Being Versus Becoming: Experiencing Awareness Beyond the Relative Mind

D.C.

Introduction

THIS is my first book and I confess that I am not an erudite scholar and a forceful writer, but it is a deep-seated aspiration that has led me to share some of my thoughts, and hence the materialisation of this offering – which is my gift to all. It is with this intention and purpose that I bring out this book with the hope that it will help to develop an indomitable faith, trust and willpower that is a sine qua non for experiencing the presence in the life of every human being using the most powerful tool we possess – the Pristine Power of Thought. Thus the book delves into two important themes, the ‘Bliss of Being’, and the ‘Burden of Becoming’, which respectively focus on the two most important themes, the Ego and the Self. The former embraces the mind as matter and the thoughts in it (i.e. ‘becoming’ refers to our desires and attachment to the past or to be bound to an identity – a personal becoming through time or that which prompts the act of ‘doer-ship’). Of course, ‘becoming’ is often used as a path towards infinite potential and although there is nothing wrong with this notion at all, how we seek our fulfilment is the central issue that will make all the difference lest we fall under their domination. The latter primarily focuses on the Present Now, which denotes the Being or Spirit arising from the region of the body called the heart, and that which constitutes Love. This ‘Being’ is not to be confused with the common word ‘being’, as used in ‘being enslaved by thoughts’.

This offering, which is centred around Sanatan Dharma (the ‘Eternal Law’), is a collection of some of the fruits that grow in the garden of Creation – it is a bowl of thoughts to inspire, guide and sustain us, as we embark to seek and cultivate our mind-body-sense complex, removing the pips of non-constructive thoughts, leading us to our divine roots and filling our lives with absolute well-being, Here and Now!

This book does not claim anything novel, or anything that might have been left unexplored. There is absolutely no secret anywhere within its pages that is uniquely out-of-this-world, in the conventional sense of the word.

But, yes, it does invite you to take a relaxing stroll through its garden – stopping, assimilating and from time-to-time lingering at something profound that does touch your soul, or perhaps something, that does catch your eye. Revisit at different moments the gentle call of your inner voice, embracing the vitality of The Eternal Presence, which unfurls spontaneously, absorbing its subtle essence into you, always.

Life comes with its stresses. During such times, more often than not, to abate our ruffled minds we seek the assistance of books, seminars, conventions etc., in the hope that we find answers to life’s innumerable problems. However the magic happens only when we consciously adopt values and seek to live by them, sincerely. Values are irrelevant if we keep them locked away in the deepest recesses of our mind waiting for better days. Rest assured, it is no crime to fall, struggle and stumble through life’s journey. It is definitely undesirable, however, to refuse facing challenges, and to be unwilling to rise again and proceed towards the Goal!

Since time immemorial, all human endeavour has enabled us to see that the quest for ultimate happiness through knowledge has been the common goal for an understanding of the human experience. Mankind has constantly engaged in acquiring and possessing the things of the world, and the flickers of joy experienced as a result are often accompanied by sorrow. Of all the life forms that exist, it is only the human form that can tap into its faculty of intelligence. This enables one to exert control and regulation over one’s reactions to events, thereby potentially averting adverse outcomes.

This can only come about through the process of harnessing the power of thought in the Eternal Present. Although this immense treasure trove lies dormant in each one of us, we are unaware of it. It is the purpose of this book to unfurl the majesty of the subtle energies or vibrations called thoughts, and to disseminate the science of using the power of thoughts, for self-advancement. This only happens in the present moment called ‘The Eternal Present’ or the ‘Now’ through BE-ing. The offering revolves around two of the most fascinating subjects – thought and awareness. Although both these terms differ in contextual meaning (as you will begin to appreciate), paradoxically, both seem to complement each other through the oneness of their apparent dual nature.

The book delves into the intricacies of thoughts and reveals their mysterious nature, and at the very same time it uncovers the process of the manifestation of these powerful and pristine thoughts in the ‘Now’, which is all there is, since the past and the future are only experienced in the present. Vedanta, (a complete knowledge of the Vedas) says that our destination is not really any place, but staying focused in the present is the ONLY means to attaining the ultimate Truth. Swami Vivekananda says that Time is but the method of our thinking, but we are the eternal present tense.

So, what exactly is thought? Man has sought to answer this through various means for aeons, and one very important revelation that our ancients discovered is that thoughts are ever dynamic and incessantly changing energy forms, e.g. in content, clarity and intensity. Thoughts are divisive and the only means to achieving total freedom is through absolute and one-pointed attention where the entire concept of division simply fades away.

Thoughts, therefore, are responsible for our decisions and actions, and when we use the right thoughts, through proper attention, we can overcome negative or harmful suggestions. The dynamic nature of thoughts implies that they also arise out of three equally dynamically shifting intrinsic qualities – memory, knowledge and experience.

Thus our deepest identity propagated via a thought wave is the feeling of ‘I AM’ and it is this very ‘sense of ‘Is-ness’ or BEING, to which we are aware, represents the unchanging ‘I AM’. This is the total stillness, described as Absolute Consciousness, Eternity or the Eternal Present. Irrespective of the branch of enquiry one begins from, the seeker will ultimately arrive at a point of convergence where the enquiry terminates into the final question, WHO AM I? At this point the seeker may succeed in getting some understanding of one’s true nature; that is, one’s spiritual nature. If this becomes clear, then the seeker goes back to find out what one originally was (and always been), before self-consciousness arose; in other words, the seeker is the sought (from the self to the Self!) When one sets out on a journey, it is in the hope that one reaches the destination safely. But the wonder within the pages of this book is that, when you reach the destination you find that you had never really travelled – it is a journey from self to the Self – a journey without journeying!

The way to this truth is certainly not by intellectualisation of the contents of the world, which is not real! The fact is that the feelings of scepticism, cynicism, indoctrination, beliefs or superstitions, and opinions arise via the consciousness and they do not preclude the existence of Truth or Absolute Awareness. (Consciousness is a reflection of Awareness.) In order to search for the Truth, one should not make the mistake of looking for it as something with an independent existence, outside the frameworks of ‘Being’ versus ‘Becoming’! Throughout life, we have lived in this great ocean of existence, and during its passage we have enjoyed life and what it had to offer. Yet, somewhere along our journey, something – perhaps a feeling embedded deep within our psyche – surfaces, making us all the more restless. We are overcome with a sense of arcane knowing that although we all go through the experience of life, there is something that somehow keeps us from discovering a ‘place’ that holds the answer to the very essence of our Being – a feeling that is so Real, yet one that we have consistently ‘pushed’ away and ignored. We have a purpose, and this offering explores this ‘feeling’ allowing us to fulfil a PURPOSE that has been calling us since the beginning of creation.

That which you are searching for is not a thing or object external to you, but something within. Thus it is self-explanatory – ‘to discern the truth, is to turn within’. What this means is that you seek the original SUBJECT and not objects! In this book, you will not only learn the origin of thoughts and the science behind the potential power of thoughts but you will also begin to fathom the universal principles that govern thoughts as powerful vibrations, so that you can achieve your goals effectively by applying the knowledge of Being Versus Becoming in acquiring what many would regard as impossible! The Eternal Present represents the Higher Self and in the ancient scriptures it is described as the abode of God. All living entities have an imperishable ‘physical form’, which is a potential manifestation of the Absolute Eternal God. Eternity or the Eternal Present is now, and it should not be confused with an infinitely long period of historical time (past, present or future). It is a state where linear time (or causality) is experientially transcended and ceases to exist.

To know what you are, you must first investigate and know what you are not. You perceive that you are the body, mind, time, space and so on. This is all unreal and abstract – it is not concrete and certainly not the whole truth. The very act of perceiving shows that you are not what you perceive. That said, it becomes much easier to live in the Present (Now), because you will cease to be a fragmented object of all your collective thoughts and experiences, which means that you need to stop existing and start experiencing. Experiencing the Eternal Present through Empowering Thoughts is not about practising austere exercises that take you away from the reality of day-to-day life, but it is about being ‘Who You Are’ and ‘Being IT’ and doing it BETTER!

This book is an attempt to solve some of the mind’s most intricate and mysterious issues, which have their beginnings in the powerful vibrations, called THOUGHTS – which have their ‘seat’ in the deepest recesses of our minds. I wish to state that this book has no ‘secret’ at all. It unfolds meticulously things that have remained hidden from our awareness – the very things that have inevitably kept us bound, because (knowingly or unknowingly) we have failed to see and accept them due to our life experiences. Thoughts are immensely powerful and the Eternal Present knows no sorrow, bondage or suffering. The purpose of this offering is to help you inherit this hidden treasure of the Self through mindfulness – the self-realizing the Self!

Finally, I wish to draw your attention to what exactly prompted me to write this book in the first place. The seed concept of this offering goes way back in time, to be precise, ten years. I was compelled to tackle issues that had plagued me most of my life and as such I deeply wanted to present them in a way that not only makes this offering an enjoyable reading material but at the very same time, I wanted to reveal subtly but succinctly the immensity of confusion and conflict that had been raging within my mind and psyche throughout my early life and how it had affected my voyage until such time when I was finally able to accept issues comfortably without resistance. I must admit that it took a fairly long time for me to heal from the hurt – but I let go of the feeling of resentment through forgiveness, which lessened its grip, and helped fill my life with compassion.

With love,

Paresh

Hari Om

Chapter One:

The Science Behind the Power of Thoughts

THERE is abundant scientific proof that energy generated and subsequently conserved can be channelised, redirected and used most effectively in many diverse ways. This possibility is supported and substantiated by the law of conservation of energy that states: Energy is neither created nor destroyed, only rearranged.

There is good ground to ascertain one very important fact: that behind every energy form, including ‘thought’ power (which creates measurable energy), energy output is not dissipated, but, like wireless messages, gets broadcast in the ether or space, and travels forever without perishing. It is therefore feasible to state that the universal cosmos must contain the energy of every thought that has ever occurred. This is quite agreeable, since if we can just hold an image via thought-power in our mind, then, day-in and day-out, we are somehow constantly materialising it into physical reality in our life – and this is the irrefutable Law of Perpetual Transmutation. Perhaps we may even wish to call it the Law of Karma or cause and effect.

Not so long ago, it was believed that the mind was the Soul and the brain, the seat. However, this philosophy is now considered obsolete, and modern scientific research conducted by eminent experts in the field is slowly tending towards the fundamental unity of creation. For instance, as mentioned in the Svetasvatara Upanishad, in one of the principal Vedantic texts, Kapila, the author of Samkyha (‘a definite number’) philosophy, pointed out eloquently that the mind is not Spirit or Self. He was of the opinion that it was just as material as the living human body. In fact, the Samkyha philosophy attributes the evolution of the mind from the ‘material’ Nature (Prakriti), distinct from its non-material counterpart, the Spiritual Eternal Self or the Purusha. Such findings are truly beyond imagination! Yet these truths resonate with current research and discovery in Quantum Physics and Mechanics, making the ‘subject’ matter of Consciousness all the more authentic and at the very same time mystifying! The ancient texts reveal that the mind is only an instrument, having no true reality, existence or Being, since it is never Present. However, it is busy in its movement of seeking and trying to ‘Be’ and ‘Become!’

* * *

A human being is not just a limited set of biological processes. Our ancient Seers (Rishis) did not regard the mind as merely a function of the brain. They discovered through direct experience of the highest order that the physical body is nothing but a crystallisation of the deep-seated mental predispositions accumulated through the continuum called ‘life’, or ‘creation’. This beautiful insight percolates well with current understanding that the mind is indeed a reflection of the body (with all its impressions), which we access through the sense organs. In other words, the mind-body-sense complex is the manifestation of the Consciousness via Pure Awareness, through which creation comes forth. Rene Descartes, in his book The Principles of Philosophy, written in 1644, stated ‘Cogito ergo sum’, which translates as I am because I think, and I think because I am. This I am, can only be summed up as ‘Consciousness’.

Let us together analyse thoughts, to a better understanding of where they lead us and what they purport. Consider a few examples. My computer crashed today is a thought; I am angry at my friend is a thought; The weather is dismal today is a thought; I missed college today is a thought; I am really happy today is a thought. In fact there are innumerable such thoughts that we entertain every day. What can now be acknowledged is that thoughts are ever changing. Now the key question is, what is it that is exactly aware of these changes? Certainly a thought itself cannot be self-aware of changes. It follows that, besides the several different altering thoughts, there is a definite changeless Source, which we know as Consciousness. It can be said that a thought is therefore part and parcel of Consciousness.

Sage Kapila further pointed out that there can be no thought, feeling or will without a corresponding object. Drawing an analogy from grammar, just as a transitive verb cannot exist without an object, similarly so, the mind cannot exist without an object! Therefore, it can be inferred that mind relates to matter. Indeed it is also true to say that the mind has consciousness, since the Self permeates it!

Every thought wave that is created is birthed into existence through the world of matter, and creation proceeds through the process of Cause and Effect in the form of action and then results. Thus the entire process of creation begins within us, by us and through us, through powerful vibrations called thoughts! Every thought wave generated creates a ripple and depending on the nature of thought wave propagated and entertained, the result will be directly proportional to the ‘idea’ held behind our thought wave. Every situation that comes our way is of our own making, and it is the direct consequence of the way we project our thought(s). We may then ask, What then, are thoughts?

* * *

Let us together ponder awhile on this fascinating realm….

What are thoughts? How do they originate? What are they made of? What is the relationship of thoughts to who we are? These are a few of the countless intriguing questions that have challenged some of the greatest minds, through ages. For centuries mankind has resorted to, in all earnestness, to coming up with answers to these questions both from a scientific stance and from a religious point of view. Thoughts are powerful energies that stem from Consciousness, strongly rooted in the Eternal Present. This book is an attempt to unravel and understand the mystery of ‘Thought’, and to seek ways to harness this Power towards an improved quality of life.

The concept of the mind and thoughts (Vrittis) dates back to the Vedas (the earliest written scripts). It has been mentioned in the Vedas that the mind is envisaged to be a functional element of the Soul or Consciousness, and it is this very mind that takes on the role of doer-ship, when it gets entangled with the ‘niceties’ of the mundane world. This inevitably leads to problems – hence the rise of duality of good versus bad, which is nothing but the mind’s making. It is our state of mind and the disturbances that arise as thoughts within, that find their outlet through the sense organs, spilling out into a reservoir of the universal mind. This leads to confusion, conflict and keeps us mired to suffering. In order to understand the exact cause, nature and reason of conflict, confusion and suffering that persists, it becomes necessary to inquire into the origin, nature, quality and science behind the Power of thoughts.

From the mind is believed to arise a flow of thoughts, powerful energies. It is the very sequence of thoughts that also give rise to the element called ‘time’ or ‘space’. Swami Veda Bharati describes (in his speech given in South Barrington, Illinois, United States, 2006) the mind as follows: "In Samkyha philosophy, mind is the subtlest energy field produced by Prakriti (matter)." In other words, the mind is like the surface of a mirror onto which the consciousness of Atma (Spirit, Soul) reflects, and thereby activates the rest of our faculties. The question that needs to be understood here is, Is there thinking without the mind? The fact of the matter is that there is only One Source – the Eternal Consciousness. Therefore, it goes to say that the mind is not this primary Source.

Thoughts are not gross things, visible or tangible. They are immeasurable and beyond any scientific analysis or probing, since their existence does not comprise space, which ‘houses’ thoughts. The Vedantic view of the mind and thoughts within it is that mind precedes matter. Although science thus far has held that matter precedes mind (though Quantum Physics and Mechanics now welcomes the idea of interconnectedness where the observer and observed can no longer be said to be divided, but represent the Whole), the original concept held by science is now shifting with global awareness. The mind and the thoughts thereof are seen as constituting the ‘mind-body-sense’ complex.

The mind is indeed like a wireless machine – ethereal and luminous. A thought has no clear and distinct shape in the mind of the thinker, unless it is fixed in a word, and it is through speech that thoughts get conveyed via the act of thinking, feeling and willing. Our thoughts are observable, and are therefore ‘things’. The witnessing Consciousness is apart from the objects and conditions that observe it.

* * *

Sathguru Sri Rajalinga Swamigal explains beautifully the difference between the Witness and the mind:

The witness of the mind has to be different from the mind. The inner witness lives in the mind but is apart from the mind. The mind is the vehicle of the witness, and therefore it can’t also be the driver of the vehicle. The Self makes the mind think, but it can’t be known by the mind.

* * *

Although they belong to us, thoughts on their own have no power of conveyance. They are not who we are. Although thoughts continuously shift like clouds, what lies ‘underneath’ is the Pristine Hub of Awareness, where there is the ‘space’ of utter stillness and vastness. Similarly, the thought, or the mind, is not Awareness. It is the instrument through which the Self is empowered via Consciousness. One simple definition of ‘Thought’ could be: The expression of the composition of one’s cognition. This usually and normally takes place through spoken and written words. In short, a thought is always about something; never the thing itself. One must realise that the mind being subtle is, in a sense, integrated with the four components known as mind Manas, intellect Buddhi, ego Ahamakara and feeling or memory Chitta, respectively. Their elaborate functionalities are defined in the following chapters. Briefly, they constitute the ‘inner equipment’, also known as the Antahkarana. Thus, the amalgamation of these four components gives rise to what we call THOUGHTS.

Message

In essence thoughts can be defined as the essential determiner of human being and life thereof as far as the act of perceiving is concerned. Thus an object without a perception of the object is thought. Perception only takes place by the transmission of the vibrations that are felt by the external senseorgans, from the external to the internal organs, from the internal organs to the mind, from the mind to the Buddhi, from the Buddhi or intellect to the Atman or Soul (unification point).

The nature of the mind is atomic. It is called the internal organ. However, according to Vedanta, the mind is a subtle substance. It is neither atomic nor infinite in size, but it is said to be of medium size, which may be taken to mean that it pervades the body of the particular living being Jiva, to which it belongs. The mind of each Jiva is different, based on the inherent characteristics or Guna of the individual. The Upanishads (philosophical treatises) deal extensively with the subject matter of ‘the mind’. Thoughts within the framework of the mind appear as point-like in nature, as in the case of feelings and sensations that follow through. In much the same manner, thoughts pervade our entire field of perception. This happens intermittently, but it occurs in succession, giving us a sense of an entire field of awareness. A mobile nature of the mind would mean that the thoughts within it are equally volatile, and shift through space and time, almost like waves assuming the forms of the objects of perception. The entire idea of time and space is constructed through the movement of thoughts within the mind (which is impossible to still). It is therefore logical that without motion, the mind will cease to function. The projection of thoughts is not a continuum, but rather like a series of images in succession, rapidly moving on a slide projector. This creates the impression of continuous motion, despite its discreetly discontinuous nature. The mind and the thoughts within it take the form of the objects perceived. It is for this reason our ancients surmised that there was nothing more difficult to control than the mind and the thoughts within it! Sage Charaka states manasastu cinthyamarthah, which means The mind is what thinks; it is its very nature to think; its field of roaming about is what the senses feed it upon…

Based on the preceding understanding of thoughts being intermittent and torchlight-type projections, it becomes much easier to appreciate that thoughts have no solid place of location; whatever or wherever our minds are directed, our thoughts show up. It can be said that the very flow of thoughts seem to move with one’s awareness. Mind can be defined as ‘the instance of perception’, hence it is termed ‘singular’ or point-like. The mind with thoughts in it is often regarded as an instrument, a bit like a computer. The