Freedom and Cosmos
Greetings All,
A few thoughts on Freedom and Cosmos as it relates to the Nath Order.
What are we trying to become Free from? Simply put, the Five Kleshas and the condition of darkness which causes the individual spirit to be encased, entombed and solely identified with the physical body. The process, leading to this freedom and defined as success, is called the Awakening.
Success in the Awakening, to whatever degree, defines nor assumes Freedom in other terms. Awakening does not imply that the body has abrogated the laws of nature. The body still requires air, water, food, excretion, activity, rest, etc. Bodies remain under the sway of the laws of nature; birth, growth, decay, death and even gravity, etc. Individuals residing in any location remain under the sway of laws relating to that location, culture and society.
I remember once asking Mahendranath about Yogis who sought to overcome, in a quest for Freedom, things like old age, death or perhaps gravity. He said, “Yes, some Yogis still play these games. Sounds like more of the Kleshas to me.” The point, if obscure is that these things have little to do with the process and Freedom of the individual Spirit as defined as a goal of the Naths. I, like Mahendranath can easily ho-hum, focus on freedom(s) outside the domain of the Spirit. While these freedoms can be desirable, many are largely irrelevant to spiritual pursuit, development and refinement. Focus on freedom in a relativistic sense, may not only be a waste of time, focus and energy, but is doomed to failure in a relativistic world. Relativistic “freedoms,” no matter how broad or far reaching do not automatically translate or even necessarily effect the condition of bondage or freedom of the individual Spirit. A fine paradox, is that many Naths have found that confinement to a cave or tiny cell to be an ideal environment to achieve their Awakening and Freedom.
Freedom in the Nath Order was intended to include the encouragement and freedom to THINK. I would add to this and encourage the development of Focus. Individuals intent and focused on the pursuit of Awakening, freeing the Spirit and developing a new amoral social order for the broader welfare of mankind are much less apt to tumble into the Kleshas and attachment to anarchy, or a repulsion to Order. What really separates human beings is a lack of common purpose and Ego. The history of individuals breaking off into small and chaotic groups is well documented. What purpose has it served and where do we go next?
The word Nath Order is in no way an oxymoron. If we look to the Divine Cosmos and Nature we see the patterns of Order, Perfection and Beauty, which are only poorly reflected by members of the human race. The degree of success we have in overcoming the Five Kleshas, is the degree of success which the International Nath Order will have in its reflection of Harmony, Cosmos and Attainment for its membership.
