Self-Knowledge and Self-Realization

THE ONLY ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE IS DEATH; SHORT OF DEATH WE MUST BE OPEN TO AN INFINTE RANGE OF INNER PATHS AND EXPERIENCES.

The range of human experience, both inner and outer, is quite broad and includes many levels and states of Consciousness. When one runs into a new area of one's heretofore unknown experience, the experience or state can be engrossing, and may last long enough to write books about it.

Here I am talking about the Void, emptiness, bliss, overwhelming love, the sense of presence, Self, personal self, the light of Consciousness, joy, sadness, grief, sahaj samadhi, waking, sleep, dream, Turiya, Witness.

Although theoretically the Witness precedes all other experiences as the subject, and the Turiya state of Consciousness underlies all other states of Consciousness, what we as humans are aware of is just one small spectrum of the entirety being in the foreground.

Then as naturally as waking up from sleep, or going from dream to deep sleep, the state we are in as our primary state can change in seconds.

Our being deeply rooted in Christ Consciousness, bliss, surrender, alternative worlds, depression, joy---all can disappear in a few heartbeats as we move elsewhere.

Some "advanced" souls can stay in one state more or less permanently through specific spiritual practices, in fact, they have reached a dead end through their efforts and attachment to these states, and lose their humanity, their vulnerability, their openness to change and loss. They cannot grow much.

From my point of view there is no final  state, and real advancement is an ability to move between and among various states, awakenings, levels of Consciousness, and experiences with complete openness, acceptance, and loving anticipation for what comes next.  When one door closes, it leaves an opportunity for another door to open: a new love, a new movement of Shakti, acquiring a deeper acceptance of the totality of who and what we are as we live the experience of each awakening for a time, integrate it into who we are, then more on, perhaps to even create and teach an entirely new “path.”

I know Robert said there are no new paths, but that was only his opinion after exploring Eastern teachings and teachers in India for 17 years; but Robert knew nothing of depth psychology, object relations psychology, Christian mysticism or Sufi teachings, practices, or teachers.

I would amend Robert’s opinion to “New paths are constantly opening as times, cultures, and human experience accumulates and matures.”  Besides new paths, someone who has attained some deep experiences and understandings, for example, by following the Nath experience of Nisargadatta, can then be open to an entirely new path, such as of awakening Kundalini of Kashmir Shaivism, or focus more deeply on the Emptiness teachings of Buddhism, becoming a Bhakti and following a path of love, because one has left emptiness behind and accepts his or her human condition, and focuses on love and surrender.

The universe of potential inner experiences open to every human being is infinite, just as there is an infinite range of human experiences available for the taking in the external world, experiences that range from human love, being an explorer, wife or husband, athlete, auto mechanic, home-owner, economist, academic, psychologist, tax collector, artist, writer, politician. No one person can be all of these things at the same time or even in succession. At most one may have a dozen or so careers even though one’s interests may extend to many dozen areas.

In no way am I suggesting that the search for truth, for love, for God, for Self, for bliss, for emptiness is futile; just the opposite.  I am saying the search itself is intrinsic to a constant opening and acceptance of one’s Self in its infinite nature and multilevels.  It is just that the Self is so large, multifaceted, hidden and exposed, filled with a very wide range of emotions and moods, memories, good and bad.  But the experience of the divine within is life enhancing and life-changing, as is the experience of no-self unity Consciousness, endless bliss of Christ Consciousness (Turiya—Atman), the Void, joy, the sense of Presence or energy body and finding an ability to heal one’s own self, psychologically and physically, as well as others.  All these things and states are gifts of sentience, of being alive, even pain, grief, and loss.  Robert used to say that life gets interesting when you get old—so true!