A Discussion With Manatita on Spiritual Philosophy - Part 5

In the fourth part of this spiritual adventure, my Brother, Manatita helped me, and I hope you too, to approach terms of sin, guilt and forgiveness. In this fifth part, we will continue with some questions about the way we can walk the Spiritual path. I hope you'll enjoy it as I did.

Ioannis: I think you are right. Many good people with the best intentions to change the world, failed just because this is probably impossible! You can't change a society which has been created in this contemporary form by the choices, the acts, and the collective conscience of all people. You can better it, though. You can play your part and make it even a little better while you are trying, at the same time, to motivate others to do the same. Cumulatively, all these efforts can make the difference.

Did I understand right the meaning of your phrase?

Manatita: Yes ... yes, you can better it. Why else would the Master's come? You are the branch and the Master is the Tree. Did you not say that I inspire you? Are you not inspiring others? Light must descend into darkness. But we should not push! Simply serve without expectations. Actions by themselves have no power. What matters in action, is a live vibrant awareness of the power of Love/Consciousness/Spirit.

Be the benchmark that Paul and Christ ask you to be and you will shift mountains. Let your life be an imitation of Christ, one of Love, tolerance, soulful self-giving, mercy and empathy ... that is the foundation. For that, prayer is necessary and an intense devotion to something Higher. The life of a God-seeker is a great privilege, but a huge responsibility. Here's a sublime quote:

“Try not to change the world, you will fail.

Try to love the world.

Lo! The world is changed, changed forever." -Sri Chinmoy

Ioannis: "Simply serve without expectations."

I think that this phrase and Sri Chinmoy's quote could be enough to end this discussion!

This phrase is my motto, the path I want to walk!

But it will not end here because there is the practical side of the struggle and I want to ask you some things about that.

We have to prepare the Inner Self with the power of Love/Consciousness/Spirit, but there is the physical body too, with its needs and limitations.

Therefore I ask:

How do you prepare the body to obey the Soul?

Manatita: Give yourself to the Divine, and the whole universe will work with you. Haven't you heard people say, that if you take one step towards God, then He takes 99 towards you?

But of course, it's not easy. I want to go down on record as saying that I, too, have limitations. The work is never easy. So we should be all empathy, recognising that each soul fights its own battles.

"Life's perfection-road is very long, but the journey is richly rewarding." - Sri Chinmoy.

Again, it is not the body we should be worried about, but developing the psyche, to hear and obey the voice of Conscience. For this the foundation is necessary:

Prayer ... faith ... gratitude ... silent prayer ... service, empathy which comes from Love.

Trust in the soul and it will guide you to the outer needs. For each one it's different, according to the experiences needed for growth and development ... for progress.

Look at the lilies of the field, they toil not, yet they are so beautiful! They live in the eternal now, like the child ... in the Sacrament of the present moment. (I have a Sonnet on lilies here).

Ioannis: Do you mean that your choice to be a vegetarian is irrelevant with the Yoga Philosophy?

Manatita: No. But let life answer your questions in a natural way. We cannot move faster than Grace and again, the inner voice is the real teacher. Nurture it or listen well, and it will supply what you need.

Do your duty, then wait patiently. If you do not understand, then wait some more. God reveals all, but Yoga does not like to rush Him.

The devotional way is the way of the Heart. What you do not understand, let it go, like Cam.

You are only asked to long ... to cry. Let the Mother do the rest. Stay in the sweet simplicity of the Heart and She will teach all at God's choice hour. Now move forward! Let the mind rest.

Ioannis: Yes, but is the vegetarian lifestyle necessary for a seeker?

Manatita: Mostly yes. For the beginner seeker, every little bit helps. Life is Consciousness/vibrations/energy/Spirit. All things have Consciousness/Spirit. The vibrations of the animal are restless, aggressive, while that of vegetables are milder... gentler.

Yoga is equanimity, poise, balance or harmony. The goal is to be a peaceful being, to be conscious of and to live in the bliss of the Self. Anything that helps is useful.

Fish is slothful, indolent with little drive or movement and is also not recommended.

Finally, God knows our Hearts and the spiritual life has exceptions. Meat may be necessary for some due to nutritional or health reasons.

Purity of intentions or sincerity of purpose is paramount! These are the things of the Heart. Spirituality is logical and wise. Narrowness is negative and God is not bound by rules.

Note that ours is not right and wrong, not the moral way but of Consciousness/energy/vibrations.

Ioannis: I think we are at a crucial point as for the comprehension of the foundation of Yoga or Spiritual Philosophy. I know - I have received enough messages - that many readers of this discussion have their first contact with this way of life and I want us to be as clear as possible for them.

From your three previous, exceptional, answers I understand that Yoga is not a path, is all the paths!

Everyone's path is different, according to the experiences needed for growth and development. Is the way of his own Heart.

If someone hears and obeys the voice of Conscience, if someone stays in the sweet simplicity of the Heart, then he or she walks the Yoga path. There are not ordered formal worship, physical exercises, fast, forbidden foods or actions. There are no typical more than them which the Heart orders to the devotee.

Did I understand right?

Manatita: Yoga philosophy is essentially the spiritual life, which is based on Love of God. Still, we are walking along a particular road to Greece, while others fly and some take a boat or vessel. Greece is the goal, but the methods differ.

So Yoga is also called a Path. There are many Paths and each seeker chooses according to its nature, environment and upbringing, outside influence and mostly the propensity of the soul.

Within this Path there are two roads, loosely speaking, the road of the mind and the way of the Heart. The mind likes to reason, to analize, to chop things up, to separate or divide. It thinks of 'me' and 'my.'

The Heart is like a child. Simplicity incarnate. It is spontaneous and likes to identify. The Heart is very vast. It thinks of 'we' and 'ours' and has a tremendous sense of oneness. The mind says: "Be careful!" Love, the way of the Heart, says “Take the plunge."

Paths are many. Truth is one and Grace or Light, is the goal for all. Yet methods differ, each having its own legitimacy, according to the energy or vibration of the devotee.

End of part 5.

To be continued… (link to part 6)