What can one say to spiritual travellers about the Divine and the spiritual life? What words can convey the vastness of yoga and the Supreme Union with God? What can be written that has not been written of the glory, the love, the compassion and the light of the Divine Lord and the Mother?

On the one hand I have to ask myself these questions as I put my pen to paper, while also reassuring myself that the Divine is forever revealing Itself in new acts of inspiration and invariably needs to be reflected upon in the light of current understanding.

The beginning of the journey
Explorers of the spiritual life take up various practices for different reasons. For some it may be about performing postures for their physical benefits and to make the body more supple and toned up. Others might seek therapeutic benefits through meditation or breathing exercises. Then there are those who look for wisdom and ethical guidance in the various philosophical schools of thought. Some have no specific reason and just start looking to see what spirituality is all about. Within the yoga traditions the practices are so diverse that they can cater for the various needs and motives of different spiritual explorers; for there is not just one way of beginning the journey to the ultimate knowledge of the Divine. Each and everyone will have their own discoveries to make. Even if some travel the same road together for a while, their individual experiences will be unique for each one of them.

   












We may discover the need for guides to show us the way, and to help us through the inevitable hazards and trouble spots, so that we do not get stranded or lose our way. We may, and more often than not we will, need some instructions to give us a deeper understanding and awareness of what the path entails. But we must choose our guides and teachers wisely and carefully if we wish to travel far on our journey. Compassion and universal love are the things to look for in the great masters of spirituality.

Sometimes we may have to change our guides or go on alone for a while. The hero or heroine on his or her quest for the Grail is sometimes used as a metaphor for this. It is a time that requires us to develop degrees of self-reliance and our own inner strength, intuition, insight and personal understanding in order to move forward in our development. It can be seen as a learning situation which teaches us about some of the essentials of spiritual growth.

Finding traces
The path may be difficult at times and beset with obstacles, but with perseverance we can attain an awareness of our relationship with the Divine. We can look for inspiration and encouragement in the teachings of the great ones of the past. Jesus showed a way of living and acting in the world with compassionate understanding. His teachings have spread hope, spiritual light and knowledge of a life eternal.

In yogic teachings and texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, various paths are mentioned. They recommend methods of conduct to be taken-up and outline numerous practices that can help us to find and manifest profound qualities of the Divine in our lives. The great wisdom traditions are the stepping-stones to inner knowledge which can teach us about awakening to a higher life and to our true spiritual existence.

If we are to work towards a realisation of our oneness with the Divine, then our spiritual practices should not be confined to the meditation or exercise room, but need to become an integral part of our being. Our practices should help us to discover and truly live by our Divinity in every moment. If we wish to be part of spreading this knowledge, then we must honour the teachings that can lead us to this awareness and recognise the omnipresent spark of the Divine in all, and all things in the Divine.

Upsets on the path
Sometimes we feel inadequate, especially when we are with others who appear to be more advanced in their learning or knowledge. We may even feel like failures when things do not go the way we expect them. But we need to remember that there are no failures in God’s eyes. There is not one yardstick by which everyone is measured – the Divine has a place for everyone. We therefore have to have trust in the process of spiritual unfoldment and do the work that is needed for us to continue on our journey. A quotation comes to mind:

It is in times of uncertainty and spiritual dryness that we need to persist with our spiritual practices, in order to unfold fresher insights about our relationship with the Divine, and to realise that even our worries and concerns are part of the growing process.

Opening and sharing along the way
True spirituality is about taking our practices into the world and sharing our gifts and wisdom with each other, as well as our joys and aspirations, and our sorrows and our pains, as there is nothing that is not part of this important journey. The work is like a kaleidoscope, the patterns and colours changing all the time. But we should realise that without change there is no growth – life is like this. And what is yoga but an embracing of life with Unity.

The teachings of yoga cover all aspects (the physical, the mental
and the spiritual) and walks of life (householders, students
and sannyasis). All things are ultimately woven together in the
interactive dance of Shiva and Shakti (the cosmic creative
rhythm of life), in the music of Krishna as he plays his flute
and in the inspiration of Saraswati as she extols her teachings
of wisdom. All things portray various aspects of One Reality,
and are all bound together in the love, compassion, glory and light
of the immanent and transcendent Divine Consciousness.

So let us then join Shiva and Shakti in the Dance of Life,
sing to the music of Krishna’s flute and chant the wisdom
of the Divine with the Goddess Saraswati, as we continue
our important journey of discovery.

Discovering different routes
Much has been said about the practices of postures, pranayama and meditation in yoga, but these are not the only paths. For many, spirituality and yoga might be about the cultivation of discerning wisdom, a devotional path, or a way of acting with pure and right intentions in the world. The answer to humankind’s quest to ‘know themselves’ can be found in these various paths. Our innate wisdom can be discovered through them, which can then guide us further in our development.

Whatever route we take, it should bring about profound changes in our nature, in different levels of our being. These deeper changes can only take place with a disciplined application of the practices that we undertake, along with wholesome attitudes of mind that instil deep spiritual levels of awareness.

A revealing faith
An essential ingredient of the spiritual life is faith (termed ‘shraddha’ in Sanskrit). Faith can inspire things to happen; it can remove mountains and reveal the truth of who and what we are, why we are here and where we are going in our spiritual journey. It can also bring forth the power of inner healing by leading us to see life from greater perspectives and by helping us to let go of unskilful patterns of behaviour. Ultimately it is faith that keeps our faltering steps on the path of dharma. It is faith in the Divine Spirit that brings about an unfolding knowledge of our authentic Self and unites us with the Light of our True Being – what can be seen as the Supreme Awakening:

The man of faith who is devoted to spiritual knowledge and the practice of self-control gains wisdom. Having obtained wisdom, he gains supreme peace at once.

Just as Jesus said, “In my Father’s Kingdom there are many mansions”, It is also recognised in the various yogic traditions that everyone has a special and unique path to follow – this is our dharma, our personal responsibility and way to God. If we follow our path in   the light of our dharma, we will find the help we need for gaining knowledge of the spiritual life: “Seek    and you shall find.”

Sometimes we are glad to have the company as we travel on our journey. If our, or a companion’s, load gets too heavy we can share our burdens for a while and help each other along the way. If we come to diversions on the path and decide to try different routes, we can part with the knowledge that we will eventually meet again, as all paths lead to the top of the mountain – the inner Sanctum.

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