Jason Gregory's Blog, page 32

Mental Health Issues in Spirituality

In this episode of Enlightenment Today, I will speak about mental health issues in spirituality. To speak about mental health in relation to spirituality may appear contradictory. But there are a growing number of cases where people have experienced the effects of mental health, including depression, chronic anxiety and stress, schizophrenia, and even suicide in some extreme cases. This has been exponentially growing because of the misinterpretation of ancient knowledge by self-styled teachers who themselves are not trained in a particular tradition. This lack of training and lack of comprehension is best showcased in the number of neo-Advaita teachers that have come forth in recent decades, especially in the West, who butcher the teachings of Ramana Maharshi because they have no traditional training in the actual tradition of Advaita Vedanta. But this phenomenon of mental health in spirituality is not isolated to Advaita Vedanata because it extends to the modern followers of many great ancient traditions. In this episode, I will explain how to discern if the path you are on is genuine and also the way to avoid such traps that may lead one to mental health problems.

Why People Are Scared of Advaita Vedanta

In this episode of Enlightenment Today, I will speak about why people are afraid of Advaita Vedanta and other Eastern spiritual traditions. Advaita Vedanta is one of the most difficult spiritual paths to follow, but it is one of the most transformational. Following Advaita Vedanta sincerely frightens most people because of the radical effect it has on our sense of individuality. People want to learn and be engaged in Eastern spirituality because they feel it will improve their individual lives. But does Advaita Vedanta and Eastern spirituality in general, have any to do with self-improvement?

The Story of Shiva and Parvati’s Divine Marriage

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about the ancient story of Shiva and Parvati’s divine marriage. Their union is one of the most significant stories throughout history. It is one of those ancient myths that will never lose its significance, as it means something very deep for all of us. In this episode I will explain the story for you and also its hidden meaning.

Why the East Avoid Debate and Why You Should too

Avoiding debate is a hallmark of Eastern thought, especially in countries such as Japan. This mentality is hard for a lot of Westerners to comprehend. In the West, we are encouraged to debate so that we can come to a conclusion on a matter. This Western way of thinking is incorrectly believed to be universal. Many Westerners believe the way they think is the same for everyone in the world. This way of thinking is a clumsy way of viewing the world. Both East and West cognitively evolved differently, influencing their social structures, philosophies, religions, language, and basic world view.

In the West debate was a natural byproduct of analytical thinking and individualism. While in the East, avoiding debate was a natural byproduct of holistic thinking and collectivism. Avoiding debate in far East Asia can partly be attributed to Confucianism and Taoism, because people have a respect for their elders even when the older person might be obviously wrong or their statements unfounded. For example, we see this attitude in the scientific field, where a lot of support is often funneled to the mediocre older scientists instead of the more talented younger ones.

But this resistance to debate is not only an ideological or social one. This resistance extends to the nature of communication and rhetoric. We know rhetoric in the West provides an underlying structure for everything from solving problems, exploring evidence, and other arguments and refutations, so we can come to a conclusion or recommendation. But this linear rhetoric model is uncommon in the East. For example, it’s usually the last thing an Easterner learns on the road to becoming a scientist. This is surely strange to Western academia, but this is how most Easterners have cognitively evolved, even though there is a growing trend in the East to become expert debaters. But is it right for Easterners to fall in line with Western thinking? Or is there something in the art of no debate that the West could learn? And yes, there are a lot the West can learn from the East about many things, including their resistance to debate.

To learn about such mentality in the East, we need to explore why they avoid debate in the first place. Japan is usually the best example because they have stuck more to this cognitive trait than other Eastern nations. When we examine decision-making processes in Japanese board rooms and executive councils, they are designed to avoid conflict and dissonance at all costs. These sorts of meetings are often a ratification of consensus achieved by the leader of the meeting beforehand. If someone has a conflict or disagree with the decision being made, they will usually avoid the situation to keep harmony and good relationships with their co-workers. From a Western perspective, this way of going about business would be considered stupid. But it is in this Eastern attitude that the kernel of truth resides, which we can all learn from.

The holistic view of the East is built on the foundation of relationships. This means first and foremost friendships are number one no matter what your individual opinion is. Keeping good relationships and friendships are always considered before someone emotionally wields their own personal view on a matter. Even when two people disagree in the East, they will come half way for the friendship even if they still disagree, because again, friendship first. This is why before engaging in business with a Chinese businessperson you better get your liver ready because they first want you to drink with them to see if you can be trusted and also to see if they can develop a friendship with you. And when I say drink, I mean legless drunk. It’s their skillful way of disarming your ego to see who is really behind the mask. This approach is more about friendship rather than if the business deal is good or not. Don’t get me wrong, the deal matters, but from the Eastern perspective friendship is more important moving forward.

This friendship first mentality actually caused problems when Easterners and Westerners began doing more business together. And this comes down to the way both view contracts. For a Westerner, once a deal is done, it shouldn’t be modified. A deal is a deal. But, on the other hand, to an Easterner a deal is a tentatively agreed upon guide for the future.

Both opposing views most notably caused conflict in the past between Japanese and Australian businesspeople over a contract for sugar. Australia refused to renegotiate the contract when the price of sugar dropped radically on the world market. The Australian view was that the Japanese were being purely self-serving and self-interested. But this was not the case. Actually, Japanese suppliers take these sorts of matters into consideration with their own customers. One example of this is the film industry in Tokyo. When it snows in Tokyo, film distributors are more likely to compensate theater owners for their drop-in audience attendance. This type of friendly compensation would be unheard of in the Western business world. So, the misunderstanding between Australia and Japan was due to a lack of understanding of both cognitive styles and cultural perspectives. Actually, if we look at this situation from a Western perspective, it is not cost-effective to have such a friendly attitude. But when viewed from an Eastern perspective their attitude strengthens the relationship between customer and supplier which makes sense in many ways.

Though the Eastern view of not debating may seem radical, it is the best for keeping friendships and also for allowing relationships to grow rich. The Eastern view highlights the fact that individual opinion is not the be all and end all. What is more important is collective harmony minus a self-interested ego, which is a common trait among many Eastern philosophies. But this is a blind spot in the West. Actually, as we know, individual opinion is encouraged in the West. So, there is no surprise that a lot of unnecessary conflict exists in the West.

Western intellectuals build their whole repertoire on debate and the ability to wield their individual opinion upon everyone else. There are a multitude of news networks, current affair programs, and podcasts all engaging in debate, as each individual try to showcase their intellectual power. This is nothing more than peacock consciousness, it’s all about who stands out the most, or in other words, who has the loudest bark. It’s just plain immature if we view this mentality from an Eastern perspective. This sort of behavior is rife on social media, where people get into heated debates in the comment sections with people they’ve never met. Trolling a comments section is just plain childish, and in a lot of cases, a troll is hiding behind their computer venting all their deep-seated anger on people they’ve never met. If you are one of these keyboard assassins then you need to rethink your behavior and grow up.

The Eastern view is a grown-up view. It’s about putting the harmony of humanity first rather than personal opinion. Yet in a world increasingly influenced by Western individualism, utilizing debate to defend your own personal beliefs is paramount over and above world harmony. But the brutal truth is, even those who support debate often can’t detach from a debate. For example, I’ve been with people who engage in a debate with someone else and then after it they will say “I hate that guy,” even though they pretended to be cool with the person when the debate had concluded. So, a subtle resentment dwells in some people after a debate and this is the conclusion the East had reached. If we can’t engage in a friendly give and take conversation then it’s better not to engage at all. Besides, when we dive deeper into the fabric of individual opinion, we discover that opinions are driven by individual conditioning and, as a result, a subtle (or not so subtle) personal agenda.

So how can an individual opinion be best for everyone if it is self-interested? It can’t. It can never be. And someone’s personal agenda and conditioning are built on a host of factors that are often not considered when decisions are being made. The art of no debate, on the other hand, forces us to see matters from a more holistic perspective. Instead of wielding our own opinion, we can listen to the consensus and feel out what is good for social harmony rather than individual self-interest. By keeping our mind clear and our mouth shut, we can listen to what the world needs because we’ve become a selfless friend to the entire world.

The Life and Teachings of Ramana Maharshi

 

Many people have heard the name Ramana Maharshi, but surprisingly most of them don’t know who he was and why he was one of the most important figures of the 20th century. Personally, his teachings thrust me on the path of spirituality at a young age. He was one of the great sages who opened the door of Eastern wisdom for me. I hold Ramana Maharshi in the highest echelon of sages who graced the Earth. I believe he belongs in the honorable company of the Buddha, Lao-tzu, Chuang-tzu, Shankara, Patanjali, Bodhidharma, Nagarjuna, and Mahavira. He belongs to this ancient thread of enlightened masters.

The teachings Ramana Maharshi expounded belong to one of the greatest teachings on the planet called Advaita Vedanta, which is one of the main schools of thought in Hinduism. But before we dive deep into these teachings and his own wisdom, how did Ramana Maharshi become a great sage?

The Life and Death of Venkataraman Iyer

Ramana Maharshi’s birth name was Venkataraman Iyer. He was born on December 30, 1879 in the small village of Tiruchuli in the south of India. He had a normal upbringing, just like any other young Indian. Nothing in his early life was out of the ordinary. But everything changed for him at the age of sixteen. One day, he was alone in an upstairs room inside his uncle’s house in Madurai. Suddenly, he had an intense fear of death, where for the next few minutes he went through a simulated death experience. During this experience, he became aware of his true nature for the first time. He realized that his real nature is eternal, and it is unrelated to the body, mind, and personality.

According to Vedanta, he had a realization of the Atman, the Self with a capital S, which is the undifferentiated consciousness at the core of our being. The young Venkataraman realized the Atman at the core of his being and his life was instantly transformed. And yet, you’re probably thinking that many people have had this experience. But what makes Ramana Maharshi’s experience unique, is his experience of the Self was permanent and irreversible. This claim didn’t come from the mouth of the man himself, but rather his followers. So, if you are unfamiliar with this type of knowledge you might be skeptical about existing permanently as the Self, beyond the personality. But if you’ve truly experienced the Self, you know that your life has permanently changed and, thus, your life is dedicated to the path of liberation, moksha in Sanskrit.

There is no turning back to the mundane concerns of life when you have had a true experience of the Self. I would also like to suggest that all experiences of the Self are permanent and irreversible, but the reason we view Ramana Maharshi’s experience differently is because the sense of an individual person in him had ceased to exist, and it never reared its ugly head again. Not all of us can say that the individual person ceased to exist after realizing the Self, because most of us try to maintain our social life which requires a certain amount of personality to survive. But young Venkataraman, on the other hand, walked completely out of his life to never return. This type of renunciation is revered in India, and according to the great traditions of Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Samkhya, and Yoga, this type of worldly renunciation is necessary to establish yourself in your true nature (this sort of knowledge is explained with differing philosophy and terms in the great traditions).

So, in 1896, at the young age of sixteen, Venkataraman Iyer walked out on his family. At the time, he never told anyone in his family about his experience. After his realization of the Self, he kept up appearances at his school and with his family for six weeks, but it was difficult for him to pretend to be this person people know as Venkataraman Iyer. He couldn’t play this game too much longer and so he pined for an environment more conducive for spiritual life. He had a deep calling to go to the holy mountain of Arunachala in the small town of Tiruvannamalai. This was not a random urge, because Arunachala is considered by Hindu’s as a manifestation of Shiva. Ramana Maharshi actually said in later years that it was the spiritual power of Arunachala which brought about his enlightenment. And I can tell you that from personally spending a lot of time at the foot of Arunachala, the mountain definitely has a certain power and also an ability to settle the mind which is indescribable.

The Birth of a Great Sage

Once Ramana Maharshi arrived at Arunachala, he never moved more than two miles away from its base from 1896 until his death in 1950. During those years the birth of the great sage Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi came into the world. Actually, it was one of his earliest followers who renamed him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. To understand this name, first Bhagavan means Lord or God, Sri is a title of honor in India similar to Sir in England, Ramana is a contraction of his birth name Venkataraman, and Maharshi means “great seer.”

From 1899 to 1922, Ramana resided in many caves on the slopes of Arunachala. In his early years there, he spent most of his time in silence. It was through this intense silence that people began to gravitate around him. This silent force he emanated could bring stillness to the minds of those around him. People were naturally more peaceful and their minds were completely still in his presence. This deep silence was his original teaching and this powerful silence is a state of consciousness revered in the great Eastern traditions. In later years, Ramana was more willing to give verbal teachings for people who couldn’t feel or experience the power of his deep silence.

His Nondual Teachings

His verbal teachings were guided by his direct knowledge that consciousness was the only reality. Brahman alone is real (Brahman in Sanskrit is the Ultimate Reality that pervades and is immanent in all existence). This means all ideas of separation are illusory. There is only one reality, Brahman. And Ramana explained this beautifully when he was asked why he says maya, illusion of separation, and reality, Brahman, are the same. It’s a fair question for any seeker considering we have the nondual reality of Brahman and the illusion of the dualistic world, maya. Ramana explained that the great Advaita Vedanta sage Shankara was criticized for his views on maya because Shankara once said:

“Brahman is real,

the universe is unreal, and

The universe is Brahman.”

This passage might seem like a bit of a mind bender, but Ramana skillfully elucidates the depth of Shankara’s teaching. He explained that Shankara didn’t stop at the second line because the third line explains the first two lines. The third line signifies that the universe is only real if it is perceived as the nondual Brahman from the Self within us. And the universe is unreal when perceived through the dualistic conditioning of the persona, which is to view the universe apart from the Self. This profound explanation is why maya and reality are one and the same. And though this is probably contested by other schools of thought, this is the main view of Advaita Vedanta.

But the world is still an illusion to a person with a mind accustomed to separation because you are not perceiving the world from the Self, from the Atman which is identical to Brahman. Once you abide in the Self, then and only then will you look upon the whole universe as Brahman. Only a few of his followers assimilated this deepest truth.

The Practice of Self-Enquiry

For the thousands of visitors he had over the last twenty years of his life, most of them found his teachings hard to comprehend or follow because back in that time, just like now, people were too busy in their ordinary lives and polluted with mundane concerns. Many people assumed that his teachings can’t be realized without a long period of spiritual practice in isolation, sadhana in Sanskrit. This is correct in some sense, even though Ramana would disagree. But keep in mind that Ramana also underwent extensive sadhana for many years before he became a guru. So, to satisfy people with such concerns, he prescribed an innovative method of self-attention known commonly as self-enquiry, or vicara in Sanskrit. He recommended this method a lot, which is why it became the most distinctive element of his teachings.

To explain self-enquiry, you have to understand that the Self is the only existing reality, there is only Brahman. This is the view of Advaita Vedanta and also Ramana Maharshi. Ramana regarded the “I”-thought as a mistaken assumption with no real existence. He explained that the “I”-thought can only appear to exist by identifying with an object. For example, I am Jason, I think this, I believe this, I am Australian, I want this, I don’t like him, and so forth and so on. So, we are unaware that when thoughts arise the “I”-thought claims ownership of them. And according to Ramana, the primary source of all these assumptions can be traced back to the “I am the body” thought. Our sense of separateness from life originates from our identification with the physical form. All subsequent wrong identifications came from the idea “I am the body.”

Self-enquiry’s main aim is to dissolve this belief in “I am the body.” To do achieve this dissolution, we have to focus on the practice of self-enquiry Ramana taught. First, we have to accept that the “I”-thought cannot exist without an object. Second, we have to focus our attention on the subjective feeling “I” or “I am” with extreme intensity. If you can intensely do this, then you will notice that the thoughts “I am this” and “I am that” do not arise. Your “I”-thought is unable to connect with an object. The key to this practice is the ability to sustain our awareness on the “I.” If we can sustain our awareness on the “I” you will notice that it will disappear and then in its place will be a direct experience of the Self.  This is the sweet nectar of self-enquiry. And once you have a direct experience of the Self, it’s hard to be totally wrapped up in the illusion of separateness.

For those interested in self-enquiry, Ramana would recommend a beginner to put their attention on the “I” as long as possible. As with meditation, when your mind begins to wander bring your attention back the feeling of “I.” The more you practice self-enquiry the easier it becomes to sustain your attention on the “I.” The practice will get to a point of effortless awareness because individual effort is no longer possible since the ego who makes effort has dissolved. The ego will cease to exist temporarily for most people. But Ramana would explain that eventually through repeated experiences of being the Self, we will destroy our latent tendencies and habits (vasanas in Sanskrit) which cause the “I”-thought to arise. The power of the Self will eventually destroy all vasanas permanently. This is the ultimate state which is irreversible. If you reach this permanent state as Ramana did, then you have fulfilled the method and goal of self-enquiry (and life itself), which is to abide as the Self.

There is only the Self, so everything is Brahman because Atman is Brahman. There is no duality. And the way to verify this nondual reality is to practice self-enquiry in every waking moment as Ramana did. He emphasized that it is not a meditation practice we do for a certain period of time, but rather it should be practiced irrespective of what you are doing. This might sound easier said than done, but it’s definitely a practice that can be sustained in all facets of life, from the busiest situation to the simplest. But it might be hard for you to get to the deepest levels Ramana did if you haven’t done any serious lengthy sadhana. Actually, the wisdom and practice explained by Ramana will be hard for you to grasp if you haven’t done any extensive sadhana. But if you’ve done a lot of sadhana, then this wisdom and practice have a far better chance of sticking.

In conclusion, I could go on and on about Ramana’s teachings and his extraordinary life, but I would need an entire book, so I’ve explained only the core of his teachings that hopefully you will study and put into practice. If you can practice self-enquiry strictly, then you will begin to dissociate and distance yourself from your dualistic personality to reveal that you are not “this” or “that,” but rather you are or in Ramana’s words I am. You will verify that I am not this person but instead I am That, the Atman which is Brahman. Once this ultimate dimension is your direct experience, you will begin to emanate that silent force accessed by the great Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Everything Has Value | Lao-tzu’s Value System

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about intrinsic value. Many people incorrectly assume their life has no value and question whether their existence even matters. This results from measuring our value based on the social standards we’ve been indoctrinated with and also the so-called success of others. This is an unnatural perception of life and a cognitive error, where we incorrectly perceive the world as separate isolated events. This runs counter to the holistic philosophy of Taoism and Lao-tzu’s value system, where all life has value because life is one natural happening, with no duality of perceived opposites. Nothing greater than anything else. We all go together as one.

Is the Self an Illusion? | The Five Aggregates of Buddhism (Skandhas)

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about whether the self actually exists. I will explore this from the perspective of the the five aggregates of Buddhism, especially the Madhyamaka and Yogacara schools. People often assume Buddhist beliefs are built on the idea that the self (ego/persona) is a persistent illusion, but this is not entirely true because it is much more complicated than that unfounded belief. The five aggregates are actually an advanced mind science centered on how the self is developed and, as a result, why the illusion of a self is based on a cognitive error we all make before waking up (nirvana).

Jivanmukta VS Bodhisattva (What’s the Difference?)

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about the differences between a Jivanmukta and a Bodhisattva. Both titles are revered in Hinduism (especially in (Advaita Vedanta) and Buddhism (especially in Mahayana Buddhism). The goal of both Hinduism and Buddhism (and Eastern spirituality in general) is liberation (moksha, mukti, kaivalya, nirvana) and not the idea of personal salvation. This is important to remember when we think about a Jivanmukta and the Bodhisattva ideal. Find out why this is important and what are the exact differences between these two enlightened titles.

Why You Must Travel (How to Harness the Yogi Mind)

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about the spiritual benefits of travel. Endless travel is actually an ancient yogic practice. The ancient Yogis never stayed in one place too long because they understand that if you reside in one specific location for too long, you will subtly pick up the habits and tendencies (vasanas) of that environment. The ancient Yogis were dedicated to understanding the nature of the mind and the universe. So travelling for them (and also us) is a practice of cultural deprogramming. From living a life of travel, they eliminate some of the deeply entrenched conditioning (samskaras) that we all have. For this reason (though many aren’t aware) people in the modern world are addicted to traveling. As our conditioning begins to break down, our mind begins to effortlessly roam the world without experiencing mental and cultural friction with a new environment. We begin to move naturally, just as nature intended it.

Spirituality Does Not Need Science (Sadhguru is wrong)

In this episode of Enlightenment Today I will speak about how the great spiritual traditions of the East are complete systems in and of themselves without any need for a validation from modern science. Influential teachers such as Sadhguru and the Dalai Lama sing praise about their ancient knowledge because science is now validating the ancient spiritual knowledge of Eastern spirituality, as if this now validates thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom on the nature of the universe and consciousness. But Eastern spirituality has their own systems of thought (especially ancient Indian knowledge) that have no need for science because it has its own system of thought based on materialism. And it is ironic that science is actually now turning to Eastern thought for a deeper understanding of the universe and the nature of consciousness. Ancient Eastern knowledge is far ahead of science in regards to the nature of the universe, mind, consciousness, and the mystery of pure awareness which is an experiential discovery of many Eastern spiritual traditions.