There is a remarkable connection that the climate of the mind and the mountains possess. It takes moments for the weather to change from a bright sunny afternoon to heavy rains in the hills. The mind too tames a turbulent, unpredictable weather within. In moments of silence, it pulls you away from the material world, as if in search for something. The “something” remains elusive to most.
In the never-ending quest to discover this, I made a trivial effort to excavate the origins of the restless mind. This time I was treading the spiritual path and not the scientific one. I stumbled upon some of my favourite topics that deal with Mysticism. As wiki defines it – mysticism is the pursuit of communion with or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, truth or even god. No wonder mysticism exists as an offshoot of almost all religions – Sufism being one of the most sought after approaches.
I wondered how mysticism which is such a well-documented and rigorous practice relates to common man. In a routine life, it’s fascinating how even the most accomplished souls feel the need to break all shackles and attain a different state of mind where there is a sense of unification with something or someone divine. As mysticism is practiced through various medium such as aphorisms, poetry, music, riddles and humour; people usually find one of these modes to attempt reaching the communion in daily life.
I was amazed to see how the very simple people of Bengal who practice the Baul sect connect to the divine. These are modest beings with just enough food to see them through the day. But the level of consciousness they have attained in their pursuit of seeking oneness could mesmerize you. Growing up, I was always intrigued by the simplicity of baul songs, the lyrics, the instruments used and the philosophy preached. Baul talks about connecting to “praner manush” or the man of the heart. The songs if heard carefully can lead to a state of trance. Once you enter the trance, a lot of the thirst that results from the restless mind is quenched.
I am convinced that no form of intoxication is needed to attain a higher state of consciousness. I can be high throughout the day, no matter what….
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I must say, this post being nothing less than a dose of pure dose of sanity (in the true sense of the word), I read it four times. The freshness in the narrative construction had an unimaginable effect on me. Often, when I discuss this feeling of mysticism or the experience of a radical shift in conscious understanding, people around me find it mysterious and spooky. Honestly, I don’t blame them; it is something unfathomable to those who have become so overly reliant and blinded by the limiting paradigm that life is linear. But I am quite sure that at some point in life, everyone embarks on a journey of deconstruction of conditioned habits and beliefs. It is quite amazing to know that various mediums contribute to the insatiable curiosity for understanding the essential questions of life: matters of God, creation, the infinite and the human potential for knowing truth. As Baul music invokes the realization of true living in you, sounds of nature awakens the mystic in me to look beyond the obvious conditioning of our manufactured world view.
Thank you for providing a very exposed and intimate account of mysticism!
Cheers!
Sharon
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