Omkar had asked me a question some weeks ago and I am really sorry for the delay in replying -
He'd asked me to suggest a book to read, and the best I can think of is
Walking in the footsteps of The Buddha, 'OLD PATH WHITE CLOUDS.
It's by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, the wonderful Vietnamese Buddhist monk who has written many other books too.
It is The Buddha's story interwoven with that of Swasti, a buffalo - boy, whose life changes when he comes in contact with Him and from whose eyes we see The Buddha's life and understand his teachings too.
Its very, very beautiful, serene and peaceful.
I refuse to finish it because I don't want to!
But now I think I will, and start over again, yes, that would be wonderful.
Now, a nice advice from someone with wanderlust!
I am just back from a bit of horse - riding and some enjoyable para - gliding!
It has been refreshing!
Once every few months, take off for some place.
Leave your old self behind when you step out of the door.
Be someone different.
Make friends with yourself.
When you do, you will discover you are meeting a new person every time!
Enjoy! Now let's take a look at today's topic!
What (on earth) is Spirituality?!
'Spirituality' is such an attractive word!
Everyone has their own pet theory about it!
It has tremendous magnetic pull.
It is also like a whirlpool which sucks you in, paints you in its own colour and convinces you that that's the most right one and the whole world is wrong!
It has the ability to make one rigid and narrow and religious (as opposed to spiritual) and sectarian without even being aware of it.
In my Yoga Instructor's Course, we had to write a report on a topic chosen by us out of the list given by the management.
I chose 'Yoga for Spiritual Development'.
The Centre has a small library which has a number of books on the Vedas, Gita, Puranas and so on.
There is Dr. Paul Brunton too!
I decided to collect material separately on Yoga and Spirituality and then see how it co - related.
That's when I found the most beautiful definition of Spirituality !
'In the Brihadaranyaka Upnishad, there is a remarkable discussion -
The great sage Yadnyavalkya, once went to the court of King Janaka.
The King put forth to him a series of questions about the light by which a man works and sees things.
The Rishi gave suitable answers.
He said, 'First, the Sun acted as light for man; when the Sun had set, the Moon; when the Moon had also set the Fire,and when the Fire was put out,the Sound. These successively acted as light for man.'
Finally the King asked:
"After the Sun and Moon have both set, the Fire has gone out and the Sound is hushed, O Rishi Yadnyavalkya, what serves as light for a a man?"
The Rishi replied," The Self indeed serves as his Light.'
Isn't this a beautiful and simple definition?
Spirituality is this internal Light which shines all the time even when all the others which are external, have been extinguished.
It is our individual Spirit which lights our way, tells us what is right and what is wrong even if we don't particularly want to listen to it.
It is what we are made of.
And what remains clearly and completely when our body has died and been cast aside.
We do not need to do anything different to be Spiritual.
Our own conscience will tell us what is right and wrong, what is Spiritual and what is not.
Our habit - patterns, likes and dislikes, anger and ego cover this bright, shining light.
All that is required is to remove these layers for it to shine and show us our individual way.
How do we access our Spirituality?
There is a right way and there is a wrong way and deep within, we know which is which.
Follow the right one even if it seems difficult at first.
Listen.
Go within.
Take one step at a time.
What is the hurry?
It is the journey, not the destination, how you learn and enjoy and evolve that is going to make you aware of your own Spirituality, not some certificate from outside.
And as I like to stress,
ENJOY!
