Apr 25, 2022, 10:15
IST
A
Slow And Steady Ascent Of Spiritual Awakening
Editorial by Jayant
B Dave
Just as a
little baby slowly grows into an educated and cultured being, religious or
spiritual consciousness too evolves gradually, starting from inanimate objects
in nature. Religion and spirituality focus on the substratum of every object or
being. Spirituality is that condition of consciousness which focuses on the
spirit of things, rather than forms or bodies of things, says Swami
Krishnananda.
Matter is the lowest rung of the evolutionary ladder in nature, and it is
characterised by a total absence of perceptible consciousness. All-pervading
consciousness is present here but in a dormant form due to the absence of the
mind, subtle body, principle required for its manifestation. Matter though
inert reacts and transforms as per its inherent characteristics due to the
chit, latent consciousness, present therein.
Matter effloresces into microbial and plant kingdom consciousness. Life is
pulsating here, but there is a complete absence of thoughts, instincts, and
self-consciousness. Here we find dream-type intermediate consciousness.
The animal kingdom is the next stage of evolution, where we find thoughts and
instincts due to the mind principle that helps manifestation of consciousness.
But instinct is about living in the present without regard to the past or
future, due to the absence of logic or reasoning attributable to intellect.
Consciousness does not manifest as self-consciousness.
The topmost rung of the evolutionary ladder is the human being, characterised
by a well-defined mind and intellect that distinguishes pros and cons and
correlates past, present and future. Consciousness manifests here as
self-consciousness, which means ‘I know that I Know’. The human being is at the
highest stage of evolution that nature has reached in the world.
Religious consciousness is quite different from this natural evolution. It
starts from human status. There is a universality behind it due to the
perception of Atman, pure Self, beholding all things in terms of pure Self
existing in all.
Religious or spiritual consciousness is usually absent in humans, because
self-consciousness is blended with ego and reason, due to attachment with the
gross and subtle bodies. Hence, there is difficulty in arousing religious
consciousness that aims at the integration of all existence.
Religious consciousness is one degree of God consciousness. The lesser the
connection we feel between ourselves and another, the lesser we are religious
or spiritual. Total independence or non-connection with objects outside is
opposite to religious consciousness.
Friendliness is a good quality, but it is only an ethical manifestation, to be
one with the existence and characteristics of an object. We impose
characteristics of inner uniformity outwardly with the code of law,
regulations, and rules. This is just the foundation. Once this psychological
affirmation of innate unity is clear, we have to put this into practice in our
daily life.
Yog is a way that enables us to gradually transform our physical, mental, and
psychological consciousness into religious or spiritual consciousness.
Religious consciousness is a gradual blossoming of the longing for perfection.
One need not reject the body, society, or the world but transcend these
relative manifestations to merge into the ocean of satchidanand, one and
non-dual reality.
(The
writer is president, Divine Life Society, Vadodara)
April 25 is Swami Krishnananda’s birth anniversary
No comments:
Post a Comment