The spiritual life of the East speaks of unity in diversity. Of one and many.

The lotus arises from the slimy mud of the pond. It stretches, until that which motivates it touches the surface of the pond. Then, it opens it's sexual parts to the light of the sun.

It seeks to reproduce.

To create.

Resting on the water's surface, it absorbs what it needs, its leaves gather sunlight and manufacture its food, while it offers its scent to the breeze.

It sits -- blissfully -- on the calm waters of the pond.

In a long-forgotten ancient era, consciousness arose in human beings, like a lily on the pond.

We wonder how this could happen. Whether resulting from the creation of man and woman in the Garden of Eden at the word of God, from the seeding of the planet by beings from another star system, or the even more incredible thought that this could have happened by chance, it arrived. The awareness that -- I am.

© Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York,  used by permission

With that awareness came the thirst to know, WHO am I?

The people of the East looked out on their world. They saw the manifestation of creation, and observing it's beauty, regularity, diversity, and continuity, the lessons of nature taught consciousness in subtle ways.

Over time, certain bearers of consciousness found themselves able, and even inwardly urged, to unveil elements of truth that many could not observe on their own. They became the wise men, teachers, bodhisattvas, magi, seers and rishis -- holy men and women, able to peer into the deep heart of consciousness.

From the unreal lead me to the real! From darkness lead me to light! From death lead me to immortality!

Click here to read an Upanishad, from India.

Finding one's way through the often distracting events of daily life was seen by some as the Way itself. The greatest obstacle to spiritual life was seen to be lack of awareness.

You can read about the Way by clicking here.

Others listened and recognized that the perceptions revealed by these specially endowed persons carried elements of truth. They practiced as they were taught, encouraged by an internal witness that what was spoken was indeed true.

 

Click here to read preserved wisdom of one great soul.

The wisdom of the wise was among the first things to be committed to writing by human beings. Many of the teachings of the masters, sages and saints were transcribed by faithful followers. In this way, their real-time contact with who they are was passed on to others. Over time, collections of writings related to these discoveries on the inner levels of reality were preserved for the benefit of others who might wonder.

Through ritual and art, dance and drama, meditation, and breathing itself, by chanting and ringing of bells, with smoke of incense and flickering wick, the lotus blossomed.

You, too, can sit by the lotus pond, or even float as a lily on its calm waters.

Yoga, zazen and many of the other spiritual practices of the East, exist to still the waters of the soul.

If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,
you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.
-- Lin-chi

Whoever you are, you can learn from the East.

Thankfully, in our age, access to Eastern wisdom is much simpler than it was even 50 or 100 years ago. Interest in Eastern wisdom has spread around the globe. There are swamis in Norway and Tibetan monasteries in the United States. Check out the links to Eastern thought on the Links page for some resources.