Divinity [EN]

The question is should we rise up to divinity or should it ‘just’ come to us. We could say to divinity state “hey, if you are so good and whole, why don’t you come over, from all your pervading sources, and divine me up”. It certainly doesn’t sound so divine of us if we just indolently claim our wish to become more fulfilled in life and acquainted with divine knowledge. It’s lazy and pretentious. Let’s call it state of consciousness, this divinity. It is a state that comes from within us, and is of inner radiance. It demands of us a state of allowance in order to liberate ourselves from mental afflictions that obstruct the light of the state of awareness that sees and feels, that is sensitive and strong and is our truest nature. 
On the other hand we could say to ourselves “I am going to get it one way or the other, this divine state of conscious awareness”, as we mine into the outer world, like with hammer on stone for this precious jewel state. It’s greedy and ambitious. And this same fire has turned the world upside down to the point that it is what it is today. Same same. This state of consciousness, this divinity it is a state that comes from within us, and is of inner radiance. It demands of us a state of allowance in order to liberate ourselves from mental afflictions that obstruct the light of a state of awareness that sees and feels deep, that is sensitive and strong and is our truest nature.

Through out my journey I’ve seen quite a few, journeying in the spiritual path with different types of temperaments. Different relationships with it. And we can just notice that the way each one relates to their spiritual path does denote the particular perspective one has on these so called for “spiritual journeys” and theirs goals, that many venture into these days. And I talk from my own experience as well. I’ve felt in my own skin these feelings. Often is part of the path: the lack of spiritual maturity and rushing full with desire towards spiritual accomplishments. 

Some might experience themselves on a rush, down a fast track tunneling their way towards a better understanding. Towards a state of mind that is more comfortable, stress free and direction free. A state that is obtained by withdrawing from life’s demands. The worldly life’s demands. Having to deal with money, finances, decisions, family members, friends, spouse/husband, intimacy, even our likes and dislikes. Easy, we run away from all this. If to get what we like we become fanatic and insanely eager like those crazy people running into a mall on “Black Friday”, then yeah of course, maybe its better to just leave all mundane pursuits and find a cave in the Himalayas. Like this “Black Friday” situation, there are tons. To get a new release of iPhone or to even go into yoga led class… I mean its everywhere. To get what we want, we people can get blindsided and violent for any little thing. This of course exists up to a macro scale. In corporative and government schemes, of course. It’s bitter. And yes, to meet a divine state of mind many think leaving it all behind is the solution. Leaving family, money accounts, responsibilities at home and heading out to Rishikesh. Changing business cases and law bibles, for a Bhagavad Guita and other sacred texts might be easier of course. But in the end if all you need is new sweater for Christmas, you don’t need to play one against all rugby style into a shop to get it. It can be easier to just leave it all, go shirtless home to your family, they will probably love you anyway. But from there people go all the way to deny any kind of desire. All you had to do is tone it down a little. A divine state of being can exist in going to get a new sweater, for sure.

I’ve felt like running away before. It’s more peaceful when you are alone. No responsibilities. No one to answer to. Life is just what I see and feel. That is the only truth. And other peoples visions cannot interfere in this peaceful stability. But other people exist. Their visions exist. And just because I might be around them doesn’t mean i have to fight ideologically, feel repressed and oppressed. It’s up to me.

It’s typical. The triggers of being back in a mundane society. A civilized capitalistic urban centre, lets say. Surrounded by your relatives and longstanding friends. News and social media. These triggers place an effect on our minds and our state of being. A divine state of mind, balanced and happy it is not designed to emerge from these fabricated settings of modern life. That’s right! And its probably intended to be that way. But to be fair, people and connection with people is a way to feel balanced and stable. It’s easier to have no one - true at some point. But true human connection is seeked for out there everywhere. And it’s the easiest, simplest, just by allowing others to peek into our heart and by keeping self learning. Keeping connected to society to positively raise the vibrations is a work of strength. And, simultaneously, maintaining connected to ourselves positively, acknowledging shadows and allowing the light to shine brighter, to keep frequencies uplifted is a work of strength, love and of great respect. Acknowledging shadows and allowing light to shine brighter is an effect that happens both within and without.
I thought about writing my reflections about this topic once after an experience at a kirtan in Bali. This devotional chanting practice of kirtans always intrigued and challenged me. Getting to be devotional about some entity I didn’t know about and chanting melodies to tones my voice isn’t used to (any singing) within a group context was never an attraction to me. But the ongoing flow of the repetitive simple chants always ended up affecting my mind into a more meditative, relaxed, enthusiast, spirited self. After this kirtan experience in Bali I considered the affect to be of this spirited self allied with divine state because of all the devas (deities) that are praised along.

Often at kirtans I felt that the calling to engage in out of body experience through a connection to the divine images and sounds. This calling always promoted by the other attendees of the kirtan: dancing ecstatically, swinging while sitting, arms raised, eyes closed, singing enthusiastically, praising all… most of the times that I’ve went to a kirtan I would not just join along. I remember some other kirtan experiences I had in India, where in a daily routine elderly men and women would gather to chant devotionally from the bottom of their heart. It’s rather exceptional to see. Available to any. All could join at the end of their days in a chanting group at their neighborhood temple. It was their meditation and devotional practice. They would come from their home and work daily routines and smoothly integrate this practice into their lives.

In contrast with the other experiences from Bali where mostly westerners would join. I could notice that westerners would use this chanting practice to move away, travel beyond the body or drift to an unknown sense of self, that wether good or bad it would be appreciated due to being some other state. While locals, like the Indians in their neighborhood daily kirtans would rather open themselves to the chant. Nothing exceptional other than being open to chant peacefully in a contemplative state, opening themselves inside out, and vibrate their energy in a chant. There was definitely a more embodied experience of the kirtan. And definitely a practice thinking on a long term practice of it. It can be applied to any spiritual practices.

In Bali after I remembered this from before, I got back and experienced a kirtan in a different way. Instead of chanting to move away with the vibrational frequencies of my voice, I would be present in me, in my body and the vibrations of my voice would just quietly shake my body, like dusting off some inner dense particles, and make way inside for the most divine of the expressions of the universe to come in towards my home, my body and myself. It started in the beginning to be just sitting, being fully present with myself, touching my knees and my face, aware of my breathing, watching the people and the musicians as they come in. The all kirtan I was not letting my self go overly excited or bored to sleep. It was a perfect balance of attention to the words, the melodies, to the feelings that arise in me with such chanted words. 

Each chant was vibrating deeply within me. Making ripple effects in my energy body. Instead of me traveling outward. I was doing the opposite, of staying in, with in me. Seeing yoga happen within me, allowing divinity to join me. Happily seeing myself like taking the gods by the hand and showing them, and making a little tour to them into my little humble home, of the mental, emotional, physical home of mine. Not taking myself to a higher vibration but, raising my vibration, not leaving anything behind. In a beautiful way I felt like making space for god within me. To be a channel and a vessel for divinity within me. This only possible with the realization that all is divine. That I am that. We all are. That was the realization that allowed divinity to manifest it self in our dimensional level, bodily level. It was an experience of embodiment of such statement. And an opportunity to seed in my mind the door to this state that is beyond my minds understanding. 

In this way I inspired myself to see my practices, ultimately, as practices to connect with the divine. As allowing myself to be connected with cosmic influences. On the contrary to using the practices to exit this reality and travel to a divine state. Making a bridge, connecting both worlds the material and the divine is a mission here for all to fulfill in our journey. At some point a mission long discouraged, said to be impossible but the world today is awaken to dispute this false notions. It is up to us alone in the here and now. I say, and this is the purpose of this article. It is up to us to allow ourselves to take god inside. Inhale. “You self take god inside”, K. Pattabhi Jois.  

“É mais fácil entender que um ser humano deva fugir do mundo para encontrar a paz. É muito difícil aceitar que podemos encontrar a paz em pleno mercado. É fácil de conceber que um ser humano possa atingir a pureza da mente libertando-se dos seus apegos, mas muito mais difícil aceitar que esse ser humano possa manter-se desapegado e inocente ao viver os seus relacionamentos e os seus apegos.”, Osho 

20.11.19
Sérgio Ramos