CODA

A true yogi has his own face, his own aims,

his own distinctive way of thinking,

arising from the depth of his soul.

(Mahayogi Pilot Babaji)

When I look at the starry sky, the Earth is like a small insect in the vast Cosmos. And when I look within myself, the Cosmos, like a little fish that has dived into the ocean, disappears into the Great Emptiness.

Two poles: acceptance and renunciation. The astringent fruit of renunciation gives strength, while acceptance, though pleasant at first taste, gives rise to an insatiable hunger that exhausts the soul. Saturated with pleasures, the “embodied soul” longs for peace and chooses the path of higher fulfillment—the path of renunciation. Yet nature again drives the “embodied one” to gain experience through acceptance, and thus to understand the necessity of renunciation. Renunciation without attachment loses its meaning, just as water in a jug immersed in the ocean loses its relevance.

Renunciation and acceptance, like Samsara and Nirvana, turn the Wheel of Being. From ignorance toward enlightenment moves the “embodied one.” And only the “liberated one” sees the wise and the foolish with the same gaze, showing equal reverence to both the Cosmic Deva and the tiny insect. Accepting Nature, he constantly abides in the center of Being, in the center of himself. Dwelling in absolute renunciation, he accepts only what must be accepted. He is the “Cosmic Player” who fills the world with his presence. He is Brahman in every living being.

The more the Lamp of the Infinite is kindled in a person, the less space remains for separate reactions – feelings of self-importance and weight. One feels a greater joy in the game called Life. The inner struggle for better conditions for personal achievements subsides. Naturalness appears in everything. The channels do not overheat, and the clarity of mind increases. This leads to the unfolding of natural wisdom and the radiance of the soul – both inward and outward.

Joy and happiness are incomplete if they are not shared with all. If one does not receive the whole world into one’s heart, it is difficult to find one’s place in it. To accept and recognize oneself as a part of a great Whole is the doorway to the future.

***

Human life may be likened to diving for pearls. Whoever wants to obtain these treasures must hold his breath and dive to the depths of the sea. There, on the seabed, lie the coveted jewels. But often, after diving, the diver becomes distracted and fascinated by underwater life. He begins to notice beautiful exotic fish gliding past him, and strange plants growing on the ocean floor. The beauty of the seabed unfolds before him in all its splendor. Suddenly! The diver feels that his time is up. Oxygen in his lungs is running out, and he must rise to the surface. “What a pity!..” he thinks. “I dove for pearls!.. Well, next time I’ll do everything properly.”

And now the next attempt. He fills his lungs with air. He dives. And again the seabed entices him with its beauty. The fish seem to have conspired and even flirt with him – how can one resist this? Only the pearls lie exactly where they were. And again the signal. And again the ascent. And again the same feeling of missed opportunity. But the task is not done, and the diving – as a necessity – will continue until the pearls are in his hands.

Diving into the water is our incarnation; remaining on the seabed is our life in that incarnation. And it often happens that we remember what we came for only when it is already time to ascend. After resting, the need to dive appears again, because the task is not finished and the pearls still remain in place. And so again… and again… until the treasures are finally in our hands.

With clear intention and mastery over himself, the wise one neither drifts with the current nor swims against it. He goes where he must go.