Accepting and Transcending Our Nature

I remember how Krishnamurti once remarked how ugly greed is. In particular, he asked whether we have ever noticed when some people simply wolf down their food? His observation stayed with me because when it comes to eating, I am such a wolf. I can be mindful about eating; I can deliberately slow down, but I can't change my nature, I love tasty food, and it simply disappears in no time at all. 

For some reason all of this was going through my head when I read chapter 14 of the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna distinguishes there the different natures in people, "sattva": the serene, happy and wise; "rajas", the passionate and compulsive, and "tamas", the ignorant and slothful. For the record, the passionate people are the ones who wolf down food and love it spicy. Yup, that would be me.

Fact of the matter is that we all have different natures when it comes to different areas of our lives. Someone might do a fabulous job when it comes to keeping the house clean, but might be a bit lazy when it comes to other work. Someone might write serene spiritual poems, but lust after women. All of us have potential, and all of us has some spiritual homework still ahead. 

The beauty of life is that events and people show up just as we need it for our respective soul development. Life is perfectly aware of our nature and always gives us that what we need to advance to the next spiritual level. Life lets us to discover the passion in the stuff we don't like, and - eventually - let's us reach peace and serenity in those areas of our lives that we once were so passionate about.

Says the Blue Lord, "Sattvic knowledge sees one indestructible Being in all beings, the unity underlying the multiplicity of creation." A spiritual path teaches us this vision. It gives us little problem sets and instructs us every step of the Way. Let life tell you what homework still lies ahead for you personally. Don't just say, "I must be mindful like the Buddha, or stoic like Lord Krishna wants me to, and loving like the Christ mandates." This spiritual super ego is unfortunately part of the problem statement. No, accept who you are deep down inside, and let life dance with you. You may feel spiritually advanced in some areas, but life teaches you that you have only repressed your passions thus far. You may be "lazy or ignorant" in some other areas of our lives, but  life kick you in the butt, and show you that work is the Way.

Eventually peace and passion will penetrate all aspects of your life, for that is the road a spiritual path takes you. Says the Blue Lord, "That which seems like poison at first, but tastes like nectar in the end - this is the joy of sattva, born in a mind at peace with itself." Accept your nature, dance with life and learn to appreciate serenity, peace and happiness every step of the Way. Along a spiritual path it is quite simple really, she who see the Blue Lord in everything and everyone is Home already.