“I am not a ‘seeker’ in the conventional sense, but I can certainly state that I am ‘on course’ and would like to share my belief which has crystallized through my experience in the spiritual journey so far.”
S ometime ago, I had gathered from Mitch Albom’s “Five People You Meet in Heaven” that all of us have been given our unique lives, which if lived to its own true purpose, will take us fastest way ‘Home’. One day more recently, life brought me to a spiritual retreat where it became clearer that each one of us have our lives, set of circumstances and people around us given, to enable us to learn certain essential lessons to progress in our journey of life. I got my ‘facts of life’ in order. It is ONE spiritual journey having as many paths as the travelers on it. All it requires is to authentically listen to one’s heart and walk one’s chosen path. Most often we digress from our individual paths and sort of get lost – mostly due to our misplaced beliefs - until someone or something (if we are fortunate) makes us realize our true path and provides the course correction. Otherwise, we lead our mundane lives, follow multitude rituals, and get entangled in plethora of beliefs and dogmas. We miss the central point that, we are not physical beings ‘trying’ to have a spiritual experience but spiritual beings ‘having’ a physical experience. So our essential nature is spiritual and all this ‘drama’ around our lives is just to enable us to uncover our own essential ‘selves’, and that is the Truth. So, if we are spiritual beings then what is spiritual living? According to me it is nothing but ‘authentic’ living. Yes, it is that simple to state, and as many people are beginning to realize, quite simple to understand and not very difficult to practice. How? Well, I shall endeavour to explain. If I am authentic – here I am talking about inner integrity – I would be true to myself. I will face my fears and address my feelings and worries head-on. Let’s say, I have an inferiority complex. If I am authentic and honest with myself, I will accept it as it is, not judge it as good or bad and try to hide it under a façade, nor try to dissolve it in alcohol or drugs. I will simply experience it… . If we do this then quite mystically we will find that what we have been perceiving as ‘bad’ or ‘weakness’, will give way to a positive trait. The guilt or complex that we have unconsciously harboured will be released. Authentic living means listening to one’s heart and not giving in to the games of the mind. Where most of us err is, we try to control the mind. That is like chasing a mirage. We may temporarily feel that by practicing few techniques we have been able to get mind under our control, but soon one would realize that it is impossible! Thus we can only observe and become aware of the goings-on of the mind. It is like watching the cars run to and fro on a busy road, from one’s balcony - no control over any car; just observing them come and go. Similarly we must observe one’s thoughts arising and subsiding in the playfield of the mind. This will lead to understanding ourselves, our fears and desires, correctly perceiving our ‘traits’ – without labeling them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. This is something that has helped me immensely in seeing life in its true perspective; infact, it has enlivened my life so much so that I am filled with gratitude and humility. The moment we clearly identify and accept ‘our-existing-selves’, we are ‘on-course’, the flowering of our heart has begun, our spiritual journey is underway. Because, earlier by not accepting our-existing-selves we were giving rise to inner conflict, we were at loggerheads with ourselves. Absence of inner conflict gives rise to true freedom; by accepting ourselves we begin to love ourselves. And that is the trick, the moment we begin to truly love ourselves, we feel genuinely good about ourselves. We are filled with love. Gradually that love overflows and we automatically start emitting joy and happiness, we experience compassion and ONEness with our surroundings. This is what spiritual living is all about. Otherwise, we can keep preaching or listening to spiritual discourses till the rest of our lives – not to hurt others, not to tell lies, not to be judgemental, to do good to others, etc. and never really achieve anything except perhaps a mere intellectual gratification of something that we consider rather esoteric; while in actuality it is such a beautiful and natural experience, if only we live authentically!