Like the bubbles, some souls remain in their bodily form for but a brief period of time; some emerge in family clusters or spiritual groups; some have a bigger role to play; and some float high into the skies of divine consciousness. Whatever its particular journey, each individual bubble or soul must in the end merge back into the vast ocean of Spirit from which it came. For devotees, the desire to burst the confines of our earthly existence and merge back into the sea of Spirit is one of the strongest motivations on the spiritual path. Will this loss of a separate existence be cause for sadness or regret? Not at all! When we become one with God, Swami Kriyananda explained, “it is not that we lose all identity; rather, we expand our identity to infinity. Being omniscient, . . . we retain the memory of having been, each one of us, a separate ego. In this way, Yogananda explained, nothing is lost in the Infinite—not even the ego. We can revive that memory of individual existence again, if ever the Divine wills that we return to earth to uplift and save other wandering souls.” When difficult events bear down and you feel discouraged or anxious, remember that the little bubble of your life is never separate from God’s endless joy, peace, and love. You are a single drop of a much greater reality: an endless ocean of divine bliss. Master ends his magnificent poem “Samadhi” with these words: Gone forever, fitful, flickering shadows of mortal memory. Spotless is my mental sky, below, ahead, and high above. Eternity and I, one united ray. A tiny bubble of laughter, I Am become the Sea of Mirth Itself. With bursting joy, Nayaswami Devi |
