While it has been reiterated many times in the Upanishads and other texts that we have to give up actions, thoughts and feelings as this is what perpetuates the illusion of the world, what is it that causes us to go again and again into that trap?
Sri Adi Sankaracharya’s Vivekachoodamani says that when the mind enters the object of the senses, meaning when the consciousness fills into the thought forms that are caused by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, it makes resolutions according to the quality of the input received. If the input is an ice cream, a resolution is made in the mind to go for the ice cream. This happens because, when the object has been visualised well, a desire arises towards it. When desire arises, the human being gets ready to move all his kilograms of weight towards the object that he desires.
When the movement is towards another object, the identification is complete with that and hence he forgets his own self. When the self does not occupy an important place in his memory, a fall in personality is experienced as the balance of consciousness is tilted towards an object that is away from the self. Once having fallen as an addict of an object or many objects, there is no question of having the energy to rise up again and align with the self.
Highlighting the main theme, the Acharya gives a call to erase the decisive mental pictures called Sankalpa which is the cause of all misery just as one who is in the grip of disease gives up all foods that are not to be taken.
There is nothing that is as killing as Pramada or a lack of interest in the disciplined life and practice that leads to the truth within, especially so for a discriminative thinker who is working his way to absorption of mind. The master says that one whose mind is well integrated attains success and so gently goads the seeker to attain that state gradually and with attention.
The sacred texts point out what we cannot see for ourselves. The teacher says that the experience of oneness cannot happen after death. For the one who has realised the one Self while living alone identifies with that oneness when he drops the body. The Yajur Veda declares for the one who sees even a little bit of difference experiences fear.
To be free of fear in our life, the experience of oneness must happen. I am always afraid of something and that something is not me, but other than me. When there is a clear understanding that there is nothing in this Universe that is other than me, fear is no more.