, that every self-realized individual had a mission in Life to fulfill. While some influenced the larger collective consciousness through their writings, talks, appearances, or even unchecked stories given by disciples, others had a far less flashy role but highly significant while being a living “presence” to a smaller group, where they were needed. At the end, it is inspiration for people to continue on their journeys.

Finally, there is the story of Shiva and Parvati which embodies the relation of the master and the disciple and how love is the sure path to get “there” without wanting it. Don’t we all know that Love is the sure path, the answer? Why doesn’t it happen then to all those knowledgeable souls? Because it just happens when we are ready. In the meantime, enjoy Life, cherish it and be aware of it.

Until then.

The path less traveled

At this time, the path of consciousness may appear to resemble the shape of a funnel: The larger part of it is for the majority, the collective consciousness and then through a “sifting” process, which may last many lifetimes and experiences, a higher consciousness will be experienced by a minority of individuals as they go through the thinner part of the funnel.

This is interesting to notice, for we could understand how some individuals will be in tune with particular ideas, philosophies, religions and beliefs and others will not: There are philosophies, religions and ideals according to the level of consciousness one is in.

It has been said that “Life is a mirror” for it reflects us, but going a bit deeper; that reflection depends on where we are located, looking at that mirror. That is, our “location” in consciousness.

For example, some individuals may be stuck in a financial crisis where they are about to lose millions of dollars. That is very important! (for them.) Their “location” is there in the world of finance. Life reflects that desperation and their drive to “succeed,” that is their ambition. Another “location” could be seen with someone with a mental issue: She could feel that someone is hunting her down. That is “real” for her. Life merely reflects her anxiety and insecurity.

Another example? Someone who is suffering due to some emotional pain. That person may want to feel closeness with others, but yet that suffering will be expressed as frustration or even violence towards others, which in turn will drive others away from him. Life reflects his violence and frustration. The location of that individual, his perception of the mirror is in his emotional life. Because that person is unable to ‘look inside,’ he will feel that people don’t want to be near him and through that belief, he may build an ‘armor’ of superiority around him or the opposite low-self esteem; which in turn will feed his ego as he will separate from the rest. Ego grows on both sides. The “armor” is merely a defense mechanism to cope with the perceived situation.

If that person changes his ‘location’ to perceive Life, then the reflection will be different, for his perception will be from a different set of lenses. Of course, the emotional trauma will be there to be healed at some point, but most individuals have many traumas inside which do not go into the surface of their awareness, because their perception of Life does not come from that angle yet. The above is also known as a person “creating” his own reality, for the consciousness that he uses to perceive his creation, will be “real” for him. Because of that, if someone ever asks: “What is Life?” Then, we could see that it all depends on the angle of our perception, which is our creation, then our reality. Thus, the complete answer is: “Life is.”

How do I become aware of “my” ‘location’ and ‘point of reference’ or angle to look at the mirror of Life?

Here comes the lesser traveled path: By resting. By being away from it all. By being sort of a hermit. This is not what we are taught in society. There, we are taught to be proactive, to read many books to inform ourselves, to listen to the experts, to debate with others, to create philosophies and then to proselytize to gain followers, likes and subscribers, to be popular and then, our discoveries will be automatically true by cheer acceptance of the masses. Inner observation does not follow that glittering path of society and the mind.

How do I know about “me” (you)? By secluding yourself in such a way as to observe without distortion your unmet needs, desires, thoughts and behavioral patterns. We need time and passion to unmask the layers behind “me.” This is not entertainment for the mind. The above requires an individual who is committed to self knowledge. We may label that rare individual as a “drop out” of society or a “hero” depending on our perspective. That is our “creation.” This is not a rare practice, as it has been done by many self-realized beings in the past and according to their circumstances. The greatest knowledge a person could obtain is out of his own realizations and experiences by observing himself in the mirror of Life from the location of aimless pursuit. In scientific terms: Observation for the heck of it. In this aimless pursuit we may need to feel peaceful, rested, without the anxieties of making a living and being successful in society.

While some individuals may have a “choice” of going into that inner observation on a part time basis, while they have some time left out of their busy and important schedule, others may not: Life has “chosen” for them to look at their inner side in this Lifetime. Life has different methods: Some may be bedridden, some may have “karmic” accounts to live in isolation, some may have lost everything they valued in the “rat race” and have plenty of time to spare. Those “disgraces” are also huge opportunities to observe that which is the most important ‘thing’ that you could ever try to confront, understand and love: Yourself.

However, unless we change the ‘location’ to look at the mirror of Life, and see the opportunity rather than the stuff we are ‘missing,’ Life will reflect back anguish, bitterness and the rest of it.

For those ‘brave souls’ who have ‘chosen’ to go inside, there will be help as well. Lots of help. These individuals will learn about the synchronicities of Life. They will be able to recognize the signs and the uncommon ways in which Life will answer our sincere questions and the “games” and “ironic” sense of humor in which Life may teach us, as long as we have developed our observation; for truly everything we observe outside is a reflection of whoever is inside at that time.

All we may need to be aware of is to learn to change the set of glasses we use to look at: Sit down, rest and breathe in and out a few times through your mouth; then only remember to use your shades when it is ‘too bright’ outside.

The process of experiencing an experience

As we become aware of the benefits and shortcomings of having a mind, we could observe that every human being has a consciousness similar to a filter or better yet a sieve: Experiences are meant to go by and we could become involved in them at the moment they happen, but then afterwards; they should go away to allow for newness to come in. Otherwise, the mind will use previous experiences as the way to deal with new ones. This is considered to be “normal” and even “healthy,” but this activity also results in being unable to be natural, open and spontaneous in Life. Experiences trapped in the “fine collector diaphragm” of that sieve, are like clumps of food which are unable to go through.

Those “clumps” remain in our consciousness as unprocessed experiences which our minds will be remembering over and over, creating dualistic emotions which could intensify the experience (now a trauma.)

Recalling the old to meet the new, is a tremendous handicap in consciousness.

For example, by reading the story of a hideous crime where we could even see the picture of the perpetrator; if that experience does not go through the sieve, it will remain in our consciousness: We will remember the picture of the crime perpetrator and even feel insecure around people which we could identify as potential killers due to similarities in looks to the picture we have seen.

The question is why?

The answer: There was a rejection inside us to that person or to the crime itself.

For most “normal” people that rejection is “good” and accepted by society. It is a chance to display our moral values and to repel the perpetrator. We treat the whole experience as repulsive. However, as our consciousness increases and our spiritual knowledge as well, the feeling of mercy will allow for that experience to go through the sieve without becoming a clump, which will create a personality with fear.

Spiritual knowledge could be about knowing the “law of karma,” and to know that that poor fellow will experience hardship at another time whether that is in another life or in hell (according to the belief that someone subscribes to) and in top of that, there may be severe punishment from the legal system.

All of that theory is good to know, but worthless when we deal with our consciousness and its inner rejection. There cannot be change in BEING with theory alone.

Every clump of experience trapped in our ‘sieve’ of consciousness will create a trauma which will need to be healed at a later time. In fact, when we look at life with a trauma inside us, our vision is not clear. We lack the amplitude to understand that human activities have an ultimate reason to be the way they are and it is not on us to judge those actions, but rather to emit a feeling of mercy, compassion and move on. There is a legal system to take care of social issues, but our responsibility ( for those with higher consciousness) is to maintain the sieve of consciousness clean from clumps of experiences.

The cleaner that ‘sieve’ remains, the easier will be for the feeling of Love to flow as this feeling does not measure who deserves it and who doesn’t, but it merely flows as the sieve allows for that free flow to happen.

Another example of this type of “contamination” is when we experience something and we interpret that as a struggle where we ended up being ‘victorious’ and then we tell that story to another person with full details. We could perhaps realize how we could re-live the moment and how we could put ourselves in that story as some sort of ‘hero’ and even embellish the story. That will create clumps as well, which will not be able to go through the ‘sieve’ of consciousness. Another way to enhance the ego.

Observe how either in “positive” way or “negative,” there are crumbles of experiences created which in turn will accumulate to enhance our experience of ego.

Thus, greater ego means a lesser ability to experience Love and with that, lesser ability to experience fulfillment in Life.

The point of reference

The dictionary will define that phrase as: “Something that is used to judge or understand something else.”

I have used that phrase before to explain time in relation with the “eternal recurrent cycle” in the BK philosophy. What is the point of reference in an eternal recurrent cycle?

Answer: “Now.” From that we can call something before that as the “past” and something still to arrive as the “future.”

On the same line, our society in whichever country or region in the world we live in, will offer us a point of reference to understand and judge the world. Most unaware individuals will believe those ideas and traditions as being the “right ones,” and will judge others based on what they have learned.

For instance, in most societies drinking a can of soda is something “natural” part of that conditioning. The brand name “Coca-Cola” for instance, is one of the most recognized worldwide. Its association with “feeling good” has been built through words, ads and beliefs. Most individuals will consume that brand name for it has a recognized name. The interesting part is that a can of soda is not needed to live. In fact, it is not a natural item. It does not have nourishment value. Nevertheless, emotionally most people in the world have learned to “need that” to celebrate a good time. From that particular soda we will build a baseline, a point of reference to judge other sodas or other “feel good” items.

Most individuals used to the standards of our society, do not have other points of reference. They are gullible to the effects of propaganda, the media.

In my own spiritual “career,” I can see now the value of the “Brahma Kumaris” as a point of reference. Their philosophy and beliefs gave me a different point of reference to observe my own life. For instance, most “firm” Bks will not watch television. In the beginning of my BK days, I embraced that belief not because I observed the value of being away from one of the main sources of “brain washing” there is, but because I wanted to be a “firm” BK. Of course, my ego found that as a source of enhancement, for in my mind I was able to show the rest of TV watchers my “superiority,” by labeling them as “tamopradhan” (lesser value people.) However, that attitude is the proof of my own repression. I did not realize the true value of that “practice” until 10 years later when I was out of the BK experience: I became aware of that TV world of hype, the world of buy this and that to “improve,” the world of silly sitcom programs which will hint you through fake background laughs, when is the time for you to laugh too. Want to watch the “news”? It is an all emotional catastrophe infusing fear in the audience. Want some form of entertainment? There is plenty of violence to watch, even while you drink your can of soda… All that brainwashing has consequences. I have discovered that the degree of awareness and “wakefulness” of an individual is in relation to his time devoted to watching the tube. More time into it, means greater sleepiness.

In spirituality, we will need to rely on an initial point of reference. That could be a particular religion or philosophy, but true conscious improvement can only arrive if we make any choice to change our behavior, through our own realization. It cannot be pushed through the outside, for it becomes a repression later on.

I recall that one day I helped a BK sister to move out to a different place. When the turn came for the small TV to go to her new place or stay there and be given away; the sister changed her mind many times, before she decided to deal with that at another time. Obviously the thought of “Being a firm BK” took precedence. Most probably she thought of herself as an example.

That is why, I consider that individuals should have the experience to embrace a new culture, different from theirs. Accept it and observe if their ways could be adapted into your own. That outlook could be extremely beneficial when Life offers alternatives in any situation and we are stuck with a single minded, traditional idea in our minds.

That sort of openness to accept and embrace diversity is necessary to gain greater consciousness.

A point of reference in Life, will give us our initial perspective. We may need to remember that it is only a perspective, for as soon as we move to one side or further away from that “picture,” we will see it differently, although with the same set of eyes.