Some people think that Vedanta is a theory which you learn and then can apply. Rather Vedanta is a VISION in which we can consciously abide. This vision is entirely different from the ways of seeing ourselves, others and the world which have been formed in us unconsciously because of past expereince. Any time we are unhappy in any way we are SEEING in a certain way. This way of seeing forms the basis of our unhappy experience and determines what thoughts we have. This way of seeing also determines the feelings that become active in us, our physiological reactions as well as the pressure to act in certain ways. In other words our way of seeing governs entirely the functioning of the mind/sense/body complex. Our normal way of seeing is entirely invisible to us. All we are aware of is having an experience which we take to be true. We are not aware that this experience is a way of seeing that exists in us and has been projected unknowingly from our minds to form of an experience we are facing. We can make all sorts of efforts to change our thinking or feelings or behavior but any modifications we make will be short lived. This is because the strong tendency of all our thoughts, feelings and behavior to conform to the WAY WE SEE. We have all been angry. From a Vedantic perspective this is a way of SEEING located in us and it is here that the problem exists. We are seeing someone as the cause of our anger and are blaming them for our pain. We see them as a right so and so. While we are seeing them this way can’t think kind thoughts about them even if we tried. Our feelings will be hostile because they too will conform to the way of seeing and we will also have the pressure to act in attacking ways. The interpretative machinery that forms the basis of our experience operates unconsciously. We don’t and can’t see it. All we are aware of is an experience THAT WE ARE TAKING TO BE TRUE. This experience then triggers thoughts, the feelings that push us to act out behavioral patterns that go along with these feelings. The point is the way we SEE which is organized around an “I” sense (e.g. I am angry) governs the functioning of the mind/sense/body complex and any effort to change our thinking; feelings and behavior in an effort to improve our experience will be futile. If we learn a theory that sounds good and then try to put it into practice this theory is not a new way of seeing it is rather our effort to enforce a new idea in order to change. Vedanta is not a theory which we learn and then try to apply. It is rather a vision (a way of seeing) that becomes active in us through listening to a traditional teacher of Vedanta who is trained in the method of unfoldment. This new vision then naturally transforms our experience of ourselves, other people and the world. There is no TRYING to see differently or any of that nonsense. When we are abiding in the Vedantic vision EVERYTHING is experienced in a better and different way. We no longer condemn ourselves, others and the world. We find ourselves gracefully accepting things which previously would have disturbed us. So to sum up Vedanta unfolds a Vision IN WHICH WE CAN ABIDE at any moment in our lives and when we do, our experience undergoes a radical change for the better. When we notice we are no longer abiding in it because we recognize we are unhappy in some way we can there and then shift back into the vision and be lifted out of the unhappy experience. Wonderful thing really. Vinita Lakshmy Ramachandran and I had a conversation about this last Sunday. If you would like to join us in this conversation please click on the following link. https://youtube/watch?v=COifjFzNkqo&list=PLWjpkY4mU2RAYbT_f0HnqIm48Kmhqydmp&index=1
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 16:17:59 +0000
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