Why Some People Leave Spiritual Life After Many Years of Sadhana?
Question: I was wondering if it would help my progress if I kept thinking about my goal of God-realisation.
Swami Sri Chinmoy: "A kindergarten pupil's ultimate goal is to get a Master's degree. While he is studying the kindergarten lessons, if he constantly thinks, 'Oh, I have to get my Master's degree,' it is foolishness on his part. He may know his goal, but if he thinks about it all the time, then he will not learn his present lesson well. There are some aspirants who think of God-realisation although they are not ready even for basic inner awakening. There are some who think and speak of God-realisation, whereas they are not yet ready even to learn the ABC's of spiritual life.
"God-realisation, Immortality, Infinity, Eternity: these are all big words right now. If you speak about these words, you will only be building castles in the air. They are a reality in their own plane, but that reality you cannot bring into your day-to-day life right now. So, let the reality remain in its proper place. If you go on thinking of the goal all the time with your imagination, the Goal will not be the what you are imagining it, and you are bound to be disappointed. Also, if you think of the Goal all the time, then, you will not pay proper attention to your present aspiration, and you will unconsciously delay your progress. God-realisation is your Goal, but you have just entered into the spiritual path. You are walking along the right path, and this is good. Right now, your main concern should be aspiration, inner progress, simplicity, sincerity, purity and humility.
"God-realisation is a difficult goal, but it is not impossible. After meditating for several years, some people feel that God-realisation is impossible in this incarnation and say that they do not want it. It is like the story of sour grapes. Many people leave the spiritual path for this reason after following it for quite a few years. They find fault with God and with the Master's teachings and become stark ateists. But this is very bad. Before you entered into the spiritual life, when you were wallowing in the pleasures of ignroance, God forgave you because He knew that you were not aware of anything else. God said, 'My child does not know anything better than ignorance.' But after you have entered into the inner life, if you go back to the ordinary life thinking that God-realisation either does not exist or it is totally beyond your capacity, then, the inner retribution for your ignorant and undivine actions is infinitely worse than it would have been if you had never left ignorance at all.
"Right now, the Goal is a far cry, but you must not be discouraged. Step by step, slowly and steadily, you will reach the Goal. From kindergarten, you go to primary school, then to high school, and then to the university. So, do not be restless and impatient. Only God knows when his choice Hour will strike for you. It is your business to aspire, and it is God's business to pour down His infinite Compassion. When you play your role, God will play His role and make you realise Him at His choice Hour. So, let us walk along the path of reality. on the strength of our inner aspiration, the Goal itself will come towards us."
(pgs. 63-65, Summits of God-Life: Samadhi and Siddhi)
"God-realisation, Immortality, Infinity, Eternity: these are all big words right now. If you speak about these words, you will only be building castles in the air. They are a reality in their own plane, but that reality you cannot bring into your day-to-day life right now. So, let the reality remain in its proper place. If you go on thinking of the goal all the time with your imagination, the Goal will not be the what you are imagining it, and you are bound to be disappointed. Also, if you think of the Goal all the time, then, you will not pay proper attention to your present aspiration, and you will unconsciously delay your progress. God-realisation is your Goal, but you have just entered into the spiritual path. You are walking along the right path, and this is good. Right now, your main concern should be aspiration, inner progress, simplicity, sincerity, purity and humility.
"Right now, the Goal is a far cry, but you must not be discouraged. Step by step, slowly and steadily, you will reach the Goal. From kindergarten, you go to primary school, then to high school, and then to the university. So, do not be restless and impatient. Only God knows when his choice Hour will strike for you. It is your business to aspire, and it is God's business to pour down His infinite Compassion. When you play your role, God will play His role and make you realise Him at His choice Hour. So, let us walk along the path of reality. on the strength of our inner aspiration, the Goal itself will come towards us."(pgs. 63-65, Summits of God-Life: Samadhi and Siddhi)
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