Is marriage an impediment in one's spiritual

[Guest guest]

Namaste Brothers, Vishweshwar and Nirmalananda:

 

And a happy belated birthday to Dear Bharati. Your manifestation of

the Divine Mother is a blessing to us all.

 

I think this is an important topic, the role of relationships on the

spiritual path, and one I have grappled with and wondered about when

watching others. I am not married, though in my life I have had

important and lengthy relationships and at one time thought marriage

would be part of my path. My opinion is that whether marriage is a

boon or impediment to spiritual progress is first a matter of

karma/inclination and individual path; second, one of intention; and

third, one of grace. I suppose at some level what is right for each of

us is what we say it is.

 

What a blessing if a marriage can be a cornerstone for spiritual lives

focused on seva...if that love cultivated in the fires of karmic duty

can embrace, shelter, and heal others.

 

Paramahansa Yogananda once spoke about this topic and said that a

married person is responsible for their family, their well being,

spiritual welfare and all. He then said that in choosing to be a

renunciate one assumes responsibility for the larger human family. In

any case and through my limited memory, I got the message that for one

choosing a spiritual path, the idea that being a single sadhu means a

life of freedom without responsibility for others is an illusion.

Humans live in relationship, and I personally believe that God will

use us to uplift our families, be they intimate or global, and will

use others to uplift us.

 

In many ways our Gurus, Shree Maa and Swamiji, have taken on a huge

family, all of us. They encourage us, prompt us, correct us, direct

us, may even provide material support to some in need. What an

example, what a burden they have assumed, what selfless service.

 

For myself I think that if we are so fortunate to find ourselves with

a partner who shares our goals and spiritual inclinations, then this

is indeed a blessing from God. To have a companion on the spiritual

path, one to keep us honest, focused, to nurse us when we are ill, and

to inspire us to our best, one with which we harvest the best of life

to offer to others...then the dance of Shiva and Shakti is complete.

 

What an example we also have in Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi.

 

For those of us not married, then I shall say for me personally,

satsang and close spiritual friends are critically important. The path

must be tread by my own feet, but the encouragement and support that

can be provided by a close spiritual community is essential....else in

my darkest moments of self doubt or in times if wavering faith, I

would have only the voice in my head....which is not always correct. I

need you to be the channel through which the Divine Mother reaches out

to me. I also need to serve you, how else is my life of any value?

 

At this phase of my life I really appreciate the wisdom provided by

Shree Maa and Swamiji in the FAQ section on relationships. When two

people are drawn to each other, through karmic triggers or physical

attraction, it is not always easy to step back from that powerful draw

to say, " What are your goals? " and to honestly assess if this

relationship will help both people move closer to God. But they have

set out that as our ideal, our guide, and for that we are blessed.

 

Jai Maa

Sadhu Maa