Baby steps towards a spiritual journey

PEOPLE judge you by the questions you ask. They think of witty and wise repartees to impress people. In spiritual life, questions have no importance. I tell my disciples that answers I give are like candy, brain candy, to questions posed by new comers. It keeps them happy. Once I find that the seeker is serious I stop answering these questions. The questions stop. A mature mind does not need brain candy.

When a child asks a question, it reflects curiosity. A child’s questions are innocent. If an adult asks questions, it reflects lack of wisdom. Adults pose questions based on selfish agenda. In fact, an adult has no answer for some questions.

Take this example. If I ask you, ‘Who are you?’ what would you answer? You will tell me about your status or relationships. You will go on and on about what you possess and what you control. You do not answer the question. You don’t know the answer to that question. Start the search today. Sit alone in a room, close the door, and start asking the question: ‘Who am I’? If you are well read in philosophy you will think you are Atman, Brahman, or body. You might instinctively think of yourself as your body. If you are of intellectual make up, you think you are Atman. But have you experienced it, either as body or as Atman?

You play with identities. You hide in identities. You feel safe hiding behind assumed identities. Your spiritual pursuits also serve to establish an identity. You obey your boss in one identity, but when you interact with your subordinate you put on another identity, another mask. None of this is true. You continue to play with pseudo identities.

Your life is a journey between birth and death. You have no idea why you were born. You have no idea when you will die. Your life is a bridge between these two unknown points. This is because you play with several pseudo identities, you have never asked yourself the question, who am I or what am I doing here?

Whenever anyone asked Ramana Maharishi, a realised master, any question, he would ask, ‘who is asking this question?’ Questioning would cease.

All right, you can’t answer the question ‘who am I’? Can you answer the question, who or what you are not? Until you know what you want, you will never be satisfied with whatever you have achieved or acquired. Go on asking yourself this question. The answer will surprise, shock, or shake you. Those are baby steps to a spiritual journey.