Snow as Sand

The Sahaja Perspective on Finding Paradise in the Everyday

In our spiritual journey, the quest for enlightenment often leads us down paths of deep contemplation and profound realizations. One such metaphor that encapsulates this journey is the concept of seeing snow from a blizzard as sand from a tropical paradise, a core principle of Sahaja, an ancient philosophy rooted in the pursuit of natural simplicity and spontaneous spiritual awareness.

Sahaja teaches us that the world around us, often perceived through the lenses of our preconceived notions and cultural conditioning, holds a deeper, more intrinsic beauty that is akin to paradise. This metaphor, seeing snow as sand, is not about the physical transformation of elements but a radical shift in perception. Just as snow and sand are vastly different in their physical properties, they can represent the dualities of our life experiences – cold and warm, transient and permanent, harsh and soft. However, Sahaja invites us to look beyond these dualities and see the underlying essence, which is pure, unchanging, and blissful.


This transformative perception is not an overnight occurrence but a gradual awakening. As we embark on our spiritual quest, we learn to peel away the layers of our conditioned views, much like shedding winter clothes to feel the warmth of the sun on our skin. The snow, with its cold and aloof nature, symbolizes the challenges and hardships we face in life. In contrast, sand, warm and inviting, represents the ultimate state of contentment and joy. Through Sahaja, we learn to embrace both with equanimity, understanding that paradise is not a distant land to be reached but a state of mind to be realized.

In essence, the philosophy of Sahaja teaches us that paradise is all around us, waiting to be discovered in the mundane, the ordinary, and even in the challenges. It is in the laughter of a child, the quietude of a snowy night, the resilience of a blooming flower in the desert, and the vastness of a starlit sky. It reminds us that every moment is an opportunity to experience the divine, to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.


As we journey through life, let us remember that the snow is also sand, and in every grain of our experiences, paradise awaits. This realization is the essence of Sahaja – seeing the world not as it appears, but as it truly is, an endless expanse of beauty, joy, and peace.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Paradox of Unconditional Love

From Relative to Ultimate Self

In the pursuit of understanding love, especially unconditional love, we encounter a profound dichotomy between our relative self and our ultimate self. This journey from dualistic thinking to a non-dualistic state of being offered a rich terrain for philosophical exploration.

#### Relative Self: The Duality of Love and Judgment

The relative self operates in a world of dualities. Here, we are taught to “love the sinner, hate the sin,” a phrase that encapsulates our struggle to navigate the complexities of love intertwined with judgment. This perspective, while grounded in good intentions, often leads us into a labyrinth of conditional affection, where love is metered out based on perceived right or wrong.

However, this is not the endpoint of our journey with love. As relative beings, we are called to observe our actions, thoughts, and emotions without judgment or bias. This doesn’t imply a passive existence but rather an active engagement in self-awareness. It’s about understanding our reactions and biases at every stage of our development.



#### Ultimate Self: Realizing Love as the Essence of Being

Transitioning to the concept of the ultimate self, we enter a realm where the individual self dissolves into a universal consciousness. In this state, “everything is the self, and of the self,” leading to the realization that all there is, is Love – with a capital L. This Love transcends the dualities of the relative self. It is not just an emotion or a state of being but the very essence of existence.

Unconditional love, in this ultimate sense, is not something one can force. It’s a realization that emerges as the soul matures and lets go of attachments and prejudices. It’s recognizing the self in all things and all things in the self.

#### The Path to Unconditional Love

The journey to unconditional love is neither linear nor predictable. It involves years of introspection, meditation, and conscious efforts to detach from the biases and attachments of the relative self. This path requires patience, as unconditional love doesn’t happen overnight.

In this process, action and acceptance go hand in hand. While it’s important to act and change situations for the better, it’s equally vital to accept what cannot be changed. This acceptance is a form of unconditional love, acknowledging that not everything is within our control or needs to be controlled.



#### Conclusion

Unconditional love is more than an ideal; it’s a transformative journey that bridges the gap between the relative and the ultimate self. It’s about realizing that at the core of our being, beyond the layers of judgment and bias, lies an all-encompassing love. This realization dawns not through force but through a gradual awakening of the soul, ready to embrace the self in all its forms.

 Morgan O.  Smith

Yinnergy Meditation & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith