Hi Ramji,
Thanks for clarifying those 19 functions are all in the mind. Is the below correct then?
That means nothing is caused on the level of the body. The body only exists as far as there is a mind. Say you have a physical injury to the brain and the mind does not function properly. That change is happening only at the level of the mind. What is perceived as a physical injury is Isvara switching a function off or on. I had no idea what an integral teaching location of objects was. With that same thinking, prana is only at the level of the mind. All these rituals we do to raise prana in the “body” are actually raising prana in the mind. And that is actually only up to Isvara – by this thinking alone, it makes sense to surrender to Isvara (Consciousness + Maya). The imagination that the body is real gives a false notion of control and autonomy (duality) – which just is not.
Also what you have been saying from the Bhagavad Gita that people can’t be but what they are. Isvara is the puppeteer of Maya. It lets you step back from “people” who disturb “you” to see it is Isvara – the disturber and the disturbed. Life is easier when that thought can be firm (that seems a constructive prayer). When you say from the Bhagavad Gita, I’ll take care of your coming and going and keeping – it is because there is only Isvara and that is already what is happening. Karma yoga is orienting to that reality. The more committed I am to understanding, the more I see the worry is not real (though some vasanas can be really stuck in there).
James: Got it! Yes, the body is just five material elements. It is inert but it is pervaded by the mind, which is prana i.e. shakti, which animates it. Prana is reflected Existence/Awareness. Isvara/Maya is called antaryamin, which means the inner controller. It makes everything happen. It is the set-up (jiva-jagat-isvara). The body/mind entity is just a puppet on a string dancing to Isvara’s tune. Karma yoga is just recognizing it and then getting your life in line with it.
You can’t tell this to a worldly person, however, because they don’t know that the body is insentient because it “feels” like it is because the mind pervades it. In other words the body is “borrowing” the pain or pleasure from the mind. This is the upadhi teaching. It’s fine if they think the body is sentient because they aren’t going for moksa. If you want freedom from pain and pleasure then Self knowledge is the only way because you have to negate the body and mind to “enter” the Self, meaning have access to the Bliss of Being.
Love,
Ramji
The Body is Actually the Mind
Hi Ramji,
Thanks for clarifying those 19 functions are all in the mind. Is the below correct then?
That means nothing is caused on the level of the body. The body only exists as far as there is a mind. Say you have a physical injury to the brain and the mind does not function properly. That change is happening only at the level of the mind. What is perceived as a physical injury is Isvara switching a function off or on. I had no idea what an integral teaching location of objects was. With that same thinking, prana is only at the level of the mind. All these rituals we do to raise prana in the “body” are actually raising prana in the mind. And that is actually only up to Isvara – by this thinking alone, it makes sense to surrender to Isvara (Consciousness + Maya). The imagination that the body is real gives a false notion of control and autonomy (duality) – which just is not.
Also what you have been saying from the Bhagavad Gita that people can’t be but what they are. Isvara is the puppeteer of Maya. It lets you step back from “people” who disturb “you” to see it is Isvara – the disturber and the disturbed. Life is easier when that thought can be firm (that seems a constructive prayer). When you say from the Bhagavad Gita, I’ll take care of your coming and going and keeping – it is because there is only Isvara and that is already what is happening. Karma yoga is orienting to that reality. The more committed I am to understanding, the more I see the worry is not real (though some vasanas can be really stuck in there).
James: Got it! Yes, the body is just five material elements. It is inert but it is pervaded by the mind, which is prana i.e. shakti, which animates it. Prana is reflected Existence/Awareness. Isvara/Maya is called antaryamin, which means the inner controller. It makes everything happen. It is the set-up (jiva-jagat-isvara). The body/mind entity is just a puppet on a string dancing to Isvara’s tune. Karma yoga is just recognizing it and then getting your life in line with it.
You can’t tell this to a worldly person, however, because they don’t know that the body is insentient because it “feels” like it is because the mind pervades it. In other words the body is “borrowing” the pain or pleasure from the mind. This is the upadhi teaching. It’s fine if they think the body is sentient because they aren’t going for moksa. If you want freedom from pain and pleasure then Self knowledge is the only way because you have to negate the body and mind to “enter” the Self, meaning have access to the Bliss of Being.
Love,
Ramji
Hi Ramji,
Thanks for clarifying those 19 functions are all in the mind. Is the below correct then?
That means nothing is caused on the level of the body. The body only exists as far as there is a mind. Say you have a physical injury to the brain and the mind does not function properly. That change is happening only at the level of the mind. What is perceived as a physical injury is Isvara switching a function off or on. I had no idea what an integral teaching location of objects was. With that same thinking, prana is only at the level of the mind. All these rituals we do to raise prana in the “body” are actually raising prana in the mind. And that is actually only up to Isvara – by this thinking alone, it makes sense to surrender to Isvara (Consciousness + Maya). The imagination that the body is real gives a false notion of control and autonomy (duality) – which just is not.
Also what you have been saying from the Bhagavad Gita that people can’t be but what they are. Isvara is the puppeteer of Maya. It lets you step back from “people” who disturb “you” to see it is Isvara – the disturber and the disturbed. Life is easier when that thought can be firm (that seems a constructive prayer). When you say from the Bhagavad Gita, I’ll take care of your coming and going and keeping – it is because there is only Isvara and that is already what is happening. Karma yoga is orienting to that reality. The more committed I am to understanding, the more I see the worry is not real (though some vasanas can be really stuck in there).
James: Got it! Yes, the body is just five material elements. It is inert but it is pervaded by the mind, which is prana i.e. shakti, which animates it. Prana is reflected Existence/Awareness. Isvara/Maya is called antaryamin, which means the inner controller. It makes everything happen. It is the set-up (jiva-jagat-isvara). The body/mind entity is just a puppet on a string dancing to Isvara’s tune. Karma yoga is just recognizing it and then getting your life in line with it.
You can’t tell this to a worldly person, however, because they don’t know that the body is insentient because it “feels” like it is because the mind pervades it. In other words the body is “borrowing” the pain or pleasure from the mind. This is the upadhi teaching. It’s fine if they think the body is sentient because they aren’t going for moksa. If you want freedom from pain and pleasure then Self knowledge is the only way because you have to negate the body and mind to “enter” the Self, meaning have access to the Bliss of Being.
Love,
Ramji
