I’m a huge fan of grunge rock band, Nirvana, and could never be opposed to Kurt, Krist or Dave’s inciting, excitable and rebellious music that was the soundtrack of my youth — so now that that’s out the way…this article is actually about the state of Nirvana.
Smells Like Heaven
Nirvana (in Hinduism and Buddhism) is the highest level of enlightenment, a state of perfect peace and bliss — what most would call ‘heaven’.
It is the space in which our suffering and desires go away and are replaced with unity consciousness, happiness and tranquility.
It sounds good enough to eat! But let’s get real…everyone has their own personal version of heaven, surely?
A Little More Lithium. Sir/Madam?
Nirvana is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘extinction/disappearance’ as in from the individual state to the universal state. A-ha! Now we’re cracking that jagged little pill!
It is said to break the reincarnation cycle. Okay, am I sensing your ears perked up just then? Nirvana is starting to look very appetizing again! I mean, who doesn’t want to break the reincarnation/karma cycle? Unless, of course, you’re a masochist or have a propensity for dualistic roller-coaster rides.
But transcending desire? Becoming one with everything? Doesn’t that mean to lose ones very identity/personality? I, for one, have to be honest here — I don’t want to lose my individuality!
I think our individual traits and nuances make life rather exciting. But is that my ego or spirit talking?
Come As You Are
I’ve spent the last 40 years honing and shaping who I am and now I’ve got to let it go? Dust in the wind?
Just the word individuality says ‘in divided duality’ — clearly not a state of ‘oneness’…or is it?
What if we’ve been misinterpreting nirvana and it is not something that only monks can achieve if they’ve relinquished all and meditated for 50 years (which, let’s face it, only puts us off further because most of the human race wouldn’t even think to attempt that)?
We each have the freewill, of course, to do whatever we please on our various paths and if meditating for a lifetime gets you going, then kudos to you.
But for those of us who feel slightly lacking in the discipline department, what about us? Are we condemned?
Polly Wants a Cracker
If we are smokers, drinkers, partiers, sugar junkies, caffeine addicts — are we going to be treading the karmic wheel for another thousand years?
I totally advocate a healthy body and a balance in all we do and put into our sacred vessels — but look at all those things listed above. They’re all ‘physical’, aren’t we more than our material bodies?
You can be ‘Perfect Pollyanna’ and do yoga, pilates, run the extra mile, eat raw, cut out dairy and sugar, only drink mineral water gathered from a well by vestal virgins in Toronto and meditate 12 hours a day on the top of Mount Shasta and still not achieve nirvana if you don’t truly ‘get it’.
We have a mind/body/spirit connection and this particular trinity is integral to unveiling nirvana.
Milking It
Okay, so let’s backtrack a little…earlier I said that some people might want to come back for another life-time because they have a fondness for duality and roller-coaster rides.
Most humans enjoy a little thrill — hence the success of most amusement parks — shrieking in excitement as our guts try to shimmy on up our throats, we delight in being yanked back and forth, up and down (or, at least, some of us do).
Now here’s the big BUT…
…but what if we were meant to be thrilled, delighted and thrown into constant enjoyment? What if nirvana is what WE make of it — the joy we define as our own (as long as we hurt none in the process).
And here is the juicy part….
In Full Bloom
What if ‘spirit’ wants to be excited and not just the ‘human’? If ‘hu’ means God and man means ‘man’ (the divine within), isn’t God just out to have a good time with this amazing creation — the uni/multiverse?
Isn’t that what this whole ‘separation’ of the One was all about — God got bored?
So when your purpose becomes joy and you are respecting other peoples freewill and harming none — you can say that you are positively in nirvana. You are experiencing a connection with your fellow man/life forms (because you respect all life as emanating from the One which is ultimately you) whilst being a beautiful, expressive, creative individual little sausage!
We’re All Heart-Shaped Boxes On a Plain
Could it be that we can mould and shape our experience of nirvana to accommodate our own sacrosanct free will? We must define ‘happy’ for ourselves because it is multi-faceted (one box doesn’t tick all) — simple yet complicated — just like God…just like us.
It’s like an infinity symbol (figure of 8) — seemingly in duality (as there are two circles) but ultimately connected as one.
Perhaps there is no blanket state of nirvana? All this blood, sweat and tears we shed to achieve enlightenment is defined by whom? Gurus, leaders, saints, masters? But it should be defined by you.
Who is the ‘I Am’ presence within you? That is what you need to figure out — that is the way to your personal state of nirvana
About a Girl, a Boy and Creation in General
Don’t forget to pin this article 😀
We are already one with each other — it is only an illusion that we were ever separate.
We are quantum — we can be everywhere at any time, we can be everything at any time.
We are duality and we are one, we are anything we think we can be and we are the nothingness in between…and we are powerful beyond measure!
Don’t be opposed to nirvana, you are nirvana…remember (reinstate that membership — you are already part of the whole).
So, all that is left is to fire up the stereo, pump up the volume and listen to ‘Nevermind‘….
Other articles you may enjoy:
How to Use Your Heart Wisdom
The Defector Recipe: JFK, Muse and YOU!
Cherie Roe Dirksen 