Watching my toddler grandchild lose herself in split second moments and gaze out into nothingness, what seems to be in deep thought, and truly unmindful of her surroundings, invokes questions in my head. What could she be thinking?
Watching the snail move at a pace that test our very patience makes me ask if it was aware of time and space?
I realize that a straight line would not create the illusion of length till I draw another beside it. Only then would I begin to see a difference exist and start comparing their lengths.
Similarly if I were to be alone, a lone survivor, there would be nothing to compare myself with. Its only when we are many that we become judgmental of others, become possessive and arrogant towards others.
And then I tend to ponder, "When did we come to take charge of ourselves and this body?" I do not remember that instant. Do you? All I know is I am existing and living a life.
Watching the world around me makes me sit and wonder in awe. Watching nature and its inhabitants makes me think and question who is the master craftsman behind all these beauty and at times terror too. I am amazed at the world around me with its grandeur and majesticity, details and intricacies. Browsing the net or watching the wonderful documentaries on tv, my insight expands. When the scientists deliver their findings I am again amazed at creation and its workings. I tend to admire the creator for having thought of all the minute flawless details that went into creation. I would surely love to meet him.
So we are told that Erai wanted to know how it was to be many - and began creation. From one to two and multi-fold. But did it evolve from one into another over time, discovering and marking and creating a blueprint as it went along or was the blueprint made available and everything made, assembled and put together as a prototype? If the later was true did he test his creations for functionality? Although these questions storm my mind for an answer, I cannot deny that I am indeed amazed at the perfection of each of his creation. No flaws at all.
Today we have lost that precious link with him, that understanding that we are him. We have lost our divinity. Arrogance has taken shape. Many legends, myths and history would attest to the fact that arrogance leads to destruction. When arrogance steps in we think we are in charge of our lives. Yes we are - till we realize our involvement is only to a certain extent and amount and till a certain stage. We might toil the land, sow the seeds, water the crops, but we have to wait patiently for them to grow. We then collect the harvest. Neither did we create the seeds nor bring the rains. We cook the grains and bring them to the table. We have a feast as we invite all. We bring the food to our mouths. That is where our effort ends. From there-forth, have we ever wondered who takes charge? To whom are the reins handed over to, from that point on? Did we appoint someone to take on the job from where we left? Have we signed an agreement with this party to ensure it does its work without fail? Who or what is this intelligence that does its work tirelessly, taking over from where we left? Yet, this divine entity cares for us, maintains, repairs, resuscitates, "revives, resurrects, restores, regenerates, revitalizes, reinvigorate, renews, awakens, rejuvenates, and breathes new life into us, giving us the kiss of life, giving us a new lease of life." But that party can only upkeep the place if it is kept habitable, fit and healthy to a certain extent. When given a broken down home and asked to rebuild it, this divine entity then needs assistance from elsewhere. This has to come from the consciousness.
P Karthigayan writes in his "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", notionpress.com, 2016, that if the search for spiritual immortality prevailed in the earliest phase of our culture, with the coming of the Tamil Siddhas, they were steeped in finding ways to achieve physical immortality.
Spiritual immortality is attainable as a final stage of meditative practice. One who reaches the peak will become a deva/gandavara. While doing this willfully, one becomes disassociated with his society and as such the accumulation of sins will not accrue and consequently, the cause for birth will be nullified; the soul and spirit will attain an elevated state as such birth will be postponed. Finally considering the body as a burden the saint will abandon the same during samadhi stage.
Karthigayan goes on to explain the favored Siddha way to physical immortality,
Physical immortality is attained as a final stage of meditative practice after intake of elixir. One who reaches the peak will become a Siddha and is considered equal to god. While pursuing this, one will become associated with his society and as such the association of society will help them to serve mankind since the intake of elixir will nullify death; the soul, spirit and body will attain an elevated state and thus immortality is assured. Finally considering the kindness of god in bestowing this rare status, the immortals will strive for the betterment of the mankind.
As we are shown the expanse of his creation, through modern media and the extensive use of technology that is both breathtaking and awesome, the greatest miracle is happening so close to us, in our home ground, and in us. The miracle of birth and our body is indeed something beyond our comprehension. Yet the learned have understood and tried to explain their workings in simple terms. So for a commoner like me, I turn to children books for an understanding, avoiding the many thick and heavy medical texts that takes a lot of reading and understanding on our part.
For instance Sara Stein explains "how the body gets built, learns, repairs itself, and makes us who we are" in her book "The Body Book", Workman Publishing, NY, 1992.
She writes,
A body contains tens of trillions of cells, all descended from the one cell that results from the union of an egg and a sperm. The one cell divides, the two it divided into divide again, and the four divide; and so, division by division, the whole human is built.
And so we came to be. And so too, she says of our parents and grandparents.
A father's sperm are offspring of an egg, and so are a mother's egg offspring of the egg she was to start with. The cells that will be your eggs or sperm were set aside for future use when you were an embryo as yet no bigger than a lima bean, and when your birth was still more than half a year in future. Amazing.
Sara says all the stuff we are made off has been recycled over and over again. She says it so beautifully and brings us to a deeper understanding of ourselves.
You certainly contain minerals that were once in dinosaurs. Water in your body now was certainly in the first raindrops that fell on Earth.
She explains how we depend on each other.
Oxygen you breathe into your lungs was set free by dandelions in the yard, and they'll grow and bloom by using the gas you breathe out. Hair you shed and skin you wear away may blow as dust, be taken apart in soil, rebuilt by plants, and may well come back to you as salad.
She says were are no different from the worm, having a mouth at one end and an anus at the other.
Finally Sara puts it aptly, "In the end there may be no beginning. On the other hand, there may be no end."
To trace the first individual cell would be a tedious task. And so we are told it is an unfruitful adventure seeking the source and also its end through stories like how both Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma vainly tried to out-beat each other in reaching the feet and the head of Lord Shiva respectively.
Looking at nature brings us to our senses, hits us hard, proving that we are not the masters but indeed she is. She brings us to our knees. We feel humble in her presence, seeing her might and terror that she unleashes when aggravated. Then again, Nature trives to live even under adverse conditions. The seed germinates fighting all odds to reach out for the sun. So shall we stand our ground in the face of any upcoming storm and misery.
Just as there is two sides to a coin, we can either choose to see everything bleak and dark or see things as hopeful and bright. Let us take a long walk into nature and learn from her a thing or two on humility.