Adi Shankaracharya said, "The jiva continues in Samsara (cycle of birth and death) only as long as it retains attachment due to ignorance or Maya". Now talk about the other meaning of samsara (family/marital life) - Lately, I have started realizing that spiritual goals take a backseat when you get bound into a family. Transcending jealousy, possessiveness, fear of losing the one you love, all seem like a far-off dream...You are actually more likely to hold on to youth and the thoughts of "I wish I look pretty for my husband even when I am 50". The need for approval and fulfilment of emotional cravings shoot up!
Maybe, the feelings of having a purposeful, meaningful life is all an illusion filled deep-seeded thought process. Maybe, there is nothing deeper to life. Or maybe, descending into the Himalayas is the only way out!
Sometimes I wonder, whether wanting to attain spiritual goals is a selfish act in itself. At the end of the day, arent we hoping to find the enlightenment that Buddha got or a shift in consciousness in order to lead a happier life? So doesnt that actually make us get attached to a goal and thereby collapse the arguement of leading a non-attached life?
A question that is haunting me from a few days as I embark on a new phase of my life soon - Is it really possible to find a balance between relationships and current and former spiritual goals? I use the word 'former' here, because I have already forsaken a lot of my previous objectives with the hope that someday I will revive them.
Being an impermanent human, is it wrong to hold on to relationships knowing that inherently it is so unpredictable and transitory? Is it wrong to live in fear that love in a marriage might one day disappear or hope that my husband wont change? Is it wrong to expect your children to stay cute and loving forever? Is it wrong to want your mother to live forever?
Most importantly, is non-attachment even real? How do I not slip into existential anxiety and miss out on the happiness that marriage will bring in?
4 comments:
read "Autobiography of a yogi" by yogananda im sure u will enjoy it :-)
Nice blogs sindhu..:)Enjoyed reading..!I think all those questions,confusions,thoughts..its like standing in the middle of a ocean and trying to find which way to go??Everyone in thier 20's experience this i guess,but very few spend time pondering over it! Am currently reading "Mookajjiya Kanasugalu" by our very own kannada writer Shivram Karanth and am sure you may like it.Read it sometime when you are free.You may find some mind expanding answers to your questions and questions to your answers..;)
Awesome maam :):):)
I have a very shallow knowledge of "Spirituality" to comment on the experience one might derive by meditating or detaching from humanity and descending into Himalayas.It's harder to take sides and i think it is a subjective decision.I feel taking a middle ground is probably a best way to have elements of what both the paths have to offer you. I look upon "Spirituality" as a soul-searching experience and attribute of being selfless. Probably engaging in community service, volunteer work or even simple act of kindness would get me closer to the feeling of being detached to worldly emotions and even meditation too. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong in embracing relationships either if we can balance the joy they bring in and are open about mending the bends, given the nature of it's unpredictability.
The good thing about standing on existential plank is it makes you a lot more wiser & deeper . If not right away,time will eventually get you to the answers of your questions :)
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