spiritual hunger -inner journey
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SPIRITUAL HUNGER
Dr N K Srinivasan
Physical hunger is one of the most widely studied subject,
especially by economists. For instance ,Amartya Sen at Oxford,
studied famine and hunger in India and elsewhere, and received
Nobel prize for his work. Psychological hunger or needs have
been studied by noted psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and
William James. The role of relationships is a key factor in
satisfying psychological hunger. But what is spiritual hunger?
Have our spiritual leaders and gurus studied this ? If so, what
they have to say about this hunger? What are their suggestions
and methods to satisfy this hunger?
Many would call this "spiritual yearning" or 'spiritual
desire'or 'restlessness of the spirit' , but not the same as
hunger,though these are close in meaning.Spiritual hunger is a
definite gnawing hunger which torments the mind and intellect,
and the "being" of a person. One gets it at certain moments or
with certain life-changing situations. This may happen in
traumatic situations or when one loses a dear person.Spiritual
hunger grows with introspective life.
One constantly asks oneself: What is the meaning of this life?
I am one among 6.5 billion people populating the earth. I can
eat,sleep ,attend to my work,satisfy my carnal desires, live a
little better than an animal, interact with others, do good
work or charities or show compassion. But what is life after
all? I may be taken out of this world in a second. Then it is
all over as far as I am concerned? Is there any "life" after
death?
Many spiritual masters give some answers, often vague or not
so logical. Hindu philosophers, based on their sacred texts
like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita say that there is a
soul or 'atman' which lives for ever. Only your body dies.The
soul or atman takes on another body--reborn in another place.
Such explanations may give some solace and temporary calmness.
The question arises again.[The druids also held similar views
about soul.]
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Some religions like Buddhism do not talk about God or accept
the notion of an eternal Soul or atman, but instead speak of a
mind.
Why am I born or created in the first place ? Some would say
that that is due to unfulfilled desires in previous lives. Some
would say that you are neither born nor you die, if you
identify with your soul or atman. What takes birth and what
dies is the physical body. Your mind travels to another realm.
Some would say that you are born only to find the answers to
the specific question you are asking now .That is your prime
goal in this life or "Purushartha"--to find answers for these
eternal questions about your own life and existence.
Some would say that this life and lives of all living things--
humans,insects,animals...all are the sport or "lila" of God.A
very evasive reply.
Some would say that one should undergo his cycle of birth and
death or samsara till the cycle ceases .
In some other religion you would be told that , at the end of
your life, depending on your deeds you end up in Heaven or
hell. If you did heinous crimes,you are condemned into hell for
ever---eternal damnation.If you did good things, the Lord saves
you,recommends you for a seat in heaven! Ypou may sit close to
your Lord in heaven.You would have a heavenly life there. This
appears childish to many people---the concept of heaven and
hell.Of course, you may be saved from eternal damnation if you
repent and are blessed by the Lord--you are redeemed by some
force. While some sects proclaim that there is no escape from
eternal damnation--you are born again and again in bad wombs to
do evil and suffer as such.These explanations go on.
hat are the signs of Spiritual hunger?
One becomes introspective, withdrawn and may seek solitude,
silence and peace in the surroundings. He or she cannot be in
the din of market place or involve mundane matters. One visits
temples, undertakes pilgrimage or lonely spots ,say a lonely
beach or quiet cave up the hills and feel the silence.
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One begins to 'converse with God', invokes God or Lord through
prayers and rituals , and seek the company of holy ones, hoping
to get some tips or even sudden revelation or illumination. One
may read tons of books and start some practice.Some hop from
one guru to another in the hope that some quick answer or easy
method would be given.
It takes a while to realize that another person cannot give you
the answer or even indicate the method or answer. They may
suggest some steps and put you through paces. They may give
some 'thrilling' experiences and talk of raising your inner
energies or 'kundalini' for ecstatic experiences. All these are
like taking short bites for your hunger.The thrill vanishes.
The methods to satisfy your hunger?
In the first place, stick to one path or method or guru. If you
are a Hindu ,follow some path well defined in that religion.If
you are a Catholic, respect the methods and follow the
discipline.and so on.
Then keep your mind open to influences which may indicate which
way to go. If you believe in a loving, compassionate God, then
that God must show you the way.Surrender to the will of God. In
good time, you would find the answer.
If you are not of devotional type, continue asking what you are
here for? What is my "ROLE" in life? What would you like to do
if you are going to drop dead in a few hours today? Who are you
in the ultimate sense? You cannot be any of the physical organs
;they can be replaced at the surgeon's table in no time!.
Don't worry too much about others' experiences. It is not going
to help much ,except satisfy your curiosity. It may give you
helpful tips, like a fellow traveler or someone who had trodden
the path before you. Ask yourself what you feel are the moments
of peace and harmony? Can you seek that? Cut off all frivolous
and trivial activities. Seek silence and solitude and reflect.
No one can satisfy your spiritual hunger. That is the truth. No
one can answer those questions beyond what had been told in the
earlier paragraphs or told in formal religions. These are
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childish replies. If a child askes its mother: what is that
moon over there? ,the mother says that it is your friend, your
uncle who comes and goes. Well such explanations abound in all
religions.
There is no answer as such to any of the questions raised
earlier. Why? because we are part of the answer. Our existence
is part of Existence itself which transcends beyond our mind
and intellect. It is foolish and waste of time and energy to
"find the answer" through our mind and intellect.
You can seek solitude,silence and meditate on the wonderful
drama of cosmic proportions and your life as a small
insignificant speck in that. If that humbles you, it is fine.If
it gives you peace,fine.If that does not satisfy you, the
hunger remains. Keep trying! You have nothing to lose,except
some time,energy and perhaps sleep.![Dont waste time and money
in hopping from one guru to another or from one satsangha to
another in 'Neo-advaita' style.]
Money and Sex drives
These two drives are basic drives in human existence and there
is no easy escape or respite from them. One should regulate
them for one's own good life. In simple mathematical terms,
spiritual hunger is inversely proportional to these two drives.
As these drives increase, the spiritual hunger decreases and
vice versa.
These two drives keep the world--full of violence and crime
--moving. These are the main springs in the clock work
mechanism of the world. A little reflection will show that ,but
for these two drives, the world would come to a grinding halt
and humanity will cease to exist... Afterall the world
population keeps expanding.One day it may reach a steady-state
---perhaps after about 100 years.Who knows![In medieval times
,a typical city had a population of a 0.1 million
people.Today's big ciites have 10 to 40 million persons!]
The money drive produces all the industries, and farm and
commercial activities we see every day. It also leads to greed
and corruption in various forms. The lawyers and the courts
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and the police force thrive on this.Money and sex drives lead
to anger and violence and more crime.The vicious cycle spirals
upwards.Wherever there is more of this drive, call it Rajasic
tendencies, we have more police force, more lawyers and more
crime.Only utopian thinkers believe that at one time crime will
be eliminated and all will lead a peaceful,harmonious life.
But we cannot do without these drives. These drives are high in
the age group of 20 to 40 years. After 40 years, these two
drives should slowly taper off. One should consciously work
towards that.Then when one reaches about 55 to 60 years, the
drives are completely reduced to near zero levels.
What we find is that these drives--greed and passion--are kept
burning well into 7th and even 8th decade of one's life under
some pretext.Again those who are rich , indulge in sexual
encounters with wild abandon. Even the so-called 'swamis' and
self-styled gurus and 'paramahansas' are rarely free of these.
Spiritual hunger remains dormant.
In Hindu life, the role of proper company or satsangha is
stressed to regulate both the drives. The third stage of life,
"vanaprastha" ,literally meaning "entering into forest or
woods" for a retired life or retreat would help to regulate the
life.This is a form of withdrawal from mundane life.
The essential element of Inner Life or Journey
I have already stressed the role of silence and solitude. The
life of retreat or ashram life takes one forward in satisfying
spiritual hunger. A strict daily schedule of acivities in
spritual practice improves the situation. Slowly and surely the
worldly concerns and anxieties recede into distant background.
It is under these circumstances, the inner journey begins in
right earnest.The rare faculty of intuition develops fast. This
is not intuition as developed for life work or professional
excellence or business acumen, but intuition to answer the
questions posed earlier from within.
It is difficult to state how this intuition develops or what
are the sparks that ignite this inner flame. It does happen
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because the mental chattering reduces and the worldly concerns
become distant or irrelevant issues.This stage is reached by
many sooner or later.You have to maintain normal health, though
physical aches and pains may start to trouble due to wear and
tear and also due to normal aging process.
Beyond Intuition--Message of the Heart
Intuition gives certitude of your inner path or journey. Slowly
and surely you take roots in simple spiritual practices like
Japa or chanting of Lord's name or some mantra and meditation.
yes, meditation is not easy and so many types of meditation are
taught and practised. There comes a time when meditation itself
becomes a simple ,effortless process. May be the net effect of
all previous devotional practices,especially chanting or Japa.
[Many may not agree with this, but I know for sure that Japa
makes meditation pretty easy. But a long practice may be
required.]
Then your heart or "Hridaya" opens up. This is not the physical
pump that is your heart which can be stopped and started by
doctors. This is not just the 'anahata chakra' or heart chakra.
This is much deeper. This is the essence of your Being or
consciousness.
Hindu scriptures and other scriptures repeatedly say that God
or Lord is seated in the heart of all. Many saints have
mentioned the Cave of the heart or Hridya Guha. In fact a Hindu
god ,Karthikeya, is called Guhan, one residing in the cave. I
am referring to this heart or Hridaya.
When Hridaya opens up, then you see the effulgent Lotus or
Hridya Kamala;Saints call this metaphorically as a light or
jyoti or flame; it means Knowledge' ;it means Love; It means
Bliss; it means eternal Existence. This will alone will satisfy
your Spiritual hunger once and for all.
After this , you may live physically and mentally, but not in
the physical or mental plane as before. There is an 'adhara
sruti' or fundamental note that keeps you awake.! You may be
like a walking shadow or living corpse with no real interest to
the world at large ,but responding to certain stimuli from the
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external world in an nonchalant manner or live like a robot..
Some call this "jivan Mukthi" from Hindu philosophy.[There are
several definitions for jeevan mukthi state among different
sects.]There may be other names and definitions for this.
Mere reading and attending lectures or discussion groups or
satsanghas will not satisfy your hunger. It may serve to
increase your curiosity and hunger that is all. Many profess by
scriptural knowledge by reading or chanitng scriptures. This
knowledge is only like holding a map in your hand. You have to
plan the trip and undertake the journey---inner journey that
is.
The path is long, narrow and tiring. But the spiritual hunger
drives towards fulfillment before you drop dead. The inner
journey is the main journey you will ever undertake. Prepare
now for that!
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