The 12 Fundamental Abheda Virtues and Skills for Awakening, Inner Sovereignty, and Fulfillment in the Midlife

1

Integrity – Ārjava / Akhaṇḍatā

They are one and the same in conscience, thought, word and deed. I respect the truth even when it costs me.

“Brutal sincerity”; moral rigidity; cultivating an image of a man of integrity.

satya, authenticity, responsibility, loyalty, fairness, honor, consistency, moral courage

2

Spiritual Aspiration – Mumukṣutva / Śraddhā

Life has a higher direction and I consciously choose to strive for it.

Fleeting enthusiasm; credulity; fanaticism; idealism without practice.

hope, trust, perseverance, lucid idealism, orientation towards meaning, fidelity to the path

3

Nonviolence – Ahiṃsā

I avoid unnecessary suffering and act to protect life and lessen suffering.

Cowardice, passivity, inability to say “no”, avoidance of the necessary confrontation.

gentleness, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, protection, respect, kindness

4

Humility – Amānitva / Vinaya

I see myself lucidly, without overvaluing myself and without undervaluing myself; remain able to learn.

Self-devaluation, servility, theatrical humiliation, “I am nothing” said by a spiritual ego.

receptivity, gratitude, simplicity, learning capacity, respect, modesty

5

Discernment – Viveka

I distinguish the real from the apparent, the essential from the non-essential, the truth from the false, and the right action from the inappropriate.

Criticism, intellectualism, continuous suspicion, judging others.

lucidity, prudence, justice, clarity, common sense, practical wisdom

6

Spiritual Heroism – Vīrabhāva / Abhyāsa / Tapas / Dhṛti

They do what is necessary even when it is difficult; Continue until the transformation becomes real.

Aggressiveness, demonstrative heroism, obstinacy, egoic asceticism.

courage, tenacity, perseverance, willpower, active patience, initiative, resilience

7

Inner Mastery – Śama / Dama/Brachmacharya

The mind, senses, and impulses are my tools, not my masters.

Repression, rigidity, obsessive control, permanent struggle with oneself.

self-control, concentration, temperance, patience, emotional balance, stability

8

Detachment – Vairāgya

I can love, act, and participate intensely without becoming a prisoner of the object, outcome, or success.

Indifference, coldness, affective avoidance, abandonment of responsibilities.

inner freedom, simplicity, generosity, serenity, independence, balance in success and failure

9

Love and Giving – Prema / Bhakti / Karuṇā / Sevā

I go beyond the egoistic center and experience the good of the other and the whole as relevant to me.

Attachment, possessiveness, sentimentality, compulsive “saving” others, neurotic sacrifice.

compassion, generosity, devotion, friendship, forgiveness, solidarity, sap

10

Conscious Presence – Sādbhāva Mudrā

I’m here; I realize that I exist and I don’t completely get lost in the automatic flow of the mind and life.

Hypercontrol of attention, tension, simple mental concentration; refusal to plan under the pretext of the “present moment”.

attention, lucidity, spontaneity, calmness, obedience, capacity for contemplation

11

Self-Identification and Self-Stabilization– Pratyabhijñā; Self-Stabilization / Prajñā

The center of identity shifts from the egoic construct to the deep nature of consciousness.

“I am Śiva” only intellectually; spiritual inflation; spiritual bypassing.

inner freedom, prajñā, fearlessness, spiritual equality, profound autonomy

12

The Integration of the Transcendent and the Immanent – Ādi Mudrā, in Abheda Terminology

I remain anchored in the deep nature of consciousness as I love, create, work, lead, and act in the world.

“Everything is spiritual, so whatever I do is fine”; or, conversely, fleeing from the world in order to preserve a supposed spiritual purity.

Dharma Lived, Karma Yoga, Creativity, Wise Leadership, Efficiency Without Alienation, Spirituality in the Midlife