Truly, We Choose Where We Dwell

We look upon the world and see ourselves. What we experience is but a reflection of our inner state: we see a reflection of ourselves. When we perceive toxicity, it provides a mirror into our inner world. Notice what you think is wrong in a person but be sure that a similar defect lies buried within you. The Mother says, “We find in others what is in us. If we always find mud around us, it proves that there is mud somewhere in us.”
To annul toxicity, we must work through it. Transcending problems will not transform them. In Integral Yoga, we look squarely at the formation and address it. Our atmosphere needs to be purified, and it requires committed practice. We are creatures of duality and our being veers between shadow and light. Our noblest self is transfixed by the presence of our teacher, but our darkest caverns see only toxicity. Truly, we choose where we dwell. Toxicity is not a matter of ‘black and white’. There is considerable greyness in between. The fact is though, even in our shadows, the supernal Light reigns. It is this that must be unearthed.
There is a law of resonance. Like attracts like and our circumstances and our life-course eventually embody who we are. Our friends and partners do not crop up by chance. Our mind, and even our subconscious, emits an invitation and sooner or later that person comes along. This intention should be nurtured wisely. What we are, invites like forces to enter. Ultimately though, there is a divine plan behind everything, and its purpose is progress.
Shadows we cast always leave a sense of dissatisfaction. We might look outside, but the cause always lies within. We must scour through the root to expose the origin. There, lies the reason for entire malaise. We inquire with the deepest consciousness, armed with its torchlight to illumine our darker corners inside. Likewise, it ‘catches’ any shadowy vibration as it settles in our being. Once we unearth the true cause, the knowledge resolves and transforms, leaving its seal of dynamic peace. The experience is unmistakable. Propelled by shades of our nature, not many of us are conscious of what is secretly orienting our life. Our motivators are also concealed and every hidden blemish inside opens a door for gravitational forces to intrude and, at worst, seize control.
Toxicity is contagious. That is why in yog, we seek to build a spiritual atmosphere. Your atmosphere is your fortress.
When disturbing company comes, draw back and smile. Vigilance is key. Do not recoil or shrink into dryness. Cultivate the art of disinterestedness, a word that the Mother says is synonymous with a complete absence of self-interest. What offends you is offensive in you. Gather yourself quietly and repeat your mantra or whatever helps you. Make a deep connection with your base; make your practice a continuous process. See it as a test of your sincerity and move forward.
Transformation entails work in detail. Nothing is done until everything is done. Transformation demands perfection and the work must be executed perfectly. The work is not only for our meagre individuality: it has cosmic consequences. In this world of toxicity, we have to work on ourselves first before the world can be transformed.
Authored by: James Anderson
The writer is coordinating editor, NAMAH, the Journal of Integral Health