Namaskar. Welcome to Session 3 of the Cosmic Philosophy course.
The mind develops as the bondage of the binding principles decreases. At first the static force within the mind dominates, giving the feeling of “I have done.” This is expressed as instinct (Crude Mind). In the course of development, the mutative force eventually becomes dominant and the “I do” feeling develops as intellect, or ego (Subtle Mind). Finally, the sentient force dominates the mutative, and the unit “I-feeling” (feeling of pure existence) evolves out of the “I do” feeling. This manifests as intuition (Causal Mind).
So we may find creatures and plants with only instinct, or with intellect as well, or with all three: instinct, intellect and intuition. In undeveloped beings it is instinct which dominates. In developing beings there is an increase of intellect over instinct, but it is only at the human stage that intellect dominates.
Then with the development of intuition the mind starts to question the nature of its own existence and the spiritual quest begins. The desire for spiritual practice develops as ego is replaced by intuition and attraction for the Cosmic Nucleus. This attraction is called devotion. Devotion is love for the Infinite. It is said that when devotion is attained, everything is attained, because it leads to final merger with the Supreme.
Attraction towards the Cosmic Nucleus accelerates as the mind expands and becomes more subtle. One begins to experience the merger of mind in the Goal: absolute bliss – complete absorption in Cosmic Consciousness. It’s not possible to come even close to describing this state, let alone thinking about it, because it’s beyond the mind. One’s mind exists in and of Consciousness. We cannot think about it simply because it’s not possible to think of anything beyond the boundary of one’s own mind.
“I do not say that I know Him; nor do I say that I do not know Him. Because I know that He is beyond all knowing and not knowing.”
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
Spiritual practice, therefore, is the process of transcending the mind to the Consciousness within which it exists: the Cosmic Consciousness. It is this transcendence of the “I-feeling” that results in the supreme experience of the Absolute: “Where ‘I’ is, ‘He’ is not; where ‘He’ is, ‘I’ is not.”
“The Supreme Entity is the vastest entity;
the ultimate source of all cosmic emanations.
The Supreme Entity, which is difficult to conceive,
is the subtlest of the subtle.
He is farther away than any other entity,
but again He is nearer than the nearest.
Only the one who looks into the innermost recesses
of himself or herself can realize the Supreme Entity.”
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
“This path to attain happiness… I call absolute devotion. Carry on performing your worldly duties with sincerity, and at the same time think about the pure Self within you. The constant thought of your pure inner Self will certainly one day establish you in your original source, and this is the ultimate aim of spiritual practice.”
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
When you’re ready, go to the next session…
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