Knowing thyself is awakening -1 Personality vs. Existence
The mind of man knows too much, still trying to know more day by day. But man does not this mysterious mind clearly who wants, desires craves, and always asking for more. Because we do not understand the mind as such, we have woven many expressions of the mind based on its original movements, past, memory, instincts, behavior, attitudes, opinions, etc. which we term personality. Because the mind is multiple in man, hence, we have hundreds of models of personality. We still need to know and discover as what lies behind the veil of mind, generally termed as existence or Absolute existence consciousness bliss or SatChitAnanda
Personality is changing eternally while existence is eternal
The word ‘personality’ came from the Latin word ‘persona’ meaning mask. It was initially used in theater for plating different roles by actors. Usage underwent many changes. Modern age now uses the word for character or individuality. The word ‘personality’ is widely and mostly used in the world today
The simple understanding of human beings in mathematical terms maybe sum of a few cherished desires, emotions, feelings, thoughts, sensations, thoughts, ideas, pains, and pleasures. We as a human being live 24X7 in the above movements day by day, week by week, and years by years. We multiply all of the above, repeat them again, show differences in thought, speech, and act which we generally term as character or personality. Personality is changing constantly – consciously, subconsciously, and unconsciously. Hence we included different layers of mind in shaping and evolving our personality. It is difficult to shape and evolve our personality in the absence of a central, unchanging identity governing our life, mind, and earthly existence.
Whatever the meaning, we consider, derive, and reflect from personality, our real self remains hidden behind the veil of our personality or mask. In general terms, we are aware – what we think, feel, see, and act are mostly different. Our speech thought, action, feelings, memories, etc. convey often conflicting views about what we are. There are two important words commonly used in Hindi, perhaps, came from Sanskrit- Yvaktitva (personality) and Astititva (existence). It is because, philosophy in India is known as ‘Darshan’ meaning ‘direct perception’ beyond mind, senses, and intellect. The masters of yesteryears in India have always understood that personality is different, separate from existence. The existence refers to ‘real-self’ while personality refers to ‘pseudo or superficial self’. Even the greatest masters declared that this personality is made of five sheaths or five layers – physical, energy, mental, intellectual, and pleasures while real-self is understood, perceived, and realized at the center of five layers. The center of human existence is real-self of the nature of ‘absolute existence-consciousness-bliss’.
Modern science has yet to discover the core of our existence and its relationship with different layers of personality and the outer world in which we live, move, and act every moment in our lives. There are hundreds of models of human personality but none of them actually is all-inclusive. Yoga, Tantra, and spiritual traditions in India is more than 6000 years old. There were more than 3000 masters and more than 1000 texts are available written much before 2500 years ago. All masters, texts, and traditions speak clearly about the dual nature of human existence – the center and the circumference. The circumference is all about personality and the center is all about existence.
The tradition begins its journey from the center and moves to the circumference. It is actually a movement or journey from consciousness to matter. It becomes difficult to understand and appreciate the traditional wisdom through the eye of modern science as science begins its journey from matter and has moved to one energy filed, yet to discover the existence. Whatever we talk, know, understand about the ‘new age’ essentially depends on the philosophy, concept, and applications of the dual nature of existence. masters had explained this dual nature of human existence through many ways – Prakriti ( dynamic principle) and Purusha ( one who dwells in the dynamic principle of supreme person); Maya ( illusion ) and Ishwar ( one who possesses the mask or illusion); Atman ( individual consciousness) and Parmatma ( transcendental consciousness) and Being ( existence ) and Becoming ( Maya, Prakriti).
Since the discovery of yoga, Tantra traditions 6000 years ago, and masters declared that we, in reality, are real-self, behind the mask, what we commonly understand as personality. It is said that when we discover the real self or awaken to the existence, and return to personality again, everything undergoes a transformation.
To be continued …… Knowing thyself is awakening -2 how we evolve consciously
