Giving up body consciousness

______________________________________________________

Leaving behind the mis-identification with the body, followed by dispassion from worldly life, should be obtained with the aid of the body, mind, and speech. By constantly thinking of the Self, the passionate attachment for worldly life begins to fade, and one's "True Nature" (Swaroopa) comes into focus and is realized. The mind then gives up the ego and forgets the body.

When the mind is directed towards the Self, it discovers that the Self is omnipresent. Aspirants who want to experience the Self, are required to give up any thought of the body and focus exclusively on the Self. Body consciousness must be vanquished, and then the aspirant is left with no other motives, or impulses. Such a person may carry out their daily routine, but their actions do not reveal bodily awareness. While going through their bodily actions and routines, they never consider themselves to be the doer.

Just as a dry leaf is easily blown away by the wind, body consciousness should also be blown away. One should give up being obsessed with the body. Only then, does one discover one’s true Self. We can elevate ourselves, and bring about our own upliftment, but while we remain engrossed solely in worldly affairs, it is we ourselves, who are responsible for our own sorry state. Procrastination is a common habit that should be discarded. If one always puts off giving up body consciousness until tomorrow, it will never be done at all. Tomorrow never comes. In this way, we bring about our own destruction. If you have ever attempted to sit on your own shadow, you see that the moment you try to do so, your shadow disappears. In a similar manner, the moment you overcome body consciousness, illusion is destroyed.

A Dnyani understands and experiences that the body is untrue. Even if a Dnyani says "I have done this, I have done that," he remains unaffected by any outcome, as his body identification no longer exists. He has understood everything. His ego is wiped out, and he is unaffected by pride. Body consciousness influences one's behavior, so as one increasingly identifies with body consciousness, the result is that one becomes swollen with pride. One should investigate and find out how much body consciousness and how much consciousness of the Self one possesses, and in what proportion.