A Discussion With Manatita on Spiritual Philosophy - Part 10

In the ninth part of this spiritual adventure, my Brother, Manatita helped me, and I hope you too, with some questions about the significance of meditation for the Spiritual life. In this tenth part, we will continue with some questions about the Spiritual Path. I hope you'll enjoy it as I did.

Ioannis: Inner hunger! I understand that this is a crucial element for every one of us! I believe that everyone has this inner hunger, the kind which will determine the path we walk.

The hunger for Light and Truth, to serve and offer Love, the hunger to become one with the Creator and His Creation, will lead us to the Spiritual Path.

The hunger for material opulence, for fame and worldly power, will lead us to the path of sorrows.

Some years ago, I used to believe that the meaning of Love, was to help others avoid the path of sorrows. Now I can see - and through this discussion it becomes even more apparent - that Love means to strive to become better in order to be a living example, a living light for God in all mankind. Meditation and prayer are our "arsenal" for this struggle.

It was difficult for me to accept that we have to leave some siblings behind, to follow the dark path they choose. I had to meditate and pray a lot for it. Now you have said several times that they are God's children, not ours. This is a great help now. Some years ago, I used to feel that this is a cruel phrase, but now I can see that is really full of Love!

Nevertheless, for the sake of our readers, I would like to ask you:

Is the Spiritual Path a lonely path?

Do we have to leave behind even our loved ones?

Can we through meditation and God-realization, through oneness, continue to be with them?

Manatita: Excellent and wise deductions. I will answer the individual paragraphs.

The spiritual Path and the inner hunger are inseparable. They walk together. We all have this, either consciously or unconsciously, to a greater or lesser extent.

Yes, in this discussion, you are showing a greater understanding. We are meant to be imitators of Christ, as Paul asks us to be and yes again, we do need the help of prayers and meditations. We cannot do this by ourselves.

On one level, we are instruments of God. Yet on another level, we have to feel that God does not need our help.

He is the Master Planner and knows His Creation far better than we do. So our purpose is to serve. Let Him worry about the deeper things.

Never worry about the things you cannot change. Whatever happens is happening for the ultimate progression of the soul. Whether or not it is clear to us, the universe is as unfolding as it should.

No, my brother. The spiritual Path is anything but lonely. Even an ant like me is always content, and solitude is far from loneliness.

We walk alone, if that is what you mean. The mystical life is your own journey. Yet when heads are moving in the same direction, you can sometimes travel together like a family, like your family.

Our Path practices purity in words, thoughts and actions (this includes the dream states), but Guruji accepts married couples. I was married when I became a disciple. Some souls travel faster together. There is no hard and fast rule. Yet the monk has more freedom and perhaps less distractions.

Oneness embodies God-realisation. A state of conscious and inseparable interconnectedness with God. When we are free, there are no relatives as such. In the Kingdom of heaven, we neither marry nor are we given in marriage. We are Spirit.

The soul is immortal, and in the soul's region, you will be freed from the troublesome body and as such think differently.

But yes. You will have access to and see your dear ones. I also told you that one has to do one's duty. We all carry different packages for God's own reasons. Offer the results to God and be wary of attachments ...clinging is always followed by pain.

Still, dispassion is an inner state. I was saying, however, that for successful meditation, the mind should be free from all distractions.

Finally, in the grand scheme of reincarnation, I have had many mothers, and you have had many wives. Which ones should you claim? Lol. See everything and everyone, as an experience that God is having in and through you for the progression of the soul.

The circumstances, in which you find yourself, are necessary for God's purposes, and you will know when the time comes for progression. It may or may not be in this lifetime.

Your duty is to pray ... to Love ... with the spirit of detachment, offering the fruits of your actions to Brahman(God or Allah). This is what Sri Krishna teaches. Duty with detachments.

Nevertheless, post Realization, you will manifest God and may take help from a female Shakti. It is very possible for it to have been someone you knew in a past life.

Ioannis: What an amazing answer, my dear Brother! Full of Love, Light, compassion and so wise! My Heart and my Spirit feel so content! Thank you, wholeheartedly thank you!

But! Too many new questions jump out from this answer!

Let's start with the last lines. I am familiar enough with the Hindu pantheon, but I am a little hazy with this:

"Nevertheless, post realization, you will manifest God and may take help from a female Shakti. It is very possible for it to have been someone you knew in a past life."

Would you be so kind as to help our readers and me a little more with that?

Manatita: I will try. This takes us away from the basics and generally it is better to discuss this with practising seekers. There is some speculation also, but let's try, then move on.

Divine Incarnations (God-realized Souls who serve as God’s Advocates on Earth), generally collaborate with a Consort or Shakti, the feminine power or energy of the Absolute.

Christs' mother was very pure, and it is likely that he worked with her or Mary Magdalene, a deeply spiritual soul. The Buddha was married, and his wife and son became disciples. So, it is possible that she was his Consort.

Sri Ramakrishna's case is clearer. His wife, Sarada Devi, was held in the highest veneration and many of the advanced disciples bowed at her feet. She was purity incarnate and was of great service to the Order.

Ramana Maharshi disappeared from home at about 14, but his mother found him a few years later, on the hills of Arunachala. She never left and was held in the highest esteem by the devotees.

Lord Rama had Sita and Sri Krishna probably Radha as his Consort. He was married though.

Madame Alfassa was the venerated French Lady who became known as the 'mother' in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. She carried on the mission after the Master’s passing. My Guruji’s Path also has similarities. Guruji took Mahasamadhi (A Yogi's conscious exit from this world) on October 11th 2007.

It is worth mentioning, that while a Consort may or may not be family, they have a pure relationship with the Master. They work with him as collaborators for the manifestation of God's vision here on earth.

Since you love your dear ones so much, I wanted to give you hope. God-realized Souls usually encounter their Shakti's in former lives, and they are all very spiritual.

They can be directly chosen as Ramakrishna did with Sarada Devi, but all are ultimately chosen to work for the Divine.

They are not disciples in the true sense, but channels of Light, working with the Master for the descent of God's victory on earth. Now let's make it simpler.

End of part 10.

To be continued… (link to part 11)