Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Religious Music & Entertainment
Freedom and Resolve: A Q&A with Spiritual Teacher Gangaji

Freedom and Resolve: A Q&A with Spiritual Teacher Gangaji

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 4:08 pm by Guest Contributor

Freedom and Resolve: A Q&A with Spiritual Teacher Gangaji 2014-11-03T16:08:13-07:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“It is essential to surrender our ideas of who we are to discover the truth of who we are. It is essential to surrender to the unknown, radiant truth of incomprehensible being. Then we know somehow what we have always known though it has been unacknowledged until that moment.” — Gangaji, author of Freedom & Resolve

This month at the Patheos Book Club, we’re talking about the new book by spiritual teacher and author Gangaji, Freedom and Resolve: Finding Your True Home in the Universe. Here, the popular spiritual teacher shares about her book and what freedom means to her.

Many people have used the word “freedom.” It can be defined in a number of different ways. What do you mean when you are speaking about freedom?

I deeply value political and social freedom, however the freedom I direct people toward is inner freedom. Freedom that cannot be taken away from you regardless of your circumstances. I am speaking of the inner freedom that nothing material, or cultural, or political can give or take away. It cannot be earned, but it can be disregarded. It is usually disregarded. Even in the best of circumstances if this inner freedom is overlooked there will be suffering. If it is found and honored, there is great joy and peace regardless of circumstance.

With regard to resolve and vigilance, are you talking about willpower and our desire to improve ourselves or something else?

Both resolve and vigilance, in the context of inner freedom, have to do with supreme commitment to discovery of absolute truth and the willingness for each breath to be a vigil to that discovery. It is more a matter of willingness than will power, as it is effortless discovery and then conscious surrender to that discovery. Keeping conscious vigil to inner freedom is expansive and fulfilling. It is naturally deeply joyful, and yet it has nothing to do with improving anything.

Does the reader have to have a particular spiritual background in order to understand Freedom and Resolve?

All that is required is curiosity and yearning for true, lasting freedom.

In the book, you speak about “feeding our thoughts.” Could you talk about addiction to thinking and what that means in our lives?

As human beings we have the awesome power to think. If this power is misused, like all misused powers, it leads to addiction. In this case we become enslaved to thoughts—our definitions of who we and others are, our cultural and personal versions of reality. In this enslavement we lose the ability to think critically or creatively. We become brainwashed by our own propaganda, and go to war to defend it. We practice warfare inside ourselves, in our relationships, and in fact with anything that threatens our mentally constructed worldview. If we look around our world, or in our own minds we can become well aware of this war.

How is it possible to experience “wholeness” in the midst of strong emotions like anger, sadness or fear?

The wholeness of our being is always present. The mind fragments experience when that experience seems overwhelming or threatening. If we are willing, in a moment of strong emotion, to take a moment to suspend the mental description or justification of attack and completely experience the emotion—in other words, with no story—wholeness is discovered. Of course this can be a real challenge, and sometimes we are actually being threatened and do need to act quickly without taking a moment of self-reflection. But if we recognize an habitual pattern of perceived overwhelm or threat, we can also recognize that habitually we may be needlessly overlooking what is truly free from overwhelm or threat. What is truly whole cannot be fragmented. It is present regardless of emotion or state of mind.

What is the difference between surrender and just giving up?

The way I use the word surrender is as an invitation to open the mind—to recognize narrative free presence. Giving up has a story of defeat and usually some degree of humiliation. Giving up is resignation accompanied by an internal collapse; surrender is open and inclusive. Giving up usually has some resentment riding subconsciously with it. Surrender is free and clear.

Is surrender essential in knowing the truth of who we are?

It is essential to surrender our ideas of who we are to discover the truth of who we are. It is essential to surrender to the unknown, radiant truth of incomprehensible being. Then we know somehow what we have always known though it has been unacknowledged until that moment.

Is it possible for anyone to realize the kind of freedom you are speaking about?

Yes.

Does being on the spiritual path require ruthless honesty? When you speak about ‘telling the truth’ is that telling the truth to yourself AND others?

Certainly there are times where telling your truth to another or others is necessary. But telling the truth I speak of is recognizing the absolute truth regardless of relative. The truth that is not owned by you or me. The truth that remains whole and free regardless of what else may be relatively true. My teacher Papaji called it the substratum. The continuity of being that is present always. Before your birth, during your existence, and after your death. “Me” and “you” are relative to that absolute. It is Life itself. All life forms, cosmic and minute, are animated by it and inseparable from it, yet it remains here as all forms appear and disappear.

Previous Post

November 3, 2014

Evangelicals and Sex: A Q&A with Amy DeRogatis

Next Post

November 3, 2014 Confessions of an Advent Extremist: A Q&A with Sybil MacBeth

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Author Q&A Book Review Christian Living Church Leadership Stump a Scholar Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2022 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 February 2019 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul Jesus David Moses