Importance of Purpose/goal

[nearoanoke]

I know of an uncle of mine, who has been doing meditation and asanas for the past thirty years. I never knew he's doing all these. He's a physical trainer in school and considers these spiritual practices as something that keeps him healthy. When I asked him if he had any spiritual experiences he told he had none.

His goal is not enlightenment as I understand. He basically wants to keep himself healthy and indeed he is very healthy (he looks 30 at 50 years). But he's neither enlightened nor selfless.

Ofcourse he's not regular in meditation (thrice per week or so).

How important is the purpose you have in mind? How does it affect what you get? Do we need to want enlightenment to get it? And does the strength of want make difference between two ppl (given both do the same practices)



The reason many people fail in spirituality is that they try but make no attempt - Anonymous

[yogani]

Hi Near:

Rather than a specific objective, what is most important in yoga is spiritual desire, or bhakti, which is by nature always looking for more growth. That is the engine that drives all spiritual development.

And yes, the level of our bhakti will color the results in our practices. It is our heart instinctively calling for God or Truth within us that increases the effectiveness of our yoga. It is not that we engage in inner rituals in our practice. It is the innate resident attraction we feel for the divine that has the effect. So be mindful not to burden the specific procedures of yoga practice with mental exercises that are not resident bhakti -- only ritual trying to stimulate bhakti. Better to be doing our bhakti generating activities outside our other yoga practices. Review lesson #67 on that. http://www.aypsite.com/plus/67.html

It is a fact that if we fix our desire on a single outcome, like physical health, we may not be motivated to do the practices that reach beyond physical health all the way in to our inner divinity. Bhakti is the prerequisite for making those choices, and it is also a product of sound spiritual practices...

Bhakti has an object, called "ishta" (chosen ideal), but it is not fixed. Rather, it is constantly expanding and morphing toward the infinite. That is the nature of the object which we imbue with divine qualities within us. Bhakti is a process going on deep inside us that yields divine results, much like samyama. That is the difference between having a material goal and having bhakti. Bhakti has no limits. So much so that we have to self-pace bhakti sometimes to keep from frying in our own spiritual enthusiasm!

What is the source of bhakti? Our own inner desire for freedom, which is an aspect of our inner silence. That is why meditation invariably lights the fire of bhakti. Rising bhakti is a symptom of rising inner silence. It is the guru moving within us. And it is pure love.

I once knew a sage who used to say: "Oh God, Thou art the goal in me!"
That is the kind of goal-setting yogis do. It leaves the field wide open for treading the path by whatever means that will bring the desired result.  

The guru is in you.

PS -- Btw, "enlightement" as an object is a material goal. But it is a good stepping stone goal on the way to something more -- surrender to God or Truth. So, "enlightenment" is not anything really. Just a word. That is why I say we can't have it until we give it away. See this lesson on "getting enlightenment." http://www.aypsite.com/plus/120.html

[Anthem]

Hi Near,

I found the story of your uncle intriguing and it has been rolling around the back of my mind. All the meditation and asanas he has been doing have probably gradually enacted much change in him over time.

I was thinking that he may very well have come a long way in his practices over the last 30 years and that it might just be hard to tell. Since he began practices before you were born, it would probably be hard for you to determine what he was like before he started. Perhaps he was extremely self centered back then and in his early years of practice, he may well have had a whole host of issues that have gradually been released over time. When change is very gradual like that it is hard for people to recognize it in themselves and even for others too unless long periods of time passes between meetings.

Some questions along these lines to him and/or to relatives or friends of his who have known him a long time might be revealing. Maybe they find him calmer or easier to be around than he used to be?

A

[nearoanoke]

Hi Andrew,

I suspect he's not as regular as he told me he was. He is very healthy physically. But very attached to things and very selfish. That's what makes me think he didnt make any progress. Infact I think he never wanted to become less selfish in the first place. And he is married with a normal family life and kids. I "highly" doubt if he's practising any control over sex life. Probably thats the reason.





The reason many people fail in spirituality is that they try but make no attempt - Anonymous

[Ute]

Hi Near,
I think people are on different levels of development. It takes most of us a few life times to reach enlightenment+ . Every step in the right direction helps and eventually we will all get there[8D].
Blessings,
Ute

[david_obsidian]

quote:Originally posted by nearoanoke

 But he's neither enlightened nor selfless.

By the way,  Near,  I don't think enlightenment actually makes anyone truly or strictly 'selfless',  nor do I think that it should.  It just makes people generous and giving when it is working.

-D

[AYPforum]

Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement