There are some who believe that the mind is an obstacle when walking the Path. They proclaim that the mind is the “slayer of the real” and must be put aside so that the soul can be more fully realized and lived. Underlying this is the notion that the rational tendencies of the mind deflect one from realizing the deeper truths of life. Yet, this perspective disregards an entire dimension of the mind essential to the evolution of human consciousness. Sometimes called the solarized mind, this aspect of mind reveals the wisdom of the soul itself.
This suggests, therefore, that the human mind is dual in its nature. Essentially, there is both a higher and lower dimension to it. The lower is the analytical mind and is the prerogative of the personality, while the higher is the mind of the soul. Though there is truth in the idea that the mind is the slayer of the real, it is only the lower-mind to which this applies. As the mental agent of the ego, the lower-mind can (at times) distort our perceptions of reality. It tends to work through reductive and concrete reasoning processes. Because of this, it usually rejects any intuitive contribution in its understanding of things.
The solarized mind is recognized as the “revealer of the real.” As the higher dimension of consciousness, the solarized mind is receptive to spiritual intuition, and is the custodian of the soul’s innate intelligence.
It may be asked, why is the mental dimension of the soul referred to as the solarized mind? Metaphorically, just as the sun casts its light upon our physical world, the solarized mind casts its lighted wisdom upon the spiritual realms of consciousness. To recognize the light of the solarized mind is to awaken to the guiding ideations of the soul as they crest upon the shores of consciousness. Indeed, registering and understanding these soulful insights is an essential feature when on the spiritual path.
Through the use of the solarized mind, revelatory insights arise within consciousness and are recognized as wisdom and inner guidance. Indeed, fundamental to walking the Path is a growing recognition and utilization of this higher division of the mind. This doesn’t mean, however, that the lower-mind is to be discounted. Within the domain of everyday living, a sound capacity to analyze and reason is essential. Yet, when it comes to the deeper aspects of life, the goal is to inwardly sense the wisdom of the solarized mind, and to use the lower-mind to assist the soul in the externalization of that wisdom in service to human betterment.
The solarized mind conveys the soul’s intelligence in two fundamental ways. Unlike the lower-mind (with its emphasis upon the acquisition of knowledge), the solarized mind is the agent of wisdom. Though there are many definitions of wisdom, one that is particularly useful is this: Wisdom is knowledge, fused with love and enriched by experience. It should also be realized that the wisdom conveyed by the solarized mind is essentially earned. This is because the soul is a repository of all the lessons learned over countless incarnations. And, it is this that the soul is able to wield as it shapes wise thoughts within the human mind.
In addition, the subtle constitution of the solarized mind makes it receptive to regions of awareness that transcend normal human consciousness. In short, the solarized mind is that dimension of consciousness that can register transcendent truth via intuition. It synthesizes the mind and formless intuition into wise and uplifting insight.
It is true that the analytical tendencies of the lower-mind can, at times, be an obstacle to spiritual living. Yet, when we use a broad brush to dismiss the value of the mind as a whole, we unwittingly deny the mind of the soul (solarized mind) and the intuitive wisdom it conveys. In truth, the solarized mind is a treasured gift of immeasurable value. To live and express its loving wisdom is to be an agent of service in support of the soul and its intention.
