by Michael Mamas | Thursday, May 26, 2016 | Clarifying Confusion, The Veda |
I recently received a lovely email regarding the Vedas. The question came up regarding Truth and contradiction. The idea was that Truth is free of contradiction so any contradictions are non-Truths.
In a sense, this is certainly true. However, this is the world of paradox and contradictions. Paradox and contradiction finds resolution in the depth, not on the surface. In that sense then, Truth does not exist on the surface of life, but in the depth. All paradoxes and contradictions find resolution in the Transcendent, in the depth. Even within the Veda, this is of course addressed. The Shiva Puranas declare Shiva to be the highest of all the Gods. The Vishnu Puranas declare Vishnu to be the highest of all the Gods. On the surface that appears to be a contradiction. In fact, many see such ‘contradictions;’ permeating the Veda and reject it. Yet by looking more deeply within Vedic Knowledge, such apparent contradictions do exquisitely find their resolution.
The second idea in the email involved the idea that pictures of God vary from temple to temple and are therefore not correct since only one can be right. Of course, no picture of God or anything else is totally accurate, so that idea is correct. At the same time, all pictures of God point in a direction, toward the Formless, the Transcendental, the Divine and in that sense they can all be ‘correct’. Furthermore, the One God has many faces.
I humbly do very much appreciate such heartfelt and reflective emails and invite others.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Monday, May 16, 2016 | The Veda |
Letters on a white page are defined by the shape of the letters. They are also defined by the white surrounding the letters. Similarly, Smriti defines the Pureshea aspects of Vedic Knowledge. So it is reasonable to call all things Pureshea (Vedangas for example) Smriti. Or is it? Is the white background the letters? Or are the letters the letters?
The structure of the Veda is like a crystal. It is like a house of mirrors. Everything is seen in everything else. Does the reflection carry the meaning? Is the reflection more the mirror than the mirror is? Of course, we must not take the analogy of the mirror too far. However, it does, I believe give a feeling for the structure of existence. All aspects of existence are mirror images of one and other. Existence can be viewed as a magnificent crystal.
Smriti is fascinating.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Wednesday, May 11, 2016 | Spiritual Evolution |
Why is it so hard to believe that the source of sentient beings is sentient?
We do not have the technology to read people’s minds. Nor do we have the technology to read the minds of the personified correlates, the quantum fluctuations, and patterns at the source of existence.
The technology to do so is based upon refinement of human awareness. That level of life was attained by the ancient seers. Their cognitions stand as proof of their validity. If only they were studied and understood.
This knowledge is subtle. As subtle as the nature of life and existence, for that is what it is… nature. It slips through the fingers of superficial understandings.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Thursday, May 5, 2016 | Clarifying Confusion |
The relevant excerpt from a comment on my recent article “Can You Really Find Your True Soulmate?” read:
“Finding connection by being skeptical and critical of other teachings, meditation techniques, and religious practices will only get us so far in building true faith and trust in others and connections with other conscious spiritual leaders.”
To which I respond:
No student who gave wrong answers on a math test would tell their teacher, “Let’s just agree to disagree.” Some things are valid and other things just aren’t. Spirituality is no exception. It’s not a no-holds barred, anything goes, let’s agree to disagree subject. Admittedly, spirituality is a very subtle topic. Different religions approach it from different angles and we certainly need to respect that. However, fundamental principles do exist and need to be respected and understood. In fact the reason so many people reject spirituality today is because it doesn’t make sense, simply because those fundamental principles are superseded by superstition and erroneous thinking.
Adi Shankara, a great saint from India, said that the spiritual path is the path of discernment. It is described as the path of Neti, Neti, Neti (not that, not that, not that). Discernment is not about being “skeptical and critical.” Discernment is about taking a deep, wise, and rational approach. In so doing, we separate the wheat from the chaff. In so doing, the light of Knowledge is no longer obscured by a garb of mysticism.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Saturday, April 30, 2016 | The Veda |
Some yogis perform yagya merely by worshipping the gods,
others by offering the yagya itself into the fire that is Brahman.
_______
This is not a deliberate act… it is the natural result of a level of consciousness… ‘offering…into the fire’ is figurative. In the state of enlightenment, everything is ‘offered into the fire’… every thought, every act, every moment.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
