How can someone liberate themselves from their body? Is that not the same thing as death? He tried to explain to me that although both liberation and death involve the deterioration of the physical body, liberation allows the soul to escape from the cycle of reincarnation, a Hindu concept that posits that after creatures die they are reborn as different creatures. I tried to understand but this concept of "liberation" seemed to run counter to the most fundamental Law of Conservation of Energy, which explains that energy is constantly recycled in different forms throughout the universe. How can one possibly escape out of a system in which matter is neither created nor destroyed? Furthermore, the idea that my friend might not be around anymore in a couple of decades due to these efforts at liberation deeply saddened me.
As I approach the end of my stay in India, I am still just as confused as ever about the inner workings of astrology and about concepts like "liberation" and "enlightenment." While discussing these ideas with my friend, he said something along the lines of, "Your entire life might be an illusion. Don't you want to find out more? This is why I am seeking liberation and enlightmenment in the Himalayas." The idea that my whole life might be an illusion unsettles me to the core. And yet, for reasons that I cannot explain, I do not feel that the solution to this issue is for me to pack up my bags and move to the Himalayas. (Imagine what a phone call to my parents that would make!) On the other hand, if seeking liberation in the mountains gives my friend a sense of deeper meaning and purpose, I want to feel happy for him and encourage him along his journey. I am not at this stage of acceptance yet, but I am trying.
