The Final State: Peace

Sri Annamalai Swami

Q: Though I know that the Self is changeless, it seems to me that my experience of it is different in different moments. Sometimes it is more intense, deeper. The peace and the bliss are felt more intensely at certain times. The mind wants more peace, more bliss. It is not content with merely hearing or feeling the aham sphurana (the I-I emanation). Is this creating a problem for me? Is my desire to keep going with my sadhana correct?

In each moment I am having some experience of something that doesn't change: O am either hearing or feeling the aham sphurana. But always there is this desire to go deeper, to be feeling more peace, more bliss. I am not satisfied with the experience I am having. Is this desire to do more sadhana a good desire, or is it interfering with Self awareness?

AS: Your ultimate need is to get established in the changeless peace of the Self. For this you have to give up all thoughts. If this has happened to you, nothing more is needed. If you are in the real state, there will be no wants, no desire to push on to some other state. In realization there will be no desire for anything else, and no doubt about whether anything is needed. This final state is just peace. There are no desires and doubts there.

Q: I am not experiencing the peace that Swami is talking about. I must therefore need to do something more.

AS: See who you are. That is the only advice I can give you. You are peace. Be that peace and there will be no hankering for anything else.

Q: The problem seems to be asking for that peace, desiring it.

AS: The one who is asking is not you. The thoughts that come and go are not you. Whatever comes and goes is not you. Your reality is peace. If you don't forget that, that will be enough.