A Truth Seeker's Blog

 

What is Enlightenment?

Enlightenment is difficult to explain into words, however, Acharya Shree Yogeesh gave the example that, “enlightenment is like a flower that has fully blossomed.”
Enlightenment is a slow and gradual process of knowing who you are and realizing your true self. It is a deep and profound knowing that everything is always new, infinite, and blissful.

“Enlightenment is who you are already, but sometimes there are things that block you. Enlightenment does not happen at once. It takes many lives to remove one’s blockages, but it is still the process to realizing your true self.”

Enlightenment is knowing What IS, is. Enlightenment is a realization of the soul, but enlightenment itself is not realization and it cannot be achieve.

Sometimes people can get a glimpse of enlightenment, however, people stop the process because they think their tiny glimpse was the full enlightenment. The truth is, once someone gets to the beginning of Enlightenment, it is a never ending expansion of the soul. The soul continues to expand always experiencing new things. Enlightenment can never end.

Most people are blocked from realizing their true self, soul. They cannot know their own Enlightenment because of emotions and the mind. Once one removes him/her self from the affects of the mind and emotion and becomes completely balanced, one will know the truth for his/her self, who he/she really is.

Enlightenment cannot be fully explained or expressed artistically. Enlightenment just IS.
With the guidance of an Enlightened Master, like Acharya Shree Yogeesh, one will begin their journey or continue their journey from their past life and through the slow process, gradually remove the blockages that keeps one from knowing their true self.

 

I am a Truth Seeker

There is no reason as to why I am a Truth-Seeker, I just AM.

Someone once asked me the question, "So, why are you a truth-seeker?" It was a simple question, but I was somewhat speechless. It took me a few minutes to gather my thoughts. But no words and time can fully express what spirituality is to me.

Spirituality is not a belief-system. It's an experience of knowing who you are, your true soul/self is, and living from that center of your being. Spirituality is the Path of the Self, according to my definition. Everyone has their own definition for "spirituality."

Spirituality in my life encourages me to become aware of myself. It helps me to react better and react calmly to my surroundings. It teaches me a lot about my self and life, and how all things are connected – soul and God.

It is something I don't study anymore. It is a part of me. It is my blood. It influences the way I think, feel, and perceive. It is who I am.

Maybe Spirituality in essence means Soul.

A Truth-Seeker is someone that truly desires to know them selves. To know themselves beyond mind, body, and heart; to know themselves as part of the universe and part of this perfect existence; to see the true reality of bliss and joy everywhere and how all things work together.

A Truth-Seeker is someone dedicated and strong: willing to fight an uphill battle of negativity, karma, and outer influences. Strength and Courage are very important qualities to the Truth-Seeker.

A Truth-Seeker trusts themselves; there will be a point where there is no more trust, but only knowing. "No Room for Doubt." You just know.

A Truth-Seeker never gives up. Countless times a truth-seeker may fall on his or her path, but they keep going, never stopping, and always moving towards higher awareness. One step foward, two-steps back.

A Truth-Seeker is committed. No one can stop them in their path, not even the closest person in their life. It takes great commitment too because it's easy to give up when things don't "appear to go your way."

A Truth-Seeker goes with the flow. They know that life is just a flow. You can't control it, you must go with it. It's too powerful to control, and when you try to control life, you can get hurt.

A Truth-Seeker goes within themselves to find the answer. They don't depend on others fully to bring them truth. Others may suggest, but to the Truth-Seeker it becomes a reality and experience that nothing can take it away. You must know for your self all things, and you can know all things, by knowing your self.

A Truth-Seeker protects themselves. They are constantly in the awareness to not allow negative thoughts, situations, or other negativities touch their soul. It's like they are surrounded my white light and they are untouched by all things.

A Truth-Seeker loves, but loves impersonally.
A Truth-Seeker communes with themselves, in deep prayer and meditation.
A Truth-Seeker only seeks the most higher truth - and ultimately that truth will be
revealed to the True-Seeker.

I am a Truth-Seeker.

 

Religious Converters

I'm not putting down the Great Spiritual Teachers, Masters, and Prophets that have brought truth to our world. However, I criticize the religions and organizations that have followed after.

So why am I fueled today?

It's the first week of school and already there are tents set up with the title "Crusade for Christ" and other religious affiliations. It's not the first time I have declined someone to a bible study, but I see some of these students asking others, "Would you like to go to a Bible Study?" I immediately thought to myself, "Although these people have good intentions to bring Jesus to these students, the truth is, they are trapping the student from learning the real truth by limiting them to one bible and a religion."

I respect these converters, however, I disagree entirely with them… I actually I disagree with the institution that has inspired them to convert or "save".. yes I disagree with the Church.

Why?

If one attends a Bible-group, one may get some good things to be a better person in society. However, these new attendees will not become a truth seeker. A truth seeker goes beyond religion and tradition into their own heart, where soul/God lives. The church, the groups, do not promote meditation, self-reflection, and asking questions.
They say that asking questions is doubting your own faith and that you must put all trust in the Lord God.

First, God isn't a King, nor is he a man. Nor is a human.
God is a higher power, consciousness, and is everywhere.
It needs no praise. No glory. And definitely doesn't live in the most high.
God is us and we are God.

A person should not be inspired to follow a faith in order to believe IN something. Beliefs change all the time and can be put down by anyone.
What people should learn is to KNOW things. No one can take experience and knowledge away, but people can break your beliefs. Know your Self!

I say, stop with the conversion. Converting people to religions only keeps them trapped and away from the truth that they may be seeking.
If they want to be a FOLLOWER, so be it. But no follower can be a truth seeker.

I forget which philosopher said this but the idea was, "Only by asking questions, one can arrive closer to truth or at the truth."
In church, those who question are considered doubters and thus sinners. They say trust, trust, trust.

How can you trust this "Great God" if you cannot even trust your own self?
One must learn to trust themselves before trusting anybody else. When you Know Your Self, when you FULLY trust yourself, then you will know the truth and what to trust.

Mere believing is not trusting.
Mere believing is not knowing.
Mere conversion is not seeking truth.

Why should one feel guilty for asking questions? The organizations put this on the people to keep them trapped. That's why I say, when one is converted it adds one more lost soul.
This soul, a potential truth seeker, is now trapped in an organized religion and is not permitted to question their "faith" without feeling guilty. This potential seeker is now subjected to traditional BELIEFS and cannot experience the TRUTH for themselves. A potential truth seeker will continue to live a life trapped in karma without guidance or a possibility to learn the process of the inward journey to break their karma.

I don't support any religion. I support the Masters that spoke the truth and tried to help people to become better. It's unfortunate, that the students of these great masters, misunderstood the true teachings and try to limit it to one book, or few books…and then control, fear, and guilt are the way to influence the masses for profit..not soul saving.

Yes, my opinions are strong. But look around you.
Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and all the religions in the world, how many of these people are trying to know the truth, are trying to go within themselves and find the "Living God, in Temple of our Body." Only few are truth seekers in this world….

The more people will look within themselves, the true church, will one find truth. Truth and God can only be realized, not learned or given. Beliefs don't bring you to truth, they just make you feel better for the moment.

Just consider one thing: Do you want to KNOW the truth (yourself & God)? Or Do you want to BELIEVE in what other PEOPLE tell you is the truth.

I say, KNOW FOR YOUR SELF THE TRUTH… Know Your Self.. (duhhh, my license plate.. haha)

 

Frustrations with Fake Spiritual Teachers, Gurus, Swamis

It amazes me how people can call themselves spiritual teachers and teach untrue things. They win the hearts & minds of millions of people and capture them in a trance state that keeps them zombies on their spiritual journey and only following tradition.

There are thousands of monks, nuns, priests, swamis and different forms of teachers that keep people in a trapped box, and the unfortunate thing is that they are trapped themselves!

They have mastered the use of language to persuade others to follow them, to believe in them, to worship them, or to pray to them. It is sad, that these people really find salvation in such ignorant teachers.

Why am I upset?

People abuse the word: spiritual teacher & spiritual master. Anyone can claim such a state of mind, but in truth they may not be realized at all. These title people have the opportunity to inspire and teach others good things like self-discovery, self-inquiry, self-awareness and self-improvement. However, we find that these “spiritual masters” are collecting money for themselves, advertising for mass media production/publications, and trying to gain fame. It is an ego trip for those that call themselves ego-less.

Yes, I can understand the few spiritual teachers that are using the media in order to convey a message of truth and help others on their own journey. These few teachers don’t care about the worldly wealth and fame, they care about their students in their own journey. Maybe these few teachers aren’t enlightened, maybe they are, but at least their priorities are right.

How can someone call themselves a spiritual teacher and trying to make money.

It’s abuse of power and it needs to be addresses.

I do have select teachers in mind, but choose not to disclose their names.

In truth, I can understand that the true truth seekers will find the true guru.

For those who just wish to call themselves spiritualists because they meditate, do yoga, or attend workshops and attain certificates without trying to go deep within themselves to find truth, then they don’t deserve to find the true Guru.

The true Guru can really help only a few serious people . He/She can help more if there were more serious people. But people get trapped in the religious traditions, prayers, and gatherings. They call themselves seekers, but they aren’t really.

I understand that everyone makes mistakes on their spiritual journey, like being angry, having ego and etc, but the difference is they accepted it as a learning process.

The name of spirituality is becoming ruined in my eyes, by the fake students and by the fake spiritual teachers.

 

The Enlightened Master - Disciple Relationship

The Disciple of a Living Enlightened Master is different than a Spiritual Student. A Spiritual Student is one that tries to acquire knowledge for him/her self. This spiritual student may incorporate some ideas of self-awareness and self-improvement into his/her life, however, the student will not grasp the real truth of Self-Realization and Enlightenment.

The Disciple of a Living Enlightened Master, is one that does not seek to be a knowledgeable scholar, teacher, minister, or famed philosopher, but aspires his/her attention to becoming the Knower. To become a Knower of Self, a Knower of Truth, a Disciple is on his/her way to become an Enlightened Master. Instead of learning spirituality through books, tapes, and lectures of Dead Teachers and Dead Masters, the True Disciple will find the True Living Enlightened Master.

Truth only exists in the present, and as such, the Disciple and Master relationship exists only in the present. The Enlightened Master will guide his/her Disciple through the Path of Self-Realization, awakening the Disciple to his/her True Being, Soul.
The Enlightened Master will react to the Disciple if he/she is going off their path and will point out the habits and wrong-doings of the Spiritual Disciple. The true Disciple knows that it is the Enlightened Master’s role to correct them. The Disciple wants the real truth, to taste the Enlightenment, and knows that unless being corrected in the present moment, the Disciple will fall into traditions.

Religious Traditions are of the Past. A Disciple-Master Relationship is Real and Alive.

The Disciple is the closest person to the Enlightened Master. Acharya Yogeesh explained once, “The relationship of the Real Guru and Real Disciple is like a flower and a prism. If you look at the prism you will not see any separation between the flower and itself, because they are one. In the physical world, they have two bodies, but in the true sense, they are one.”

“There are many Disciples in this world, but not enough real Enlightened Masters. It is unfortunate to see the Real Disciples that have the potential to be Self-Realize trapped under UnEnlightened Spiritual Teachers and Fake Swamis,” Acharya Shree Yogeesh continued.

The true Disciple will find his/her own way to the real Master for guidance and help. In time, the Disciple will find his/her truth and awaken his/her own Soul, his/her own Being, and will become an Enlightened Master one day. Acharya Yogeesh once said, “When one candle is lit, that light can light other candles.”

The Disciple is on his/her way to Enlightenment, by becoming the Truth-Knower. The student will not be able to do such as they may just like to read books and practice spirituality little, or like learning under Religious Priests and Spiritual Teachers.

The Disciple is dedicated to knowing the Truth and will know Truth one day. Only a Living Enlightened Master can help the Disciple. The Disciple can absorb the Master’s teachings and the Master can correct the Disciple. It is A Live and it is an Alive Relationship.

If you are a Disciple, find a Living Enlightened Master, and you Will become an Enlightened Master one day.

 

Spiritual Experience with Paramahansa Yogananda

I was an initiated Disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda (Paramahansa Yogananda) and was part of the Ananda Church of Self-Realization. I was so enthused about being a Disciple, I studied Yogananda’s books, listened to audio tapes of Swami Kriyananda, and participated with other Yogananda devotees/disciples in meditation and yoga.

I wanted to know the Truth. I was a Truth Seeker. I wanted to teach Spirituality. These three things were my heart’s desire.

I had a developed a close relationship with Yogananda. I meditated with him everyday and when in trouble would ask for guidance.

On January 8, 2004 I was at Redondo Beach, Ca in my car looking out at the ocean. I felt the presence of Yogananda around me. I was inclined to write, as I knew, he had a deep message for me.

I immediately went into a writing meditation, my hand writing words that I was not conscious of writing. I knew Yogananda was speaking through me.

The peaceful presence of Yogananda left me, and before me was a 3-paged message about spirituality and the need to meet a living master.

“…What I have provided for you and have left others is only a Guide for Spirituality. It is not everything. Explore different things. Don’t feel guilty because you think you are leaving me. I am always with you. You need to learn from a living master, do not be afraid. You will develop more by learning other spiritual things. If you don’t search and try new things, and if you think my path is the only way, how can you ever learn?

Tammy, essentially you will be teaching spirituality in your own unique way and understanding. There is no one way. Learn from a living master, you will find Truth that way.”

After Yogananda’s powerful message to me, that I must search and learn from a new living master, I immediately felt guilt and confusion. He told me Not to feel Guilty. I did anyways.

After three months of experiencing “Dark Night of the Soul,” a student of a living master found me on the internet. We discussed spirituality for the most part. Three weeks later, I had a meditation of a Spiritual Master placing a Key in my hand. Later to find out that I would meet the living Spiritual Master, Yogananda had mentioned, that would give me the Keys to Self-Realization, 3 days later.

On March 25, 2004 I met Acharya Yogeesh. The Spiritual Teachings that I learned from Yogananda prepared me to learn from a Living Enlightened Master. The basic teachings are the same, the only difference, is that I can now ask questions and in return hear an Enlightened Master’s answers.

I emphasize the need for a Living Enlightened Master. It is a real experience and one is not limited to books and spiritual teachers (that may not even know the truth themselves). By being under the guidance of a Living Spiritual Teacher one can learn truth, and truly be awakened.

It is important to remember, that all Enlightened Masters are basically One. Truth is One.

 

Who am I?

A paper I wrote for my Social-Psychology class:

I posed the following for the first weekly discussion question for my peers to answer:

"Social Comparison, reflected appraisal process and the self-perception process may help us come to realize our personality, sense of self, and possibly our ideologies. Personality, self-concept and self-esteem, are not our true selves. So what is the true self?"

 Many people ask themselves the question, "Who am I?" Few ever arrive at the true answer. On occasion, people will do an assignment that asks the person to write down "I am" statements. For example, "I am a good person," or "I am a baseball player." However, such statements are used to describe how they perceive themselves privately, publicly, and in culture-groups, which was introduced by Dr. E. Levy. I will argue that the True Self is not what people perceive themselves to be, commonly known as the Ideal Self, but rather argue that the True Self is beyond personality and ideology and that it is the Soul.

Although a person maybe born with certain characteristics because of genetic programming as discussed in the Social Psychology class, such characteristics are not the true Self. These genetic-characteristics can influence the personality and temperament, but it is not who we are.

For example, a light bulb has the potential to bring light to a room. It is not the light itself, but the instrument through which the light operates. This is one of many analogies to show how the Soul operates through the instruments of a human-body, mind and personality. Soul is often compared to a light. It has no name, it has no sex, it is not bound by ideologies or personality. However, it uses such instruments to operate in the society we call "Life."

Personality comes from the word persona, which means mask. If the personality that contains all these qualities that we say "I am" is, then what is this personality-mask covering?

It is masking the Soul.

Soul cannot be scientifically proven, however, in can be realized and felt when one is completely calm, relaxed, and unidentified with thoughts, mind and emotions. Eastern spiritualists often call this process meditation – the state of mindlessness.
It is important to remember that mind is only an ideology - a language of beliefs that is socially constructed through various influences from the time of birth.

Most of society is unaware of such Soul truth. Most people identify themselves with their body, sex, class, qualities, characteristics, temperaments, wealth, religion and culture. The Ideal Self is compromised with such identifications and it's just that, an Ideal Self, what we think we are.

It was commented on a paper that I submitted that the personality and one's ideology of the Ideal Self, IS the True Self. This is a common answer, but it is surely obvious that I disagree.

There is a difference between what we Think we Are versus Who we Are. Truth is knowledge and Truth is Absolute. The interpretations of truth, perceptions of truth, what we trust are truth and what we believe to be truth is not Knowing.  Things change, Truth cannot. It is important to see that one constant remains always in our life even though we change physically, emotionally, ideologically, culturally and etc., and that is the Soul.

The Truth of Soul is hard to digest, as most people are familiar with this term through Religious use.

No one can answer the question of "Who am I?" unless they start a backward and inward journey.

The journey to Know the Self is not easy because you basically unlearn everything. You have an awareness that you are not what your society thinks of you, you are not how much money you have, you are not what religion you claim, you are not what emotions you feel, you are not the thoughts that pass through the mind, you are not your mind, you are not your education, you are not your culture, you are not your gender, you are not your sex, you are not your sexual orientation, you are not your grades and you are not the socially constructed ideologies and beliefs you may have about yourself.

One is nothing and everything at the same time. It is quite a paradox, but it is the Truth.
"Truth cannot be Told," Lao Tzu said in the Tao Te Ching. It can only be realized. Even the writing of this paper cannot capture the Infinite Truth. Language is limiting. How can a person make definite the eternal and infinite?  How can one limit the perceptions and self-concept to words of the English language? The Soul, our True Self, is not limited to this world, this society, and this classroom. It is constantly expanding in awareness of itself.

The process of Knowing One's Self begins with the question "Who am I?"  It is an incredible journey to start; it's just unfortunate some people don't find themselves interesting to pursue.

From a personal perspective, I started the journey to Knowing my True Self, when I was 18 years old and it started with the question of "Who am I?" I started writing I am statements and learned a great deal about what I thought about myself.

Over the last six years, I have come to Know a deeper Self that brings life to my body, but isn't my body. That brings inspiration to me, but it is not thought. It is an unexplainable knowing and experience. It is not a phenomenon.

The Truth of Soul is hardly mentioned in contemporary American society. However, if anything, the thought of it should be considered. People should learn to know who they are, why they are here, and come to answers those existential questions that we are ask ourselves in private and during self-reflection.

The answers to these questions cannot be found in books, television, myspace or youtube. Knowing the Soul is beyond Psychology, Science, and Philosophy. Soul is a state of being. It cannot be hypothesized about, have a methodology to replicate it, or to have any results. It is only through realization.

If someone says they Know Themselves. They don't. Deconstruct their answers and see that their descriptions of who they are fit into categories of personality or ideology.
I don't Know my Self completely, but I am experiencing my Self in a whole new way that is not bound by what philosophy, science, psychology and religion say. The experience is beyond it. Self-Awareness is Key to Self-Realization. Soul is the witness and observer, and not the doer.

It was said in class that the Right Questions lead you to closer to the Answer. I say, close your eyes, relax completely, and you Are the Answer.

In conclusion, the Soul is the True Self, which is the answer to the question of "Who am I?" It is may seem like a general answer, but the Soul is unique to every individual. If one does not agree with my paper and continues to believe what the textbook states about the Self, I ask the reader to revise the question from "Who am I?" but to, "If I'm not my personality, beliefs, culture, religion, self-concept, or self-esteem, then Who Am I?"

 

Sweet Life Poem

I've tasted something new
Something that makes my blood
Tingle with joy.
I have discovered a taste I love.

How can I communicate my new found taste
To those who have never even tasted it?
How can I expect someone to know
what I'm talking about
When I myself
cannot put into words such beauty.
How can I hope for others to support me
When they themselves have not
even tasted this new desert.

Only when they are ready to taste it
Have tasted it, and enjoy and love it,
Can they understand a little bit about me.

All I can do is show how exciting this new taste is.
How it's awakened me to a new life.
I can never go back to those old foods,
When I have tasted my own sweet soul.

It is now that I understand,
That no one can understand,
Unless they have tasted
What I have tasted.

I cannot expect a person to know what a pie is,
If he has only seen and tasted rice his whole life.

Maybe that man is content with rice.
He knows no other taste.
However, this new desert taste so good,
How can you not want it?

But because I have tasted,
I am suppose to understand
More than this rice man.

I have to be more understanding,
More patient, more kind,
And more loving.

Maybe when they see
How much this sweet desert
Has changed my life,
Will he consider taking even one little bite.

However, I cannot live my life waiting
For my family, friends, and the world
To take their bite just to understand me.
I must accept that they may never will.
I must continue with my own journey,
Filling the hunger of my soul,
with this new-found taste of bliss.

It is to my understanding now,
That I cannot expect others to know
what divinity tastes like
If all they know is simple rice.

I cannot expect others to live
as if they've tasted truth,
if they've never even picked up a spoon
and live in ignorance.

I wish others could taste it,
It's good.
It's beautiful.
It's sweet.

Maybe the others need to eat more rice,
Get tired of it,
So when they taste the desert,
They can fully appreciate it.

This taste needs to be appreciated.
Maybe the shock of sweetness
Is too strong
for their bland diet.

But it's okay.

When they're ready,
They'll taste it.
When they're ready
I will not turn my back
As some already have turned on me

All I will say is:
Welcome to the Sweet Life.
Welcome home.