Soul connections

 Hari Aum.

As we walk the spiritual path, we have many experiences, both mundane and spiritual. Everything we experience, whether it seems ordinary or extraordinary, occurs for a reason and is ultimately for our spiritual evolution. Our common Divine Parents arrange for a series of events to take place in our lives to awaken us from our spiritual slumber and to mould us in their image. Things do not occur by coincidence but but divine design and in accordance with the eternal law of karma. This is the view of the yogis.

As we plod along the spiritual path, it can feel tiring. Especially if we have been walking for a while. The initial euphoria of starting upon a new path often wears off. Now there is a steady love. By this stage, we would usually have had some spiritual experiences, however small, to confirm our faith in our practice and to give us encouragement to keep going.

Along with encouraging spiritual experiences, come obstacles. The more we progress, the greater the obstacles that come to test us. These obstacles can appear in many forms-- for example, as health issues, relationship problems, work difficulties, loss of motivation, appearance of doubts and spiritual despair.

However, if we hang in there and keep up our daily practice, no matter how we feel about it, we will progress, slowly but steadily. 

Fortunately, on the long and arduous spiritual journey, we encounter many friends who help us. The most precious of these is the Guru, the ultimate friend and guide. The Guru may or may not be present in physical form on Earth, but once we develop a bond with them by sincerely applying their teachings in our lives (that is the best way to please the Guru and obtain their grace), we feel their protection every day. We can call upon them at any time in any place and we feel their response. They may appear in our dreams to guide us at critical points in time. This is a great blessing.

In addition, we meet people who have a profound impact on us, who inspire us to walk the spiritual path. These are fellow souls also walking the spiritual path. By sharing their positive experiences and challenges with us, they help us to realise we are not alone, we are all in this together. Occasionally, we meet people who are not connected to our biological family, but feel closer to us than family-- these are perhaps some of the most precious connections of all, soul connections. 

Some of these are based on past life links. Occasionally we meet people with whom we have spent little time in this lifetime but with whom we have a strong connection, a profound inexplicable bond that we cannot fully understand. We feel as though we have known them for a long time, they seem strangely familiar. At other times, we may find that some of our biological family whom we may have known for many years are unfamiliar and we feel disconnected from them; we know them and yet we know them not. Life is full of strange twists and turns. 

As we walk the spiritual path, we are blessed to have the company of each other, of these fellow souls who come into our lives at specific times to teach us something about ourselves, about life. People who light up our lives in a unique way. We can be grateful to God for giving us these soul families whose company elevates us and motivates us to keep going on the spiritual path. 

The journey is as important as the destination. We can sometimes forget this. On this journey, the company of fellow seekers, our soul connections, is vitally important. These are called 'satsang', or true company. Let us spend time in satsang, with those who inspire us, we owe a debt of gratitude to all these souls who motivate us to walk the spiritual path. I am grateful to the many people I have encountered in my life who, in one way or another, have inspired me to start my spiritual journey and to keep walking. May the Divine Parents bless them all.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. As I am sure you are aware, we have just had a solar eclipse and a lunar one is coming up in about ten days. This is a very good time for mantra japa and spiritual practices.