~Remembering My Name~

Somewhere during the last 6 months, during the long retreat and the last round of plant-spirit medicine, I decided to fully take on the spiritual name I was given 2 years ago. I want to be clear on the reasons behind this.

To change my name, to leave behind my birth name, my given name, may bring up the thought that something was wrong with Justin Sarno, with this personality, this identity, this history. I don't want to give this impression.

Taking the 'spiritual' name occurred after a series of experiences. Put simply, I began to see that I was fundamentally something other than Justin Sarno. I write about this 'something', this consciousness, this pure knowing, this mystery, and through a few simple yet illuminating experiences, I saw that I simply was not Justin.

Now here's the interesting thing. Justin is still around. This body-mind-personality, born to Albert and Joan, with a history, with memory, with preferences and beliefs...the whole thing, this is appropriately called Justin Sarno. Justin moves through his life, day to day, touching his world, being touched by it, changed by it, moment to moment. And the one light watches.

This is Eka Joti, the one light. In no way am I the one light. We are each and all eka joti...this name, in one way, is a tool to help me remember what this whole reality is at the core. Just one mysterious, fathomless, all-encompassing light of being, consciousness, bliss. Satchitananda Ekajoti...

So I give great gratitude to Justin, to the life given to him. All of it, each pain and pleasure and confusion and clarity, all of it, through grace and design far beyond my understanding, brought me to a direct experience of Self, of Emptiness, of the One Light. Love to you, Eka