Question:

Dearest Ekta,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I recently read your answer in the “Many masters One path” post and it resonated with me. https://ektabathija.com/many-masters-one-path/

Towards the end, you describe the following:

“I am interested in bringing out the common essence of all the ‘precious words’ of all the Enlightened masters of yesteryears – ONENESS!
For those whose end goal is not Enlightenment, this path may not be applicable!”

So my question is, what behaviors/habits/ideas does a seeker of enlightenment have? How does one get to that stage of seeking enlightenment?

Answer:

There is a thirst in every eye. There is an emptiness in everyone. There is something they are looking for. Something seems to be lost but what it is, is unknown, as if wiped out from memory.

Search Stage 1:

• • At first, one doesn’t recognize the thirst. Instead, something operates at a subconscious level, on an auto-pilot mode, trying hard to fill the emptiness with money, relationships, name, fame, power, etc.
  • Soon a realization hits, at the subconscious level, that this emptiness cannot be filled by matter. The Ego does not enjoy this realization and masks it by more material world temptations.
  • Eventually, some see the truth and move higher whereas many spend their entire life in this stage.

Search Stage 2:

• • At first, a new search begins in scriptures, places of worship, rites & rituals, psychics and astrologers, priests and gurus [Godmen]. I have described the sub-stages of this search in the blog post – Types of Spirituality paths – https://ektabathija.com/types-of-spirituality-paths/
  • Soon, certain realities start surfacing at this stage:

1. 1. 1.  Mantra, Japa, Yagnya, Prayer, Rites, Rituals, Psychics, Crystals/Stones/Gems, Priests, Gurus, Godmen, temple idols, etc. are all religious objects sometimes masked under the word ‘Spiritual’.
      2. Clarity dawns that substituting a material object with a religious object does not erase the ‘sense of emptiness’.
      3. Realization dawns that mind management, psychological & philosophical discussions, physical exercises, mental techniques, breath techniques have got absolutely zero effect on erasing this ‘sense of emptiness’. There may be a surface level calmness induced by these techniques, but the ‘emptiness’ persists.
      4. Recognition of being appropriated by Godmen, on account of this ‘thirst for filling up the emptiness’, ensues bit-by-bit. A feeling of deception ensues.

• • Eventually, attachment to religious/spiritual objects and Godmen starts fading away here. The old habits of the Ego keep popping up as the Ego cannot accept, what it did for so long, was a waste. It covers up the realizations with all kinds of intellectual reasoning. The realization raises its head again… The Ego repeats the action of covering it up… The Truth rises again… the struggle continues until the Ego weakens.

Reminder: Until here, everything was happening at a subconscious level. But sooner or later, the sub-conscious level reality becomes a conscious level truth.

Search Stage 3:

• • At first, in stage 3, one starts looking at this emptiness directly in its face… one starts acknowledging this sense of lack… one now wants to find only one answer: What is this emptiness? Is it the Mind? Who am I? Am I the body or am I the mind? Is there something like a Soul? Is the Soul empty? Or full?
  • Soon, the thirst to know oneself increases to an extent where all material/religious/spiritual objects/Godmen do not mean anything anymore. One is no more looking for a temporary pleasant feeling from a technique or meditation or a Godman anymore.
  • Eventually, the external search ends. The internal search begins here! Such a person now prioritizes ‘knowing oneself’ as the highest purpose of his life. His sole purpose is Enlightenment.

What is your sole purpose for being on this spiritual path? Are you there yet?