“You are not the body, you are not the body, you are not the body.” For the past three years this has been my mantra. How can I be a mere body when I am Brahman, the A
bsolute? Well, this weekend I decided to try an affirmation that’s a little bit different and a little more direct. Every time I travel away from the Ashram I always do something extra special to ensure I am reminded of Gurudev’s teachings.
This past Memorial day weekend I took a three and a half hour road trip to visit my family. While I was away my mantra for that weekend was, “You are Enlightened.”
Coincidentally I asked Gurudev if I should assert to myself “I am Enlightened” even though I clearly feel I am not. He said emphatically, “Yes, you should always trick yourself into thinking your Enlightened,” and then let out a huge chuckle. For those of you who don’t know, Gurudev is all about teaching through humor.
He told me that Enlightenment is a revelation and not the result of any action, and that in the beginning it may sound like you are telling yourself a lie, but do it anyway. This is because each of us are ever realized; we simply have to clear the path through purification of the mind and then “poof” we remember we are all-enlightened beings. In this way he always instructs me to behave as though I’m Realized.
So I this weekend I decided I was going to think before I speak and act (I know it really is a lost art) and ask myself “What would an Enlightened person do…rather what would Gurudev do?
What came next was quite amazing! Before speaking and taking action I actually began to put this into practice. I was more conscientious and would question if I acted or spoke in a certain way if I be hurting or helping those involved. I also kept note of my level of detachment and the emotions that arose as I experienced different events. This may seem pretty simple to all of you, but it was really an awakening weekend for me as I was immersed in seemingly “worldly” events such as weddings, parties, family get-togethers, shopping, being lazy, etc. Throughout each of these I still always held the thought in mind, “No matter where I am or what activity I am involved in, I am the Atman, I am the Self.” And though this little activity did not “Liberate” me, it felt extremely liberating!
I found this experience worth mentioning because it is so easy to maintain balance when your environment supports it. For the last three years of my life I have been in an Ashram, and my lifestyle has supported my evolution. Now it’s not to say an Ashram doesn’t have it’s own “world within a world,” but when I get into the so-called “real world,” that is where my exams begin. If I cannot marry the principles of Vedanta Philosophy to my practical reality then it becomes mere bookish intellectualism.
So what special tricks do you practice? Share them with the Aspire to You Community and let’s all support each other in our journey!
Love,
Priyanka
“No matter where I am or what activity I am involved in,
I am the Atman, I am the Self.”