The Sacred Dance of Becoming and Returning
Aum
Dear Beautiful People,
Today let us explore the two powers of the Supreme Consciousness: Maya and Yoga.
The Supreme Consciousness, the unchanging, eternal reality, expresses itself through two fundamental powers: Maya, also known as Bhukti and Yoga, also known as Mukti.
Maya is the power through which the One appears as many. It is the principle of Bhukti, of manifestation, enjoyment, and diversification. Yoga is the power through which the many are gathered back into the One. It is the principle of Mukti, of liberation, withdrawal, and unification.
These two are not opposites, but complementary currents in the ocean of existence. They represent evolution and involution, the expansion and retraction of consciousness in a never-ending cycle. Creation is not a one-time event, but a sacred cyclical rhythm - emergence, sustenance, and dissolution repeating endlessly.
This cyclical movement is symbolized by the Trideva or the Trinity:
Brahma/ Saraswati as the force of creation;
Vishnu/ Lakshmi as the power of sustenance;
Shiva/ Parvati as the energy of dissolution.
When we, as conditioned sentient beings, identify too tightly with only one half of this cycle, clinging to manifestation and fearing dissolution, we suffer. The power of Bhukti, meant to reveal the multiplicity of the One, becomes a craving for permanence in impermanent experiences. The power of Mukti, meant to return us to Source, becomes an aversion to loss and change.
Our freedom lies in following the Goldilocks Principle also known as the Middle Path in Buddhism and Sthitaprajna in Vedanta. It is a state of equanimity where we carefully navigate the polar extremes of heat and cold at the body level, joy and suffering at the mind level, and honor and shame at the intellect level. This balanced awareness allows us to remain centered amidst the ever-shifting tides of existence.
To awaken is to see both powers as sacred; to rest in the knowing that life is not linear but eternal. When we honour both Bhukti (manifestation) and Mukti (liberation), we return to the natural rhythm of the cosmos and to our true Self, which is ever-free, ever-full, and ever-aware.
Today, I urge you to bring awareness to your cravings for what you like and aversion to what you dislike and practice allowance for both kinds of experiences without undue attachment to one and rejection of the other.
Wishing you Love and Light
Your Partner in Positive Change,
Nivedita
