Questioner, whenever I decide I am going to complete the exam, something else comes up, and the knowledge session exam takes a back seat. Whenever I resolve to do something, the flow takes over, making something else a priority. Does this mean I should not make a resolution even when you, as the mentor, suggest that I make a certain resolution?

 

Answer:

Let’s first understand the flow! The universal flow is that which decides what happens next. You don’t!

• • If you did, you would know what your next thought is going to be, but you don’t.
  • If you did, you would know what the family member is going to say next, but you don’t.

When you realize that you are not in charge and it is the universe commanding the happenings, your false doership drops away. An easiness takes over. Once you realize this automaticity, keep it clean. Do not let the old conditioning of doership and experiencership creep in. Always honor the flow, after a resolution arising appeared:

• • If the hand starts writing the exam, don’t take credit for it. It is because the flow commanded it to go that way.
  • If another pressing arising makes an appearance, forcing the exam writing to a backseat, don’t take discredit for it. It is because the flow commanded it to go that way.
  • If pleasantness arises because the exam is progressing well, don’t grasp onto the pleasant feeling; it is because the flow commanded it to go that way.
  • If unpleasantness arises because the exam is not progressing at all, don’t grasp onto the unpleasant feeling; it is because the flow commanded it to go that way.

Do not be territorial about arisings, as they keep emerging from the flow. They belong to the flow, and they merge back into it. They have nothing to do with you. You are only the spectator, not the doer nor the experiencer.

Humbly accept that:

• • When the resolution to complete the exam paper arose, you mistakenly assumed it to be yours.
  • When other arisings took precedence, you mistakenly assumed that to be your choice.
  • When not completing the exam gave rise to unpleasantness, you assumed it was your suffering.
  • You did not accept the unpleasantness; you dodged it by saying that my resolutions don’t work, so I won’t make any resolutions.

This is still false doership and experiencership of the flow. This is a clear attempt to dodge the unpleasantness that arises from the flow. Total acceptance of the flow has not set in yet. A part of you still believes that some things are in your control. But this is not true. Attempt to arrive at this through your own direct seeing:

• • Each arising has an agenda of its own,
  • Each arising has a duration of its own,
  • Each arising has an appearance moment unknown to you, and
  • Each arising has a dissolution moment unknown to you.

Honor every arising. Honor that one resolution arising might have the agenda to deliver a pleasantness arising. Another resolution arising might have the agenda to deliver an unpleasantness arising. You can never truly dodge a debt due to you. It will come to you in one way or another! 

Hence, the instruction to resolve that comes from the spiritual mentor is the flow speaking to you. Suppose you go against the flow’s command on the pretext that the previous resolve delivered unpleasantness, it still portrays false doership. This resistance is now towards the flow.

• • If a resolve works out, do not assume that it worked out because you took the resolve.
  • If a resolve does not work out, do not assume that it did not work out because you took the resolve.

Taking the resolve or not taking the resolve, both happen by the flow. It’s working out, or it’s failing; both happen by the flow. Respect the flow. Understand non-doership in its depth. That is the sign of a true Jnani. Don’t be like the stiff oak tree that refuses to bend with the direction of the wind and breaks. Be like the flexible grass blade that bends in the direction of the wind; it never breaks.