<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div>This Nisargadatta piece is from a new friend ~ not intended for Sp. Ex. ~ my mistake. ~ ~~~~ ~~~~ my reply ~ was the Sp. Ex. ~ “ Message. “ </div><div><br class=""></div><div>Interesting piece ~ she is 27 from Mexico City ~~ studying for a masters in business at Duke U. ~</div><div><br class=""></div><div>So ~~~~ this is the first time that I’m seeing it. ~ ( that it got attached ) ~ !! ~~~~ ~~ and I thought the response was to what I wrote ~ !!! Ha ha ~ !! ~ 🙏💛⚡️</div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div>This is what it looked like coming to me. ~</div><div><div class="k w eb q h ea"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="4" aria-labelledby="4"></div></div><div class="ir iw in ja q is ix io it iy ab ip iu iz iq iv im"><div class="h k"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="5" aria-labelledby="5"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false"></div></div></div></div><div class="cn fl ep"><div class="l ae"><div class="ab cb"><div class="kl ci kj km kk kn ki bh"><div class="ab"><a class="am ar ai an as aj ao af at ak ap ag al aq ah" rel="noopener follow" href="https://medium.com/plans?dimension=post_audio_button&postId=4e7e7c944077&source=upgrade_membership---post_audio_button----------------------------------"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="18" aria-labelledby="18"></div></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="postFooterSocialMenu" aria-labelledby="postFooterSocialMenu"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="6" aria-labelledby="6"></div></div><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false"><div class="bm" aria-hidden="false" aria-describedby="51" aria-labelledby="51"></div></div></div><article class="meteredContent"><div class="l"><div class="l"><section class=""><div class="fp fs fo fr fq"><div class="ab cb"><div class="bh ex ci ew ev ey"><p id="21df" class="lo lx lp lh bk ly lq li lz lr lj ls lk lt ll ma lu lm mb fv lv ln lf mc fo lw pw-post-body-paragraph lg b" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">Whenever someone asked the Indian guru <strong class="fw lh">Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj</strong> about <em class="md">the world</em> </p><p id="21df" class="lo lx lp lh bk ly lq li lz lr lj ls lk lt ll ma lu lm mb fv lv ln lf mc fo lw pw-post-body-paragraph lg b" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">— <em class="md">Why is the world like this? Why is there suffering?</em> — his response was never direct. Instead, he would begin by asking: ~~~ “Which world are you referring to?”</p><figure class="mm mh mp mk paragraph-image mn mi ml mo"><div role="button" tabindex="0" class="bh ms mt mr mq ed"><div class="mh mj mi" style="text-align: center;"><picture class=""><source srcset="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:640/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 640w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 720w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:750/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 750w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:786/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 786w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:828/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 828w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1100/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 1100w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/format:webp/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 1400w" sizes="(min-resolution: 4dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 50vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 4) and (max-width: 700px) 50vw, (min-resolution: 3dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 67vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 3) and (max-width: 700px) 65vw, (min-resolution: 2.5dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 80vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2.5) and (max-width: 700px) 80vw, (min-resolution: 2dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 100vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) and (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" type="image/webp" class=""><source data-testid="og" srcset="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:640/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 640w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 720w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:750/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 750w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:786/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 786w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:828/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 828w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1100/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 1100w, https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg 1400w" sizes="(min-resolution: 4dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 50vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 4) and (max-width: 700px) 50vw, (min-resolution: 3dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 67vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 3) and (max-width: 700px) 65vw, (min-resolution: 2.5dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 80vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2.5) and (max-width: 700px) 80vw, (min-resolution: 2dppx) and (max-width: 700px) 100vw, (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) and (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" class=""><img alt="" class="bh kn mu c" loading="lazy" role="presentation" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*1acBeOgWydCcLcGfYGT-jQ.jpeg" width="700" height="525"></picture></div></div><figcaption class="dx my mz b mh mv bf z mi mw bg mx" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">My friend Marc meditating in Mendocino, California. Source: Taken by author.</figcaption><figcaption class="dx my mz b mh mv bf z mi mw bg mx" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;"><br class=""></figcaption></figure><p id="973b" class="lo lx lp lh bk ly lq li lz lr lj ls lk lt ll ma lu lm mb fv lv ln lf mc fo lw pw-post-body-paragraph lg b" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">With this question, he made a crucial distinction: there isn’t just one “world.” There is <strong class="fw lh">your world</strong> — the world of your thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences — and then there is <strong class="fw lh">the physical world</strong>, the objective reality of matter. Most people assume they are talking about a single, external reality, but in truth, <strong class="fw lh">what we experience as “the world” is entirely personal</strong>. It is shaped by our minds, beliefs, and conditioning.</p><p id="f8f7" class="lo lx lp lh bk ly lq li lz lr lj ls lk lt ll ma lu lm mb fv lv ln lf mc fo lw pw-post-body-paragraph lg b" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">This perspective finds an interesting parallel in the work of sociologist <strong class="fw lh">Peter Berger</strong>, whose concept of <strong class="fw lh">nomos</strong> describes how societies construct shared realities. If Nisargadatta Maharaj’s focus was on <strong class="fw lh">the individual mind’s projection</strong>, Berger explored how entire societies build <strong class="fw lh">collective worlds</strong> — ones that feel just as real and absolute as an individual’s personal reality.</p><p id="0028" class="lo lx lp lh bk ly lq li lz lr lj ls lk lt ll ma lu lm mb fv lv ln lf mc fo lw pw-post-body-paragraph lg b" data-selectable-paragraph="" style="text-align: center;">Together, these perspectives suggest something profound: <em class="md">the world is not something “out there” — it is something we create, both individually and collectively.</em> Recognizing this can…</p></div></div></div></section></div></div></article><div class="ab cb"><div class="bh ex ci ew ev ey"><div class="bh ed ux l uw uv"></div></div></div></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Feb 11, 2025, at 7:13 PM, Lydia Rand via Thespiritexpress <<a href="mailto:thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org" class="">thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class=""><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Perfectly stated ad very helpful indeed!<br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage" class=""><div class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Feb 10, 2025, at 8:01 PM, Yasskin Marc via Thespiritexpress <<a href="mailto:thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org" class="">thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><meta charset="UTF-8" class=""><blockquote type="cite" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><div class=""><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div style="display: block; margin-bottom: 2px;" class=""><div style="display: block;" class=""><div style="display: block;" class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div style="width: 345px; min-width: 0px; margin: 0px 24px;" class=""><div style="font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class=""><h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 38px; letter-spacing: -0.014em; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; font-size: 32px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">The World Is Just Your World: Nisargadatta Maharaj, Peter Berger, and the Illusion of Reality</h1><div dir="auto" style="font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class=""><div style="font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class=""><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Whenever someone asked the Indian guru <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj</strong> about <em style="font-style: italic; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the world</em> — <em style="font-style: italic; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Why is the world like this? Why is there suffering?</em> — his response was never direct. Instead, he would begin by asking:</p><blockquote style="margin: 0px; padding-left: 23px; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class=""><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-style: italic; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">“Which world are you referring to?”</p></blockquote></div><div style="font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class=""><span id="cid:ii_194f2c1d354696f12f01" class=""><IMG_4168.jpeg></span></div><br class=""></div></div>With this question, he made a crucial distinction: there isn’t just one “world.” There is <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">your world</strong> — the world of your thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences — and then there is <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the physical world</strong>, the objective reality of matter. Most people assume they are talking about a single, external reality, but in truth, <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">what we experience as “the world” is entirely personal</strong>. It is shaped by our minds, beliefs, and conditioning.<div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">This perspective finds an interesting parallel in the work of sociologist <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Peter Berger</strong>, whose concept of <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">nomos</strong> describes how societies construct shared realities. If Nisargadatta Maharaj’s focus was on <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the individual mind’s projection</strong>, Berger explored how entire societies build <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">collective worlds</strong> — ones that feel just as real and absolute as an individual’s personal reality.</p><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Together, these perspectives suggest something profound: <em style="font-style: italic; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the world is not something “out there” — it is something we create, both individually and collectively.</em>Recognizing this can free us from unnecessary suffering and allow us to engage with life from a place of deeper awareness.</p><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Why the World Is Personal</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Nisargadatta Maharaj insisted that what we experience as “the world” is <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">not an external, fixed reality, but a projection of our mind</strong>. Two people can be in the same physical environment yet live in completely different “worlds” based on their <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">perceptions, beliefs, and emotional states</strong>.</div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">For example, imagine two people walking through the same city:</p><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.56em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">One is feeling anxious, overwhelmed by work stress, and irritated by the noise and crowds.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">The other is feeling peaceful, appreciating the energy of the city, and noticing small details that bring joy.</li></ul><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Even though they are in <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the same physical world</strong>, they are living in <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">completely different personal worlds</strong>.</p><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Maharaj described this world-making process as a <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">mental habit</strong>. We accumulate experiences, create memories, and attach meanings to things — soon, we mistake this <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">personal filter</strong> for reality itself. His key insight is that <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the world is not something you live in; it’s a fiction you create</strong>.</p><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Berger’s Nomos: How We Internalize Reality</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">While Nisargadatta focused on <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the mind’s role in shaping personal reality</strong>, Peter Berger explored how <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">society constructs a shared world</strong> that feels just as real. His concept of <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">nomos</strong> describes the set of social rules, institutions, and belief systems that provide structure and meaning to human life.</div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Berger argued that from birth, people are <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">socialized into a specific version of reality</strong>. This happens through <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">parents, education, culture, religion, and law</strong>, all of which shape the way we see the world. Over time, what was originally a <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">learned perspective</strong>becomes something we take for granted as absolute.</p><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">For instance:</p><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.56em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">A person raised in a deeply religious environment may see life as a moral journey shaped by divine will.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">A person raised in a highly individualistic society may see life as a competition for personal success.</li></ul><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Even though these perspectives are <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">not inherent realities but social constructs</strong>, they become “real” to the person who has internalized them. Just as Nisargadatta explains how <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">personal perception shapes individual reality</strong>, Berger shows how <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">social institutions shape collective reality</strong>— both leading people to mistake their “world” for something objective.</p><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Nomos Is Not “Bad” — But It Is Fragile</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Berger did not argue that nomos is inherently bad. In fact, he saw it as <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">necessary for social stability</strong> — without it, people would experience <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">anomie (a state of normlessness and existential disorientation).</strong> Nomos helps societies function by providing order and meaning.</div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">However, he also recognized that <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">nomos is artificial and fragile</strong>. It only exists as long as people <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">believe in it and reinforce it through social interaction</strong>. When someone questions or breaks away from their social reality — through personal crisis, travel, or deep philosophical inquiry — it can be deeply unsettling.</p><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">This is where Berger’s analysis aligns with Nisargadatta’s teaching: both show that <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">what we take to be “the world” is just one version of reality</strong>, and recognizing this can lead to either fear or liberation.</p><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Bridging the Two Perspectives: Abiding in Awareness</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">So if both <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">our personal world (Nisargadatta) and our shared world (Berger) are constructed</strong>, how should we engage with life? Rather than getting lost in illusion or fighting against it, Maharaj suggests something simpler: <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">abide in awareness</strong>.</div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Instead of clinging to our mental projections or social identities, we can step back and <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">observe the one constant behind all experiences — awareness itself</strong>.</p><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">How to Apply This in Daily Life: Meditation as the Key Practice</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Realizing that the world is <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">not fixed but a mental and social construct</strong> can transform the way we live. Here’s how to integrate this understanding into daily life:</div><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">1. When You Feel Stuck, Ask: “Which World Am I Referring To?”</h1><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 0.67em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">If something is upsetting you, pause and ask: <em style="font-style: italic; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Am I reacting to the actual world, or to my interpretation of it?</em></li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Recognizing this difference can help you <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">detach from unnecessary suffering</strong>.</li></ul><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">2. Observe How Awareness Is Always Free</h1><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 0.67em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Meditation allows you to notice that <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">no matter what happens in your personal or social world, awareness itself remains untouched</strong>.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Thoughts, emotions, and social roles come and go, but the observer — pure consciousness — remains constant.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Instead of getting caught in the illusion of “the world,” turn inward and <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">abide in the awareness that perceives it.</strong></li></ul><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">3. Challenge Socially Constructed Realities</h1><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 0.67em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Notice how much of your reality has been shaped by <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">culture, education, and social expectations</strong>.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Ask yourself: <em style="font-style: italic; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Do I truly believe this, or was I taught to believe it?</em></li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">This doesn’t mean rejecting society — it means engaging with it <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">more consciously</strong>.</li></ul><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">4. Play the Game, But Don’t Take It Too Seriously</h1><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;" class=""><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 0.67em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">You don’t have to withdraw from life — just don’t get lost in it.</li><li style="font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 30px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 1.34em; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Engage in work, relationships, and personal growth, but <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">remember that none of these define who you truly are</strong>.</li></ul><h1 style="margin: 1.2em 0px; font-family: sohne, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px; letter-spacing: 0px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Conclusion: Waking Up to a Bigger Truth</h1><div style="margin: 0.67em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Both <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Nisargadatta Maharaj</strong> and <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">Peter Berger</strong> reveal a powerful truth: the world we experience is <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">not absolute</strong> — it is shaped by our mind (personal world) and by society (shared world). This realization can feel unsettling at first, but it also points to a profound freedom.</div><p style="margin: 1.56em 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px; letter-spacing: -0.003em; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);" class="">Instead of being trapped in <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">your world</strong>, or blindly following <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">the world</strong>, you can step back and <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">watch the whole thing unfold</strong> — not with fear, but with clarity. And when you do, you might just discover that <strong style="font-weight: 700; font-family: source-serif-pro, georgia, cambria, "times new roman", times, serif;" class="">what you truly are is beyond all worlds — the pure awareness in which all worlds appear.</strong></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""></div><div class=""><div style="width: 393px; height: 48px; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(242, 242, 242);" class=""><div class=""><div class=""></div></div><div class=""><div class=""><div style="display: inline-block;" class=""><button style="background: none; margin: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 4px 0px;" class=""></button></div></div></div><div class=""><div class=""><div style="display: inline-block;" class=""><div style="display: inline-block;" class=""><button style="background: none; margin: 0px; color: inherit; font-size: inherit; border: inherit; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; font-weight: inherit; padding: 8px 2px;" class=""></button></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""><div style="width: 345px; min-width: 0px; margin: 0px 24px; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, ubuntu, cantarell, "open sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><div style="margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 6px; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, ubuntu, cantarell, "open sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif;" class=""><div style="margin-top: 8px; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, ubuntu, cantarell, "open sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif;" class=""><a href="https://medium.com/tag/meditation?source=post_page-----4e7e7c944077--------------------------------" style="text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; border: medium; margin-right: 8px; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, ubuntu, cantarell, "open sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif; color: inherit;" class=""></a></div></div></div></div><br class=""></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div>_______________________________________________<br class="">Thespiritexpress mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org" class="">Thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org</a><br class="">https://lists.mcn.org/mailman/listinfo/thespiritexpress<br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></body></html>