Existence is the timeless and thoughtless ‘here and now.
Can Man Achieve?
Man believes he can achieve self-realization or the pure ‘Being’. If man is capable of achieving self-realization or pure ‘Being’, he surely would be capable of achieving his goals, and solving the problems in his daily life. If he could he would neither wish for self-realization nor wish to achieve the pure ‘Being’. All happen if they are meant to happen.
The Present
The present needs to be understood deeply. There is only the ‘here and now’ in life. There is no space between the ‘here and now’ and the next ‘here and now’, because the space in between would also be the ‘here and now’. Therefore the ‘here and now’ is a continuous, spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable timeless and thoughtless flow. The enlightened have rightly stated that life flows like a river. Therefore, whatever is known and believed to have happened in the present by the mind is illusory and not real.
The Past
The past needs to be understood deeply. There is only the ‘here and now’ in life. The past is a thought in the ‘here and now’, just as every thought happens in the ‘here and now’. It is impossible to have a thought literally in the past, because it is impossible to be physically present in the past as an actuality. The past has not happened in the past. The past has happened in the ‘here and now’ as a thought called the past. Therefore, whatever happens in the ‘here and now’ appears as the illusory past.
The Body
The body in the ‘here and now’ in life, which is without thought in the mind, is a quanta of energy. Life manifests a thought of a body in the ‘here and now’ of the mind. As time is absent in the ‘here and now’ of life or mind, a body neither exists as a thought nor as an actuality. The body exists in the ‘here and now’ of life in its source state, which is light or energy in flow.
Thought
Man does not know the first thought that he will have in the day. Life makes man know the first thought of the day and also the thoughts for the rest of the day. We surely never know the thought before it appears as thought, but know it only after it appears. If we knew it before we would just stop it from coming if it was a thought we didn’t want, but everyone knows that’s impossible. Man is not the thinker, thinking happens to man.
Life cannot be questioned, only our mind can be questioned. That becomes so relevant in every answer from Dr. Shankar to the questions he addresses in the ‘Understanding life -Five Elements books’ that we must look for answers about life. That life never comes and asks questions. Going through the questions and answers in the ‘Understanding life -Five Elements books’ for me is really a journey within, to recognize the 'life' issues we all have and also to admire the bold and brave questions which were never asked by myself. It is a wonderful way of an intimate sharing, and the love and compassion Dr. Shankar expresses in every answer is overwhelming. What touching chapters. With deepest gratitude,
Elisabeth, Netherlands.
Dear Dr. Shankar. Reading the book ‘Understanding life - Five Elements vol.5. Space &Time’ I was so lucky to come across the chapter 'Show Stealer', and I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed it. 'Surrendering to life feels difficult because we are not familiar with life happening right in front of our eyes wherein nothing happens.' Somehow this is such a consolation for me. What you say about tapas being spontaneous attainment of awareness of the deep sleep state in the waking state is also a revelation and I am so grateful for what this chapter has given me. The questions of 'others' who are going through the same falling down and sinking is so helpful. Thank you for the blessed answers. To be conscious of your being and not of your thoughts. As always, thank you. In Show Stealer in Space & TIme you say: listen to the interpretations of the mind but be conscious of your being. We are conscious of our thoughts and not our being. To be conscious of our being without thoughts can only happen when we do not listen to the interpretations of the mind? And to accept daily life as it is gifted by life as you so beautifully say in the article ‘Future’.
Article ‘What is time’
By Dr. Vijai S Shankar
Man is convinced that time is required to do anything and also that everything is accomplished because of time. Man, however, is not aware of numerical time in life and needs to refer to his watch for the information of what time it is. Time does not inform itself to man; he needs to be informed by a watch - what time it is...... to read more click here.
Comment: Article ‘What is time’ Paula Smit, the Netherlands.
Beautiful is not the right word for the article ‘What is time’. It is extraordinary that there is someone who is willing to make such an effort of showing us reality. And how much more wonderful and beautiful is this creation than we could ever imagine with our minds.
Comment: CD ‘Light and Sound’
Elisabeth, Netherlands.
What happens in life is similar in nature. Nature and life is light and sound. Where does sound come from? Sound cannot be separated from movement. Any movement is nothing but sound. Existence touches itself. Therefore our entire life is nothing but a phenomenon of light and sound. To understand life in such a manner that these are the phenomena of the higher aspects of life, a simple movement of light and sound. Dr. Shankar deeply explains how paramount touch is in life. The five elements are in constant touch with each other. Without touch there is no manifestation of life at all. Life can never be experienced if touch is absent. What a full satsang and I am so grateful for what You share with us. Thank You. The new articles on the website are such a joy to read.
