Thursday, 24 March 2016

Edward’s Diary Entry 42 – Virtue 21: Energy or Vigour (Tejas)


Is it an eagle, a hawk, a falcon or an osprey? Or is it Superman?  No matter. It was riding the waves high up in the air. I saw it and photographed it, and later I used it for the blog and Facebook. Whether circling or diving to catch its prey, or coming to rest on a rocky crag, it is full of energy and vigour. It has tejas, which is energy, brilliance, “light”. The opposite of the downward pull of tamas, or darkness and destruction. Tejas is “radiance of character”, also called “animal magnetism”, “glow”, “élan vitale”, “brightness of aura”, and many other names: spiritual or moral or magical power or influence, majesty, dignity, glory, authority. Also “bile”, “brain”, “marrow”, “semen”, “gold” and... “fresh butter” – typical of beautifully imprecise Indian philosophy and ancient Sankrit words! So although a “virtue”, tejas seems to be more a result of practising the other virtues, although of course to show energy or vigour, Virtue 2 Fearlessness, and 3 Perseverance are needed. It does not matter that much at the beginning. What matters is one thing for today, one thing for now. One suggestion for today might be: practise being energetic, do something extra every time you do something. Make an extra effort to test your power. Or just keep your mind calm… and read a poem like this one: “Be still; Question every thought; Contemplate the source of Reality; And keep your eyes open - You never know when something that seems entirely insignificant will split your whole world wide open into eternal delight..." By Adyashanti

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