Happy June!

Why are we so full of sadness, pettiness, hate, confusion, regret, guilt, doubt, fear, greed, lust, jealousy, and depression (you get the point)?

We have forgotten that we are an aspect of the divine and created in the image of God, as are all other beings. We have become identified with transient emotions and the fleeting world. As a result of this misidentification, our allegiance is to the creation and not the Creator. 

When I lived in Asia, one of the things that struck me was that you never needed to use your headlights while driving, no matter the time of the day. Why? Because of the light pollution. This light pollution that makes headlights futile (although legally, you are still required to turn them on) prevents one from seeing the star-lit sky at night. The light pollution does not mean the stars are not there; it just renders it impossible to see them. Our spiritual vision has become polluted with negativity, doubt, confusion, fear, attachment, and aversion and these pollutants render it impossible to know the divinity of ourselves and others. We no longer recognize that we and all others are luminous souls and not the labels we identify with or place on others. In layman's terms, we have become so stubbornly identified with our small self that we cannot see the brilliance in ourselves or others. 

In reality, our soul (Atman) or God is our true nature, and the Atman is indeed an aspect of God. Because we have so much pollution in our hearts and minds, we cling to our temporary identities as though that is who we are. We hold tightly to the belief that we are man, woman, black, white, human, animal, rich, poor, educated, not educated, mother, father, brother, or sister. These costumes or temporary jobs become the main driving force of identification, and these identifications become the driving force for all our actions and behaviors. These costumes create chasms of separation and misery as each outfit brings layers of attachments and aversions. We no longer remember that all beings are manifested in the image of God as God is omnipresent. The soul is none of these human concepts.

The soul is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Sat can be loosely expressed as an eternal truth, Chit infinite consciousness, and Ananda the ever-new bliss. If we desire to understand who we are and who others are, we must let go of all we think we are. To obtain this wisdom requires sustained effort over many lifetimes.

Unfortunately, we have become lazy, and the spiritual journey is not for those that are lazy or weak. We say things that we don't honestly believe or understand, making us more irresolute and debilitated until we are so far deep into the pit of pollution that it becomes harder and harder to see or recognize the truth. We fall prey to either believing that we are victims or we create delusions of grandeur to avoid seeking the truth. Either way, it separates us from the ultimate reality, Satchidananda. Both are slippery slopes that lead to depression, anger, fear, constant pleasure-seeking, sadness, contempt, separation, and disgust.

We are not victims, nor are we God. We are Divine, and we will eventually become one with the One, but until then, we must stay diligent in our efforts and not let the pollution that distorts our hearts and vision prevent us from seeking and seeing the brightest star and much more than that, God. Remember, one tree does not make a forest, one wave does not make an ocean, one flower does not make a bouquet, one cloud does not make the sky, and one planet does not make a galaxy. Eventually, we will merge with other trees, waves, flowers, clouds, and planets, and at that moment, we have returned to the abode from which we came and long to return.

Let us be assiduous in our efforts and consistent in our love for God. This love translates as love for ourselves and all others. 

In Loving Service,

Ranjani