Realizing the state of consciousness is the main idea of non duality or Advaita. It is the understanding of the real truth: ‘you’ and ‘reality,’ which means all the things, all people, the entire universe, and its creator are the same. No one is separate, and everything is the same.
Normally, you consider reality as everything you can see and perceive ‘out there.’ It is an illusion that comes out of your partial awareness. If you see trees, you are the trees. If you listen to music, you are the music. It is because everything is you, and you are unified with everybody.
Moreover, Advaita is a concept that signifies the idea that there is an existence of no two things. There is no relationship between subject and object. There is no he and she, no there and here, no they or you. There is only oneness and everything encompassed in it. In the simplest form, there is nothing separate in this world, and everything is a whole.
Why Does Advaita Matter?
Advaita is crucial because by understanding it, you may be able to come closer to self-awareness. In fact, by making an effort to understand it, you will engage in the yoga of knowledge, one of the ancient ways of attaining enlightenment.
Once you experience Advaita in your life and attain self-realization, you can get freedom. You will understand that you are the ultimate power and everything in the world is within you. If there is some power in the world, it is in you. Since you experience the power within you, you will no longer expect or get upset by what others say or the circumstances.
Ātmān is the True Self
In Advaita’s concept, it is only the innermost part of you that is aware or conscious. No other portion of you can see or feel or know anything. The name in Sanskrit for this awareness or enlightenment is atman. It is the part of you in reality, and it matches the soul in Western philosophy.
Moreover, atman is the ultimate truth, and it does not start or end; it flows. Even if you die, your atman stays and goes on. Atman is also considered as a brahmin, and everything is brahmin.
The ātmān or ātmā (your consciousness) inside you is the real source of happiness. Adi Shankaracharya mentions that ātmā is your true nature, and it shapes you into completeness.
Moreover, it is an inner reality or atman mostly protected by the components (people, objects, things, or events) of the outer world. Furthermore, by outer mask, you mean the pious reality hidden within the self.
The thought is, all the needs you possess, do you think they will get you contentment? Well, they will never satisfy you. The more wants you will fulfill, the more exhausted you get.
Everything is Brahman
According to Advaita, your atman is the same as the absolute central reality of the entire universe, known as Brahman. The substance of everything, including the world, is Brahman.
Moreover, according to Advaita, you are the brahmin. Brahman is sleepless, birthless, dreamless, nameless, and formless. It is ever radiant and omniscient. No duty, in any logic, can ever be related to It. Moreover, atman is beyond all expression by words and surpasses all acts of the mind. It is massive peace, eternal shine, and ultimate freedom.
Similarly, Brahman lays at a fundamental level. It is the primary awareness. Brahmin is the knowledge that is enlightenment. Hence, you are the Brahman, and you are free from mental activity and all ideas of relinquishment and acceptance.
Only the Strong can Perform Advaita Successfully
Anyone can try experiencing Advaita, but only the strong can perform it. If you think that you are strong and can attain self-enlightenment, you must perform Advaita without any expectation, and you should not have the feeling of getting anything.
Moreover, you do not need to be born in any particular spiritual family to practice Advaita. All you require is strong will power and devotion. The ignorance will disappear eventually, and you will get the realization that you were always the pure endless (Atma) soul, without any start or end.
Nondualism puts pressure on you to focus on your inner self. And, if your mind is distracted by desires and enjoyments, it will fail to attain self-realization. You should bring your mind under control with any method like meditation. Once you meditate and focus on only your breath, to begin with, and then on your inner self, you get successful in diverting your focus from the outer world to the inner world.
Finally, non duality is about individual consciousness, and it is no different from the collective consciousness. You are everything, and everything is in you.
About The Author:
Ellen Hollington is a freelance writer who offers to ghostwrite, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.
