On Being Forever Young

Tags

divinity, energy, feminine, festivals, youth

To put it mildly, the year 2020 has been a challenging year for the human race. For many of us, our share of problems, fears and anxieties has reached new highs in this year. So, how do we find solutions for them from a spiritual perspective? Let us step back and consider the root cause, and try to find some remedies. We can begin today, October 17, which marks the beginning of the  festival that celebrates ‘renewal of divine energy’ over the forthcoming nine days and nights (Navaratri).  

Let us consider. The problems that we have, which manifest as our fears and anxieties, can be viewed as the that of the body and/or of the mind. If this is true, then would our problems ‘disappear’ if we were to lose awareness of the body and the mind? One ’state’ in which we lose this mind/body awareness is when we go to sleep every night. Of course, we often carry our fears and anxieties into the sleep state, because they manifest as dreams (or nightmares). On days like that, we may sleep for a long time, and yet, we wake up tired because our mind did not find any rest from our fears.

And yet, there are some nights (or even afternoons :)), where we sleep that deep sleep of the newborn who does not have any worries, who is not lying awake wondering whether she will have ‘milk to drink’ in the morning. Then, in that dream state, the  consciousness has traveled beyond body and mind, and we wake up rested because we were freed of our fears and anxieties. 

So, if in some states of deep sleep, we can have the awareness of no-body and no-mind, then what is it that remains? Who are we, really in that state of sleep? And, can we develop that same awareness of no-body and no-mind in our waking state? If we could  develop the awareness that we are something greater than mere body and mind, then would we come face-to-face with our real existence?

Many would argue that such an awareness, such freedom from body and mind, is not possible or practical. Living in the world, we are immersed daily in a sea of time, space, action and causation. Fear, anxiety, pain, loss, distress, aging, and such — these are the things of the “real world”. We need to face all of these things of daily life, for which we need strength and the courage to overcome. So, where can we draw our strength from?

Vedanta philosophy (the ‘end of knowledge’) speaks to three sources of strength. The first, ‘moral’ strength comes from our adherence to truth, even when we may stand to suffer great personal loss as a result. Hence, Satyameva Jayate – the truth is always victorious. The second, ‘religious’ strength comes from a belief in a power greater than us, and the faith that That power source ‘has our back’ all the time. The third, ‘spiritual’ strength comes from the knowing that we are not the body or the mind — affirmed by the direct experience that our reality is That indestructible spirit.  

If we can develop these three sources of strength, and keep replenishing them, then we can be walking, talking, sleeping, dreaming and waking in a state where fear and anxiety do not exist. We can develop strength and courage through the renewal and celebration of divine energy and awareness within. Join me in the renewal.

Let us all celebrate our journey of becoming forever young. 

Kumud

P.S. Join us in our weekly twitter conversation on twitter as we gather to renew our strength and courage by sharing our stories through questions and answers, and a sharing of tea and cookies. Namaste – @AjmaniK

Making Light Of Obstacles

Tags

festivals, ganesha, lightness, obstacles, sweetness

The fourth day of the brightening lunar fortnight in September marks the beginning of a ten day festival honoring the divinity named Ganesha in India. If you have been to an Indian household or temple, you may have seen his image prominently displayed in entryways. Ganesha is only one his (one thousand and one) names, and he holds the unique distinction of being the first deity to be invoked in any Vedic prayer service.

The festival begins with a “(re)establishment” of Ganesha in the home or the temple, and in temporary celebratory pavilions set up by communities for the ten days of the festival. Small and large figurines of various degrees of ornateness are created by artisans in the form of paintings and sculptures. The festival begins with an elaborate welcome to Ganesha by the celebrating communities, which is appropriate as he is considered to be the “chief of community groups”.

The popularity of Ganesha’s festival is perhaps because of his status as a “remover of obstacles”. His assistance is deemed particularly useful when embarking on new beginnings or during significant life-events. One distinguishing characteristic of Ganesha is his propensity towards a lightness of spirit, an attitude of playfulness and airiness. The proof of this propensity is that his vehicle of choice for his heavy physical frame is a mouse!

If you have read this far, and this is your first introduction to Ganesha, you are probably wondering – what does all of this have to do with (non-denominational) spirituality? I am glad you asked. Ganesha can be viewed as a representation, a metaphor for our intrinsic joy and lightness. His love for food (particularly, sweet stuff!) is a metaphor for adding sweetness to our lives at every opportunity. His elephant head and human body is a metaphor for the Oneness of all living beings.

Is it possible that by (re)establishing one or more of Ganesha’s qualities within us, that we may learn to make light of our own obstacles in life? When weighed down with our own struggles, do we often lose perspective and forget our heart’s intrinsic lightness? When anger turned to bitterness invades us, do we tend to forget our own inherent sweetness? When our own obstacles starve for our attention, do we tend to lose appetite for empathy towards the problems facing others?

The combination of Ganesha’s qualities of lightness of heart, love of sweetness and insatiable appetite for the offerings (of obstacles) made to him, are perhaps a prescription for us. A prescription to make light of our obstacles, and to help others make light of their own.

And then, like the revered figurines of Ganesha that are taken in grand procession and immersed in waters on the tenth and final day of the festival, we shall celebrate the letting go of, the immersion of our own (revered) obstacle(s) in the waters of lightness…

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. Join us Sunday, September 16 at 9amET / 630pm India for our weekly community gathering on twitter in #SpiritChat. I will bring the sweetness of questions. You can bring the lightness of answers. Namaste. (Wikipedia article about Ganesha’s Festival).

Bees at work – making light of obstacles!

From my home to yours – remover of obstacles…

On Sharing Fortitude

Tags

cultures, festivals, food, fortitude, resilience, sharing, spirituality, spring

No matter when we deem that spring has finally arrived for us, her message of resilience and fortitude is unmistakable in its definitiveness. The greening of the trees, the search for a temporary home by geese and mallard ducks, the industry of cardinals in building new nests… if one were to have been traveling when spring arrived back home, we would return to something akin to ‘magic’.

Perhaps the real ‘magic’ is in our being aware of, being attuned to the sharing of the message of fortitude by these messengers. They are like ‘radio stations’ transmitting their messages, while we may be tuned into our own (inner and outer) world (of noise). It may take great focus and attention on our part to try and decipher the ‘tricks’ and ‘sleight of hand’ of human magicians, but nature is fairly transparent by comparison.

One example of fortitude shared by nature is through the symbiotic relationships of many plants and animals. Where one is ‘weak’, it yields to the ‘strength’ of their symbiotic partner. Birds feasting on the ticks residing on the skin of cows is one example. The cows’ fortitude is increased by their willingness to partner with birds – the win-win of symbiosis.

Friday evening, thirty minutes before sunset, sipping my tea on the porch, I was reflecting on the fortitude of spring. She had shared much with me in a week where I was able to return to the forest and take two long walks. I was wondering about dinner, when I saw my neighbor from across the street walking my way with what looked like a small container of… could it be food?! Yes! Freshly made potato-filled balls deep fried in chick-pea flour. Aloo bonda. I offered him a chair and some tea in gratitude, but he said — I’m sorry, but I am fasting till sundown.

What followed was a fifteen minute conversation about fasting, building resilience in heart, body and mind, and much more. He had come to share Ramadan greetings through a sharing of good food! What I received was a deep appreciation for the sharing of his fortitude with me. As he was leaving, he said – there is much more food at my home – come on over.

Not today, I said. I will join you for a breaking of the fast on the evening when I observe a day of fasting with you… we will share some fortitude, and break fast together.

Kumud

Join us for #spiritchat on Twitter – Sunday, May 20th at 9amET. Share your #fortitude stories with us. Namaste!