Inner Operation
The contemporary Hindu sage, Ramana Maharshi (himself an extreme external renunciate) responded by saying:
The ego is the source of thought…It is no help to change the environment. The one obstacle is the mind; it must be got over whether in the home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not in the home? Therefore, why change environments?
In other words, genuine renunciation is an inner operation which must be performed whether one becomes an external renunciate or continues as an ordinary householder. The reason, as Ramana Maharshi indicates, is that our real problem lies not in the outer conditions of our lives, but in the deluded thoughts produced by our own egos. More specifically, it is that we take what our egos tell us about ourselves and the world to be true. Inner renunciation then, begins with a rejection of those internal messages and commands that come from the ego and are predicated on a false perception of ‘self’ and ‘world’.
Before you can renounce such thoughts, however, you must first learn to hear them (i.e., be aware of them). This is more difficult than it sounds because normally our thoughts come so rapidly, and our obedience to them is so habitual, that most of the time we are quite unaware of what is happening. The first step then, is to cultivate an awareness or mindfulness of your own internal thought-processes. The simplest way to do this is to take up a meditation practice.
As you sit down to meditate you issue yourself a single command designed to override all others: “Be still, and concentrate on one object!” In effect, you are “going on strike” against the ego, refusing to obey any of its commands. This causes the ego to become more insistent, which, in turn, gives you a chance to observe its messages more clearly: “Scratch that itch!” “Move that leg!” “Gee, this is boring.” “Why don’t you sneak a look at the clock.” “Oh God, ten more minutes to go!” “Meditation is a waste of time: give it up!” But if you are firm in renouncing such commands, and continue to practice in a disciplined manner, eventually you will learn to hear the ego’s thoughts even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This is the beginning of true freedom, for it is only by becoming mindful of your thoughts that you are free to choose whether or not to act on them.
Another way to begin practicing renunciation is through morality. In adopting moral precepts you give yourself a whole series of commands to be used in countering the ego’s as they arise in specific situations—especially those situations in which what the ego wants is likely to harm others. If, for example, you have vowed not to take what does not belong to you, then as soon as you hear your ego saying something like: “Wow, look at this! The grocery clerk gave me a twenty dollar bill instead of a ten in change. I should keep this money because, after all, this store is owned by a big corporation and they’ll never miss it” – you will remember your vow and so can choose to reject such a self-serving rationalization.
Tags: Inner Operation Renounce Possession
