Mystics say, you are emptyness, yet you are one with the world. Here’s the rationale behind that claim.

Some mystics say that you can’t find yourself in the world, that whatever you think is you, is not you.

Whereas, some others might say (often the same ones) that, you are one with everything. Everything is you. There is no divide.

Well both of those viewpoints are right.

It all depends on the lens you use to see everything.

You see, we often see the world with an objective lens, while using a subjective one to experience the inner realm. That is where the ‘illusion of division’ starts. See the world with an objective lens, and there is no difference betweens things that happen inside your body, and the things that happen outside of your body. It’s all objects, atoms, particles, reactions and energy.

Well, use a subjective lens and everything is now just another object in the ocean of your consciousness. Your thoughts, the walls in your room, the sensations of your breath, the sound of water dropping… Where’s the divide?

Again, only when you say that your thoughts and senses are your subjective experience whereas the walls in your room are objects, you start seeing a division. But that is like using Celsius scale to measure the temperature of one thing and then using Farenhite to measure the temperature of another thing of the same temperature, and saying that they have different temperatures because the readings in different scales don’t match. Not a very sane way of deduction, is it?

So next time you open your eyes after some meditative moments, try to keep the subjective view of things as you take in the outside world. See how similar your experience is for both your inner realm and the world outside you. Is there any difference in the way you experience the voice inside your head and the voice of someone else?

I can’t recommend ‘The power of now’ enough!

If I had to pick only one book as a lifelong companion, it’d be ‘The power of now’ by ‘Eckhart Tolle’.

Like wine, this book gets better as it ages. I’ve had this for almost seven years now. Throughout all those years, the book has shaped me in the best possible ways.

For, anyone interested in spirituality, ‘The power of now’ is the comprehensive beginner’s guide. For those who are anxious or depressed, this book could give some practical solutions.

Here are some invaluable gems I got out of this book. Enjoy!

1. Time isn’t real:

It isn’t a philosophical statement which is subject to individual judgement. Time literally does not exist. We made it up for convenience. When we think of the past, we do that now. Same goes to the future.

2. Inner Body awareness:

It is said that, Jesus ascended to heaven with his body. He never abandoned it. This saying marks the time period when humans started seeing the body as less of a hindrance to spirituality and more of an ally.

Inner body awareness is a great practice to not lose yourself amidst the chaos of life. Eckhart Tolle dedicated a whole chapter towards the inner body and talks about how your body could be a great vessel for being more present. If you are looking for an app to help you with inner body practices, I suggest Headspace. It has a whole different section about getting in touch with the body, and its really good.

3. Sound as a portal for presence:

Sound and silence, both can be great pointers to help us be more present. Listen to the various types of sound around you. Focus, and you will feel more present. An even better exercise is to listen to the silence. This will calm your mind down.

4. Anger management:

As a young adult, I used to complain a lot and get angry at my parents all the time. But as I kept practicing inner body awareness, I started to catch myself whenever I would start getting angry, I am calmer and more peaceful. If anger doesn’t serve a purpose, we have the choice to let it go. Mindfulness practices enable us to exercise that choice.

5. Your emotions are not ‘You’:

I’ve come to realize that my emotions are just chemical reactions inside my body. They influence my mood and fuel my thoughts. But they are not me. I don’t have to act upon them. I am not sad, I feel sad. I am not lazy; I just have a habit of laziness.

Obviously, I highly recommend this book to anyone. The world would be a better place if more people got some control over their ego. At a time when we are so disconnected with reality that we are ruining our own home planet and waging war against own species, this book is a must read to regain some sanity.