In my last post, I promised this one to be short and sweet.

I have had many experiences since coming to Ananda that I would describe as sweet. But the sweetness I’m feeling lately is the awareness that the outward complexity of the spiritual path is an illusion. All the seeming separate pieces of life are melting together and becoming one flow – with one purpose: Self-Realization.

Jyotish and Devi, Spiritual Directors of Ananda Worldwide, gave a class during Spiritual Renewal Week. Jyotish described the change from Kali Yuga or material consciousness, to Dwapara Yuga or energy consciousness, as being a bit like separate chunks of hard ice warming up and melting into one flow of water. The hard separate reality of each piece becomes connected to all the other pieces when energy is applied. We are in an age where we can see that fixed forms are falling away and it is becoming more difficult to see the world in separate pieces.

I realized that this is so in my daily life as well. It feels like the old thinking of “this is this, that is that, and never the two shall meet”, is melting away. What used to be separate roles (mom, minister, wife, friend, etc) have become one: channel for light. What used to be separate spiritual practices (meditation, energization, asanas, chanting, etc) have become just different ways to do the same thing: focus energy and expand awareness.

When everything becomes one flow, it becomes easier to know what to do. Each situation does not require a different answer, because it is all about the same thing. I have found that when I get emotional, or “stuck”, it is because I’m seeing that circumstance as separate from all others. Now I ask, “Is this really so different from everything else?”

This week my son was hurt in an accident and required surgery. He is now recovering and will probably suffer no permanent damage. It was a challenging situation for all of us, and I was a bit surprised that the mom role I play didn’t become emotional and overly anxious. It is clearly because every step along the way I thought, “How is this different? Doesn’t this circumstance require the same from me as all others?” The answer: Be a channel, focus energy, expand awareness.

Short and sweet.

In joyful friendship,
Lorna

6 Comments

  1. Beautiful. I too am seeing this.

    I very much enjoy your posts.

    Joy!
    Krishnapriya

  2. Dear Lorna. Thank you for your short, sweet, clarity and joy. I too enjoyed, greatly, Jyotish’s comments and the metaphor of the ice melting. This weekend in Los Angeles, which included shifting from what I wanted to happen (Swami shows for the Tea and everything flows as planned) moved to Divine Mother will take care of the details, my joy is to show up, be awake, ready and joyful. It works. Many blessings, dear soul. Joy, Steve

  3. beautiful insight, do we call this advaita? your article is so clear and wonderful!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *