30 Days to Creativity

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Esther Chase

Day One

Have you ever listened to the Sounds of SAND podcast?

I just heard the episode with Mukti from Open Gate Sangha. The conversation opens with this introduction:

Mukti’s name originates in Sanskrit and is most often translated as “liberation,” a term used in Vedanta and Buddhism much the way the term “salvation” is used in Christianity.

These two words—salvation and liberation—are concepts I have been giving attention when I meditate.

What do they mean to me?
They make me contemplate power structures and patriarchy.

Am I [still] looking for salvation or liberation in my spiritual journey?
My spirituality could be illustrated with different words now. I will find new words eventually.

What do they mean to you?

I don’t [still] feel like I need to be saved or freed, if that makes sense. I think the big Truth is the revelation, or the awareness, that I am already saved and already freed. The awakening was to realize that truth, and the journey is an ongoing process to embody it.

Another truth that found me while I listened to the podcast conversation is that I don’t desire to meditate for the purpose of revisiting my awakening. It was an important juncture, but that experience doesn’t define how I am today.

Another idea they spoke about is an inclination to become a spiritual grazer who goes around searching for what I might consider more awakenings. The reality is this: the benefits of one particular spiritual practice, such as meditation, can be experienced deeply by staying with it. Different spiritual practices can lead to the same outcome, so we’re not missing out on any benefits when we commit to one of them.