Inner Peace, Joy, and Beauty with Mukesh, June 12, 2022
Meditative Self-inquiry with Mukesh Gupta:
Inner Peace, Joy, and Beauty
June 12, 2022
Zoom online
Mukesh began this last session in the current series by contrasting the field of love within us and the field of conditioning. Presence, awareness, and beauty cannot be manufactured, so how can the shift happen from one set of qualities to the other? How can there be a shift from conflict to love and joy? It seems to require an awareness of how thought is dominating our experience in the moment. In order to support such a shift, Mukesh employed a series of slides depicting lovely nature scenes along with meaningful quotes from Krishnamurti and others. The messages conveyed the need for clear perception of “what is” from a place of stillness of the mind and heart.. What happens when we see the play of conditioning with our whole being, including the “heart”, from the inside and the outside? What happens when we do not fight with what is but, rather, listen and look from a non-reactive, still mind, without choice, judgement, or resistance? Can there be no fighting with ourselves, a learning that has no sense of achieving a result? Can there be an awareness of inattention, of the creation of a self with all its problems? Then there is a different quality of relationship with ourselves and others, a relationship without measurement or direction? Seeing from wholeness is different from seeing through the thinking mind.
Mukesh’s opening presentation was followed by some group discussion and elaboration. Participants brought forward questions about being with “negative” thoughts. It was asked whether thoughts are personal or universal and if the source of our thoughts and fears can be seen. Perhaps we have not attended fully and therefore fear has arisen. Dealing with fear through thought is ineffective, Mukesh asserted. What is needed is a non-reactive mind that does not judge but remains with the whole reality of the conditioned mind from a place of wonder and “not-knowing”. Total presence is the deepest wisdom and involves constant learning. We can be with the “ego” as if it were a child, with love and compassion. Then there is a dialogue with oneself and others, a seeing of the construction (by thought) of the egoic self. Then there is a different experience of oneself and one’s life.
The meeting was a sharing of ideas and insights along with an exploration of the implications of seeing our thought patterns and habits. Mukesh reminded us in his conclusion that existence is a mystery and a miracle. When we are aware of this there is peace, joy, and love.
