In God Makes the Rivers to Flow; An Anthology of the World’s Sacred Poetry & Prose,Eknath Easwaran includes a selection from the Chandogya Upanishad entitled “This Is the Self.” I’ve written the following poem-like reflections inspired by this selection.
Realize the Self
A man is what his deep desire is. It is his deep desire in
this life that shapes his life to come. So let him direct
his deep desire to realize the Self.
—The Chandogya Upanishad
Desire is everywhere. We desire hot bodies, hot cars,
hot chocolate, a hot turkey dinner, hot clothes,
hot money. It is in our nature to want.
One could say that all we do is chase after
what we want. We learn from our experiences
what we like and what we don’t,
we want more of what we like,
we want to avoid what we don’t.
It’s all a pain and pleasure game,
a game that brings no ultimate satisfaction.
Unless we seek a joy deeper, greater
than immediate pleasure.
Unless we seek a realization, that connection
to the divine that is beyond description,
that knowing of the Self, the One,
the oneness with Self and Source,
that knowing that transports us
beyond the senses, to something more real,
and less transmittable.
One could say that that realization
is the true destination
we all seek.
One could say that oneness
is all that is, is all that matters.
It’s easy to say we seek the Self,
but so much harder to do,
when dogs bite and bees sting
and that craving hits for eggnog
or peanut butter cups.
We are creatures of this earth, easily
seduced by sexy bodies selling
everything from perfume to
chocolate to luxury cars.
We go on fad diets, start a workout routine,
dress in the latest fashions,
all seeking after love from others,
and love for ourselves.
We gossip about our coworkers,
seeking to fit in and look a little better
than the others. We criticize
everyone who lets us down,
nursing our disappointments.
We scold the children. We give
the neighbor a piece of our mind.
Who am I to tell you, and who are you
to tell me, that it’s the Self that really matters?
Who are we to tell each other
to seek realization of the self
when we’re all seeking the realization
of smaller desires?
And yet there is this sense that the things
of this world cannot bring us
ultimate satisfaction.
We know this when we finally
seal the deal and are not happy,
when we get our dream car
and the pleasure doesn’t last.
We know that the pleasures of this earth
are empty at the core, we know this.
We know there’s something more.
And that’s what the great texts teach us.
Seek to realize the Self.
Those who have gone before us know.
It is possible.
We can experience source energy
as our very selves.
It is our birthright.
It is our destiny.
