Why are there people who are inclined toward spirituality, while others prefer entertainment, traveling, or simply enjoying life?
Consciousness has many levels.
• At the lower level, there are more people, those who enjoy eating and drinking.
• Fewer people are at the level of those who like to enjoy nature.
• Even fewer seek quietude and serenity.
• Those who seek enlightenment are very rare, not many people at all.
When we practice, we must accept the different levels of others. I do not advise you to aim for the highest level immediately. Just as children enjoy playing and having fun, as we grow older, we realize that our time is not infinite but limited (the appearance of aging). At that point, we want to use our time for meaningful purposes.
There was a man who told me he was very busy with his work and had no time for his wife and children. He worked a lot and was very happy when he received a bonus at the end of the year. A few years later, he shared with me that there had been many changes at work. He was no longer valued because he was getting older and was even worried about losing his job. He started spending more time with his wife. She cared more for him as she was concerned about his well-being and invited him to do charity work with her. At that point, he asked me, “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” I didn’t say anything because at that time, he was at his appropriate level.
The image of a lotus flower growing bigger and spiraling upward is beautiful and so meaningful. Each of us grows at a different pace.
How do we know when our development has reached its peak, and it’s time to rise higher or expand? There are several signs.
1. Irritation, frustration, and unhappiness – You easily get upset and angry when things happen.
We should recognize that it’s time to move to a higher level, meaning we need to practice meditation and open our minds more. Typically, when we are unable to open our minds or ascend to a higher level, we tend to be more irritable. If the solution at that time is to engage in a lot of recreational activities, it may make those around you unhappy because of your irritability: “Why do we have to wake up so early?”, “Why are you so late”, “Why do we have to make so many stops?”, etc.
When we aren’t often upset, it means that the current level is still suitable for us. At that point, practicing to move to the next level will be easier because there’s still plenty of space to grow. If we wait until we are frequently irritated, it will become more difficult, and sometimes our health may not allow us to practice deep meditation.
2. Not wanting to talk or share anything with others – This means that the horizontal dimension is stuck.
3. Not wanting to do anything, entering a state similar to depression (not depression caused by chemical imbalances in the brain).
You don’t want to work, play, or talk, and it seems as though all your energy is drained. At that point, the consciousnes contracts rather than expands.
We need to understand these signs so that we don’t get stuck.
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