Spirituality, Happiness and Innocence
Swamiji keeps telling us to become as innocent as a child — a child tells it like it is, there is no hanky-panky, no motivated opinion, just pure innocent joy and fun. Man is not innocent because he is a slate on which nothing has been written so far, or because it has not been filled with karmic bondage but because he bears the divine imprint. He always has been and now too he is the very image of Paramatma.
Happiness does not depend on the body, external comfort or external objects. True happiness lies in the mind — if we learn to quieten the mind, we will gain control over everything else. It is only spiritual knowledge acquired with the help of a Realised Master through meditation that teaches us to control the mind. In the past — say 5–6 generations ago we lived in joint families in the villages. There would be 40–50 people to a household but they all lived with unity, mutual affection and deference. The atmosphere in such families was filled with love and peace because they understood spirituality. All households had a spiritual guide to advise them if and when the need arose. Sadly, this is no longer so — today if there are three members in a family, they are like three islands in an ocean. Each one has his or her own way of doing things and there are likely to be a clash of opinions and egos.
If spiritual principles and values are imbibed early, we can at least avoid these situations within families. Spirituality brings hearts closer because one who has learnt to swim in the ocean knows how to ride the waves. Some mistakenly consider spirituality to be nothing but blind faith! Whereas the truth is that spirituality dispels the darkness of ignorance. Youth are misled by people today, offering drugs to give so called spiritual experiences, when the same experience is available through proper practice of spirituality and meditation.
Why do seemingly rich and famous people kill themselves? If they have all the comforts of life, what are they missing? You cannot buy happiness, joy and inner peace — that has to grow within you through proper spiritual practice. Therefore, we must accept or practice whatever bestows peace of mind. We are all different forms of the one SELF, like the same toffee in different wrappers!
We do not understand this simple thing and thus end up creating so many problems in the world. This is because we have lost our child-like heart and thus are unable to experience Paramatma. A spiritual aspirant needs a heart filled with innocence and an intellect rich with discernment. Only then we will be able to experience the Divine! The life of a person bestowed with both will never know sorrow. You cannot enjoy peace without an innocent heart because God abides only in an innocent heart.
