Spiritual Spring Cleaning
April 23, 2023: Today, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj spoke of spring cleaning and the spiritual lesson we can take away from this common household ritual. Just as it is important to clean our homes after the long winter, it is also important to cleanse our real selves—our souls. Our soul, a part of God, has been separated from God for eons. During this time, owing to our many thoughts, words, and deeds, the soul has accumulated and become shrouded by layers and layers of dirt and grime, which keep us from experiencing our soul in its pristine state. To fulfill the purpose for which we have been given this human existence, we need to experience our soul, and for this, the first step is to cleanse our soul. This cleansing can be accomplished through a series of steps.
First, we must lay a solid foundation by leading an ethical life—weeding out all that does not serve us and tilling the soil with the virtues of love, compassion, nonviolence, humility, truthfulness, and selfless service. Through this, we can take our initial steps toward God. Having built a strong base, we must learn to focus our attention on God. This happens as we sit in meditation. We need to meditate daily and regularly to make progress Godward.
Just as we declutter and remove objects in our homes by donating or getting rid of them, we need to remove the attachments that keep our soul from embarking on the spiritual journey. These attachments may come in the form of objects, possessions, and relationships that stand to bring us pain if we lose them–or in the form of things we wish to own and the pursuit of which brings us pain. All such attachments keep our attention tethered to the outer world. As we attach ourselves to God through meditation, detaching ourselves from these bonds becomes easier.
Each and every one of us is capable of going back to God. It is simply a question of how much emphasis we place on being with God, how much passion we have to know God, and our dedication to reach our goal. We must strengthen our ethical base, be regular in our spiritual practices, and ensure our focus is proper, so we can soar into the inner regions and experience the love and Light of God that awaits us.
