Looking at Godly ego

As mentioned in the last article, the experience of spirituality is very subjective. My experience is only mine and it is an illusion to pretend that it should be true for others, or even apply to others as well.

When looking back at my own life, I could see that my intention to become “good” by shaping up myself when aware of my own shortcomings; started with the experience of Catholicism.

Catholicism wasn’t something that I picked up by analyzing things and coming up with a rational decision. It was something given through the environment as I grew up in Peru; where Catholicism is part of the politics of that society. The conditioning was there and many do not realize the influence of such tradition. However, there was something in me when I was 17 that didn’t click with Catholicism. I was exposed to different religious/ spiritual literature since I had the desire to know. Even attended different religious faiths. Read J. Krishnamurti when I was 23 and was amazed by his clear-cut views, but couldn’t understand how others did not think the same as I did. Then, I forgot all about it, once I was getting ready “to conquer the world and make my dreams come true” in the biggest capitalist society. I felt welcomed to join that new home with such opportunities.

I had the “American dream” accomplished in my mid 30’s. However, fears and lack of satisfaction appeared even though I was “supposed” to be happy. Brahma Kumaris appeared at that time. That experience was unique. It wasn’t my choice and because it was beyond my rational conditioning, it had a very strong influence. I had an experience with what I thought was the true God. I couldn’t pass that new opportunity, for it was my original “raison d’etre.”

That turned my life outside down. I had something new to achieve, to become. My drive was to demonstrate others that I knew God. That was my inspiration to proselytize. I thought I was helping others, but truly; I was helping myself. That was fuel to continue in my journey which I thought was the “truth.”

The amount of ego emerging from that experience is tremendous: “I” know God. “I” know the truth. Not only that but I knew how to put “reasons” to try to demonstrate that what I knew was the “truth.” Without a doubt, there were very few Brahma Kumaris’ followers who could understand “knowledge” as I did. “I was on my way to Heaven.” 🙂

Observe how life puts the experiences necessary for that ego to emerge. “Success” in this world or the world beyond is the same thing. That strong desire to accomplish is ego in disguise. I am not saying that to work to accomplish our dreams in ‘bad,’ no. It is a necessary experience to try to get our hands full with something but yet, remain empty inside.

For that ego to start diluting itself, I had to go through many other experiences. It doesn’t go away because I decide to “conquer it” or to act as if I did not have ego. Usually extreme suffering will cut it off, but that is not the only tool used by Life. It all depends on our own journey.

Looking back, the teaching wasn’t that I needed to find “God.” The teaching was that I needed to observe that ego and for that, it needed to be fat, juicy and big so I could become AWARE of it. Life gave me that experience through the Brahma Kumaris. The outcome, what we ARE, is what has value. Many times we are entertained by trying to find the “truth,” or believing that our experience is the only and true one. That is a mirage.

Life experiences are meant to change our consciousness as long as we become aware of the teachings and not become mesmerized by the teacher, even if that one is “God.”

What did I learn through those experiences? Our service to society is not in revealing who God is, but in revealing ourselves to ourselves while in relation with others. BEING that which we talk about. The rest is only pretty spiritual talk.

BK Effort making, Awareness and DOING all of that.

Ego is seldom observed. Many Bks are motivated to find information about the ego, but very few will look into their own.

Whenever the theme is ego, if we have already experienced it and observed it, then certain aspects of what is being shared here will “make sense” immediately.

The BK world emphasizes “effort making.” That is fine until we discover that this will power to DO something, this “I will make effort” is coming purely from that same ego which BK teachings will warn us to avoid, for “it is a vice which needs to be conquered.”

When this process is unobserved, will power is used to change our behavior by “practicing” “good” deeds. The idea behind is that if we perform “good deeds” we will be “good.” That is a beginner place to start, so it is not “bad” at all, for most everyone will start there. However; as mentioned many times, DOING cannot change BEING. If BEING does not change then we are only pretending to change through some “spiritual” endeavor. Experience it for yourself, for the way to know is to observe what is happening and not to be caught up with a belief that “I will change because I am DOING something sacred.”

In the last article it was said: “Whenever there is awareness that is the DOING necessary for change.”

Awareness in itself is not a DOING. But when we start, we can try to “practice it,” which is a DOING. There is an “I” coming through our mind saying: “Hey, I must practice awareness to become better.” Moreover, that same “I” could express through the BK belief in this way: “I must make effort of continuous awareness to get rid of ego.”

That is a laudable “effort” but brings no change in BEING. Nevertheless, it is a good starting point and the BK system offers many other experiences which could lead to greater depth in consciousness. However, “effort making” again is the starting point and not the ultimate.

When the mind interferes all the time as it is with the majority of people, we cannot distinguish what is ego. When the mind is calm and there is observation (notice that I am not saying : when “I” observe) then, we could be aware of it. That awareness is not propelled by the “I.”

The BK world knows about the predestined Drama. It knows that Life is a movie. Then, the sane response to that knowing is to OBSERVE it. That movie is not only what goes outside but mainly what goes on inside, for “reality” will be according to our perception, but what truly matters from the spiritual view, is how that perception affects “ME;” while others are engaged in explaining what is real and what is not, and trying to come up with answers and explanations, usually labeled as the “truth.”

Awareness is not a DOING. It happens when we understand that the movie has been already made. In the beginning there is a separation: The one observing is different from the movie. That is a step up of consciousness, until there is observation that the actor is the movie itself; Isn’t it? Why do we make many separations of concepts? Drama, karma, I, sanskara, mind, intellect, observer, etc. Probably because all those labels are supposed to help us understand, or rather those are supposed to make our mind understand, since the mind only knows about separation, comparisons, differences. The mind understands, but there is no change of BEING through that understanding. Have we noticed that?

When the mind lessens its power over us and take the co-pilot seat, there is a different “reality.”

The artifice behind BK “numberwise.”

It is the belief in Brahma Kumaris that a follower could earn “Paradise,” according to his present spiritual “effort.” While it is believed that less than 1 million followers will be in the Golden Age, there is also a difference between those “making it” there. That is known as “status.” There is a hierarchy of king, queen, subjects, etc. Enticing labels ready to be “achieved,” depending on “effort” of the Brahma Kumaris follower at “this time.”

Apparently this set up “makes sense.” After all, a King there obtained that position through his “spiritual” endeavors in his past life as a BK.
Ok. Fair enough.

To “make effort” will be of special importance as in the “future,” “I” would like to make sure that “I” obtain the best position for “me.” After all, that is what society teaches us and Brahma Kumaris uses that conditioning into the spiritual realm, as well.

Observe that ego appearing, which is known as a “vice” in Brahma Kumaris. (Many spiritual seekers are unable to observe that ego, for they haven’t “exercised” their awareness yet.) Ego is all in the mind. It is that ego the one that would like to achieve something, obtain it, possess it and clearly enhance itself even if that is in the “future,” which is another mind ideal.

Basically, that which “I” need to “conquer” according to Brahma Kumaris knowledge; that ego is directing the whole “effort making” scheme. Once we clearly observe that, we can understand the futility of being greedy towards a “better future for ME in the future Golden Age.”

How that could be? Isn’t that pursue of something “better” sane and rational?
Yes. It is. But observe that the whole stunt is directed by the ego alone. Most “sane and rational” individuals will not realize this when coming from the conditioning of society, for we cannot observe the distinction. We are conditioned. To get “somewhere” in our society, we need to motivate the ego to achieve; but as mentioned before, that does not work in the spiritual realm where it is touted all the time that our ego needs to be conquered, diluted, etc. Do we see the dilemma?

Therefore, the word “numberwise” objectively motivate followers to “achieve” something by following certain codes, practices, etc. which provides the ground for a “healthy” competition within… Correct?   

Not quite.

A conditioned human needs to compete with others. That is what we could observe at the “center near you.” To “improve” means to obtain a position within the organization, within the center, or something which distinguishes that person from someone else (a gold ring perhaps.) Thus, “numberwise” is a decoy, but it is meant to motivate the follower to DO something about his life, to get some control over it and to get direction into something “worthwhile.” That is to satisfy the search for meaning.

Is this artifice “bad”? No! At the starting level of consciousness of the seeker it could be “good” for it accomplishes one of the main experiences of being a BK, that is to increase ego. The issue is that many followers will not realize about the opportunity they had to see that enhancement of ego in their own skin, and to know their ego face to face rather than just reading about it, or believing that it is “pure” ego or “pure” greed or whatever pretty labels they may believe, to crave for “Paradise.” Ego is only ego no matter what pretty labels we use.

However, as mentioned before; ego is not “bad.” It is a consequence of “growth.” Growth? Yes, the self grows to a point where all there is for the individual is “I, me and myself” and the rest are satellites meant to enhance “me” or help “me” “achieve.”

Do we see why is it important to de-condition ourselves from society? However, we should also observe that by doing so, we will not fit in as we will perceive “reality” in a different light than the “normal” others. That is why it is interesting when someone says: “He is a very successful business man, who is very spiritual as well.” That is like mixing water and oil, unless they meant by “spiritual” to be only a worshiper believer of stories and performer of “sacred” practices.

While in society, the motivator resides in a “healthy” ego (which always wants more, for it is the overused mind in action) in spirituality, the core is “to be” ego-less.

That is why, OBSERVATION is very important as there is no goal other than to observe. We could say that “to observe is the goal,” but if we say that, we haven’t understood that we can live without goals, just as we can observe without goals.

Observation brings “understanding” (which is not a mental/conceptual one) but “seeing clearly” which brings immediate change, without a goal in mind, without further words and mental explanations. That is without an “aim and objective,” which is ego driven.

Message 2 – Blessings and Ego

Q: ” I have seen many BKs who try to portray them as good persons before others through their behaviour. I was also one of them. At that time I felt that through my behaviour and good actions i will earn blessings from others which helps me to change my stage. Is that also part of growing our ego?”

I bless you for asking that question.
You weren’t expecting my blessing. Thus, it is a “true” blessing on your way. But if you DID something with the expectation to receive a blessing, then you are not ready to receive the blessing; thus, it will only be a nice phrase that will serve to increase your ego.

If you DO actions to receive blessings, you will definitely increase your ego. But that is not “bad,” when you are walking the path to increase ego (whether you know it or not) so later, you could walk the path to decrease it.

Message #1

From now on, brief messages.

Writings will be short from now on. You can still write questions if you’d like concerning the Brahma Kumaris.

What “makes” a person humble?
To dress in white? To have few saris/kurtas to wear? To possess less material things?

We can use all of those symbols to feed our egos.

We can only BE who we ARE. To try to dress ourselves up with some performance, of who we AREN’T is to be dishonest with ourselves.

“Spirituality” can only BE about acknowledgement of who we ARE. That observation, that awareness, that acknowledgement without judgment, will bring change without trying to change.

That in fact is “true” change.

For the common good.

Question on responsibility of sorrow of others.

“How much are we responsible for the sorrow of souls in connection with us? BKs believe that “we are not responsible for the unhappiness and sorrow of other people, it’s just their creation”. At the same time, others are also not responsible for our sorrow and unhappiness!! Can you PLEASE take this subject for one article in upcoming week.
My second question is a small and direct question, the path of BKism has no way to experience “No-Mind” and “No-I”?? Ego can’t be dissolved with Shivbaba?”

Thank you for your questions.
The word “responsible” is a word that we have learned in the “Office world.” We are responsible for educating our children, we are responsible for our actions in society, etc. But at the same time, we know about PREDESTINATION.
Then, who is responsible?

The “office world” does not know about PREDESTINATION. They just know about “free-will” thus, to be “responsible” exists there. It is interesting that BK borrows many words from the “Office world” which truly does not apply to PREDESTINATION. They may do it for the sake of understanding, which many times turns into misunderstanding. Something like: ” You have free will to DO something, but once it is DONE, it is the DRAMA… and that will repeat…”  

My direct answer is: Does it matter? You feel sorrow. Look at it. Acknowledge it. Embrace it. Learn from it. Do you feel that we are all ONE? Then what you DO to others, you DO it to yourself.
Perhaps, you do not feel that we are ONE. Then, try to take advantage of others. Learn from that experience. Your Life will be a lesson.
So, you are not AWARE enough to learn from your own Life… then “knowledge” comes to the rescue. Let me teach you about KARMA. You will be afraid of it. Your DOING will be restricted to your thought of DOING things “right” according to your understanding or the understanding of others. Acting this way appears to BE safe, although you ARE not the image of WISDOM but the image of cheap imitation as your ACTIONS (DOING) are carefully thought out. You are condemned to live in your head, with your ego telling you what to DO according to the understanding of the conditioning that you have received.

“Responsible”…. Let me smile at that word… 🙂 Responsible brings irresponsible.

Now on your second question. Observe how you have distorted what I said in the previous article. I wrote “No-mind” does not exist in the BK vocabulary.” And then you add “experience” and bring “ShivBaba” into the picture.
So you want me to tell you if ego cannot be dissolved throuhg ShivBaba?
Then I ask you: How do we know that what we experience is ShivBaba? Then, we go back to the repeated example in my last article.
“I am a soul.” “ShivBaba is my father.”  Repeat the mantra until it sinks in the mind. No experience.

Now, do you see why I repeat the same examples?
If I say: “I have not experienced that my ego gets reduced through yoga with ShivBaba” then others will say, that they have experienced that. Who is who to say when ego gets reduced when we are not aware when ego increases?
Direct answers such as “Yes” or No” are so deceiving, when you have not experienced something and you just want an answer for the sake of being “RIGHT.”

Spiritually is not about BEING “right or wrong.” So what is all about?
That… “You” will need to find out yourself.

For the common good.

Your consciousness dictates your “God.”

I’d like to clarify my previous article. Avyakt7 NG will not go into the question: Does God really exist? Sometimes, I will insinuate “yes,” but at other times, “no.”

It is not a matter of “yes” or “no” and then a line of believers and non-believers aligned with their belief. No!
I shared before that “truth” doesn’t matter a bit. What matters is consciousness.
When I say “truth,” I refer to the stories and beliefs that every religion has about their gods, origins, salvation, etc. and as a consequence, the existence of the stories of the “deniers” of god, labeled as “atheists;” and the ones in the middle ground, labeled as “agnostics,” as well as the “scientists” searching for “evidence.”
All of that search of “truth” means quite a bit for humans trapped in their minds. Their “truth” is what these individuals are willing to defend, debate with others, convince others, recruit others and even put their lives at risk. That will give them a “reason” to exist.

Reality is, it is all about them, the “I.”
The main ego booster statement is :“I” have the “truth”.                                                                                                             Avyakt7-NG only shares his experiences. Avyakt7-NG has already  fully gone through the experience of finding “God,” finding the “truth” and also their opposites. Avyakt7-NG “knows” and because of that, he must let every reader walk through the path themselves. 

Once we abandon that childish egocentric idea of “truth;” we can observe that our experiences will shape our consciousness and that in return, our perceptions.

There are many humans suffering in the world. Suffering is part of living. It is part of “growing up” in consciousness. Suffering is also relative: A kid without much to eat and without a good hygiene in India, may not feel that “experience” as suffering, as a kid from the USA that is put into that Indian setting.

So many “well to do” people living in “first world countries,” may experience other types of suffering: Emotional, immune related diseases, mental issues, etc.  as a consequence of their separation from Nature, which the same Indian kid may never know about.

It is that suffering the one that will prompt for a solution. A seeker is born.
God will bring hope to a person. Many experiences will be linked to “God.” In an apparent “insecure” world, where anything could happen; “God” brings that security; the seeker will feel safe under his “protection.” Even though, he may be experiencing “hardships,” the seeker knows that God is with him.

God is necessary, for he will bring hope to many, a turning point in many lives.
All sorts of religions are available for this experience.
Let me repeat one more time: Whether “you” are in the only “truthful” religion or not;  it does not matter a bit.
What matters in Life is the experience that this seeker will be going through, for that will change the consciousness of that person.

Why consciousness is so important?
Because according to our consciousness, we could perceive Life experiences under different lenses. thus, what is the “truth”?
For most people, Life is a struggle. A fight at many levels. In another consciousness, Life is to be enjoyed, relaxed. Nothing to “prove.”

Many want the later consciousness, but it doesn’t happen because “I want” or because “I bought a  spiritual book” or “I followed a guru.” That consciousness will happen as a natural consequence of having experienced other types of consciousness: When there is a saturation of “I” then, a lack of that “I” is what comes naturally next.
Life has its own ways, for that. It may not be necessarily in this life time, but rest assured that nothing happens through randomness. “You” are not forgotten.
Everything that occurs in Life is meant to BE.  A Brahma Kumaris follower is aware of this.  
The “I” struggles to fight against that. So, Do I recommend not to fight?
No. I recommend to observe in ourselves why fighting IS.

Our consciousness will dictate our “truth.”

For the common good.

Misunderstood points in gyan: Numberwise

I will start a little series labeled as: Misunderstood points in gyan.
The purpose is to look at the same Murli point from a distinct perspective. This is necessary to have a deeper understanding of Brahma Kumaris gyan. Otherwise, a limited understanding means misinterpretation for Life and the Universe are greater than a particular perspective of a religion or ideology.

The typical way “numberwise” is interpreted in Brahma Kumaris is as follows: Every “soul” has a particular capacity, when compared with others, that will give a “soul” a particular ordinal number, a “ranking.”

In Brahma Kumaris, the most celebrated capacity is labeled as “purity.”
Therefore, Brahma Baba (founder) is considered number “1” in purity. As a consequence, Brahma Baba will be the first emperor of the “Golden age.” (Narayan I- Krishna.)
That is the belief.

In Brahma Kumaris, it is known that because Brahma Baba is the “first pure soul,” he will also be the “first impure.”

Note that the knowledge of polarity and duality is within that simple affirmation.
However, the “churning” will stop there, as it is convenient to demonstrate to a follower, the importance of “making effort” to become “number 1,” or rather close to that number.

As it is said in Brahma Kumaris: “Position 1 and 2 are already taken (Brahma Baba and Mama who will be Krishna and Radhe respectively) but the other numbers are available…”

That affirmation gave place to infantile games: The top 8 souls. Who is number 3, 4,5,6,7,8?
“Those souls will not get much “punishment” at the end,” it is said. “Punishment” is important for religions targeting beginners, in their seeking journey.
Those souls will be Narayan 3 to 8 in the Golden Age.
All of that is only entertainment for the mind, childish games and a little push for the ego to “become one of them.” It is easier to say “become #1” but this is not a matter of DOING things but on BEING it (embodiment) and that depends on where the individual is positioned, in his range of experiences in the cycle of time.

Of course, 8 was expanded to 16, 108, 1024, etc. the popular “rosary of victorious souls.”

In Life, numbers are non-existent. Thus, “Numberwise” cannot be. A “ranking” is a human belief which does not apply to Life. It is merely a “teaching tool” to give a mental carrot to a donkey, who is eager to become SOMEONE.

Observe that the “purity” of Brahma Kumaris “souls” are in direct proportion to their impurity. Following the belief, there cannot be a more impure soul than a Brahma Kumaris follower. 

We can also discover that by following the BK belief, Brahma Baba started the impure world, followed by BKs.
Why is the world “impure”? Because of BKs.
The “tamopradhan world” is the creation of BKs.
If this article is understood in its extent, it will be obvious to observe that anything that we believe to BE (pure, compassionate, angelic, etc.) it is certain that we have been or will be the opposite as well (impure, violent, evil, etc.) This is how the feeling of guilt started in our society. We want to pick one side of a coin only, knowing that it has 2.

In other words, there is the contrast in Life. There is duality; but there is no “numberwise.” That is a BK creation, which is necessary to enhance the sense of being “special;” but that is a necessary enhancing ego trip, to dissolve it.

For the common good.

Godly ego

If you found God, what would you do with that finding?
Would you tell everyone “I found God”? Is that all? Would you look for believers?
Wouldn’t that make you special? An automatic authority, a “chosen one”?
Look all the benefits you found by finding “god”!!
That is the ego trip that followers do not realize until they become conscious of their ego.

“God” only enhances their personality.  Just as when we say: “The president is a good friend of mine. He listens to me.”

A wannabe believer may say: “Where is God? I want to speak with him. Ask him some questions and ask him to help me, save me, pamper me, solve things for me…”
That is another ego trip.

Let us say I get to speak with “God.” Let us say that “God” was shown to me: That enhances ME. I am SOMEBODY now.

After all, it is all about ME.

A religious follower may need to ask this: ” Am I DOING these religious things because I am looking for some profit for ME?

In the Brahma Kumaris community, that could translated as: AM I DOING “service” so I can go to heaven, get a high status, make my kingdom, become an angel, be saved, become a powerful soul, etc?

In the Brahma Kumaris there are many items to “accomplish.” Things to keep our minds busy. That is, many ego trips to travel before getting to heaven.

BEING is before DOING. I could be DOING many “serviceable work” but it is all for ME. I may be opening many centers and proselitizing and experiencing hardships; without much to eat or sleep… but… I am DOING all of those things just for ME: I want a kingdom, I want to be know as a “serviceable soul,” I want to achieve heaven, I want to be SOMEONE now and in the future.

That DOING is worth nothing. The merchant mentality, the business mind, is only thinking about personal profit in the material world as well as the spiritual. It is the same consciousness of “money back guaranteed” applied into “spirituality.”

But, what can be DONE?  After all, that is the way we ARE (BEING.)

What we ARE is what is worth “the same on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

For the common good.

Superiority and Inferiority complex in Spirituality

This article is in response to a question.

When we are talking about inferiority or superiority complex while on a spiritual path, we may need to observe that unless we feel welcomed to a spiritual path, most likely we will not agree to experience that path.

A collective spiritual path or religion, caters to ego for the seeker to embrace the path.
I may have had wonderful “experiences” with Brahma Baba in the subtle region or perhaps had a wonderful vision of the Golden age, and I was there… I feel “special.” Nevertheless, if the BK path or any path does not present itself in a welcoming way, I will not hang in there for too long.

In the realization that many struggles could happen within members, there must be a deeper way to entice the follower to stick with the “true” path.

No better way than to touch the ego of the participant. In this way, if the environment is harsh, the participant will see this as a “test,” a way to “show everyone” that he is worth it. He has the motivation to stay.

In Life as in any religious path, ego will go “up and down.” When ego is “inflated” because of getting a great job, getting a big house, car, new wife/husband, etc. (It is all about getting something to decorate the “I”.) then, the stage has been developed to “deflate” that ego.
This is in short the “theory” behind inferiority and superiority complexes.
The misunderstanding could be that: “Ahnanda is saying that getting stuff is a way to enhance ego, therefore; it is bad. Remain poor, that is to be “pure.”
That is not it at all. There is no issue in “getting things.” The issue is to observe how the ego reacts, how the superiority complex appears, how comparisons with others become the standard for “success.”

That is the same silliness that happens in religious settings, although most are unaware of.
Getting paradise, getting God, getting a high status, getting Buddhahood, enlightenment, etc.

To motivate or “inspire” the follower who is not aware of the ego yet; anything that is considered “success,” whether now or in the future is important; and he is told that “thing” will be obtained via methodic “effort making.”

For this to work, there must be “inferiority complex” as well. That is the fear to fail. “If you are not a BK, you are a Shudra.” Or between BKs: “If you don’t get a high status in the first birth in the Golden age through high efforts, you may be a cremator.”

The game is set up.

As far as the example you made in Zen;  we are all “Buddhas” already, although the experience that we need to go through at this point in time may not be that, but in time; it will get there again through Life experiences. Everyone is at a different stage.
When we truly understand that the range of experiences is a circle and in that circle there is polarity, we could acknowledge and accept that any state that we may experience is momentary, it will keep changing. Thus, Buddhahood is not the end or the goal, but an experience of all the possible experiences that Life may offer.

Ego drops down in the realization that there is nothing out there “realistically”, to enhance it. Life is not about getting the stomach full with food as a goal in Life. You will be hungry again. Thus, Life is in the enjoyment of both: The experience of feeling fullness and the process of feeling hunger again; for one leads into the other.

For the common good.