The True Victory

 In a number of religions and traditions, humans refer their day of celebration as a day of victory. The Galungan day in the Balinese elders’ version is likewise. As being well recorded in history, there was indeed a victory celebration of the Light against darkness. Though it is still open for further explanation, regarding which outlook of light or which perspective of darkness it refers to. Meanwhile in present-day context, victory has another face, which required another deep level of understanding. Particularly since the nature of human-related sciences are always contextual, being influenced by the development of many things in a certain time cycle.

It is undeniable that anger is the greatest destructive energy in this era. Much less a small family, even this planet Earth might destroyed instantaneously when the leader of a powerful country is being burned by fury. Hence, the very first victory worth considering is the victory over anger. As have been extensively researched using the EEG machine (brain wave measuring machine), the biggest obstacle for humans in this era to spiritually grow is the failure to forgive. Particularly since the energy of anger is still very dominating within. Anger does have various different faces. From soul wound, bad karma of the past, dreams that never come true, until growing in a path of life that against one’s natural calling.

Whatever faces of anger within, developing a balancing energy within that is capable to neutralize the energy of anger is truly essential. On the path of meditation, the balancing energy is named as the practice of mindfulness. The second victory that deserves to be contemplated, learn to prevail over the long-established conditioning. Everyone against crime, yet crime continues to grow at all times. All religions proscribe violence, but violence always presence in every era. In the language of J. Krishnamurti, there is a very deep conditioning within each human being. It is similar to a TV set in which the remote control is held by someone else. Therefore, Krishnamurti named his masterpiece, freedom from the known. Liberating the self from the known. Liberating the self from any kinds of conditioning.

Whilst formal school strongly emphasizes the importance of having the ability to remember, on this path, one is highly recommended to have the spiritual courage of forgetting. To be more precise, erasing the pile of knowledge that has been learned. Similar to medical prescriptions, the best ancient panacea is not necessarily capable in curing the illness of this era. At this level, it requires a heroic figure who dares to formulate the best suitable prescription to face the challenges in this era. Learning from the neuroscience findings that examine the impact of spiritual practices like meditation on the brain waves, this era desperately requires a wonderful medicine named forgiveness. In which include the ability to forget the excruciating bad memories.

Parents are being mistreated by the grandparents, grandparents are hurt by their parents. Without having the courage to forgive, the chain of suffering will continue from one generation to another. Further than just breaking the chain of suffering, forgiving also enable one to evolve from being a loser (read: losing against anger) into becoming a winner. At the point where one has become a champion, he will then capable to liberate himself from a much deeper form of conditioning. The third victory that is worth pondering is the victory against excessive desire. There is a unique characteristic of this era, the number of people who die because of having too many excess (read: excessive amount of food, excessive amount of sugar, excessive amount of drugs) is far greater than those died due to deprivation. Those facts clearly clarify that in order to be healthy and safe, one needs to learn to keep a good distance of all forms of excessive desires.

The excessive desire to immediately attain enlightenment is also included. The excessive desire to be called holy. The excessive desire to be called humble. Only one who has the ability to cleanse himself from any forms of excessive desires that deserve to be called as a spiritual hero. The following three steps is worth pondering as a pathway leading towards that direction. First, learn to become an empathetic listener to all forms of the inner landscape. For sensitive friends, there are too many inner conversations referring themselves as the victim whom is worth to be pitied. As a matter of time, insensitive friends, will be chased by guilty feelings. Whatever the forms of the inner landscape, learn to be less self-critical, and learn to be more harmonious with all forms of inner faces. Encourage the self to come out from the old terms of conditioning of sin and hell. 

Second, stop being a self murderer. Learn to become your own self healer. One who frequently criticizes himself with the title of sin, hell, worthless is the example of a person who is performing a slowly but sure self suicidal act. When this situation keep happening, it is only a matter of time that the related person will be visited by a dangerous disease. Being a self healer is simple, simply see mistakes as a pile of lessons to be learned, not as a series of punishment. Then rise up from the mud of guilt, and learn to grow into becoming a beautiful soul. Continuously remind the self that every situation is a representative of the dance of the same perfection

Third, it is unequivocal that school, culture, religion, tradition have shaped people into being identical. Particularly to ensure that the growth of the community is inline with the norm. To prevent chaos. Yet, once the soul is getting mature, or has even been enlightened, there is an inner sense of discomfort felt when being forced to grow into the same direction as most people. Therefore, many anxious and restless eyes are seen here and there, many friends are being easily exhausted. Many are even enraged. The main reason is because one is forced to grow into becoming someone else. In result, the body feels like the house of others. No matter how beautiful the outer arrangement appears, there is still a sense of discomfort felt within. At this level, a spiritual breakthrough is highly required to enable one to grow into becoming a unique and authentic person.

Tens of years ago, Ivan Illich had once wrote a masterpiece named deschooling society, liberating the society from the bad influences of school. This idea was too advanced at that time. Thus nobody was buying it. Yet, being in the midst of a round of epochs where many people are being alienated in their own bodies, is such a perfect time to start learning to recognize our true natural vocations. The secret is often hidden behind childhood dreams, lessons that easily attract our interests during childhood, the heartwarming people during childhood. Try to find the seeds from this point, provide a fertile land that allows those seeds to grow beautifully. As being often shared, dolphins beautify the ocean, butterflies beautify the garden, you are also beautifying life by being who you really are. Being accompanied by perseverance and sincerity, eventually, you will become the true champion. The starting point whereby you can say goodbye to anger, conditionings, as well as excessive desires.

Author: Guruji Gede Prama.
Photo: Pinterest.

Translated By: Monica Laurena.