Spirituality: The bridge between religion and God
It is very important to understand that one does not need religion to practice empathy in daily life for “good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws” – Plato. Empathy, selfless love, friendliness and kindness are what even animals exhibit without much effort, it should not take us evolved contemplative human beings to showcase that on a regular basis. But people who live in darkness and don’t see the divine universal light in every human being fail to display such traits and hence resort to hate, manipulative, cruel and unfriendly means.
Abraham Lincoln’s words come to my mind when writing about this topic- “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” It is very easy to pass judgments and jump to conclusions about some other person but one has to have an open mind to see GOD in every action. There is no need to be judgmental about the world and such individuals for we don’t know in which past lifetime we have been such natives who we criticize.
Further to elaborate on this topic of spirituality please refer to the immortal great words of Sri Adi Shankaracharya –
“punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
punarapi jananii jathare shayanam
iha samsaare bahudustaare
kripayaa apaare paahi muraare”
We have had plenty of lives and deaths. The vedas state that the soul has transmigrated 84 million lives to become human but we are stuck in this loop of eternal recurrence. In order to break this infinite loop Yogis and Gurus live an ascetic life and are in least contact with humanity. The great saint Sri Adi Shankara had already prefaced this during the 8th century. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche later popularized this during the 18th century as the theory of eternal recurrence. Sanathana Dharma philosophy (popularly called Hinduism) states that moksha (liberation/nirvana) is something that is guaranteed for every native and species but the question is how many lives and deaths one has to go through before attaining it?
Sanathana Dharma philosophy also states that everything is an aspect of Vishnu and the universe is one ginormous dream of Maha Vishnu. You, anything, everything including myself is an aspect of “Vishnu”, the eternal preserver. So always keep your faith in him and let him guide you towards peace and wisdom! If you are of different faith or say an atheist, I want you to understand that compared to the cosmic order we are minuscule in nature (refer to the below image). Having a broad grand perspective of life helps. In my experience I have noticed that difficult events or enjoyable events are nothing but a phase of life. It is bound to change with time as it rides on the wave of change. The only thing constant in life is change, which is quite ironical if you think about it.
“We live in illusion and the appearance of things.
There is a reality, we are that reality.
When you understand this, you will see “you” are nothing. And, being nothing, you are everything.” – Karma-Ran-Byun
We crave for something at some point, there is a 50% chance that we will get what we crave for or an equal 50% chance we don’t. That craving will in some way manifest at some later point in life. Then we look back and realize if it was not for that experience of denial we had, maybe we would not appreciate what we get. This applies to the concept of GOD too. GOD is in everything and everyone. Once we slowly begin to make little changes in life and accept HIS will, we don’t have to crave for GOD! GOD is present in every native and species in the form of divine light! There is no need to visit many thousand temples, churches and mosques etc. seeking him. He is present in every individual, we just have to free our thoughts and look inwardly within the self. We will experience him eventually. It takes time and perseverance. Mantra and meditation is the first best spiritual way to begin.
