Common Misconceptions about Spirituality

“We choose our life/destiny.”

We often come across the common misconception that we are born with the life/destiny of our choice. The thinking behind this belief is something like, “Before we are born, we ‘review’ with our ‘guides above’ our options in life, such as parents, spouse, suffering from illness or getting into accidents, etc. We then choose our life option in such a way that we can progress spiritually and pay off destiny.”

In fact, our destiny and wilful action dictate the happiness and unhappiness in our life. Going through our destiny and making spiritual progress are the two reasons that we are born. Destiny is not something we choose, but something that we have to go through as a result of our actions from past lives. It is the part of life which is totally beyond the control of our present actions. Wilful actions constitute the part of life that is in our control. Today, on average, about 65% of life events occur due to destiny, leaving only about 35% of life events in control of our wilful action. Only regular spiritual practice can help us conquer destiny, either by reducing it, giving us the strength to endure it, or finally taking us beyond it. As we progress spiritually, the proportion of destiny starts diminishing until it is completely nullified. On a scale of spiritual levels where the average person is at 20%, a saint is at 70%, and one who has attained Final Liberation is at 100%, from the spiritual level of 80% onwards, we do not have to be reborn in order to pay off our spiritual debts, or destiny. Being born is then a matter of choice to serve the Lord by either spreading Spirituality on earth, or continuing with one’s spiritual practice in the higher subtle planes.

*If one is not currently doing any spiritual practice, or to complement one's current spiritual practice, one can begin with the simple, but powerful spiritual practice of chanting or constantly remembering God's Name according to one's religion. Chanting also acts as a useful complement to any spiritual path one may be already following. It is a practice recommended for the current times by Holy texts and Saints of all religions.

Seekers in the initial stages of spiritual practice (less than one year) can repeat The Name of the Lord as per their religion (refer to Issue 3 Clarification of Doubts section for details).
Seekers who have been doing regular spiritual practice for over a year or so can determine the appropriate chant for them from the experiment given in Issue 124, Message to Seekers section.