Seeking the Purpose of Life

Human birth is not an accidental phenomenon. Each of us has been born to accomplish a goal. That goal is to expand our spiritual awareness sufficiently to recognize and become one with the Supreme Reality, and to serve Its eternal wisdom as a loving instrument in every relationship. We are asked to compassionately witness, but remain unaffected by the highs and lows of our personality’s old attachments to likes and dislikes, victories and defeats, praise and blame.

Not everything in life happens exactly the way we wanted or planned, but the very thoughts of disappointment and frustration that arise can bring us two invaluable virtues: patience and determination. If these two powers are faithfully nurtured and cultivated, they can expand our spiritual awareness and lead us to the attainment of our true goal of human life.

In fact, every human being is born with all the means and resources necessary to attain the goal. And each spiritual aspirant can learn how to use their resources skillfully and efficiently. On everyone’s journey to Self-realization, the power of thought is the practical tool by which one can distinguish what ought to be done from what ought not to be done. Through the moment-by-moment power of thought, one increasingly comes to know the nature of the Supreme, the purpose of life, and the ever-present means to achieve it. As seekers of Truth earnestly contemplate who they are, from where they have come, what selfless service is being asked of them, and ultimately, where they will go when the body is no more, it is the reliable power of thought that expands their spiritual awareness—until all the mysteries of life are resolved.

The stream of life may change its course, it’s nature may shift from one state to another, it may become manifest or unmanifest, but it never stops. It keeps flowing until it merges and becomes one with the ocean of pure, Supreme Consciousness.

Traveling in the eternal stream of life, a human being has already gone through innumerable life states. The stream of life is filled with experiences of, and reactions to, one’s countless births and deaths.

The only way to become free from that higher perspective. For that spiritual work, we must humbly employ the gifts of discrimination, will power, and Divine inspiration—which can expand the limited perspectives of the Ego, Senses and Unconscious functions of the mind.

To go beyond the cycle of birth and death, birth and death, one must acknowledge the transitory nature of the sense objects of the world, and contemplate the limited satisfaction derived from them. No doubt, sense objects can be a source of joy for human beings, but most of that joy exists only in the seeking of these objects, and not in the attainment of them. Once the human desire for them has been fulfilled, the Ego, Senses and Unconscious portions of the mind soon become bored, dissatisfied and begin a new search for other objects.

Knowledge about worldly objects and the tendencies of the senses and mind can help spiritual seekers to expand their perception. As a result, a feeling of equanimity and freedom arises in the heart. The knowledge born of such experiences then inspires spiritual seekers to change the course of their lives, and they begin exploring the real possibility of experiencing lasting peace and happiness—in this lifetime.

Throughout this ongoing process, priorities and lifestyle choices undergo many changes. In response to the growing power of our discriminative decision-making, our spiritual desires begin to consume all lesser desires, and loosen the mind’s attachments to old thoughts, speech, and actions. And it is through this expanding mental purification and heightened spiritual awareness, that the earnest aspirant receives enlightenment, by Divine Grace.

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