CHAPTER SIX
Six Helpful Exercises in Claiming Our Spiritual Identity
This section of sadhanas consists of six exercises in claiming our spiritual identity. Each exercise focuses on a different perspective of our spiritual nature. The idea is to read the explanation in the supplementary reading section, the quote from Gurudeva and then wander the monastery grounds for at least fifteen minutes practicing the sadhana.§
1. Not Body, Mind, Emotions
Sadhana Practice§
Suggestions for Wandering : As you wander, be detached from body, mind and emotions. When you find yourself saying, I am hungry or I am thirsty, rephrase and say my body is hungry or thirsty. When you find yourself thinking I understand or don’t understand certain points in the lesson rephrase...a my intellect understands or doesn’t understand. When you claim an emotional identity I am certainly happy this morning, or I am a bit depressed this morning... again rephrase my emotions are happy or a bit depressed. §
Quote from Gurudeva§
Become a student of life and live life fully, and as you merge into the sea of actinic life, you will realize that you are not your mind, your body or your emotions. You will realize that you are the complete master of your mind, your body and your emotions.§
Supplementary Reading§
“Rishis proclaim that we are not our body, mind or emotions. We are divine souls on a wondrous journey. We came from God, live in God and are evolving into oneness with God. We are, in truth, the Truth we seek.”§
This verse takes the approach of focusing on what we are not in order to lessen our attachment to them. Gurudeva describes this approach in the following way.§
“Most people do not understand that they have a mind, that they have a body and emotions, that what they are is something far more lasting and profound. They think they are a mind, they presume they are a body and they feel they are a given set of emotions, positive and negative. To progress on the spiritual path, they must learn they are not these things but are, in fact, a radiant, conscious soul that never dies, that can control the mind and directs the emotion toward fulfillment of dharma and resolution of karma. While living in a normal agitated state of fears, worries and doubts, seeing the deeper truths is impossible. To such a person, there is no doubt about it: “I am fearful. I am worried. I am confused. I am sick.” He says such things daily, thinking of himself in a very limited way.”§
Let’s look first at the body. The modern, secular world is constantly telling us we are the body. A great deal of this message comes through the media including advertising. §
We are taught to idolize movie stars and of course the actresses are all beautiful and the actors handsome, otherwise they wouldn’t be movie stars. Advertisements for clothing, beauty products and weight loss programs tell us the many ways “you”, meaning the body, can be more beautiful or handsome. What we read about health and aging also helps convince us that we are the body. We learn about the many illnesses that make us sick and the aging process where we become old. §
Of course, the spiritual point of view is that we have a body rather than we are the body. The problem with thinking we are the body is that we put too much of our time into trying to hide the aging process for example. And the fact we are aging is somewhat depressing to us. We would prefer to stay young forever. Also, not being as beautiful or handsome as the idolized movie stars can also make us feel inferior or frustrated. §
Second, let’s look at the mind, specifically the intellect. Modern schools develop the intellectual mind, our ability to think and reason, which is quite important. However, because modern education is totally secular, there is no reference to the soul or a sense of the need for the intellect to be a tool of the soul. Thus the intellect itself is extolled as our highest ability. I know a number of university graduates who have acquired the attitude of always trying to out think or out debate you. It has become a way of life and reflects the belief that they are their intellectual mind. §
The spiritual point of view is that we have an intellect rather than we are the intellect. The problem with thinking we are the intellect is that we are cut off from our deeper identity with our soul and its intuitive abilities. As Gurudeva says in Cognizantability: “The intellect is the greatest barrier to the superconscious.” Being cut off from a deeper, spiritual identity can also be a source of depression and negativity. §
Third, we have the emotions. We do not have to go to school to acquire the idea that we are our emotions. We learn this perspective from observing our parents and other adults who act in a way that shows us they believe they are their emotions. This perspective stays with us unless we are taught otherwise. We are also not taught that we can control the emotions. Therefore, when life brings us positive experiences we are happy. When life brings us difficult experiences we are unhappy. And the idea that we could change unhappiness into happiness through spiritual practices such as meditation, never occurs to us. The idea that our tendency to quickly anger could be overcome never occurs to us. §
The spiritual point of view is that we have emotions rather than we are the emotions. The problem with thinking we are the emotions is that our life is always getting disturbed by them. We swing from up to down in mood, from calm to fiery. All this emotional activity completely covers up and obscures our soul nature from us. Emotional control—which comes from realizing I am not my emotions, rather my emotions are something I can control— is required to identity with the soul and make steady spiritual progress.§
A quote from Yogaswami: “You are not the body. You are not the mind, nor the intellect, nor the will. You are the Atma. The Atma is eternal. This is the conclusion at which great souls have arrived from their experience. Let this truth become well impressed on your mind. But there is one thing to which you must give attention. Never swerve from the path of dharma. Let it be your practice to regard every life as the holy presence of God. He is both within and without.”§
Additional Resources§
Merging with Śiva, Chapter One: How to Realize God§