racism

The answer to the problems in the world we are struggling with is within each of us. It’s consciousness or lack thereof. It’s found in the lens we choose to wear when viewing the world. It’s whether we choose to see separation and division or whether we see similarities and unity. Once again Ram Dass has a teaching that helps with the difficulties or comprehending what we are all experiencing at this moment in time. Delving into the meaning of this name Ram Dass he was given by his guru, it means servant of god and it is in the form of the monkey Hanuman that he serves god as Ram. The central teaching to understand is we are all god or to put it another way we are all one and it is through this remembering of unity that our consciousness is raised and we can lift ourselves out of the hell we create when we are ignorant of who we are. Hell is created when we engage the mind and use it to delineate and objectify which creates separation. Sports are a prime example of dividing human beings up into teams, pitting those teams against one another, and then watching the division boil up into outbreaks of fighting and brawls. Violent conflict is within our nature and the outcome when we separate.

Hanuman exists to serve god, in essence all of us, in order that we awaken to our divinity. Hanuman chooses to not merge with Ram in order that he may continue this work of awakening, similar to the Buddhist idea of the Bodhisattva, who after reaching enlightenment returns to teach and serve others. When we live in the world seeing everyone as separate than there is suffering, hence why Maharaj-ji, Ram Dass’ guru, says suffering is grace and it is all perfect. The suffering is the impetus behind learning there is another way or another reality of consciousness that will allow us to transcend this modality. If you look back on your life it is easy to see that through suffering, or trials and tribulations, are where we learned the most and made change possible, if not a necessity. Ram Dass in seeing he is to serve god, which is all of us, would see collectively we are not at that point where we understand who we are and so instead of proclaiming suffering is grace and it is all perfect, alternatively offers to help. That’s what we can do. How can I help? How can I be of service? The most help we can offer is to promote unity. As Maharaj-ji said, "It is deception to teach by individual differences and karma. See all the same. You can't realize god if you see differences."