Sachchidananda –Existence, Consciousness, Bliss – December 9 2018

He is the sun dwelling in the bright heavens. He is the air dwelling in the interspace. He is the fire dwelling on earth. He is the guest dwelling in the house. He dwells in men, in the gods, in truth, in the sky. He is born in the water, on earth, in the sacrifice, on the mountains. He is the True and the Great.

Katha Upanishad, II. ii. 2

translated by Swami Nikhilananda

 

Totality is by definition everything: the manifest, relative world–this world of the mind and the body–and the unmanifest, the place of pure Being–that which underlies everything.

 

The Sanskrit word for Totality is Brahman.

 

The nature of Brahman is Sachchidananda.

 

Sat=pure existence

Chit=pure consciousness

Anandam=pure bliss

 

These qualities are the nature of Totality.

 

By definition, nothing is outside of Totality. I am Totality. You are Totality. All This is Totality. All This is Brahman.

 

If you and I are Totality, then our nature is Sachchidananda–pure existence, pure consciousness, pure bliss. Living as we do as humans here in the relative world, this is not generally our experience. There are thoughts, ideas, opinions, feelings, beliefs and ignorances by which we cover this truth of our nature. This is good news.

 

If my nature is Sachchidananda, and my inability to experience it is simply because I have allowed it to be covered up, then to change this experience all I need to is uncover what is here. I do not need to go looking for anything. I do not need to discover anything new. I merely have to cease ignoring what already is here and insist on identifying as something other than these things I have used to cover the Truth. I have to find my way to the simplicity of Being.

 

There is a rather sweet approach to this that is easily remembered.

 

It is based upon Psalm 46:10:

 

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that

Be still and know

Be still

Be

 

Today, when I find myself with thoughts, feelings or opinions that seem to indicate a world that does not welcome me or a self that is unworthy of love, I will insist on knowing myself as something other than these thoughts. I will insist on feeling myself to be that place of pure existence, consciousness and bliss that is the truth of my Being.

HImalayas, Uttaraikhand, India