Master said right company is very very important. And that the company we keep is key to attunement.We also learn about the right attitude in service and meditation: always joyful with out expectation of the fruits of those actions. I find it is hard to maintain all of it.
I have fallen off my path more times than I can count. To the point of dropping meditation alltogether; Even if the other aspects are in place. Sometimes I drop the rest too. Do you have suggestions to keeping it all? AUM!
—M, USA
Dear M,
We come to the spiritual path thinking, at last, I understand what life is all about, and because of this we think it will be easy. Then we have the awakening that it is not possible to do all the practices needed and stay sane.
Yogananda did also say that if we follow a small portion (I think he used a percentage, ie 10%) of all that is possible to do, you would find freedom. This is to make us realize that we can’t possibly do it all, but that we should do that particular practice that seems to be helpful at the moment and do it with energy.
Meditation is still the main building block. It should be done with relaxation and calmness so that throughout your day, you can keep this joyful atmosphere around you. Through this practice you will become inward and, therefore, less drawn to outer activities.
Good company is also a key. That is why we live in a community that is filled with life-minded souls, all striving to find God. It’s truly a joy, and it makes the search a lot easier.
If there is no such community near or around you, we now have community on the website called the Virtual Community. Join it! You will benefit so much from what you receive there.
It is difficult to always be joyful, especially when you don’t feel it. A continued practice of meditation will eventually help you with this – especially if you spend time in your meditation in devotion of the Guru or of God or a saint that you especially are drawn to. This is the feeling that you carry with you afterward and in time this feeling will develop into continuous joy. This you can’t force, but in time can realize it.
Don’t give up ever. In fact, I don’t think any of us can for long turn from the spiritual path. God flows through each and every one of us. We are part of His great consciousness and eventually will be drawn back to Him.
Come and visit Ananda some time. It helps to see a broader picture and meet friends of like-mind.
Bless you in your search,
Seva
