The Setbacks and Joys in the Pursuit of Religious and Spiritual Freedom
The Way It Was
As far as I can remember in the 1950s while growing up, we as children took part in the
family's traditions as a matter of routine. We went to temples and gatherings herded by
our parents. We met men and women that were considered holy by our elders. Later
books became sources of religious and spiritual knowledge. Thus adventures into a
wider world opened up. Often this world was unfamiliar to parents who remained within
their tradition. During the years of higher education and onto a professional life, the
expanse of this world took place with new faces, new concepts and even new rituals.
The Way It Is Today
Sampradaya-s or traditions based on a heritage- lineage are still maintained by many.
Those that have families have their young ones exposed to many an inherited tradition
out of a desire to give them a foundation. Motivation derived from fear and a reluctance
to give up cultural comforts do play a role here. Many a family attend church more for
social reasons rather than for deep spiritual needs. A sense of belonging to a community
that pray alike is valued here. When these children reach adulthood and move away
from home it is not surprising to see them take to very different paths. To compound to
this development, the two income family so common these days, have much of their
energies drained due to the demands made at work. This leaves very little time and
willingness to continue many a custom that they as children grew up with. Many have
moved away from their hometowns in order to pursue their careers. There is an
increasing number of families that move away from even their homeland and so find
themselves in a less comfortable cultural surrounding.
It is not an exaggeration when I state that both in the east and in the west amongst the
educated, there is an increased feeling of irrelevancy of old practices. With goods,
knowledge and jobs crisscrossing the world, no longer are roots being put down in a
single culturally homogenous area anymore. So customs and traditions are being
eroded. This vacuity has induced searches into other avenues of fulfillment especially
religious and spiritual disciplines that have become popular which at one time were
restricted to certain lands. A market place lined with stalls selling God, miracles, short
cuts, quick fixes seem to pop up everywhere thus bombarding spiritual needs. Curiosity
springing out of such needs and a sense of dissatisfaction with day to day life become the
prime motive for seekers to shop at many a stall.
The Setbacks
There are no real demerits incurred with this type of juggling however there are indeed
setbacks to one's progress. An integrated personal growth fails to occur. It is like a tree
being shifted from place to place at different times. It is never given a chance to develop
a strong root system, which if allowed to remain, would have facilitated a fuller and
healthier growth.
There is a plethora of imprints being received by the seeker, often contributing to much
confusion. Authors and teachers who are convinced of their patented hold on truth and
leaders of many spirit based movements are colored by wanting to be popular thereby
falling easy prey to fashion and ending up with inflated egos. Their need to have a
following overtakes their own personal transformation and spiritual evolution. It is not
surprising to see them share the same weaknesses that movie stars suffer when they are
away from the limelight. Many a vision quest to remote areas are undertaken not
realizing that it cannot displace gains, that accrue when quests are take, by developing a
witness mode to oneself no matter where we are. When we allow others and the media
to do our thinking then the capacity for viveka is untapped. This is a faculty that man
possesses, which facilitates personal sifting and refining of all inputs and imprints, prior
to making them one's one.
The Joys And Rewards
Motivated by a sheer love of the Divine, or by the sincere need to know the Ultimate
truth, or urged by feelings of wanting to live alifeconsistent to the Cosmic Order that is
built into creation, this pursuit of spiritual and religious freedom can indeed present a
cornucopia of joys and rewards. This occurs only when certain conditions are met and
practices are maintained with diligence.
Below are some tools.
1. Establishing a personal clear cut estimation of one's needs which will change at
different times of one's life. A student's need is not the same as the head of a household.
2. Remaining vigilant and selective without being judgemental, in what is selected for
our growth. Allowing the mind to stay clear and simply observe trends that come and go
from time to time.
3. Consistency in self observation of changes taking place within. Knowing when to stop
and when to move on and how to adjust.
4. Refraining from blind adherence to any one or any single teaching coming from
outside of oneself. Being your own person and thus never losing the objectivity of one's
precious mind which is a divine gift that is given to man.
The Outcome
These practices over a period of time end up in giving a deep seated relationship with
the universe and its inhabitants, all connected by the Thread-Divine. Experiences in life
will demonstrate in unexplainable ways, the increasing presence of the divine behind
many an event. An inner strength is drawn whereby many time tested values become the
coins for daily transactions in life and which provides the boat to sail safely through
periods of turbulence. No longer attached to labels, true freedom to connect with the
source becomes totally available to each and everyone.
Bangalore, India.
January 2014
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