Meditations on Transcendence

 At the lowest rung of vision, the universe looks crowded. Many doers. Many drives. Many hungers pulling in opposite directions. Life feels like a marketplace of forces colliding. Yet this plurality is only a surface ripple. When perception turns ūrdhva , upward, the noise thins. The Gītā whispers this reversal in Chapter 15. ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham . The tree’s root is above. What appears many below is held by one above. What seems driven is already being driven. As consciousness ascends, agency begins to converge. Individual will softens. The sense of “I act” gives way to “I am moved.” Tataḥ pada-parimārgatayām , the search for the supreme station, is not spatial. It is a refinement of seeing. At the summit, multiplicity collapses into presence. Sri Hari is not added as a conclusion. He is discovered as the silent driver who was always driving. The many were never independent engines. They were spokes. The axis was always one. Urdhva-mūlam is not philosophy. It is a correct...

 **The Symbolism of the Tree in Spiritual Growth** The tree, with its profound symbolism and universal presence, serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual growth across various traditions and teachings. From ancient scriptures to modern practices, the tree exemplifies strength, endurance, and the interconnectedness of life. Here, we explore why the tree stands as such an exemplary model for spiritual growth. One of the most striking references to the tree in spiritual literature is the concept of the inverted tree, or "urdhva mūlam," as described in the Bhagavad Gita. This image depicts the tree with its roots upward and branches downward, symbolizing the eternal connection to the divine and the temporal world. The roots represent the unseen, spiritual foundation, while the branches signify the manifested universe. This metaphor underscores the idea that true spiritual growth originates from an internal, divine source. Another profound example is the notion of tolerance, il...