Part 3: Dharma - The 3 Categories of 'Why Bad Things Happen'

The fractal nature of Dharma

3 Categories of 'Why Bad Things Happen':

Part 3: Dharma
The Divine Blueprint vs. Maya, or
 ‘You Pay if You Stray’.

By Swami Nostrumananda
(Rev.Dr. Devi Nostrum)
December 20^th, 2010

Invocation for Enlightenment:
Om,
Bhur bhuvah swaha,
Om tat savitur varenayam.
Bhargo devasya dhimahi,
dhiyo yon aha prachodayat,
Om.

(We meditate on the Supreme Effulgence
of the Three Universes.
May It enlighten our consciousness).

INTRODUCTION:
In the previous chapter, we discussed Karma as one of the causative agents in the question, ‘why bad things happen’. Original Sin was introduced as the moment, when through Divine Intercession, i.e. the Will of God had Humans Souls ‘Fall from Grace’.  The concept of ‘the Domino Effect’ gave us a way to understand the mechanics of how this Original Sin, i.e. original fall from Grace, is perpetuated through time, space and the manifest world, (Prakriti, in Sanskrit) to now, in you and me. 

THE FALL FROM GRACE:
This was not an arbitrary move by God.  It was His Divine Plan, in sheer sport, to create a contracted mirror image of Himself as a multiverse of delightful variations and diversities. From His unmanifest, untouched perfection, He enjoys this Self-born play of consciousness for His own pleasure.  Thus Souls of all kinds are created, and evolve over time as a contracting extension and then expanding resorbtion of His very own Self.  So, it follows that in Humankinds ‘Fall from Grace’, the divine fullness of the Atman was concealed as many inidivudal Souls, veiled in Maya, borne of 5 Cloaks of Ignorance, (Kanchukas of Maya, in Sanskrit

The 5 Kanchukas of Maya:

• Kala* = limited omnipotence (authorship, power, creation)
• Vidya = limited omniscience (knowledge, awareness, cognition)
• Raga = limited completeness (comprehension, realization, discernment)
• Kala **= limited eternal existence (sequential vs. multidimensional time/existence)
• Niyati = limited omnipresence (time and space, the ‘where’ of Self)
  * accent on second ‘a’
  ** accent on first ‘a’

reference: ‘What is Shaktipat?’  http://www.ibasi.org/shaktipat.html

These veil the Atman Souls’ original powers of omniscience, omnipresence  (spatial & dimensional), omnipotence and omnisentience, causing forgetfulness of the Soul’s true power and origins.  Clearly, we are referencing Hindu cosmology and scripture to explain the details of how the, ‘Fall from Grace’ occurred and the results .  These sheaths can be considered Divine Justice, or payment for having ‘strayed off path’.  These Sheaths of Maya are why ‘bad things happen’.  Let’s take a deeper look at the scriptural sources of this concept from the Vedic perspective.

Maitri Upanishad: the ‘Fall from Grace’.
The Vedic scriptures are vast and ancient, covering every conceivable and not yet imagined nature of Mankind and his relationship to God.  Within the Vedas are philosophical discussions explaining things.  The Maitri Upanishad explains in detail this ‘fall from grace’ and veiling of the highest seat of the Soul, the ‘Atman’, into the Limited Self, the ‘Jiva’.  This philosophical discourse from Hindu scripture is in the traditional prose form of call-and-response between an unsaved mortal and God. This yin-yang to-and-fro exchange is evident as the ‘call and response’ in Christian services and is part of the Grace-mediated dialogue between a Master and his/her students in gatherings called ‘Satsang’, in Sanskrit.  

Satsang, engaging with divine source, is a powerful, ancient mechanism for catalyzing spontaneous soul purification and ascendance. The seekers progress is limited only by their of the individual karmic worthiness and dharmic integrity.  Satsang is said to be the fastest and therefore most intense and rigorous yoga there is.  Below are excerpts of the Maitri Upanishad, a Satsang discourse between the ascetic King Bṛihadratha and God in the form of an old sage,  Śākāyanya:

~~~~~~~~~

MAITRI UPANISHAD

FIRST PRAPĀṬHAKA

Meditation upon the Soul (Ātman), the essence and the true completion of religious sacrifice

1. That which for the ancients was [merely] a building up [of sacrificial fires] was, verily, a sacrifice to Brahma.1 Therefore with the building of these sacrificial fires the sacrificer should meditate upon the Soul (Ātman). So, verily, indeed, does the sacrifice become really complete and indeficient.
Who is he that is to be meditated upon?
He who is called Life (prāṇa)!
A tale thereof:—

The ascetic king Bṛihadratha, being offered a boon, chooses knowledge of the Soul (Ātman)

2. Verily, a king, Bṛihadratha by name, after having established his son in the kingdom, reflecting that this body is non-eternal, reached the state of indifference towards the world (vairāgya), and went forth into the forest. There he stood, performing extreme austerity, keeping his arms erect, looking up at the sun.
At the end of a thousand [days]2 there came into the presence of the ascetic, the honorable knower of the Soul (Ātman), Śākāyanya, like a smokeless fire, burning as it were with glow. ‘Arise! Arise! Choose a boon!’ said he to the king.
He did obeisance to him and said: ‘Sir, I am no knower of the Soul (Ātman). You are one who knows its true nature, we have heard. So, do you tell us.’
‘Such things used to occur! Very difficult [to answer] is this question! Aikshvāka, choose other desires!’ said Śākāyanya.
With his head touching that one’s feet, the king uttered this speech:—

Pessimistically he rejects evanescent earthly desires, and craves only liberation from reincarnate existence

3. ‘Sir, in this ill-smelling, unsubstantial body, which is a conglomerate of bone, skin, muscle, marrow, flesh, semen, blood, mucus, tears, rheum, feces, urine, wind, bile, and phlegm, what is the good of enjoyment of desires? In this body, which is afflicted with desire, anger, covetousness, delusion, fear, despondency, envy, separation from the desirable, union with the undesirable, hunger, thirst, senility, death, disease, sorrow, and the like, what is the good of enjoyment of desires?
4. And we see that this whole world is decaying, as these gnats, mosquitoes, and the like, the grass, and the trees that arise and perish.
But, indeed, what of these? There are others superior, great warriors, some world-rulers, Sudyumna, Bhūridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayāśva, Yauvanāśva, Vadhryaśva, Aśvapati, Śaśabindu, Hariścandra, Ambarīsha, Nahusha, Śaryāti, Yayāti, Anaraṇya, Ukshasena, and the rest; kings, too, such as Marutta, Bharata, and others. With a crowd of relatives looking on, they renounced great wealth and went forth from this world into that.
But, indeed, what of these? There are others superior. We see the destruction of Gandharvas (demigods), Asuras (demons), Yakshas (sprites), Rākshasas (ogres), Bhūtas (ghosts), spirit-bands, goblins, serpents, vampires, and the like.
But, indeed, what of these? Among other things, there is the drying up of great oceans, the falling away of mountain peaks, the deviation of the fixed pole-star, the cutting of the wind-cords [of the stars], the submergence of the earth, the retreat of the celestials from their station.
In this sort of cycle of existence (saṁsāra) what is the good of enjoyment of desires, when after a man has fed on them there is seen repeatedly his return here to earth?
Be pleased to deliver me. In this cycle of existence I am like a frog in a waterless well. Sir, you are our way of escape—yea, you are our way of escape!’

SECOND PRAPĀṬHAKA

Śākāyanya’s instruction concerning the Soul (Ātman)1

1. Then the honorable Śākāyanya, well pleased, said to the king: ‘Great king Bṛihadratha, banner of the family of Ikshvāku, speedily will you who are renowned as “Swift Wind” (Marut) attain your purpose and become a knower of the Soul (Ātman)!
This one, assuredly, indeed, is your own self (ātman).’
‘Which one is it, Sir?’
Then he said to him:—

The Soul—a self-luminous, soaring being, separable from the body, identical with Brahma

2. ‘Now, he who, without stopping the respiration, goes aloft and who, moving about, yet unmoving, dispels darkness—he is the Soul (Ātman). Thus said the honorable Maitri. For thus has it been said2 : “Now, that serene one who, rising up out of this body, reaches the highest light and appears with his own form—he is the Soul (Ātman),” said he. “That is the immortal, the fearless. That is Brahma.”

The unqualified Soul, the driver of the unintelligent bodily vehicle

3. Now, indeed, O king, this is the Brahma-knowledge, even the knowledge contained in all the Upanishads, as declared to us by the honorable Maitri. I will narrate it to you.
Now, the Vālakhilyas are reputed as free from evil, of resplendent glory, living in chastity. Now, they said to Kratu Prajāpati3 : “Sir, this body is like a cart without intelligence (a-cetana). To what supersensuous being, forsooth, belongs such power whereby this sort of thing is set up in the possession of this sort of intelligence? Or, in other words, who is its driver? Sir, tell us what you know!”
Then he said to them:—
4. “He, assuredly, indeed, who is reputed as standing aloof, like those who, among qualities, abstain from intercourse with them—He, verily, is pure, clean, void, tranquil, breathless, selfless, endless, undecaying, steadfast, eternal, unborn, independent. He abides in his own greatness. By him this body is set up in possession of intelligence; or, in other words, this very one, verily, is its driver.”
Then they said: “Sir, how by this kind of indifferent being is this sort of thing set up in possession of intelligence? Or, in other words, how is this one its driver?”
Then he said to them:—

Every intelligent person a partial individuation of the supersensuous, self-limiting Person

5. “Verily, that subtile, ungraspable, invisible one, called the Person, turns in here [in the body] with a part [of himself] without there being any previous awareness, even as the awakening of a sleeper takes place without there being any previous awareness.
Now, assuredly, indeed, that part of Him is what the intelligence-mass here in every person is—the spirit (kṣetrajña, ‘knower-of-the-body’) which has the marks of conception, determination, and self-conceit (abhimāna), Prajāpati (Lord of Creation) under the name of individuality.1
By Him, as intelligence, this body is set up in possession of intelligence; or, in other words, this very one is its driver.”
Then they said: “Sir, if by this kind of indifferent being this kind of body is set up in possession of intelligence, still how, in other words, is this one its driver?”
Then he said to them:—

The primeval Person progressively differentiated himself into [a] inanimate beings, [b] the five physiological functions, [c] the human person, [d] a person’s functions

6. “Verily, in the beginning Prajāpati stood alone. He had no enjoyment, being alone. He then, by meditating upon himself (ātmānam), created numerous offspring.
[a] He saw them inanimate and lifeless, like a stone, standing like a post. He had no enjoyment. He then thought to himself: ‘Let me enter within, in order to animate them.’
[b] He made himself like wind and sought to enter within. As one, he was unable. So he divided himself fivefold—he who is spoken of as the Prāṇa breath, the Apāna breath, the Samāna breath, the Udāna breath, the Vyāna breath.
Now, that breath which passes up—that, assuredly, is the Prāṇa breath. Now, that which passes down—that, assuredly, is the Apāna breath. Now, that, verily, by which these two are supported—that, assuredly, is the Vyāna breath. Now, that which conducts into the Apāna breath [what is] the coarsest element of food and distributes (sam-ā-nayati) in each limb [what is] the most subtile—that, assuredly, is named the Samāna breath. It is a higher form of the Vyāna breath, and between them is the production of the Udāna breath. Now, that which ‘belches forth and swallows down what has been drunk and eaten’—that, assuredly, is the Udāna breath.
[c] Now, the Upāṁśu vessel is over against the Antaryāma vessel, and the Antaryāma vessel over against the Upāṁśu vessel. Between these two, God (deva) generated heat. The heat is a person,1 and a person is the universal fire (Agni Vaiśvānara). It has elsewhere2 been said: ‘This is the universal fire, namely that which is here within a person, by means of which the food that is eaten is cooked. It is the noise thereof that one hears on covering the ears thus.3 When he [i. e. a person] is about to depart, one hears not this sound.’
‘He, verily, having divided himself fivefold, is hidden away in secret—He who consists of mind, whose body is life (prāṇa), whose form is light, whose conception is truth, whose soul is space.’4
[d] Verily, not having attained his purpose, He thought to himself from within the heart here: ‘Let me enjoy objects.’ Thence, having pierced these openings, He goes forth and ‘enjoys objects with five reins.’ These reins of his are the organs of perception. His steeds are the organs of action. The body is the chariot. The charioteer is the mind. The whip is made of one’s character (prakṛti-maya). By Him forsooth driven, this body goes around and around, like the wheel [driven] by the potter. So, this body is set up in possession of consciousness; or, in other words, this very one is its driver.

But the Soul itself is non-active, unqualified, abiding

7. Verily, this Soul (Ātman)—poets declare—wanders here on earth from body to body, unovercome, as it seems, by the bright or the dark fruits of action. He who on account of his unmanifestness, subtilty, imperceptibility, incomprehensibility, and selflessness is [apparently] unabiding and a doer in the unreal—he, truly, is not a doer, and he is abiding. Verily, he is pure, steadfast and unswerving, stainless, unagitated, desireless, fixed like a spectator, and self-abiding. As an enjoyer of righteousness, he covers himself (ātmānam) with a veil made of qualities; [but] he remains fixed—yea, he remains fixed!”

THIRD PRAPĀṬHAKA

The great Soul, and the individual, suffering, transmigrating soul

1. Then they said: “Sir, if thus you describe the greatness of this Soul (Ātman), there is still another, different one. Who is he, called soul (ātman), who, being overcome by the bright or the dark fruits of action (karman), enters a good or an evil womb, so that his course is downward or upward and he wanders around, overcome by the pairs of opposites (dvandva)?”

The soul that is subject to elements and qualities, confused and self-conceited, suffers and transmigrates

2. [Then he said:] “There is indeed another, different soul, called ‘the elemental soul’ (bhūtātman)—he who, being overcome by the bright or the dark fruits of action, enters a good or an evil womb, so that his course is downward or upward and he wanders around, overcome by the pairs of opposites.
The further explanation of this is:—
The five subtile substances (tan-mātra)1 are spoken of by the word ‘element’ (bhūta). Likewise, the five gross elements (mahā-bhūta) are spoken of by the word ‘element.’ Now, the combination of these is said to be ‘the body’ (śarīra). Now, he, assuredly, indeed, who is said to be in ‘the body’ is said to be ‘the elemental soul.’ Now, its immortal soul (ātman) is like ‘the drop of water on the lotus leaf.’2
This [elemental soul], verily, is overcome by Nature’s (prakṛti) qualities (guṇa).
Now, because of being overcome, he goes on to confusedness; because of confusedness, he sees not the blessed Lord (prabhu), the causer of action, who stands within oneself (ātma-stha). Borne along and defiled by the stream of Qualities (guṇa), unsteady, wavering, bewildered, full of desire, distracted, this one goes on to the state of self-conceit (abhimānatva). In thinking ‘This is I’ and ‘That is mine,’ he binds himself with his self, as does a bird with a snare.
Consequently (anu) ‘being overcome by the fruits of his action, he enters a good or an evil womb, so that his course is downward or upward and he wanders around, overcome by the pairs of opposites.’ ”
“Which one is this?”
Then he said to them:—

The inner Person remains unaffected in the elemental soul’s transformations

3. “Now, it has elsewhere been said3 : ‘Verily, he who is the doer is the elemental soul. The causer of action through the organs is the inner Person. Now, verily, as a lump of iron, overcome by fire and beaten by workmen, passes over into a different form—so, assuredly, indeed, the elemental soul, overcome by the inner Person and beaten by Qualities, passes over into a different form. The mode of that different form, verily, has a fourfold covering,1 is fourteenfold,2 is transformed in eighty-four3 different ways, is a host of beings. These varieties, verily, are driven by the Person, like “the wheel by the potter.” Now, as, when a lump of iron is being hammered, the fire [in it] is not overcome, so that Person is not overcome. This elemental soul (bhūtātman) is overcome (abhibhūta) because of its attachment [to Qualities].’

The body a loathsome conglomerate

4. Now, it has elsewhere been said: ‘This body arises from sexual intercourse. It passes to development in hell[-darkness] (niraya).4 Then it comes forth through the urinary opening. It is built up with bones; smeared over with flesh; covered with skin; filled full with feces, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow, fat, grease, and also with many diseases, like a treasure-house with wealth.’

The overcoming and transforming effects of the dark and of the passionate qualities

5. Now, it has elsewhere been said: ‘The characteristics of the Dark Quality (tamas) are delusion, fear, despondency, sleepiness, weariness, heedlessness, old age, sorrow, hunger, thirst, wretchedness, anger, atheism (nāstikya), ignorance, jealousy, cruelty, stupidity, shamelessness, religious neglect, pride, unequableness.
The characteristics of the Passionate Quality (rajas), on the other hand, are inner thirst, affection, emotion, covetousness, maliciousness, lust, hatred, secretiveness, envy, insatiability, unsteadfastness, fickleness, distractedness, ambitiousness, acquisitiveness, favoritism towards friends, dependence upon surroundings, hatred in regard to unpleasant objects of sense, overfondness in regard to pleasant objects, sourness of utterance, gluttonousness. With these this elemental soul (bhūtātman) is filled full; with these it is “overcome” (abhibhūta). Therefore it undergoes different forms—yea, it undergoes different forms!’ ”

~~~~~~~~~~

So, we see from this extensive quote of the first portion of the Maitri Upanishad, how God as the one OverSoul, or Atman, mirrored itself and then differentiated itself, becaming the lower, denser vibrations of many limited Jiva Souls by way of self-concealment, as well as dialogue about the nature of that level of existence.  Let’s continue now in studying the second of the Trine Adaptogenic principles, Dharma, in this 4 part series exploring the, ‘3 Categories of Why Bad Things Happen’.  Remember, IBASI registered students/disciples are studying principles and theory first, then learning and integrating yoga & meditation skills and competencies through Satsangs, workshops and other training venues, as the general approach to their sadhanas, (spiritual pathwork with the guru-principal/ spiritual preceptor).

The Return to Grace:
This is a good time to discuss the Sanskrit term Parinama-vada = Transformation Theory and how it is related to the 5 Sheaths of Maya. In Parinamma-vada, the cause is continually transforming itself into its effects. This is supremely tantric in that it implies that God is continuously transforming Himself into Man, in a dynamic, quantum nature.  The Primordial Cause is Brahman, 1 of the 3 aspects of God; as the infinite creative potentiality of the multiverse.  One of the trickle-down effects of the Primordial Cause was the 5 Sheaths of Ignorance which cloak the individual soul of humans. 

 The Limited Self, therefore, is mired by its ignorance, called Maya.  Despite entrapment of the human soul in Maya, it is still a pliable, plastic and spontaneous manifestation of the Primordial Cause, and as such, continually transforming itself back into Primordial Cause.  Eventually, despite the effects of Maya, the Sheaths are removed and the Human Soul continues to convolute back into the Primordial Cause, being Brahman, or the Creative Aspect of God. 

This is the cosmology of the Tattvas, and explains the cause and existence of Chakra Ascension as the convoluting or resorbing path back to the Primordial Cause, God.  It is important to remember that even the most darkest places in the Universe, spiritually and otherwise, are still part & parcel of God and the Divine Plan for His children. In any case, the Biblical parable of the Prodigal Son clearly sets the precedent: that offspring leave and eventually find their way back home.  Not only is this seen in the Great Migrations on the Nature Channel, but also the transmigratory nature of the Human Soul.  

Dharma:
Dharma is Supreme Knowledge as a landscape of 2 plains.  The lower plain is the Knowledge of Man and even the written scriptures, for example, the 4 volumes of the Vedas, the 6 Vedangas and numerous Upanishads of Hinduism, or the Bible, Torah or Koran. The higher plain is ineffable, undefinable God.  A stanza from Hindu scripture (Mundakopanishad 1:1) says God, the landscape of Higher Knowledge is, ‘That which is invisible, ungraspable, unoriginated and attributeless, that which hs neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor legs – that is eternal, full of manifestations, All-pervading, Subtlest of the subtle, that Imperishable Being which the wise perceive as the Source of all Creations”.  Even so, the Book of Genesis says, ‘…and God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’.  It becomes clear from discussions so far,then, that the higher plain is within the lower plain, and the correct approach to understanding our journey, is not through linear, horizontal, 3-dimensional movement or action.  The greatest attainment is but the piercing of the veils of ignorance with Self-Recognition, the supreme non-action of the Light of Intellect, Chitti Shakti, or, Kaivalya ChitPrakasha.

Dharma can be seen as the working Divine Blueprint, or master vibrational wave-form, or matrix, for achieving Self-Recognition, paradoxically as both the higher and lower plains, since one resonates within the other.  The workings of Dharma provide for synchronistic, pre-ordained Divine Learning Lessons for each Jiva Soul incarnation. Each ‘learning lesson’ is a transcendent cross-link, and therefore opportunity to transcend from the lower to higher plain, much like the touching of 2 membranes in the multiverse of M-Theory/String Theory. Indeed, it is more than just an opportunity, it is the workings of pre-ordained destiny, or fate.

Free Will versus Divine Will:
The ancient Vedas and teachings of saints, seers and sages have been familiar with this dynamic for 10,000s of years. It is akin to the Causal Principle of the Transformation Theory of Parinama-vada.  In the example of personal free will, it states the over-riding ‘cause’, God as Perfect Freedom in Divine Will, is the siren call that compels all our actions in life, no matter how much the individual ego-mind, (Jiva, in Sanskrit), insists it has personal free will.  Our intellect believes we have free will, however, due to the concealing effects of the 5 Kanchukas of Maya, we can not perceive the paradox of ‘transcendent within immanent’.  Hence, the self-corrective action of Karma within Dharma.  Simply, if we stray off this yet pre-ordained path laid out for us by Divine Will, we shall ‘pay for it’ through Karmic Action.  

It is said God speaks in the language of paradox, couched amongst the cushions of chaos, sipping the delicious tea of creation, maintenance and destruction.  Through the ascension process, the Jiva eventually recognizes the transcendant within the immenant within and without the Self-of-All, and enjoys the sport of merging paradoxical paradigms.  This is called Chakra-Ascension.

Yin & Yang the Push-Pull Engine:
So we see here the purpose and value of the 2 basic meditation categories I’ve mentioned in previous lessons: ‘contemplative meditation’ and ‘creative meditation’.

Contemplative Meditation
Yogas, Blessings & Prayers, focus on the intense longing for communion with God through the siren call of the Divine Throb in our heart of hearts: the primordial causal underpinning of Brahman, the Absolute; the Christ Consciousness.   Catching, latching onto and synchronizing our personal will with the ‘pulling’ action of Divine Will is an essential component of the interplay of Yin/Yang alchemy which the Ascension process within all religions and spiritual paths.

Creative Meditation
Yoga’s, Blessings & Prayers are all about using the inner senses for releasing, and ‘pushing’ away from the lower-egomind.  So Contemplative Meditation yogas keeps us ‘on path’ with the Causal Principle which continuously manifests as the effect in our lives, and Creative Meditation yogas releases us from having strayed off path.  Paradoxically, even the ‘straying off path’ is all part & parcel of the larger, more simpler equation at play, as it ‘pushes’ us back on path.  ‘Push Hands’ is actually a fine example of this yoga, a Tai-Chi moving meditation between 2 students which attempts to integrate the symbolic play of opposing forces of the Yin/Yang principle in yoga and meditation.

Fractal Dynamics – ‘Step by Step’:
The actual process of transcendence is very difficult to achieve, let alone articulating instruction on the nature and process of it.  This is where the poet and quantum astrophysicist have the advantage of being able to invoke and then embody Symbolic Language, but let’s give it a try, shall we?  Imagine a beautiful graphic image of a Fractal Equation. When we look at this ‘leaf’, a graphic image of a simple fractal mathematical equation, we see a simple image repeating itself into itself in a continuous loop where the overall body grows larger and larger.  We see that there is an overall pattern and each smaller part is merely the next step or cycle in the same pattern.  The cause of the effect continually manifests itself, in integrity with the mathematical equation.  The result is exquisitely perfect, elegant and beautiful.  It is holographically self-contained and the ‘cause’, the mathematical equation, creates levels of leaflets that do seem to tangentially ‘stray off path. 

If it were to animate, there would be no beginning and no end to its growth, expansion and ‘ascension’. These smaller repeating patterns of the ‘cause’ seem to stray off to the side in ascending levels.  Individually they are ‘off path’, but overall, these straying levels are essential to the overall ‘ascension’ of the overall, foundational pattern of the leaf.

This dynamic illustrated in mathematics and Nature itself is also at play in Soul growth and maturation.  Just as there are stages, levels, phases, with Lifespan-stages and in Child Psychology, so are there Spiritual/ Vedic Psychology.  No stage or level is ‘right’ nor ‘wrong’, neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’.  In fact, as with Chakra Ascension from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, and as with each ‘leaflet’ of the fractal equation image above, each stage or level is a complete world view or ‘paradigm’. 

These psycho-spiritual life-stages are therefore going to through us off-path again in one way or another, but are paradoxically necessary for continued soul maturation towards Self-Realization and Liberation. Self-realization is achieved by Contemplative Meditation and Liberation is achieved by Creative Meditation, where one realizes the true cause and natural of one’s Self as the Absolute by the former, and is liberated and saved from the illusory and limited existence caused by the 5 Sheaths of Ignorance.

You may have guessed already that not all pain & suffering is either 'good' or 'bad', and the subjective term 'suffering' itself is interpreted as such by each individual in each instance. For instance, a 'Healing Crisis' is when the body is attempting to purge toxins from itself and tissue or organs are damaged 'downstream'. Is vomiting or diarrhea to purge toxins 'good' or 'bad' in that case? Is the person really suffering, then, or it-is-what-it-is, i.e. no judgment?  Another common example is stubbing a toe or even sneezing. Whose fault is it, is it good or bad, or is it 'just is'?

There are learning lessons that enable us to adapt to changes within us and around us. Hence the common saying, ' We learn from our mistakes'. Are these learning moments 'good' or 'bad' or 'just is'? Through our physical, mental & emotional lives and even the arch of our soul development, challenges, tests, changes and ultimately adaption and evolution is a natural process, which is neither good nor bad, it simply IS.

Similarly, when we stray off-path, be it from effective spiritual hygiene or dental hygiene, there will be pain as a signal that something needs attention. Is pain per se 'good' or 'bad', then, if it signals a warning that if not attended to, much worse will happen soon? So we see that 'cause-and-effect' natural law is a guide-rail to keeping us on track - in what I call 'Dharmic Integrity' with the divine blue-print of our lives, which in turn naturally brings us in closer relationship with God.

Swami Nostrumananda

(Rev.Dr.Devi Nostrum)

Bibliography:
MAITRI UPANISHAD - Misc (Upanishads), The Thirteen Principal Upanishads [1921], Robert Ernest Hume (Oxford University Press, 1921). Accessed from http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058/155113 on 2011-01-03

IBASI Healing Ministries. Copyright 2010-11. Contact IBASI for permissions.