Did you know that the word carnal, comes from the root word, “carn” (of the flesh)? Today the word carnal is often used as a synonym for lustful. This is important when we contrast the word carnival, which means the opposite: carn (flesh) and levare (removal). [https://www.reddit.com/r/etymology/comments/ogaxt6/origin_of_carnival/] Carnival was a historic reference to a festival just before Lent (when the Christian gives up meat). It’s strange because my father taught me a corrupted version, as he thought carnival was about the festival of flesh-which makes sense as this is the common depiction of a carnival today. Thinking about the spiritual components of the root of the words, one could argue that carnal is to consider the world as the focus, and historic meaning of carnival as the opposite, the removing of the world from focus to put one’s attention on a festival of the spiritual domain. This etymology came to mind this morning after I read something in the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad. The passage read was regarding martyrdom. The topic wasn’t what grabbed drew my attention, but rather a statement regarding the focus of the master-a focus not to the matters of the world, but to the matters of heavenly doctrine.

Generally the ECK Master stays away from the issues of the day, which mix politics and religion; he teaches only the purity of the heavenly doctrine of Eckankar. He knows that many will be against him because of the stirring up of the Kal forces, but nothing seems to worry him in this respect. He artfully keeps away from the issues which bring on a confrontation with certain so-called authorities in the materialistic worlds.

The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Books One&Two, 3rd Edition (p. 249). ECKANKAR. Kindle Edition.

When the world is viewed as an impermanent abode, its machinations loose their power over us. Villains that run corporations, or government, become less powerful. We, you and me, give power for others to rule our inner lives. If I will it, the President of the United States, or a CEO of a corporation, will have power over my joy, my stress, my peace of mind. IF I WILL IT. I could, with a different frame of mind, focus on the Eck (the Holy Spirit), and work to connect to Sugmad (God) through my guide (the Mahanta).

In other words, if I chose to align with the worries and concerns of the world, I will become worried and concerned. If I chose to focus on the spiritual path, I will see the world as a television play. The world under the negative influence (Kal), as a rendering of Pathos, attempts to gain my emotional trigger. Once triggered (and that’s easy to do in my case), I will slump off the spiritual path, and walk through a mist filled swamp of life. Pulled here. Pulled there. Always angry. Always annoyed. Always sad.

This isn’t to say that there are important issues and that people aren’t suffering. But what we see isn’t what is. At least not in the way we think as typified by the human experience. We are like a bystander walking into a bar. We happen across a scene of one man receiving a punch from another. We think, “oh my that fellow is so angry, he’s the villain.” But if we were to walk in a few minutes prior, we might discover that the other threw the “first punch,” and call them the villain. That idea of “first punch,” from a spiritual perspective, cycles over many lifetimes. The human mind can not comprehend what is the first cause. As a human experience, we are time locked into the body experience only.

It is the spiritual mind and experience that can illuminate the reality that everything that manifests in a world of karma is the result of a prior cause. Again, this isn’t to victim blame, but to suggest that as a human we may not know the truth behind all that is rendering before our eyes. If, instead, we treat what we see as a movie or television show, we can emotionally connect to the concepts of good. We can say, “the one being harmed should be helped.” Or, “those that laugh and enjoy the suffering of others will reap what they sow, for them and those they abuse I feel sorry.” It is this detachment that is important.

Coming back now to the beautiful quote from the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, we can see that the master does not attach to the issues of the day. That doesn’t mean they don’t have views, but the views of the spiritual mindset go beyond the push and pull that is rendered in this present moment.

A Personal Example

Yesterday, I lost my peace of mind. I slipped into the experience, rather than remaining the observer.

I was cleaning out my emails yesterday, when I saw a subscription receipt for $200. That, for me, was a lot of money for an unexpected charge. As we’re nearing Christmas, money is being counted as we’re buying gifts and BAM $200 charge. I called the service to complain as the service didn’t show up on my upcoming charges…. they weren’t very empathetic.

The scene of life pulled on my pathos and I was enraged. I shouted. I yelled. The service person on the other end asked me to please calm down… and then I felt guilty… more pathos. Now I’m guilty for the angry outburst. All over a measly $200. That angry outburst cost me. I ended up with a terrible headache, a migraine for the rest of the day.

An Illustration of the Snake

If we were to see a snake at our feet, we might jump, or scream, or remain still as our heartbeat races a nonstop. Yet, if we saw a snake on TV we probably wouldn’t react at all (excluding phobias). This is the difference from the experience, to the observation. When we get caught up in life, we are pulled by the pathos, but when we can observe that things rendered are not what they seem, we can connect with the themes and not with the elements. The theme of fear can be understood, but the people and constructs playing it out, all have their past roles to play. We can empathize, without getting attached. All true remedies come from a higher source, beyond the lower planes. We don’t solve violence by killing the violent. This is a human experience based solution, but it neglects the karmic cycle.

Relating to all things in the best way, leads to a better understanding.

Eckankar & Karma

In Eckankar the idea of karma is not just dealt with by our behavioral changes, but we work it out through our own dreams. Dreams as reality for us, through the spiritual path, are pathways of karmic removal. This is a great help to our spiritual path and growth towards the Sugmad, however, I still feel it’s important to remember the words in the quote above… there is still reason to avoid the poison of the world. I feel that the world is toxic, it holds a suffering nature of communal karma and negative influence. I just feel that to try and fix things from this vantage point, is like making a home on quicksand.