Tag: spiritual enlightenment

Pibare Rama Rasam | Sadasiva Brahmendra | Sooryagayathri

The goal of human life is to realize the divine within us. This is called self-realization, and it is the birthright of every human being. All scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita, are meant to guide us towards realizing the self. You can achieve this by engaging in proper sadhana with the right guidance, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, married or unmarried.

Self-inquiry, or Atma Vichara, is considered a direct path to realizing the truth. This was emphasized by Ramana Maharshi, and many individuals have attained truth through this method. One such person is Sadasiva Brahmendra, who lived in the 15th to 16th century near Thiruvenkadu, Tamil Nadu. Originally named Shiva Ramakrishna, he left his home in search of truth and became a disciple of Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati. Under his guidance, he immersed himself in self-inquiry and received profound teachings. Adopting the life of a renunciant, he wandered, often in a trance-like state and dressed minimally. Described as deeply absorbed in meditation, he was said to be in a state of supreme intoxication.

Throughout his life, Sadasiva was associated with numerous miracles. His final resting place, his jiva samadhi, is briefly mentioned in ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, Chapter 41, authored by Paramahamsa Yogananda.

Sadasiva Brahmendra composed many Carnatic compositions to share the advaita philosophy with ordinary people. These songs are renowned for their profound meaning and concise expression. His compositions are widely cherished and frequently performed in Carnatic music concerts. One such composition is ‘Pibare Rama Rasam’. The lyrics were written by Sadasiva Brahmendra and the music was composed by Balamurali Krishna.

The song encourages us to drink the essence or Rasa of Rama. This essence is powerful enough to cleanse our sins and grief, protect us, help us break the cycle of birth and death, and attain self-realization and liberation. The song also conveys that great rishis like Shuka, Shaunaka, and Kaushika have consumed this essence of Rama.

I love the version sung by Sooryagayathri. I discovered this song through her, as she released it on the day before Rama Navami in 2022. I sent a superchat during the live premiere, and she responded to it.

(Since the playback on other websites has been disabled, click on the link to watch this on Youtube. I recommend Sooryagayathri team to change this setting because allowing playback on other websites have a lot of advantages. )

Here are the lyrics and word-to-word translation. Credits: Suja Music, a blogger on WordPress.Note: It is common to sing only lines 1,3 and 5.

पिबरे राम रसं रसने पिबरे राम रसम्
दूरीकृत पातक  संसर्गं पूरित नानाविध फल वर्गम्
जनन मरण भय शोक विदूरं सकल शास्त्र निगमागम सारम्
परिपालित सरसिज गर्भाण्डं  परम पवित्री कृत पाषाण्डम्
शुद्ध परमहम्स आश्रम / आश्रित गीतं शुक शौनक कौशिक मुख पीतम्

Transliteration

pibarE rAma rasam rasanE pibarE rAmarasam
dUrIkrta pAtaka samsargam pUrita nAnAvidha phala vargam
janana maraNa bhaya shOka vidUram sakala shAstra nigamAgama sAram
paripAlita sarasija garbhANDam parama pavitrI krta pAshANDam
shuddha paramahamsa Ashrama gItam shuka shaunaka kaushika mukha pItam

Translation

Drink (verb piban) (implied: absorb) the essence (rasam) of the name of Rama, o tongue (rasana).
It will help you (implied) remove or be distant (doori krta) from association with sin(pAtaka) (or be distant from those who cause you to sin) and you will be fulfilled (poorita) with many kinds (nAnAvidha) and types (varga) of rewards/gains (phala).

It will help you be far removed (vidUram) from the grief (shOka) of the cycle of birth and death (janana–maraNa), it is the essence (sAram) of all (sakala) the religious treatises (shAstra), the Vedas (nigama) and sciences (Agama).

It protects (paripAlita) all creation. Brahma was born of a lotus (sarasija) from a golden egg (garbha anda, womb & egg) and then he created the whole universe. So this phrase implies that Rama nama protects the whole universe.  It will purify (pavitrI) even the most (parama) impious or heretic (pAshANDam).

It is the pure (shuddha) song (gItam) that paramahamsa (signature of poet) has taken refuge in (Ashrama/Ashrita), it is the same which has been drunk (pItam) sages like Shuka, Shaunaka and Kaushika.

Hanuman Jayanthi 2024 | Significance of Anchaneya | Ayodhya Ram Mandir Updates And Miracles

Greetings, dear readers!

I registered this blog in WordPress on January 10, 2014. Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of this blog. First, I want to take this time to thank everyone who supported my blog and work for the last decade. Having said that, I want to extend my heartfelt wishes for Hanuman Jayanthi to you all.

Join me in this enlightening video where I delve into the profound significance of Hanuman, the revered deity known for his unwavering devotion and incredible strength. This video aims to not only educate but also inspire a deeper connection with the divine, fostering a sense of positivity and strength in your life. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gain insights into the spiritual realm and embrace the blessings that Hanuman Jayanthi brings. Hit play and embark on a journey of enlightenment and joy! Wishing you all a blessed and Happy Hanuman Jayanthi! 🙏✨

As I mentioned in the video, on this auspicious day, our honorable Prime Minister tweeted Sooryagayathri’s music video.

A Gift for Every Seeker: Exploring the Timeless Teachings of Bhoothanatha Geetha

Concealed within the ancient Sanskrit tales lies a precious script known as Bhoothanatha Geetha. This brief yet profound text, attributed to Prince Manikanta, unfolds the fundamental ideas of Advaita Vedanta in a conversation with King Rajasekharan.

Back in 2018, I penned a detailed commentary on this book. However, given its length, I’m offering you a condensed introduction.

Simplified Sanskrit:

In contrast to its older counterpart, the Bhagavad Gita, Bhoothanatha Geetha imparts its teachings in simpler Sanskrit, making it accessible to a broader audience. Even with basic knowledge, one can grasp the profound verses. Take, for instance, the opening sloka:

“janma mrtyAdi duhkhAnAm nAzAya mahIpate karmano nAzanam mukhyam tadupAyam nizamyatAm”

Translation: “Oh King, destroying one’s karmas is important for the destruction of the suffering that arises from the cycle of birth and death. You can hear the way for it from me.”

A Conversation about Truth:

Much like the Bhagavad Gita, Bhoothanatha Geetha unfurls through a captivating dialogue. Prince Manikanta, embodying both spiritual wisdom and princely grace, guides King Rajasekharan towards self-realization. Their exchange delves into crucial Advaita Vedanta concepts:

  • The nature of Brahman: The ultimate reality, Brahman, transcends form and attributes. The text beautifully illustrates this using the analogy of gold and ornaments, explaining that just as all ornaments are essentially gold, so too are all names and forms manifestations of the one, indivisible Brahman.
  • Maya’s illusion: This subtle veil of misconception obscures our true nature. Manikanta skillfully dispels this illusion, revealing the “I” and “mine” as mere concepts superimposed on the ever-present Brahman.
  • The path to liberation: Bhoothanatha Geetha emphasizes the importance of a true teacher (satguru) and warns against the pitfalls of mere intellectual pursuits, advocating for sincere devotion and self-inquiry.

Beyond the Similarities:

While drawing inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita, Bhoothanatha Geetha offers unique insights into Siddha wisdom and practical spirituality:

  • Siddha wisdom: Manikanta’s possible connection to the Siddhas shines through in his detailed discussions of tattvas (elements of consciousness) and the purification of the mind.
  • Practical spirituality: Acknowledging worldly responsibilities and desires, the text encourages a balanced approach, urging not to neglect the body but to utilize it as a vehicle for liberation.

A Gift for Every Seeker:

Whether you’re a long time seeker or a curious newcomer, Bhoothanatha Geetha offers a wealth of wisdom. Its simple language, engaging dialogue, and practical guidance make it a valuable resource for those seeking self-realization. Delve into its verses, contemplate its teachings, and embark on your transformative journey towards eternal truth.

Visit this link for a detailed commentary on Bhoothanatha Geetha.

Seeking Support for My Spiritual Endeavors: Overcoming Health and Financial Challenges

Hello readers,

Hope you are doing fine.

I have numerous projects in mind aimed at supporting spiritual seekers. Unfortunately, the lack of immediate support and ongoing health issues has posed significant challenges. Nevertheless, I’m determined to shed more light on the subject, making people aware of the intricate scientific observations, hypotheses, and details surrounding spiritual awakening.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve received invaluable help from my readers, but it has been somewhat unpredictable. To effectively address both my health needs and the financial requirements of my projects and interests, I require substantial financial support.

What’s especially crucial is that I find myself residing alone in a small rented room, shouldering all my expenses, health concerns, interests, and projects as a solitary, middle-aged individual. My health and career haven’t been particularly cooperative in meeting my needs.

I’m reaching out to inquire if you might consider providing further assistance and contributing an amount that would significantly alleviate the burdens I’m currently carrying. My goal is to wholeheartedly focus on my aspirations without being hindered by financial or health-related distractions for as long as possible.

I acknowledge that I’ve neglected my core health issues for an extended period, and it’s uncertain how long I’ll be able to sustain my current situation. However, I firmly believe that with the necessary support, I can reverse these issues and restore my original health.

Please do let me know if you can extend your assistance further. Your contribution, no matter the amount, would be greatly appreciated.

Scroll down for all donation options; you can pay by Stripe, Paypal, UPI (gpay) or direct bank transfer.

You can donate to me via Paypal here: https://paypal.me/nellaishanmugam

To donate via Gpay, use the UPI id borris83@okicici or scan the QR code below:

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Name: Shanmugam P

Bank: Canara bank

Acc no: 2952108008021

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Once you donate, please inform me through this contact form:  https://nellaishanmugam.wordpress.com/contact/

Warm regards,
Shanmugam P

Sooryagayathri’s Bhairavi Shatakam – A failure

First of all, I am sorry about this post. I am a huge fan of Sooryagayathri. But I am not a fan of the modern society which has no clue on how to deal with life. They fall for fake gurus; And sometimes fake gurus and ignorant babas like Jaggi Vasudev create a lot of negative influence in the society. And this negative influence affects great divine artists like Soorya.

I want to ask a question to the Sooryagayathri’s team on the new release ‘Bhairavi Shatakam’.. Who gave this stupid idea? Calm down.. I will explain why this idea is ignorant and stupid.

Another question.. For every video of yours, you have promptly mentioned the author of the lyrics. But you didn’t mention the author of the lyrics for Bhairavi Shatakam. Why? Because, you don’t know.

Let me clarify.. There is nothing called ‘shatakam’ in the first place. Shatkam is a poem that has 6 stanzas. And ashtakam has a poem that has 8 stanzas. Is this clear enough?

Adhi Shankaracharya composed a poem called Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam. It has 8 stanzas. The verses are given below:

अम्बा शाम्भवि चन्द्रमौलिरबलाऽपर्णा उमा पार्वती

        काली हैमवती शिवा त्रिनयनी कात्यायनी भैरवी  .

सावित्री नवयौवना शुभकरी साम्राज्यलक्ष्मीप्रदा

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. १..

अम्बा मोहिनि देवता त्रिभुवनी आनन्दसंदायिनी

        वाणी पल्लवपाणिवेणुमुरलीगानप्रिया लोलिनी  .

कल्याणी उडुराजबिम्ब वदना धूम्राक्षसंहारिणी

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. २..

अम्बा नूपुररत्नकङ्कणधरी केयूरहारावली

        जातीचम्पकवैजयंतिलहरी ग्रैवेयकैराजिता  .

वीणावेणु विनोदमण्डितकरा वीरासने संस्थिता

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ३..

अम्बा रौद्रिणि भद्रकालि बगला ज्वालामुखी वैष्णवी

        ब्रह्माणी त्रिपुरान्तकी सुरनुता देदीप्यमानोज्वला  .

चामुण्डा श्रितरक्षपोषजननी दाक्षायणी वल्लवी

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ४..

अम्बा शूलधनुः कशाङ्कुशधरी अर्धेन्दुबिम्बाधरी

        वाराहीमधुकैटभप्रशमनी वाणी रमासेविता  .

मल्लद्यासुरमूकदैत्यमथनी माहेश्वरी चाम्बिका

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ५..

अम्बा सृष्टविनाशपालनकरी आर्या विसंशोभिता

        गायत्री प्रणवाक्षरामृतरसः पूर्णानुसंधी कृता  .

ओङ्कारी विनतासुतार्चितपदा उद्दण्ड दैत्यापहा

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ६..

अम्बा शाश्वत आगमादिविनुता आर्या महादेवता

        या ब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्तजननी या वै जगन्मोहिनी  .

या पञ्चप्रणवादिरेफजननी या चित्कला मालिनी

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ७..

अम्बापालितभक्तराजदनिशं अम्बाष्टकं यः पठेत्

        अम्बालोलकटाक्षवीक्ष ललितं चैश्वर्यमव्याहतम्  .

अम्बा पावनमन्त्रराजपठनादन्ते च मोक्षप्रदा

        चिद्रूपी परदेवता भगवती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी  .. ८.

Isha foundation, a dangerous cult organization that I have been writing about many years in this blog did something interesting.

Linga Bhairavi, is a so called consecrated structure in Isha foundation and in the name of donation for this consecration they collected millions.

They wanted a verse for this Linga Bhairavi, a commercial goddess who can stay in your house if you pay lakhs of rupees for the so called Linga Bhairavi Yantra.

First they removed the 3rd verse and 8th verse from the original Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam composed by Sooryagayathri’s beloved Adhi Shankaracharya. And they changed the verses in the rest of the poem.

In the beginning of each stanza of the original composition, they replaced the word ‘amba’ with the word ‘bhairavi’. Then they replaced the last word ‘Sri Raja rajeshwari’ with ‘Sri Linga Bhairavi’.. How clever?

Dear Sooryagayathri and team,

One question to you. Is it fair to alter the original verse composed by Adhi Shankaracharya for an organization’s commercial purpose? And it is fair to sing this commercial version instead of the original version?

I have not asked an illegal question. So I hope you take this post positively.

Emotions, Pain and Suffering After Spiritual Enlightenment

I am writing this post since I am seeing a great deal of misunderstanding among some of my readers who are misled by the modern new age spirituality and the so called teachers who show a clean and calm professional image to the public.

I am coming from the land of avadhutas. They were fully awakened people who roamed in the streets with torn and dirty clothes, drank liquor, threw stones at people, cursed them and showed an image of a lunatic. And they were fully awakened. Their existence served a purpose. It was their prarabhdha karma to live their life this way and they still helped people in ways which were uncommon and controversial.

Trust me, spiritual path is a long journey full of adventure, unexpected turns and falls, and converts your whole life as a suspense thriller. The joy of living your life without knowing what happens next is something no Hollywood movie can give you.

So I want to give you a new perspective of this unending adventure. Many people stop somewhere in the path and make it their home; they find a secure spot, settle there and start teaching people. Soon, they fall for the fame they get and their further progress in the spirituality is completely stopped.

In the last four years, I have been very honest in documenting what has happened to me in the spiritual journey. If there is one thing that my beloved readers like about me, then it is nothing but honesty. I am not interested in making claims and attach a specific word to what happened to me. I have made that clear in my first book The Truth About Spiritual Enlightenment: Bridging Science, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, which is now with 62 ratings and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. But many people do not know that your reading is not complete until you read my second book Discovering God: Bridging Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Because I have said so much about spiritual awakening which I have not covered in my first book.

The quotes about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in my second book on those vasanas that remain after enlightenment and my clarification on bandha vasanas and bhoga vasanas will clarify a lot of misunderstandings. Because, people think that a person is completely out of all desires after enlightenment, which is not true. Some desires and some small amount of raga and dvesha should exist to keep an awakened person in the survival mode. Otherwise, life will not last in his body after 21 days. This is coming from ancient wisdom and it makes sense to me with my current way of experiencing life.

My post titled ‘My Life after Spiritual Enlightenment – The Untold side of Self-Realization‘ will further explain the untold side which has never been covered by any spiritual teacher. The reason is obvious. They didn’t get to face the society as a common man just like I did. I am not a spiritual teacher, which I have told you people several times. I am a common man who is living an awakened life while stepping on the thorns and stones of a raw simple social life. And that life is different. It is this life which you all will get to live after a complete spiritual awakening.

Before I talk about the subject matter you see in the title of the post, let me remind you of something that I have been telling you often. There is something called spiritual rebirth. You have to completely destroy yourself and reconstruct yourself. And this reconstructing yourself involves doing things which are totally opposite of what you did in the destructive phase.

Sadly, many people do not even get to this complete destruction because it is very scary. It is losing yourself completely. You have to go beyond pride and shame. This means, you dont even care to show the lunatic side of yourself. You can appear unenlightened to the majority and you still dont care. Santatagamana’s book on Turiya talks about this. To go through this Turiya, you have to stop teaching. Teachers can’t reach it.. Period. And I am not a teacher.

Once you are completely reborn, you have to reconstruct yourself by building intentions, a new self image, vasanas etc. Because, your spouse can’t tolerate someone who is devoid of emotions and desires. You would be too enlightened to be in a relationship. I have been through this and it is my personal experience. If you are too enlightened to live a social life, you are good for nothing except teaching spirituality. You might have millions of followers but no one would want to marry you. Without marriage and having children, you dont get to pass your genes to the next generation. And your enlightened genetics goes as a waste without giving it a chance to produce an offspring who will inherit some of those qualities. Only a few people know this secret.

Many people are familiar with the quote “die before you die”… Yes, you have to, if you want to progress on the spiritual path. But you can become a deva (twice born) or avatar if you know how to be reborn after you die before you die. No book can teach you that. Just facing the society by living as a common man will push you back into survival mode. You will retain the fulfillment of enlightenment while fully engaging with the world and the society by expressing all kinds of emotions including anger, tears etc. Emotions and pain can exist without suffering.

Suffering is personal. Buddha said, ‘There are two kinds of pain. The wise person stops with the first one’. That is what I am talking about. Some people might have gone beyond pain. But it is dangerous for the survival of the body.

Because each pain gives a message. Pain helps you to take care of the body. Pain tells you that something is wrong and you have to act. You may ask, ‘who cares.. After all I am not the body’. But why should you miss this potential and leave this area unexplored? Body will disappear one day anyway. Why shouldn’t you take care of the body and let it run as long as it can? It will allow you to fully swim through everything that this life has to offer.

The bottom line is this. Emotions, pain and vasanas can exist even after enlightenment. But the suffering is gone. Suffering is completely optional. You dont have to suffer; and you wont once you know how to go beyond it.

I feel that there is too much of a gap between the west and the east. The spiritual literature in the east is so vast and each book addresses different periods of a seeker’s journey. You will find huge differences between Bhagavad Gita, Ashtavakra Gita and Yoga Vasistha for example, and each book addresses the things that other books have missed out. A seeker’s journey is so long and has lots of ups and downs, surprises etc. Above all, books can only teach a little bit and it is the duty of the seeker to discover those things which are not addressed just using words. Also, having basic knowledge in Sanskrit helps to understand the true meaning of these texts, which I do. A lot of clarity is lost in translations.

Ramana himself kept reading spiritual literature for his entire life in order to assist seekers in a better way. 

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Right now I am struggling financially and my wordpress subscription is ending this month. In order to keep my domain name and hosting, I need to pay them immediately. I would at least need about $150 USD to keep what I have and manage other expenses. I do have a donate option in my blog: https://shanmugamp.org/donate/ . If you can contribute it will be great. I live my life as a common man and I dont even have a job. Any help you can do will help me to continue assisting seekers.

Spiritual Awakening – A Losing Game

We are conditioned to accumulate stuff. We accumulate both abstract and concrete things – objects, wealth, acquaintances, information, ideas, concepts etc. We associate everything that we accumulate with an idea of a ‘self’.

When people are in the process of getting the next thing listed in their to do list, some of them suddenly come across the concept of spiritual enlightenment or a complete spiritual awakening. It is advertised as the best thing that can happen to a human being and sounds incredibly cool. They just grab this idea and add it in their shopping list.

Spiritual Awakening - A Losing Game

Spirituality is a business today. So before one gets the true spiritual thirst as the result of an inner calling, spirituality is advertised at their door step with exciting offers and discounts. A lot of these deals are full of bullshit sandwiched with statements of some mind-blowing truths picked up from the literature of some of the most popular gurus of the last century.

Some of them are from people who have been having short or long glimpses of non-duality in their daily life, but are convinced that this is what spiritual enlightenment is all about and this is how the rest of their lives are going to be. They usually give up and come to premature conclusions.

I have addressed the above points many times in my recent Youtube videos. But in this blog post I want to explain why spiritual enlightenment is all about losing and what exactly you lose.

Spiritual enlightenment has various definitions in general. There are people who say that spiritual enlightenment is about being omnipotent and omniscient. But when I talk about spiritual enlightenment, I am talking about what is practically possible to anyone who is truly seeking it; it is something that has happened to millions of people before and something that is happening in more numbers in today’s world.

It is not about achieving or accumulating anything; it is about returning to the source; it is about going back to your natural state; it is about untying the knots or undoing all the complications that your mind has created while growing up; it is about going home. So it is all about losing.

You lose many things. You lose all the reifications. You lose your false ideas, beliefs and illusions. You lose the cravings to do many things you had been doing before. You lose 98% of your mental chatter and lose all self-referential thoughts. You lose your conflicts and your mind loses a lot of its weight.

But I can list three primary things which you lose, which is usually regarded as the symptoms of atma jnana or self-realization. It is only after self-realization and abiding permanently in non-duality, your awakening is complete.

Here are these three things:

Sense of a separate self – At self-realization, you permanently lose the sense that you are an entity separate from the existence. Your experience of life changes completely. You no longer feel like you are trapped in a body and limited. There is no difference between you, the blue sky, the blowing wind and the rest of the nature. It is like a wave realizing that it doesn’t have a separate existence but it is the ocean itself. It is not intellectual understanding or understanding gained by temporary glimpses; it is dying completely before you physically die.

Sense of agency – You no longer feel you are doing your actions; actions simply arise from the inner stillness without any sense of agency. You see life as if everything is unfolding all by itself. Ahankara or the sense of agency is lost.

Psychological time – Everyone has a to-do list or agenda. Everyone is looking forward to future to get a sense of completion. Everyone feels like something that is in the future is waiting to complete them. A religious person hopes that he will reach heaven in the future and a spiritual person thinks that he will reach spiritual enlightenment in the future. This craving and seeking, whether it is for a material goal or a spiritual state is completely absent after self-realization. You will feel full and complete already and you are not looking forward to future to get something that will give you a sense of completion which is missing now.

Spiritual enlightenment is the end of duality and the life that is confined to the rat race of humanity. But it is not the end of everything. It is a new beginning.

In the following video, I have made some important clarifications:

A Review of ‘The Finders’ by Dr. Jeffery Martin ( A Constructive Criticism)

I recently finished reading Dr. Jeffery Martin’s book ‘The Finders’, which is about finders, or the people who have access to what he calls as ‘fundamental well being’. Those finders also include the category of people who have found what I often write about – the spiritual enlightenment. The academic name for fundamental well being is ‘persistent non-symbolic experience (PSNE)’.

The book is based on the research and interviews conducted on nearly a thousand people who claim to be finders – or experiencing the states which are often referred to using words like Nondual awareness, Plateau experiences, Unity consciousness, Deautomatization, Enlightenment, Samadhi, Transcendental experiences, Flow experience, Mystical experiences, Satori
Cosmic Consciousness, The peace of God, Peak experiences, Silence beyond sound, Numinous experiences, Shamanic ecstasy etc. (This list of words is taken from the website for his own research project : nonsymbolic.org).

Regardless of the quality of the research and the accuracy of his conclusions, this book is extremely useful for people who have reached these states of consciousness. Most importantly, it is pretty interesting and useful for people like me who have gone beyond the sense of agency or sense of experiencing oneself as the ‘doer’. Because, this book has documented many things based on the inputs shared by many people who are awake (and possibly many people who have glimpses and have non-abiding awakening).

I liked the articulation and simplicity where he has explained the features of narrative self and challenges that a finder faces, especially in relationships. I have gone through a divorce after becoming a ‘finder’ and I can relate to it a lot. The book is overall wonderful but many facts that are presented can be challenged. As the author himself says, the findings need a lot of refinement and I would consider the research as being in an initial stage. We need input from other researchers and further experiments of similar nature from others to take this forward.

From my perspective, I find the concept of continuum a little problematic. May be it makes certain things easier from an academic point of view. But it is misleading to a seeker, in my opinion. I am also skeptical about many other things said in the book, like the possibility of losing one’s fundamental wellbeing.

I have discussed more in this video:

He also had a ‘Finder’s course’ to help people reach the fundamental well being and I heard that the cost was about $3000, which is a lot of money. And the claim that majority of the attendees reached fundamental well being is indeed extra-ordinary. Currently he has a program called ’45 Days to Awakening Challenge’ which costs about $500. Because of the huge claim that is being made and a very high cost, many people ask if it is a scam. If you have completed any of the above mentioned programs, comment your experiences below.

The Greatest Irony Of Spiritual Enlightenment

Every one has a hole inside them; the hole is made up of a sense of lack that causes the feeling that things are not still good enough. This hole is huge and enormous; it exists even for people who appear more happy than others…

Spiritual enlightenment makes your sense of lack to disappear not by filling the hole but making you to realize that this hole is an illusion. This hole was created by your conceptual or narrative self that always creates a story out of what is happening.

After enlightenment, you not only realize that the hole is an illusion but you also realize that the narrative self itself is an illusion; the one who wanted to get enlightened didn’t even exist in the first place….

The greatest irony of enlightenment is to realize that it was never absent.. You were trying to attain something that you already have.

Spiritual Awakening – A Fuzzy Guide to A Beginner

What is spiritual awakening? If you are new to this whole thing, than I am going to offer you a fuzzy guide. The reason why I call it as ‘fuzzy’ is because that is how any real guide for spiritual awakening for a ‘beginner’ is supposed to be…

Imagine that you are walking in complete darkness in an area where sun light cannot enter (may be an extra-ordinarily thick forest) ; you have been walking for ages and you have adapted yourself to it. Sometimes you see fireflies and you call it as ‘happiness’. I am telling you that there is something beyond this where you can get much more of what those occasional glimpse of fireflies offer.

I have to tell you that there is a way out of forest where you can open yourself to bright sunlight; but you have forgotten what sunlight means. So I have to use firefly as an example until I take you to a place where I make you see a ray of sunlight. Once you see that ray you can trace the path yourself and find your way out.

A complete spiritual awakening or spiritual enlightenment is that place where you are completely open to sunlight. A glimpse of a single ray while being in the forest is the moment of your first spiritual awakening. And your existing human condition is the condition of a person who is walking in absolute darkness. Those fireflies are the fleeting moments of true peace and fullness that you experience when you get what you want in life.

I am not going to write it all out here. I am going to present an animated explainer video to you that gives some idea. Exploring more of my work through my Youtube channel, my blog here and my book will help you getting a direction after that.