Journey to Enlightenment Part 01

Author(s): Chitrabhanu, Chetana Catherine Florida, Nirmala Hanke, Raksha Penni Helsene
Publisher: Create Space

Page 127

Spring 2002: Our Place in the Universe: Part I
Unless we realize our place in the universe, we will not be able to relate to ourselves. Unless we can relate to ourselves, we will not be able to relate to others. If we do not see beyond the “I” built from body, name, ego, emotions, then we cannot come to an experience of ourselves.
Through the process of meditation, we are reaching the real "I". Reaching there we get a sense of forever-existence which is what we mean by immortality. It is feeling our living feeling. As long as we lack that experience, so long our life has no solid foundation.
The theme of meditation is this: to reach that root where fear does not exist and where vibrant life is always felt. This is called relating to ourselves.
Through this experience we realize that "I was, I am, and I will be". Realizing this, we become aware of the process of evolution. Darwin's theory was based on a physical level. Ours is founded on a spiritual level. Thus we see that before reaching human-hood, the individual soul evolves from one level to another. With each progressive level it adds one sense.
Living beings with only a single sense are found in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms. Their only sense is the sense of touch. Certain insects and crawling creatures such as worms have two senses; they have the sense of taste as well as the sense of touch. The third sense to be added is the sense of smell in such insects as ants. Four-sensed beings such as bees have added the sense of sight. Fifth is the sense of hearing, which characterizes fivesensed animals.
Who Am I?
Step by step we go upwards in evolution from mineral to man, first to primitive man, intellectual man, and lastly, aware man. We start with "I am" and then ask "Who am I?” It is man's first real step in evolution. This is the line of demarcation between human consciousness and animal consciousness.
We are here to see why we are here. We are here to see our place in the universe. We don't say “I am here to eat, procreate, grow old and die.” That is not the answer. They may be steps to evolution, but they are not the end of the journey. The few years we have can be profitably invested or wantonly wasted.
Thus "Who am I?” is a dynamic question. It reveals the power of man to actualize his sixth sense, his power of thought. If you go on working on that question, it will explode. It will bring meaning to you. The question will lead you further and further.
128 - Journey to Enlightenment