What is actually important after all?
I recently came across an article on luxury homes in the US, and it made me wonder if the people who are extremely wealthy were truly happy. Lasting happiness is the underlying reason why we would want to be rich right?
I have some very close family friends who would be considered extremely wealthy. Of the many families I know that fall into this category, one stands out in particular, as they own several aircrafts for personal use. In fact, when their daughter got married, they spent over $3000 per guest just on accommodations, without breaking a sweat. This did not include the favours and gifts bestowed upon those close enough to be considered family. But then I reflected could their wealth ensure their daughter’s happiness in her future married life? And the answer was a definite no. If wealth cannot ensure this basic need in our lives then why is there a fascination for the lifestyles of the rich and famous?
For us common folk too materialism permeates throughout our lives in one way or the other. In fact for most of the people I know, their value system and purpose in life revolves around making money, getting rid of debt or looking for some luxury that they think would make them happy. And until I came in touch with SSRF and spiritual science concepts I have to say that I shared these same values and purpose in life.
Study of Spirituality under SSRF has shaped my opinions with regards to what is actually important in life – that is if we step back and look at it from an absolute perspective. At the end of the day, when my time has come to leave this world, will it really have mattered how much money or debt I had? The only debt that I should worry about is my spiritual debt or give-and-take account, because that will follow me from lifetime to lifetime. It will determine the level of happiness or unhappiness I will have to undergo in this lifetime and subsequent lifetimes. Spiritual practice is the only thing that helps to burn our spiritual debt or give-and-take account or give us the strength to bear it.
With this perspective, all our efforts in acquiring a livelihood and various luxuries if at all, need to be geared to our true purpose of life which is liberation from the cycle of birth and death and God-realisation.
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Read more:
Benefits of spiritual practice
Guide to a saattvik lifestyle
If the student is willing, the Guru is always teaching
Hi nice to see your blog. Here on earth people’s thinking is predetermined by their actions in a past life. According to their merits and actions from their past lives people have some desire. This principle is mentioned in Indian astrology.
Tarlok Singh Panesar
i just thought that married life is the happiest point of my life..~-
Married life is of course a very happy life, all you need to do is find some happiness deep inside yourself :”~
There is a quote I’d like to share. ‘Life isn’t cruel,it hurts but it heals the hurt.If you let it have its way with you it brings peace and happinessin the end..’
If one has what it takes to be a real seeker (disciplne and yearning) one can overcome a meaningless life and live for something far better and bigger than oneself….but it takes alot of courage and determination..
pervin
Why do people get married and want to experience that part of life and end up with spirituality…
Thank you for touching this delicate but really critical issue of earning money and getting extremely stressed out. The purpose of life is to know who we are. We are made of paramananda or extreme bliss as there is English translation .
We have to become like a child to enter the kingdom of god or happiness. Thru a teacher who has already realized and obtained this nectar of paramananda we get a taste of it. Then follow the path or practice love and serve others and become one with the source of paramananda. Some do that by chanting, some by service , some by meditation or following a guru, some by living in the mountain or living in paradise. One who has acquired a taste of it knows it but can not describe it . It is called Mukrasaswadan. Or it’s like asking some one who can not speak to describe the taste of a delicious meal. He can only smile, it will be written on his face.
So to realize and be established in this nitya nanda or paramananda we have to have the company of one who is esrtablished in this consciousness and can impart the nectar to you. Then you know that you don’t need a lot of luxury and big houses to be happy. You will be content in living in simple house that meets your needs of food and shelter.
Disciplined life and the good company is necessary to realize that luxury is maya or illusion and the happiness is within.
Dear Nirmal,
You gave very nice perspectives. To reach this state and progress spiritually reccomended spiritual practice for this Kaliyug era is chanting the name of God: http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-practice/steps-of-spiritual-practice/chanting
When we are with God, everything is possible and external circumstancies are not important; we are stable and Blisfull.
Sincerely,
SSRF team
Hi, am really impressed by your article in reality I think there is no happiness apart from religion guidance.