Question:

Jgd Ekta Didi,

Recently I have noticed a change in my mindset as I go deeper into the spiritual path. Earlier I used to enjoy going to the gym and swimming because I had the desire to stay fit. But recently I have lost motivation to go to gym and swimming because I tell myself “I am not the body” so then I see no point in keeping the body fit, and also the desire (raaga) for being physically fit is dropped. How to regain my motivation? Also, I noticed earlier I enjoyed going to parties, movies and restaurants. But now I prefer to stay at home by myself. Is this dispassion affecting me too deeply? How do I regain interest in everything?

Answer:

Dispassion is a natural phenomenon on the spiritual path, just like aging. It cannot be reversed if it has truly happened. It brings such a power of contentment along with it that one would never want it to be any other way than what is.

What are the signs of Vairagya?

1] Contentment:

Everything is fine just the way it is. There is no desire for it to be different than what is right now. There is no more seeking left. There is nowhere to go. There is nothing more to do. Whatever happens, happens by the play of Karma and Gunas. If nothing happens, that is fine too. This is the meaning of contentment. If contentment is missing then one must check if Vairagya has truly happened or is your mind just fooling you?

2] Futility of Samsara:

One sees clearly that everything is futile and does not carry much meaning. It is all just a game and he plays along happily without getting attached to anything. The futility only gives rise to a spirit of fun. If everything is a game, why get serious? If this sense of futility and fun is missing, then one must check if Vairagya has truly happened or is your mind just fooling you?

How to examine if you have really become dispassionate or not?

If there is a trace of Raaga or Dvesha then Vairagya has not truly happened. In your case, check if it is just an aversion to working out in the gym or swimming? Aversion to some trait of friends or parties? If yes, then it’s just your mind fooling you. In spiritual terms, it is called YogMaaya.

What is YogMaaya?

YogMaaya can make you feel that you have attained something that you have really not. This is one of the biggest obstacles that can stop one’s spiritual progress. If you have dropped one thing and picked another in its place, then you have picked another raaga. This is not true Vairagya.

Then what is True Vairagya?

True Vairagya is that where you don’t see the point in attaining/gaining anything at all. Vairagya cannot happen in instalments, today it happened for friends and tomorrow for money. No! No! That is an incorrect understanding.

Vairagya is complete maturity where you willingly, voluntarily, naturally quit the rat race. It cannot be forced. It cannot be manipulated. It is a true disengagement of the mind from the desires of the sense objects. It is a beautiful stage where the dead skin automatically sheds off and you don’t even notice it.

Are you a true Vairagi? Time for a reality check!