Avaranatmika and praksipatmika

A place to ask Hari, exchange ideas with him, give some suggestions, or share some ideas with him on existence. This forum is not the place to discuss anything related to his former status or situation. Hari will reply to all texts.
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maha
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Avaranatmika and praksipatmika

Post by maha »

Dear Hari,

trying to understand what is behind the two maya-shaktis - avaranatmika and praksipatmika I have some guess.
It seems that the maya force that drags us down is based on the principle that the form of relationship which is the highest in spiritual world (madhurya rasa) can drag one all the way down in the material world (as extramarital relationship), at least that is how it was explained to us previously according to sastra. Is it so, or that is not the point of it?

And the second part: is it so that the covering potency of illusion starts from the fact that in this world external appearance of a person is usually the opposite to what is inside of him? And here I mean that our psyche seems to be very balanced in that way. For example, it seems that for this reason women in general are perceived as soft, fragile and irrational and practice shows that it is perfectly balanced by their inside being pretty practical and rational. May be that’s why they live longer? Whereas men in general are perceived as strong, hard and rational, which is balanced by their inside being soft, vulnerable and impractical. This is of course in one sense specific and in the other sense very generalized example. But the idea is that due to the material world being balanced and complete in itself and our spiritual individuality being in a sense of a different nature, it seems that all external manifestations of people are balanced by the opposite energies inside of them, like there is Yang in the Ing and there is Ing in the Yang. Is it what covers and bewilders our perception?

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Avaranatmika and praksipatmika

Post by maha »

I’m sorry, but I already have a continuation of it from another angle of perception.

What is the role of our passions and desires in it and of the law of entropy always trying to increase? Is it so, that due to one being overwhelmed with his/her passions, needs and charms by external manifestation as described in my previous letter, one’s perception is covered?

And then because of that one forgets the very necessity or simply has not enough time and strength to counteract the law of entropy which demands from one constant endeavors not only to keep things in order, but to keep them going and develop, otherwise one is dragged down into a havoc?
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Post by Hari »

The concept of maya is a difficult one. Let’s discuss it from a conceptual point of view rather than being constricted by Sanskrit terminology.

You have asked me to consider two factors; being‘dragged down’ and being ‘covered over.’ Let’s start with dragging down. The term ‘drag’ (when used in connection with people, or animals) implies that an external force is pulling you against your will. Alternatively, one can define drag as a weight or a friction, as in an airplane when there are weights on it or when there is some aerodynamically improper structure that creates air friction. This concept of drag is closer to what we experience. We are meant to fly, yet the dragging weight or friction slows us down and keeps us earth-bound. It is a weight that prevents us from approaching our potential. Anyone living in this world carries weights and therefore has to deal with their effect.

Why do we have such a burden? How did it get there and what purpose is it fulfilling? What is the result of dropping this weight? These are important questions. Obviously, we are living in a world of earthly elements which, in a quantitative sense, all have weight as opposed to ethereal elements which do not have such weight. I will skip discussing how ethereal elements have weight and are more dense than earthly elements since it is not pertinent.

To live on earth means to carry weight. It is a function of gravity and our desire to integrate within an environment where there are anchors and roots. Without it, we could not properly contact or interact on the physical plane. We might have thought of this realm as a field of tangible objects we can grasp that can be counted on to produce specific reactions under distinct and predictable circumstances most of the time. There is a certain attraction in this conception and it creates an arena in which everyone can find a place, from the single celled organisms to the most intelligent humans. Indeed, this idea of concrete reality is so attractive we chose to bear the weight and be bound by gravity! Astronauts can appreciate the trauma of living without gravity for longer periods of time. We welcome the weight as we are attuned to it. We tune to it because it resonates well with us. It resonates well with us because we are on that level of evolution and not only require a gravity bound environment but thirst for it. So long we thirst for it, we will accept certain restrictions to live within it, much as exclusive club members agree to a dress code when entering their playground in the mood of, "If you want this facility you accept these terms and conditions."

From this point of view, the drag is a part of the design and not an obstacle. "It is a feature, not a bug," the older programmers used to say. This viewpoint gives us perspective on what we consider to be a predicament and thus indicates how we might transform it were we inclined to do so. As they say in the health field, a correct diagnosis is 90% of the cure. Once you understand the problem, solving it is much easier. Even if there is no resolution or cure for a disease, it makes life easier when one accepts reality instead of living in a dream world of false hopes. Those who consciously accept ‘gravity’ in full awareness of the required terms and conditions may, when finding they are not getting what they wanted, seek out another environment to better fulfil their needs. Thus, a consciousness of the contract is more important than a judgment of those who have accepted it unconsciously.

Instead of lamenting how some super-powerful force drags us down, accept this force as an elemental reality of life that defines the parameters of our playing field. The question becomes easier; do I accept the terms and conditions of the supplier of this facility? If so, then I am responsible for the consequences, either good or bad, and if not, then I shall find another provider. Those who choose the latter become spiritual seekers. Seen from this point of view, the drag of extra relationships is the effect of the entanglement it creates rather than being a product of a inverted reflection of a spiritual realm.

Covering implies that this power has thrown a dense sheet over you against your will and holds it there (or vacuum packs you to maintain ‘freshness’ ) whereas one can also see it as the product of our perception of our circumstances. Since we have accepted gravity to live in a gravity filled world with others, we rarely think of ourselves being in a state free from gravity since that would be not only be unnatural but we would perceive it as a state dissociated from reality. Drug induced states allow one to be a gravity resident and tour the weightless regions with little effort, yet there are problems associated with re-entry that make the experience less optimal. Sometimes the word cover is replaced with the word ‘veil;’ a curtain which separates us from the ‘other’ reality. Continuing the theater analogy, it seems that it is more a costume than a cover, a uniform we wear to designate us as part of the forces of earthbound reality defending ourselves from the infiltration of awareness which will destroy our palace of pleasure. Quite a drama!

I am not sure you can generalize that all people are one way on the outside and another way on the inside for in some the internal and external characteristics blur together while others are what they seem to be. One can also say that people perceive you as one way whereas in reality, were they to be more perceptive, they would see how your words, values and actions do indeed demonstrate your inner being. Don’t forget that prejudice and sensual coloration distort perception. In many cases, we see others as reflections of how we would think of ourselves if we were to be in the same situation we rightly or wrongly perceive them in. We like to find ourselves in others and in so doing forget to see them as they are.

Not all women are soft, fragile and irrational on the outside and practical and rational on the inside, but I get your point and it is a very astute observation. I see what you are saying and it does make sense. Similarly I understand your idea about the inner and outer difference in men and it also makes sense. I suppose one can say that these points relate to nature’s inherent balancing system which causes polar opposites to tend towards each other as opposites attract in a magnetic or energetic sense. Strong men yearn for sensitivity and soft women yearn for rationality. Left brain yearns for connection to right brain. Men seek out women, and so on. You even see it in same sex couples; there is usually a stronger one and a softer one.

I think this conception does not directly relate to this discussion of a covering potency, but it is interesting in itself. Awareness of the workings of polarity is complex, difficult to directly perceive, and requires a greater awareness to understand, but I do not see it as a cover or something to bewilder any more than not knowing something could be seen as a covering of ignorance"“ but that seems more a term of speech rather than a philosophical concept. The attractive force of polarity within all of us is the unstoppable force of spiritual energy yearning to be balanced. It does not matter in which realm we have chosen to reside, this force will act. Perhaps you could seek out a better example of covering, if you still felt inclined to pursue this thought process?

Now in your second text you attempt to show how passion, that great creative energy of continual expression of life, enlivens experience and is the inspiration for our acceptance of the costume that facilitates the fulfilment of our desire. I would agree with this.

And in the second part of your second text you are basically saying, if I have it correct, that unless you keep the motor on the airplane going the plane will crash to earth by the force of gravity. Certainly. As soon as you accept a world based on these physical laws (that also affect the etheric realm in a very powerful way) you have to pay the energetic price. This indicates something about the nature of our contract. We are the one’s maintaining it, not some external force. We keep it up and we keep it going. Nature supplies the facility.

Havoc is not necessarily the result of not keeping our world going. For example, a person who has given up trying to fulfil any passion in life simply sits in one place and accepts whatever comes to him. There are many homeless people like that. They have lost the desire to chase after dreams. This is not havoc, rather, it can be peaceful for those who have accepted homelessness voluntarily to avoid the pain of being at home. Yogis or babajis find such a state as refreshing for they feel their seclusion is a better way to live. For those homeless lacking the spiritual insight of the benefits of such a state, there is the burden of being cold and hungry and this is a terrible state of affairs, but that is to a small extent offset by community and connection they may not have had when they were living within the world of increasing endeavor. (No, I am not saying that we should be homeless or that the homeless are enjoying their lives.) Neil Donald Walsch was once living as a homeless person and has experienced this.

I do not pretend to have a complete answer neither do I think I have dealt with this topic to my own satisfaction, but I have made some indication and you can elaborate on this if you want according to the practical manifestation of your life and its unique form of struggle.
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