Practical Wisdom

In this conversation during the “Wisdom in Times of Crisis” online event, A. H. Almaas talks with Zaya Benazzo about how various crises can become opportunities to understand how we are all connected. Though the Covid pandemic was not, says Almaas, an existential crisis, it presented humanity with great challenges. But because it affected everyone everywhere – unlike plagues that, for example, were localized throughout history – this sort of widespread, equalizing adversity can be a catalyst for personal growth, and for us to make a positive impact on the world.  Scroll down to view video and summary of highlights.

Summary 

We all have an instinctual fear of death. The desire to stay alive is one of the most powerful forces of humankind, one of our most universal instincts. But in the midst of the arising of this instinct we can also experience true conscience – also referred to as essential conscience – which is the conscience that is dictated by the true qualities of our spiritual nature: love, compassion, intelligence, caring, and so on. When we operate with true conscience, we are being good, generous, and caring naturally. It is not forced.  

Of course, spiritual conscience also must have inner discipline. Caring naturally, for example, does not mean acting impulsively in any way; it is appropriate to what is needed in a particular moment. We feel grounded, realistic, and we know our capacities as well as our limitations. This conscience arises out of true will and requires awareness so that it can express the goodness of our nature. That is a part of the wisdom times like these need. 

To arrive at this realization and actualize it in daily life, we must work through our conditioning. Our conditioning is precisely what gets in the way of realization, and working through them takes a very long time. It is a lifelong journey. The more we do our practices and apply ourselves to working through our conditionings, the more true consciousness can infuse our actions and behaviors in the world, so that action becomes right action, true action.  

The work on conditioning cannot happen unless we accept not knowing. For seekers of truth, this is a good place to be because it acknowledges that there is a lot we do not know and that there is always more we can know and understand. This cultivates stillness, silence, and emptiness, which can be scary for some people. But at the level+ of spirit, there is nothing really to “know.” The silence and emptiness of not knowing allows the natural qualities to arise, and that is the beginning of realization. Everything literally starts with not knowing, which is also, from a certain perspective, spirit and consciousness expressing itself.