There are many rigid, and sometimes severe practices placed on practitioners in order to become a qualified spiritual aspirant. Offerings like this are a fleeting mind pacifier that won’t provide any lasting benefit on the spiritual path. In some extreme cases the students vigilantly practice austerities and disciplines that seem to dwell on physical endurance, but no spiritual value is derived from this.
Some disciplines like meditation are necessary for the quest, the physical austerities and practices aren’t.
Book smarts taught in a testing fashion in order to find the aspirant’s spiritual level is usually not helpful. This type of external grading system tends to create a school hierarchy. An ego based performance that can deliver a mental and spiritual road block turns the most humble student’s aim to waste.
To Realize the Soul is a hard and elusive endeavor, and if the teacher is also striving you have a slim chance to make it, if the teacher is playing a role of nobility then forget about it.
Actually, group dynamics, physical austerities, rituals, garments, insignias, penance, visualizations strict diets and even chanting are usually counterproductive to the spiritual cause. Sometimes it’s a good starting point, however It’s well connected to the physical world, and chanting for favors from the spiritual world is self indulgent. Beginning meditation techniques and active mind and body meditations are helpful for a while, however they can turn against you in the long run. Most spiritual paths judge you on external performances however when dealing with this it’s the internal triumphs that really count.
In group situations talking about spiritual experiences can also become a competitive hindrance, this is best talked about in private with the teacher. And unless you have a qualified teacher to bounce things off of you basically have to figure it out and do research.
Your spiritual journey is a very personal and private endeavor, a personal pursuit between the Soul and what you became, the fight between these two entities is best pursued in meditation. Always on the alert to keep the spiritual ego, useless formalities and wrong information at bay.
The minds identity has a revolving ideology, and formidable contender to overcome. Hence the job of the spiritualist to help with this task so you can break the spell and find Eternity. Religions and Foundations have unwittingly created a substitute centerpiece that is connected to the physical world keeping Eternity off at a distance. It’s ether the physical realm or the Eternal realm and the serious seeker can’t pursue both at the same time and expect liberation.
I believe passed down traditions with no enlightened teacher at the helm is to blame for this deviation, austerities and traditions become the way to judge progression. This deviance from what really matters has a curb appeal with the masses via external achievements, and now anyone can take the helm.
In search of Enlightenment or Self-realization really has no physical requirements to speak of and no special diet. In fact moderation is the rule of thumb. If you feel noble wearing the spiritual garb, you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If your path requires you to achieve rigorous postures, abstain from sex or any type of abstinence, find another path. Do you really think the physical stuff is necessary in order to sit and meditate with a goal of forgetting the whole physical world is pointless. Of course extreme addictions are to be avoided and moderation is the operative word in all cases.
Even a holy place and a holy teacher isn’t a prerequisite if you did your research and understand the essence of the process. Where you sit in meditation is the real holy place, and the holiness is the teacher within. Research of course comes first and there are books and Realized teachers to help with that however be vigilant for the right knowledge.
Life has totally absorbed us into her clutches with all her rewarding social perks that we can easily loose our path through the trees. People perceive life in such a grading fashion that it encroaches into the spiritual field where it really doesn’t belong. The minute the Self-realized teacher dies the wannabes take over and fight for position, and eventually the new heads reorganizing everything to fit their mindset and goals. I’m afraid that’s really unavoidable unless there’s someone at the helm with spiritual enlightenment.
The real lack of good teachers has everyone concerned with the wrong ideals, and the true spiritual ideals that lead to liberation are diluted with ineffectiveness. In the long run they create dependence and become a hindrance to spiritual growth. The mind helps in the way of research and then when the mind realizes its part of the problem then the Soul must take the helm and overcome this personal obstacle.
Dependence inhibits transcendence.
That’s the key here, in the long run the world and body matter not, not the words and not the thoughts, the art of meditation is to live by this creed. When Buddha preached detachment he meant it internally not visually or verbally, it’s done through a meditation practice. This doctrine really encompasses everything that the mind and life can throw at you. Osho, “you can have possessions provided you’re not possessive of them.” Is right on. During meditation you let go of everything in life because life pulls your attention away from Eternity. It’s not easy, and the purpose of this article is based on efficiency.
The world is demanding all of our time and there needs to be spiritual efficiency for today’s busy person.
I’m trying to funnel your focus to the heart of the matter thereby giving you free-agent status to save your money and spend your time more wisely. No longer will you need the fragile security of religions, and paths that require mundane rituals with no benefits. No sense in spinning your wheels when immediate traction can be had with a meditation practice. There is no better worship than that, and there is nothing better for your spiritual development than applying yourself directly to the search within.