Spiritual Body Building?

[Guest guest]

In order to achieve a muscular body, people have to engage in exercise

and regulate their diets carefully. It takes time. If all of a sudden,

one starts to lift weights without proper preparation, the risk of

injury is there.

 

Typically, we find that those who shine and excel in a field of study

have started early in life. Prodigies in Mathematics, Music, and Chess

discover their talents as children. Sill they spent many years in

practice and perfecting their talent.

 

If we look at the spiritual geniuses, the same pattern appears to be

true as well.

 

Shankra, Ramana, Jnaneshvar, and others, all became intensely interested

at a young age about the mystery of existence and realized the Self -

Nature. However, age is not a major barrier to Realization, if one has

clarity of purpose.

 

Study of scriptures, and reflecting on words of wise is good. According

to the testimony of sages, that the role of spiritual practice and long

term meditation is an important one as well

 

Just like one does not become a body builder by simply reading books on

the subject, one cannot know One's Own Beauty, by merely hearing others

speak of it. It has to be recognized directly by oneself (without the

medium of the mind) in a state that may be described as the Deep Awake

(as opposed to Deep Sleep!).

 

Although the above perspective can be criticized on the ground that it

treats spirituality as a material thing, it cannot be completely ignored

as the life of all great sages demonstrates the need for spiritual

practice and the practical application of energy with a conscious focus.

 

The Self is Realized when everything, including one's root instinct for

self preservation is given up with full awareness of the grace of the

Lord of the Heart.

 

To reach that point where all can be surrendered, one practices

meditation, prayer, inquiry, etc. Sri Ramana has said that Self is

nothing new to Realize. We are already that. Spiritual practice is meant

to remove the obstacles that obscure one's vision of one's own Self.

 

Love to all

Harsha

[Guest guest]

advaitin, Harsha wrote:

> In order to achieve a muscular body, people have to engage in

exercise

> and regulate their diets carefully. It takes time. If all of a

sudden,

> one starts to lift weights without proper preparation, the risk of

> injury is there.

>

> Typically, we find that those who shine and excel in a field of

study

> have started early in life. Prodigies in Mathematics, Music, and

Chess

 

Namaste,

 

Yes knowing what a king is doesn't make one a king......ONS...Tony.