There is the World of Appearances and then there is a doorway through which you can enter another World altogether; the World of Spirit. And if you live there you are literally residing in another reality, the reality of unlimited potential, and Cosmic Beauty, you are behind the scenes of Reality with Life itself.
Let me give you some examples from my own experience. We are currently staying at
Amma's ashram in southern India. This morning David went to get the chai at six, which is a morning ritual for many at the ashram following the early morning
archana (Sanskrit chanting). Sitting at the back of the cavernous and now empty hall (in which Amma gives her
darshan) in the very early light, I realized I wanted a second cup of chai and joined the dwindling line over by the Indian kitchen. I felt the absolute divinity of the lady who ladled out my chai and walking away shed some tears at her spiritual beauty. In the world of Appearances, she was just another wrinkly old Indian lady. We had no eye-contact, there were only a few words concerning chai exchanged between us, nothing magical occurred. But in the World of Spirit, there had been a happening.
Only the other day, here at the ashram, I had another mystical experience with an elephant. In the World of Appearances he was a banana-obsessed animal, entirely focused on eating the fruit that the people were feeding him but I slipped into a profound communing with the powerful Soul of this elephant and myself received her
darshan, feeling devotion throughout my whole body, and shedding spontaneous tears.
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| Lyrica Mia Marquez |
It reminded me of an encounter with a non-verbal, severely autistic young woman I know and love called
Lyrica. I remember being at her home in Arizona. In the World of Appearances she would have been experienced as a mentally disabled young woman or grown child, entirely focused on diving her hand into whatever food was in front of her and messily putting it into her mouth. But meanwhile in the World of Spirit that she drew me into, I experienced Lyrica as a spiritual powerhouse and at that moment her eyes, usually averted from the eyes of others met mine and it was the glittering glance of the Goddess herself that sent tears streaming down my face as my energy field leapt into spacious communing with hers; what an awesome
darshan from this Enlightened Soul!
Here at this ashram, the accommodation is very spartan. Just a thin mattress on the floor (we are fortunate that couples get their own room) and yet for those who reside in the World of Spirit, it is the greatest luxury to be here.
Which World do you live in? Have you yet discovered the doorway of the Inner-Universe?
Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
(May All the Beings, in All the Worlds Be Happy!)
<3 Maha
