True seeker's Tool kit

“Stop acting so small. You are the Universe in ecstatic motion."

Seeking is like breathing and it only stops then when you are dead. Seeking means growing and the more you seek, the more you grow, expand and progress. Spirituality is all about intensifying our observation about the creation and the creator. It is the magnification of our attentiveness and makes our focus unwavering. If our focus and attention are unwavering, the entire universe will yield itself upon u.

In Indian culture, seeking is seen as the highest trait in an individual. Most individuals lack this quality due to various causes like ignorance, improper education system, improper family ambiance, prejudiced ideas, conditioned minds, distractions, etc. Owing to these reasons, an individual never gets to know in his entire life (in most cases) that there could be something fundamental which needs to be known or sought, something which is drastically missing in life, something terribly wrong with the way one is existing in this world. He lives with the false idea that he is his body and furthermore, he never questions his belief (or fact as he would think) cause as far as he is concerned ‘I am my body is the obvious truth, why would there be an ounce of doubt in that.

Throughout history, if a person either by employing his unsullied intelligence or by being in the company of spiritual gurus/aspirants/ scriptures, can divert his attention towards the essential fundamental aspects of his life and existence, would inevitably come across questions like ‘what is the nature of my existence, ‘am I really my body’, ‘what I am, ‘what the purpose of my life is. These questions, till the time it remains unanswered, would torment the individual tremendously and would compel him to tread the path of spirituality thereby turning him into a spiritual seeker.

It may sound simple, but Self-realisation or Knowledge of the Self is the most challenging endeavor that can be imagined for an individual for it takes a lot of courage, dedication, patience, discipline, humility, intelligence to get through. It may even take lifetimes. All along with history, Self-realised beings have expounded this truth and some also assumed positions of a spiritual guru/master to help seekers in attaining their goal.

The following description of spiritual seeker and spirituality (ādhyātma) is according to the Indian culture Sanātana Dharma particularly Vedānta. It has been always known to the wise and realized beings in India that man’s nature of existence is not limited to his body and mind. The Upanishad texts and Yogic science have expounded that man’s true Self is covered by five sheaths or layers viz. Annamaya Kosha (Physical Body), Prana Maya Kosha (Vital Energy), Manomaya Kosha (Mind), Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellect), and Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss). Most humans are largely identified with their physical self-i.e., body. In other words, a man would normally consider his body as himself. Some would also think that they are their mind. Some would think they are their body and mind, combined. Vedanta categorically says that we are none of these. In Vedanta, the idea that we are our body is termed Avidya which means ignorance or incorrect knowledge. This ignorance or error is the root cause of human suffering. Vidya i.e., Knowledge of the Self alone can bring an end to the suffering.

Along with other layers, our body and mind are sheaths that cover our true self and not-Self itself. A man who understands this may get drawn towards the art of knowing experientially each layer of his existence culminating with the experience and knowledge of his Self, devoid of which he would find his life as worthless. Such a man, if he ventures into the journey about knowing himself, we say he is in a spiritual path and the path or process as such is known as spirituality. Usually, the process is protracted as it calls for purification of the body and mind which requires intense discipline and sincerity. A man who sets out on a spiritual path is known as a (spiritual) seeker for his one-pointed goal in life would be to ‘Seek’ his True Self.

Disclaimer: 60% of Content is Borrowed from Different articles available on the internet.