Embodiment – A Karmic Punishment or Ultimate Freedom?

A Guru moment happening in my ordinary backyard.

Hello Friends,

I invite you to join me on a journey. Or, maybe a little side trip to an upcoming series focusing on specific teachings from a non-dual spiritual perspective.

The series will explore different aspects from the non-dual yogic lens to help us land more steadfast in who we are and how that knowingness might, just a little bit, help us to better navigate our lives. Lord knows we need it; the road ahead is fraught with speedbumps, potholes, and sudden blind curves.

A caveat. Re-immersing myself in the richness of these teachings takes up quite a bit of bandwidth, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t see me appear in your inbox occasionally: I’ll be doing my homework.

I’m looking forward to the series. I hope you’ll be pleased. If you enjoy, please like with a 💙 and comment as we travel along. I want to know how you’re all feeling, what your thoughts are, and if you have questions.

A thank you to my friend Dan who writes, Not So Random Thoughts, for planting these seeds.

Another caveat. I’m not an enlightened being.

Many of the foundational principles of non-dual Tantric philosophy are so threaded into the fabric of my being that I rarely give them thought. I’m not implying that I’m enlightened, not at all. After years of study in non-dual Tantric spirituality, it is a way of life. The teachings are a roadmap that has helped me move through the complexities of being human. I wish for you the same GPS. Recently, my professional teaching has found me more on the page, and Zoom, rather than in a physical classroom. I consider this opportunity a boon, a gift, a new realm to bring ancient teachings forward into our everyday lives.

Atha Yoganusasanam.¹ And now we begin.

The Guru Principle.

To clarify what I’ve stated above, I am not a Guru. Nor do I consider myself an enlightened being.

The word guru is made up of the Sanskrit roots - Gu-darkness, and Ru-light. Guru translates as, the weighty one. More prevalent in past times, though still alive in various circles today, a Guru refers to a teacher, a master, an enlightened being, a person holding the power to remove the darkness that blocks us from our highest god-like natures. The Guru blasts through the ego to reveal the shadows that lurk in the darkness of our personalities, limitations, and quirks that arise from inhabiting a physical form. A specific person, such as Guru, adheres to the belief that the Guru holds the power, while you and I do not. Through the Guru’s transmission of grace, the weight of cloaking is lifted revealing our sage Self, with a capital S.

For many people, studying and following a Guru proves to be insightful and empowering.

Guru also means the power of revelation.

Another aspect of non-dual spirituality is the power of revelatory moments. Instead of striving for 24/7 enlightenment, enlightened moments are available to each of us, when our hearts are open. This view does not deem it necessary to sit at the feet of a Guru for enlightenment, to live in a cave on some far-off mountaintop, or to sit in meditation for hours on end. Guru moments, heightened awareness, and illumination are given by grace freely to each of us throughout our lifetime.

For instance, a few weeks ago the internet exploded with photos of the northern lights. As a result of a geomagnetic storm, the aurora borealis was made visible even across parts of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. People who observed the spectacular light show wrote about their experiences and states of suspended reality. Though the occurrence had a scientific explanation, observers were awed by the majesty and oneness with the universe, and the absence of thought or speech, if only for a few minutes.

Guru, or illumined moments, happen more commonly as well; while holding a newborn, snuggling a kitten, birthing a novel, planting a garden, making eye contact, and receiving a smile from a stranger. These flashes of pure beingness are portals to the field of boundless joy and freedom. Guru moments beam brilliantly on the ordinariness of daily life. Thus, the mundane becomes extraordinary.

Supreme Consciousness

Non-duality ascribes to the belief that supreme consciousness includes all of life; the non-physical and physical world, the manifest and unmanifest, the limited and the limitless, the bound and the boundless. And all that exists in between.

Non-duality recognizes the absolute, god, the divine, in each of us. No one is exempt, even… I so want to insert a name here, but I’ll refrain and return to the belief that our intrinsic nature is free, pure, and auspicious. We are not thought to be lesser than because of embodiment; quite the contrary. Humanity is a direct response to supreme consciousness’s desire to experience the play of life through you and me. However, we do choose our experiences, we are free to falter, fall, and f-up. Humans flow like a river, moving in and out of alignment with the divine source of all. Manifestors of goodness, as well as ne’er-do-wells.

Some days it’s really really hard, damn near impossible, to remember that life is not a karmic punishment. Some days it’s really really hard, not to feel that our life here on planet Earth is not a sentence; that one day, after cleaning up all the crap from our past and present lives, we will transcend our limited bodies to return home to the glory and light of heaven.

Non-dual spirituality does not see this life or our bodies as cumbersome heavy winter coats that need shrugging off to feel the renewal of Spring. Non-duality views this life and our bodies as the vehicles to enlightenment.

The good news-bad news: this is heaven.

The good news-bad news: this too is hell.

The good news-bad news, is you get to choose how to swim in the river - with the current or against it. And truth, sometimes hanging on for dear life.

With love and appreciation, Paulette

In the upcoming series, I’ll introduce the Rasas, the essence of nine basic emotions that color our experience of life.

1. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1.1, by BKS Iyengar