Atman is the Real Essence of Existence | Mind is not Atman
Awareness gathers the power of the Divine and through Impeccable Devotion is engulfed by Eternity.
Hello, and welcome to the Ancient wisdom modern mind podcast and today I am going to discuss the Atman
Defining Atman
The Vedas define the Atman as the eternal core of our being, the Soul, or Primordial Self. Which is One, Infinite and Eternal Breathe. That after death either transmigrates to a new life or attains release "Moksha" from the bonds of existence.
In the yogic tradition awakening Atman is a precondition to attaining Moksha, and so in certain schools of thought Atman has been incorrectly identified with Brahman, this confusion with Brahman relates to the similarity between Atman and Paramatman which is a part of Brahman, and with which the Atman can commune.
This confusion is probably because Paramatman incorporates the word atman; “parama”, meaning "supreme" or "highest", and “ātma”, which means individual Spirit, Soul or Self. (Pronounced /puhr-uh-maht-muh n/)
Paramatman is the Supreme Soul, Oversoul or Spirit of Brahman. (Much like the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit is an expression of God the father), but there are other schools that see the Atman or individual Self as a potential Paramatman or God, bound by "karmic" limitations. And in Buddhism the Atman is viewed as illusory and the Paramatman is seen as the only real permanence.
It should also be noted that Self in Hindu Philosophy is often used as an interchangeable term for Atman, but in western philosophy Self is considered the Ego or personality. Similar modern concepts of Atman are Higher-self, Enlightenment and Heightened awareness. In my personal experience of Atman it is the higher-self or soul that can be awakened and the self is ego or false self.
Looking at the word Atman (Pronounced /aht-muh n/), we find that its origins are: “an”, to breathe and “tman”, self. so at the root of the word is the original idea of breath and self, and yogis have utilized this connection with the breath and Self as an instrument to free the Atman and thereby gain access to the transcendental planes of consciousness.
Since concepts such as transcendental consciousness, soul and even mind can only be defined on an intellectual level, and cannot be grasped, or comprehended. Atman can only remain an elusive and abstract goal of the yogi. A mental concept and therefore a prison-house in which we entomb the reflection of a glowing awareness that no Mind/Ego can grasp. Reading, thinking and studying are processes of the intellect. The Atman is beyond the intellect; if we use words—the intellect's language—we are only binding awareness to a dimension which cannot, by its very nature, be bound or defined.
We perceive automatically according to our present conditioning; we give it form and boundary and therefore dwarf and distort it. The Atman is formless, beyond time, distance or name, but each of us clothes it in the form most familiar to themselves. This is where we experience the paradox, “It can be felt, but cannot be touch. It can be realized but cannot be known”. Yet through the practice of dhyana (meditation), the yogi can become a living breathe in the deepest sense of the word—intensely, single mindedly surrendering the Self in perfect an intense dhyana. The whole being is harmonized, uplifted, integrated, made One-all-consuming living holy breathe.
Atman’s manifestation
We are only the sum of our nature, the antelope is an antelope, it can be no more and no less, the bear is a bear, a dog is a dog, an a human is a human. Each acts according to their nature, our acts are the sum of our DNA programing. We often assume that because we have feelings, that we are more important and can be more that what we are, but this is our delusion or egos desperate attempt to hide from this smallness, this insignificance.
The Atman is also only the sum of its nature, and just because Atman awareness manifests as an individualistic being, that at first cohabits with the Self, does not mean that Atman awareness is human awareness. Atman is not an ego man but a Godman in human form. This should be remembered both by the yogi and the devotees of the yogi, the Atman is not human, and does not have human concerns or feelings. The Atman consciousness rules the Self or Ego consciousness, first as a shared witness to the Doings of Self, but growing steadily until there is no Self, there is only awareness full and unbound continuous awareness.
Silence is the Atman,' replied the sage Bhava. And Proclus described the Supreme as ' The Unity of unities . . . more ineffable than all silence, and more occult than all essence.' Lord Krishna summed Atman consciousness thus: 'I am the silent meditation.
Atman is not Brahman, but Brahman is the source of the Atman’s essence which descends into the yogi in a flame of pure Delight. The Yogi consumed by the Divine flame forgets his roots, identity, and home. (Called Samprajñata-samādhi), this state of transcendent awareness is for the yogi liberation while still in the embodied state (total enlightened bliss, a state were awareness perceives the Unknowable reality of Brahman). The yogi comprehends the vastness of Brahman, and just as a ripple fades into nothing the Self is lost in the ocean of Brahman’s Divinity
Brahman’s flame manifested due to the steady accumulation of spirit that has seeped into the emptiness created within awareness by the yogi’s internal purge. This accumulation creates a magnetic attraction within, beckoning the Spirit of Brahman.
Although this configuration is described as a flame, the size of a thumb, and is said to exist physically between the area of the heart and solar plexus, its exact location is not described in any yogi texts. It is said to have no physical or mental aspect as such, other than as a mere reflection or an idea in the intelligence of the mind. However, unquestionably it exists, and is real. All else is false, or an illusion which withers away.
For the yogi, Samprajñata-samādhi is an awareness that has merged within the ocean of Brahman. The self does not lose its identity in this stage, but only experiences the bliss of Atman’s ability to know Spirit. In Samprajñata-samādhi, the Ego-self is conscious of the Atman within; and is temporarily separated from the exterior world, the Atman awareness wakening temporally over takes the Ego-self and the Ego-self happily surrenders to the blissful experience that the Atman awareness brings. The Ego-self because of its dhyana practices was able to gather this awareness which would normal be squandered.
Now here is where there is some controversy about the Atman, Hindu philosophy agrees that the Atman is the original Self, which predates the Ego-self. But this is where there is a division of opinion as some schools of thought say that there is no self-aware Atman, and that the Atman is a dormant potential that is developed though the practice of dhyana. But also that Atman awareness is only awakened through a buildup or accumulation of Spirit and that if the Spirit is absent then the Atman will remain dormant, regardless of how much dhyana is practiced. This idea does fit with what we see, in a world full of millions of meditators why do so few attain enlightenment or Atman awareness, this school of thought is in line with the Christian scripture; Matthew 19:23:26 “And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God". The rich man being the practitioner who is well versed in scripture and spiritual practices but empty of Spirit.
Atman’s Awakening
After this, I looked and saw a door that opened into heaven. Then the voice that had spoken to me at first and that sounded like a trumpet said, “Come up here! I will show you what must happen next.” (King James. Rev. 4:1)
Little by little, Brahman’s Spirit gathers within Self and as Spirit seeps into awareness. Self also begins to witnesses its manifestation within the everyday world as Spirit tantalizes Self in a whimsical dance, daring Self to give chase.
When a critical peak is reached, an energetic alignment takes place. Spirit engulfs awareness, forcing the consequential merging of subject and object into absolute union. Self perceives or moves within a state of transcendental perception and is awakened from all Self-illusion, a rebirth into the Divine Spirit’s passionate presence. It is an ethereal flame that has no physical counterpart yet is there and can be felt, like a hot coal that burns itself into the mystic. Breaking the continuality of Self.
This new awareness of Brahman’s actuality may be witnessed but cannot be grasped, because it is outside the rationale of intellect; it can be witnessed only when we stop the internal dialogue and free the mind from words and labels.
Yet it is not experience or intuition because such things are subjective accumulations. It is emptiness or non-dual consciousness; it is spontaneity and creativity, a void of potential, and is the only source of originality. When an artist seeks inspiration, it is Brahman’s Spirit that supplies the creative glimpse. When the scientist’s experiment fails to actualize the desired result, it is Brahman’s Spirit that steps in with its flash of creativity.
If one were to simply join in spiritual worship, then one would miss this path’s application for those are cultural gatherings. It is the nature of the lost to gather in worship, just as it is the unavoidable impulse for the mystic to seek Brahman. The path of Brahman is beyond the miscellany of religious conviction, but it is not a denial of the world or its spiritual manifestations, nor an integration of the two. In simple terms, the Brahman’s Spirit is the gap between the reality of Brahman and the reality of physics. It is what connects these two forces—the link that connects Brahman to physical reality.
The Paradoxical nature of Samprajñata-samādhi is that you are one yet nothing simultaneously; Self becomes the Divine ascension, a state where Self is aware of reality’s content as it proceeds. However you stand apart from it; and feel the exactness of the Divine, but are still bound by the Self. Mind ascends and then is drawn back to the body, awareness without content but bound by the contents. Mind rides the wind of the Divine, reality shifts and one is here yet not; awareness is strung upon a single cord, a harmonic flux in the web of beingness.
The essence of the Brahman’s Spirit is a unifying force without the gross physical existence. Such tales of Brahman’s Spirit are in all religions and generally, its nature is vaguely attributed to one’s God in some way or form.
To the mystic, the Brahman’s Spirit is undefined and shown for what it is: a force of an impersonal nature that is the founding fabric of existence, binding all like quantum fields that keep leapfrogging over each other in a mutual embrace. Binding the galaxies together—expansive relativity and quantum actuality interlinked by a Divine filament.
SILENT BIRTH
This poem is from the book” Songs of a Mystic” which I think aptly describes this state.
Silence births transcendental awareness; free from the bonds of mortality we flee humanity. Yet still there is subjective illusion, still the self’s tentacles worm there way within, reaching into every fiber of our being.
We search this way and that way through intellect and understanding as we try to conquer these feelings.
Yet such feelings are not banished to some dark nether world nor are they suppressed by ignorance. We feel the cry beating as a drum in the pit of our stomach, like the feelings of a distressing uncertainty within self’s clarity.
Struggling to overcome this feeling we take hold of self’s illusions, we gather these feelings as a miser collects his coins, breathing in very sinew of self and as a warrior casts his spear, we drive the enemy into the abyss rendering a hole in the fabric of our humanity.
Silence holds it sway and a new awareness seeps into the fabric of our mind. We know now why self-shuts out the silence, why self is so afraid. For now we feel the unknowable and flee back to the noise of humanity, hiding from silence, hiding from eternities gaze.
Note: Self in Hindu Philosophy is often used as an interchangeable term for Atman, but in western philosophy Self is considered the Ego or personality. Similar modern concepts of Atman are Higher-self, Enlightenment and Heightened awareness. In my personal experience of Atman is the higher-self or soul that can be awakened and the self is ego or false self.
So Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. and an audio version is also available follow the link below.....
Letter of Support
Hello my friends, the patronage of regular followers is greatly appreciated and is the true spirit of mutual self-love… So, if you find any value or joy in the content, please consider becoming a Supporting Patron by downloading Podcasts for a small supporter’s remuneration or by purchasing Meditation audios or books from the Books & Meditation Audios page or by clicking the Supporters Link, and this one simple act makes a huge difference.
👍 share and Stay safe.
Related posts:
Types of Meditation Practices: 7 Popular Meditations | Morning Gratitude Meditation: 10 minute guided morning meditation | Guided Grounding Meditation: How to Ground and Center Yourself | Primordial Sound Meditation: Ah Meditation | How to Practice Mindfulness Every Day | Zhuangz’s Butterfly Dream is a Red Pill Metaphor | The Truth About Spiritual Enlightenment: Truths, Distortions, Fakes | What is enlightenment-and how it can be achieved | How To Do Mindfulness Meditation: Different Approaches | Ah Mantra and Grounding Meditation: Audio (Combination Ah mantra and Guided Grounding Meditation)
References
// IMAGE S O U R C E: body-painting-seminar-motivation-702735 License to use Creative Commons Zero - CC0© LaughingRaven | https://pixabay.com
