Layback Lani | Journey to Liberation

"As the food, so the mind; as the mind, so the thought; as the thought, so the action; as the action, so the destiny." (Chhandogya Upanishad, 7.26.2, adapted).     The Cessation of Seeking: Rendering the   Mind Inoperable as the Path to Non-Duality      The perennial wisdom tradition, particularly as articulated by 20th-century non-dual sages like Ramana Maharshi, Sri Nisargadatta, and Harilal Poonja, points to a singular obstacle on the path to self-realization: the mind . This entity, often perceived as the seat of selfhood, is, in reality, a restless generator of concepts, judgments, and desires that obscure the inherent tranquility of being. The core teaching shared by these masters is not the violent suppression of the mind, but its organic neutralization - a process of profound detachment that allows the mechanism of thought and action to enter a state of "automation." The path to liberation, therefore, is paved by ceasing to engage with the mind’s co...

  Homer, Author of The Odyssey   8th or 7th-century BCE  Wine, Meat, and War: An Ancient Warning for Our Times “As is the food, so is the mind.” — Ancient proverb from Ayurveda Food, War, and Peace in the Odyssey : An Ancient Lesson for the Modern World Homer’s Odyssey is not just a story of a long journey home but a meditation on human nature, morality, and society. Within its episodes, food and drink often appear not merely as sustenance but as symbols of cultural values and psychological tendencies. Odysseus’s encounters with different peoples - many of whom gorge on roasted meat and wine, in contrast to the rare groups who resist such indulgence - offer more than geographic variety; they present moral lessons that remain strikingly relevant today. The Symbolic Role of Food and Drink In Homer’s narrative universe, food serves as a mirror of a people’s deeper character. Excessive consumption of meat and wine is repeatedly tied to qualities of aggression, deceit, a...