Verses on the Nature of Reality
Awareness voluntarily causes all things to become what they are. Awareness, free and independent, is the cause of the magic of the universe.
O Goddess, You are the embodiment of the Supreme Power, which is identical to the light of Absolute Consciousness.
She is free and independent, meaning she constitutes of absolute self-awareness. To be completely self-aware, is to be completely free.
We seek freedom by looking to change our environment - by earning more money, etc. Yet freedom is an inner state that arises naturally once we get to know ourselves. That freedom becomes accessible to us through self-reflection.
She is not different from Lord Shiva.
Here Ksemaraja notes that Shakti is not different from Shiva. That the dynamic power of creation and still consciousness are indeed one with each other, thus merging religious worship with metaphysics in a metaphor.
The Nature of the Universe
So the Tantric yogis were interested in getting to know their beloved, God, through understanding the nature of reality. Quite an interesting life they must have lead for this reason.
For when she is flowing forth, the world appears and remains there, when her flow ceases, it disappears, your own experience is the witness of this.
Without perceivers, there are no perceivables. It’s a different story from the notion that there is an universe outside of perception, a material universe that exists independently of perception, and it’s implications are quite mind-blowing. So no universe exists apart from awareness.
The Five Divine Acts
These would make a fine theater, as a plot for a play, for sure.
Creation
The creation of the universe into form.
Preservation
The universe maintaining itself.
Dissolution
The universe dissolving back into the void.
Concealment
The infinite consciousness forgetting it’s own infinite nature in order to manifest itself as finite forms.
Grace
When the curtains open and the soul remembers it’s own divine nature again.
A Bunch of Verse
So actually this book is quite thick - it’s over 20 hours long as an audiobook so it might take a while to listen to it. Which is nice - but I must mention that I am a mere beginner with the book and by no means can write a comprehensive summary about it, all I can do is to share a taste of it’s wisdom.
These verses are from The Recognition Sutras written a thousand years ago in the Valley of Kashmir by Tantric master Ksemaraja, and were translated by Christopher ‘Hareesh’ Wallis.