The road to freedom Note from the editor

The road to freedom Note from the editor

August 2015

By Suma Varughese

Dear reader,

The ego is, of course, Public Enemy No. 1 of all seekers. It is only after you progress a while on the path, that you realise that even this antagonism has been put there by the ego, and that it has nothing to do with the Self we are trying to trace. The ego is synonymous with the mind and with thoughts/feelings. As long as we are identified with our mind or thoughts, the ego acts through us. Only seeing through this identity will free us of the ego, and help us to tune in to our true and elusive Self.

So how does one let go of something that does not exist? Gurus say that the only way to free ourselves of it is to emphasise the Higher Self. Just like darkness does not have any real existence, and only requires the light to banish it, so too the ego can be banished by the shining light of awareness and consciousness. Our cover story deals with various techniques to highlight the Higher Self and downplay the ego until it eventually disappears.

What Facebook and Twitter were a few years ago, Whatsapp is today. The medium of the day. Anyone who possesses a smart phone these days, and that includes virtually everyone, has mandatorily downloaded this app, whose chief attraction is that it is absolutely free, while enabling you to be in touch with anyone across the globe instantly. Naturally, it is becoming a powerful medium to purvey spirituality. Whatsapp groups of every persuasion exist and offer its members inspiration, information and support. Our special feature examines this phenomenon.

The monsoon is now well entrenched in the country and with it comes the need to moderate our diet. Traditionally, monsoons have been the time when we have been urged to simplify our diet, stay off fish and other non vegetarian food, and detox the body. Here, we offer you a handy guide on what to eat and what not to in order to coast through this season healthily.

Have a wonderful month.