Progress not Perfection...

Winston Churchill once made an interesting statement. “Success” he said, “is the ability to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm.” Success may not lie in being perfect, but in determinedly endeavoring to move closer towards perfection. Thomas Edison was reputed to have never become discouraged in his attempts to invent the light bulb. Rather, he deemed every one of his failed attempts as a success – “Now I have discovered one more way that doesn’t work”.

It’s rare that we wake up one day and suddenly reach the perfection we always desired. More realistically, it will take a lifetime of struggle and incremental improvement. That journey, however, is joyful all the way when we learn to celebrate progress not perfection. Even in positions of leadership, we have to keep in mind peoples best efforts to improve and view their performance in that context. Where there is progress, perfection is only a matter of time.

In our spiritual endeavors there is also no shortage of failure. After analyzing our hearts and spiritual character many of us can safely conclude that we are definitely ‘works in progress.’ We hear accounts of spiritual practitioners who were completely selfless and pure in heart. Every one of their actions seems so perfect yet so natural at the same time. How do we relate to such perfect examples? Maybe a good measure is to compare with ourselves rather than comparing with others. Where was I one year ago and where am I now? Drawing inspiration and encouragement from the good example of others is essential, but we also have to understand that we are on our own spiritual journeys, experiencing our own individual difficulties and dealing with our own special obstacles. I am trying to focus on how to progress on that journey, more than lamenting about how short I fall from perfection.

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The secret is out

The true glory of any civilization and culture lies not only in the majestic set up, elegant accomplishments and refined customs but indeed in the form of deep wisdom which it offers the world. The ancient teachings of the Vedas remained unknown to the mass of people for centuries. Contemporary teachers, however, began racking their brains as to how the whole world could benefit from these timeless words of wisdom. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada made this his life meditation.

One of his most amazing achievements was to translate and publish these scriptures in hundreds of different languages. Ancient classics like Bhagavad-gita have illuminated, inspired and changed peoples lives all over the world. They truly penetrate the heart and present fresh perspectives towards life.

'Veda: Secrets from the East' is the latest publication by the Bhativedanta Book Trust. It is an anthology of conversations, articles and transcribed lectures which show the amazing relevance of ancient wisdom in modern times. Pick up a copy by emailing me, alternatively hang around your local town centre over the next month and you may well bump into a traveling monk distributing them! I'm off in 15 minutes for a one-month tour of the country. My travel plan: Norwich, Ipswich, Bury, Cambridge, Leicester, Nottingham, Northapmton, Derby, Loughborough and many more... (blog may be a bit quiet :)

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An amazing sacrifice...

Think of anyone who achieved anything wonderful in this world – they invariably made a significant sacrifice. Fame, power, wealth and followers are often the goals of people who seek to achieve something great in this world. To establish genuine spirituality which withstands the tests of time within a materialistic society requires sacrifice which is motivated by something completely different. In his final days, Srila Prabhupada revealed the secret – “I have no other motive, I am only planning how people can become happy.”

This week, we had the great fortune of hearing the stories, reflections and profound insights of four of the original six devotees who established the Hare Krishna movement in London some 40 years ago. As they spoke, one could sense a deep gratitude for their beloved spiritual teacher, Srila Prabhupada. Having spent barely a year with him, feeling great inspiration, love and gratitude in their hearts, they traveled to London in 1969 with practically nothing – young spiritual searchers coming to the one of the most important cities in the world to spread the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.

As their deep gratitude for Srila Prabhupada fueled their selfless sacrifice and service to humanity, I feel that this week of inspiration has deepened my gratitude towards them, which will hopefully translate into an increased commitment and sacrifice on my part. Hearing about the amazing dedication of these rare souls has definitely prompted me to do some soul-searching in terms of what humble contribution I can make in this life. This is ultimately how a spiritual movement is developing and growing. Where there is gratitude there is selfless sacrifice, and where this genuine sacrifice manifests, it become an object of gratitude for the future generations which fuels their selfless sacrifice. Gratitude and sacrifice...

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Sage of the Steady Mind

Remember sitting your GCSE exams? The anxiety and worry was probably quite uncomfortable. Of course, if you look back now, you realize it wasn’t as life-determining as you probably thought. I remember losing in a county badminton final when I was 13 – I couldn’t bear to show my face for weeks. Worries and anxieties arise because we take things out of perspective. As we grow up, our understanding of life and the world expands. As our understanding expands, we are able to react to everyday occurrences in a much more appropriate manner – being able to see them in perspective of wider reality.

However, it’s not just about growing up in terms of years, but also about growing up spiritually. The Bhagavad-gita talks of a concept known as sastra-caksus – ‘seeing the world through the eyes of scripture.’ As we refer to the ancient wisdom and insights of the scriptures, we find that our understanding of reality expands even further, beyond the limitations of space and time as we know it. One becomes aware of the greater reality beyond this world. When the spiritualist is thus aware of the ‘bigger picture’ there is an amazing immunity to all types of worry and anxiety.

Krishna explains this in the Bhagavad-gita: “One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst all miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger is called a sage of the steady mind.” Interestingly, when it comes to other people’s worries, troubles and anxieties, it’s not that a spiritualist sees them as trivial and unimportant. Rather, he tries to equip those people to see life in a broader way, helping them to put things in perspective for themselves.

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If everything is matter... nothing really matters!

Whilst studying at university some years ago, I had an interesting exchange with a member of the ‘Stop the War’ coalition. After informing me in-depth of all the atrocities and daily fatalities in the Middle East, I questioned him about the after-life. “What do you think happens after death?” He was taken aback by the question. After all, how many times does someone ask you that? After an extended pause for thought he replied that man was simply a complex biological machine that decomposed back into the earth after death.

If there is nothing but physical machines and biological matter then who is to say what is right or wrong? Even more worrying, who would really care to follow what was right or wrong? If everything is matter, then nothing (in the ultimate sense) really matters! I doubt whether such mechanistic worldviews help to solve the world's problems. Needless to say, all of this conflicts with our natural feelings and intuitions in life. There are morals, there are good acts to perform, and conscious beings are definitely more than just chemicals. Thus, discussions about a moral framework within which human beings interact, must necessarily take account of metaphysical realities – the spiritual dimension of life.

For something to be good, it means the consequences must be good. And to know all the consequences, one must have basic knowledge of the identity and purpose of living beings. Wisdom traditions across the world from East to West, explain fundamental aspects about the individual, God, and the universe around us. Without reference to such higher dimensional truths, moral relativism will reign supreme, and peace, harmony and genuine respect in society will remain elusive.

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Divine Conversations

I am in Leicester this week. The town centre is definitely a hub of religious activity. I walk past a Muslim group setting up a book table with a bold banner declaring "Islam is the only acceptable path to God". The smartly dressed pair of Mormon preachers walk past me offering a smile - their approach seems a little less direct. A few middle-aged Christian ladies stand by the clock tower singing the glories of Jesus accompanied by tambourines and bells. As I drive back to our temple, I see streams of Sikhs flowing into the gurudwara, and finally come across the Muslim faithful bowing in surrender to their Lord. I pause to watch them pray... prayer is an interesting phenomenon.

One person I recently spoke to just couldn't understand the concept of petitonary prayer - coming before God and asking for something. As God is omniscient, every decision that He makes He makes in light of all of the facts; there cannot arise any new information that God failed to take into account that might cause Him to revise His decision. God, then, should never change His mind. So what’s the point of praying? Requests for divine intervention seem to be futile; whatever God is going to do He will do, whatever He is not He will not.

It’s important to avoid reducing God to an omniscient bureaucrat who simply does business with souls according to His assessment of their desires. There is personality and feeling in these divine conversations, and prayer plays a significant part in awakening the emotions of both the divine and the subject. Recently, I have been reflecting how prayer is also a lot to do with ourselves. As I write down thoughts on this blog it helps me make sense of life. Similarly, contemplative prayers help us to organize the jumbled-up mind which often plays host to a multitude of competing emotions, desires and goals in life. Prayer reminds us what it is that we really want – something that may get lost and forgotten in the madness of life. Thus, prayer may well be seen as the steering wheel for life, not just the spare tyre we call upon in an emergency.

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It Could be You

“I know I’m a sinner, but make me a winner!” I guess most people have had a little gamble on the national lottery. In the US, legal gambling totals more than 25 billion dollars a year. If you include undocumented wagers it could double or even triple that. Practitioners in our tradition are encouraged to follow certain restrictions which aid their spiritual development. One such recommendation is to refrain from gambling. Many people I meet are often confused by that. Why is it so bad? Surely, a little flutter here and there can’t be harmful? After all, you have to be in it to win it.

We all know the famous saying; money is the root of all evil. There are now over 1 million compulsive gamblers in the US. For some, when it comes to gambling, enough is never enough, and the risk of greed and insatiable desires is uncomfortably high. When money is at stake, perfectly respectable citizens seem to have a spell cast over them. In Las Vegas, the nurses at one local hospital began to bet on how long critically ill patients would live for. Some became so anxious about the bets, that they actually switched off life support machines. One nurse in particular, who styled herself, 'the angel of Death,' allegedly turned off equipment on at least six critically ill patients. Since the advent of gambling, per capital crime in the Atlantic City area has tripled. Unfortunately, the ill effects of gambling on society and the individual are well-documented.

There is also a deeper reason why spiritualists avoid gambling. When one gambles, a certain mentality is cultivated – the mentality of minimum work, maximum gain. A more responsible citizen understands the principle of duty – equal work, equal gain. However, the mentality of the spiritualist is in another dimension completely. They are cultivating the mentality of maximum service, with no desire for any personal gain or reward. Why? Because to selflessly serve is the most rewarding and satisfying experience in life.

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Bring out the Best

A prominent disciple of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (founder of the modern day Hare Krishna movement) was once asked what the most amazing quality in his spiritual master was. “One thing stood above everything else” he quickly replied. “Prabhupada was able to go beyond all the problems, difficulties and issues that someone had in their life, and would find a spark of spiritual enthusiasm and sincerity”. As he continued you could sense a deep feeling of gratitude “But that’s not all. He would then take that spark, fan it, and make it into a huge fire that consumed all the negative things in that persons character”. When I heard that, it summed up spiritual leadership for me.

I once heard a leadership guru who exclaimed “catch your people doing something good – catch them doing something right!” It’s easy to point out mistakes, inadequacies and deficiencies in people – there are plenty of them (and we probably have quite a few ourselves). But how often do we see the good, and consciously vocalize and appreciate that? I was reflecting how to criticize and point out mistakes is so easy. It’s so natural that we don’t even have to think about it. However, when it comes to appreciation we have to rack our brains, plan exactly what we will say, and then muster up enough courage to glorify that person!

This doesn’t mean a spiritual leader lives with his head in the clouds, turning a blind eye to all the problems that need to be addressed. Rather, it’s about building relationships with people and putting things in perspective by developing a wholesome understanding of their character. The Bhagavad-gita explains how every soul is invested with certain unique qualities – as we bring out these qualities in others, we will see the qualities within ourselves also manifest. Bring out the best in others, and Krishna brings out the best in you.

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IQ, EQ, SQ

IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tests are famous for assessing our logical, mathematical and linguistic skills. We all wish we were in that top bracket of Mensa elite who have an IQ in excess of 140 – unfortunately only 0.5% of the population make it! One who has developed intelligence has a great capacity to receive information, process it and analyse it. They are able to think in an abstract way, and also learn significant lessons from experience. However, research has shown that intelligence is not sufficient. The most intelligent people are not always the most successful and happy people in the world. Interestingly, they aren’t necessarily the people that change the world either (although some of them have).

Psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly talking about the need for Emotional Quotient (EQ). According to them, EQ is a basic requirement for successful utilization of IQ. Those with high EQ’s are able to effectively handle their own emotions, and simultaneously interact and relate with others successfully. Animals and humans have a tendency to act irrationally when certain emotions arise in their consciousness. In times of stress, anger and anxiety, intelligence is difficult to access. Thus, EQ deals with the human side of life and how we effectively function in the environments surrounding us.

To some extent computers have the power of IQ. One could argue that animals have the power of IQ and EQ. So what sets humans apart? This is where the notion of SQ comes in – Spiritual Quotient. IQ and EQ help us in our present situations, but SQ is all about transformation. The spiritualist has the power to question on a deeper level – who am I, what are my needs, what goals should I be pursuing, and what will really make me happy. They may seem like simple questions, but if we analyse ourselves, how many times are we busily engaged in pursuing things without really questioning whether they are necessary, fulfilling and really adding value? Our lives are often centered around asking the question ‘how’, but SQ is all about asking the question ‘why’.

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Design Your Destiny

Recently I was observing commuters on the London Underground all reading the daily tabloid. I noticed several people eagerly flick to the horoscopes to discover their fortunes for the week. The idea that there are higher forces governing our fate in this world is definitely a captivating one. In reality what is actually affecting us? Is it the stars and the planetary movements? Maybe the cosmic ‘gods’ are crafting the roller-coaster journey through life? Could it ultimately be the will of a Supreme Person? More importantly, what power do we have to design our own destiny?

Imagine a scale which had ‘complete free will’ on one side and ‘complete fate’ on the other. Neither would seem reasonable explanations according to our daily observations. Despite our best efforts, things don’t always work out as we would like. Leaving aside the results of our activities, even if we analyze our power to decide how we act, we seem to have limited free will. How many times have you been impelled to do something you really didn’t want to do? On the other hand, we can’t say everything is predetermined. Clearly we’re not simply robotic entities playing the cog in a universal machine that moves according to its own design. Our desires and actions seem to mould our future. Social scientists and psychologists have conducted various studies addressing this.

According to Bhagavad-gita, life is an interplay of fate (karma) and free will. Karmic reactions are prompted by our previous activities, evaluated under the supervision of the Supreme Person, and predicted in our life by astrological charts. According to our karmic bank balance, we are faced with certain situations in the present. Astrological movements are not deciding our fortune, but rather giving a report of how our karma will be dispensed. Of course, within every situation we have free will to decide our future situations since karma is simply creating the context within which we exercise our free will in this life. Thus, in the ultimate sense, we all have the power to design our own destiny.

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90-10 rule

Tom Hanks’ famous line in ‘Forest Gump’ is quite accurate. “Life is like a box of chocolates” he said, “you never know what you’re gonna get!” Regardless of what life situations arise, however, the introspective spiritualist knows how to use them to make favorable and progressive steps in the spiritual journey. Martial techniques explain how to channel the force of the person attacking to you to gain advantage. Modern psychologists call it the 90-10 secret – 10% of life is made up by what happens to you, but 90% of life is decided by how you react. The ancient wisdom of India also gives some deep insight:

- In success, develop gratitude for those around us that made it possible
- In failure, see it as a stepping stone to better things and never lose hope
- In appreciation, develop an appreciation for those who offer kind words
- In criticism, find something constructive and relevant that you can work on
- In friendship, increase the mood of selfless service and never take others for granted
- In conflict, fight the ego and try to see from the perspective of the other

These all may seem like quite utopian reactions. It all makes sense on paper, but in the heat of the situation, things look quite different – other responses seem far more natural. However, to cultivate such disposition, means to nudge out all negativity from our consciousness. After all, negativity is like burning coal – as we hold it, ready to throw at someone else, we ourselves are burnt in the meantime.

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Patience... bitter sweet...

I shaved my head the other day. It’s impossible to perceive the hair growing on a moment-to-moment basis, though the growth is clearly noticeable after a few weeks. While cruising above the clouds in an aeroplane it’s difficult to appreciate just how fast you are traveling. A few hours later, as you end up on the other side of the world, things become more apparent. A tiny stream in the mountain ranges can drop away at a solid rock and it seems insignificant. However, if you return there after 100 years you may be surprised to find a huge dent.

The aspiring spiritualist must recognize the absolute necessity of patience in their practice. There may sometimes be doubts over whether any transformation is occurring, whether there is really any change of heart, but determined practice over years will surely bear fruit. According to the Bhagavad-gita, souls have passed through many chapters of existence, repeatedly seeking happiness in the wrong places and cultivating perverted worldviews. Our misdirected desires and deep-rooted conditionings will naturally take time to transform. They are like warm soft beds in the winter – easy to get into, very difficult to get out of!

The Roman writer Phadreus once remarked “patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet”. There are times when we may feel far from spiritual, but to patiently continue, knowing that spirituality is not just a momentary emotion but rather a lifetime's mission, is the advice of great teachers. The spiritual path is full of inspiration, insight and amazing fulfillment – but this is only available to those who are willing to also embrace the not-so-glamorous need for patience.

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Artificial Intelligence

Every living being, human or animal, performs basic bodily activities. They all eat, sleep, mate and engage in protecting their life situation. Of course, the intelligence of man has allowed our civilized society to pursue these four fundamental activities in a more refined manner. Animals eat and sleep quite modestly, whereas man has created luxurious facilities to relish such activities. Animals may engage in the sexual act in an unmannerly way, whereas humans have developed innumerable social subtleties which surround their union. Animals may use their claws and teeth to defend their homes, whereas man has created weapons of destruction and innovations like insurance policies.

However, we can’t ignore the problems. In today’s world, people have to take drugs to cure insomnia and sleeping troubles. Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are widespread, sexually transmitted diseases and promiscuity-related social problems are well documented, and threats of terrorism, political instability and natural disaster thwart our sense of security. For all the intelligence we have applied to making life more pleasurable through these basic activities, it actually looks like we have created more problems and complexity!

Desires to derive pleasure from artificial sources create artificial problems. We try to solve such problems with artificial solutions, which ultimately seem to escalate the problems. To improve our standard of living and sense of comfort is not a sinful desire. However, it may be considered wasteful to engage all our time and intelligence in developing temporary arrangements to improve activities that even animals perform. According to Bhagavad-gita our intelligence is meant for finding fulfilment and happiness from activities which transcend these basic demands.

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Its all in the mind

Excluding extreme cases, nobody really wants to die. Furthermore, we’d all like to live a happy life. These innate desires within us are ultimately frustrated in this world, since death and unhappiness are inevitable realities. Philosophers like Ludwig Feuerbach thus concluded that religion could be explained psychologically. According to them, if one is willing to buy into religion they can escape their deepest fears and live in blissful ignorance of their mortality and suffering. Spirituality or religion, he argues, has no solid divine grounding, but rather is just a response to drives from the unconscious mind. Just believe… and you will get what you always wanted – immortality and eternal happiness.

Over the centuries, different thinkers have reduced spirituality to something designed for the weak – people who are unable to deal with the anxieties and uncertainties of the ‘real world’. Philosophers like Freud built on such ideas which considered religion to be a childish delusion concocted by mankind. Atheism, on the other hand, was seen as a grown-up realism. The attractiveness of religion and the strength of its grip on the human mind was thus seen to be rooted in the psychological issues of the individual.

One may question, however, why the yearning for immortality and happiness is common to every entity in the universe? Instead of minimising our deepest and innermost desires to be simply imagination and wishful thinking, it may be worth exploring where such universal longings come from? Maybe such desires reveal to us something about our higher nature and self? The fact that we are thwarted in our attempts to fulfil such desires may also expose deficiencies in our worldviews and ways of living. Feuerbach and Freud may have done well to explore these questions first.

Another small point. While speaking of the unconscious mind pushing one to believe in an ‘imaginary God’, we should also consider how the unconscious mind may also push one to quickly reject God. Eliminating any spiritual element to life liberates us of ultimate responsibility, frees us to exercise full independence over our decisions and directions in life. In trying to remove God from the picture, maybe we are trying to become God ourselves - the autonomous, independent entity who is not answerable to anyone. Interesting how the human mind works.

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Half a Chicken?

Ancient sages tell of a farmer who became quite concerned about his chickens. Seeing them lay an abundance of eggs pleased him very much, but the fact that he had to constantly feed them was annoying. He came up with a ‘master plan’ to cut their heads off and simply keep the useful half. Needless to say, as he waited for the eggs to emerge he was quite disappointed.

Many of us on the spiritual journey may be modern versions of this farmer. Often, we accept and embrace the principles and practices of a particular spiritual path that sit comfortably with us. We have no problems with those things we enjoy and can quite straightforwardly implement into our present lifestyle. However, it’s a little more uncomfortable when we confront the aspects that challenge us and implore changes to our present ways of thinking, feeling and living. Thus, selectively mixing and matching different traditions has become quite popular and trendy.

One may argue that there is genuine spiritual wisdom in different traditions and spheres of life. We totally agree. However, the conclusion that you can take a little bit from everywhere, merge it together and come up with your own personalized philosophy in life, doesn’t sit too well. It’s almost like picking different parts of different recipes in different cook-books, and expecting a succulent cuisine to manifest after you randomly throw it all together.

Great books of wisdom like the Bhagavad-gita do not present an ultimatum of ‘all or nothing’. At the same time, it may be worth considering that the great success of these ancient books in giving people direct spiritual realization lies in the fact that they have outlined a spiritual process which is comprehensive and complete – philosophically and practically.
 

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Digging a Little Deeper

The internet is full of different conspiracy theories. It’s hard to know whether we are living in illusion or reality due to the dubious integrity of our sources of information. Joseph Goebbels, known for his work with Adolf Hitler, undoubtedly knew something about propaganda. He once commented, "You tell a lie loud enough and long enough and people will believe it." The creation of the universe, the origin of life and the evolution of man are the central pillars of science. These scientific theories are taught as irrevocable fact in schools, colleges and universities across the world. The amazing thing is that increasing evidence is being found which directly challenges these popular notions. However, the worrying thing is that such information is usually filtered out from mainstream awareness.

According to such theories, the first human-like primates are said to have appeared about 4 million years ago. Interestingly, we find carved stone tools from the same time period, clearly indicating the presence of advanced humans with dexterous ability. Even worse for the evolutionists, we find a fully "developed" human skeleton in Italy also from that time period. Unfortunately, knowledge filters prevent such information from hitting the headlines. We are told how 2 million years ago along came Homohabilis, and he developed about 1.5 million years ago into Homoerectus. However, even for this age there are also findings of carved shells and detailed clay statues in Nampa, Idaho. The list goes on.

It seems clear from this recently documented evidence that the theory of evolution, and the dates attributed to the appearance of mankind, are on shaky ground. Before submissively accepting such theories, popular as they may be, it may be worth ‘digging a little deeper’. As Sherlock Holmes said, “Don't change the facts to fit the theory, change the theory to fit the facts.”

For more information on this subject visit the forbidden archaeology website

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Zero Tolerance?

Krishna’s opening words of wisdom in the Bhagavad-gita are quite fascinating. Before even discussing the intricacies of God, the soul, the universe and the nature of reality, He mentions a cardinal principle for any aspiring spiritualist. For anyone seeking inner peace and spiritual connection, Krishna explains the absolute necessity of developing unyielding tolerance.

The forces of nature, the laws of the land, and society’s trends – many such factors are beyond our control. The individuals we build relationships with are also quite unpredictable. While we seek cooperation, friendship and support from others, we may be faced with competition, criticism and enmity. Even our own body and mind torments us. Bodily illnesses as well as the numerous obstructive desires which enter our minds on a daily basis can be quite distracting. As we become engrossed in these disturbances, we lose sight of life’s bigger picture and purpose. By tolerating such things and rather investing our time and energy in our own spiritual consciousness, we fix ourselves on a more progressive path of improvement.

To tolerate does not mean to become a passive, inactive observer of reality. One may have to react to situations and instigate change, but tolerance allows one to maintain an internal peaceful equilibrium no matter how provoking the circumstances. On a deeper level, the spiritualist must come to terms with and accept life's 'disturbances' as the will of providence.

In order to achieve this tolerance, Krishna also gives the key philosophical understanding – realize that everything is temporary – the environment you live in, the individuals around you, and your own crazy thoughts and ideas. All such things simply come and go like nature’s seasons, and one should remain unaffected through spiritually inspired tolerance.

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Cosmic Management

Whilst studying for my degree at UCL, I was obligated to read numerous books on effective management. As I browsed some old notes an interesting quote caught my attention. "The best manager is one who manages so well that you can't even see him, and you don’t even know he is there". Krishna, the speaker of Bhagavad-gita, explains in that ancient dialogue exactly how He manages this entire cosmic manifestation. Using the analogy of a necklace, He explains how the universal affairs are actually resting upon Him, just as pearls are strung upon a thread. The thread is the essential binding factor, maintaining the necklace and simultaneously giving it form and shape. Interestingly, however, the thread remains invisible to our eyes.

People like to have a direct experience and perception of things. The fact that we cannot see God at work, that He is not manifest in person before our eyes, seems to be a big sticking point. Show me God, and then I’ll believe in Him, the sceptics posit. However, even according to the management gurus of the 21st century, God would be a pretty average manager if He was frantically running around in front of us directing everything.

If you look at the top CEO’s in the modern business world, they setup a managerial hierarchy and then take a back seat, allowing things to function effortlessly without their direct day-to-day involvement. Instead, you’ll probably find them relaxing at the golf course with their friends. So the fact that we can’t see God creating and maintaining this universe may not be a disqualification, but rather credit to His expert management sense. He manages the material universes remotely, and instead spends quality time in the spiritual realm intimately relating with His devotees.

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Face Off

It’s a common scene when members of different religions cross paths. The pleasant introductions and comments on the weather last for the first few minutes, but what inevitably ensues is a discussion on the subject of the Supreme. In subtle or sometimes quite blatant ways, the doubts, issues or concerns about the other person’s faith are formulated, and one or both parties warm up to get into a full-swing debate. Of course, not all religious practitioners are cereal debaters, but many of us have been in these situations, myself included.

Recently I heard a famous verse from one of our scriptures: “The supreme religion for all mankind is the process by which they can attain to the stage of loving service to God. Such service must be completely unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to satisfy the self”. What an amazing definition of religion. After reading that, a friend commented ‘what is there to actually debate about?’ Religion, its purpose, and the measure of its efficacy are all clearly elucidated in that verse.

Every religious practitioner can do some soul-searching and question their spiritual commitment. To what extent is their practice unmotivated by any material desires and uninterrupted by material affairs and events? To what extent have they developed love for God and genuine love for everyone around them? Maybe this universal measure is the greatest test of ones spirituality, much more than the philosophical arguments which are thrown around in a passionate religious debate. Instead of scrupulously analysing someone else’s spiritual practices, our time and energy may be better spent in examining our own spiritual sincerity and depth.

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Stepping off the Treadmill

I just returned from Germany where we had our annual youth retreat entitled ‘The Festival of Inspiration’. The location was a remote part in the West of the country where we have a temple nestled in the countryside hills. It was extremely isolated. No signal on the mobile phone and internet connections were few and far between. For the city slickers who were brought up with the sounds of motorbikes, police sirens, TV’s, building works, and crowds of people, it was quite a culture shock. The first few days were refreshing, but thereafter I did start feeling a little out of place in such peaceful surroundings. Serenity and calmness forces one to reflect deeper – something we may neglect in our hectic city lives.

The past century has seen incredible technological and economic advancement. Consequently, most of the developed world now lives in a high-speed culture. These are the times of fast food, multi-tasking, conveniences for everything and instantaneous global communication. As soon as people rise, they are ‘on the move’ busily engaged in various activities.

While boarding the ferry back to London I reflected on this. As a hovercraft moves swiftly over water, only skimming the surface, our hurried lifestyles may be preventing us from deeply thinking about the decisions and directions we take in life. Despite the comforts and amenities around us, the anxiety, complexity and feelings of emptiness that many experience cannot be denied. It seems as though urban lifestyle is specifically designed to keep us busy and stop us from thinking too much. With so much focus on the externals of body and environment, are we forgetting to address the needs of the spiritual self? Stepping off the treadmill and regularly retreating to a far and distant place to get some perspective in life may not be a bad idea.

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Braving the elements

I was recently driving from Sheffield to Manchester and in the course of a one-hour journey experienced everything from torrential rain to brilliant sunshine, with even some spells of high winds and hail stones. To say it was a mixed bag would be an understatement. I have rarely experienced a week of consistent weather in this country.

While driving I was reflecting how the life of an advancing spiritualist is comparable to the weather. Just like the brilliant sunshine, there are moments of great insight, enthusiasm and inspiration, but unexpectedly the heavens can open up, with times of disappointment and insecurity, and even spells of apathy and disinterest. The spiritualist plays the role of a doctor, offering advice and wisdom to others, but the spiritualist is also a patient experiencing his own struggles and tribulations.

With each downpour of rain, we comfort ourselves knowing that it rarely continues for the entire day. At some point it will stop. Similarly, the spiritualist keeps his struggles in perspective, knowing they are temporary obstacles which will be eradicated with dedicated, focused spiritual practice. With each downpour of rain, we run for cover and find some shelter from the elements. Nobody wants to get wet. Similarly, the aspiring spiritualist finds shelter in the ancient scriptures, the spiritual teachers and fellow practitioners, all helping us keep everything in perspective. Each downpour of rain is often greatly uncomfortable for us, although we can also appreciate the weather is greatly benefitting the vegetation and plant life. Similarly, the spiritualist always reflects how the greatest struggles are also causing the greatest transformation and purification of consciousness. In this way, the struggling spiritualist learns to brave the elements… rain or shine.

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Mind Control & Brainwashing

The Bhagavad-gita contains numerous discussions on controlling the mind. In the context of modernity that terminology may not be so well received. Mind control is synonymous to brainwashing - something used by dangerous cults to manipulate people and prevent them from thinking for themselves. This all stems from the popular notion that we are the mind.

The Bhagavad-gita however, explains that the mind is simply a tool. We are spirit souls inhabiting material bodies, and the mind acts as an interface between the two. It’s almost like the software that allows a person to operate the hardware of a computer. To use another analogy, the bodily senses can be compared to horses, the mind to the reins, and the intelligence to the driver. The safest and most successful journey is one where the well-informed driver confidently controls the horses by expert handling of the reins.

Thus, one who is able to control the mind can experience true freedom, guided by intelligence instead of instinct. The instinct dictates one to do what feels good now, whereas the intelligence guides one to do that which will have a good effect. Thus, the whole thrust of meditation and spiritual practice is to allow the soul to make spiritually enlightened decisions in life, where the mind becomes an instrument in their implementation. In this context, far from de-humanizing and dulling the individual, mind control allows one to break free of materialistic pressures and truly exhibit their personality and individuality.

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The Great Escape

The world today has a long list of pressing problems: the time bomb of environmental issues, struggling economies and the credit crunch, social complications like crime, and the widespread poverty and deprivation of millions, to name but a few. In a recent conversation, somebody proposed spirituality as convenient escape from such realities – a comfortable retreat away from the real problems that plague our existence. As the spiritualist absorbs his thoughts in death and the afterlife, he conveniently avoids the real world surrounding him… the world that he is too lazy (or too scared) to face.

I explained how the Bhagavad-gita is not disconnected from the social context we live in. The teachings are geared toward creating spiritual solutions for the prevailing issues of the day. When someone is admitted to hospital, then help is provided from the nurses and the doctors. The nurses attend to the day-to-day comfort of the patient, while the doctors painstakingly rack their brains to perform an operation that will provide the permanent solution. While we appreciate the comfort that the nurses offer, who would want to be in a hospital full of nurses, but devoid of doctors? The spiritualists can be likened to the doctor – those who have the broader vision and knowledge to find out the root of suffering and address that directly. Those who have the insight to create a permanent change.

As I reflected later, that point of escaping reality struck me as a great irony. Of all the ‘real’ problems in the world today (problems that seem to periodically come and go with the times), the one real problem that everybody faces but nobody wants, is the problem of death. The irony is that the spiritualist, who is trying to address this universal and strikingly ‘real’ problem, is being labelled the escapist. On the contrary, the spiritualist is moving closer to reality – addressing the issues that nobody else can really touch.

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Full Of It

The desire for respect and recognition runs deep. They say that at the age of 20 we are extremely worried about what people think of us, by the time we reach 40 we don't really care anymore, and eventually when we reach 60 we realise nobody was thinking about us anyway! In a discussion at the temple recently a senior monk was explaining how many people who spend thousands of pounds on flash sports cars are not really buying the metal and mechanics - what they are buying is the adoration, respect and stunned looks of others. It takes a lot of energy to get recognised in this world... but is it really worth it?

As we respect and appreciate others around us, we feel a satisfaction and fulfilment that is far beyond any kind of personal aggrandizement. Real happiness lies in a spirit of selflessness where we are sensitive to the needs, interests and concerns of others, and more eager to bring attention and recognition to them. Abraham Lincoln once said “it’s amazing what you can achieve when you don’t care for getting the credit”.

Pride blocks our intelligence and discrimination, and prevents us from uncovering our true spiritual identity. If we are ‘full of it’, there is no room for spiritual happiness to manifest within our heart. Thus, as our tree of spirituality grows, it is essential that the roots of humility go deep, and the weeds of pride are immediately removed. As humble as a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and ready to offer all respects to others, not desiring any respect for oneself – these are the cardinal principles of spiritual life.

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Boiling Point

"One who is composed in a moment of anger can save themselves a hundred days of sorrow" (Chinese proverb). Anger is an emotion that most of us come face-to-face with on multiple occasions every day. A recent survey in America revealed that over 60% of office workers have seriously contemplated physically harming their boss! In our angry moments we think, say, and do things we usually regret later. As they say, anger is one letter short of danger.

Anger comes from unrealistic expectations of reality. The Bhagavad-gita explains how we are all trying to take the position of being the Supreme controller in this world. We try to control situations, control people, and control the objects around us. When we fail, we become frustrated and angry. Everyone boils at different degrees, but one who has unrealistic expectations in life will repeatedly face the problem of anger.

All that is available at our disposal is our best efforts. Living a spiritual life means we try our best and simultaneously understand that there are factors involved beyond our control. An experienced monk once told me, "if you want to make God laugh then just tell him your plans!" Acting free of anger ensures that all actions in life are performed with the clarity of spiritual intelligence, and thus we can avoid all the physiological, emotional and societal ramifications of this destructive emotion.

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The Logic of Reincarnation

The notion of eternal damnation always baffled me. One shot to decide your destiny forever? What if you make a mistake? What if you get influenced by bad company? What if you die early trying to have a good time at university? I guess you could say in each of those situations you did have a choice, but the punishment still seems extremely disproportionate. In this world of unlimited distractions, temptations and allurements, every spiritual practitioner knows it’s a minefield – wouldn’t God be a bit more understanding?

It’s difficult to picture the Perfect Being, subjecting His own dear creation to extreme torture and suffering for eternity. The most incredible thing about this persecution is that it has nothing positive or progressive coming from it – He just tortures you again and again and again. Forever... it doesn’t stop. You can understand why people would be put off. Furthermore, there are so many unanswered questions and loose ends. What happens to a baby who is born and then dies without making any conscious decisions or actions: heaven or hell? What about someone who is mentally ill and cannot make rational choices: heaven or hell? If it’s a one life game, it definitely looks as though God has stacked the deck in favor of some.

The Bhagavad-gita explains that through the process of reincarnation, the spiritual being is given repeated chances to evolve his consciousness to perfection over time. Whatever good or bad the soul experiences in this world is ultimately an educational program aimed at refining his understanding about the self and the real purpose in life. In this way, the concepts of Karma & Reincarnation help one understand the unlimited compassion of the Perfect Being, in the midst of whatever life situations one may be currently experiencing.

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River of Names

A few days ago I unexpectedly bumped into a university friend whom I hadn’t spoken to for nearly ten years. He is getting married in two weeks and has achieved many things in his career since leaving university. In certain ways our respective paths in life turned out quite different, but in other ways I discovered that we share many of the same spiritual principles. It would definitely be interesting to have a university reunion after twenty years and see where everyone ended up. Life has its interesting twists and turns.

The ancient scriptures explain that this world is like a river of names where some strands of straw join for some time, but downstream they all separate and go their own ways. You could say the world is just like an airport transit lounge. We all come from different backgrounds, catching planes to different destinations, and in the meantime we establish relationships amongst each other. Who can deny temporal relationships of this world? Even if two people stay committed to each other for life, the inevitable reality of death will separate them. So does that mean all relationships are meaningless and simply a waste of time?

While we relate to others on a bodily level, the relationships will only endure the length of this body. We may talk of having a connection with someone after they leave, but the strength of that connection is based on how much we have related to them as a spirit soul, part of the Supreme Spirit. So in this river of names, where we take on certain roles, responsibilities, positions and personas, the real challenge is to get beyond all the superficiality and temporary designations and get to the essence of the person. We are not human beings on a spiritual journey – rather we are spiritual beings on a human journey. This human journey affords an amazing opportunity to establish spiritual relationships which last for eternity.

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Boot Camp

As monks we rise very early everyday, wear the standard simple uniform, chant the same prayers, follow a simple diet, maintain very few possessions… I won’t go on too much else you may be completely put off! A neutral observer may find this spiritual path much like an army regime. Where is the room for personal expression? Isn’t spirituality a natural and spontaneous affair of the heart? Surely there must be more to it than a set of mechanical operations. Is the spiritual path supposed to be like boot camp?

Imagine you sat down to write your deepest thoughts in a letter to a friend. If you didn’t go through the basics of grammar and spelling, meticulously memorize the vocabulary of the language and sit through a good number of English classes to learn about sentence formation, you probably wouldn’t be able to naturally express anything in your writing. Music composers often convey their deepest emotions through their instruments. However, the background to that is hours of painstaking and monotonous practice to learn how to actually operate that instrument.

In other words, the regime brings us to the spontinaeity. A premature exhibition of natural expression may not be the deepest and most profound spiritual realization. The consciousness must be purified, and then the self (free of any material misconceptions) can fully exhibit the original spiritual persona. So on one hand, spiritual life cannot be reduced to simply a set of mechanical operations, but on the other hand, they are very powerful processes given by great teachers to help us elevate our consciousness beyond the material.

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Converting or Uncovering?

(Above: A Muslim preacher at Speakers Corner, London)

Internet posting, lectures in different arenas, distributing books on the street, seminars at colleges and universities… in many different ways we are presenting this ancient spiritual tradition of the East. People sometimes wonder whether our sole purpose in life is simply to convert others to our spiritual tradition. Admittedly, religious practitioners are renowned for their zealous endeavours to convince others. It can be a little off-putting to say the least, and in some cases even bordering scary. So why the big emphasis on ‘preaching’ for want of a better word?

Knowledge brings a certain responsibility. Morally, ethically and even legally, possession of some knowledge obliges us to act in a certain way. If you are a cardiologist and someone collapses from a heart attack in the street you would be required to do something. So in certain circumstances, to withhold information would be to act immorally. Of course, this doesn’t give us the free licence to sermonise everyone we meet so we can ‘save their soul’ there and then. Neither would we want such a licence. More than converting, as monks we are concerned with uncovering. The spiritual tradition is not an artificial imposition on one’s character, but rather the awakening of the original spiritual nature that is within everyone.

The poet Dunn writes in one passage that “no man is a social island”. As we live in a social context, everybody invariably impresses their ideas, values and ideologies upon those around them, and thus in one sense everyone is preaching. We can recognize the spirituality everywhere, in all traditions. At the same time, we feel we have a powerful spiritual process that is extremely practical and relevant to the world we live in. Our duty is to present this information, and then allow people to make their own judgements on what they can and can’t do.

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Moral Inconsistency

Over the centuries, we have fought many moral frontiers. Once upon a time, people thought it was OK to brutalise certain tribes and races. Some groups once propounded the philosophy that women had no souls and were therefore inferior entities. In so many ways we have now overcome such ludicrous proposals and have recognised equality of humans regardless of gender, ethnic background, age or economic status.

The next moral frontier, however, concerns another species. People seem to think that because animals have a different type of body it’s justifiable to indiscriminately kill and enjoy them for our own pleasure. Brutal treatment of highly evolved mammals that experience complex emotions has become a common practice in modern society. It seems we are unable to link the cleanly packaged meat we find in fast food outlets and on supermarket shelves with the bloody and violent slaughterhouses from which they come.

We often treat our pets as well as our friends and families. We groom them, feed them, clothe them and even send them for manicures! If we go out and brutalise someone’s pet dog, the law will come crashing down on us for our inconsiderate and cruel acts. On the other hand, the vicious killing of millions of other animals is completely ignored. After playing with their pet dog someone just drives right over to the restaurant and orders a steak! This is the incredible moral inconsistency of the modern world.

A spiritualist tries to live in the most harmonious, natural, healthy and nonviolent way as possible. With World Vegetarian Week just gone, it may be worth considering our diet and the effect it has on the world, other living beings, and our own consciousness. George Bernard Shaw once commented, “While our bodies are the living graves of murdered animals, how can we expect any ideal conditions on earth?”

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No Man's Land

When we take to the spiritual path, we can often suffer from a lot of shame and guilt. Every tradition sets high ideals and expectations in terms of thought, word and action. However, within us also remain the deep-rooted materialistic desires that we have developed over the years, many of which are opposed to spiritual ideals. Thus there is a moment-to-moment internal battle going on, a battle between what we feel impelled to do and what we know we should be doing.

We may walk away from the material world, philosophically recognizing the futility of the temporary pleasures that are on offer there. However, the spiritual world and all it’s fulfilment seem far away. Thus, aspiring spiritualists can find themselves stuck in a no man's land. It’s a place from which we look back at the world and materialistic life and think, 'I can't go back there', and a place from which we look ahead to spiritual life and think, 'I can't imagine I will ever get there'. So as pleasure-seeking entities, we become frustrated, neither enjoying material pleasure nor getting the higher taste of spiritual life. The ancient classic Mahabharata says that two types of people are happy: the first is the totally ignorant, and the second is the spiritually perfected. Anyone in between will feel unfulfilled to a greater or lesser degree.

However, for advancing spiritualists there is always incredible hope. They know that intense spiritual practice will purify their consciousness, free them from the bonds of selfishness, and allow them to experience the higher taste of spirituality. And sometimes, when the spiritualists do slip up, they feel guilt and shame at having failed. However, that shame and guilt does not debilitate them and stop them from advancing toward spiritual purity and bliss. To become hopeless in spiritual life is what a no man's land actually is, where one is haunted by guilt, yet cannot make progress. That is very painful to see, and it is something we should always help each other avoid.

(Special thanks to Tattvavit prabhu, one of our senior monks, who edited this post. His encouragement and inspiration has helped me continue my feeble attempts to write on the spiritual subject matter)

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Learning Lessons for Life

On Monday, two of our senior monks visited the pioneering ‘Krishna Avanti School’ in North West London, so I decided to tag along. It’s the first ever state-funded Hindu School in the UK, and I must say one of the most spiritually dynamic projects I have come across. Children from the age of 4 will be taught spiritual principles of tolerance, compassion, respect and devotion to God, alongside the standard national curriculum. As we met some of the young children, something amazing dawned upon me. Spirituality really requires that we become childlike again.

Children are extremely enthusiastic, inquisitive, non-duplicitous and eager to build friendships with others. When one’s heart is decorated with such qualities, divine insight and inspiration will automatically manifest. Within those children I saw amazing potential to show the world what a successful, honorable, open-minded and spiritual citizen would be like. The impressions of spirituality within the childlike consciousness run very deep. They are definitely learning lessons for life.

So what about us who are getting on in our lives (it was my 28th birthday last week :)? Well, we may not be able to physically transform into the body of a child, but if we can atleast develop the childlike approach it may serve us well. Instead of simply following society’s norms or blindly engaging in religious ritual, let us become inquisitive like the child – eager to learn more and go deeper in our understandings of spiritual philosophy, culture and practice. Instead of descending into diplomacy, politics and backbiting, let us become straightforward and non duplicitous like the child – enthusiastic to break free of our own superficialities, and also relate to others on a deeper level. Instead of shutting out others, becoming intolerant and dogmatic in our approach, let us learn to build bridges and friendships like the child – earnestly searching for unity in diversity.

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Unconscious Incompetence

We all make mistakes, and recently I was reflecting on being corrected by others. It’s easy to give good advice, but often very difficult to take good advice. As soon as somebody gives us feedback or criticism, the knee-jerk reaction is to defend ourselves, find fault in that person, and in some way justify how their comments are inaccurate and invalid. One who creates a shell around his persona, shutting the doors to good advice, will find it very difficult to overcome all the impurities in the heart. However, the spiritualist who is able to see divine instruction coming through all people in all circumstances, is able to very quickly advance in the spiritual journey.

Last week I unnecessarily became angry at someone and wrongly accused them of something. I felt quite frustrated and disappointed with myself. Knowing the principles and qualities of a spiritualist, how could I allow myself to descend to that level? I thought I was a good natured, reasonable, noble person. I concluded that I may well be on the spiritual path, but I am definitely a ‘work in progress’.

Sometimes a pillow can look very clean, but as you strike it, clouds of dust start appearing. Similarly, as we practice spirituality with seriousness and sincerity, the gross and subtle imperfections within our own character become more and more apparent. Before we can remove the dust, the dust must surface. Thus, through observing our own character, and also being open to the observations of others, we can understand that we’re not perfect and must diligently engage in the spiritual process to become purified in character.

In psychology they talk of ‘Unconscious Incompetence’ – the idea that someone is acting improperly and is not even aware of it. One then progresses to the stage of ‘Conscious Incompetence’, where one has actually realized the problem and come to terms with it. From there, one makes a concerted effort to act in the proper way – this is known as ‘Conscious Competence’. Finally, the proper behaviour becomes so ingrained in the consciousness, that one does it automatically. This perfected stage is known as ‘Unconscious Competence’.

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Problem of Evil

Certain questions always seem to surface. With regards to the existence of God, a popular one is the problem evil: ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ The Greek philosopher Epikouros, succinctly summarises the contention. Is God willing to prevent evil but not able? If so, it would jeopardise His omnipotence and strength. Is God able to prevent evil but not willing? Is so, it would challenge His all-compassionate nature. If God is neither willing nor able to prevent suffering, could you really call Him God? So the question remains as to how suffering can coexist with the notion of a compassionate, all-knowing and all-powerful God.

The Vedic teachings approach this dilemma by broadening our perspectives. The scriptures introduce the concepts of Karma and Reincarnation, positing the idea that this life is merely a chapter of existence, and our situation is ultimately a reaction to our activities in past lives. Our experiences in this life (both positive and negative) are meant to educate us about the nature of this world and our deeper purpose here. Experiences are meant for our spiritual evolution and growth, and sometimes that education may come in the form of distress and pain.

Children are often eager to touch different objects of interest, many of them quite dangerous. Once, a mother who was observing her child repeatedly trying to touch a moving fan used an ingenious technique to educate him. She turned the fan off, and when it was still moving fast enough to cause some pain, but slow enough to avoid any permanent damage, she allowed the child to put his hand in the fan and be hit. Feeling the pain, the child resolved never to do repeat the act, but simultaneously all his fingers remained intact! Similarly, karmic pain and suffering helps to educate us without permanently damaging us. The soul (the self) is ultimately beyond the body and the mind and never becomes scarred by the misfortunes of this world. These concepts are not meant to blame people for their own suffering or justify someone’s pain, but rather help us approach life’s challenges with a deeper perspective in mind. As one introspects and reflects in hard times, rather than blaming others or slipping into dejection and hopelessness, one will experience amazing insight into the spiritual reality.

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Distractions on the path

One of our distinguished teachers explains that there are three major temptations in this world – temptations that can allure anyone at any stage of their spiritual evolution. In Sanskrit they are termed kanaka, kamini & pratistha. In English, these translate to wealth, the opposite sex, and position & prestige. All negative qualities like anger, greed, envy, criticism, pride, harshness and so on, generally have their roots in one of these desires.

A modern day spiritualist, however, will find it incredibly difficult to refrain from interacting with these three things. It is difficult even within a spiritual community, what to speak of the day-to-day world. However, when we are dealing with matters of money, interacting with the opposite sex and exercising power, influence and control over others, there must be great vigilance and caution. The moment we develop a mood of exploitation and enjoyment of these things, at that time our spirituality is lost and we descend again into the material realm. Thus, spiritual life is like a tight rope. One must tread very carefully.

It is not that as one advances on the spiritual path, one can feel more security from these allurements. As one’s tree of spirituality grows, the roots of humility, gratitude and feeling of spiritual dependence must also grow deep, lest the tree may extend so big that it topples over. The real spiritualist is not a shooting star, but a pole star. I force myself to reflect on this again and again as I make some feeble attempt to remain on this wonderful and exciting path of spirituality.

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One World One House

I just returned from Amsterdam where we had a huge Hare Krishna procession for the annual Queensday festival. I’ve never seen such crowded streets in my whole life. As we weaved through the revellers, chanting the famous Hare Krishna mantra, everyone smiled, many sang along, and some enthusiastically danced with us without a care in the world. The chanting seemed to break the barriers of caste, creed or culture and penetrated their hearts on a much deeper level. As I observed our party – men, women, young, old, from all backgrounds economically, socially and politically – all chanting together in great joy, I realized that this really is the process that has the power to unite the world.

The world is desperately searching for the common ground we need for world peace and unity. The great saint Srila Prabhupada who founded this movement once walked by the United Nations building and remarked “they call this the United Nations, but every time I come here there are more and more flags!” Without a spiritual foundation, we may at best manage some superficial unity and cooperation, but on a deeper level the division will remain.

Real peace and unity comes from seeing the spiritual equality of all beings. Such a vision destroys all racism, nationalism, ageism, sexism – even ‘species-ism’ (the idea that humans are superior to all other animals and can treat them in whatever way they want). Prabhupada was commended as “having built a house in which the whole world can live.” This house is not simply a physical building, but rather a house of profound spiritual consciousness. It’s a house which is centred around the Supreme Person, but not in a way that alienates or marginalizes any living being. It’s a house in which the chanting of God’s names is the activity which creates and sustains the spirituality. Most importantly, it’s a house open to any sincere spiritual searcher who really wants to find the essence in life.

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24 Gurus - Ocean

The mind of the spiritualist is compared to a great ocean. As the ocean is deep, the contemplations and thoughts of one on the spiritual path are also deep. As the ocean is clear, the spiritualist also has great clarity in his daily decisions and judgments. As the ocean is continually being filled by rivers but never overflows, similarly, the mind is constantly bombarded with various material desires but the spiritualist remains unaffected. This is quite amazing.

The rich man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least. We may have an abundance of possessions, good reputation amongst our social circle, nice relationships with those around us, but if our desires are endless we will never feel satisfied. In the world we live in enough is never enough. We fill the internal void by trying to accumulate and arrange externally.

Socrates was once in Athens when he passed a shop window. He stood there gazing intently at all the different items on display. This went on for a few hours. One man who had passed by a few times finally questioned the great philosopher. "Is there something you need - something I can get you? Maybe the shoes or those clothes?" Socrates replied to him - "No, No, I am simply amazed by seeing how many things there are here that I don't need!" So next time one of those desires pop up in the mind, we may want to consider whether to take it seriously or not.

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Head and Heart

Krishna's statements in the Bhagavad-gita give you an interesting insight into his character and approach. At the conclusion of the text, He plainly states to Arjuna "Now I have imparted this knowledge to you, deliberate on it fully, and then do as you wish to do". That really stood out. Far from being the fanatical God that many envisage in their mind, Krishna encourages everyone to make their own informed choice about life. He presents a philosophy and lifestyle that can bring one to another level of consciousness... but He also knows that it can't be forced upon anyone. You won't find Krishna using any fear or intimidation tactics here.

The Bhagavad-gita is rich in philosophy, and presents the Vedic worldview in an extremely logical and rational way. As one deliberates on this presentation one may well feel intellectually convinced and satisfied. However, spirituality is also an affair of the heart. It’s about developing a deep connection with the Supreme Person so that one actually experiences what they read about. Thus, in the Vedic literatures there is also a strong call to action. Krishna implores Arjuna “do as you wish to do”. ‘Do’ being the imperative word - apply and practice the great wisdom in day-to-day life.

The head and the heart are both important factors in spiritual life. Mental gymnastics and theoretical philosophizing devoid of spiritual practice cannot not nourish and enliven us. On the other hand, ritual and practice without proper understanding and rationale can descend into sentimentalism or mechanical religion. For ultimate success, the aspiring spiritualist requires a cool head and a soft heart.

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