Two Fundamental Perspectives
Depending on which perspective we see life from, we see ourselves differently. Ultimately, there are only two perspectives through which we can view reality: from the ego and from the Self.
When we view ourselves from an egoic perspective, we see divisions in our being, and therefore divisions in the world. We see ourselves as a mixture of body, heart, mind, and spirit – and each of these components are distinct processes, with some level of overlap and influence on one another. In this view, we reside at the center, or intersection, of all four parts. When these four parts are in balance, we’re fulfilled; when these four parts are out of balance, we’re unfulfilled.
But from the perspective of the Self, which is the spirit or soul, all four parts are inextricably interwoven together. In fact, we see that they’re not separate at all, but rather One seamless process – Life itself – seen in/as different dimensions. We can sense (body), feel (heart), and perceive (mind) these parts as separate entities, yet we know (spirit) that they’re all ultimately the same “thing” vibrating at different densities, or levels of consciousness. The mind is spirit vibrating at the subtlest level, the heart is spirit vibrating at the intermediate level, and the body is spirit vibrating at the densest level. In other words, spirit is the only reality. Thus, from the perspective of the Self, everything is the Self, and when we know this, we experience a total fulfillment that can never be diminished.
Balancing and Harmonizing
That being said, most people don’t view reality from the perspective of the Self, and talking about it doesn’t do much good for those who are suffering. So, how does one get there? How does one begin to experience life as it really is?
To start, it’s helpful to bring these four aspects of our being into balance, and knowing a thing or two about each one (i.e. Parts 1 and 2 of this blog), gives us an understanding of how to do this. This means: relax the body, open the heart, quiet the mind, and be aware.
Of course, things in reality are not as binary as described in Parts 1 and 2. The body isn’t either completely relaxed or tensed, the heart isn’t totally open or closed, the mind isn’t absolutely quiet or busy, and the spirit isn’t entirely aware or unaware. It’s just easier to understand when described in contrast. The truth is we all fall somewhere on the spectrum, which means we’re all relatively balanced or unbalanced, depending on how one looks at it and the circumstances of the moment.
Regardless of where on the spectrum we are, the point is to move in the direction of greater balance, which means move toward physical relaxation, emotional openness, mental quietude, and spiritual awareness. Even if we can’t achieve perfect balance, we still owe it to ourselves to make the effort and get as close to the goal as we can.
Relaxing the body means allowing the physical tension to loosen. Opening the heart means feeling our emotions and allowing them to release. Quieting the mind means letting the thoughts pass by without attaching to or believing them. Finally, being spiritually aware means bringing awareness to these other three processes (i.e. sensation, feeling, and thought), and, most importantly, to the very fact of being aware.
Awareness is the Key
It’s critical we realize that we’re the ones in charge of our bodies, hearts, and minds. Many of us believe that they’re not within our ability to influence, so we submit to our suffering, declaring that we’re powerless to change things, which then makes it so. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. We may not have much power over our external situation, but we certainly do over our internal condition, just not in the way that one might normally imagine. Through awareness, we come to understand just how much power we have over ourselves, and discover that we’ve been determining our reality all along. Then we can begin to create a better one.
In a nutshell, the key to harmonizing your multidimensional being is awareness. When you bring the light of awareness to the different aspects of your being, you begin to see how unbalanced things are. So remain aware of this, and do whatever you can to undo it! And when you think you’ve got it, keep going! Then each part will come into balance, and together they will come into harmony. When you turn your awareness inward, you will realize that you are awareness. Then rest in that knowing awareness and see what happens.
In summary, by being aware our multidimensional being, we bring harmony to the entire system, which cleanses us of ego and opens a doorway into the Infinite.