All great people owe their greatness to their mentors

Of India spoke to the Manav Dharam SA in Phoenix yesterday about spiritual awakening and awareness. Here’s his response to questions

What is the difference between spirituality and religion?

The relation between spirituality and religion is the relation between life force (spirit) and body.

Spirituality is the living core of religion and religion is simply the codified rituals, customs and traditions. Spirituality is one for all people, religions are many.

What age is appropriate for exposure to a spiritual life?

The aim of human life is selfrealisation. So all stages of life are suitable for leading a spiritual life. We have young devotees like Dhurv and Prahalad.

Vivekanand and Adhi Shankracharya were youths and died young but were great spiritually. It is wrong to first enjoy the world and later, in old age, pursue spirituality.

How do the youth stay focused on spirituality when social media and consumerism are such huge distractions in our society?

Once a person understands the importance of spiritual knowledge, his discriminatory power becomes so strong that he can remain focused on his self in spite of distractions.

What is the importance of a young person having a guru?

The moment a child is born, he needs mother’s milk and a guru. The first gurus are a mother and father. No person can learn anything without a guru.

A guru has an important role to play in our life. He is the lighthouse of our knowledge. He is a deliverer from the trials of life. He is the giver of knowledge of the spirit.

All great people owe their greatness to the mentor who inspired them. A spiritual master is required for this life and the next.

Does being a vegetarian have any impact on the life of a young person or their spiritual journey?

Doctors have proved a vegetarian diet is healthier for human beings. Such a diet, being satvik by nature, does not ignite passions in man. It suits a spiritual person. There is an old saying “as the diet so the mind”.

Hindus in South Africa undertake many rituals. Are these necessary?

Vivekanand once said if a child goes to a temple, I love it, but if an aged person goes to a temple I feel sad about it. Rituals are the outer aspect of spirituality. Every ritual has a spiritual meaning and indication. In the temple, a lit lamp implies the light of the spirit is shining in you. Awaken it. Similarly, other rituals have meaning.

How do we balance career, a material life and spiritual life?

It is hard, but still we have to advance in both material and spiritual life. You just can’t walk on one leg. Similarly, without a balance of the spiritual and material life, you can’t live a peaceful, happy and balanced life.

Spiritual practices do not interfere with your career.

It is possible to meditate in all situations and do your duties.

What is the significance of the rituals we practise?

They keep you disciplined and help you appreciate the spirit because every ritual has some spiritual meaning.

People and youth are much more materially orientated today. What change is needed to ensure a balance?

Material development and science have radically changed man’s thinking, and people take this world as the reality and spirituality as a flight of fancy, but the reckless pursuit of a life of pleasure has resulted in restlessness and chaos in society, damaging value systems.

Doomsday is not far off if people are not awakened and inspired to bring about a balance in their spiritual and material life. The inner life can only be enriched by spiritual knowledge and meditation, while the material life can only be developed by being productive and co-operative in the social life.

What is meditation? How is it linked to spirituality?

Meditation is the science of connecting with All-Pervasive Spirit. There are two attributes of spirit: vibration and light. Meditation starts when a mentor who is enlightened reveals to you the technique of connecting with the Holy Name, the Primordial Vibration and the Light Divine which shines within you.