673. How to use the Antahkarana to have Atma Darshana??

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/how-to-use-the-antahkarana-to-have-atma-darshana

Humans are the only animals which yearn for Bliss. All the other animals are satisfied with the SEED (Sleep, Eat, Enjoy and Defend). The evolution process through Pancha Koshas (Ref: http://memyinnerthoughts.blogspot.in/2015/02/669-pancha-koshas-and-evolution.html) reveal that humans are bestowed with Intellect (Buddhi) which has to be utilized to excel in finding the Eternal Bliss. 

How can our Intellect be of help to find Bliss? 

To have Atma Darshana is to be in Eternal Bliss and to achieve that one has to use Antahkarana, the inner conscience. 

This Antahkarana comprises of

Manas: which always interacts with the world through the sensory organs and it is called Mind.

Buddhi: The realm of thoughts and faculty of Discrimination and it is called Intellect.

Chitta: the massive storehouse of inherent Impressions (Vasanas) and Tendencies (Samskara) formed as a consequence of repeated actions performed in the present as well as previous births and it is called Memory. And finally

Ahamkara: The predominant notion of one's own personality like “I am so and so” and it is called Ego.

These four faculties of the Antahkarna can be used as tool for experiencing the Reality (Atma Darshana).

Atma is subtle and pervades the entire Physical Body. Since it has not being stationed in a particular part of the Physical Body it makes us difficult to find it and have a look at it. By the help of the Antahkarna we have the possibilities of exploring the secrets of our inner world which in fact is the essential part in the spiritual search for Reality. Mind cannot be rubbished of as mere illusion in this approach. Yes, Mind is equated to illusion but only when it is subjected to exploring the outer world to annihilate avaricious materialism, to experience the Reality who dwells in the cave of the lotus heart, Mind is indeed the tool.

The Mind has such a powerful speed that it can travel from Bengaluru to New York in just a fraction of seconds and come back, since the both the place does find physical presence in the imagery mind as the places were reflections of the actual which exist very far away. A reflection is as real as the object even though the object is far away, so it would not be that correct to call the mind a mere illusion. 

Mind (Manas) borrows Consciousness (Chaitanya) from Atma just like the how moon which gets light from Sun, but behaves as if it is self-illuminating. Mind is the link between the Physical Body and the Atma. As it is Mind has its say on the Physical Body it also wants to be superior to Atma, forgetting that the source for its illumination is that very Atma. It is here that our Intellect (Buddhi) has to intervene and guide Mind to shun its illusion of superiority over Atma.

When Intellect peeps into the Mind it is welcomed by a numerous messy intricate webs of sentimental, rational, subliminal, paranormal emotions which are the initial raw materials for the thoughts that mind projects every now and then. This mess has to be cleaned by the Intellect by systematizing and disciplining the Mind. To discipline the Mind the Intellect can use either Nama Japa, or indulging the Mind in Attentive Work, or provide Self-Knowledge to the Mind.  

When there is discipline in mind without chaos the Antahkarna will automatically become Clean (Shuddha) as crystal, with a crystal clear Antahkarna, the veil of Ignorance (Maya) is lifted. With the veil of Ignorance gone Antaryami, the in-dwelling entity in every individual like water in the depths of the earth is sure to grace the Mind with His vision.