Tuesday, February 20, 2018

All is Self



On a recent visit to Siddhaloka (ashram of P.P. Sri Swami Chetanananda Saraswati), we watched few videos of P.P. Sri Muktananda Baba. HE was using the phrase "Inner Self" (antaratma) while talking to HIS devotees. This prompted me to think about this phrase.

If there is Inner Self, then definitely there might be Outer Self. That means, Self is both inside and outside. Just like there is space inside and outside of an earthen pot. The moment the pot breaks, one can't distinguish between the inner and outer space. Similarly, Self resides inside and outside our bodies as Consciousness (Chaitanyam). There is no difference between this Inner and Outer Selfs. The moment body-mind-intellect-ego dissolves, one experiences Self as pervading every where (inside and outside). One experiences "All is Self". This has been the teachings of Siddhas.

Siddhas teach that even though the Self is all pervading, it is readily experienced inside our bodies. That could be the reason why Siddhas and saints lay great emphasis on abiding as Inner Self. Siddhas teach that even the body-mind-intellect-ego is Self in contracted form. The great force of illusion (Maya) is also considered as form of divine Shakti (Kundalini) and HER blessings are sought to go beyond HER illusion. Shakti is Self in dynamic form.

Just like waves originate and fall back in Ocean, everything originates and merges back into Self. Just like waves are ocean, everything that originates from Self is also Self (of course in dynamic form (Shakti)).

All is Self. All is divine. All is Sri Gurudev. All is divine mother Shakti. All is Siva. All is One.

I bow to lotus feet of my Gurudev.