Sitting by the Barron and immersing the mind’s thought stream with the river. The action of the flow and the stillness of the ponds, the cycle of birth and death. I reflect on the 4 elements that are expressed here as pairs or twins; Earth and Water, plus Air and Fire (light), and the natural water cycle. Ocean water evaporates with the Fire of the sun, into the realm of Air, it rains onto the Earth as it grounds itself, eventually the earth has enough replenishment that is part of the earth cycle’s journey, and so having share itself in service, it coalesces in the community of water that is streams and rivers, and once again returns to the oceans. Wheels within wheels, the motion of the Dharma wheel analogous to the Souls Journey to Oneness.
A process of physical renewal and rejuvenation of birth begetting form, this facsimile of the original creation, or more correctly, the ‘original creation myth’, for the Oneness does not have a beginning or end, it is just ONE. A cycle of replenishment within the Oneness appears present, continually renewing its creativity, and Russian Dolls loom large.
Humans source energy through eating, drinking and breathing. When grounded the life stream on earth is supported by plants. Interestingly, the highest physical plant foods hang on trees, fruits exist at the nexus between earth and sky, the expression of the highest obtainment of earthly food desires. Fruit is at the pinnacle of the food chain, it retains the seed of life and so it has within it the means to continue the cycle of birth and death.
The food that is sustenance for the mind, for the mental life, is Air, and Inedia is the term used when the breathe is supporting our nutritional and energetic needs in addition to the other metabolic or bodily functions. We move from one horizon to the next; a demonstration of human adaptation and flexibility that allows one to fast effectively from plant foods. The power of the ego to seek the source of light is overwhelming; eventually the air itself diminishes as all dependence on earthly life fades away.
The Seven Chakras
The Seven Chakras provide a useful model for self-investigation, exploration and understanding of our relationships, and highlight many correspondences, between the human physiological form, and our energetic form . The Seven Chakras exist as energetic centres in the body and have been developed from the subjective experience of those beings who are sensitive enough to be in contact with their energy or ‘subtle body’.
The lower three chakras, Muladhara, Svadhishthana and Manipur relate to the elements of Earth, Water and Fire and have specific correspondences in the physical realm. In the language of the energy system of bodily presence, gravity is representative of the energetic force of the earthly realm. The movement of water and the action of the fire elements, are descriptive of ‘Form’ is it navigates the physical realm. Biological forms, the plants, animals and humans are a reflection of various combinations of these three elements.
The fourth and middle Chakra is Anahata, the Heart chakra, and it is the bridge between the earthly and the spiritual. Anahata is the ‘highest’ place for cognition of the ‘lower’ physical aspects of the universal energies, and the ‘lowest’ descendant place for the ‘higher’ energetic aspects. Here, the Air element provides space for ‘transcendence’; a bridge from body to mind. It is through the heart, the ultimate source of all nourishment, that the first thought “I” manifests.
The fifth chakra is Vishuddhi, the throat chakra, and is a place for communication, representative of the purity of sound; an energetic harmoniser that provides a bridge from heart to mind; a place for communicable expression of both emotions and thought.
The sixth Chakra is Ajna, the centre of the Mind or ’Mental Body’. The Mind is a collection of thoughts, and is part of the energetic or pranic knowledge, quite distinct from the physical body. The power of the mind as thought can take us far away from the lower chakras, well beyond the physical aspects into other realms of subjective experience.
The seventh and upper Chakra is Sahasrara, described as an energy state beyond the ‘non-existent Ego’ and the realm of thought; a state of Pure Awareness where contact of the heavenly realm or Oneness or ‘ego free’ experience is manifest. The awareness of itself alone…“I” AM “I”.
Fruit of Life
Fruit is at the apex of physical plant life, the pinnacle achievement of the plant species, the manifestation of it’s reproductive capacity and harbouring the most nutritious of earthly values, the essence, the very seed of life available to maximise the potential for continued growth and abundance. It is also a perfectly formed plant specimen for human survival. It is no surprise that fruit is rightfully present in the branches and on the stems of trees, at the borders edge between the physical and spiritual, at this place of harmony and love; an iconic symbol of life on earth as it is in heaven. At the foundation of survival, a symbol of marriage of the breathe of life, with the food of the Gods!
Fruit of Gods
“Heart is thy name, Oh Lord!: is a book about the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, and in it Ramana specifically confirms the concept of the Heart as the centre of our humanity. He points out that the Ego is not only the first thought, but is the ONLY subjective thought; that is because the ego thought, the first thought ‘I am’, arises in the heart, whereas all subsequent thought are of the mind. With this pointing he exposes the very foundation of who we are. Our real Self, as the underlying sub-stratum or background of permanent awareness, is entangled with ego at every rising. All other thoughts are subsequent to the ego rising, and the mind is but a collection of these thoughts, whereas our real Self remains as awareness ‘I am I’.
According to Ramana, the essence of Oneness does not have a physical form, it is Pure Awareness alone, however many people asked where it was in the physical body that the soul rested, and so he nominated the right side of the chest centre, as this is the place one points to when saying ‘I’, and his response satisfied those in need. This correspondence with Anahata as the heart centre, has many aspects and manifests numerous metaphors for life on earth, from the paintings in nature to the infinite expressions of Oneness, we are really only limited by our willingness to investigate ourselves.
As an aside, I found it interesting that Ramana Maharshi only ever accepted fruit when offered to the guru as prasada, (a gracious gift). In the language of the scriptures, this was an offering of the seed of creation, to the embodiment of the original and only ‘Creator’, Bhagavan, in the physical form of Ramana. What a wonderful conceptual pattern that is exposed here. One can see how the literature and stories unfold, they are part of a coherent whole that resonates with multiple levels and states and stages of understanding. Being in the Heart, at the place of Harmony and balance in this Realm, is resting in the Heart.
Enjoy, In peace and stillness, Zalan