I chat about the concept of True Nature all the time on this blog and the definition and premise is really the back bone of the Responsive Universe – my recent book by Wisdom Moon Publishing.
A great question was recently brought forward by a reader (please know you can always reach me at mandalatree@aol.com for comments and or questions). The question was this:
” Do you consider True nature/True reality to be individually defined (different from person to person) or are they defined ‘universally’. As in everyone has the same True Nature/True reality. ”
This is a great question and is certainly worth sharing with our Responsive Universe community –
so…
Lets first understand what True Nature is: True Nature is your intrinsic connection to the Responsive Universe. You have existed before mortal birth as energy in a different form. In some form or facet your energy – my energy has existed since the beginning of time as we know it. Not just time here on Earth but one could argue since the Big Bang. Let that sink in for a moment. After the Big Bang and the battle between particles and anti-particles, a minute amount of particles had just enough (or more) mass to win the battle for cosmic supremacy. That ancient left over matter and energy is what created the Universe we know and study today. We are part of that energy because quantum physics states – Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it transforms from one form to another.
In Buddhist philosophy one may call this energy that transcends earthly dogma as True Nature. You exist now as True Nature and you will exist after mortal death as True Nature. When you live in the present moment sans of fear and fantasy (ego) you connect to your True Nature; the non-duality of your instinctual consciousness that is connected to something bigger than us. The ego is required for basic survival and subsistence strategies and can lead us to early child development but it becomes a burden later in life. Yes the ego might be a yardstick to know the pendulum balance between suffering and bliss but the goal of Self-Discovery is to understand the difference between True Nature and ego and how we can shift our thoughts more away from our ego and closer to our true self or True Nature.
So now that we are clear what True Nature is let’s get back to the question at hand. Is True Nature a Universal energy or an individually defined energy? In a nutshell it is both. This source of energy known as True Nature is forged from the Cosmos. Through a matrix of quantum particles and waves of light and energy we are connected to the source. So in a sense it is Universal and we could probably leave it at that. Still there is a humanistic side to this. We all have this True Nature within. Much like a soul it is our life source. The big difference between a soul and True Nature is that in religious dogma a soul can be taken from you (I.E. the Devil). True Nature is fixed, indestructible and dependable. It has been around for over 15 billion years (maybe forever) and it is not going anywhere and no one can take it from you – not even death. The true miracle or gift is the rare ability to foster conscious thought which allows us to not only understand True Nature’s existence, but also to strive to connect to its love and instinctual wisdom. Many people have no idea they have True Nature even though it exists in every conscious sentient being. Different religions and cultures may have different names but broken down to the most common denominator; it’s the same thing. Unfortunately the ego clouds our unadulterated vision of True Nature. No matter the human state or the ideals and intelligence that drive the variability in human consciousness; we all have True Nature where we like it or not. The personal side of this is the ability; with the right mindfulness and clarity to connect to this wellspring of energy and enlightenment.
So, there is the universal concept of True Nature – something we all possess and there is the humanistic side of True Nature which is the intrinsic goal as sentient beings to reach True Nature and thus self-discovery through meditation, mindfulness and daily life practice.
John C. Bader is a photographer, wellness advocate and consultant specializing in spiritual self-evolution, meditation, and bio-energy healing. In his writing, he bridges science with spirituality and provides steps to encourage more mindfulness in daily life. His new book, The Responsive Universe – Illumination of the Nine Mandalas is a step by step process on how to begin your very own journey in Self-Discovery.
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I do believe that true nature lies within the universe, and that is true nature. However there is one word that separates one true nature, and our individual true nature. The word is; Potential.
We all have the potential but, some of us only exercise varying degrees of that potential. All of us who exercise the potential, arrive at different plateaus at different times. In my estimation, we reach a true nature plateau many times through our lives.
Sometimes, I’m not sure when I’ve hit those plateaus, and there are other times I become acutely aware if only for a moment.
It is our perfect relationship with the universe.
Great insight Dave – sounds like another blog thread!