Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
13th June 2017
One way
“Street”
In daily life, sometimes a street on which man drives his car is a one-way street due to traffic regulations. Man accepts the one-way street and does not expect that it changes into a two-way-street regulation.
Man also knows that there are many ways to get to a destination, which is true as well. He also understands that no matter in which way he gets to a destination, though the street may be a two-way street or a multiple way, the place on the street that he is driving on is the only way he can drive and not the opposite way.
But what man does not understand is that no matter in which way he gets to a destination, though the way may be a multiple-way-traffic regulation, the way he is driving on is the only way possible for the moment to get to the destination.
This implies that the way he is driving on at any moment is one-way. The one-way-street regulation is an opportunity provided by life so that man can understand that any way is a one-way street to the destination because, whether you turn right or left on a one-way street to get away from it, it will still be a one-way street to the destination.
It would not be a one-way street if you could be on two streets at the same time to the destination, meaning that, if you turn right or left to get away from the one-way street, you still cannot be on the previous street, which was a one-way street. You also do not drive in reverse to a destination on any street, just as you cannot go back in life.
The many ways to the destination have different names as a traffic regulation. This traffic regulation helps man to choose the way he wants or wishes to go to his destination.
The one-way street has a name to it as well, which he may choose to go on or may not be able to avoid it on his chosen way to his destination. This is because it may form part of his chosen way to the destination.
Similarly, in daily life, there are many situations and circumstances, just as there are many names to streets. You can choose to experience a situation or circumstance or may not be able to avoid their experience, just as you can choose a street to drive on or you may not be able to avoid a one-way street.
No matter whether you choose an experience or are unable to avoid the experience, the experience of the situation and circumstance unfolds like a one-way street. This means that it will unfold the way it is meant to unfold and you cannot change it, just as a one-way street goes only in one way, which you cannot change.
Moreover, if there is something you would like to avoid on the one-way street, for example, a traffic jam, there is no possibility to avoid it, because turning around is impossible.
Therefore, in life an experience of any situation or circumstance flows only in one way for every individual. Though there are many ways an experience can flow, every individual has only one way that life will flow, just as there are many ways to a destination. Each of them flows as a one-way street if you are on it.
A situation or circumstance in life happens in the moment and the experience of it as well. You cannot make the moment in life happen. The moment in life happens before you can make it happen. There is also no possibility to turn life around in order to avoid any situation or circumstance. If it is meant to happen, it will happen.
This implies that life is like a one-way street. It will happen only in one way and not in any other way, including the life, which you choose, is a one-way happening too by life. You do not make it happen in the way it happens or in any other way you wish, want, expect or choose for it to happen.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2017
Editor’s Note:
The simplicity of man’s way in life is gifted in this article by Dr Shankar, even though the experience itself may seem complex. The complexity is resolved by the understanding that man does not make choices about the way he takes in his life, even though the knowledge-based evidence shows otherwise. A moment’s deep reflection reveals that the way each of us is on is our way, our only way, albeit illusory. Understanding this calms the mind, for there is no other way. Understanding this is enlightenment.
Julian Capper, U.K
German Translator’s Note:
The life of man and woman includes a way from here to there, from now to later. This is not life as it is. Life as it is, is only Here and Now, it does not contain any direction nor does it go a way. Life in the mind, however, as described in the article “One way“ by Dr. Shankar is only one way for each of us, with no extra stops, turns and ways to choose. Life as it is is followed by life in the mind and it happens only in one way. Acceptance is the only way to be happy on a one-way street.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.