It reminded me of the definition of vīrya, a Sanskrit word for “strength, zeal, heroism, energy.” This word is often used in relation to the attitude of the ‘spiritual warrior’ that we need in our sādhana to work through psychological tendencies, to embrace the purificatory phases, to face obstacles and rise above whatever wants to pull us back into our comfort zones. Invincibility comes from knowing who we truly are, from being anchored in the Self, the Heart of Hearts. My teacher often reminds us that the first and last step on the tantric path is to “stand as Consciousness.” So even if the identity with the Absolute is not our 24/7 experience yet, we are asked to re-adjust our understanding from the get-go and hold this timeless knowledge as we deep dive within—focused on the goal which is always the Self. And only when this most intimate merging takes place within the depth of our Being will our hearts open to perceive the Divine in everything that surrounds us. Then not much “pushing back” is even required because one’s individuality has become fluent, spontaneous, one with the stream of awareness that has no beginning nor end. Perceiving the song of the Goddess as the vibrant ground of this entire existence is the greatest blessing of a lifetime… it makes us utterly soft like wool and at the same time strong as a diamond; and it allows us to see through not only our individual, but also deep-seated social and cultural conditioning.

Jai Guru Dev

 Sundari Ma, Dec 28, 2021, Freiburg.

Image: Shiva mountain in Mallorca, captured by Igor Kufayev. Courtesy of Flowing Wakefulness.