Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES IN SPIRITUAL LIFE Part 1

Swami Yatiswarananda
(Vedanta in the West | January-February 1959) Swami Yatiswarananda (1889 - 1966) was a disci !e "# Swami $rahmananda% &e s ent se'en years teachin( Vedanta in )ur" e* where he #"unded an ashram in Swit+er!and* th"u(h he !ectured "n Vedanta #r"m ,adrid t" Warsaw% &e !e#t )ur" e as the sec"nd W"r!d War #"rced a c!"sure t" the )ur" ean Vedanta w"r-% .he swami then s ent ten years teachin( Vedanta in the /nited States* returnin( t" 0ndia t" head se'era! 1enters* e'entua!!y bec"min( Vice-2resident "# the 3ama-rishna ,ath and 3ama-rishna ,issi"n% Swami Yatiswarananda was #amed #"r his meditati'e !i#e and s iritua! attainment% &is b""-* ,editati"n and S iritua! 4i#e* a c"m i!ati"n "# his c!ass ta!-s* is c"nsidered "ne "# the #inest c"m endiums "n s iritua! !i#e% .he artic!e be!"w was ta-en #r"m the Jan-Feb 1959 Vedanta in the West%

Table of Contents
What Are the Obstacles?....................................1 Obstacles Are Inevitable but Can Be Overcome ........2 Co-e istence o! Obstacles and "el#s .....................$ Conditions !or S#iritual %n!oldment ......................& 'elation Between (ivine )race and Sel!-*!!ort .........+ S#ir. ,i!e-.he /re#aration !or 'eceivin0 (ivine )race 11 .he .rans!ormin0 /ower o! (ivine )race................11

What Are the Obstacles?

In s#iritual li!e2 we use the word 3obstacles4 with re!erence to both the inner and the outer world2 to #h5sical and subtle ob6ects2 and to conditions and situations which stand in the wa5 o! our s#iritual #ro0ress. In 0eneral2 there are obstacles o! various 7inds #roducin0 miser52 or duh7ha o! various t5#es. In the San7h5a Sutras2

Swami Yatiswarananda

8a#ila mentions duh7has o! three t5#es- adhyatmi-a or that caused within ourselves9in the bod5 b5 illness and unhealth5 livin02 and the mind b5 evil desires2 an0er2 0reed2 !oll52 #ride2 env52 etc.- adhibhauti-a or that caused b5 other livin0 bein0s such as beasts2 thieves2 and evil-minded #ersons: and the adhidai'i-a or the miser5 brou0ht about b5 natural #henomena such as e tremes o! tem#erature2 !loods and storms2 earth;ua7es2 #estilences 2 etc. .hese ma5 act as hindrances to s#iritual li!e. And we are a!!ected b5 our troubles all the more when we are not well inwardl5. We are all born with subtle im#ressions and tendencies brou0ht !rom #revious lives and we also ac;uire new ones in our #resent li!e. While 0ood tendencies hel#2 evil ones obstruct our s#iritual #ro0ress. .here are di!!erent 7inds o! obstacles2 and we come across them in the di!!erent sta0es o! our s#iritual li!e. S#iritual li!e is li7e a stream and should move towards the ocean o! Sat-Chit-Ananda or In!inite * istence-Consciousness-Bliss2 call it )odhead2 Brahman2 the ,ord2 Allah2 or .ao2 as 5ou #lease. Sometimes the s#iritual current does not move at all: sometimes it moves !or a time and sto#s: sometimes it tends to move in wron0 directions. .he tas7 in our s#iritual li!e is to ma7e this current move: move in the ri0ht direction and move steadil5 till the 0oal is reached.

Obstacles Are Inevitable but Can Be Overcome

.his is the ideal. But in actual li!e2 there is no such thin0 as movement in a strai0ht line. .here are u#s and downs2 brea7s or sto#s2 in the movement. Obstacles continue to con!ront us till we have 7nown )od<s 0race and attain the #eace and blessedness that come !rom divine reali=ation. %ntil then2 however2 we have to #ersist steadil5 in our s#iritual #ractices: we have to continue the stru00le however insur-

Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

mountable the obstacles ma5 seem !or the time bein0. .his is a matter o! actual e #erience !or man5 s#iritual as#irants. A 5oun0 man was once as7ed about this s#iritual #ro0ress b5 Swami Brahmananda2 his teacher. "e said2 3>ot ver5 well2 ?ahara6: m5 mind is restless. I have no taste !or s#iritual #ractices 5et. .here seems to be an obstacle inside me. I !eel so unha##5. I must have been born with evil tendencies and these stand in the wa5 o! m5 s#iritual #ro0ress.4 .o this the Swami re#lied- 3?5 bo52 5ou must not tal7 li7e that. .r5 to #ractice 6a#a @chantin0 the ,ord<s nameA at dead o! ni0ht: i! that is not #ossible2 do it durin0 the earl5 hours o! the mornin0. . . . Waste no more o! 5our valuable time. ,ose 5oursel! in #ra5er and meditation: otherwise2 how can the door to s#iritual truth be o#ened? . . . .he as#irant should !irst learn about the s#iritual #ath !rom some 0reat soul and then !ollow it methodicall5. I! the #erson #roceeds ha#ha=ardl5 he or she cannot ma7e much #ro0ress2 and i! the #erson 0ives u# entirel52 the e!!ort to be0in a0ain will be twice as di!!icult. But no e!!ort is wasted. ,ust2 0reed2 an0er2 all 0raduall5 leave one who #ractices s#iritual disci#lines.4 When the 5oun0 man said2 3?5 mind is restless24 he was not s#ea7in0 o! ordinar5 restlessness and unha##iness. "avin0 made some substantial #ro0ress in s#iritual li!e2 he !ound inner obstacles standin0 in the wa5 and these were ma7in0 !urther advance di!!icult. .he ;uestion ma5 be as7ed2 how do I 7now the mind o! the 5oun0 man? I 7now it because the 5oun0 man was none other than m5sel!. .here is restlessness and restlessness - that o! the worldl5 man han7erin0 !or the #leasures o! the world: and o! the s#iritual see7er 5earnin0 !or #ro0ress2 wantin0 to move !rom a lower #lan o! consciousness to a hi0her one. S#iritual li!e is a two!old movement2 one o! which ma5 be re#resented as vertical and the other as hori=ontal. We have

Swami Yatiswarananda

to rise hi0her and hi0her and also e #and more and more in our consciousness. ?ost o! us ma5 not care to rise to a hi0her #lane. We !ool ourselves b5 thin7in0 that we are all ri0ht where we are. We are li7e /lato<s men in the cave who too7 the shadows to be real and were ;uite satis!ied with the li!e o! dar7ness the5 lived. We are ;uite contented with our li!e in the cellar. But some o! us want to come out into the li0ht and rise to a hi0her #lane with the hel# o! the s#iritual current2 which ma5 be li7ened to the elevator which ta7es #eo#le !rom one !loor to another. .he s#iritual current2 when #ro#erl5 roused2 ta7es us !rom one center o! consciousness2 or cha7ra2 to another. Sometimes we want to 0et into the elevator but the door does not o#en: this is one o! the obstacles. .he door o#ens and we 0et into the bo but the bo does not move this is another 7ind o! obstacle. A third one is2 we move u# but the door does not o#en. .he !ourth is the door o#ens2 we 0et out on the !loor2 move about !or a time2 but are not able to !ind our wa5 bac7 to the elevator when we want to rise hi0her. Somethin0 o! this 7ind ha##ened to me when I s#o7e to Swami Brahmananda o! some obstacles standin0 in the wa5 o! m5 s#iritual #ro0ress. But these obstacles can be overcome. We can under0o s#iritual #ractices2 un!old the inner e5e2 discover the 3secret stairs4 and move u# hi0her and hi0her.

Co-existence of Obstacles and Helps

,et us not2 however2 ima0ine that li!e is onl5 !ull o! obstacles. I! we come across man5 obstacles and hindrances2 we 0et also man5 hel#s and aids both within us and without. It is essential that we have a correct idea2 a balanced estimate2 o! our conditions and environments. >ever should we wea7en ourselves b5 thin7in0 too much o!

Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

our shortcomin0s onl5. I! we have evil tendencies2 we also have 0ood ones - even more o! the 0ood than the evil. I! we have within us such enemies o! s#iritual li!e as e0otism2 sensualit52 0reed2 and an0er2 we have also such !riends as sel!lessness2 sel!-control2 charit52 and com#assion. A 0reat hel# to our moral and s#iritual li!e is the rememberin0 o! the su#reme truth that we are the Atman. We are the souls eternall5 in touch with the Oversoul2 6ust as a wave is in constant touch with2 and is su##orted b52 the ocean2 6ust as a ra5 o! li0ht is in touch with the in!inite li0ht. And we must beware o! morbid theolo0ians who thin7 onl5 in terms o! sin2 who alwa5s s#ea7 o! humanit5 as a bundle o! sin. .here is a stor5 o! a new cler05man who started tal7in0 too much o! sin. One o! the con0re0ation con0ratulated him2 3We never 7new what sin was until 5ou cameB4 What a com#limentB All our s#iritual teachers tell us that there are two o##osite t5#es o! ideas wor7in0 in our lives2 the 0ood and the #leasant - sre5as and #re5as. We !ind in the 8atha %#anishad3.he 0ood is one thin0: the #leasant another. Both these2 servin0 di!!erent needs2 #resent themselves to humanit5. It 0oes well with the #erson who2 o! the two2 ta7es the 0ood: but one who chooses the #leasant misses the end. . . . Both the 0ood and the #leasant come to humanit5. .he calm one e amines them well and discriminates. .he calm one #re!ers the 0ood to the #leasant2 but the !ool chooses the #leasant out o! 0reed and avarice.4 ?a5a2 the #ower that has #ro6ected this #henomenal world2 itsel! has two as#ects2 vid5a and avid5a2 which ma5 be com#ared to the centri#etal and centri!u0al !orces. Cid5a is that current which leads us )odward: it mani!ests itsel! as discrimination2 nonattachment2 devotion2 and love !or )od. Avid5a leads us to worldliness and e #resses itsel! as the vari-

Swami Yatiswarananda

ous #assions - desire !or wealth2 worldl5 ambition2 wor7 with attachment2 cruelt52 etc. Avid5a dar7ens the understandin0 and binds the soul. Cid5a tends to hel# us towards Sel!-reali=ation and !reedom. ,et us choose the #ath o! 0ood and become #urer in bod5 and mind. .his #urit5 is essential !or our s#iritual 0rowth and brin0s us in touch with the cosmic s#iritual !orces which the devotee calls the 0race o! )od.

Conditions for Spiritual

nfoldment

It is necessar5 !or us to have a clear conce#tion o! s#iritual un!oldment and its relation to cosmic e istence and cosmic !orces. ,et us tr5 to understand its secret throu0h the illustration o! a seed. I! the seed is #lanted in the #ro#er bed and is 7e#t in touch with nature - with earth2 water2 heat2 air2 and s#ace - it 0rows into a #lant and !inall5 develo#s into a mi0ht5 tree. .he seed must be 7e#t in close touch with nature and also in the #ro#er condition internall52 !or onl5 then can it #ro!it b5 earth2 water2 etc. .he microcosm develo#s #ro#erl5 when it is in tune with the macrocosm. .his is true in s#iritual li!e also. .he individual must be in tune with the cosmos. I! we loo7 within ourselves2 we !ind that our bod5 is a #art o! the ocean o! matter and that cosmic ener05 is !lowin0 throu0h it and sustainin0 it. Our individual mind is a #art o! the cosmic mind2 and our individual soul is a #art o! the cosmic soul. In order to 7ee# the bod5 in 0ood health2 we must !ollow the #h5sical laws. When the bod5 is 7e#t in 0ood condition2 it remains in touch with the cosmic !orces2 which a0ain hel# the bod5 to maintain 0ood health. .o 7ee# the mind in 0ood health2 we must !ollow the moral laws which stand !or harmon5 and #urit5. .his 7ee#s the mind in contact with the cosmic mind and so in 0ood health. Similarl5 our soul must also be in a !it condition2 in a

Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

state o! #urit5 and harmon52 so that it ma5 remain in direct touch with the cosmic s#iritual !orces. It is then that the cosmic will or the divine 0race !lows throu0h the soul and assures its #ro0ress. /ro#er !ood2 moral #ractices2 and s#iritual e ercises remove the obstacles in bod52 mind2 and e0o2 7ee# us in tune with the cosmic will and !it to receive divine 0race. (ivine 0race comes to us at !irst in the !orm o! s#iritual 5earnin0 and strivin0. As we become #urer and #urer2 we come more and more in direct contact with the cosmic s#iritual current. In s#iritual li!e2 there must be tremendous e!!ort2 but is must not be o! the e0ocentric t5#e. All our #ractices must be carried out in a s#irit o! #ra5er2 sel!-surrender2 and dedication to the (ivine. In our outloo72 habits2 and wa5s o! thin7in02 there must be a revolution. S#iritual li!e2 i! #ro#erl5 lived2 must lead us !rom the e0ocentric to the cosmocentric #osition.

!elation Bet"een #ivine $race and Self-%ffort

What we term sel!-e!!ort and divine 0race su##lement each other. We cannot have the one without the other. Without intense and unremittin0 strivin0 on our #art2 we can never e #erience divine 0race. ?ere #ra5er without corres#ondin0 e!!ort will not bear !ruit. It will be 6ust li7e the man who2 !indin0 his house on !ire2 started #ra5in0 !or rain instead o! tr5in0 to #ut the !ire out throu0h means available then and there. .he #ro#er thin0 is to do all we can and also to #ra5. A little 0irl<s brother used to set a tra# to catch birds. .hin7in0 this was wron0 and cruel2 she became ver5 sad and we#t. A!ter some time2 the mother !ound her ha##5 and cheer!ul and was curious to 7now how such a chan0e had come about. 3?omm524 the 0irl e #lained2 3Dirst I #ra5ed

Swami Yatiswarananda

that m5 brother ma5 be a better bo52 then I #ra5ed that no more birds ma5 !all into the tra#2 and then . . .4 she added trium#hantl52 3I went out and 7ic7ed the old tra# to #ieces.4 So #ra5er is to be combined with sel!-e!!ort to brea7 old unethical habits and !orm new 0ood ones. Blinded b5 their own narrow ideas2 theolo0ians ma7e too much o! a m5ster5 about divine 0race2 which the5 sa5 can be attained onl5 b5 !ollowin0 their own #et doctrines and do0mas. But the enli0htened ones s#ea7 in a di!!erent lan0ua0e. 3Blessed are the #ure in heart2 !or the5 shall see )od24 sa5s Christ in the 0reatest beatitude uttered b5 him. .his is also the ancient teachin0 o! the sa0es o! India- 3.he res#lendent and #ure Sel!2 whom #ure and sinless souls2 !ree !rom evil or im#urities2 have reali=ed as residin0 in the bod52 can be attained b5 truth!ulness2 concentration2 true 7nowled0e2 and #er!ect chastit5.4 .he Su#reme 'ealit52 or )od2 is li7e the sun. It re!lects itsel! on the #ure mind. With the hel# o! an illuminatin0 conversation between a devotee and Sri Sarada (evi - the s#iritual consort o! Sri 'ama7rishna2 also 7nown as the "ol5 ?other9we can clearl5 understand the connection between s#iritual #ractice and divine 0race. (evotee- 3?other2 how does one reali=e )od? Worshi#2 6a#a2 meditation - do these hel# one?4 ?other- 3>one o! these can hel#.4 (evotee- 3.hen how does one attain to the wisdom o! )od?4 ?other- 3It is onl5 throu0h his 0race. But one must #ractice meditation and 6a#a. .hat removes the im#urities o! the mind. One must #ractice s#iritual disci#lines such as worshi#2 and so !orth. As one 0ets the !ra0rance o! a !lower b5 handlin0 it2 as one 0ets the !ra0rance o! sandalwood b5 rubbin0 it a0ainst a stone2 in the same wa5 one 0ets s#iritual awa7enin0 b5 constantl5 thin7in0 o! )od. But

Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

5ou can reali=e him ri0ht now i! 5ou become !ree !rom desire.4 .he mind has become soiled b5 worldliness. S#iritual #ractices remove the im#urities2 and then 6ust as the clear mirror re!lects the shinin0 sun in all its 0lor52 the (ivine S#irit is revealed clearl5 in the #uri!ied mind in a s#ontaneous wa5. "ere2 one #oint must be #lainl5 understood. .he #urit5 attained throu0h s#iritual disci#lines ma5 be o! a ver5 hi0h order2 but it is not #er!ect. .he s#iritual see7er is established in #er!ect #urit5 onl5 a!ter divine reali=ation2 when ob6ects o! tem#tation become unreal2 and the Su#reme S#irit remains the onl5 realit5. .hat is wh5 Sri 8rishna declares in the Bha0avad-)ita- 3Sense ob6ects recede !rom the abstinent #erson2 but the taste !or them lin0ers still: with the reali=ation o! the Su#reme S#irit2 even the taste disa##ears.4 It is necessar5 !or us to understand the relation o! s#iritual #ractice to divine 0race and the im#ortant #art the5 #la5 in our lives in removin0 our inner obstacles. .hen onl5 can we !eel enthusiastic about the disci#lines2 which we ordinaril5 under0o in a ha#ha=ard wa5. Once a disci#le as7ed the "ol5 ?other about the utilit5 o! s#iritual #ractice. She re#lied3.hrou0h these s#iritual disci#lines2 the ties o! #ast 7arma are cut asunder. B5 these disci#lines the turbulence o! the sense-or0ans is subdued.4 (evotee- 3Can action ever cancel action?4 ?other- 3Wh5 not? I! 5ou do a 0ood action2 that will counteract 5our #ast evil action. /ast sins can be counteracted b5 meditation2 6a#a2 and s#iritual thou0ht.E It is a matter o! e #erience that to the e tent we succeed in ma7in0 our mind #ure throu0h moral and s#iritual stru00le2 we !eel the !low o! divine 0race. Swami Brahmananda used to tell us- 3.o obtain )od<s 0race is the most im#ortant aid in

Swami Yatiswarananda

s#iritual li!e. .he bree=e o! his 0race is alwa5s blowin0. Fust un!url 5our sail.4 .his means that we should 7ee# ourselves o#en to the divine 0race - the cosmic s#iritual current - b5 attainin0 #urit5 throu0h the #er!ormance o! re0ular s#iritual #ractice.

Spiritual &ife - The 'reparation for !eceivin( #ivine $race

All our s#iritual teachers declare unanimousl5 that the soul in its essential nature is #ure s#irit. Owin0 to i0norance2 the s#irit !or0ets itsel! and becomes identi!ied with the e0o2 with the mind and the senses2 with attachment and aversion2 with the sense ob6ects2 with the bod5 and its !unctions - all #roducts o! i0norance. .he Atman #uts on the mas7s o! the causal bod52 the subtle bod52 and the 0ross bod5. It is the mas7s that become im#ure2 not the Atman. .he e0o2 the mind2 and the bod5 ma5 be de!iled but the s#irit ever remains #ure2 enli0htened2 and !ree. An illustration o! Sri 'ama7rishna hel#s us to understand this better. .he bod5 is li7e a vessel2 the mind is li7e the water in it. Brahman is li7e the sun that is re!lected in the water. .he water ma5 be im#ure and disturbed2 but the li0ht o! the sun ever remains shinin0 and #ure. .he 8atha %#anishad declares- 3As the sun2 which !orms the e5e o! the universe2 is never de!iled b5 the e ternal im#urities seen b5 the e5es2 so the one Sel! that resides in all bein0s is never touched b5 the evils o! the world.4 >o im#urit5 can a!!ect our #rimar5 nature2 which ever remains #ure. It is our second nature that becomes im#ure2 and it can and should be #uri!ied. S#iritual li!e is the cleansin0 o! this second nature o! ours2 the cleansin0 o! the mas7s - the coverin0s o! the e0o2 the mind2 and the bod5. So there is certainl5 ho#e !or ever5 one o! us. It is ri0htl5 said that even as

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Overcoming Obstacles in Spiritual Life

ever5 saint has a #ast2 so has ever5 sinner a !uture. In the Bha0avad-)ita2 Sri 8rishna 0ives this cate0orical assurance- 3*ven the most sin!ul amon0st #eo#le2 i! that #erson worshi#s me2 the Su#reme S#irit2 with unswervin0 devotion2 must be re0arded as virtuous2 !or that #erson has resolved ri0htl5. Soon the #erson becomes ri0hteous and attains eternal #eace. /roclaim it boldl5 that m5 devotee is never destro5ed.4 3)ivin0 u# all other duties2 ta7e re!u0e in me alone. I will !ree 5ou !rom all sins: 0rieve not.4 .he ,ord himsel! removes all obstacles !or the devotee who has com#letel5 surrendered to him.

The Transformin( 'o"er of #ivine $race

A 0lorious illustration o! how a most sin!ul #erson can become ri0hteous and attain the hi0hest illumination and #eace throu0h the 0race o! the Su#reme S#irit is seen in the li!e o! )irish Chandra )hosh2 the !amous actor-dramatist and a 0reat disci#le o! Sri 'ama7rishna. Accordin0 to his own statement2 there was no sin that )irish did not commit. At one time he considered reli0ion a !raud. ,ater2 however2 a 0reat chan0e came over him and there 0rew a dee# 5earnin0 !or s#iritual li0ht and #eace. It was then that he was drawn to Sri 'ama7rishna. )raduall5 his mind became #uri!ied2 thou0h he had to 0o a lon0 wa5. Once the !ollowin0 conversation too7 #lace)irish- 3Sir2 #lease bless me.4 ?aster- 3"ave !aith in the (ivine ?other2 and 5ou will attain ever5thin0.4 )irish- 3But I am a sinner.4 ?aster- 3.he wretch who constantl5 har#s on sin becomes a sinner.4 )irish- 3Sir2 the ver5 0round where I sit becomes unhol5.4 ?aster- 3"ow can 5ou sa5 that? Su##ose a li0ht is brou0ht

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Swami Yatiswarananda

into a room that had been dar7 a thousand 5ears2 does it illumine the room little b5 little2 or in a !lash?4 )irish- 3I have no sincerit5: #lease 0rant it to me.4 ?aster- 3All ri0ht2 5ou have !aith.4 Youn0 >arendra2 who later became Swami Cive7ananda2 was ver5 !riendl5 with )irish and was warned b5 the ?aster not to associate with him too much- 3)irish is li7e a cu# in which 0arlic is 7e#t. You ma5 wash it a thousand times but can never 0et rid o! the smell alto0ether.4 )irish heard this and !elt o!!ended. "e as7ed the ?aster i! the 30arlic smell4 would 0o at all. .he ?aster assured him2 3All the smell disa##ears when a bla=in0 !ire is li0hted: i! 5ou heat the cu# in the !ire 5ou will 0et rid o! the smell24 and he declared that #eo#le would be astounded at the marvelous chan0e that would come over )irish. .he 0arlic smell did disa##ear in due course2 and he became wonder!ull5 trans!ormed. (irected b5 the ?aster2 )irish !ollowed the #ath o! absolute sel!-surrender to the divine will - a #ath ver5 !ew can !ollow. "e would not #romise to under0o even the sim#lest s#iritual disci#line2 and was ver5 ha##5 when Sri 'ama7rishna as7ed him to 0ive 3the #ower o! attorne54 and #romised to assume all res#onsibilit5 !or his s#iritual li!e. )irish at that time thou0ht that the #ath o! sel!-surrender was the easiest but later on reali=ed what a most e actin0 thin0 it was. "e had to #ractice sel!-surrender ever5 momentB As a result o! this2 however2 he !elt continuall5 the #resence o! the ,ord2 and became a man o! )od. .he ,ord had removed all his vices - his obstacles in the s#iritual #ath - and !illed his soul with his lovin02 divine #resence. .he last time some o! us saw )irish2 he told us- 3As I move m5 hand2 I !eel that it is not I but the ,ord who is movin0 it.4 "is e5es and !ace were radiant with the 0low o! his inner illumination and unbounded love !or the ,ord. .his is one o! the most sublime illustrations o! trans!ormation brou0ht about

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the divine 0race2 which !lows into the s#iritual see7er as he strives to his utmost.
--ooOoo--

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