Life Before Death

Life After Death is a popular topic with varying opinions about its possibility. But what about life before death? What characterizes life? The answer to this question heavily influences our opinion about the possibility of life after death. And in fact, it decisively influences our definition of death too.

If life is just about pumping of the heart and activity of the brain, then absence of these two can be called death. But life is more than the functioning of an electro-chemical mechanical system; life is about consciousness – about thinking, feeling, desiring. Life is about the ability to perceive. Consciousness is what differentiates a man from a machine, a live human from a dead one.

No characteristic of matter (atoms, molecules, electrons, etc.) suggests that it can be the source of consciousness or the seat of perception. What, or who is it, that perceives or is conscious? For example, a periscope helps me see beyond a high wall, but I can see not because of the periscope, but because I have eyes that can see. The periscope is merely the medium through which the light rays are reaching my eyes. Similarly, the eyes of my body are merely the arrangements of atoms that allow light to pass through. I see what I see, not because of the atomic arrangement of my eyes, but because I have the ability to perceive and make sense of the incoming light.

That I is the soul. I can see, hear, feel, think, will, etc. only because I (the soul) have these abilities. These perceptive abilities that characterize consciousness are the inherent qualities of the soul. Since matter does not have these abilities, we understand that the soul is unlike matter. The soul is non-material, it is spiritual.

The soul does not depend on matter for its fundamental abilities of perception. In fact, its fundamental abilities to perceive are conditioned by the nature and state of the body that it occupies. For example, going back to the periscope example, how well I can see beyond the high wall depends on how clean the lens of the periscope is. Even if my eyesight is perfect, a dirty lens will hamper my perception. Thus, to define life in terms of a pumping heart and an active brain is like defining eyesight in terms of the condition of the periscope. Just like my fundamental ability to see is not dependent on the periscope, the soul does not depend on the body for any of its fundamental abilities.

Since the soul, characterized by consciousness, does not depend on anything that makes up the body while it’s in the body, we understand that the soul does not need the body for its existence. The body is merely a lump of matter; it is always dead. Life is when a soul occupies a body and animates it; death is when the soul moves on to leave behind a dead lump of matter – the body.

Life exists not because of a functioning body, but despite being in an inherently dead body. If life exists even before death, it definitely can exist after death.

Society - A Garden of Symbiotic Interrelationships

A mature society should protect and enrich the lives of all, whether weak or strong. It should uplift everyone from whatever their current status in life. The society should not be an arena for competition but a garden for cooperation and symbiotic interrelationships.

A society that breeds dissatisfaction, breeds envy and unnecessary competition; and a society that breeds satisfaction, breeds respect and cooperation.

Jobless by Choice

Having a reasonable amount of money at one's disposal is a practical necessity for having a good life. But is having a job too?

Many individuals do not need to have a job for money; either their spouses earn enough, or they are retired with enough money, or they are part of a well-to-do family. Somehow the modern ethos equates working for money to leading a useful life. This is characterized by questions like: "What is the use of your education if you are not earning money?". Or by "Why are you just sitting at home? Get a job!". Or by "What is the use of this degree? It doesn't get you a job."

In most cases, education is like an insurance against joblessness; since one cant predict the future, one takes an education that can reasonably guarantee sustenance for life. Thus, one chooses an education based on it's "relevance" in the job market of the day. But, after growing up it's possible that one might find oneself in a position where doing a job is not necessary.

Yes, a job is one of the most stable ways of earning money. And it can be fulfilling and one can make the world a better place by our job. And in most cases, it's just a glaring necessity. But it's not that people who have a job are more useful or better than those who don't. There is no connection, Those who choose to be jobless can lead very fulfilling lives too, and people with jobs can be the most miserable. In fact, without the rigmarole of a job, people have the opportunity to add tremendous value to the world. They can choose to spend their time on things that are close to their heart; they can lead a more independent life.

Obviously, this is not to advocate joblessness. But we must set right the mentality that one who is jobless is just "sitting at home" leading a "useless life" "wasting one's education". This attitude is very insensitive towards those who feel the pressure of society for being jobless, and sounds very foolish to the wise who can see through the artificial importance given to "having a job".

I know many highly educated individuals who have given up their jobs for a higher calling of service to humanity. At another level I have seen highly educated individuals make family and raising children their priority. I have seen them accepting a less glamorous job to facilitate their other priorities in life. I have even seen people, men and women, who are clear that they definitely don't want to spend their life doing a job - even if they are not sure what else they will do for their sustenance. Many of these people do a job as a necessity, not by choice.

People do have different priorities in life; the society must learn to respect individual preferences and appreciate the courage of those who choose to go against the popular current in order to lead a more joyful, purposeful, meaningful, relaxed, simple, responsible, principled, valuable, holistic life.

Would you ever have the courage to be jobless by choice?

Accepting A Guru – The Choice Is Yours

The scriptures tell us that accepting a spiritual master (Guru) is must for perfection in spiritual realization. But still, accepting a guru is a matter of choice in multiple ways.

One, everyone has a choice to decide whether they want spiritual realization or not. Basic information about the goals of various spiritual paths is needed for one to get curious, and then attracted, to these paths. A charismatic spiritual personality might also bias one to the path that that person has accepted.

Two, even on the same path, different groups of spiritualists, generally called sampradayas, exist. One chooses the sampradaya that one feels more connected to or one finds most relevant due to the way they present the practicalities of the path. And of course one sampradaya might be more vibrant than another in a particular geographical location. The choice can depend on many such factors.

Three, even within the same sampradaya, different people get attracted to different Gurus. This is natural and in fact beautiful. The same essential message is presented with a unique flavor by two perfect followers of the same sampradaya. This variety in the presentation and practice of the same authentic spiritual teachings is the very life of dynamic, joyful, ever fresh, and increasingly profound spirituality.

In this arena of choice, sometimes a person may find himself shackled by decisions others have made for him. For example, a family Guru. Social pressure can force one to accept the same Guru that his parents have accepted. Or the person underwent a 'Guru accepting ceremony' when he was not old enough to take such decisions. This is not necessarily wrong; a person might develop a natural attraction for this Guru due to his association over the years. If that Guru is following a high spiritual path, birth in such a family is glorious. But sometimes, a person might encounter spiritual principles significantly higher than that followed by the family Guru. Or the current Guru might be more official than transformational. Now what?

It's about choice - being allowed to choose and having the courage to do so. One's spiritual journey is one's own. Others  will guide, instruct, suggest, and help, or even threaten; but they have no right to force. Force kills spiritual life. Spirituality practiced against ones will is a farce; it's material, motivated by fear.

Sometimes such decisions can be tough to make. This hesitation is a good sign; that one is not taking the decision lightly. Quite often, the choice between the two paths or two sampradayas is easy; the level of realizations offered are evidently different. And often, there is not much opposition from family or society for such decisions. But in some cases, the choice is not so easy; either the two sampradayas don’t differ much, or there is opposition. At these times, best is to give the decision some more time and deliberation, and discuss the matter more with spiritually advanced souls who are not motivated by material considerations.

Accepting a particular path and dedicating one's life to a particular Guru is a serious decision. The better your choice, the more serious it becomes; in other words, the more spiritually advanced the Guru is, the more important it is to take that relationship seriously. Carelessness in this regard can hamper spiritual progress, because taking a Guru lightly is taking spiritual life cheaply. Thus, after accepting a Guru after intense and prolonged deliberation, one must cultivate this relationship very carefully. Neglecting this relationship now is not an expression of choice, but of spiritual lethargy and disrespect towards an advanced soul. Such an attitude is one's greatest misfortune and the biggest obstacle on the path towards spiritual success.

The choice is yours.

Cynics and Sentimentalists, and the Missing Link

Many people like to believe that all religious looking elements - individuals or organizations - cheat people; these are the cynics. And many people like to believe that all religious looking elements are worthy of deep respect; these are the sentimentalists. Both groups, as soon as they open their mouths to speak, reveal their lack of intellectual application to the subject matter.

A true spiritualist is one who studies authorized spiritual literature and practices authentic spiritual life under the guidance of an authorized spiritual master - Guru - who himself belongs to a chain of such authorized Gurus. Such a spiritualist, the true spiritualist, is dedicated to the quest of the Absolute Truth; all his actions and desires are aligned accordingly.

A Vaishnava devotee of the Lord, who has taken shelter of a pure devotee Guru, is a true spiritualist. Under the Guru's guidance, he studies the Absolute Truth - the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from the authorized Vedic literature. He also sincerely practices the process of dedicating ones life to the service of God. And he imbibes from his Guru deep compassion for all living beings.

Such a devotee voluntarily bears the responsibility of bringing both the cynics and sentimentalists to the path of true everlasting happiness - the path of selfless love of God. The cynic is typically self righteous and can come through as arrogant and presumptuous. By sound logic and persuasive presentation, the devotee can make the cynic take note of the spiritual perspective of reality. The sentimentalist is typically a credulous and impressionable simple hearted person looking for some solace who easily gets impressed and puts faith. By his kind gentle behavior and persuasive presentation, the devotee can make the sentimentalist discern true substance from the pseudo spiritual hotch-potch.

A cynic is completely unaware of the joys and depths of spiritual wisdom and the sentimentalist mistakes mundane emotions, love, and accomplishments to be spiritual. Both require affectionate guidance from a trusted well wisher. A devotee is always a gentleman and hence is liked by all. He is likable because he is non-envious and completely satisfied due to his connection with God. At the same time, due to his compassion, he wants to nudge both the cynics and sentimentalists towards the truly spiritual path of selfless love of God.

Thus, while cynics and sentimentalists seem to be at odds with each other, the devotee of the Lord is perfectly made for them both. He links them both to god and thus brings them closer to each other.

Truly, the missing link.

Begin Your Journey of Joy

As long as we think, even mildly, that material situations are important, we are in the trap of deadly illusion. This illusion causes us to mistake the unimportant as important, the inessential as essential, the temporary as permanent. It makes us despair in unfortunate times; it makes us fearful about losing the good ones. It makes us struggle to accumulate more and even to just maintain status quo.

Unfortunately the world situation today forces us to struggle even for basic necessities and securities even if we are unattached to material situations. Gone are the days where one could lead a peaceful spiritual life away from the rigmarole of the general life of the masses. Life has become a struggle for all.

Most seek respite in the shallow entertainment of this world which leads them into denser fogs of illusion. But the wise seek respite in focussing on the essential ingredients of happy living even while the world conspires to allure them away into the sinister fogs of illusion.

Focussing on unchanging universal wisdom principles leads to a peaceful and fulfilled heart. Break the shackles of materialistic life, stop being impressed by material accomplishments.

When the mundane stops interesting you, your journey of joy begins.

True Foundations

Certain truths take a long time for us to accept. It takes a humble heart and an unagitated mind to make these truths the foundations of our living.