Freedom from the Known: Man's Search

My Quest

In keeping with my quest to become the very question "Who Are You God, and Who Am I?" I plan to share excerpts from Jiddu Krishnamurthi's "Freedom From The Known" over the next (many) posts to help me become more at ease with who "I Am" which is up for a thorough exploration and examination, or atleast an attempt to contemplate them. Jiddu Krishnamurthi is one of my personal few favourites because his teachings are radical, life transforming, practical and always in the present no matter what era you read his spiritual contributions to this world. They are worth examining and delving into, and if one has no fear of loosing one's present ego personality from every belief, label and identification with oneself and the world, then this is a good way to think seriously about something that is going to impact my Soul growth on a daily basis. 

The Question

So, here goes today's excerpt from Jiddu Krishnamurthi's "Freedom From The Known"

"Man has throughout the ages been seeking something beyond himself, beyond material welfare - something we call truth or God or reality, a timeless state - something that cannot be disturbed by circumstances, by thought or by human corruption.

Man has always asked the question: what is it all about? Has life any meaning at all? He sees the enormous confusion of life, the brutalities, the revolts, the wars, the endless divisions of religion, ideology and nationality, and with a sense of deep abiding frustration he asks, what is one to do, what is this thing we call living, is there anything beyond it?

And not finding this nameless thing of a thousand names which he has always sought, he has cultivated faith - faith in a Savior or an ideal - and faith invariably breeds violence.

In this constant battle which we call living, we try to set a code of conduct according to the society in which we are brought up whether it be a Communist society or a so-called free society; we accept a standard of behaviour as part of our tradition as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or whatever we happen to be.  We look to someone to tell us what is right or wrong behaviour, what is right or wrong thought, and in following this pattern our conduct and thinking become mechanical, our responses automatic.  We can observe this very easily in ourselves." (End of excerpt)

Ego-based Assumptions

Life makes no promises about anything. Life just is.  It shows up every moment ceaselessly.  We have taken all of this so much for granted that we do not even question it seriously. Everything about Life appears to be just an assumption. We each come into this world not really knowing what the future holds for us.  Everything changes constantly and it can change any moment. That, apparently, is the ony constant.

Since a young girl, I pondered very seriously about Life. Ofcourse, I did not know then I was 'pondering'. Speaking from the background of my own personal circumstances, to me it looked like I was very unlucky. Where did this thought come from? Our senses are heightened as children and there appears to be no filters. Everything shows up as different and distinct colours and somehow, we sense from that very young age, that something is either "good" or "bad". There appears to be no shades of grey. I could'nt help comparing my life with many others who seemed to be having very charmed ones. What did I do "wrong?" I very often wondered.   Everything was always an assumption, and the assumption was always (in my mind) that I did something very "bad".  I can't help wondering now why I always assumed at five, or six, or seven years young, or at any age that it had to be something "bad"when, what I should really have been doing was living a carefree life. It's strange, but nobody thought to mention this or remnd us that childhood was supposed to be lived in fairyland exploring fairies, goblins, munchkins, etc. Nobody told us because nobody really knew. We were taught exactly what the "grown-ups" learned when they were that young and their "grown-ups" taught them  ... and the cycle still goes on.  

Changing the Narrative

And so goes yet another Soul into the oblivion of ignorance. 

It's time to change the narrative.

Our search for a "savior" starts very young. We need someone or something to hang on to ... to believe ... to take all our worries and pain and make it disappear .... and as we think these "little" thoughts, they grow along with us accompanying us throughout our lives forming and shaping the way we perceive Life.  They too grow in size and proportion.

What is this Life all about?  This is a personal quest and each must embark on this quest alone. When you honestly and truly get anchored to the bare essentials of your Soul without the fluffy thoughts, it is most likely that you will be bitterly disappointed or, who knows, overjoyed, to discover that the only saviour is YOU. Whoever you think is savior outside of you, is really prompting you to go deep within because the holiest of holy saviors is within, and You are it. In my quest, I have realised we are "saved" the moment we 'get' this Truth.

Life just happens.

Namaste!

~ Lavina ~