Indra's Net – Metaphor for the Cosmos Indra's Net is a Vedic metaphor of the cosmos,
Signifying the underlying interconnectedness and interdependency of all things.
Named after the Hindu god Indra,
It's a concept with roots in both Hindu and Buddhist philosophy.
So who is Indra?
Indra is the god of thunder and rain and is portrayed as the chief of the gods,
The leader of the devas or earth spirits,
And the ruler of swarga or heaven.
He's often depicted riding a white elephant and wielding a vajra or thunderbolt.
He's also said to be a fearsome warrior who battles the forces of chaos and evil.
Indra's net or web isn't actually an object belonging to Indra.
Rather,
It is a metaphor for his kingdom,
Which spreads from one end of the universe to the other.
One could think of it as the vastness of all space,
A star-studded netted blanket enfolding existence.
This great net is said to hold a pearl or a gemstone at each and every intersection or node.
Each pearl is like a mirror reflecting all the other jewels,
Creating an infinite and interconnected glistening web that conveys the idea that every individual element in the universe is connected by a highway of intelligence,
Similar to the way that fascia connects all parts of the human body.
The concept is employed to illustrate the true nature of reality,
One in which all of life is deeply and profoundly connected and interdependent.
It encourages an understanding of our world that transcends the illusion of separateness and emphasizes a holistic reality.
There is indeed an interdependency and interrelation of all things within the universe.
Nothing is truly separate or independent.
Each movement along Indra's net creates ripples of vibration that radiate outward to the opposite expanses of the net.
Just as an unfortunate insect might crawl into a spider's web,
Setting off a vibration that alerts the spider of a visitor,
The actions or changes that one makes in one part of the world can have a far-reaching effect on the whole.
Even though there are seemingly unique jewels at each joint,
Any separation remains illusory.
Each joint is merely a reflection of every other,
And just as what is reflected in a mirror has no independent reality of the mirror,
Neither does any point along Indra's web.
The cosmos is a hall of mirrors,
Revealing our interconnectedness despite our unique perspective from various points of assembly along one whole net.
This model of cosmic connection runs deep,
With repercussions in healing.
When we heal ourselves,
We heal others.
When we enter the healing process with courage and without expectation on whatever level of our being,
We may do so knowingly for ourselves,
But whether we know it or not,
We're entering a process that reverberates and ripples out to others,
Be they our loved ones or even complete strangers.
Make no mistake,
Embarking on your own healing journey can and will heal those around you.
We are all connected.
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