Unlock Timeless Wisdom with ‘The Chopra Well’: Embracing Sat Chit Ananda and Satyam Shivam Sundram to Overcome Life’s Anxieties

Understanding Our Absolute Identity with Deepak Chopra

In our quest for balance and fulfillment, understanding our absolute identity can provide a profound sense of peace and clarity. Dr. Deepak Chopra, through his contemplative teachings, offers us a path to explore this understanding by delving into two profound Sanskrit phrases: “Sat Chit Ananda” and “Satyam Shivam Sundram.” Though these phrases may seem complex, their essence is crucial for a deeper understanding of who we truly are.

Sat Chit Ananda translates to timeless existence (Sat), timeless awareness (Chit), and timeless bliss or joy (Ananda). Similarly, Satyam Shivam Sundram translates to timeless existence (Satyam), timeless awareness (Shivam), and timeless beauty and love (Sundram). Both phrases ultimately point to the same intrinsic truths—our absolute essence beyond the transient identities we assume throughout our lives.

Understanding these concepts is instrumental because it shifts our self-perception away from the constantly changing roles and identities, such as our names, professions, or social statuses, to our core, unchanging self—our absolute identity. This core self is often referred to as the “Atman,” which is one with “Brahman,” the universal consciousness.

In this understanding, we come to recognize that what we often view as our individual soul, or “Jiva,” with its memories, desires, and karma, is merely a temporary manifestation in the grand orchestra of existence. These individual experiences and processes are like waves on the surface of the ocean—evanescent and ever-changing. By identifying solely with these transient processes, we are prone to anxiety, fear—the fear of aging, infirmity, and particularly the fear of death, which underpins many religious tenets and practices aimed at providing comfort.

The process of life, in its numerous forms and expressions, is a projection of the absolute self into the relative world. Our provisional identities, entangled with the instruments of perception and experience, are projections within this ever-changing reality. Recognizing this projection helps us to not overly attach to these relative identities, thereby alleviating the inherent fear and anxiety associated with them.

By anchoring ourselves in the timeless states of Sat Chit Ananda or Satyam Shivam Sundram, we transcend these fears and engage with life from a place of profound joy and love. The shift in identity to our unchanging, absolute nature allows us to navigate life with a sense of eternal belonging and peace, irrespective of the transient circumstances we encounter.

The teachings further elucidate that the fundamental causes of human suffering stem from not knowing our absolute self, clinging to the ego or provisional identity, grasping at or recoiling from life’s elusive processes, and the fear of death. By anchoring in our true nature, which is timeless and undifferentiated, we can alleviate these sufferings and live with deeper wisdom and tranquility.

This understanding aligns us with other insightful expressions in spiritual traditions, such as “Tat Tvam Asi” (You are that), “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Brahman), and “Shiva Shakti” (the union of consciousness and energy). These affirmations remind us of our intrinsic oneness with the universal consciousness.

To explore these profound insights deeper, one can immerse in the teachings of Dr. Chopra, which provide a gateway to recognizing and experiencing our absolute identity. Embracing this understanding can significantly transform our approach to life, easing suffering and elevating our sense of inner peace.

For a more personal and in-depth exploration, be sure to watch the enlightening discussions shared by Dr. Chopra on his channel, ‘The Chopra Well.’