Ahimsa

The existence of multiplicity gets in the way of truly accessing this state. It’s true that spiritual Oneness must be achieved (or surrendered to) to get total Ahimsa. A path to Ahimsa is the practice of Ahimsa–to attempt to be nonviolent. In our attempts, we’ll fail so many times. We’ll commit so much violence in the cause of nonviolence. That’s ok. One day, even today, you and I can find perfect Ahimsa from the inside out, rather than from actions in.

Why do people not find perfect Ahimsa right here and now, if it’s within and therefore accessible at any moment? The existence of multiplicity produces culture, ideas, memories, intelligence, investigation, and reasoning. From here we become attached to these things by the glue of emotionality. Righteousness, vengeance, caring, protection, loyalty, opposition. This is how multiplicity gets in the way of Ahimsa. As an example: people start interpreting the Bhagavad Gita as a text that tells us to just do our duty because not doing our duty would be violent.

That’s only half of it, maybe not even any of it.

We are to use our gift of action to continue carving a path toward Oneness, happiness, peace, harmony. Yet we must first connect our hearts to God–not a Christian god, not a Muslim one, or even a particular deity. This connection isn’t intellectual–it’s experiential. It cannot be described. In this connection, in this God-realization, Ahimsa is truly born.

Enemies are no longer enemies, no matter how fierce and violent they appear. There is no such thing as evil as a force equal to God because that is nonsensical. Everyone around a being of true Ahimsa can feel their benevolence and cannot hide from being truly seen. This makes many humans who are not yet connected to God fearful or confused. Being in the presence of a power like this may make some feel small. Some, like a child, crave to be included in this so they “act out.”

You might be hated by some for your willingness to surrender and connect your heart to God. You will probably be scorned and made fun of by more “pragmatic” humans. People that see war as necessary and wrongdoers as worth of anything less than love will say you are wrong.

Peace isn’t pacifism. Ahimsa isn’t being walked over. It is doing our work while loving every single being and feeling deep compassion for their suffering. It is crying with people, especially those whose practices and beliefs we do not share. It is trusting my body and mind will do “what’s needed” even while losing my ego in Oneness. It is faith in everyone as a redeemable spirit that may get buried underneath generations of warped multiplicity.

Will you slip away from the multiplicity, the layers, of judgement, protection, and clinging onto what is right so you may shine in Ahimsa?