Trapped in the web

Mankind has seen incredible progress in science and technology in the last few centuries. From bullock carts to Concorde planes, from pigeon messengers to i-phones, from palm leaves to laptop computers, from herbal medicines to IC Units, and from swords and spears to atom bombs and guided missiles. But has it really liberated us, or have we become even more enmeshed in a web of complexity?

Lose your mobile phone or experience a hard disk failure on your laptop, and life grinds to a standstill. It feels like being disconnected from reality. Day-to-day survival becomes a challenge. The latest standstill in international flights has underlined this phenomenon. Gadgets, inventions and modern technologies have become such an integrated part of daily life that we can’t live without them!They say life was much simpler when apples and blackberries were just fruits.

We may try to conquer nature through technological discovery, feeling a sense of victory as we transcend the boundaries of time and space and make unthinkable things achievable. This often leads to a kind of atheistic outlook where man sees himself as the master of all he surveys. “Acts of God” like the recent volcanic ash, however, remind us that although we may try to become masters of nature, we are not actually in control. We may try to become free of natural laws through technology, but then we become subservient and dependent upon that same technology. Mother Nature is more powerful that any invention. She ultimately reigns supreme, and we are forced to comply with her workings. It’s a humbling experience to realise that there is a higher power beyond our control.

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News of the World

Stepping onto a late-evening central line train I saw a familiar sight – old newspapers lying around everywhere. Nobody wanted a second look. The world is constantly changing, new information surfaces, and what we heard yesterday (or even earlier today) no longer stimulates the mind. We need new revelations to hold our attention. Even bestselling novels can only be read a few times at most. Spiritual literature, on the other hand, seems timeless. I recently met someone who had read the Bhagavad-gita over thirty times... cover-to-cover!

Depth of spirituality may not necessarily come from acquiring masses of information or discovering esoteric truths that the layman may be unaware of. Rather, it’s about realizing and internalizing essential truths deep within our heart and consciousness. Spiritual wisdom can be read again and again, since it speaks to you differently at different times in your life. As we connect our life experiences to the ancient insights of great sages we find that the divine guidance is relevant in all times, places, and circumstances. Those divine words are not repetitive or hackneyed, but are full of eternal significance.

Practically everyone enjoys a juicy mango. Although they cyclically arrive with the seasonal changes, year after year, the sweet and relishable taste neither disappears nor diminishes. Rumour has it that they taste even better with ice-cream! Spiritual knowledge is just like that sweet mango – it is pleasing to the soul no matter how many times you have heard it before. Furthermore, that knowledge becomes even more relishable when not just read, but discussed, debated and imbibed with the input of genuine spiritualists.

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Yoga is Balance

Think of yoga and it conjures up images uncomfortable breathing patterns and awkward postures which test your balance. With a 6ft 5 body, balance has always been a problem! Of course, most people understand that yoga is more than a health regime. It is actually the process by which we spiritualize our entire being and harmonize it with God. However, this type of internal transformation via yoga also requires a certain kind of balance – a balanced attitude and character. A good attitude and approach to spirituality can help overcome all obstacles that worldly life may pose.

This ideal attitude must incorporate many different elements. One must be incredibly enthusiastic and greedy to advance in ones spiritual realization, but at the same time one must exhibit great patience. One must exude confidence and determination, but simultaneously remain meek and humble. One must open the heart in ones spiritual relationships, but also be thick-skinned in challenging times and embody steadiness. The spiritualist must selflessly engage with the world and its people, yet at the same time remain safe within his own sacred space of consciousness.

Often, it is the unbalanced approach which either stagnates one’s growth or renders one’s growth unsustainable. We may add many floors to a skyscraper building and many will marvel at its magnificence. However, if the foundations do not simultaneously grow deeper, then the building will simply become more and more susceptible to falling down. We must keep the balance.

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Home Game

I never understood home advantage. You’re playing against the same players, using the same ball, running on the same grass, and trying to score in the same-sized goalposts. What’s the difference? Well, the familiar environment and encouraging crowd have a huge effect. Every football pundit will tell you – when you play at home, even before you step onto the pitch it’s as if your one goal up. No doubt, any team will grab the opportunity to play at home.

Spirituality is also easier when you have home advantage. ‘Home’ consists of the right habits, the right diet, the right atmosphere and the right company. To become fully selfless, humble, tolerant and completely dedicated to pleasing God is a difficult task. However, that huge internal transformation can come about when we diligently (and seemingly mechanically) make all the small external changes. Sometimes we brush off these small details of spirituality as insignificant and unimportant in the bigger picture. However, these details are there for a reason. They are the small steps that help lead to the big change of heart we are all searching for.

How clean is our environment? How regulated are we in habits of eating and sleeping? How careful are we about the tone and content of our speech? Pure action leads to pure mind which leads to pure consciousness. Gradually the spiritualist readjusts his life little-by-little. In this way, he rests in a sacred space of consciousness, a temple of peace... the spiritual ‘home ground’ where it’s easier to remember who you are and what your purpose really is.

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