Ever found yourself seeking a ‘big’ experience?
Searching.
Yearning.
Chasing.
I’ve spent the better part of my life wanting more.
Somewhere upon my journey, I learned to associate size with accomplishment.
In the army, it was all about bigger guns and more badass adventures.
When I studied architecture it was all about bigger buildings and more prestige.
On the spiritual path I saw myself chasing bigger acts of service.
‘Bigger’ is a common cultural model, and certainly one that has caused me to suffer.
Constantly wanting more, where is there space to arrive?
When you ‘walk the path’, the destination is always somewhere else.
Tomorrow. In a year. A decade. Maybe next lifetime… if I just meditate longer / do more yoga / buy another crystal… I’ll finally arrive!
Recently, I discovered how deeply rooted this idea was.
I found that this search for more had begun to entangle itself with the vision Rajni and I held for our own humble Ashram.
We fell in the trap.
This week I realised that again, I had been pushing. Striving. Reaching.
To what end?
Is a community of a thousand ten times ‘better’ than a community of a hundred?
Is more capacity, facilities, and expanding our space really the answer?
Over the last week, I was pushed to examine this inner feeling of the ‘quest for more.’
At our Ashram, we come across a lot of people on the ‘spiritual path.’
Many are motivated by service (ourselves included.)
The danger when serving is that we have some heroic cultural heroes who have served on an enormous scale. Christ took the suffering of the world on his own shoulders.
Great modern teachers are sharing with a reach of millions thanks to the internet.
It all has a seductive charm.
But all this outer work can be a trap; if you are waiting till everyone on planet Earth is happy, content and satisfied before you feel at peace, you’ll be waiting a long time.
After some Soulful introspection, it became apparent (again) that the true community that must be served is a couple of trillion cells and a Soul we call ‘me.’
For hidden inside this solitary ‘Self’ is a gateway to the beyond.
Yoga is the art of tending to this community of one.
As one learns to take care of physical, mental and energetic domains of the Self, the deeper spirit has space to manifest.
The mind becomes clear.
And when it does, things change for the better.
I was once struck by the idea that the largest act of service was to unite the world with a single idea.
Damn I thought… it’s gonna have to be a bloody good idea to resonate with… everyone.
I thought.
I journaled.
I read.
I talked.
After some time, I humbly realised that I was full of shit and that my well-intentioned vision had me bordering on a messianic complex.
Meditation cleared my vision and I saw, quite surprisingly and without any effort… that the world was already united.
Seven billion Souls drinking from the same air, basking in the same sun and sitting on the one planet.
Unity.
Right before my eyes, the whole damn time!
I was too arrogant to see the immaculate, interwoven dance of perfection playing out before me.
Lawful cause and effect. Karma. Suffering. Joy. Happiness. Sorrow.
Perfection.
Even the pain I had been through.
With a clear set of eyes, I saw it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
I had my a-ha moment.
The true source of the feeling of ‘wanting more’ was simply the division created by my mind.
Life can turn my mind to warp speed.
It’s fun.
But somehow, it also sucks.
When my mind is busy, the simple, eternal truths of our fundamental unity go unnoticed.
Then I suffer.
When I sit down, take a week off to breathe, practice, share, laugh and cry… what do you know; I am reminded of the unity of life.
And from this place I flourish in peace.
Life ain’t so complex.
When one appraises ‘what is’ rather than striving for something else, this is yoga (where means and destination become one.)
To be sat in that place, even for a moment, gives rise to a tremendous sense of gratitude.
Compassion flows with ease, not as a contrived act of ‘being good’ but simply as the most natural way to be.
And from stillness, the dance of life reignites in a more gentle way, without a single care as to how big or small it is, for finally, you realise that – you are it!
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If you are seeking a good reminder of the eternal truths of life, in a beautiful setting with great company where you will learn ancient practices to help make inner peace a daily reality, we would love for you to join us on the Soul Retreat.
Our next installment (13th to 17th September) is almost full. Our last 10 retreats have sold out and this one will too 🙂
Learn more about joining us for the Soul Retreat.
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We pray that you have a beautiful week, no matter the size!
