Viswaroopa - The Soul-Self!


Hello all,


Namaste! All of you, my dear blog readers, know about my website-swaroopa.net. I have started my business, Swaroopa store, which can be accessed from Shop tab on my website, for Souls who are interested in a personal reading. There is also the Swaroopa Store link, on my blog's left side. Now to the post.

Today is October 2, the day Mahatma Gandhi was born and is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti in India. I bow to that great Soul (Maha-Atma), who with deep conviction, inner trust and will of his spirit led the nation of India, to it's freedom. What a day to write about the Soul-Self Viswaroopa. I guess, we got a glimpse of the Viswaroopa of Mahatma Gandhi, one man who undertook the humongous task of achieving freedom for a nation. May his Soul rest in eternal peace! Jai Hind! 

Another sad news, I want to write about is the demise of the Tamil and South Indian musician, Sri S.P. Balasubramanyam. A great musician who sang for more than five decades with many many beautiful lyrics. The songs are full of feelings, that makes one cry, laugh and takes through the whole range of emotions. I want to extend my heart felt condolences and strength to the family, going through this tough time. Let his songs live through our hearts, lips and memories. May his Soul rest in eternal peace! RIP!

Last week, we looked at our identity and how it determines whether we are living from the mind or the heart. Both are extremely different. As we discussed many times in this blog, the second we have taken shape as a one celled being, our script for this life, our ancestral patterns, family behaviors and social conditioning are already set through the DNA inherited from our parents. The body into which the Soul that has decided to incarnate, the dimensions, attitude, mindset, mind and the physical characters are already pre-determined. This is the limitation the Soul has to tolerate in this lifetime.

Until now, it would have been living somewhere as a free spirit, but without limbs and a physical body. But now, the Soul is getting a body, but with the limitations that come along with it. So, the Soul has to start to adapt to live within this body. Anything that the body cannot do, we as a person cannot do. A human cannot fly, float in air or become invisible. The characters of being in a body.

Here, the Soul would have characters that gets masked by the conditioning and patterns the body inherit whether it is of the family, culture, country or religion. A kid born into a deeply spiritual Hindu family would go to temples and a kid born into a Christian family would go to churches. Around the family, the gatherings and the place of worship, the culture also starts to develop. In India if people celebrate Holi/Diwali/ Christmas, in the US people celebrate Hanukkah/Halloween/ Christmas. Accordingly, the mind, mindset and the different characteristics develop.

Human mind: We have discussed many times the human mind. People think, they are their mind. I too had a life where I used to think, I was my mind. Mind is indeed a fantastic tool for us to lead a very productive and effective life. A human needs a sane and rational mind. With the mind we get to know ourselves, who we are, how to live within a family and a society. For all these, a good mind is needed. It helps us towards education, sports, art, culture and creativity. So, a good, alert and efficient mind is a must.

Wisdom, bubbles, water, Soul, mind, conscious, subconscious, intellect, Sun, light, knowledge, attitude, effort, analysis, deep, recess, Moon, ideas, thoughts, creativity, creation, Brahman, Universe, purpose, words, power, desires, intentions, resolutions, butterfly, stars,way, heart, follow, brilliance,boat, ocean, life, direction, map, radar, Survivin, cancer, protein, stress, chaos, peace,oak, acorn, wisdom, Anahata, heart, space, mind, clutter, peace, awareness, Maya, commitment, colors, creativity, mythology, myth, treasure chest, key, ancestors, DNA, Karma, terrorism, heaven, Ice-cream, internet, social-media
The realm of the mind with thoughts (Rahu) - mental space!
Image credits - Pixabay.com
 
But with the same mind, many other things also appear in our life. A distracted mind is called a 'Markada' - the monkey mind in Vedic philosophy. It jumps around from one topic to next subject to the third issue. This is the nature of any mind until it is controlled, focused and brought to task. How can someone concentrate on one subject and do deep research? Think about all the research and analysis people have done in this world. Without a very focused and disciplined mind, this is never possible.

Now, into this mix of already a distracted mind, the advent of technology, social-media and internet happened. Is there any more way for the person and the mind to get distracted? People who are elderly, reminisce on the good old days. Even now, it is great, good days. Only the mind has become so distracted, we as humans have forgot about our values. According to my thought process, a human is not made, but developed. For such a human to develop, an efficient, focused mind is needed.

Such a mind is needed to go for the deepest of research and analysis. If a mind cannot sit still for around half an hour, how can it venture into hours and hours of research? It can't. So, for anything and everything, a very focused mind is needed. Only if such a mind is there, it can start to take up the deeper task of inner work. Nowadays, people consider spirituality as the fluffy, all charming and easy option. You want to be spiritual, go and join a group and listen to a lot of good thoughts.

Great! But only up to a level. After that spiritual work is hard, tiring and very solitary. I have read somewhere, Swami Vivekananda had cried to his friend disciple, "How am I going to help all these people to realize about their own Soul. Look, how they are suffering". Vivekananda is considered one of the fire-brand people of spirituality. He too cried with tears in his eyes seeing the suffering of humans. If such a solid person is brought to their knees, think of us- very ordinary people. Spirituality is not for the weak at mind or heart. Does that mean, we should throw off spirituality or should we make ourselves to have a strong mind and heart?

So, a very focused and disciplined mind is needed to lead a good physical life and even better, a good spiritual life. Because this mind is the vehicle that is going to take us through the supersonic inner highway. In this highway the thoughts go zooming. If the mind is not very strong, solid and disciplined, the same mind would get stuck in this forest of a super highway of thoughts. All of us would have come across people, who have so many thoughts in their mind, they themselves get lost in that. So, a very focused mind is needed for anything, especially in the spiritual realm.

Focus: Now, how this mind should be? Focused! Very focused and disciplined. Can we develop it? Sure, we can. There is almost nothing a human mind cannot do. Now, think we are going deep within to find ourselves. Not the conditioned Self that we have lived with for may be even three to four decades. Many times, we would have lived a life from logic. Pure rationality. Yes, I was that- the mind of a scientist. But as we have discussed, this is just around 10-15% of the mind. The remaining whooping 85-90% is the emotional mind. 

Wisdom, bubbles, water, Soul, mind, conscious, subconscious, intellect, Sun, light, knowledge, attitude, effort, analysis, deep, recess, Moon, ideas, thoughts, creativity, creation, Brahman, Universe, purpose, words, power, desires, intentions, resolutions, butterfly, stars,way, heart, follow, brilliance,boat, ocean, life, direction, map, radar, Survivin, cancer, protein, stress, chaos, peace,oak, acorn, wisdom, Anahata, heart, space, mind, clutter, peace, awareness, Maya, commitment, colors, creativity, mythology, myth, treasure chest, key, ancestors, DNA, Karma, terrorism, heaven, Ice-cream, internet, social-media
The focus of the mind!
Image credits - Pixabay.com

The same focused mind if out of focus, gets stuck in the same mind, the emotions. Think like this. We have a locked box. No way to open this box, because the key is the box itself. How can we figure it out? We have to use the same mind to go deep within the mind, to figure the emotional mind, then heart. Only once we align with the heart, we can use our intuition. But before all these, we have to transcend our emotional mind. 

This is where many times, humans get stuck. It is not enough to deal with just our own issues. We may have to deal with our ancestral issues that we got from our ancestors, like a drinking problem, addiction or some deep distraction. Then, we may have to deal with the Karmic issues- the mess we made for ourselves in previous lifetimes. Hahaha! (For atheists who don't accept this, think as some huge emotional problems you may have to over-come). We could have murdered someone then, or cheated on someone or stole from someone or even good things we could have done, like helping a lot of people or was the rock for a lot of people. Karma can come as good or bad effects.

But this Karma locks us into some dynamics, which we have manifested into, in this life. A good Karma can be, we become the princess/prince in a castle. But it is all locked up and we are never allowed to see the outside world. Here if the princess/ prince has deep desire to roam around the Earth along with his love of his life, the monarchy and royalty is going to become a problem. Remember the story of Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne for the love of his life, Wallis Simpson. He had to give up his throne, so that he can marry the lady who captured his heart. So, karmic issues.

Above this the culture of the family, the education, societal issues, conditioning, the issues and mindsets, the country has, everything comes into picture. As a human, we never think of the emotional mind from this depth. This is the mind, where everything from time immemorial is stored. In Vedic philosophy these emotional or subconscious behaviors are called 'Vasanas'. A human who is not aware may become bogged down with these vasanas. The person would have no clue, why they are feeling what they are feeling. That feeling may be the ancestral pattern sitting within the DNA, directing the person. If it is good for the person, accept it. But if it is not working, the person should have the capacity to reject it as well. 

Here, along with the focus, they should have will power as well. For example, if we want to achieve something and we have deep ambitions, lethargy is not going to help us. It may not be even ours in the first place. That could have been inherited from a grand-father who never wanted to do anything in life and just played around or tinkering with many things in life. This tendency they passed to his kids, which they had their own struggles with. Now, you the person is dealing with it, when the education comes. You feel like sleeping when you see the books. The pattern or behavior is controlling the person.

Here, if the person does not use his/her focus and will power, they are stuck in laziness for the rest of their life. A human is not an island. We interact with a lot of people within the family and outside. All bring their own karmic issues, subconscious patterns and behaviors. Above this their own mindsets, perspectives and attitudes. Now, from this space, think, how much emotions as a human we are dealing with. This is the emotional realm.

Wisdom, bubbles, water, Soul, mind, conscious, subconscious, intellect, Sun, light, knowledge, attitude, effort, analysis, deep, recess, Moon, ideas, thoughts, creativity, creation, Brahman, Universe, purpose, words, power, desires, intentions, resolutions, butterfly, stars,way, heart, follow, brilliance,boat, ocean, life, direction, map, radar, Survivin, cancer, protein, stress, chaos, peace,oak, acorn, wisdom, Anahata, heart, space, mind, clutter, peace, awareness, Maya, commitment, colors, creativity, mythology, myth, treasure chest, key, ancestors, DNA, Karma, terrorism, heaven, Ice-cream, internet, social-media
The heart space, the place where the Soul resides!
Image credits - Pixabay.com
 
It took me above ten years to understand this realm. The confusion and chaos of this world, Maya- the voracious Rahu is so much, we and our mind itself gets lost. Now, this is only the mind as of now we wrote about. Only after becoming clear of these two areas we can even think about the heart, where our Dharma is wired or written.

Heart: This is the next inner realm. This is not the literal, physical heart. But the metaphorical heart center. Hridya-aakasa (heart space). This is within the space of the sacred energy center- the Anahatha chakra- the heart chakra. The green one. Here is where it is thought the Soul, or our Atman is situated. But this stay hidden behind the rational mind of thoughts and emotional mind of feelings. So, how do humans lead their life?

Either they are too logical, stuck in the thoughts or too sensitive, stuck in the emotions. A person who has too much of logic, too much of passions and too much of emotions, swing back and forth from one to the next. The passions come from the heart- the fire element. Logic is the air element and emotions are the water element. All are within us. But according to each individual, this comes in different quantities. If anyone knows about Ayurveda, they say about three natures of humans- Kapha (Water), Vata (air) and Pitha (fire). 

All three have to be balanced so that, the person aligns all three and uses them towards their life through actions. The fourth element -Earth, Bhoomi or physical reality comes into our life only through our actions. I had an idea called Swaroopa in 2017. It was a passion of my heart-fire- Pitha. I used it with Kapha- emotions of my mind, found a logical way- Vatha, ideas to bring it into my physical reality of Earth as this blog, Quora answers, entrepreneurship and the store.

So, these are the four elements as per many philosophies. But then there is a fifth hidden element, about which people have not much idea. The above said four, one can access more easily. But what about the fifth? This element only such a person can access who is deeply plugged into their heart. Aakasha- Ether. Many don't even have a clue of what this is. What is Ether? Isn't it just some fancy name used to say- I made it from ether? My question- Didn't I make Swaroopa from ether? Literal nothingness? Yes, that is indeed Ether. Before February of 2017, there was nothing called Swaroopa. It came in a wintry morning of 2017.

The deep nothingness that holds the potential for everything-ness. Remember, the title of this post again, where we are actually going. The Soul-Self! No, I am not lost in this jungle of words.😁(Hahaha, I myself can't help not laugh. The dramas we humans make and bring.) This element called Aakasha is held by the Soul. The deep original idea or concept that is a reflection of our imagination. Imagination is the true Aakasha. When we look at the sky and wonder- What can it be? How can it be? Earth and our life within in. The power of imagination! Aakasha- the element that is hidden as potential in nothingness as everything until, it is captured by the being and made into something.

Wisdom, bubbles, water, Soul, mind, conscious, subconscious, intellect, Sun, light, knowledge, attitude, effort, analysis, deep, recess, Moon, ideas, thoughts, creativity, creation, Brahman, Universe, purpose, words, power, desires, intentions, resolutions, butterfly, stars,way, heart, follow, brilliance,boat, ocean, life, direction, map, radar, Survivin, cancer, protein, stress, chaos, peace,oak, acorn, wisdom, Anahata, heart, space, mind, clutter, peace, awareness, Maya, commitment, colors, creativity, mythology, myth, treasure chest, key, ancestors, DNA, Karma, terrorism, heaven, Ice-cream, internet, social-media
The heart (Hrudaya) space of Ether (Akasha) - Hrudayakasa!
Image credits - Pixabay.com

This realm can only be accessed if the being is operating from the heart. Not from the mind. Mind cannot access this nothingness. The only way the mind can access this is through the heart and its voice, the intuition. Now, can we realize by living from the mind, what we are missing out? Our divine spark, imagination, creativity and ideas. From the mind, the person has lost the spirit of life and living itself. We can understand why they have lost themselves in their life. They have lost the spirit or essence.

Soul-Self: It is through this nothingness, the Soul, our own spirit comes through. A very silent space that is as huge as the Universe. Remember, this is within us, not outside. But to reach here, we have to first quiet our rational mind, capture our emotional mind and transcend our own heart to go deep within to find an extremely silent space, the inner Universe. Any Hindu knows that when Yasoda, baby Krishna's mother asked him to open his mouth, he opened. She saw, Sun, Moon, stars and the whole Universe, within his mouth. This is a slight nudge towards this truth through a metaphor.

When each of us, the being starts to function from this silent inner space, instead of a physical being with mind, we transform into our Soul-Self, Viswaroopa. This inner space is available to each one of us. Only we have to do the inner work of transcending our rational and emotional mind and the heart. Instead we try to react and fix the physical reality. Physical reality from the mind is very limited. This inner Universe is massive, magnificent and majestic. Many times, within our lazy reverie, we do get a glimpse of this. But then, we the human gets frightened, leave it and come back to our physical life.

Here, I want to elaborate this with another concept. I have to take the help of Hinduism. People who know Hinduism know Viswaroopa and Krishna. Krishna, showed Arjuna, his friend devotee, his original, magnificent form Viswaroopa, to make him understand the magnificence of Self. Now, in this same story if we take Krishna as the total mind -the avatar, this Soul-Self is the Viswaroopa. It's creativity, ideas, imaginations and visions are out of this world. But to make those inklings into reality, it needs Krishna, the being and their mind. Otherwise, this Viswaroopa, sits as a silent space within everyone.

Wisdom, bubbles, water, Soul, mind, conscious, subconscious, intellect, Sun, light, knowledge, attitude, effort, analysis, deep, recess, Moon, ideas, thoughts, creativity, creation, Brahman, Universe, purpose, words, power, desires, intentions, resolutions, butterfly, stars,way, heart, follow, brilliance,boat, ocean, life, direction, map, radar, Survivin, cancer, protein, stress, chaos, peace,oak, acorn, wisdom, Anahata, heart, space, mind, clutter, peace, awareness, Maya, commitment, colors, creativity, mythology, myth, treasure chest, key, ancestors, DNA, Karma, terrorism, heaven, Ice-cream, internet, social-media
God Visnu as Viswaroopa and Narada can be considered the mind!
Image credits - Ramanarayanadatta astri / Public domain
So, now think in this world of seven billion humans, how many inner spaces are sitting silently with no connection to the being, the person who took the body as a physical incarnation. This is the true tragedy of humanity, where the being has lost touch with their inner Self, or Viswaroopa. This was true about myself, who lived a very mind-oriented life until my 47th year. So, I understand that spectrum as well. Yes, Krishna, the mind is indeed powerful, an avatar, a persona. But that is nothing compared to the real-deal, the Viswaroopa.

Think, this is what is waiting for each one of us, if we are ready to take up the inner work. Where is the limited perspectives of the mind and the unlimited brilliance of Viswaroopa. It is as different as the Sun and the Universe. Yes, Sun is a very powerful and brilliant star. But it is nothing, compared to the Universe, isn't it. Bible says- "Man was made in the image of God".

Now, stand in this space of Soul-Self and think about this verse. Actually, isn't the being missing a lot just operating from the mind, than from their Viswaroopa. So, shouldn't each human put in the inner work towards this realization? Of course, I can only write about these concepts, not force. The work should be done by the being. That is always their free will and choice!

I wish you a good and safe weekend, and I'll see you next Friday!😉

Next week: Magnificence of the Viswaroopa!
Image Credits - Wikimedia Commons and Pixabay

 


 

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