May 2020
I grew up with the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. You could say he was my first guru. When asked what the most important quality was for a human being with regard to human evolution Maharishi gave the answer of discernment. It is only in recent times that I have begun to fully grasp the importance and truth of this insightful statement.
Many spiritual teachers have shared that we are currently moving away from the era of the Guru towards a new era of spiritual teachings. This new era they say is the way of the Sangha. Sangha is a Sanskrit word that means association, assembly or community. In Buddhism the concept of Sangha refers to a monastic order of monks and nuns. However, there is a separate category that refers to the noble Sangha. The noble Sangha includes any individual in society, whether a member of the monastic order or not, who has attained enlightenment.
The concept of Sangha I am pointing towards here refers to the latter. This is not an obscure religious concept. Quite the opposite. It is highly relevant to our current society and will likely prove to be of great importance given recent world events and the societal turmoil set to arise as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before I lose you in esoteric and undefined concepts such as enlightenment and Sangha, I would like us to demystify and define the terms for a moment.
Under my definition, enlightenment is not in essence an attainment or a grandiose achievement relegated to a select few ancient masters. In this context, it simply refers to those virtuous people in society who are firmly established in their true nature. Those who are living in state of connection and communion with pure heartfelt awareness and aligned with their life purpose. It is a state of being that naturally brings light to darkness and holds the keys to our intuition and true knowledge. It is something we all know and have all experienced, if even just for a fleeting moment, but perhaps don’t have the intellectual framework to fully recognise or appreciate it. It does not negate the challenges of the human experience and does not imply perfection. It is both beyond and inclusive of these concepts.
The way of the Sangha means maintaining collective harmony and flow. The Sangha is responsible for upholding the knowledge-base of the collective and is aligned on a common mission of sharing truth for the greater good. The way of the Sangha refers to the natural flow of the collective. It is guided by the same intelligence that allows a murmuration of starlings to navigate in perfect alignment. A gentle whisper of cosmic intelligence that is contained within all human beings and living creatures.
There is a common path that is paved with the fabric of true knowledge and aligned guidance. When we step back onto this path of inner knowing we begin to understand that we must authentically connect and share the fundamental truths of our human experience. This is imperative in order to build a kinder, more compassionate and harmonious world. When re-connected to this field we gain access to the creative intelligence of mother nature. This is the foundation to human evolution and will lead us to a wise new world.
At our core our fundamental nature is innocent. It is based on pure love and compassion. However, I understand that some of you reading this will be more jaded in your outlook and understandably so. As we look out at the world around us we see so much of the opposite. So much pain, suffering and destruction. It can be hard to understand that fundamentally all is good. Those that subscribe to this worldview can seem like they have their head in the clouds and are negating the facts of reality with positive thinking.
For a moment, as a mediator by nature, I am actually going to agree with this criticism. However, the truth is always more subtle than any fixed conclusion. The key to unveiling fundamental truth comes with the power of discernment and the ability to bring the dark into the light.
When we transcend the mind and connect with our true nature, we experience first-hand the very fabric of our existence and know this to be true, loving and innocent. By innocence I mean that it contains no quality that can be accurately described in words. Silence would be the closest metaphor.
As we become more established in this truth it opens our mind and increases our ability to embrace and accept paradox. From a clear vantage point of inner truth we attune to an innate intelligence that naturally removes ignorance and provides guidance. A heightened sense of intuition and more frequent synchronicities occurring in our life can signal that we are living more aligned with our true nature and life purpose.
However, the discovery of our true nature or what some may refer to as enlightenment, as I highlighted before, is not an unattainable achievement. It is simply a shift in perspective. It is the first step of a journey. A journey that requires the support of community, greater integration and continuous learning to reach our ultimate human potential as reflected by the great masters and gurus of the past (and present). When connected to our true nature this does not automatically bestow us with instant wisdom or total knowledge. And most importantly, it does not automatically provide discernment.
Discernment is a faculty of the intellect. It is a skill and quality of a human being that must be honed. It is the power of discernment that acts as the compass towards spontaneous right action and a virtuous life that will ultimately lead to greater fulfilment and happiness on a personal level while solving many issues on a societal and environmental level.
This concept of virtue and living established in truth can be summarised by another Sanskrit term Satya. Satya in Sanskrit means virtue or truth and refers to being truthful in one’s thought, speech and actions. It also implies the virtuous restraint from falsehood and distortion of one’s expressions and actions. In more relatable terms authenticity sums up the concept of Satya quite nicely.
Another beautiful Sanskrit term is that of Satsang, which stems from the root words Sat (meaning truth) and Sangha (meaning association, company or community). It is often used to refer to the gatherings where enlightened gurus share their teachings with disciples. However, in essence, this term simply refers to keeping the company of people established in truth or building community with virtuous people.
The purpose of Satsang is to share knowledge. In Sanskrit there is a term called Vidya, which provides deeper insight into the concept of knowledge. Vidya refers to valid knowledge and the science of intuitive learning. In other words, knowledge that cannot be contradicted. It implies direct knowledge of the self, of our true nature or essence. Vidya can only be gained self-intuitively. Truth, or real knowledge, therefore can only be known through direct experience. It cannot be grasped by the intellect. Vidya is by definition subjective, but also universal in essence.
In this regard, we must learn to understand that fundamental or true knowledge cannot be attained by the scientific method alone, but must rather be attainted through the merging and integration of science and spirituality. Direct experience must be our ultimate litmus test.
Intuition is the impulse of true knowledge. Discernment is the faculty that allows us to appropriately act on this impulse. Discernment is therefore the key to a wise mind and provides the filter and direction for us to embody and accurately express our true nature. This is where the modern scientific method, data and mathematics can help us hone the faculty of discernment, but science must not become a new religion. It is a thorn that can serve to remove a thorn.
When we are both established in our true nature and our intellect has honed the faculty of discernment we can then truly act as conduits of light and help to serve the greater good. If these two aspects are not balanced and skilfully integrated our thought, speech and actions can be misguided and potentially lead us and others astray.
This is precisely why the way of the Sangha is so important to maintain the wisdom of the collective and prevent individuals getting lost. Connecting with our true nature is not the hardest or most elusive part. It is having the correct level of discernment and humility to understand any errors in our ways. The challenge lies in transcending the ego and staying humble. The refinement of this process can take decades or even lifetimes.
We can also understand the way of the Sangha as a form of compassionate teaching. This process of collective learning goes beyond the guru disciple divide. It becomes a mutual exchange of knowledge. It is the transmission of learning through the expression of authentic human experience. It empowers and connects rather than separates and distances.
Learning from an individual who may be one step higher on the ladder of knowledge, or one step further ahead on their spiritual journey, can be a more relatable and effective way to share knowledge. This collective process of sharing truth is about rebalancing the playing field.
Many so-called gurus or spiritual masters may be promoting knowledge that is either not relevant for one individual or they may have simply climbed a completely different or unstable ladder of learning that may mislead or misguide. The way of the Sangha therefore also demands a greater requirement for discernment. It requires greater trust in our own intuition and validation in our own personal experience. Our ability to trust in what resonates is a key guiding principle to hone discernment.
Now, I want to take you with me briefly to another timeline. To demonstrate the origins of some of the aforementioned concepts…
Kosambi was an ancient Indian city, which is said to have been of great importance during the times of Buddha. It was a place deemed suitable for Buddha’s final resting place. It is symbolic of release from the cycle of death and rebirth. It implies merging with the infinite and attaining nirvana after death. In other words, the ultimate goal of all spiritual practice.
The King of Kosambi during the times of Buddha decreed that the way of the Sangha (community) must not be abandoned. Anyone who disrupted the unity of the Sangha would be outcast and made to wear white robes.
In today’s day and age we associate wise gurus and enlightened masters with men in white robes. Many still feel that the knowledge required for spiritual development is held only by those who dwell in caves in the Himalayas or spend a lifetime of solitude free from the stresses and distractions of our fast-paced modern lifestyle.
This little anecdote of Kosambi and the King’s decree is somewhat symbolic of the power and importance of community for spiritual evolution. It reminds us that the way of the Sangha, the direction and knowledge-base of the collective, is fundamental for the betterment of humanity as a whole.
However, we must understand that the harmony of the Sangha is governed first and foremost by our own inner harmony and alignment with our true nature. This is the first step that is required in order to transcend disharmony within the collective.
It is my belief that there are certain core values that must be re-established in order to guide us towards greater harmony. As we move into the era of the Sangha we must understand the importance of community, connection, kindness, authenticity, humility and compassion. These are qualities that will lay the foundations to a brave and wise new world.
However, we must also understand that transformation and transition is a process and that light and dark will always exist in the world. It is for this reason that as we aim to re-establish and maintain the way of the Sangha we must also exercise and hone our power of discernment.
The true gurus and warriors that will create a better world moving forward will be those that operate relentlessly from their true nature and express qualities of kindness, authenticity and compassion in their speech and actions.
However, in order to survive and be successful in this turbulent world we must act skilfully. The faculty of discernment must be used as a guiding principle and understood as the most important quality for a human being in this day and age.
Our next generation of leaders must act with the hearts of saints, but with the cunning of sharks.
These leaders should not be placed on a pedestal.
These leaders are me and you.
Change begins within.
The power to create change lies in the way of the Sangha.
Follow your intuition.
Connect.
Share your truth with humility.
Listen.
Exercise discernment.
A wise new world awaits.
