INFUSION OF SPIRITUALITY

 

START SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

There is a great necessity in this world to express to the young about the spiritual life. I think I have spoken about this many times before, as mainstream education does not start spiritual education like some organisations are doing, because when you reach a certain age, your mind is so set.

But start spiritual education from when the child is small, starting in school, primary/infant school. That is the place where spiritual knowledge is to be given to be moulded and grow up in that. I have found one thing: in the home where there are meditators, where quality recordings are played all the time, the children listen. You will be surprised how perceptive children are. Although they might not be able to verbalise it, they feel that something good is there, and if they are nurtured and brought up in that kind of atmosphere, then juvenile delinquency would be so much lessened.

THERE IS A GREAT INTEREST IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS TODAY

In all countries, including America, England, and everywhere, technological progress has been so fast today. The intellects have become more and more developed. Despite the technological developments, they have searched outwardly, for they suffer from dissatisfaction within themselves. They do not have peace. They could run multi-billion-dollar corporations, and yet they find an emptiness. They have gone to the highest intellectual and technological development limit and cannot find the answer there. So, the only way they can go is inward instead of outward. Therefore, there is a great interest in spiritual matters today, of finding the Kingdom of Heaven within. There is a significant surge in that direction, which is an excellent sign.

Unfortunately, many of my countrymen have come along and misused the privileges that were given to them. Instead of them converting the outward seekers, they became outward seekers for power and wealth. That is a tragedy, and when I meet some of these guys at times, I give them a piece of my mind because I am afraid of nothing and no one. It could be the highest lord of the land. If I want to say something, I say it openly and clearly and in no uncertain terms. That is a tragedy, but those that do understand might be performing some little good work.

THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING

Anyone on the spiritual path should be encouraged to find himself. By finding himself, his life will become more peaceful, and that is what we want. “The peace that passes all understanding.” We need this integration; the mind and body have been led so far outward. It is about time that more and more people like you would make a right-about turn and start going inward. For only there is peace to be found. A millionaire might become a multi-millionaire, and the multi-millionaire might become a billionaire. But what has he gained as far as his personal peace is concerned? Therefore, the scriptures would say, “What is the use of gaining the world and losing your soul?” And souls are being lost. They are not lost; we say these words figuratively and not to be taken in its literal sense because the soul of men can never be lost. But it can be entangled with these total materialistic, unbalanced desires.

WE NEED MATERIALITY

I am not against materialism. But what I would like to see is that Spirit, that spirituality to be infused into materiality. So that which is material becomes spiritual, and that which is spiritual becomes material. It is a continuum. It is a oneness. But although having two eyes, we close one eye and look at the material part. Let’s open the other eye and see the spiritual part as well. We find the two eyes adequately focused, and in that proper focusing, the spirituality and materiality is infused. Because we need materiality – we need it. If I have not got fifty cents or fifty-six cents in my pocket at home, I cannot go and buy a loaf of bread, and I need the sustenance. That is material. You walk outside. God’s air is free, but we are paying for it in taxes.

INFUSION OF SPIRITUALITY

We cannot escape materiality. This body is material. It is flesh and bones. It is material. But the spiritual side of man can be deeply infused in that materiality so that it functions holistically so that it functions in a wholeness. That is healing. To be healed is to become whole. 

It is beautiful, really if we think about it. It is beautiful, and it is not an impossibility. It is within reach of everyone. It is just by directing one’s attention, and with spiritual practices, you will find that we will see lesser and lesser faults in things. We will see the greater and greater good in things. That is practical infusion in practical daily living.

Then we stop being judgmental. “Judge ye not that ye be judged.” “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” “Do unto others as you expect to be done unto you.” These injunctions become realities, not just words on the printed page. That is what we want. So simple. You do not need to make it complex. Very simple. The simple understanding of what life is all about, and if you know life, you know love. And if you know love, you know laughter which is joy.

In our motto, we had to use the word laughter because there is three L’s. Instead of saying L. L. J, we say three L’s. By laughter, I mean joy.

… Gururaj Ananda Yogi: Satsang US 1982 – 05