Most people most of the time are under the ego’s influence and always thinking. Once you begin the spiritual journey, you can employ a spiritual practice to free yourself from the ego-controlled mind and align with the deeper reality.
My favorite spiritual practices are to focus on the Paramatman light or an enlightened teacher such as Meher Baba, Mother Meera, or Jesus. For the last few years, I have focused more on Meher Baba. During this week before Easter my attention turns to Jesus. By looking at his image or thinking about him a strong internal connection is created. His grace and love flow unimpeded. The heart opens and all my thoughts and concerns fall away.
Of late, I am using another spiritual practice, which seems to have arisen spontaneously. Instead of focusing on the light or an enlightened teacher, I step back and observe myself interacting with the world.
As the observer the way I perceive the world changes. I am freed from the ego’s influence and the mind stills. The external world loses its sense of reality. It is more like a play. Yet I am no longer an unwitting character caught up in his role. Instead, I am an actor who is suddenly aware that he is playing a part. I am simultaneously watching the play and participating in it.
In this state, I watch the physical body as it carries out the duties of daily life. It as if the body has been given certain tasks to accomplish. And it carries them out without the need for any decisions on my part.
This practice of being the observer has two levels. On the initial level, I am watching the world in a state of detachment. Yet there is still a sense that I exist within the confines of the body and apart from everything else. The deeper level reveals itself while Meera is giving darshan, or while I’m reading an enlightened teaching or walking by the ocean. And then the sense of separateness falls away.
