Question:

Dear Ekta, I notice on the spiritual path, some people experience fear, some sadness but I guess they don’t understand that nothing can be lost. To quote A Course in Miracles: “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Therein lies the peace of God.” – which I now understand as pure Advaita. Please correct my understanding if it is not right; it seems almost too simple!

Answer:

Yes, it is very simple.

What does “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” mean? 

When one starts progressing on the path of Advaita, it is only the Ego’s belief that ‘I am the doer & I am the experiencer’ that shatters. A belief is a belief. It is not the actual reality [paramarthic satyam], it is apparent reality [pratibhasic satyam].

The Ego cannot tolerate seeing this truth in the mirror. It wants to be in control. It wants to:

• • be the thinker,
  • be the decision-maker,
  • be the mansion-creator,
  • be the parent [Caretaker].
  • be the offspring [Care-experiencer].
  • project its superiority or inferiority [Society, Family, etc].
  • have titles [Manager, CEO, Spiritualist], etc.

All this comes shattering down. Some realize it immediately. Some are slow to get there and do not experience the impact so strongly. When the Ego sees for the first time that its dream castle is crumbling, it reacts. It wants to protect it. Thus it brings up different reactions of the Ego in the form of sadness in some, retaliation in others, relief in others, and complete awe in some.

Who are the ones who experience relief?

Those who have already started recognizing that the world is simply a repetitive cycle and there is no real juice there, actually experience relief when they see the truth of ‘non-doership’ & ‘non-experiencership’.

Those who progress beyond the recognition naturally start becoming dispassionate towards the futile world.

How does one get to the final awe?

AWE happens when the Ego sees the truth, “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” All religions take us to the same peace… same home!

One Enlightened being does not have a different home from another Enlightened Being even if their paths were different. May you get home soon! 

#AtmaNirvriti #AtmanandaKrishnaMenon #AdvaitaVedanta #Non-duality