The Mental Yogi

What can be mine?

In a world like this.

There is nothing, which I can claim.

 I see all around me,

This singular moment in time.

How could I say, I am?

 Silence is speaking,

The eternal ballad of life.

Existence contains what is here.

 All that is said,

In truth I don’t know.

All knowledge it crumbles in my lap.

 What words could do justice?

Experience the thing.

What do I have to say anyway?

Me, I’m not much more than a bag of flesh upon a ball of dirt. Hell, when you put it that way, it doesn’t really sound that special does it? But that’s just it. You could instead say that it is a peaceful garden where humanity learns to face its struggles, and I am a being of light and love that exists to take part in this creation and destruction of society, belief structures, and what is deemed to be right and wrong.

Notice I am describing the same thing. Earth and I. I can be a human, I can be a bag of flesh, I can be a man, I can be a body, but all these… they are only words. Words describe what we are. Change the words and the definition changes a little, or even a lot. Change the words and the perspective we have upon that thing that is being described, that thing that is being defined, can change drastically. As well, our opinion and feelings toward that thing can change drastically.

I am not here to lecture you to be careful about what words you use, or to watch what you say. I only wish to point out that all this, this entire universe that we have discovered and are continuously learning more and more about, it is held up by the tiniest little thread. It is a thread of knowledge. It is a thread of, I am this and that is that. It is a thread of labels, definitions, pretty speech and ugly names. We look out at the world, through eyes, ears, noses, tongues, and fingers. We sense the world and name is as that. We say, yes, that is that. Well, of course, this is this. Can this world be stripped of all labels? What would happen?

Well, for one, there would be no telling anything apart anymore. It is really only words and ideas that tear us apart anyway, so with all those labels of “you” and “me” there will no longer be and separation. But then how the bloody hell would we interact anymore? How could we exist in the lives that we lead in a world totally devoid of labels and defined boundaries? Well, life would not really work then. Our entire society is built upon the concept of separation. And yet…

 I find myself pausing, as I slam through this post. Fingers slapping keys, eyes darting, breath moving, ears keen on all that goes on around me. I find that much of this is happening, I need not to direct each and every keystroke to the correct spot with precise intent. It just happens. So what of the rest of it?

 A thought experiment for you. As you go about your day, imagine that every person, every object, every creature, every thing is you. Not, you the body and mind, I mean you. Or perhaps the other way round, that the you which you so easily claim as you, the body and mind, the actions, the thoughts, the words, the emotions, the experience of your life and all that is in it, is a part of everything else. But not a part that can be separate. No. You as you take yourself to be is a part that is inseparable. Without your part, the whole would not be whole, you would not be you. The puzzle is many pieces. You are the puzzle with your attention on a single piece.

The point of this is not to reach some grandiose state of being where all is you and you are all. No. The point is to shift your perspective. Instead of focusing on yourself, see that you are a part of everything and as a part, that makes you everything. To harm another is to harm yourself. Imagine if the cells of your body suddenly started fighting each other. Causing immense widespread havoc by their actions. Is that not what we do upon the earth?