On The Upanishads

I am often surrounded by people of varying faiths in an environment that encourages by its tenets the dependance on a higher power, as each member understands his or her higher power. I find that during these assemblies, and despite the numerous differences in opinion from one person to the next, that all men of faith who practice as fully as possible the principles of joy, kindness, and charity, and who seek serenity by smashing the ego, can raise the "God-consciousness" of an entire group.

Through the years, I have stumbled from faith to faith because I somehow came to the conclusion that man's first job in this manifestation is to find out why he is here, and none really seemed to have an answer that made sense. Not ironically, attempting to develop a higher power that suits my egoic consciousness has mostly led to failure as I use the word 'I' in the context of a limited, identified self.

Then comes the Upanishad.

I first read these words in a time that I was not ready to understand or accept the non-linear. But today I am older and the idea of the Self and the self I can handle. I am reminded of the Beatles', "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together," and how that relates whatever "truth" may exist universally. I exist only as long I identify that I exist. I am truly not I, but i, a manifestation of I clouded by a self-defense mechanism called ego. The Upanishad ask, "How can a wise man, knowing the unity of life, seeing all creatures in himself, be deluded or sorrowful?" Easily, it turns out.

The self seeks to separate itself from the Self. The i wishes to be greater than, or independent from, the I. "Proud as you are of your own life," sums it up perfectly. I am reminded of something I heard Alan Watts say, and I am sure he was quoting someone else, that "if you look into the mirror, and see anything other than the face of Buddha staring back at you, your ego still lies to you." The Upanishad mirror this statement, albeit indirectly, in forwarding, "When you see that God acts through you at every moment, in every movement of mind and body, you attain true freedom." They do not specify what one gains freedom from, but I think I get it...

In the sake of openness and sharing, I offer you my meditation mantra--the words that bring me serenity daily:

i am a part of all things. All things are part of one thing. That one thing is God. i am a part of God. I is God.

I may be changing those words though, to this selection from the reading:

"That is perfect. This is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect."


Post script.

I understand the ultimate futility of this rant because the more I wish to seek and understand, the less I will. "The ignorant think that God can be grasped by the mind." Humility and the intellect can coexist, provided humility comes first.