Part 2 of 3:
Finding Your Own Way to Peace and Happiness
In Part 1 we discussed that making our peace and happiness the clear goal and top priority in our life is vital for us. Finding our way to do that is what we’ll cover here.
There are time-tested, proven, traditional spiritual approaches which work well. And it is also important to understand that once we’ve clearly made peace and happiness our top priority, then almost anything we are drawn to can serve us in this way. Sri Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, explains that absolutely anything we are doing which calms and steadies our mind is spiritual practice. [Yoga Sutras 1:13]
But why is it that engaging in “spiritual approaches” is useful for us? Well, most of us are already quite active in worldly activities and interests. To come into the Yoga, that union with the Absolute which is the essence of all, including ourselves, takes balancing out the worldly awareness with the spiritual consciousness. It then that we experience Yoga.
Consider… you see that becoming established in a state of peace and happiness is your most important priority. Now how do you accomplish this? The scriptures and sages give us several options which you might take advantage of. Developing a steady meditation practice is widely recognized as a particularly effective approach. Note that it must really be regular to accomplish what you’d like, and there are several noted, effective meditation approaches. Also committing your life to service moves you into that beautiful consciousness. Secluding yourself after a renunciation of worldly interests, becoming a monk, is another proven approach. There is an intellectual approach where you study the scriptural texts and focus on Self Inquiry, unwaveringly seeking the answer to “Who am I?”. There is the approach of formal Yagna, performing heartfelt rituals. There is the Bhakti way of the heart, where you are worshipping in any variety of ways. Any of these may be the right fit for you. If so, use it. Enjoy it. Give yourself to it fully.
And then, you may find yourself drawn to seek your union with the-Absoluteness-of-your-being in some way which simply speaks to you. This is perfect, as long as you are seeking your highest ideal of perfection, your SvaDharma, ~ exactly what you are here to be and to do. There are wonderful tales of great ones who found their enlightenment in their own unique ways, the Nayanar Saints. Here is a link where Master Sivananda shares these tales: Click the following link: https://www.dlshq.org/download2/nayanar.pdf. These are amazing, and somewhat crazy tales which make it clear that it isn’t so much what we do but our intention and our hunger for that revelation and union with the Absolute. This is somewhat astounding, that we might use anything we are interested in to take us to the Yoga, our Union with the Absolute.
Understand that the Divine is always available to help you with this exploration, your path. I mention this so that, hopefully, you will ask for assistance with this. If you seek the right way for you to move forward toward your enlightened state, there is no doubt that the best approach for you will b revealed to you, usually from several sources, so that it is clear for you. But then it is important that you heed what’s been shown to you and engage with that steadily with enthusiasm. If you do, you will be more that delighted as to how you progress, how things are revealed to you, how you begin to see the divine in yourself and everything and everyone else.
May you be ever blessed and a blessing for others and our world. Have fun!
Love always,
Jayadeva
Part 3 to follow: what sages of all faiths say is a perfect fit for most of us today