I AM THAT - The Living Present

-

 I AM THAT - The Living Present


This is a brief review and summary of my understanding of I Am That – Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj - Sense of "I Am". 

Disclaimer: I am only a novice student of Vedanta and still an infant on the spiritual path, so I ask forgiveness for any misinterpretation of Maharaj’s teachings.

The present holds something unique that neither the past nor the future can offer—the timestamp of “now.” It is the only moment that is truly real for the experiencer. As I type this word, it exists in my present. A moment ago, it wasn’t here, and soon it will belong to the past.

The “Now” is what truly matters.

Life is like a flowing river—constantly moving forward, regardless of the events that occur. These events may be planned or unplanned, but the river keeps flowing.

Just as a river has two banks, life has its own boundaries: pleasure and pain. If a large obstacle appears on the banks, the river doesn’t stop; it flows around it. If it were to stop, flooding and disruption would follow. Therefore, when challenges arise, the river adapts and continues its journey.

In the same way, we must train our mind not to get stuck in pleasure or pain. When the mind clings to pleasure, it breeds desire; when it clings to pain, it creates sorrow. Both lead to harm—just as a blocked river causes floods. Accumulated emotions can damage not only ourselves but those around us.

Who controls the mind? The entity capable of doing so is the “I.” Often, the mind assumes the role of the boss, dictating feelings and emotions. But when the “I” learns to guide and discipline the mind, the balance is restored.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I AM THAT - 48 - Awareness

-
Image
  Awareness What is awareness? Awareness is a natural state—free from desires and fears. It is simply a condition of alertness and inner peace. However, this alertness and peace often become obscured by thoughts, desires, and fears. Most of the time, we remain caught in this mental clutter and rarely pause to look inward for awareness. Just as dirt on a dish dissolves when soaked in soapy water without scrubbing, a mind saturated with thoughts and emotions can become clear by sitting still and allowing positive thoughts to arise naturally. There’s no need to force positivity—when you try to control the mind, it always wins. Instead, let all thoughts and emotions flow freely. Observe them, and allow your inner Self to gently guide the mind toward positivity and awareness.
Read more

I AM THAT - 45 - What Comes and Goes has No Being

-
Image
 What Comes and Goes has No Being True maturity lies in embracing silence. At the core, everything is made of the same essence—the universal raw material. There’s no need to strive to reach it; the task is simply to peel away the layers that hide the “Universalness” within.   Silence (both outside and inside)  sounds simple, yet it is one of the hardest states to attain. Selfless action paves the way to silence—working with what you have, without clinging to results, without craving recognition. In that silence, you gain the clarity to strip away impurities—desires, jealousy, anger, expectations—and uncover the universal reality inside. Remember, everything that happens—whether to you or others—arises from countless factors, and your role is just one among them. Expecting outcomes to match your imagination only breeds misery.  Therefore, what comes and goes is not permanent and essentially has no being. 
Read more

Table of Contents - Chapter 1

-
Image
  Chapter 1 For best view in Mobile, switch to landscape mode Chapter 1 - At a Glance Verse 1 - The Big Question   Verse 2 - Disrespect   Verse 3-11 - Insecurity and Fear         Verse 12 - Think before you commit               Verse 13-19 - Face the Situation     Verse 20-24 - Risk Assessment   Verse 25 - Bhagavan Krishna Obliged Verse 26-30 - Onset of the Panic Attack Verse 31 - Panic creeping in Verse 32 - Our Dilemma Verse 33-34 - Beating around the Bush Verse 35 - I don't need this  Verse 36 - What makes you a Felon Verse 37 - The Lost Mind Verse 38 - How do you treat a Drunk person Verse 39 - Justification Continues Verse 40 - Destruction of Family Verse 41 - Atrocity on Women Verse 42 - Fall of Forefathers Verse 43 - Permanent Loss to the Root System Verse 44 - Permanent Resident of Hell Verse 45-46 - What a Pity!! Verse 47 - Arjuna Gives Up Table of Contents - Chapter 2 References Table of ...
Read more