Clearing the Path
Clearing the Path
Spiritual process means different things to
different people. A lot of people think spiritual process means to always be
loving, always be grinning, to always walk gently. Others think spirituality is
some kind of a disability. Another common belief is that spirituality means
trying to be good. Some people think spirituality means doing something wild –
smoking pot, going crazy, being irresponsible. For others, being spiritual
means trying to be joyful, peaceful, or ecstatic. Being spiritual does not mean
any of that. Being spiritual means becoming in some way more of a spirit and
less of a body. What it means is losing one’s body consciousness while
enhancing one’s soul consciousness.
There may be certain obstacles that do not allow us
to experience this right now. We must know what our handicap is. It may be that
we are so good that we have no sense about life around us. Or we are so crazy
that we have no sense about life within and outside us. Or we are so controlled
that nothing ever happens with us.
Here is what we can do: close our eyes, look into ourself,
see what our idea of spirituality is, and what needs to happen for us to be a
little more spiritual, to be more sensitive to life within. Identify one main
obstacle that needs to be cleared to make us more of a spirit than a body.
Let’s look at a few common obstacles. If we feel
there is rigidity or friction in the body, we can work it out by doing our yoga
in the morning. This body is a machine that gets better with use. Rigidity and
friction in the body mean in a way, rigor mortis is slowly setting in. Yoga
does not allow that to settle into the system. When we are alive, we must be
fully alive. One aspect of being alive is we do not allow rigidity to settle
in. Our body, mind, and energies should be as fluid as possible. Only then will
we know life in a deeper way.
Others may have the intention to do their sadhana
but end up being too lazy. Not everyone has the same level of intensity, but
what must happen, must happen. Like Swamiji says – “Give me your half
hour every day, and I will give you a bright future”. So, all we have to do is
meditate every morning – preferably same place and time – so that our energy
gets established in that place, and observe the change that takes place within
us. That much commitment we must have. This is not about thinking or talking
spirituality. This is about practicing and living spirituality.
Physical ailments, a hyperactive mind and our past
karma also create perceived obstacles which we have to overcome with Guru’s
grace. With physical ailments we just have to work a little harder to achieve
the desire result. When we realise that our physical ailments are an obstacle
to spiritual progress, we end up doing our utmost to transcend the body.
With yoga and meditation, we end up calming the
mind to an extent that it only goes where we want it to go, else it remains
quiet – this gives us a great sense of peace, as the mind can otherwise create
quite a nuisance.
We have to face our past birth karma – after being
initiated the Guru absolves us of our current birth karma and gives us the
strength and fortitude to face our past birth karma. After we pass that stage,
we realise that whatever we do, we do with Guru’s grace and do not let our ego
intervene, and nothing bad happens through us because meditation has made our
aura strong and protective.
The most important thing in life is balance. If
there is no balance, our body and mind will work against us. A stable base
means a body and mind that take instructions from one’s self. We must be able
to create the right kind of chemistry within the system. This is essential for our
health and wellbeing. We need the skills to manage our own system. Yoga
and meditation help us do that.
Comments
Simply owesome.
You made the ward spirituality very simple and clear. Thanks