Surge 24 (Advanced)
Monday, February 2, 2004
Self-development or self-deconstruction?
The popular versions of spiritual teachings are put in the language of “development”, which goes well with our constant urge to acquire. Without questioning the sense of incompleteness in our bosom, we go on imagining that some acquisition will make us complete.
For long, our dreams are about getting more money, a bigger house etc. Then we carry this over to the so-called spiritual realm and fancy some virtue, merit (puNya) and respectability if not superhuman powers.
No wonder a lot of spirituality is sold in the world with the promise of improving one’s efficiency, power to influence people and ability to be in command of situations.
Unpalatable as it may look, the plain truth of true spirituality is that it is all about self-deconstruction. The rest of it is incidental. The clouds need to move away. No one needs to light up the sun; the sunshine lights up the meadows and rivers just like that. The purest activities are spontaneous and emerge from our hearts. They take place when the
self – with its pride and hurt – is done away with. It is an old conditioning with us to think in the language of “we should do this” or “we should not dothat”. Actions arising from the ground of will are necessarily limited. They are the womb of sorrow. When
we are free from the self, right action happens most naturally.
“Out of purity and silence come words of power” said Swami Chinmayanandaji. What else can true purity beother than the absence of the self? What else can silence be other than the absence of conditioned thinking?
“One arrives at the experience of infinity when one gives up ego, aggressiveness and arrogance. It is about shedding desire, anger and personal possessions. One abandons all sense of ‘me and mine’ and discovers
profound, natural peace.” Geeta 18:53
Swami Chidananda
Surrender to the mystery of life, the True Reality,
Surrender to the endeavor to make life blossom into a flower
Surrender to the majestic peace of the inner being
And surrender to the Atman of the Universe
(Manku-timma 945)