The Road to Moksha

There was first, the search for Purpose. Two things have - perhaps partly, but surely - answered: 1) The worldly responsibilities; 2) The knowledge that Maya is like a game.  For I see that in my mind, the restlessness of a search is gone.

As knowledge grew, I'm realizing that this is, and will not be, our first visit here. That we never really lose our loved ones. We all are but one. And we keep meeting in subsequent births. This has helped, the knowledge from various aspects, the scientific (the book "Many Lives, Many Masters"), and the spiritual (talks and material from "Art of Living" and the Vedic material on the internet). It has helped to drop the fear of death, to have no regrets, and to as much possible per current capability, perceive the nature of life. It will all come around...

There is also a golden "method" I now have in hand, thanks to the "Art of Living" talks. To stay in the "Mode of Awareness". Not just when meditating, but in every activity of life. Sri Sri Ravi Sankar has explained, that it is this that helps dissolve the Karmic influences. Obviously there is much, much room for improvement for me. I'll do my best. Yoga and my attempts to reduce the need for sleep have helped. For deeper meditation, even though my office workload, and illnessess while the body builds immunity to the Bangalore weather, have delayed. But Adi Sankaracharya's point that Yoga and Meditation in itself do not help achieve Moksha, but indirectly help in creating the mental state to achieve it, have been both an insightful point, and an introspective one on how long this journey could be.

Or maybe not! As I write this, I'm thinking, I agree with Adi Sankaracharya based on two experiences: 1) Even great Yoga acharya's are known for sexual scandals, and not really directly achievers of Moksha. In itself, there is nothing wrong in sexual conduct and I'm not attempting to be judgemental about it. It's like my experience with artistes. When you hear them talk, when you learn their thoughts, you realize that no matter how great they are in their fields, be it music or film or in this case Yoga, their spiritual development has not hand-in-hand. So it takes something else.. 2) Sri Sri Ravi Sankar's exhortions that there is nothing like someday, suddenly, Enlightenment will come from somewhere. All the sadhana is like removing husk from the grain. What we are to achieve, already exists within. In this aspect, the insightful book "Siddhartha" also helped. Denying oneself will not help us "realize". Accepting all is what helps.

Among Vedic purusharthas, is also mentioned the goal of "Moksha". That it's not akin to running away from the worldly life. It's akin to how children love their small toys, and find their ultimate joy in it. While as adults we grow over it. It this this mode of realizing what the true nature of everything is, that helps their interactions with us in the world does not add up to Karmic bindings, be it good or bad! Foremost thing is to realize and accept, that everything, absolutely everything that's happening to us, is nobody else's fault, or even credit. It's the adding up of our own Karma. Difficult to realize, but one must also strive to achieve complete harmony and balance in all four purusharthas, that I believe is what would be the measure of a truly successful life. Everything in Life Just Happens, one can only have the Intent!