The Mind
Definition: The mind is the mental container, the field of pure vibratory activity, that allows us (the Self) to navigate the even subtler world of thoughts and concepts. The mind represents the aspect of ourselves that operates in and reflects the mental dimension – often called the realm of ideas, or the causal plane – which is vibrationally the least dense. The element most associated with the mind is Air.
Purpose: The mind’s purpose is to think and organize reality. It’s the center and origin of ego, or identity, which allows us to make logical and logistical sense of our lives through self-referential cognizing, analysis, reason, planning, memory, images, symbols, and language. It divides the inherent unity of life into infinite parts and then finite forms, which helps to differentiate perceived objects. The experience of life through the mind appears as thought.
Unbalanced: When the mind is unbalanced, it’s busy, cloudy, and scattered. Thoughts come into the field of mind and get trapped, leading to cyclical thinking patterns and rumination. A busy mind remains stuck in the past and/or fixated on the future. A clouded mind is occluded by conditioned beliefs, which causes all perceptions to be filtered through a distorted lens, leading to false conclusions and interpretations of reality, the propagation of psychological defense mechanisms, an acute sense of confusion, the perception of separation from all things, and most tragically, an existential anxiety and suffering.
Balanced: When the mind is balanced, it’s quiet, clear, and focused. Thoughts arise out of emptiness into the field of mind and leave just as effortlessly, due to the lack of conditioned beliefs and attachments to concepts. A quiet mind is simply present, at rest, and accepting of this moment here and now. Useful ideas that arise get used, and useless ones get tossed. With a clear mind, the ego doesn’t operate as a separate identity with a set of personal narratives, but rather as a slim transparent interface that allows us to navigate the world of form in a comprehensible manner. A focused mind sees through the illusory divisions it superimposes on life to realize the oneness of existence, leading to compassionate understanding, the recognition of mystery and humility, and a stillness beyond conception.
Ways to Balance: self-inquiry, introspection, contemplation, journaling, reading, talk therapy, logical thinking, practicing non-attachment to thoughts and objects, nonjudgment, simple living, humility, curiosity, and more.
The Spirit
Definition: Unlike the other three aspects of our being, the spirit is not something we have, it’s what we essentially are, i.e. our soul. It is the source of everything – including the body, heart, and mind – and ultimately all there is. The spirit is pure consciousness, awareness, presence. It’s the uncaused cause, sometimes called God, that lives eternally in/as us. It represents the aspect of ourselves that operates in and reflects the dimensionless dimension beyond vibration and form. The spirit is the Self. The “element” most associated with the spirit is Ether.
Purpose: The spirit’s (our) purpose is to be and experience. It is (we are) eternal blissful consciousness that creates manifestation in order to experience itself (ourselves) in form, and therefore know itself (ourselves) in a tangible way. The experience of life through the spirit appears as awareness.
Unbalanced: An unbalanced spirit is an unconscious one, experiencing itself as separate from everything else. The unaware spirit is deprived of the true knowledge of life and cut off from the indwelling source of health and happiness. Lacking intuitive insight into the activities of the mind, heart, and body, the unbalanced spirit remains lost and trapped within these three containers, unable to utilize its free will or achieve its full potential. In truth, the spirit is never unbalanced or even touched. It remains pristine and luminous forever. But the unconscious spirit lacks the direct knowing of this.
Balanced: A balanced spirit is a conscious one, experiencing union with all things. Aware of its true nature, which is beingness, this spirit is unrestricted and free. The light of awareness shines on/through the four dimensions (physical, energetic, mental, spiritual), allowing one to operate across all of them simultaneously. A spirit with nondual awareness knows that nothing in manifestation can harm or touch it, which leads to fearlessness and spontaneity of action. Intuition is clear and strong, knowing is direct and deep, compassion is ever-present, and reality just is.
Ways to Balance: being aware of being aware, practicing presence, meditation, prayer, stillness, affirmations, witnessing consciousness, listening to intuition, being compassionate, service to others, spiritual fellowship, solitude, and more.
…continued in Part 3…