bySri Ramen Basu
Any incident occurs in the four dimensional plane. Just a kite flying, the incident carries its meaning to the eyes of the individual concerned as per his/her tendencies of the mind - especially to those eyes wearing colored glasses or jaundiced eyes (due to biases and prejudices), the perception becomes tainted or distorted. Usually the subject matter gets twisted according to the conditioned nature of the mind, and the thought patterns are confused due to the coloring of the eye. As for example kites to some means freedom in an open sky, for others it is the body of a human being in the hands of the Lord who is playing with it.
Color is the root cause of how we interpret the object we observe. Why is it so! Information arrives though our eyes and an image forms in the mind by pattern recognition - formed through the existing image stored in memory space. We need a reference screen where the image shall be formed, and only then can it be compared to the image stored in our memory cells. The cognition part of the sense perception not only depends on the physical part of the sense-organs, but also on the inherent or developed psychological part of the organ. The inner part of our sense organ is called Purusha and the outer part is called Prakriti. That background sky of consciousness on which the play of Purusha and Prakriti occurs is called ‘I-reality’ as enunciated by Sri Sri Babathakur.
Our brain has two pathways from the outer to its center, namely:
1. Through intellect - i.e. through rational and logical modes
2. Through heart feelings - i.e. through subjective & lyrical modes
Logical reason and emotive feelings, respectively, are the true indicators of these pathways. From heart feelings is the Truth experienced totally, not from intellectual brilliance. Applying logic is a divisive way to reach the Truth. Since Truth resides in the 'sky' of Consciousness, Truth is thus felt by the heart and not reasoned out by the head. At the deep recesses of the brain-cavity or intellect, the heart feelings reside there, since it is the home of the Lord or the Truth which is homogenous. The light of Self-consciousness is the only tool available for us to manifest the Lord Awareness.
Truth is perceived through clear eyes… not through colored or jaundiced ones. To uncorrupt the mind is to make the mind clear and pure - free from any color. But that requires a basic teaching to be inculcated through the help of a Master, a Self-realized Soul.
An African folklore says: When one sees one’s own reflection without fear, then one becomes free. Adi Shankara had the same truth as presented in his famous Dakshinamurti Stotra; ‘the world as we see it, is like a city within’. Jesus also said, ‘The Kingdom of God is within You’.
The Reflection theory in optics, in material science, has its parallel in Vedanta. Sri Sri Babathakur, in his treatise ‘Knowledge of Knowledge’, Vol 1, talks about the theory as ‘Pratibimbobad’ or ‘Reflected Image theory’, one of the four independent theories of Vedanta. Our rishis’ basic tenet are propounded as follows : “…as is the relation of reflected image of the face with the mirror, so is the relation of Jiva and creation with Pure Consciousness.” The seers of yore realized the Self within. The Consciousness/the Self, in order to become the creation, became Iswara or Lord of Creation. At the center of Jiva the Lord is reflected, and outwardly the reflection of Jiva is Jagat (World).
To recognize the coloring within you is the first step, to recognize the kind of bias or color is the next step. This would require self-analysis and self-examination. We need to consider all that we perceive as belonging to the Lord (You) and not to the unaware. ‘All acceptance means all surrender’ that is what Sri Sri Babathakur had taught us, and that is what ought to be followed by us throughout our life spans. Some basic truths are given:
Change the thought pattern of the lower mind gradually, in and through a regularly change of mental habits or thoughts on the Higher Self. To understand the Nature of the Higher Self, Satsang is needed in the beginning to keep mind focused on the spiritual path. Singing and listening to the praises of the Self/Lord is a most helpful way to do so. Formation of the habit to remember one’s essential True Nature steadily results in unity or merger with one’s Self.
Through experience we realize that the conventional social mind is the source of all troubles, whereas Sri Sri Babathakur’s words cleanse it. If we reflect upon and nurture His words more and more, the realization of the Self dawns on us automatically. The more we spend time in that endeavor, the better and faster the cleansing process will happen. The crux of all this is to clean the reflected surface, i.e. the intellect. Intellect‘s reflection is mind; mind’s reflection is Jiva and the creation.
