YH June2018 | Page 61

has no mind and that its personality and mind evolve from the physical body. It is believed that the Earth formed out of mindless material, and life arose from this lifeless soup, eventually emerging into a consciousness like humankind. Humans and animals breathe, and so do plants. We are born into manifestation, and then we die, returning to that which preceded the physical body. The cosmic breath is happening right here inside your human body as you read these words. However, it is actually the other way around. Eastern thought believes that consciousness is the one that had the idea of creating matter in the first place, a vehicle in which to have experiences in a physical reality. First came consciousness, then the mind, the mind being the first manifestation created by consciousness. Out of the mind comes the manifestation of physical, material existence. Out of this came the human, animal and plant bodies. We are born of something beyond physical existence, and it is to there that we return. Every single soul gets a body. That body has a life. When time is up, the soul leaves the body and the body becomes lifeless. That makes each and every moment so precious. In one way, each day reminds us that we are getting closer to death. Death cannot be avoided; it is part of the science. But living our life is in our hands. We have to make the most of it, live each and every moment fully. We have to live in joy and keep walking on the path of our destination. The destination of human life indeed is to attain peace in the eternal through Yogic realization. For that, we need to have faith in something that is eternal and there to stay, and not in something which is temporary, which is prone to This implies that our existence is born out of something that precedes physical reality, and this is a disconcerting thought The much desired package of a healthy body, healthy mind, puerile character, a peaceful and a successful life, is not possible without striking a beautiful balance between materialism and spiritualism. to the Western way of thinking. Out of the nothingness, mind and physical reality appear, and then it disappears back into that same nothingness after it is experienced. Consciousness expands into manifestation, and then it contracts back into nothingness, expands again, and then pulls back. The entire universe is nothing more than a cosmic exhalation and inhalation process. This process of the coming and going of experiences is evident in all things. extinction, which itself may not know what form it is going to take in the future. Extinction is the destiny of all things that exist in the material dimension. Those who wish to fly high need to open their inner eye and live in the light of the divine. The birth in a human form is rare, and we need to make ample use of this golden opportunity. We need to be aware of our primary objectives and establish a balance between our material life and our spiritual journey. Both material and spiritual welfare are important, for material welfare sans peace is difficult and so is spiritual ascension without a healthy body. The much desired package of a healthy body, healthy mind, puerile character, a peaceful and a successful life, is not possible without striking a beautiful balance between materialism and spiritualism. We are souls, pure consciousness. Imagine when we have the source, the knowledge to care for both the body and soul, how blissful we will be. This is the key objective of human birth; hence human birth is rare and is an outcome of good deeds. It is pitiful that we ignore the precious life. One only needs to search for the path and gain the knowledge required to be in the center of your being. As conscious souls in a human b ody, we need to take to the refuge of the ancient knowledge of Yoga, the practice of which can lead to the opening of the eye of our consciousness and realization of greater things. Only such an event can perhaps rescue us from this feeling of hollowness deep within that haunts us every time we try to introspect for that something meaningful, for that something full and completely content. After all, we all want to be a finished product, right! Yogi Ishan is a conscious writer, speaker on Yogic Sciences & Inner Travel, Meditation Guide, Yoga Master, and Mystical Travel Guide with over 10 years of experience. He has led Yoga groups to Ladakh, Rishikesh, Singapore, Hampi and Dharamsala focusing on deep meditation, autonomous Yoga, chanting and other Yogic Kriyas. He has also led Yoga Groups in South East Asia, Europe and remotest lands of India. To know more about him, log on to www.yogishan.com Y O G I C H E R A L D 59