A Parting of Ways

Dear X,

Thank you for the classy way you informed me of a parting of ways.  It seems you are over the hurt and in a dispassionate frame of mind.  This whole thing has been a great blessing for many people and many have expressed gratitude for it. It is the essence of karma yoga. 

One thing we know is that water only boils at 2012 degrees and it only freezes at -32.  The dualistic mentality only evaporates when the fact that you are a whole and complete perfect self is fully accepted and non-dual knowledge only crystallizes at -32.  Until then it’s still just very cold samsaric water.  I didn’t say anything to you personally for a long time because you weren’t ready to hear it, but I made this point many times in public.  I figured Isvara would inform you in It’s mysterious way when the time was right.  Don’t think we didn’t bond as friends.  We did. 

But when guru bhakti is the personal sort, it will inevitably lead to inner conflict.  I always stress the fact that the way to listen is to take the teacher’s words as God’s words.  I never thought they were mine, only marvelled how they cascaded effortlessly through me.  Seeing the teaching this way frees the teacher and the student from the personal outlook.  The impersonal trumps the personal every time.  Krishna makes this point at the very beginning of the Gita when he talks about what is always good and what is merely convenient.  Likes and dislikes can tie you up in knots and pin you to the earth like Gulliver.  

It’s all good, but before you try to work your way out on your own consider a bit of generic wisdom.  If you go to a proper mahatma like Swami P or Swami TV, you will hear the same message because what I’ve been saying is just traditional Vedanta; we got it from the same sources, Swami C and Swami D.  If not, not.  In which case you may be tempted to find some swami that is happy to tell you what you want to hear, particularly if you make a fat donation.  But your heart will not be happy because it is a true seeker.  Others who are close to me had their issues with me over the years, went to other swamis and came back

You probably didn’t notice, but I took K off the teachers list for one year.  I was much harder on her than you, but she suppressed her reaction, listened, thought about it, took it as prasad and re-evaluated her direction in life.  She is back in the fold with our full support. 

I won’t apologize for being wrong, nor should you apologize for being right. 🙂  There is no right and wrong, only glad acceptance of results.  I am reminded of how highly you spoke of karma yoga a few weeks ago.  Take right action and right attitude seriously. They are not just words.  They are living truth.  Offer your actions as a prayer.  It softens up the encrustations of old geezers like you and me. 

Then see if you aren’t a lot closer to 212 degrees than this letter seems to suggest.  A simple shift in orientation works miracles.  As the spy said when the lawyer asked why he wasn’t worried about his inevitable hanging.  “Will it help?