Absorption

What is Absorption?

The final practice within this Datta sadhana is absorption. In order to practise absorption, we must find something to be absorbed into. This is our essential nature, which is non-dual, non-relative and totally beyond all words and concepts.

When our mind has become subtle enough through consistently following the other elements of this sadhana, it becomes possible to step beyond the mind and awaken to who we really are. This is the real self that always dwells behind our limited sense of self, which simply based our karmic thoughts and emotions. Once we have recognised who we are, we must begin the work of becoming more and more anchored and stabilised in that state of natural recognition. This process stabilisation is the essence of absorption.

Absorption Within the Dattatreya Tradition

The seminal text within the Dattatreya Tradition, Avadhuta Gita, begins from the point of absorption. Everything within that book is based around the perception of our real nature as the supreme consciousness. Until we experience the truth for ourselves directly, then all the talk about ‘everything being one’ will only be words to us.

So, absorption is the supreme practice within the Dattatreya Tradition. Whenever we hear about certain avadhutas or avatars doing austerities or penance before they out into the world and start their mission, we are mainly hearing about them practising absorption for long periods of time. The purpose of this practice is to strengthen the identification with the absolute whilst, at the same time, burning out whatever stands of karmic limitatation may still be there within us.

Absorption is the final practice of all masters, which is like the final polishing of a diamond. Awakening brings us to point of recognising our diamond-like nature, but it is absorption that makes that nature really shine and sparkle.

How to Practise Absorption?

To practise absorption, we must first we awakened to our real nature. We must have seen through the limited sense of ‘I’ that we usually identify ourselves with. When we have achieved this, thoughts, memories and emotions will continue to come and go within the space of our awareness. However, now that we have recognised who we are, it should be natural to simply allow this mental phenomena to come and go without identifying with it. There still may be times when we get caught up in identifying with our thoughts, but the simple remedy for this is just to again look within and recognise our genune nature as consciousness itself.

With time, our stability within the recognition of who we are will become stronger and stronger. As the strength of this recognition increases, the power of our thoughts grow weaker and weaker. As our identification with thoughts becomes weaker, out identification with our temporary body will also become lighter. Though we will continue to engage in whatever activities we to, we will not really care what appear to happen in our lives. We will know that we are energy of existence that is beginningless, endless and totally indestructible.

When we become fully established within our real nature, we will be totally free from the cycle of karmic birth and death within this world. There will be no need to take another birth because the very seeds of desire and fear precipitate that birth would have been burnt at their root. This is beginning of avadhutahood, where as the consciousness itself, we start to expand into and feel ourselves as the entirety of all creation. This is the final goal of sadhana within the tradition of Lord Dattatreya.

Written by Jack Barratt