When we walk on any path in life, we are always anxious to know how fast we will progress and how quickly we will reach the goal. This applies to our studies, education, learning skills like typing or playing any musical instrument, playing a game like cricket or football, developing the physical body by exercises and skills in any other field of human effort. We even question the Guru or Spiritual Teacher on how quickly we progress on the spiritual path and how soon we realize God! It is easy to measure progress in some fields of work like progress in academic work or production of material and items in a factory and quite difficult to measure progress in other fields including spirituality.
In all fields of human effort, the personal desire to forge ahead and regular disciplined work are imperative. No progress is possible if we do not put in efforts on daily basis. Our minds should be focused on the subject from various angles to learn and master the knowledge and skills. This includes studies at school or college or learning to play the piano or foot ball or progress in self transformation. A child studies for 17 years from the age of four, in order to graduate in any specific field from a university. Each year, the amount of information ingested and tested increases and also there are increased number of subjects to study and master. Except for a few prodigies who graduate at the age of fourteen, the remaining population has to work its way through with regular sustained efforts and clearing periodic exams. The same approach also applies to progress in any path we take while walking towards God.
The vast majority of people in this world have a business relationship with Divinity. They pray and offer things to God in order to get some work done from Him. For success in graduating with good grades, getting a partner of choice, developing a good physique, running a marathon, building a home, buying a new car, running a business or political empire or attaining any other object of desire, we pray to God to achieve our goal in the shortest possible time. We even offer Him bribes of extra prayers, food and cash offerings or other bribes to the poor, needy or temple or church or place of worship. And Divinity too obliges so that we learn to pray and realize that satisfaction of material wants does not ultimately give contentment, happiness or peace of mind. Only when our material wants and desires are satisfied to a certain extent and we are still unhappy, we start searching for more and turn our faces to the Love of God. For many, attending a religious congregation is a matter of habit, cultural tradition or just a point of social contact and interaction. The emphasis is more on networking and relationships and less on inner change and love of God.
The journey of the soul back to its home is a long journey. The soul gathers various experiences and wisdom on its way back home. It experiments in various ways of living and fulfills all possible desires. It also suffers from pain and anxiety all the times along with other emotions like anger, vengefulness, need to control, attachment, being judgmental etc. Only through lessons of pain of separation and longing for peace, the soul is guided back to light.
Many of us do not follow any specific path or spiritual practice. We live our life with ethics and principles and dharma (righteousness) and move on doing our best in life. Progress is slow and steady in this way. Some of us follow the teachings given in sacred scriptures or guidance given by men of God in public lectures, published books and newsletters. We walk in this manner till the inner desire for God becomes intense and there is a driving need for quicker transformation in self and progress in path. Then the Guru appears and guides in the personal transformation and speedy progress.
Our progress depends on the intensity of desire we have, how regular we are in our practices and how sincere we are in following the teachings of the Guru. When the desire for love of God overwhelms us and is more important to us than breathing, we will attain the Light immediately. Till then we have to work on ourselves, slowly and steadily by SitaRam mantra, meditation and following the teachings of the Guru and increase the intensity of desire for God.
(contd in the next blog)
