THE AGE OF INSTANTS

We are all living in a fastpaced world where most things we practice run around the clock. Our everyday life is almost slotted and scheduled according to perfect time tables. The most precious possession today beyond money is ‘TIME’. Struggling to keep pace, we have all got accustomed to a unique concept called ‘Instants’.

So, most people I meet expect the same from their Spiritual practices – INSTANT RESULTS. They want to get as much as possible, as quickly as possible, from as little commitment as possible. I have had some interesting episodes during my workshops when people walk up to me trying to comprehend why meditation does not work for them. Well, let me clarify here that even the most progressed masters have not been able to invent an instant technique that can make spirituality work for you. There are various methodologies, techniques and even extremely less time-consuming methods to reach your spiritual goals, provided there is patience and persistence.

However, be rest assured that there will be no instant results. All of us can become finer human beings and achieve greater success if we have patience, dedication and faith. There are no set formulas for deciding your spiritual practice. Anything that works for you and helps you increase focus and reduce mental disturbance is good. However, before you set out to choose any technique, it is vital that you ask yourself a few questions. Answers to these will help you streamline your thought process and formulate a practise that you will be able to follow on for long.

1. What are your obligations?

We are all tied down by our daily chores and activities that require us to devote time and energy. And though we may dream of cutting ourselves off from all responsibility, it is out of the realm of possibility for many. It is crucial to understand that without fulfilling our worldly obligations, we neglect to build a solid foundation upon which we can build our spiritual lives.

2. What are your personal priorities?

Each one of us has unique hobbies, likes and personal relaxation techniques. Some people I speak to enjoy sport activities, some crafts, others cooking, some partying and some simply spending time with family. Well, I would suggest that you make time for relaxing and enjoying with these personal pastimes before deciding on a spiritual practice.

3. What would be the focus of your daily practice?

I would again say that anything that gives you peace of mind and makes you happy would be good enough as a daily practice. Some people have no need for any type of daily ritual, other people like doing a bit of daily meditation or prayer. It’s up to you to determine what exactly you find yourself doing every day and what you need to be doing every day.

4. What do you have time for?

Once you have a fair idea of what daily practice helps you, it is important that you make time for the practice every day, even if that means shortening or lengthening your practice. When you have little time, you can only do a little; when you have more time, you can do more. It’s that simple.

5. When are you most comfortable doing the practice?

Many of my friends prefer to do their spiritual practice at night when they’re relaxing after work, while I’ve always been a morning person and get my best work done before I leave my house. Biasing your practice towards a particular time of day can benefit your practice substantially, but if you don’t have such a preference, using any available time works just as well.