Laws of nature function within certain ranges, depending on their nature. For example, classical physics functions on larger scales, whereas quantum mechanics functions on atomic scales.
These laws of nature can be experienced as principles functioning in the world around us or as beings (devas) that embody those principles. The first makes studying them easier, the second allows communication and negotiation. The first is perception through the intellect, the second through the heart. These can be called masculine and feminine modes.
Devas are the actual doers of nature. They express from the process of experience in consciousness, creating the world. They embody specific principles and function more vertically through the layers (koshas) of creation.
Everything that happens is being done and managed by these beings. We’re not the doers, we’re the experiencers.
Qualities of Divinity are embodied by consciousness itself and the Skaktis that power the process. Those lead to more expressed values further along in the process.
More universal devas embody fundamental laws of nature like creation, maintenance, and destruction.
Laws of nature expressing as types of prana or life force function primarily from the celestial to the emotional body. The pranas are derived from the Shaktis.
Other laws of nature function only on specific levels, like the devata whose relationships structure the subtle geometry of form.
And some are very specific, like the laws who take care of oak trees, the wind, robins, or roses.
Laws of nature that function in the upper layers of creation are aware of their nature as expressions of the Divine. They know their part in the whole.
More surface laws of nature are less aware of their source and often develop an attitude about humans because we so often ignore them and trample their work. From their perspective, we lack grace and gratitude.
The world around us is incredibly complex, but it’s not random. It’s all intentional. The world is created and destroyed in each moment, but much of that process takes place at subtle levels.
More obvious is the maintenance process that ensures the appearance continues for us to live and evolve in. It’s in a constant state of re-balancing to adjust to change and clear what’s not moving. Some of what we experience is that adjusting and purification.
Many struggle with what is arising and resist nature.
When we settle into our deeper nature and let go of trying to control and resist, we step into harmony with nature. We gain nature’s support. Life goes more smoothly. Desires are more appropriate and more easily fulfilled.
As our physiology refines, we begin producing soma. This is the “nectar of the gods.” It upgrades the abilities of the devas we work with and attracts others to help.
Also, this support develops a kavach or shield, essentially protection from negative influences. This further enhances our day-to-day quality of life.
Of course, there is always karma in play, arising to rebalance and resolve our past. But life gets progressively smoother and more enjoyable the further we go.
Davidya
This resonates very much. As a reflex, it also raises the question of what to do to “settle into our deeper nature” when “we’re not the doers” – the classical human double-bind. I think you answer that beautifully in the article you linked to at “harmony with nature”.
Hi Richard
The key is samadhi. By transcending the mind and emotions, we come to our deeper nature. As that gets infused, we clear the resistance to life as it is and step into greater harmony. That sets the stage for Self Realization. With that shift and the falling away of ego identification, we recognize we are not the doers. Life is happening through us and we’re experiencing it.
That perspective evolves further in time.
Sometimes people do have tastes of not being the doer but it takes Self Realization for it to be fully established. We can’t come to this with the mind. Philosophical ideas and practices of being the non-doer are not as effective and can create further identification. Not to mention a resistance to how we’re actually experiencing the world now. To the experience here, its better to allow it to arise naturally as an effect of the shift. You don’t want to build denser conceptual barriers to reality.
Sometimes, the newly awake can find value in being reminded of these points and noticing the dynamic because of old habits of mind. But prior to that, it often is just more ego control.
Awakening is about letting go.
Oh dear, now I want to let go of wanting to let go without wanting it.
I give up. 🙂
(laughs) Yep, Richard, that’s a great approach. Truly giving up, even just for a moment, is the door to awakening. It’s not something we do. It’s seeing what we already are.
From my experience, the laws of nature reside in the gap, beyond space and time. The gap consists of both silence and dynamism, that are blended and interdependent. For example, silence supports and strengthens dynamism. But dynamism moves within silence.
The laws of nature, residing within the gap are in a continuum of dynamism and silence. On the one end Shiva is pure silence, Rudra and Durga are to me a half step into dynamism and begin the play of nature. They are silence , moving within itself, or to me, the dance of Shiva. While Vishnu is on the other end of the continuum and represents more dynamism.
Depending on where they sit in the continuum of silence and dynamism, they exhibit different characteristics. For example, the laws of nature on the silent side cut through or burn impurities in the mind and body. While the laws of nature of the dynamism side are more playful and full of joy.
In my experience, laws of nature use divine beauty and divine love to communicate and interact with us.. Divine beauty, is in my mind, a tool that draws our attention inwards to them. It is very intoxicating and functions like a tractor beam from Star Wars. This makes our relationship with the laws of nature completely natural and effortless. Divine love then draws us completely into them. Together we naturally and effortlessly love and are being loved. The love naturally collapses into a unified impulse.
I experience the laws of nature as being eternal and they arise from my own universal Self. I identify more with Rudra, or closer to pure silence. The other laws of nature then arise, or are an expression of that silence.
Hi Jeff
Yes, these are what I referred to as universal laws in the article. Devas common to all of creation and all universes. Beautifully put.
They’re kind of like the roots of the tree of creation. Many branches come out of those roots.
Each of us seems most attuned to specific levels of the whole.
I’d also note that further along, that sense of gap and spectrum, and the distinction of silence and dynamism, collapse together into one totality.
As a sadhaka who is fairly inexperienced and, so, unaware of these Devas, how would one go about experiencing them? There is an interest here particularly in the personal ones if there are such. Is their appearance simply a part of one’s growth in practice?
Hi John
They’re not something you want to go about looking for. We’re here in a physical body to experience mainly physical life. You don’t want to get distracted from your path. However with refinement of perception and purification, we begin to experience finer levels more clearly. At some point, we become aware of the doers or laws of nature and learn how to shift modes back and forth. It varies widely what we begin to experience first. Some people are less visual too, so may feel them more than see, etc.
There are beings dedicated to our body and evolution. And there is what I call personalization that influences how we perceive them. There are links in the article that explore that.
What I’d recommend is not pursuing them. The point of the article is understanding the dynamics when they do arise in experience. For example, we often first experience astral-level beings. Some of those are trouble and are happy to distract us for attention. Better to wait until Divine beings show up as they don’t have corrupted motivations.
Much of it is just awareness of beings that live in other neighbourhoods and have different vocations. It helps bring a bigger picture of the nature of the world. It’s a much bigger place than most of us realize. 🙂
As usual, wonderful subject David. I might just add that within all of this we play that integral role of acting within this harmony not only through receiving and being the experiencer but as Cynthia Bourgeault points out (in her writings regarding Gurdjieff’s “Laws”) that this is not a one-way process. Mystics and more highly aware individuals experience what she refers to as the “Imaginal Realm” the process is both receiving and giving and that the overall balance of experienced activity or universes and more, is dependent on our participation. I have found this to be a wonderful explanation of the deeper and more subtle process of Yin/Yang. This also feeds into the supporting structures of the overall support of the collective here on our earth.
Hi Bill
Yes, there is a layer where appearances are used to communicate. This directly relates to personalization and the hazard of mistaking appearance for reality.
It’s a major issue for us when we’re oblivious to them. We grouse about our life and resist what is arising, getting in the way of their work for us. They give us signals we ignore. And so on.
So yes, when we become aware of them, it can be a 2-way street. We support those who support us and offer soma. They become empowered and their work gets easier. It is through our actions that they fulfill their dharma.
For those who can embody pure Divinity, we can also be a means for their spiritual awakening.
And yes, I tend to use masculine/feminine or Shiva/Shakti, but the same principle.
Thank you Davidya for that. Just, wow really. It very much helps to read your thoughts on this. So beautiful even if I’m not one of the fortunate ones who experientially know these realities. Can you talk about the physics behind yogic flying? I’m not a siddhi, just asking. and then: What is the most effective way for me to make amends with Devas who have an attitude toward me for ignoring and trampling their work? I very much wish to make amends with the nature spirits. Sincerely.
Hi Carl
It will come, in your specific way and when it’s useful for you.
Yogic flying isn’t really about physics. It’s about our relationship with the space element. The elements arise prior to the physical and thus prior to physics. The space element is most prominent on the celestial level, the level of ritam.
Flying requires a degree of mastery of the elements and indeed that sutra comes shortly after the flying one. In essence, it’s emphasizing the space element present in your body rather than the earth element that gives it most of its weight. This makes the body very light (without changing its appearance) and allows you to move it around with intention.
Not that this is something I’ve fully accomplished but the mechanics have become clearer.
Keep in mind, I’m largely referring to nature spirits there, the devas of the land, water, air, and natural life. If you’re not aware of them, you can’t make specific amends. And even if you could, they’re not typically interested in a relationship. They’re busy with their work and their own kind. You’re not going to heal the attitude alone.
I do recommend culturing gratitude. The habit is valuable for our own emotional life and upgrades our general tone, making us more comfortable to be around for the more positive devas.
First Nations and similar early traditions do have practices, like thanking the plants as they’re seeded and growing, and before harvesting them. Traditional grace at dinner, thanking for the sustenance. Thanking the land before building something. There are many layers possible, but its essentially gratitude from what is here and for what is used.
You don’t want to be making an artificial mood about this as that’s transparently false to all of them. So it does require emotional awareness and healing to be able to favour gratitude. And here and there in the day, not trying to hold a mood or resist other emotions naturally arising.
Worth noting a kavach is basically a shield of light from our own inner light. This blocks external darkness, although our own shadows can still arise within it.
Later, when we radiate love, it becomes an even more powerful shield as it melts darkness around us.
David, thank you for being. I am not studied in this “field” so to say. After the past few years of “working” on myself, just being, present, aware and thankful for each moment Ive come to realize that Ive been “working” on this for the entirety of this carnation. With each day things become more clear. Some of the words you share once seemed foreign. All the more clear they become with each passage you share. Despite not knowing some of the terminologies, I somehow unknowingly know exactly what is being shared. Its been quite enjoyable for the small I to ponder over some of these things as they relate to where I am at and what Ive always felt yet could not explain. I don’t think Ive left a comment before, but this blog really made sense and clearly communicated what I already know. Its exciting to read what I would call the formalities of what Im experiencing. Hearing it explained by someone that is studied in the topic is mind blowing. Its like getting proof that Im not making any of this up. What is more clear today and with each coming day was mentioned in this blog. Letting go of trying to control and being in harmony becomes ever more present day by day. I have no doubt that Im gaining natures support with each passing moment. We have to let go of the ego(once identifying that it exists) and be aware of the signs all around us. Its like a road map. Nothing is by happenchance. Everything is the way it should be. Boy that it easy to say but but even easier to say once you are realized. Its almost so easy it sounds cliché to others.
Thanks for your feedback, Lee.
I’ve been studying the field for a long time, both academically and in consciousness. But this isn’t necessary to make progress – it’s just what arose here. We may have an intuitive sense of it without the mind groking the words. At certain points on our journey, it can be useful to have some perspective about what is arising in experience.
(laughs) yes, easier said than done. And some clichés turn out to be literally true, like “life is bliss.”
🙂