The Effortless Short-Cut (Ashtavakra Gita 12.3) - 24th November 2016

Then verse number three: 'Effort is required to concentrate a distracted mind superimposed with illusion. Knowing this, I remain here.' See, so he's stating something which is our experience. The mind itself fights this. Sometimes we see that once you have got caught up in this maze of the mind, caught up in the stories of the mind, in the quicksand of the mind, then it is perceived that some sort of effort seems to be needed to step back. It feels like an effort, just like if you've carried a lot of rubbish on our head, it will feel like, 'I need to make some effort to throw it away.' See, but the rubbish on the head will keep saying, 'No, no, no. See, now that is effort. No, no, you can't,' without telling you the truth that it is the carrying of this which is really effort.

So when the sage is saying, 'Effort is required to concentrate a distracted mind superimposed with illusion. Knowing this, I remain here,' means what? I abide in the Self. It means I don't fall for that trick at all. I'm not believing my next thought itself. I remain here empty, you see? Because once I have picked it up, then I have to inquire, I have to do something to become mindful. This is the ultimate shortcut. Ultimate shortcut, because right now, freedom. If you don't buy any story from the mind, the pretend bondage cannot come. And knowing that if I pick up a story, then I'll take a sword to cut off the story, I don't get involved in the story at all, which is the same as saying: don't believe your next thought.

Because once you buy into the story, you will have to throw it away seemingly. Ultimate shortcut is what? Don't pick up the perspective of conditioning at all and see that you are free right now. Effortless shortcut. Effortless shortcut. At this point, faith might be a little bit helpful, you see? Some Shraddha, some faith will be a little bit helpful because it will help you to check that this is true, because this is what the mind will resist with full might. See? 'But no, are you really free? Maybe that's his experience, but maybe it can't come like that.' The first story itself gets bought.

I'm saying faith might be a little helpful. So if he's saying, if he's saying there must be something to it, can I just check this? Not blind faith. Can I just check this for myself? Do I have that much faith that allows me at least to be open to this possibility that I could be completely free of conditioning right now in this moment?