This is to be Chapter 1 – probably!

The end of suffering

Suffering has no end! But it also has no beginning. If you can get to the situation before the beginning, you disconnect suffering from life. All life. Life & the Universe.

How to do this? Start by finding out if you are the “doer”. Do you create your life & why? There is no real reason why you need to be in this human form on this planet. No reason!

If then the insistence to remain human continues, only reduction of suffering is possible. Mental health issues for instance can be alleviated if the right approach is made. (That is a huge problem area in itself because of the current overwhelming reliance on medications). So the end of suffering is a mirage mostly because the core reasons for its existence remain. Thus whatever gurus & religions & various new –age of self-help teachers says: this is actually a no-go area. It is no-man’s land because you are not allowed to walk over the border to the “other side” if you want to bring all your baggage. You have to be prepared to discard everything, abandon everything. And, who wants to do that! Ever the most advance spiritual practitioners will want t to hold onto their achievement. That could be spiritual centres, writing, and students: anything that is – “all that is near & dear to me”. And then, there are relationships to be placed in their proper place. What does that mean! Well, it is not about abandoning anyone, but it is about cutting ties, dependence, obsessions, and really this whole human connection business. But, it’s not about loss. It’s about gain & transformation, especially in regards to relationships. This is where everyone get stuck & thus stays in Samsara, & keep coming back for multiple re-berths. Yes, heaven can last a while, but if you want to be human again you will find a way back. Some religion don’t even know what really goes on after death – they just make up stories about Heaven & Hell! Ignorance does not provide ultimate liberation from the cycle of life & death, just maybe some solace. So, yes “religion is the medication of the masses”. (Marx said “opium”).

Next accept each moment as the only one, the last one, the full experience of all there is or can be. This seems extremely painful. That’s because the pain of life is being magnified & concentrated into this one moment. This is when it all can be transcended, but you need to know what you are doing, & be your own guru. Then you are the Transcendental Guru, because, you are willing to accept that the massed negativity of the moment is only the ego, just Maya.. Samsara is what you are in, & to transcending it you can’t go anywhere. You can’t get from non-realised to realised with this transcendence, because it’s not a journey. It’s more of an experiential activity. Be your own Being, & become therefore in tune with Cosmic Consciousness – not separate. Therefore whole & complete. You are then done here! (But don’t need to do anything about it).

Best not to do anything about confusion & doubts: especially any “rage against the machine”. “Why won’t god/higher power/my personal god form fix it? Because you are responsible & there is no

god/higher power/personal god who will save you. You can fantasise that this is the case & this is what happened personally to me. It won’t last! Ultimately Jesus, Buddha or Krishna etc. won’t fix it, because its your job to learn from life & sort it out – all on your own. That is what empowerment is all about. Divine Grace will just give you the ability to get there – not provide the fixing it stuff we all desire so much. When you calm down from your childish tantrums about life you will be ready for the Big Step.

Now we have a situation regarding Life & the Universe, where nearly all humans & entrenched in their identity with race, culture, religion etc. Nothing to comment much on except that so far history has been about wars & destruction a lot of the time. So much for culture & religions! Never mind, it is a learning environment that we suffer in – Samsara. Until, that is, we move up a few levels. Move into spiritual practice as well as human practice. Then we think about doing stuff for our Higher Purpose, (or Higher Power). Then, maybe, we advance enough to make service to others our priority. Eventually for the Bodhisattva, the Jesus. & the Krishna, it’s only about being the Avatar, of Divineness, on earth, for the sake of humanity. We are then beyond all levels, as level 8 is where we see & feel & realise our essential nature in relation the Cosmos & all its life. First thing first though, how to move past this human ego based life of selfishness, & how to have some sense of spiritual sanity? We already know that we are responsible for our actions – no gods to the rescue! This is then our moment to moment business, otherwise we stay where we are.

The mind doesn’t want to be trained or curtailed, it’s not doable, unless you can sit in a cave with no distractions for months on end. The mind can settle down like sediment falling to the bottom of a still lake. In this busy world – forget about it! So, yoga needs to be more structural, with practices that allow one to separate out from the mind & the world, whilst in the midst of it. I use mantras. That’s it for me. That’s all I do, per breath, per moment. No matter what I do, right or wrong, or what happened, or what’s going on now. I take refuge in the mantras that I use, (& there are a selection, just as one wears different clothes for different occasions). It’s a refuge & a stable mountain of attention. Ultimately the mantra is transcendent through its own sound connection to the Cosmic Sound.

Get well – scientifically proven!

That there is scientific research about spirituality and mental health is telling. Somehow science has lost the plot wants to go back to the Stone Age when human began worshiping. Why are scientists interested in something that millions have accepted for thousands of years? It’s even reaching into psychiatry with the neuroscientific exploration of religious and spiritual phenomena. In other words, lets prove that it’s all in the mind!. So for once psychiatry has got it spot on. Yes it is all in the mind! Life & the Universe: everything & anything is but a product of Maya, which is if drilled down to individual level, but a mind product. It’s all fantasy, so why treat it (with medication etc.)? Actually medication use is very logical. We eat food, we ingest substances, & we have always been a bunch of self-medicators. Goes with the territory, so don’t knock those clever chemists who seek to make us feel good. And yes science will enable us to live forever & beat all disease, & be happy. Yeah right! Whatever. Do you want to stay in Samsara & continue to suffer? Forever? Dumb!

Thankfully though science here has advanced, this field of research is still in its early stages, so most of us will be “dead & gone” before the wonders of the new-age hit us. There may even be a hugely increasing interest in doing this science based, advancement of life on earth (An earth which may not exist due to global warming, wars, Covid etc.). Then there is the pursuit of scientific evidence for the existence of God..(So it gets weirder).

At least  there is a growing and significant consideration of spirituality even at a scientific level, and this may be happening more & more in the world, even though the daily news says we are doomed to kill each other, or some pandemic will do the job.

Now here is my:  Get well – scientifically proven – advice.

Mantras to:  “Get well – scientifically proven”.

The Divine Power is within and without. A mantra is the Divine Power name a sound. Your personal mantra of choice, may be better found from a knowledgeable Guru. (Not always true).

Repeat your mantra every second, or every moment, or every micro moment, or as much as possible. (Or throw away this book – it’s not for you at this time).

If you don’t have a mantra choose one of these.

Hari Om

Soham

Hare Krishna

Rama, Rama.

Om Namah Shivaya

There are many, many, more.

I have described my favourite “seed” mantras associated with the Chakras, in my previous books.

A key purpose of mantra energy is to bypass depression. Because you bypass it, there is a cure or a remedy for low mood, negative perception & depleted energy. You are in your “Higher Rooms” where the light leave behind the darkness. It’s a refuge. A “go to”, for any problem & yet, includes everything as it alleviates the need for “running away”.

A mantra’s power is very interesting because it’s the distilled sound of Life & the Universe – it’s not just being Transcendental. It’s that, & connection to any experience, no matter what. You became Transcendental in your approach to life first, & then you swop darkness for light – the Guru function. As your True Self you are the Transcendental Guru, & then……

You can use mantra power for anything, including destructive goals or objectives. It will do the work for you that you desire. (I.e. can be used for wealth or spiritual growth as per your choice). It’s a bit like nuclear energy. It’s a vibrational energy that can heal, or destroy.

Its real use though is to connect the soul through to mind, body, and to your environment, & allow understanding of positive or negative experience. This is when you understand Kali Yuga – the age of destruction. This is the world we are in. Lots of wars, famines, & suffering on a global scale. The Hindus & Buddhists understand this, & worship Kali, the fierce goddess of destruction. She is pictured holding severed heads. This world will sever our ego,(“heads”), because when “all life is suffering” becomes ones realisation, we will want to transcend. We will accept our Guru, who is our self & not really separate. The guru is within & without, but really neither. This voice will speak as you move away from seeing the world a playground for desire satisfaction, & more of a learning place to enable realisation of the True Self. Then mantra higher vibration rises us above darkness, or even evil forces. Mantras create a shield of “armour” to protect from curses, violence and accidents. (So devotees also pray to the “violent” Kali to get protection from violence). Some mantras have aggressive or destructive vibrations, so in contradiction they should be used for protection only – to achieve a peaceful environment.

. The Divine is perfect and complete, and emanations from the Divine, such as this world of Life and the Universe, are complete in purpose, though it all seems crazy from a disturbed mind perspective.. Be it your belief in the Goddess as the creature, or God as Him, or as the Big Bang. Whatever is produced in this Cosmic Consciousness is interconnected with sound. Therefore the mantra will “heal” the craziness & allow different perspective. It can seem very slow, especially if you are feeling some agitation. Remember though, you are not your body and mind. You are the “Witness” Your natural state is Sat, Chit, Ananda. –Existence, Knowledge, Bliss.

Truth is the l of you as the Divine soul. It is your birth right. You may need to connect with it, (it seems), even though it is just there. You have to sit on your mountain, (of solid spiritual practice), a chant through the time of the dark clouds & the storms.

We separate ourselves from Light, we live in darkness. Change perspective and focus

Seek Divine Grace. The Light will shine through. & with it the Divine Sound.

Our consciousness identifies with matter as ego, & the illusion that is Maya. gets created, but also can be destroyed eventually. Nothing really disappears, because nothing really appears –illusory stuff all of it. We can agree or disagree with much of science, as the Big Bang is after all a “large sound’. It’s just mind perspectives still, & not a state of Enlightenment, or not the position of the Transcendental Guru. However, we are in fear, and rush around, because we cannot find ourselves being the Transcendent Guru and seeing the un-reality of the Maya created forms in life. We do not connect with the underlying sound then. The mantra makes this connection, (somewhat artificially it is true), and tales us to the point of Enlightenment. Then Maya is seen as just the Goddess going about her business!

Spirituality, religion, & mental health

There is some idea that we cannot have life without adverse conditions and circumstances. Thus we experience pain, adversity and loss. This may lead to depression, self-harming, (or drug/alcohol issues), or suicidal thoughts. Then there is the spiritual component, which is, “life is bad for me & I want out”. However here the person turns to God, religion, or potentially, some even more destructive cult.

The wise person will allow the effects of the past, even if traumatic, to be “suffered” in patience, serenity and faith, without seeking to interfere by one’s own ego personality driven actions.

The religious may want to purified the body/mind; make themselves worthy. (So they don’t have to suffer any more. However the transcendental realised state is our birth right any way. It’s what we already are. Just the ego driven humanity gets in the ways. So simple – just drop the illusions!

Unfortunately attachments will remain in the soul memory and affect future passage onwards, even after death. This will be especially so if predominant negative thoughts remain to the time of death, or some type of obsession, addiction or just plain old lust may have a regressive effect regarding next realm entry. Fortunately the power of mantra and faith will cut through the bonds eventually even it seems there is some delay. Be patient with the short trial which occurs also while practicing the devotional yoga, & mantra repetition, & allow the onward journey to pick up successful in its own time. (Gods will not my will). Surrender to the Divine Grace to allow what you can’t control or overcome, to be cleared away.

The last dominant thought is very important, & if we are dependent on our spiritual practice, then we will remember what we need to at death. Even if you think you are such a sinner or bad person, invoke your mantra at the point of death. The emissaries of darkness will be held back. There is a lot of confusion involved in all religions within the “holy books”, but I take only what you need for sanity. What makes sense, and seems productive. The writings of those who have been realized are more important, as they have had the experience and can better advise accordingly

Religion and spirituality may be part of a mental health clinician’s initial evaluation, or assessment, it doesn’t address the issue of human desire & attachment, & the consequences of that. . It’s a position that often defers to culture, political correctness, religious groups etc. without really understanding how all this is bound up with both mental health & spirituality. Therapy & counselling may see the issues, but may then not revisited during treatment, once the initial assessment phase is over..

Some might point to association of spiritual values with psychiatric disorders compared to worship frequency, as per some researchers. However, why go this route. Quite often, a religious or spiritual person who develops say Mania or a Psychosis will be seemingly obsession about their interests to a dangerous point even. Then remember that whatever is normal for a person.

A severe disorder can lead to quite disordered religious type thinking. I have not seen and met or read of any spiritual advanced being who was not at some stage intimately involved with religion in some form. Why would anyone with mental health disorders not have the same involvement. It’s just the mind disorder that “skews” things.

It’s the spiritual journey that addresses the issue of human life attachments. This though could be made without any references to or involvement with religion, either as belief or practice or as morals. Many say “I am not religious” without seeing that a lot of their spiritual practices historically were part of organized religions. Religion & Spiritual practice may seem to go hand in hand then, although nowadays this relationship is quite tenuous and even hostile. The spiritual seeker may find at a certain stage a burning desire or motivation to escape from or leave behind all or some of previously held religious beliefs and practices. Many gurus also seem to imply that at the higher stage of spiritual practice you move on from religion, & even the teachers & teachings that you started out with.

Theoretically, the spiritual journey could be made without any references to or involvement with religion, either as belief or practice or as morals. I have not seen, me,t or read of any spiritual advanced being who was not at some stage involved with religion in some form.

Religion & spiritual practice seem to go hand in hand, although on a closer inspection this relationship is often quite tenuous and even hostile. The spiritual seeker may find at a certain stage a motivation to escape from or leave behind all or some of previously held beliefs and practices. Gurus who are enlightened seem imply that at the higher stage of spiritual practice you move on from the teachers & teachings that you started out with.

The semi-naked yogis in India are avadhootas. They are revered as very holy as they give up all attachments, including sometimes social and religious restraints. They can appear to be mentally unwell or to have significant psychiatric issues. These crazy adepts in a spiritual tradition are practicing after being immersed in the religious culture of Hinduism & and then move past the restraints in another also culturally acceptable manner. They are held in high esteem & are visited sometimes by multitudes of devotees. They sometime go on to build, (around them), quite large ashrams. This is not madness or depression, as the renunciation is born of distaste or even disgust for the world. They may feel sad or even some craziness, or confusion, during their spiritual journey. They, in their permanent Samadhi meditative state, have been quite competent in managing large building or temple developments. The criticism of their devotees is that they are micro-managers, & are attuned to even tiny detail. Not the same as being “out of it”.

In some other religions, this renunciation is deviance from the accepted moral & social rule. So, this non-attachment can be seen as a sin or amoral deviation. Thus when spirituality is only accepted in context of religious rules, it creates space for mental turmoil. Some spiritual seekers will still hold onto their own religious faith, even of their allegiance causes a schism of confusion. If such a person becomes mental unwell or even psychotic, they may well have all their symptoms presenting as religiously distorted in content.

The spiritual journey is about the goal, the end product notwithstanding the connections made on the way with organized religion, New Age ideas, and scientific therapies. Religion becomes a block to spiritual growth when it interferes with, or is allowed to, block further evolvement. The concept of God, deities, messiahs & avatars (incarnations) belongs to the realm of the practitioner not to the world of the realizer, who has become awakened, enlightened or Divinely fulfilled. That goal is really quite anarchic, disinhibited, and even destructive in terms of what passes as conventional ways of equating an ordinary life with the Higher Power. It might seem to indicate a madness, psychosis even, or perhaps almost catatonic depression, (with some yogi who seem to have stopped functioning). .Most materialistic everyday strivings seem to be geared to trying to get on with or outwit God in order to achieve ends. God then becomes someone or something, “up there”, and the church or temple becomes a convenient place to off load the guilt or shame, generated whilst trying to fulfil basically selfish needs and wishes. This is true madness!

Spirituality does not require a God “up there” nor an edifice to worship in to prove ones goodness to others. The spiritual seeker then, is concerned with how to achieve the goal of Truth. How to even begin the journey, (avoiding the obstacles & dead ends). How to find a good path and how to keep on it (avoiding the distractions & consolations that divert ones endevours). In that light all responsibilities are scrutinized, including the value of the religious devotional paths. This examining itself is a form of yoga, a meditation, as well as philosophical enquiry. In contrast to the pure spiritual approach recent advent of psychological/psychiatric forms of treatment and the therapies, have evolved with the fields of mental health, which now position themselves a solutions to life itself in a broader outreach. Perhaps even in conflict or competition with the spiritual practices, & certainly in contrast directly with religious devotional & sacramental practices. It should not be this way for all parties as an amalgam of all that works & is beneficial is surely logical? Even a multi-faith approach is logical.

Devotion which derives from or is associated with the East (Hindu, Buddhism & and others), is thus in contrast, in a usually negative way with the Western scientific civilizations tradition of Christian & Jewish monotheism. Also many of the New Age ide practices can be in this basket, although some therapy modes have become mainstream, & thus for instance, acceptable to conservative Christians. On the positive, there does seem to be an amalgamating or synthesizing for a total holistic approach to the concept of wellbeing & awareness. It come out in the current trendy mindfulness explosion & the cynical being “Woke” stance. This seems to be their good reason to say there is a revolution potential, for practice that have a wide appeal to different of people, who then have a what seems completely new outlook on what is “spiritual searching. it actually a synthesis of what has gone before, & not a revolution. People want religion that is non-judgemental, & accepts a variety of beliefs. This is worlds away from fundamentalism, which also fights back to maintain its traditional power base. The bottom line is: what did the Buddha say? What did Jesus say? Not what the patriarchal priests of a man-made religious system would demand us to believe, or be dammed eternally!

Also do not tithe! God is Free!

Regular religious practice can makes depression and mental illness worse. Same for drugs & alcohol! If you are depressed you often feel lost and without hope. Hence the lure of drugs & alcohol or religion! Religious groups may be very anti-medication, which is also not Truth, as Truth has to accept the parts of scientific evidence that stack up. Medication, CBT, & other therapy. can be very useful-to a point. But don’t get sucked into the mental health system either! Therapists and psychiatrists are not God! You really do not want to hear about eternal damnation, but also not get a long list of drugs that themselves are killing you. Anti-psychotic medication use for instance can give rise to huge weight gain, metabolic syndrome, & other serious conditions. They may be necessary for some, but they are no way “cutting edge” science. We have a long way to go to get to medication that “cures without killing”.

Self-harm

Suicide, to most does, not solve anything but makes things worse. Hence the engagement & funding of “suicide prevention” services. At the time of suicide, the thoughts are very dark and negative, hence it is considered that a severe depression is the causal factor. in most cases.. The Mental Health Act may be then invoked following a serious suicide attempts, although it is unlikely that anti-depressant medication can be enforced successfully, because it is not that effective, & may not be well tolerated. in the past ECT was used in multiple cases, & in the psychiatric hospitals of the 70, dozens of patients per hospital could be given Electro Convulsive therapy, including to some who were under the Act.

Yogis treatises clearly state that if the soul departs in suicide that avoids the natural progress of life, then that soul will be carry on into the next life. This will be a rebirth to continue with the next experiences to learn certain lessons. “It’s Karma Man”.  Seems very unfair bur the law is that the soul state will determine which realm we go to next. Christianity also has some views about suicide & we hear about persons not being able to get a burial plot within the church grounds due to their action.

Not eating is a nonviolent way to detach from this life and prepare for the next while purifying the soul. Some Jains consider that the tradition called santhara, (literally thinning out), is the highest typ of spiritual practice, although India’s Supreme Court tried to ban the practice, & make it punishable under law. It is supposed to be performed only when death is imminent, but there some estimations that 200 Jains fast to death each year, many of them monks. In Hinduism some yogis choose their time & day of Samadhi, & they do so primarily because they have completed their work. This can be Prayopevesa – fasting until death, although the yogi masters may just choose to depart the body, when they decide to.

Violent departure is considered also a path that leads to the soul becoming a ghost, for a long time. Perhaps so that the soul can contemplate the mistake, even due to retribution issues, including curses. It is connected with self-harming, especially including, for instance, the rise in self-cutting amongst young women. Some yogis in India sit all-day in the hot sun; stand on one leg for months, etc. Well known in the West, & the butt of many jokes, is the Fakir lying on a bed od nails. The Hindus call it Tapas. Its self-punishment. (Is it self-harm?)

There is some idea that we cannot have life without adverse conditions and circumstances. Thus we experience pain, adversity and loss. This may lead to depression, self-harming, (or drug/alcohol issues), or suicidal thoughts. Then there is the spiritual component, which is, “life is bad for me & I want out”. However here the person turns to God, religion, or potentially, some even more destructive cult.

The wise person will allow the effects of the past, even if traumatic, to be “suffered” in patience, serenity and faith, without seeking to interfere by one’s own ego personality driven actions.

The religious may want to purified the body/mind; make themselves worthy. (So they don’t have to suffer any more. However the transcendental realised state is our birth right any way. It’s what we already are. Just the ego driven humanity gets in the ways. So simple – just drop the illusions!

Unfortunately attachments will remain in the soul memory and affect future passage onwards, even after death. This will be especially so if predominant negative thoughts remain to the time of death, or some type of obsession, addiction or just plain old lust may have a regressive effect regarding next realm entry. Fortunately the power of mantra and faith will cut through the bonds eventually even it seems there is some delay. Be patient with the short trial which occurs also while practicing the devotional yoga, & mantra repetition, & allow the onward journey to pick up successful in its own time. (Gods will not my will). Surrender to the Divine Grace to allow what you can’t control or overcome, to be cleared away.

The last dominant thought is very important, & if we are dependent on our spiritual practice, then we will remember what we need to at death. Even if you think you are such a sinner or bad person, invoke your mantra at the point of death. The emissaries of darkness will be held back. There is a lot of confusion involved in all religions within the “holy books”, but take only what you need for sanity. What makes sense, and seems productive. The writings of those who have been realized are more important, as they have had the experience and can better advise accordingly.