By Swami Chidananda
As we anchor ourselves in the Pure Self, the great inner transformation frees us from guilt and shame. On one hand our bosom is free from any form of looking down at ourselves, as we no more identify with the personality that committed mistakes at one time. On the other, this is not to be misunderstood as a clever escape from owning some dark periods of our past. We would rather be open about it – in our own within and, if need be, with (the so-called) others. Abidance in the Self (ātma-nisthā) is comparable with waking up from a dream, where the dreamer did a few foolish or terrible things!
Him the thought does not perturb – Did I fail to do the right thing? Did I commit some sin?
etam ha vāva na tapati – kim-aham sādhu nākaravam? kim-aham pāpam-akaravam-iti?
Taittiriya Upanishad, Valli 2, mantra 9