Photo by Christiaan Huynen on Unsplash
Almost all of us live with the assumption that we have a whole lot of time to live. As a consequence, we get busy in the world of form and neglect any practice that roots us in spirituality, hoping to get to it sometime in the future. The truth is, we are often forced onto the spiritual path because of some painful or negative situation in our life that shakes us to our core and makes us ask the big questions. But why wait until that unfortunate situation arises?
As human beings, we are constantly challenged to live life in the world of form while being rooted in the world of the formless. When we are able to find the balance between these two worlds through a spiritual practice, life feels like less of a burden and more of an adventure.
The goal of any spiritual practice — be it prayer, meditation, mindfulness, or reading spiritual texts — is to put us in touch with who we are beyond a form. It helps us make sense of who we would be if everything we hold dear is taken away from us, which is sure to happen during the final moments of life.
If you need further persuasion, here’s a story from Eckhart:
“A beggar had been sitting by the side of a road for over thirty years. One day a stranger walked by.
“Spare some change?” mumbled the beggar, mechanically holding out his old baseball cap.
“I have nothing to give you,” said the stranger.
Then he asked: “What’s that you are sitting on?”
“Nothing,” replied the beggar. “Just an old box. I have been sitting on it for as long as I can remember.”
“Ever looked inside?” asked the stranger. “No,” said the beggar. “What’s the point? There’s nothing in there.”
“Have a look inside,” insisted the stranger.
The beggar managed to pry open the lid. With astonishment, disbelief, and elation, he saw that the box was filled with gold.
I am that stranger who has nothing to give you and who is telling you to look inside. Not inside any box, as in the parable, but somewhere even closer: inside yourself.”
― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
When do you embark on a spiritual journey?
“When you can’t stand the endless cycle of suffering anymore, you begin to awaken.”
This is the truth of human evolution. Only when we have had enough, only when we are hurting badly, are we ready for change. Until then we resist, complain, or find excuses.
When making intricate jewelry, a gold bar is exposed to extremely hot temperatures so that it becomes malleable. Similarly, natural diamonds are formed deep in the earth’s surface over millions of years under extreme heat and pressure. So it is with human beings. Only when we experience challenging situations in life, are we ready to explore the formless within us.
This is why Eckhart says that suffering is the best teacher there can be. You can use it as a catalyst to awaken.
Why should you consider a spiritual practice?
“What will be left of all the fearing and wanting associated with your problematic life situation that every day takes up most of your attention? A dash, one or two inches long, between the date of birth and the date of death on your gravestone.”
Reading this quote is always a humbling experience. It puts into perspective how insignificant our existence as well as the drama of our life is.
I had to say goodbye forever to my father-in-law last year. It was my first experience of losing a parent. And it was tough. Yet, it was during those moments of grief and sadness that I truly understood the meaning of Eckhart’s words.
Life is fleeting and so are life experiences. It is a blessing to experience life as a human being. Use these experiences of pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, triumph and loss, to understand the true nature of who you are and the world around you.
How do you attain enlightened living?
“Impermanence leads to non-attachment. Non-resistance, non-judgement, and non-attachment are the three aspects of freedom and enlightened living.”
Impermanence is the understanding that change is the only constant in the world of form. Everything is constantly evolving. The universe, the earth, the seasons, nature, who you are, external situations — everything!
Eckhart says that when you accept the fact of impermanence, it leads to non-attachment. Non-attachment does not mean that we don’t care anymore. It only implies that we are not attached with anyone or anything, including the outcomes of our actions.
There is a similar concept in India called Karma Yoga. Karma means action and yoga means unity with God. A Karma Yogi believes that each individual is obligated to perform their duties to the best of their ability without any ego or attachment to the outcome. Whatever you do is then treated as an offering to God because the Source is an embodiment of all there is. Hence, Karma Yoga is one of many paths that lead to self-realization.
To put this into practice, observe and accept the impermanence of the world of form. No matter what it is you undertake, do it to the best of your ability. Surrender the outcome to the Divine. As you practice, be mindful of the stories the ego may tell you — any narrative of victimhood or superiority — because that is a definitive sign of the ego. An indication that you are headed in the opposite direction of enlightened living.
What are you if not this form?
“When you are still, you are who you were before you temporarily assumed this physical and mental form called a person. You are also who you will be when the form dissolves: consciousness — unconditioned, formless, eternal.”
During the early years of my spiritual journey, I was following Eckhart’s teaching in which he defines consciousness as the gap in between two thoughts. I tried to practice being still so I could figure out what was in the gap between my thoughts. I learned that stillness is accompanied with peace and that silence has a sound of its own!
Then I came upon this guided meditation by Eckhart, wherein he asks us to “notice the silence.”
This time when I put my attention on the silence, I realized this is exactly what is between two thoughts — stillness, space! I may still notice some thoughts. However, I can now observe them as separate from who I am. I am the observer and the thoughts are just like any noise that I may hear during the practice — as Eckhart says “objects in consciousness.”
This could be a helpful practice for all those who struggle with focusing their attention on their breath or on their inner body. In this teaching, Eckhart means that in essence, we are the stillness, the space that makes everything possible.
Final Thoughts
There’s more to life than enjoying this world of form. If you find that in spite of all your achievements, accomplishments, wealth, and accolades, there’s something missing in your life, it’s time to create a spiritual practice and invite the formless into your life. Because that’s the missing key to your sense of fulfillment and contentment.
*A version of this was originally published on the 10th of August, 2021 on Mind Cafe on Medium