Knowing the Right Path.
When your mind and heart are truly open abundance will flow to you effortlessly and easily.
Question:
Dear Deepak, thank you for your daily wisdom! I have been on the journey for a while, reading many books, doing yoga, attending retreats etc. I feel as though the deeper I go, the tougher the journey, the bigger the pain gets. Am I going in the right direction? How do you know you are on the right path? I am learning how to let go of pain, being more present and aware in the moment. What confuses me is, how can I detach myself from difficult things that are happening and still care? How do you stay unattached and love another person? It seems confusing and impossible. It seems if I detach, I also have to not care. Is there any way I can practice this?
Response:
As one continues in one’s spiritual journey, it is common to doubt one’s progress as issues get harder, and our vision of the goal can seem murky and confused. These are usually the indications of honest, solid spiritual work. You don’t get to these deep fundamental problems in yourlife if you haven’t addressed and progressed past the simpler issues. You can tell if you are on the right path if, in spite of any challenges or mental confusion, you feel like you are moving closer to your core self.
Regarding detachment, that isn’t something you practice to achieve, it is a natural by-product of self-awareness, or the silent witness. Detachment is a state of Being that recognizes that it is not altered or diminished by any thought, feeling or external experience.It means you are fully present and aware while you are engaged in normal human thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Being spiritually detached does not mean you are unfeeling or emotionally detached. One can be spiritually detached and also be madly in love, or be a caring mother, or an enthusiastic painter. People often get confused about this when they hear that spiritual detachment is the ideal they should strive for, yet everything they understand about detachment sounds like an unpleasant, dry emotional existence. Forget all of that, enjoy life, and let spiritual detachment grow naturally through your self-awareness.
Love,
Deepak
