How To Recognize The Truth - Part 2 E-mail
If you aspire to be a genuine seeker of Truth, you may find the contents of this article of some value.  The Laws of Nature do not spare anyone. Nature tracks its own course. It does not discriminate among people, cultures, religions, strengths or weaknesses. These Laws have prevailed in the past and there is no reason to believe that they will not continue to do so in the future. In fact, Spirituality is very similar to the elements of the nature. Over many millenniums, its understanding has been explored and expanded by numerous Saints.

 

  1. Ignorance is not a virtue. Anyone who wants to walk on the thin ice of Spirituality has to be vigilant and discriminate between what is good for him and or what is not.
  2. Any teacher not committed to transforming you into a Saint is not worth following. Part your ways now before it is too late.
  3. Any practice that dictates your total surrender without adequate reasoning is nothing but blind faith. Any Real Saint will testify that blind faith is hazardous to your Spiritual well being. It should be avoided at all cost. If someone demanding blind faith can't breathe for you, how can he guarantee your spiritual progress? It has to be endeavored by you and you alone. Real Saints (like Mirabai, Ramakrishna, Buddha, etc.) can only guide us through their lives. If in doubt, follow the illustration of Arjuna. He learned from experiences and not beliefs. He did not attach to Krishna blindly. All he did was commit his undivided attention with an open mind to the words of wisdom. He developed his own convictions about right and wrong. Krishna was only a guiding light to let him rediscover his true identity. And that's the way it is supposed to be!
  4. Beginners in Spirituality often use icons for concentration. It could either be a cross, a statue, a picture, a sacred hymn, a place of worship or even a scripture. They solidify their faith and help them from drifting away to distractions. But they are tools and nothing else. They cannot provide the joys of Spirituality. Ultimately, all serious students will face reality: they will have to drop off these toys in order to greet their real "MOTHER." The concept of God and various icons vanish the same way a tree sheds flowers before a fruit starts developing. Love is that nectar harbored in the fruit of Spirituality.
  5. No one in this world is eternally evil. Anyone who is evil at one moment, has the potential to turn Godly. History is full of examples where the wretched and condemned transformed to Sainthood. Consider yourself inferior to even the mean and wicked and turn around. Everyone else will emerge superior to you. You will notice their good points. Immediately stop putting others down. Just start elevating yourself up.
  6. It is a common practice in many societies and cultures to treat women as packaged goods. They are expected to please only men. They never get the opportunity for Self-Realization. That practice is very degrading and shameful. Spirituality is a personal matter. No one can qualify or disqualify others for it.
  7. Spirituality means sublimation of worldly desires. It's not easy, but with constant encouragement and God's grace one can make significant strides in this direction.
  8. In Real Spirituality, no particular person, practice or phenomenon has ultimate importance. They are all transients. They would play an important role at a certain time and place but eventually they phase out. Only Real Knowledge continues to prevail for time immemorial. So, anyone permitting a celebration of his birthday or allowing the building of a memorial based on his earthly identity has never understood the principles of Truth or he has suffered a nasty fall. He is not capable of providing any leadership to others. Beware of such con artists. Dump them right away. Some gurus even cling to a tradition of accepting gifts only on the auspicious day of "Guru Purnima" (i.e. Teacher's Day). This is nothing but a brilliant maneuver to put a spell on naive followers.
  9. Rituals performed lavishly with a total disregard to the unfortunates help no one. If you have a burning desire to do something -- and that's a good omen -- imitate the rituals of Mother Theresa of Spain or Florence Nightingale. Any feast or celebration where everyone under the sun cannot participate is definitely not True Love. Be inspired by Mahatma Gandhi who abandoned all but the bare necessities to sustain life. He surrendered to the services of poor and untouchables. He is the shining star.
  10. Lots of money and resources are wasted to build monuments of worship like churches, temples, mosques, synagogues, ashrams, etc. In the long run, they promote only a sheep-flock mentality. Building such monuments or supporting their day to day functions does not liberate even a single soul. In fact, such activities push the clock backwards by suppressing your free thinking. Instead, spare your resources and energies to build strong characters on a global scale. Underline the basic instincts of purity and nobility. Encourage reduction of worldly desires. Mingle with each creature with Divine Love.
  11. Frequently, we hear tales of magic powers attained through some sadhana. Keep away from such propaganda. Do not even try to analyze them scientifically. Chances are you will be mesmerized if unable to understand the phenomena. This is especially true for so-called intellectuals and scientists. Just turn around and look at the universe. There are zillions of phenomena casting a spell on us. Observe a cow consuming green foliage and churning it into a potion of nutrients, i.e. milk. Look at a mother nourishing a fetus for nine months and giving birth to a fully developed baby with its own life-support and life-sustaining systems. Aim high at the celestial objects and wonder how they hang there without any support. The list goes on. It is beyond our comprehension as to why and how these phenomena occur or sustain. Now, that's a real magic. It reminds us of our humility and the vastness of the Supreme. The revelation only reinforces the conviction that God is Undefinable and Unexplainable. He is the greatest Magician of all.
  12. Many organized religions have a hidden agenda to keep the followers from acquiring True Knowledge. It is in their interest to milk the unsuspecting masses. They wield a definite command on millions of people. True Spirituality cannot even imagine holding anything from anyone. Just like air or water, it occurs in abundance and feeds to all without any discrimination.
  13. Anyone who quietly associates with the poor and unfortunates is a true saint. Anyone connecting with only the rich and famous is a sham. Keep a healthy distance from him.
  14. Tamas and Rajas are two major roadblocks in the pursuit of Happiness. We must override them. Satva is preferred over the other two, but it needs to be handled gently. While Tamas and Rajas are gross and easily identifiable, Satva is subtle and can often fool you with an illusion of happiness. After all, it also occurs within the realm of ignorance or maya.
  15. Occasionally, you come across some contradictions in the teachings of dharma gurus. Frequently, there is a discrepancy in their behavior and their words of wisdom. Talk is cheap and practice speaks for itself. Some thugs will try to outsmart you with clever the juggling of words and mumbo jumbo of spiritual quotations. Keep alert and learn to distinguish between the real and phony. Your own inner conscience is your best bet.
--Swami Radhanandaji
Last Updated ( Saturday, 28 April 2007 )
 
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“First of all, a void is to be created in the heart of every aspirant, and once this is done he can fill this void with the Divine.” – Swami Yatiswaranandaji

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