Question – Guruji even with detachment, Vairagya, Satsang, Sadguru, Sadhana, Sharanagati and going through all knowledge series etc. Why is it we still go thru the challenges and the roller coaster ride of life time n again? How long do we keep on putting up with these ever new challenges life throws upon us intermittently? And what is the way out? And why do we have to put up with all that?
Sri Prabhuji :
Dear Atmajyothi, I would like to understand from you what do you mean by “we”. Is we = body, mind, intellect or Atma ? If we is atma, your question is not relevant. Atma has no problem. If we = body, mind, intellect, then there are no solutions ! The core of spiritual teaching is to realize you are “Self – Atma” and not the body-mind-intellect complex. Body-mind-intellect is the vehicle of Atma. This is the core teaching of spirituality. Knowledge is not realization. We may have knowledge of many subjects in spiritual teaching. Do we have realization that “I am Atma – I am pure consciousnesses ? “. But for this core teaching of spirituality, all other teachings are about handling life. Once you have the realization of core teaching of spirituality, your inner clarity deepens and Sadguru in you wakes up as Atma Guru. Lot of clarity emerges in the way life has to be handled.
Let us contemplate on your name – “Ujjwala”. Ujjwala means effulgent one. The only effulgence in us is the Light of the Self – Atmajyothi. Once you realize that inner light, no longer life troubles you. You will be free from vagaries of life.
While Atma has no problems, there is never ending challenges for the body-mind-intellect. Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Shri Ramana Maharshi suffered from painful disease of cancer. They faced the disease with equanimity because of the spiritual wisdom. Body itself will go through cycles of birth-growth-disease and death. Spirituality does not mean the body will not go through the natural cycle. Spirituality does not mean diseases of body get healed miraculously. Swami Vivekananda, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Ramana Maharshi are examples. Many people got healed in the presence of these great saints due to the faith. Faith has healing effect on the body.
Mind is constantly under the pull of atrraction and repulsion (Raga, dwesha). Spirituality does not solve the problem of the mind !!. Spirituality empowers the intellect who is the master of the mind to take right decisions in life. Two stories to illustrate about the “monkey mind”:
Story 1: There was wood work going on in the neighborhood. A carpenter had cut a wood log and put a wedge for the half cut wood log. A monkey got curious. While carpenter was away for lunch, monkey tried to dislodge the wedge and in the process its tail got stuck in the wood log. In the process it had to lose the tail !!. Tail is the pride of all monkeys. Here the monkey represents the monkey mind. We get into monkey business – get curious and atracted by unnecessary things in life and in the process lose our tail !!. After all monkeys are our ancestors.
Story 2: Do you know how they catch monkeys? They keep peanuts in a glass bottle with a narrow neck. Monkeys get attracted by the peanuts. They put their hands in the glass bottle and grab peanuts. Now they cannot remove the fist from the bottle. They get stuck there since the bottle is fixed into the ground by the monkey catcher. Monkey catcher will come in couple of days to capture the monkey. Monkey has to stay hungry for so many days. All that the monkey had to do was to release the peanuts in the fist to escape. It gets into hunger and life long imprisonment just because it did not want to let go the peanuts. This is story of our life. Monkey represents our mind. We hold on to something in the hopes of recovering. !! In the process we get into life long imprisonment. What we hold on hurts us most !. Once you let go, things will be fine. Spiritual teaching is the wisdom of letting go !!!.
Life will continue to throw challenges in your life. That is the way life operates. Without challenges, life will be boring and no learning. The purpose of challenges in life is to help you not harm you. Life as a great teacher, time and again comes and tells you what are the things you need to learn to be truly spiritual !!. Life is a great Guru.
Spirituality will not remove challenges and problems in your life. Spirituality will help you to navigate through life unhurt!!.
Spirituality is not about miracles. Spirituality is not about walking on water. To walk on land firmly is spiritual life. To sail through turbulence of life smoothly unhurt is spirituality – Art of Living. Art of living is art of “Leaving”. Art of letting go what can cause us hurt.