The Future
If we have a look into the future, we see endless challenges. In the fields of health, politics, population and the environment; in every field, we notice that there are big challenges. Are there answers to all these challenges?
Einstein once famously quoted 'No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.' Here is an attempt to grasp that higher consciousness. That is precisely the purpose of spirituality. We shall also see that spirituality and the higher consciousness is not the treasure of just a few, but is something that should help us all in our everyday life.
Understanding Spirituality
Just as a map helps us get an orientation of ourselves in the world, so too lets start seeing our orientation with a much bigger map.
Let us play with an image. For that, we need to see the entire physical world in a box. Imagine that everything that we see and can touch is within that box. This includes the town we live in, the body, the role, the past and the future; it is all in this box.
Simple observation shows us that everything within the box is subject to a constant change. It is different moment to moment. Even the planet Earth is moving through space at a speed of around 30 kilometers per second. 'Change' is a law at that level.
Secondly, with the change comes an 'end'. Everything that you see in front of you is going to end sometime. ‘Beginning and end’ is a law. For example, you go into the garden and see some beautiful flowers there. After two weeks, you go into that same garden and there will be flowers, but these are different flowers. The flowers that you saw, two weeks earlier are dead and gone. The same is true with everything else in that box. If you revisit this planet after some years, or after some centuries, there will be trees, humans, buildings, etc. but, it will be different trees, humans and buildings.
The image of a cloud helps us to grasp the transience of the box more clearly. A cloud has a certain colour and shape. Very soon it will change its colour, shape and position, in fact is it is disappearing right in front of your eyes. It is the same pattern for things within the box. They are changing and going to disappear right front of your eyes.
Thirdly, this change and the end is 'unpredictable'. No one can guess what is going to happen to anything, anyone, or to the very existence of the box in the next moment. So the three relevant words for us in connection with that box are; change, end and its unpredictability.
In such an unpredictable box, if anyone was to create even the slightest attachment, the result will be guaranteed sorrow. If that cloud is going away in front of you, and you start to believe that this is 'my cloud', then you sign up for all kinds of anxieties and disappointments. The same thing is true for everything in the box.
The other option that we have is to ‘be the observer’. Just like we have an option to remain, observers of the cloud. Clouds come and clouds go, one cloud disappears and another cloud comes; the detached observer doesn’t get into any emotional tangle over that cloud.
A Beautiful Mind
Imagine a person gets attached to the first cloud that he sees. What will be the result? Even when the cloud is right infront of him, he will experience anxiety of the possible future loss. In time there will be those feelings of disappointment when the cloud does disappear. What is happening in the mind of one who is non-attached? He appreciates that cloud whilst it is there. When that cloud disappears and other clouds come, he enjoys the other clouds. Another time, it is a clear sky and another time, there are many stars. He enjoys every formation in the sky. He remains free from anxieties and disappointments. He enjoys life. All that has happened is that he has remained free (non-attached). The same is true in connection with this box. We can call this mind a beautiful mind. We would be very wise, if we managed not to lose the experience of that beautiful mind during our journey through this physical world.
Attachments
How do we get trapped in that passing cloud? Creating 'Expectation' is the first attachment. We can create a whole range of expectations. That, that cloud should not change shape or colour or that it should not move. When we speak about expectations from a cloud, it appears very absurd, but we do create expectations within that box and as a result lose the freedom to be happy. We do create a whole range of expectation on people, objects, places and politicians!
The second level of attachment is when we believe that we can possess things; that is when we begin to use the word 'my' to the cloud. When we say that this part of the cloud is 'mine'. In this way, we come into another level of bondage within the box. One who considers himself a trustee in connection with the things in the box, is more free to be happy. He enjoys a richer inner life, as things come and go within the box. He knows of that beautiful mind.
When we get into attachment, we may think we are clever in owning more of the cloud, but we are only too clever by half. To lose that beautiful mind is a far greater loss.
Quality of Life
Optimist: 'Good Morning God'
Pessimist: 'Good God. Morning!'
For one person, the morning is a problem! The evening is also a problem. No one visiting him is a problem and friends visiting him is also a problem. He is busy in solving problems. The same life situations are opportunities for an optimist. For him, the morning is nice, the evening is nice, being alone is nice and being in a crowd is another kind of fun. He deals with life situations from a much richer inner life. Here, we are understanding the secret formula of first establishing a rich inner life.
When we take a small step of ‘non attachment' or 'letting go’ and raise ourselves a bit higher, we begin to enjoy both the inner life and the outer life. Internally we feel positive and happy, and this positive mind helps us see everything external in a positive way. The cloud is nice and change is nice. From beginning to end, everything is just right. A person is then enjoying their inner and outer life.
Feeling Secure
Detached observers experience 'a state of complete security'. The things in the box cannot make them insecure. There is a sense of feeling safe in spite of things changing and ending. When we get into any bondage within the box, any change will make us insecure. Subconsciously we know that everything is going to change. 'Insecurity distracts us' and takes us away from inner richness.
A sense of security is extremely important for every human being. In fact our whole life is geared around feeling secure. In confusion we create problems over nothing! We create attachments to what is obviously temporary and then cry out. Paradoxically, in order to address the initial insecurity, we create more attachments within that box!
In clarity, it is obvious that there are no answers in that insecure box and that nothing in it can be a support. It is not a means of true security. In clarity, we realise what the repercussions of attachments are. We realise that freedom is in itself an answer to attaining true security. We are secure inspite of the box, we see the box as an 'extra' experience.
When we are insecure it brings out the worst within us. When we are secure it brings out the best. Even with your cat and dog, they will experience their own worst when insecure. If you make them secure you bring out their best. If you make the dog insecure, he will come to bark and bite. Make him secure and he will come to play.
The same thing applies to human beings, nations and to ourselves! When we create attachments in that box, it is as if we bring out the worst from within ourselves, and this is a move away from the beautiful mind. When we are secure, when we see the world as an observer, it brings out the best from within us.
Meditation
In this mediation we see from the perspective of a detached observer
This observer can see the whole physical world objectively and with equanimity
The observer sees that things come and go just like a cloud in the sky
He doesn't create demands or expectations on the cloud
By being the observer he remains internally still and stable
Because he can’t own anything
He cant lose anything
there is no insecurity, no anxieties, no disappointments and no feelings of loss
So he remains internally full
This gives him the luxury of a rich inner life
He knows that the outer world is an extra experience
He knows that the outer world is an extra experience
He uses things there as a trustee
So he remains free
By being the observer he sees that the truth is good
Everything is good
Everyone is good
Always and forever
As he continues on his journey
The detached observer stays connected to that rich inner world.
The detached observer stays connected to that rich inner world.
Story: An experience with a little boy called Lloyd
This experience happened while at a friends house. The host brought out some toys so that the children who had come could play together. The next thing we noticed was that the little boy called Lloyd was lying on the grass and crying. Lloyd had liked one particular toy and realised that he couldn't take it home. It was a quick mental process of attachment and he realised that he was going to lose it, he wasn't going to be able to take it home with him. Lloyd spent rest of the evening crying until everyone had left.
He never got to play with the toy. He saw the toy, liked the toy, got attached and then lost it. All along, the toy was right in front of him. Are adults any different to Lloyd? It is only the 'toys' that are are different. When we create attachments to people, position or possessions, helplessly, we act and react like little Lloyd.
Imagine that Lloyd was very sensible. What would he do? He will of course play with the toy, he may even get other children to play with the toy. When there are no toys, he can play with sticks. When he goes home he will play with toys at home. Yet another time lets say, there are neither toys nor sticks, he will enjoy silence, enjoy being with his mother, enjoy the clouds, the sky and the trees. Sensible Lloyd will enjoy life.
The same thing is true for an adult. He finds himself enjoying the job today. Life changes and with that the job may change, its could be a smaller job; so he can enjoy that as a new experience. Another time it may be a volunteer job. An important job may come again. A sensible adult will enjoy life. Yet another time there may be no job. He will see it as another opportunity to explore his hobbies and learn new skills, now he has the time. He will enjoy the journey.