Sharing Spiritual Insights

Question

Hi Ananda Family,

My Question: How should we react and act when we start to get the glimpses of spiritual gifts like knowing someone’s thoughts/mind, getting to know at exact moment about distant events. Should we share with others? Even out of excitement? Also how to start working on them so that it can be of service to others and never a personal gain.

God bless you all!

—APS, India

Answer

This is a wonderful and important question. We have a great answer in the exemplary life of Paramhansa Yogananda. In reading about him and how he worked with people, as described in Swami Kriyananda’s autobiography, The New Path, we see that Yogananda acted as guided by God alone. Whenever in the possession of insight and fore-knowledge through his intuition and realization, he always checked inwardly to see if this was something God wanted him to share. If he did not feel divine guidance, he didn’t share it. Indeed his every act was attuned in this manner.

The excitement we feel is natural because it validates for us that God is in our lives and directing our thoughts and actions. Sometimes, however, it can be egoic. We start thinking that we are the doer, we thought of it, that it is borne of our “great” intuition. Try to channel this excitement towards gratitude for God that you feel His presence in this way. Ask Him if He wants you to share this and listen for the answer in your heart. You should feel a calmness there and a strong sense of detachment. If not used correctly, such knowledge can be very harmful to yourself and others. It is interesting to note that spiritual gifts of this kind can be of great benefit without necessarily needing to be communicated directly. For example, you can use this knowledge to pray for those who you feel could be benefited by it. Oftentimes they will receive the same understanding in a way that is personally empowering to them because they have drawn it from within and this experience is now there to deepen their faith. Timing is also an important consideration. Swami Kriyananda once said that sometimes he would wait years to say something to an individual. We should always exercise discrimination and patience when called for.

It is a grace that you have this gift and feel to share it with others. Many lessons, inspirations and a deepening attunement with the divine will come to you as learn how and when to use this knowledge. Above all, keep asking God how he wants you to do this.

Many blessings,
nayaswami maria