Ask The Master: 5 Nov 2007

Q. [Journalist] I once surrendered to a guru but it didn’t work out...

Did you really surrender?

Q. Well, I tried my best to surrender.

One thing you need to understand. When you say you tried your best to surrender, it means surrender did not happen. If surrender had truly happened, this question, this doubt would not be there. It is only a way to hide confusion and hypocrisy.

We all happily keep some beautiful idea of religion in our minds, but carry on with our practical life in any which way we please. Religion is something you have to tune your whole life to; it is not a part-time amusement.

The truth is, whatever life you are leading, that is your true religion. It may be money, it may be power, it may be sex. That is your religion. That is why you are living your whole life according to that ideology!

Do you understand? Try and find out just what your religion actually is. To keep your ideology and your life separate is hypocrisy. Whatever you call your religion, you must be willing to practice it completely in your life.

Q. But I had a strong belief in this particular guru’s ideology. Still...

See, I told you, religion is not that which remains a belief. It should turn into your very life. To keep religion and life separate is a kind of schizophrenia. Hypocrisy takes over our being. If you believe that a certain way of life or a certain ideology is right, you should be willing to transform your whole life in that way. Otherwise, search for whatever you feel is the truth.

Something that does not change your life cannot be the truth to you. If something is the real truth, a mere touch itself can transform your life. If it doesn’t transform you from within, let go of it. Don’t hold on and complain. That ideology was not the right one for you, that’s all.

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This excerpt has been taken from the book: Uncommon Answers to Common Questions