Many of us feel the need to read self-help books or spiritual writings on regular basis. We do it early in the morning or before bed time. We feel a sense of peace inside of us and somehow stronger to face the world. Some of us can cite beautiful citations from holy books or even know by heart the story of Buddha. Can this knowledge bring spiritual well being? Let's explore this.
Knowledge is basically an accumulation of information. The nature of the mind is that it is always looking to accumulate things. When we accumulate knowledge, we can proudly say that we "know". We can have interesting conversations and debates with other people. We are excited to continuously learn, it's a beautiful thing.
Having stated that, the spiritual path is somehow different. Spiritual well being is not rooted in knowledge; it is truly how life is occurring to you, not what you "want" it to be. Exactly what does that suggest?
You can be happily having a talk with a person about what Buddha has actually shared with his disciples, feel good for a little while yet still, you know the "problems" that are awaiting you as you leave this talk. Your partner, your employer or your bothersome kid are waiting for you and you understand very well that you cannot escape them! In these circumstances, what is taking place behind-the-scenes, behind your "desire" of well being -by sharing nice things- is your genuine experience. Your issues did not vanish, they're just on stand-by.
You might try to hide that experience with beautiful thoughts, drugs or work but it will never last. Sooner or later you will fall down and experience sadness or whatever emotion you have been bottling inside of you.
To answer the question: Can knowledge bring me spiritual well being? I would claim that know-how could be a fantastic intro to it yet on its own, it would certainly never ever bring you to it. Interest and the yearning have definitely their place on the spiritual path. But the real yearning, beneath the one to discover is the one of liberation. Know-how doesn't liberate you for too long. In the long run it could actually get you further and further away from the spiritual path.
So if you are in a place where you are trying to feel better by learning more, you're still in a good place. There's never a "bad" place to be. You have a desire, that's for sure. You want more. Imagine how it would be if you can experience what you actually know. Imagine if you can make that feeling of liberation last for minutes, hours and days at a time. Imagine how it would be to actually know from within.
How will it be if you're in touch with a constant "knowing", a moment to moment "knowing", always there in your experience no matter what impossible situation is happening in your life?
Knowledge is basically an accumulation of information. The nature of the mind is that it is always looking to accumulate things. When we accumulate knowledge, we can proudly say that we "know". We can have interesting conversations and debates with other people. We are excited to continuously learn, it's a beautiful thing.
Having stated that, the spiritual path is somehow different. Spiritual well being is not rooted in knowledge; it is truly how life is occurring to you, not what you "want" it to be. Exactly what does that suggest?
You can be happily having a talk with a person about what Buddha has actually shared with his disciples, feel good for a little while yet still, you know the "problems" that are awaiting you as you leave this talk. Your partner, your employer or your bothersome kid are waiting for you and you understand very well that you cannot escape them! In these circumstances, what is taking place behind-the-scenes, behind your "desire" of well being -by sharing nice things- is your genuine experience. Your issues did not vanish, they're just on stand-by.
You might try to hide that experience with beautiful thoughts, drugs or work but it will never last. Sooner or later you will fall down and experience sadness or whatever emotion you have been bottling inside of you.
To answer the question: Can knowledge bring me spiritual well being? I would claim that know-how could be a fantastic intro to it yet on its own, it would certainly never ever bring you to it. Interest and the yearning have definitely their place on the spiritual path. But the real yearning, beneath the one to discover is the one of liberation. Know-how doesn't liberate you for too long. In the long run it could actually get you further and further away from the spiritual path.
So if you are in a place where you are trying to feel better by learning more, you're still in a good place. There's never a "bad" place to be. You have a desire, that's for sure. You want more. Imagine how it would be if you can experience what you actually know. Imagine if you can make that feeling of liberation last for minutes, hours and days at a time. Imagine how it would be to actually know from within.
How will it be if you're in touch with a constant "knowing", a moment to moment "knowing", always there in your experience no matter what impossible situation is happening in your life?
About the Author:
Carl Serapian is an innovator in the field of personal growth with over 10 years of research. For a limited time and for free, he's sharing his discovery of a simple yet powerful meditation rooted deeply in the yogic science of spiritual well being. You can find it on his latest website that teaches taking and keeping the spiritual path without having to change your current lifestyle.. This article, Is Knowledge Important For The Spiritual Path? is released under a creative commons attribution license.
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