by Michael Mamas | Monday, March 28, 2016 | The Veda |
I love animals. My relationship with them is admittedly not typical, but my appreciation of them is deep and seems to deepen more and more over the years. Their place in creation is woven into the very fabric of transcendental existence, the depth of the Veda. Elephants, horses, tigers, lions, cows, etc… they all have a role, a component (are operators) in the mechanics of existence at that most fundamental level. Elephants are pure tamas. Horses, rajas. Cows, sattva. Tama (steady, dark, solid), rajas (active), and sattva (pure) being the three gunas or attributes that permeate all existence.
Though the logistics and legalities are evidently prohibitive, I have for some time thought it would be great to have a park with elephants here at Mount Soma. This video illustrates the notion.
Pure Consciousness is pure Is-ness. It is the ‘stuff’ this world of relative existence is made from.
Consciousness interacts with itself, views itself as other over and over again as the crystalline nature of existence unfolds. That is embodied by Yantras. There are an infinite number of identifiable patterns in the crystalline structure. As ones awareness becomes free, all the patterns become lively, accessible, integrated and harmonized within the awareness. The time comes when it all crystalizes within ones awareness. It all comes together. It all unifies. One awakens to the big picture, the underlying basis which is Pure Consciousness. All the parts are experienced in perfect union, wholeness, integrations, coherence.
That is what is meant by “Before you become enlightened, you must experience everything.”
Perhaps nothing gauges people’s ability to discern as much as a look at what they believe. Discernment reflects, ponders, contemplates, examines, and re-evaluates based upon what makes sense, what is logical, what feels right, any new information, and what feels to be a balanced, unbiased, emotionally settled, and wise perspective. Discernment looks beyond indoctrination and conditioning, beyond the superficial emotional reactions to the depth of ones soul. Discernment integrates the surface of life with that depth.
As a youth, I needed a better reason to believe in God than simply because my family and friends did. At first glance that may sound terrible, but it formed the basis for reflection which led to an understanding and relationship with life that I could believe in with all my heart, mind, and soul. Understanding is revealed to the self, by the self, and through the self. That is done through wise questioning, not imposition and indoctrination. If parents’ understanding is clear and on a firm foundation, they can confidently give their children the assistance and guidance to find wise understanding within themselves, as opposed to imposing ideas upon them. The point is that solid belief is based upon deep understanding, not programming.
If a parent is ill equipped to provide and assist in that process, then they often resort to programming as the only option. Today we see a rebellion among young people against religion for that reason. What was imposed upon them did not come from deep within them. Yet rebellion is unwise unless it includes and is followed with respectful, wise, humble, and deep reflection. Not being willing to question your beliefs often comes from fear of what may be found. That is no way to live life.
A wise young man came to me this summer. As a science major in college, he said that he wanted to believe the spirituality of his family, but it just did not make sense to him. I respected him for that and offered what I could to help him evaluate. Spirituality does make sense, but only if one is willing take the time to make sense of it. Any superstition or confusion is thereby removed.
What people believe often tends to be what they hear first. This is true ranging from spirituality to politics, to the latest theories in any and every field, to the latest rumor. We do well to look far beyond that sort of relationship with life.
Knee jerk reactions do not serve anyone well. Beliefs and convictions that are well thought out have a firm foundation. The best teachers teach people how to think, not what to think. How to think means how to discern for ones self. The best students take time to think wisely, deeply, and with discernment. We are all students.
Monday night was Mahashivarathri, March 7, 2016—the most auspicious day of the year for Lord Shiva. Admittedly, I am a bit of a hermit, so my plans were to spend the night at home in private meditation. According to the Jyotish, the Muhurtha (most auspicious time) was between midnight and 1:00 a.m. So I got to bed early in order to be meditating then. During that time, the feeling in the room was palpable. The meditation was deep.
Then suddenly, like a flash, I was compelled to jump up out of meditation, quickly wrap a shawl around me, grab the temple key, and immediately rush down to the temple. Paying little attention to the time, I thought that perhaps the temple would be empty. I couldn’t have been more incorrect—the temple was packed. I walked in to find that my timing couldn’t have been more perfect for the temple visit… Aarathi was about to begin.
Still in my half-meditative state, while happy to see so many familiar faces, I enjoyed the incredibly powerful atmosphere in the temple. Telling the group of how I was pulled out of meditation to come rushing to the temple, I said it felt like Pandit Prasad had called me. He lit up and smiled and said, “Yes, only moments ago, I was thinking that you should be here.” Still, I was happy to return to my meditation at home. As I look back, my visit to the temple seems more like a dream than physical reality.
The whole day was exquisite, starting with Rudrabhishekam in the morning, then hearing the chants, conversation, and laughter as it echoed through Mount Soma all the way to my home. It was a magnificent, powerful, fulfilling, and heart-warming day throughout.
My daughter is helping me create a television series about Vedic Knowledge. I am giving her an “entrance exam” in order to join the television staff. Some of the test questions:
Give 5 names for the one thing out of which all things emerged. Give at least one Western scientific name. Explain.
What is Rishi, Devata, and Chhandas? Explain.
What is the Veda? Explain.
What is the difference between Vedic and Hindu? Explain.
What does “Knowledge is structured in Consciousness” mean? Explain.
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"This blog helps bring the reader to a level of understanding that few are willing to take the time to comprehend. It is extremely important to be very attentive to the subtle difference between what you have learned in the past and what is being said here, and not allow things to get blurred. Vedic Knowledge is a profoundly beautiful topic – my life is one of dedication to pure Knowledge." – Michael Mamas
Pure Consciousness is pure Is-ness. It is the ‘stuff’ this world of relative existence is made from.
Perhaps nothing gauges people’s ability to discern as much as a look at what they believe. Discernment reflects, ponders, contemplates, examines, and re-evaluates based upon what makes sense, what is logical, what feels right, any new information, and what feels to be a balanced, unbiased, emotionally settled, and wise perspective. Discernment looks beyond indoctrination and conditioning, beyond the superficial emotional reactions to the depth of ones soul. Discernment integrates the surface of life with that depth.
