Spiritual progress
True spiritual progress is, essentially, progress towards the cherished dreams of the evolved ‘spirit’ within, which resides in all human beings. In this progress, the aspirant not merely feels but really knows what he truly wants and needs for fu...
By K VIJAYARAGHAVAN, ET Bureau | Updated:
True spiritual progress is, essentially, progress towards the cherished dreams of the evolved ‘spirit’ within, which resides in all human beings. In this progress, the aspirant not merely feels but really knows what he truly wants and needs for fulfilling the yearnings of this spirit.
This also is knowledge of all ‘truth’, truth of matters which, The Bible notes (John: 8,32), would “set you free”, a freedom from distractions, dissipation and conflicts, which retard one from progress to natural elegance and ‘flow’. Such clutter, confusion and disarray within are those ‘mental formations’, termed by Patanjali as chittavrithi.
Weakening or ‘blocking’ these, the aspirant obtains the desired freedom, enabling him to bridge the gap between what he presently is (with all his limitations and infirmities) and his cherished ideal. This ‘bridging the gap’ or ‘joining’ is, verily , yoga, derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning “to join”.
This progress towards one’s ideal and vision is thus through the triumph of the evolved and life supporting forces within over the base and retarding forces, which too cohabit alongside. This is that “victory over oneself ”, as conceived of by A J Cronin, which is manifested through transition from mere ‘doing’ to be established in ‘being’, a state, where one’s truest interests and potential lie.
In essence, the net result is clarity, poise and precision, resulting in effectiveness and efficiency in all that the aspirant takes up or issues forth. This and this alone, is true spiritual progress!
This also is knowledge of all ‘truth’, truth of matters which, The Bible notes (John: 8,32), would “set you free”, a freedom from distractions, dissipation and conflicts, which retard one from progress to natural elegance and ‘flow’. Such clutter, confusion and disarray within are those ‘mental formations’, termed by Patanjali as chittavrithi.
Weakening or ‘blocking’ these, the aspirant obtains the desired freedom, enabling him to bridge the gap between what he presently is (with all his limitations and infirmities) and his cherished ideal. This ‘bridging the gap’ or ‘joining’ is, verily , yoga, derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning “to join”.
This progress towards one’s ideal and vision is thus through the triumph of the evolved and life supporting forces within over the base and retarding forces, which too cohabit alongside. This is that “victory over oneself ”, as conceived of by A J Cronin, which is manifested through transition from mere ‘doing’ to be established in ‘being’, a state, where one’s truest interests and potential lie.
In essence, the net result is clarity, poise and precision, resulting in effectiveness and efficiency in all that the aspirant takes up or issues forth. This and this alone, is true spiritual progress!
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