There is a time for everything.
A lot of people who know me, read my blogs, roll their eyes, talk behind my back, think I'll go crazy in all these spiritual research. a few others are less condescending, either because they frankly don't care ( nothing wrong with that ) or they consider it none of their business. And a handful of them are supportive and know exactly what prompts me in my search in the spiritual realm.
Now considering the world is upside down (remember the post?), I am not surprised at the statistics where only a handful of all the people I know think i am on the right track early on.
Well this blog is NOT for people who think a spiritual quest is for whackos and a crazy exercise in it self, that is a different set of people I have addressed in the past posts.
So this blog post is for the larger set of people who might read this while rolling their eyes, who have called me crazy behind my back ( albeit with a genuine concern for me, heartfelt thank you for that ), saying, " there is a time for everything" or "you are too early to be on a spiritual quest" and a few other variations of the same feeling that prompts the eye roll on my part.
First question for all those who feel that way: What is your rationale behind deciding the "right age"?
Ever think about it?
Some say, oh I'll start this when I am 40, while some, think after they retire, while most others probably have no clue when that "right time" will come. I am willing to bet they have a image of a wrinkled human being in a spiritual quest.
So what is the right time for it? And why do you think I have begun my quest so "early" in life (Early according to the target audience of this post).
But I ask the rest of readers to ponder, what makes a science educated western kid, who grew up in America since the age of 17, go spiritual so early in life? Does he have a rationale reason? Are his parents supportive of this whacky quest at such an early age? If they are? Are they whacky them selves?
I'd like to present a case in simple words to help you because you've read this far:
I ain't crazy! I ain't a whacko! I live my life pretty much like most people do. But I do make an attempt to live and think in the lines of what traditionally has been taught to Indians.... just before these couple generations. Not too far long ago, most people in India got on to these quests as soon as I have. It is only this generation, that has gotten access to easy money and a good life without much hard work that thinks this quest is for the crazy.
Think.
I will complete this post after a week. I am sure a week should be good enough to think about this.
Just for the record, I am not asking anyone to start as "early" as I did. But at least accept that, your rationale for "there is a time for everything" isn't a rationale but crowd think. You've heard some people say that, and because its the easy path, you've taken up on that phrase for your self. That is the truth.
Updated Aug 10:
Hope you have given it enough thought.
What is the "right time" to delve deep into spirituality?
First question to think about: Do you know when you will die?
Are you assuming that you will live a full 100 years? Even if you do (God willing), how many more years of perfect health will you have? Both physical and mental?
Now you might ask, what does this have to do with spirituality?
There is a poem by Dhurjati in Telugu expounding to Lord Shiva on what he says is the "right time" for the people of the world "to come in to the fold of spirituality".
దంతంబుల్ పడనప్పుడే తనయునందు ఆరూద్ది ఉన్నప్పుడే కురుల్ వెల్వెల్ల కానప్పుడే కాన్తసంఘము రోయనప్పుడే చిన్తిన్పంవలె నీ పదాంభుజములన్ శ్రీకాళ హస్తీశ్వరా
dantambulpadha nappude thanayunandu aarooddhi unnapude kurull velvella kaanuppude kanthasanghamu royanappude chintinpanvale nee padambhujamulan sree kala hasteeswara.
The meaning of this poem goes this way:
Before my teeth fall off, while there is strength in my body, while my senses still function, while my body still has the ability to made with a women, o Lord Sree Kalahasteeswara, I hope to start worrying/thinking about you.
Why does he say that? Is he just a crazy mind washed devotee, who has nothing better to do with life? Or is there a very deep wisdom and understanding of the difficulty there is in the path of spirituality to "reach God" at the end of our lives?
To me there is a deep wisdom in this poem.
You see, as I said on the top, this post's target audience is people who at the very least, some where deep down have a willingness to "go spiritual" at some abstract point in time. That means, they have a sublime calling in their semi-sub conscious mind that an attempt at reaching/pleasing the almighty needs to be made. And it is the right thing after all.
If it is the right thing after all, lets see why it is important to start early at a stage in life when at least all of the above qualities remain mentioned by Dhurjati in you.
You see, the path of spirituality is not for the weak. It is not for the animals in us. It is for the human spark, the divine spark in us to come out alive and effulgent in all its glory. I am not sure what you think spirituality is. But based on what I have researched and now know, it is the biggest fight of your life.
It is a fight against your own mind and heart.
Control and win anything in the world, when you set out to control these two rascals, be prepared for a battle you have never expected.
Now here is my question, knowing you are going in to a battle, would you go when you are weak?
I don't know about you, I like to go in strong. A very strong opponent is always intoxicating to me. But a good fight when the prize is so spectacular that one cannot describe in any vernacular is all worth it. Is it an opinion? Sure, is it an opinion based on hundreds of testimonials of the great Rishis's and great men of India, who have NOTHING to gain in telling you this, you bet it is. Is it an opinion from the supremely faint glimpses I personally get deep in to my spiritual rhythm? Yes it is.
You see, the longer you live, the weaker, the more corrupted, the more disturbed, the more "heavy" your mind gets in this ocean called "samsara" or simply put, life with responsibilities. The mind is a magnificently malleable tool when you are young, no wonder, you ability to learn goes down as you age ( this by the way is science). The deeper and the longer you go without delving into spirituality, the more difficult and practically impossible does it become to mold your mind in to doing what you intend it to do; Think of the Almighty God incessantly; Think of the infinity that makes this universe run; Calm your thoughts to stand still to let the infinite spark in you to shine bright; To go from ignorance to jnana (knowledge); From the dark to the light. Call it what you want, name it what you want, at the end of the day your mind control is the tool that has to take you there.
Now do you have to believe a word I have to say on how spectacular the prize is. No. You don't. That is not how Sanatana Dharma ever functions. (Unless in the schools of thoughts based on the faith. You are lucky if you can get yourself in to a state of complete surrender through blind faith in Almighty God. Well if you had those qualities already, this blog post isn't for those lucky souls.)
Go ahead and try. Go ahead and start. Go ahead and read. Go ahead and listen. Your time in the human body is limited. Do not waste the opportunity that you have. You see, almost all species of animals in this world have hunger, thirst, pride, fear, anger, a sexual urge (we as humans have a few more like greed), but we human animals have two extra components, which if you do not use, are very much an animal. And those components are a highly evolved intelligence (which science will tell you) and a highly evolved consciousness (forget abt telling you if it is highly evolved, science can't put its finger on it to explain how and from where this seemingly obvious trait in animals comes from, or where it resides etc).
Your intelligence is for you to identify and utilize your highly evolved consciousness to go in to the spiritual realm, no other animal is capable of.
Do not waste your time. Life is short. Truly. Wasting your time on temporary pursuits is meaningless. Just remember the most obvious thing that most of us miss:
You never came in to this world bringing anything. You will not take anything that win in this world with you. Except for your Karma and your spiritual progress.
Think.
Updated Aug 13th 2013:
Ramakrishna Paramahansa summarizes every thing I said above very succinctly.
You still think I am too early?
Think.
Now considering the world is upside down (remember the post?), I am not surprised at the statistics where only a handful of all the people I know think i am on the right track early on.
Well this blog is NOT for people who think a spiritual quest is for whackos and a crazy exercise in it self, that is a different set of people I have addressed in the past posts.
So this blog post is for the larger set of people who might read this while rolling their eyes, who have called me crazy behind my back ( albeit with a genuine concern for me, heartfelt thank you for that ), saying, " there is a time for everything" or "you are too early to be on a spiritual quest" and a few other variations of the same feeling that prompts the eye roll on my part.
First question for all those who feel that way: What is your rationale behind deciding the "right age"?
Ever think about it?
Some say, oh I'll start this when I am 40, while some, think after they retire, while most others probably have no clue when that "right time" will come. I am willing to bet they have a image of a wrinkled human being in a spiritual quest.
So what is the right time for it? And why do you think I have begun my quest so "early" in life (Early according to the target audience of this post).
But I ask the rest of readers to ponder, what makes a science educated western kid, who grew up in America since the age of 17, go spiritual so early in life? Does he have a rationale reason? Are his parents supportive of this whacky quest at such an early age? If they are? Are they whacky them selves?
I'd like to present a case in simple words to help you because you've read this far:
I ain't crazy! I ain't a whacko! I live my life pretty much like most people do. But I do make an attempt to live and think in the lines of what traditionally has been taught to Indians.... just before these couple generations. Not too far long ago, most people in India got on to these quests as soon as I have. It is only this generation, that has gotten access to easy money and a good life without much hard work that thinks this quest is for the crazy.
Think.
I will complete this post after a week. I am sure a week should be good enough to think about this.
Just for the record, I am not asking anyone to start as "early" as I did. But at least accept that, your rationale for "there is a time for everything" isn't a rationale but crowd think. You've heard some people say that, and because its the easy path, you've taken up on that phrase for your self. That is the truth.
Updated Aug 10:
Hope you have given it enough thought.
What is the "right time" to delve deep into spirituality?
First question to think about: Do you know when you will die?
Are you assuming that you will live a full 100 years? Even if you do (God willing), how many more years of perfect health will you have? Both physical and mental?
Now you might ask, what does this have to do with spirituality?
There is a poem by Dhurjati in Telugu expounding to Lord Shiva on what he says is the "right time" for the people of the world "to come in to the fold of spirituality".
దంతంబుల్ పడనప్పుడే తనయునందు ఆరూద్ది ఉన్నప్పుడే కురుల్ వెల్వెల్ల కానప్పుడే కాన్తసంఘము రోయనప్పుడే చిన్తిన్పంవలె నీ పదాంభుజములన్ శ్రీకాళ హస్తీశ్వరా
dantambulpadha nappude thanayunandu aarooddhi unnapude kurull velvella kaanuppude kanthasanghamu royanappude chintinpanvale nee padambhujamulan sree kala hasteeswara.
The meaning of this poem goes this way:
Before my teeth fall off, while there is strength in my body, while my senses still function, while my body still has the ability to made with a women, o Lord Sree Kalahasteeswara, I hope to start worrying/thinking about you.
Why does he say that? Is he just a crazy mind washed devotee, who has nothing better to do with life? Or is there a very deep wisdom and understanding of the difficulty there is in the path of spirituality to "reach God" at the end of our lives?
To me there is a deep wisdom in this poem.
You see, as I said on the top, this post's target audience is people who at the very least, some where deep down have a willingness to "go spiritual" at some abstract point in time. That means, they have a sublime calling in their semi-sub conscious mind that an attempt at reaching/pleasing the almighty needs to be made. And it is the right thing after all.
If it is the right thing after all, lets see why it is important to start early at a stage in life when at least all of the above qualities remain mentioned by Dhurjati in you.
You see, the path of spirituality is not for the weak. It is not for the animals in us. It is for the human spark, the divine spark in us to come out alive and effulgent in all its glory. I am not sure what you think spirituality is. But based on what I have researched and now know, it is the biggest fight of your life.
It is a fight against your own mind and heart.
Control and win anything in the world, when you set out to control these two rascals, be prepared for a battle you have never expected.
Now here is my question, knowing you are going in to a battle, would you go when you are weak?
I don't know about you, I like to go in strong. A very strong opponent is always intoxicating to me. But a good fight when the prize is so spectacular that one cannot describe in any vernacular is all worth it. Is it an opinion? Sure, is it an opinion based on hundreds of testimonials of the great Rishis's and great men of India, who have NOTHING to gain in telling you this, you bet it is. Is it an opinion from the supremely faint glimpses I personally get deep in to my spiritual rhythm? Yes it is.
You see, the longer you live, the weaker, the more corrupted, the more disturbed, the more "heavy" your mind gets in this ocean called "samsara" or simply put, life with responsibilities. The mind is a magnificently malleable tool when you are young, no wonder, you ability to learn goes down as you age ( this by the way is science). The deeper and the longer you go without delving into spirituality, the more difficult and practically impossible does it become to mold your mind in to doing what you intend it to do; Think of the Almighty God incessantly; Think of the infinity that makes this universe run; Calm your thoughts to stand still to let the infinite spark in you to shine bright; To go from ignorance to jnana (knowledge); From the dark to the light. Call it what you want, name it what you want, at the end of the day your mind control is the tool that has to take you there.
Now do you have to believe a word I have to say on how spectacular the prize is. No. You don't. That is not how Sanatana Dharma ever functions. (Unless in the schools of thoughts based on the faith. You are lucky if you can get yourself in to a state of complete surrender through blind faith in Almighty God. Well if you had those qualities already, this blog post isn't for those lucky souls.)
Go ahead and try. Go ahead and start. Go ahead and read. Go ahead and listen. Your time in the human body is limited. Do not waste the opportunity that you have. You see, almost all species of animals in this world have hunger, thirst, pride, fear, anger, a sexual urge (we as humans have a few more like greed), but we human animals have two extra components, which if you do not use, are very much an animal. And those components are a highly evolved intelligence (which science will tell you) and a highly evolved consciousness (forget abt telling you if it is highly evolved, science can't put its finger on it to explain how and from where this seemingly obvious trait in animals comes from, or where it resides etc).
Your intelligence is for you to identify and utilize your highly evolved consciousness to go in to the spiritual realm, no other animal is capable of.
Do not waste your time. Life is short. Truly. Wasting your time on temporary pursuits is meaningless. Just remember the most obvious thing that most of us miss:
You never came in to this world bringing anything. You will not take anything that win in this world with you. Except for your Karma and your spiritual progress.
Think.
Updated Aug 13th 2013:
Ramakrishna Paramahansa summarizes every thing I said above very succinctly.
You still think I am too early?
Think.
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