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Surrender


My own self as friends in Connecticut,

This is not about our departure. This is not about the memories. This is not about the future. This is about this moment. Every moment is discontinuous and is brought together as continuous by memory. Mind loves to use memories from the past and make the discontinuous moments into a continuous book and we call it together as life.  Memories can be pleasant or painful. So let us put aside the memories. Let us be together now and here.

Body was young before, is getting old now, and will get much older later. Body is inert and acts only with the help of mind and intellect. So let us put aside the body. Mind and intellect are collectively called ego. Ego loves to play roles. Ego evolves with time and space. It changes all the time. Sometimes it takes a ‘doer’ mode. Other times it takes an ‘experiencer’ mode. Ego is nothing but a fleeting thought. So, let us put aside ego. When we put aside all these things, what is left is the true self. The true self, Atma, is one and the same in all of us.  

Swami Ramatirtha talks about expansion of self. If we assume self as a circle, the center point is ‘me and mine’. It is indeed a very small circle. When we include our immediate family, the radius gets larger. We can increase the size of the circle by including more and more friends and extended family. When expansion occurs by including more, when the radius becomes infinite, the circle becomes infinite. Interestingly at that point it no longer looks like a circle, it looks like a straight line. This is why the earth, although spherical, appears flat when you look at any part of it. We all started somewhere on the earth; we are here today. We will be somewhere tomorrow. When we expand, whatever we had before within the circle remains intact. 

Swami Tattvavidananda says, about Sarangatī or self-surrender.

It is not an action. It is not an emotion. It is not a habitual ritual. It is not just being spiritual.

It is an understanding. It is a clear vision.

If it is in place, it would guide our thoughts, speech and action. Saranagati has three elements

1. The existence, the Universe is Īśvara

2. Everything happens by the supreme will of that infinite prime mover!

3. That infinite higher power expresses within this finite body and mind complex and makes us play our roles. 

When we understand this and immerse in this divine madness we can enjoy the happenings of the Universe.


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