Question: What is the impact of spiritual enlightenment on one’s relationships with others?
Sri Prabhuji:
Any relation is not absolute in nature, it is always “with respect to the other”. I am father with respect to a son. I am a brother with respect to a sister. Hence all relationships are relative in nature, they are temporary and changing all the time based on the “other” side of this relationship.
There is only one “Absolute relationship” which is with the SELF, Brahman. Everything else is relative.
Before Enlightenment, there was “I, me, my relationships”, which is based on the the a belief that “I am mother, I am father, sister, son etc”. I live as mother/son/wife etc…I become all these identities.
Post Enlightenment, I know that I am not this body-mind. I am Pure Consciousness and the real “I” is using these instruments called body-mind to experience, express (help/serve) and expand(purify) through this creation.
After enlightenment, when the false and illusory “me/mine” thought/belief drops, all the relationships associated with that “me or i”, like father, brother, wife etc turn into “role-playing” . You do not become father now, you play the role of father and you play it very well. When the “my” feeling goes away, mind works in a very peaceful manner.
Just like an actor plays the roles without forgetting that he is an actor, all the roles are played dutifully without expectations, without attachments. Such relationships will never change or get strained because, the element of expectation and attachment or hatred is gone. The “my” son, wife, mother” etc. causes lot of distortion in mind.