The journey of spiritual growth starts with examining the beliefs we take for granted. Commonly, we participate in spiritual rituals and practices without critically assessing them, adhering to them merely because they are the norm. Visiting holy sites, undertaking pilgrimages, adorning oneself with sacred garments or threads, engaging in pujas, conducting homa, reciting mantras, or forsaking worldly life—fortunately, none of these actions are prerequisites for attaining spiritual purity or discovering our fundamental natural state.
It's possible to carry out many rituals without being spiritual, while others may be spiritually successful through a simpler life. Considering God is everywhere, both externally and in your heart, question the necessity of visiting holy places or the need to pray when God already knows all your thoughts and occurrences in your life.
Why does your mind wrestle with responsibility and fail to unwind in meditation if God makes all possible? Who meditates—body, mind, or intellect? Outside meditation, who governs your life—you or your persona? Are you distinct or unified? Are you truly the essence of a human being, or just a mental construct adhering to the human model—a misperception for life’s experiences? When death occurs, what exactly is it that ceases to exist and who actually comes to an end?
Have you ever reflected on your fundamental ideas that seem intuitive but are incorrect? Breathing occurs without our control, although we claim to breathe. Thoughts emerge on their own, yet we say we're thinking. Emotions surface without our summoning, but we possess them. The concept of 'I' bubbles up, and we mistakenly attach ourselves to it.
Acknowledging that our lives are a tapestry woven from threads of false beliefs and misconceptions is a sign of true understanding; it heralds the dawn of genuine comprehension.