The spiritual quest is an unusual one.
Some people find the Truth because of their religion and some despite it. Those who know will understand.
Those who think that their religion is the only one leading to the Divine, are likely to be very surprised at the end.
Fear is a great roadblock to progress. If you spend your life fearing the wrath of the Divine, it is one life wasted.
Love of the Divine is very beneficial but this love is effective only if reflected in compassion towards all regardless of their form, religion, station in life, or sex. Without this feeling, ‘love of the Divine’ is superficial and only serves to satisfy oneself. It does not reflect progress on the Path.
It appears easier to escape into the forest to find peace but living in the everyday world is essential before going there, just as junior classes are needed before doing your Masters.
Inner peace while living in the everyday world is an indicator of progress. If you do not see signs of this in your daily life, going away to a remote place will only take your body there.
Even away from the world, your mind will stay alive in the past and ‘what ifs’ and quickly revert to its monkey stage at the earliest opportunity. Don’t be misled by examples of Seers who prefer isolation and achieve enlightenment. They are at the end stages of their journey over many lives and their decision is one of convenience rather than necessity.
Each person’s spiritual experiences are unique. Do not expect the same that you found in someone else. Active expectation is not helpful in reaching the Truth.
Rituals can sometimes be helpful but many of these just delay you on the Path. They often keep you tied to a specific stage and prevent you from proceeding ahead, especially if further progress needs abandoning your long-practiced ritual in return for something new. This is a “commitment bias” that keeps you in one place.
Bhakti can be very useful in this journey but only if you understand what true Bhakti is. However, most people make their bhakti transactional. This is not helpful.
Some advanced rare ones become so completely immersed in their deity that their deity become a portal to the Truth. That is the beautiful and fulfilling end result of their Bhakti.
Spiritual enlightenment is not a sprint. It is a marathon over many lives, with a number of hurdles in every life. In races, hurdles are lightweight, adjustable frames, set at specific heights over which the runner has to jump. In life, these are often heavy and of varying heights and placed seemingly randomly.
A true Guru helps the seeker jump over these hurdles more easily and also points out the correct way to go on the many forks one comes across in life.
Truth is to be found in silence. The Divine is neither deaf nor far.
And finally, remember Yajnavalkya’s words to Maitreyi – whatever we do, we do for ourselves. You may think that you are doing something for a loved one, or even for God, but you are only doing it for yourself. Recognising this is a sign of progress.
Kishore Asthana
kishore.asthana@gmail.com
KA