Keep moving like the flowing river

My teacher would repeatedly guide us that the devotee should let the flow of life flow unhindered through his consciousness. The rivers that originate as droplets from glacial heights, seek an unhindered path to the ocean, to finally merge in that vastness from which they had commenced their journey. Across millions of years, the river continues to erode mountains and boulders, and fill the holes in its bed, to ensure a smooth flow to reach its final resting place.

If the waters are stopped by mountains, or if they fall and are trapped in pits and valleys, the river is going to stagnate. While flowing waters are clean and life-giving, stagnated waters become dirty and foul smelling. We had all seen rivers and canals, and knew that standing water becomes dark and brackish, and loses all life. We could envision what was being taught, but how does this apply to our life, we asked?

The teacher said that the pits and mountains are the flaws in our daily conduct that impede our inner spiritual journey. The pits are lust, anger, greed, and attachment. Every day, we fall into these pits, and stop our progress. We covet what others have, become possessed by our material possessions, and shout with anger and scorn.

When we escape a pit, we encounter the mountains of ego. This is a high mountain range, with many bands of ego hills. I-am-strong, I-am-beautiful, I-am-wise, I-amrich — the list is long. The devotee practises humility, and love for all. Over time, we will fill the pits of our character flaws, and gently flatten our ego, permitting our consciousness to move unhindered to the source from where all creation was born. Guru Granth Sahib quotes the great Saint Fareed: