Oh, I know at last the thief who has robbed me of the Atmic jewel of my Self. His name is Mind. Long and grievously I have suffered, I shall impale him with his own bright sword of thought.
I sat with a loved one in distress last evening and listened to her relay a very familiar story, one that many, many minds create, one that causes great stress and unease inside her. She relayed her misery over failed attempts of reaching that which she was grasping for from the outside world in hope that it would bring her peace. Without it, her mind was convincing her, she was doomed to a life without peace. I wanted so badly to tell her that her suffering was a wonderful thing. It could be a door that could bring her to true everlasting peace if she could only look at it that way. It could lead her away from listening to the mind. I wanted to tell her to stop her grasping because that is what was keeping her from that which she was seeking. I wanted to tell her to stop looking "out there" for her fulfillment. That everything she needed was already within her...and the peace that would fulfill her would only be found by stopping, slowing down, relaxing into what is and going inward as King Janak had done. As she spoke about her stress and how her mind just wouldn't stop becasue of all the things that were happening in her Life...I wanted to explain to her that it was her mind that was the problem not what Life was doing and that she could, she could master it. I wanted to tell her all this and though I may have slipped a few suggestions, a few pieces of this ancient and eternal wisdom into our conversation when it could apply, for the most part, I just bit my tongue and listened.
How do we teach this younger generation this truth so they can heal? I am still trying to figure that out.
In the Vasistha the story of a noble, kind and virtuous emperor by the name of King Janak is told. Inspired by sages meditating in his gardens King Janak turned away from his wealth and all the trappings of the outer world to meditate and through that he found his freedom and great wisdom.
The unrealities of me and you have dropped away, and I will never permit them to return. Victory is mine over the mighty adversary of mind, who despoiled me of Atmic wisdom[ awareness of the true Self], and pain has ceased its affliction. I have attained a life of sustained peace. Great wisdom has rolled back the ponderous door to freedom.
Can we teach our youth, heck...can we teach ourselves to go about or daily lives, our duties without longing for more, without being caught up in the past and future so they are fully embraced in the what is of now, so they are serene and peaceful regardless of what is happening in their lives? Wouldn't that be wonderful?
We just need to find a way through that resistance, that is apparent in so many of us, to a better and easier way of being.
As the warm sun in the sky, without volition[ will, effort or striving? ] or desire, causes the growth of seeds in the ground, so King Janak performed the duties, which arise daily without exaltation or longing. Giving heed neither to the past nor the future, productive as such cognition is of discontent, King Janak met them serenely, with an undivided heart and mind.
All is well.
Yoga Vasistha as translated by Rishi Sing Gherwal (2021) Kindle
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