Hi James,
How are you doing? I’m hoping very well!
James: Very well, thank you. Working hard, enjoying the great weather and the pandemic as one does. No worries.
Thank you for the valuable teaching examples. X…let me read his email-exchange with you and since I also have had quite some talks about the covid topic with him, I was curious how you would react.
James: I always react in the same way: the world and its problems are not real and God is great. I was actually surprised when I first discovered that X…was indulging his fears. Because he has been faithful to Vedanta as far as his vasanas allowed him to be, I assumed that he actually trusted God to look after him. But it seems his commitment is only skin deep. It’s always sad to see a good person fall prey to fear. Forever, I’ve been saying that the key to freedom lies in knowledge of and surrender to Isvara.
By the way, I’m not very keen to talk about the virus, vaccination, covid etc. to begin with, but I saw it as an exercise in dealing with somebody with a strongly distorted view. And he’s a dear friend, so sometimes I could at least convince him that an aggressive attitude and state of mind can never bring anything good to the world. Besides, it makes self inquiry impossible.
James: Yes, fear distorts the personality. He thinks he is being smart, taking care of himself. In general society thinks fear is smart but in this case he finds himself on the wrong side. A large majority have taken the vaccine to protect themselves and others with few side effects. I don’t know if you follow the satsangs on the website but I post most of the letters that come in to help people understand the non-dual view but some people completely misunderstand. It’s fine with me, just part of the job. As you point out, this is a great opportunity to grow spiritually but he’s shrinking back into the fear’s dark corner.
Unfortunately he still doesn’t get that he’s just frightened to lose his job and reputation, his nice apartment and luxuries and will end up poor and lonely. He fears “they” could take it all away from him. I mean, every day young girls are forced to get circumcisions and people die just because they don’t have something to eat, but I don’t see him going to demonstrations because of these injustices. Sorry, that could sound a bit mean but he is really persistent in his blind conviction that he is fighting unselfishly for a better world and this covid-situation is his battlefield, like the warrior Arjuna.
James: Yes, using clever words to justify not doing what should be done is an Arjuna problem. But Arjuna was a cut above X because he wasn’t attached to his petty comforts. He just didn’t want to injure people. Of course, X…thinks he is saving innocent people from the clutches of the evil capitalistic system when, as you point out, his views are completely (small) self-serving.
It’s a little painful to see. I liked how you tried to provoke him in your first mails but (unfortunately) the ego fights very hard to survive. It would have been a chance for him to break down. He’s getting more and more right about things and finding all kinds of reasons why you’re not completely trustworthy after all those years of taking you as a teacher.
James: I’m a fan of reason and do my best but fear makes people stupid. It is painful to see.
You really tried to bring back his attention to the teaching, to the truth, which is that you never to find in a yes or no in the world, in an opinion! How can I I be right about the virus or vaccination in 10 Years, in 200 Years, in the history of all mankind or the universe? I have no clue about it! I’m not God. Maybe half of the population has to die and my body also. It can happen! Possibly “they” (whoever that is) will take over and soon we have to take drugs every day. We’ll see! In the meantime, I prefer to have a peaceful time with myself and if possible don’t disturb others.
James: Nobody knows what’s going to happen the next minute. That’s the beauty of life. It allows you to trust, not contract. I love your last sentence. It is really the essence of ‘Vedanta; enjoy oneself and leave others alone. Conspiritualists are like religious people who need the comfort of numbers to justify their views because they are actually not sure if they are right. So they try to convince others to join them behind the logic that they have seen the light. A person who has confidence in his or her views is self-contained. That you understand my intentions make me love you more.
Much love, I hope our paths cross sooner rather than later.
James