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Dr Nicholas Coleman World Religions Consultant (03) 9584 4408
“Platonic Zen exercises to recognise the soul” by Dr Nicholas G Coleman
The English word “religion” derives from the Latin religare which means “to tie back to” the ultimate reality of God. “Tying back” implies that we were once connected to the divine reality but have somehow come adrift. Any disconnection, however, must be more apparent than real; for if we really were separated from the source of all existence then we would cease to exist. Plainly, our separation from God is due to some oversight or forgetfulness. There is actually a close connection already between us and God; it’s just that we don’t recognise or remember it.
These graduated exercises facilitate the change in consciousness required for recognising or remembering the presence of God in all things and lives and minds, including the soul of our true selves. Read the exercises; think about them – then try them out for yourself.
The Practice of Innate Joy is to spend ten minutes a day just sitting quietly and reliving past experiences of happiness.
· Do more than just think about happy memories. Immerse yourself in recollected experiences of them. Do it with several different happy memories.
· Shankara, the C.8th Hindu sage, describes the true nature of reality as sat-cit-ananda (Being-Aware-Blissfully). In consciousness of happiness you are close to the true nature of all things, including yourself. Check it out.
The practice of Spiritual Location is to contemplate happy memories and identify the viewpoint of the inner recollecting I/eye.
· You need to be established in the practice of Innate Joy to succeed in this practice of Spiritual Location. Are you skilful at alternating between memories and at juxtaposing them, seamlessly, without interrupting your immersion experience? Keep practising.
· Once you are experienced in Innate Joy, notice that the inner recollecting I/eye does not see past events from exactly the same vantage-point as your physical eyes at the time. Check it out for yourself.
· Notice that the inner I/eye sees all your memories from its own distinct and unchanging viewpoint. Verify that for yourself.
· Now that you are well-versed in the practice of Innate Joy, locate and adopt as your own the viewpoint of the inner I/eye from which your memories are recollected.
· What do you realise about the constant consciousness of the inner I/eye in regard to the changing content of your various memories?
The practice of Cosmic Recognition is to ‘remember’ your true self right NOW.
· You need to be established in the practice of Spiritual Location to succeed in this practice of Cosmic Recognition. Are you alert to the constancy of the inner I/eye’s viewpoint and to its difference from your physical eyes’ perspective? Keep practising.
· In the future you will remember the present moment. In that future memory your body will be partly visible at the edge of your visual field. Your immediate physical surroundings will occupy the rest of your visual field. Instead of using your physical eyes to see only the present physical world, look from the viewpoint of the recollecting I/eye and see yourself as an integral part of everything present right now.
Notice the comprehensive consciousness of the inner I/eye. The whole of experience, physically and spiritually, is contained in and present to that all-seeing I/eye. It includes all your sensory perceptions of things in the physical world as well as all the innate activities of thought in your mind. The consciousness of that all-seeing I/eye doesn’t need to move or change in order to comprehend All-in-One. It is unwavering, unchanging, effortless, ceaseless, unlimited awareness.
The first-personal subject of that inner I/eye is the divine World-Soul. It produces and contains your individual existence, life and mind. Do you realise how that transcendent consciousness comes from and looks to the divine mind of God? If not, get closer to it and see.