Under a Banyan Tree

I decided to do this particular blog in Word as I was always losing it when I saved it in the actual blog.  Rewriting 3 times is a little difficult but it does make for some more thought.

The egoic mind does not vanish when you start using that inner voice that you sometimes hear inside yourself that is connected to universal consciousness.  If you try to develop that inner voice through meditation or by just trying to listen to it quietly does not matter.  However, once part of you, that mind acts as a sounding board for the egoic mind.  It is always listening as an interested observer but when you become more tuned to this inner voice you find it asking questions of the desires that are generated by the ego.  The egoic mind needs to be asked if each of its desires is helpful or detrimental to the overall growth of its spiritual identity.  Now the ego is not overruled, as that is where free will comes into the equation.  It is up to all of us whether we choose to listen to this inner voice or not.  Some of us don’t hear this voice at all and that is what Buddha meant when he said that desire was the cause of misery in human kind – desire unquestioned by our own consciousness.

What is important is that this universal consciousness is always observing the desires of the egoic mind and is ready to ask questions that will help the ego make the best decisions.  Desire itself is not always wrong but unquestioned desire can lead our spiritual growth down undesirable pathways.

Our inner universal consciousness is like our hands on the steering wheel of a vehicle.  It can make infinitesimal corrections that will keep us on the road.  This inner mind knows whether the road is straight or winding, dry or slick.  The egoic mind makes the final decisions but it often does not take into consideration its own welfare.

Buddha wanted us not to be ruled by passion, which is desire unquestioned, acted on in the spur of the moment.  The egoic mind needs an interested objective observer to ask questions.  That is what the spiritual side of your nature is all about.  You are given another side of your nature that you can choose to listen to or not.  Universal consciousness, I believe, gives you the path that helps you avoid suffering by steering towards desires that don’t involve instant gratification.

Many, if not most humans, actually want instant gratification and can’t live without it.  But shouldn’t they at least be able to put themselves into a position where they really have a choice.  The job of those who have learned to listen to the inner voice within them is to attempt to help others do the same.  This can be accomplished in many ways.  Religion, prayer, meditation, ceremonial dances, and perhaps even transcendental drug therapy can lead to the discovery of your own consciousness but make sure your desire is of the correct type.  Don’t look for instant gratification because finding the connection to universal consciousness takes real work and long term commitment.  A quick high is not the answer and you all know this in your heart.