1. Lessons to be Learnt in Life's Journey
We may feel inquisitive aboutour own existence; and may ask: -- ‘Why this life?
In this arduous journey of life, whatdo we achieve? What are weborn for? If we
are an eternal immortal entity, as many philosophies of Eastprofess, then why, by
giving us a physicalform, are we made mortals? And, the Holy Bible says that ‘we
are in His Own image’, or Vedanta says ‘I’mBrahma’, then, why mustI suffer?”
Such questions may not arise, when we areliving happily. But, as soon as some
hardships and problems arise, we may become anxious. In certain very difficult
situations or horriblecircumstances, wemay even think to put an end to all our
difficulties by ending our own life. And, then our own consciousness and also our
religious and spiritual gurus would stop us. Even the law doesn’tpermit us. Why?
The answer lies in understanding the Life, our own existence and its total reality.
The ‘I’ within us is a conscious entity; and is the essential person ‘puruSha’ (पुरुष),
for and around whomall these physical– material and chemical--, energetic,
ethereal and mental bodies are woven. Broadly, wemay call them Gross, Subtle
and causalbodies. All these three mustbe properly aligned and synchronized.
Only then welive a completely happy and healthy life.
Whether we are ‘in His Own Image’, or ‘an Integral portion of Brahma’, weare
wrapped in these bodies to lead an active life; and do some important deeds on
His behalf, which He can do only through us; and not by Himself. One such deed is
‘to Play, Enjoy and be in Blisswith Mother Nature’. But, when we incarnate as
His representatives, we forgetthis main assignmentdue to the attractions, beauty
and joys of this wonderfuljourney. Thebodies given to us as our vehicles on this
awesomepath are very powerful; and lend us in acts, which may go contrary to
our principal assignment. So, we are sent back again and again to remind us of
our jobs; learn lessons fromour mistakes and proceed for further journeys.
They say that the purposeof life is ‘to Know Thyself’. To me, this ‘knowledgeof
self’ already exists in the spirit, when it is a ‘Discarnate’; and has not forgotten
itself. Forgetting has to happen during incarnation only. Why at all should it enter
life? Is it to forgetitself? No, that mustnot be the main aim of life. He sends us to

2. shed negativities, learn, earn points and positivity, do His deeds, enjoy, love,
celebrate, receive and give happiness to its co-travelers; and elevate its status in
the rank of other souls.
There may be many purposes of incarnation. To my perception, they may be
categorized in the following seven heads: --
1. Doing Deeds of Brahma: We must performour duties well, because
whatever is to be done is His assignment; and it is our special privilege.
Work has to become our real worship. {ब्रह्म-भाव, अकमम, कर्तमत्व-ववसर्मन}
2. Realizing Self-Limits:Weare limited and He is the Greatest Reality. We
must thereforebe humble. Humility is not humiliation! {अनन्र् व सान्र्}
3. Shedding Negativity: By winning over our six enemies always sitting in our
minds to distractour attention, and distortour action. {षड्रिपु-ववर्य}
4. Learning Happiness: Positiveliving is the real sourceof true happiness.
Entertainment, Joys, and all Pleasures, etc. are good only when they do not
disruptour duties. “Work while you work; and play while you play! That is
the way; to be happy and gay!” {वास्र्ववक आनन्द}
5. Gaining Balance: life has to have a balance in dualities of our existence,
relations, and circumstances. Never too hilarious, and never too sad! {समत्व}
6. Learning Love: Our love for any person or objectmay be painful when we
are obsessed of it. Love is to elevate us froman individual to an all-
compassing compassionaterepresentativeof God, Who loves all. {सवम-प्रेम}
7. Learning Co-existence: Allother souls around us are also functioning for
Him like us. They deserveour respect and regard. So, May no harmbe done
to them by any of my act! {सामञ्र्स्य, सौमनस्य}
The sourceof these Lessons is Dr. Newton’s book, ‘Destiny of Souls’. The lessons
were picked up from his last chapter. ConcludingtheDestiny of Souls, Dr. N.
quotes at the end, [on p. 401] oneof his clients ‘who waspreparingfor
another departurefrom the SW into a new incarnation on Earth’. It is in a way,
a summary of ‘Our Spiritual Path’. Every word of this quote is experiential and
very significant for spirituality. We’ll try to make outof this some important
featuresof our wonderfuljourney.

3. The client says, “Coming to Earth is about travelling awayfromour home
to a foreign land… Our real home is a placeof absolutepeace, total
acceptanceand completelove. That tells usthat we are souls and belong to
this whole Universe. Our creator, the SupremeBeingis fullof all these
qualities, which He has infused in usas well as in our SW. Still, other worlds
have been created for our fuller growth. What for are we here on Earth?
1. Some thingsseem familiar,but most are strangeuntil we get used to
them, especially conditionswhich areunforgiving. Other spaces with
different, diverse, difficultor non-spiritualconditionsexist. They have
been purposely created to make uslearn variousmaterial aspects of
inert nature; and of our own consciousnessThus, we can achieve the
Vedic balance of ‘Wisdom and Action’, (‘vidya-avidya’)Here we are for
“Gaining Balance”. Life has to havea balance in dualities of our existence,
relations, and circumstances. Never too hilarious, and never too sad!{समत्व}
2. As souls separated from our home, we can no longer assume ‘these
beautiful featureswill be present around us’. On Earth,wemust
learn to cope with intolerance,anger and sadness whilesearching
for joy and love. Weare born of a blissfulenergy, a Love-Light. So, bliss
is our original inherited nature. And, being happy and lovingis obvious.
Here we are for “Doing Deeds of Brahma”. We must performour duties
well, because whatever is to be done is His assignment; and it is our special
privilege. Work has to become our real worship. {ब्रह्म-भाव, अकमम, कर्तमत्व-
ववसर्मन}
3. We must not lose our integrity along theway,sacrificing goodness
for survival;and acquiringattitudeseither superior or inferior to
those around us... This is how we aretested. Yes, that is the lesson we
are here to learn. We are all soulsfrom the same source. Complexesof
superiority or inferiority are simply fake feelings for our reality. Here
we are for “Learning Co-existence”. Allother souls around us are also
functioning for Him like us. They deserve our respect and regard. So, May
no harmbe done to them by any of my act! {सामञ्र्स्य, सौमनस्य}.
4. We know that living in an imperfect world will help usto appreciate
the true meaning of perfection. [p.400] Webelievethat ‘Our soul

4. energy was created by a higher authority than we can know in our
presentstate of development.’ Here we are for “Realizing our Self-Limits
Vs. That Perfect Divine”. Wearelimited and He is the Greatest Reality. We
must thereforebe humble. Humility is not humiliation! {अनन्र् व सान्र्}
5. We ask for courageand humility beforeour journey intoanother life.
Webegin our journey to the material worldswith an intention to learn,
enjoy and get elevated in our conscience, the ‘Soul-mind’. That is why
these two qualities are essential for us. Thus, we may be capable to cope
with hardships; and yet remain in lovewith all and ourselvestoo. Here
we are for “Shedding Negativity”. We’lldo it with courageand humility
only by winning over our six enemies always sitting in our minds to distract
our attention, and distortour action. {षड्रिपु-ववर्य}
6. As we grow in awareness, so will the quality of our existence. ‘We
mustfocus on who weare as a person to find that fragmentof divinity
within us. The only limitations to personalinsight are self-imposed.’
Here we are for “Learning Love, to be aware of The Love that we
originally are”. Our love for any person or object may be painfulwhen we
are obsessed of it. Love is to elevate us to our original Divinity, to grow
froman individual to an all-compassing compassionaterepresentativeof
God, Who loves all. {सवम-प्रेम}
7. Passing thistest is our destiny. The material worldsare the testing
groundsfor us, the fragmentsof consciousnesscalled souls. And as we
are a part of the divine, we are not destined to fail here. We have to
excel in all fieldsand reach the goal with flyingcolors. We are bound to
be once again our original self, like our Blissful Divinesource. Here we
come for “Learning true Happiness, the Bliss”. Wehaveto realize that
positive living is the real sourceof true happiness. Entertainment, Joys, and
all Pleasures, etc. are good only when they do not disruptour duties. “Work
while you work; and play while you play! That is the way; to be happy and
gay!” {वास्र्ववक आनन्द}.