Dissolve the self in peace

 You have put so much energy into building a prison for yourself.

Now spend as much on demolishing it.

Nisargadatta Maharaj

 

Have you observed the amazing inner silence in the early morning hours. I remember having these as a child but they somehow got lost in-between. Now I enjoy them again. Complete emptiness, no “she doesn’t love me”, or “I never amount to anything”, or “I really need that car”. Nothing, just fulfillment and happiness for what’s seems like hours. Then the “system” wakes up and I have to deal with it just like everyone.

 

When the “system” of feelings, thoughts and attractions of occurance wakes up, the experience of good and bad, the feeling of “I need that and don’t want that” pops up. Often we don’t even realize that it is running us. Actions we consider to be our mission we may do out of guilt, and with it problems arise. Interactions we figure are based on love are often driven by cravings and aversions instead, and with it more guilt arises.

 

Mooji told an interesting story of almost complete equanimity of mind. Thieves stole a man’s property but he didn’t care. A close friend slept with his wife, he accepted it. Even his children disowned him and he was ok with it and went to a nearby monastery instead. There he spend his time working happily on the zen garden until demons found his weak spot. They kept dropping leaves on his spotless sand creation and he got so mad!

 

What exactly is the moral of the story? Nothing! I bet you the monk started laughing after battling the demons for a few hours. His ego still had found a place to hide and the helpful demons were kind enough to show this to him. Likewise, so what if the busy day is here to show us a few opportunities where the “system” still needs a little perusal. I still get mad, still have cravings on my own, but they no longer interfere with peace for long.

 

Unravel the “system” we have built so carefully over the eons, one thought, one feeling and one action at a time. We didn’t have a chance before because we didn’t know that the cravings and aversions weren’t us. When we really observe, the underlying peace never really goes away even in the busyness of life. Take the serenity of the morning hours with you wherever the “you” goes and whatever the “you” does.

 

The undoing “you” happens against the backdrop of serenity and love.