‘An Illusion – the greatest of all human errors is the tendency people have to identify with their personality, (like the snail and its shell in yesterday’s post).

Human beings should know that they are something more than their physical body, that all those desires and instincts belong to something that is not themselves, for until they know that, they will not be able to advance along the path to evolution. 

The Yoga of self-knowledge is called Jnana-Yoga (Read more in the book, Know Thyself: Jnana Yoga). It begins with self-analysis: who one is, where one is, why one is. The disciple learns that even if they lose an arm they are still themself, that is, still ‘me’, ‘I’, they are not their arms, nor their legs, nor their stomach, etc., that is not their real self.

Then the disciple examines the realm of emotions and discovers that the feelings they experience are not themself either, since they can stand back and observe and analyse and control them. Their real self is therefore above their emotions. And the same for their thoughts. With this process, little by little they get to know the real self, the self that is above all else, a most luminous, omniscient, omnipotent, infinite self which is part of God himself. And after years of discipline and spiritual effort they may finally become one with their higher self.

They come to the realization that their personality is not eternal, it is not even real, but only a partial and fugitive reflection of their true self, a mirage, an illusion called ‘Maya’.

It is not the world that is Maya as some people think, for the world is real, matter is real, as are lies and deception, as is hell. Maya is the personality. It is illusion to think we are separate beings, separate from the life of the universe and separate from the divine Being who is everywhere. Those who understand this truth can no longer be divided against each other, they are incapable of waging war, to them the whole world is one collective being.

perfume

Suppose I put several glasses on this table, all different in colour, form and size. Now, into these glasses I pour perfume, the same perfume in all, with the result that although the containers are different, the content is the same essence of perfume. Now, notice that while the glasses remain on the table, with the same form, the essence will on the contrary rise and spread about in the air! The substance of the essence is subtle, delicate and etheric, and mingles with the essence emanating from all the other glasses. 

This leads us to conclude that in the invisible world above, all essence is one.’
To be continued…

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
Izvor Book 213, Man’s Two Natures, Human and Divine
Chapter 3, Man’s true Identity