Taken from Google Image search
At the age of 33 now, it seems pretty inherent to who I am that I want people to know what I know.
Some, whose understanding isn’t quite “there” yet might perceive this to be me pushing my views or trying to make people agree with me. Although I’ve known people I definitely thought would benefit from thought pattern adjustments, this is (technically and practically speaking) different from pushing my views onto others. In fact, one of the few things that can make a Hindu a “bad” Hindu, in the same way that there can be “bad” Christians, is attempting to persuade others that they should be on a different path than they are. Hinduism is THE religion of “live and let live.”
Still, I’m confident in my own path as it is currently, and as I grow and develop my awareness through practicing Jnanayoga (as well as a few other yogas) I become increasingly at home with my Self. As this process unfolds, one finds that the work already done has a carrying effect.
Think of money. When you have more than you currently need, you are sometimes able to spend less time on the clock getting more money. So, you can occasionally coast a bit and know your bills are still getting paid. I recognize, sometimes more clearly than other times, that I am far from “retirement,” but I have also gotten enough work under my belt to occasionally take some time off and coast a bit without actually getting behind on my karmic bills. (Truly this is a recipe for moksha, but that’s an entirely different post waiting to happen!) Often, during the “free” time I’ve earned, and also quite often while still on the clock, I find it beneficial to myself and others to share what I know. Sure, that might sound a little off, but it isn’t really.
I find myself sharing what I know to be true for ME. I can certainly only ever speak in regard to my personal Truth as experienced through my personal effort and what makes the most sense to me in this world. However, sharing serves two purposes: First is making folks aware of what I think and knowing it usually rubs up against what they think and know, and hopefully (again depending on their current development) causes them to check what I share against what they think they know, and secondly will hopefully create dialogue enough that I end up challenged in return – the benefit of which is, of course, a Self reassessment. If you’d like me to go into either of those things more deeply, you’ll need to speak up and then watch for separate posts.
A big part of Jnanayoga and seeing/experiencing/realizing Truth is peeling away all that isn’t. There’s A LOT that isn’t. Jnanayoga and Advaita Vedanta have an expression (and Hindu scripture (the Upanishad and Avadhuta Gita) tells us) that Truth is “neti, neti.” It translates roughly as “not this, not that.” I think about the only way one is able to strip away the things that are neither “this” nor “that” is to experience – and that often means exploring and testing. How can you know where you stand or where you want to eventually stand if you aren’t sure of where you shouldn’t stand?
Please don’t ever stand where you stand simply because someone told you to. Don’t stand there because others before you stood there as well. It’s my hope and definitely is your responsibility to absolutely know why you stand where you do and where that will take you. If you’re not very certain, in the purest way, question it. The only thing that is ever threatened in this context is your own ignorance.
Om Mahaganeshaya Namaha
Om Shanti
Sthapati Samanvayam 