God Is Not Far Away.
Dear Krishan Ji, I am struggling with getting all the practices in. How do I decide what to do and what to leave out? I start my day at 4:30am but find myself unable to fit all the practices in the am and think I will do it in the evening and in the evening I feel very tired to do asanas. Pls help.
There is a well-known story of Lord Ganesha and His brother Lord Kartikeya, the two sons of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Kartikeya, the God of war, always looks for difficult challenges and ways to conquer them. Once, Kartikeya challenged Ganesha to race Him and said that whosoever goes around the universe three times first will be the winner. As soon as Ganesh accepted his challenge, Kartikeya, determined to win, took off. But Ganesha just went around His parents three times. He told them,” You are my God and universe. I don’t need to go anywhere. Just by going around you three times, I have finished and won the race.” The Parents were pleased. After overcoming many obstacles and completing three rounds around the universe, when Lord Kartikeya returned home, He was humbled by Ganesha’s faith and simplicity.
A seeker’s faith should be like Ganesha’s faith. If you genuinely believe that God is here and now, what’s the point of struggling? Most seekers believe God is here and now, but they are not rooted in this belief, and therefore, their journey and struggle continue.
You must also know and follow your temperament. If your temperament is like Ganesha, but your journey is like Kartikeya, you will struggle. If your nature is love and devotion, but your path is of knowledge and hatha yoga, you are going against your nature. The great Ved Vyasa’s nature was to understand and know. That’s how he could write Vedas and so much more. Sri Adi Shankaracharyaya was also from the same lineage and of similar nature, with knowledge and practices being His primary focus.
Kabira, Meera, Tulsidas, Guru Nanak, and others alike didn’t have much interest in knowing. Their nature was love. They followed the path of simplicity and loving God. They followed their nature. You must look into whether you are following your nature or going against it.
Even the path of knowledge and practices, if followed properly, leads to loving God. After writing so much knowledge, Sage Ved Vyasa, in the end, wrote loving stories of Lord Krishna in His last book, in which He says there is nothing greater and sweeter than remembering Krishna, Sri Adi Shankaracharya also wrote beautiful songs about the glories of Gods and Goddesses. It was the love for God that brought them fulfillment.
Your spirituality must inspire you to love and long for God. If it doesn’t, it ends in disappointment.
Loving God is loving all. Divine love is like Sun. It shines on all, even on those who reject you. Kabira was rejected and ridiculed by many. But Kabira saw Rama in them. He saw only Rama everywhere. That’s the simplicity and power of the path of love.
So, my dear child, you can continue to wake up every morning at 4:30, but it is not necessary if it is causing you stress. When you struggle, your Soul also becomes restless. When you do your sadhana, even if it is shorter, embrace your body, mind, and Soul. Love your entire being like you are loving God. Surround yourself with the simplicity, faith, and presence of all those who followed the path of love. If you can do this much, God is not far away.
Day and night,
Embrace your entire.
Asleep or awake,
Kindle the love fire.
What you see,
See it not.
Perceive, underneath each,
Lies alluring Divine pot.
