Why Are You On The Path?

Why are you here?

I mean, on this path... Why are you participating in this session? What's the motivation? Let us stop and observe the reason we decided to join in. The answer might be surprising...

Transcript

So,

Welcome.

Let's start,

As usual,

With our short ceremony.

Let's sit comfortably on our seat.

Take a deep breath in.

And let go.

Let's close our eyes and take another deep breath in.

And let go.

And the next breath in,

We keep in,

We don't breathe out.

And slowly breathe out.

And let go.

Let go of all your efforts.

Let go of everything that already happened in the past.

Let go of everything that might happen in the future.

And allow your breath to guide your attention back to the present moment.

To whatever is happening right now around you.

May it be sounds or voices.

Become aware of your body and the posture it took upon its seat.

Become aware of the weight of your body upon your seat.

You may scan your body internally from the tip of your toes to the top of your head.

Patiently,

Make sure there is no tension hiding anywhere in your body.

And if you found an area that is contracted or stressed,

Allow your breath to go there.

Fill that area with life energy.

And as you breathe out,

Let go more and more.

Comfortable and relaxed.

Become aware of your thoughts.

Follow their movement without getting carried away by them.

Whatever you may be thinking right now,

Just become aware of that.

Thoughts move like clouds in the sky.

You just observe without rejecting or attaching to any specific thought.

Become aware of every phenomenon that happens around you or within you.

May it be pleasant or unpleasant.

You just observe.

And as those events keep on happening in an endless stream,

Allow your attention to shift away from that stream of events towards itself,

Towards the origin of awareness,

That space within,

That exists before and beyond any movement,

Where there is only silence.

And for a moment,

Become that silence.

And let the breath in and let go.

Allow your awareness to come back to your body,

That is seated here on its seat in this room,

A part of our virtual circle.

Let us unite our individual intentions into one unified intention.

The intention to grow,

To develop,

To evolve.

With a smile,

Let's take another deep breath in.

And when you feel comfortable,

Open your eyes.

Hello again everyone.

Welcome to this unique opportunity we give ourselves to stop whatever we are doing and hold hands and walk the path together,

Supporting each other's growth and evolving not just as individuals,

But also as a united consciousness.

And the way we contribute to that evolution is with our curious awareness that is longing for the truth.

And we harness that tension between the question and the answer to move ever forward.

So when you ask your question,

You contribute not just to your own personal journey,

But also to the journey that we embark together as a group.

So,

Today I invited us to look at the reason that we decided to log in and participate in this meeting.

I believe that once we identify the motivation for us being here,

It can definitely not just identify,

But redefine maybe the reason that we are here.

It can definitely accelerate our progress.

So,

Let's start by asking that question.

Why am I here tonight?

Why did you decide to join this?

Who would like to share?

Melissa says,

To gain a better understanding of myself and my relationship with others.

To gain a better understanding of myself and my relations to others.

Good,

Good.

Who else?

Ted says,

To gain new perspectives towards self-growth.

New perspective towards self-growth.

Very good.

What else?

Everybody is writing something.

I mean,

There must be a reason for you being here,

Right?

So now is the opportunity to share that.

Melissa says,

I like that,

Ted.

What about yours?

Or are you just hooking on his motivation?

She already said one.

Ah,

She did?

Good,

Good.

Who else?

Kendra says,

Just got here.

Have we discussed why we are here?

That's what we are asking now.

Why are you here?

Barbara says,

To be encouraged to wake the hell up.

To be encouraged?

I think she's quoting you.

Yeah,

To wake the hell up.

Good.

What else?

Why are we on the spiritual path at all?

What's the point in that?

Why did we decide to walk on this path?

Kendra says,

To love and perhaps for the universe to discover itself.

Very nice.

John says,

Bigger question in life.

Science and biology helps me answer how I'm here.

And personal reflection helps me define who I am.

But why I'm here is elusive.

My faith sometimes can help.

Sometimes why I'm here is the same reason the tree and birds outside my window are here.

Seems my confidence rests more in joy of nature.

So why are you here?

Why are you here tonight?

Laura used the word reconnect.

To reconnect,

Okay.

And Melissa says,

Our spiritual path leads us to our authentic self.

So you hope that the spiritual path will lead you to your authentic self.

Good,

Good.

What else?

Beautiful answers.

John says in response to why he's here,

He says,

Just part of the journey to explore life.

To explore life.

Anybody else?

Don't be afraid,

You know.

Be honest about it.

Don't censorize yourself.

Lynn says,

For the joy of listening to your teachings.

Flattery will get you nowhere.

Or everyone.

Nicole Amber says,

For consciousness to be aware of consciousness.

For consciousness to be aware of consciousness.

I think Laura's answering your question of why are you here with why not.

That's a good question.

You can watch television.

You can play TikTok,

Whatever kids are doing.

Many other things you can do.

Watch this now.

Eat this thing with ice cream.

Fruit roll-up.

How do you call it?

Fruit roll-up.

Yeah,

You can eat fruit roll-up.

You know,

It's so important that we identify the motivation.

What are we here for?

Why did we find ourselves on the spiritual path?

What are we seeking?

What's the point of all this?

What do we hope to achieve?

Is there a point?

These questions are important that we ponder on.

I'll tell you usually what happens.

You can say that there are three types of people that join the spiritual path.

The first type is the people that are suffering.

This is the majority.

Most people that join the spiritual path come because of suffering.

Some version of suffering.

And they hope to find some kind of healing or cure to their suffering on the spiritual path.

You know,

Something happened,

A traumatic event,

Someone died,

You got sick,

There was some kind of a life crisis,

You feel the lack in you burning,

You long for a relationship or you long to break free from a relationship,

You think you need a job or you think you need to quit,

Some kind of a crisis.

And the spiritual path is there where you can learn how to minimize that factor in life and minimize suffering.

And this definitely happens on the path.

The spiritual path teaches you various types of techniques and allows you various experiences that help you to reduce suffering in your life.

Definitely,

It's helpful.

Most people join the spiritual path because of that.

Even people that have nothing to do with spirituality,

You know,

If somebody dies or about to die,

Somebody that they love,

They start praying.

You know,

There's nothing more I can do,

Maybe God can help me.

You know,

In times of crisis,

This happens.

And then the second type of people who join the path are those who are not necessarily led by any specific type of suffering.

Nothing major is wrong or broken.

You know,

They have all the boxes ticked and everything is relatively okay.

But still there is a gentler,

More subtle type of suffering there.

And that is the need for meaning.

What is the meaning of all this?

I've achieved everything I wanted.

Or I'm on the path to achieve it.

I'm not worried about that.

But what's the point?

At some point in life,

People come to that junction.

So what?

I got this,

I've achieved that.

But why?

Why is it important?

You know?

What is my drive?

Or people come to a junction where they realize that whatever was their drive does not lead them to the water that they are thirsty for.

You know,

Material things or any type of material achievements.

What's the point of all that?

So this is the second group that joins the path.

Looking for the meaning.

What is the reason for all that?

Why am I here?

People that start asking the bigger questions.

The transpersonal questions.

Is there a reason for all this to exist?

A greater reason that has to do with more than just me and my life and my success and my achievements and my own personal happiness?

Is there anything else there?

What's the point of all this?

This is the second type.

You can say on the evolution these are people that evolved beyond the daily routine of dealing with suffering.

But still there is a more settled type of suffering there guiding them.

And then there is the third type of people.

That when asked this question,

Why am I here?

Why did I join the path?

Why am I dedicated to it?

None of the two groups that I just mentioned is relevant to the third type of people.

They are not led by suffering and they are not searching for meaning.

They actually don't have any personal interest in it at all.

The answer that these people give to that question is usually something like,

Where else can I be?

I can't think of any other place I can be that is an alternative to this.

There is something very unique about this type of person.

You see,

Because there is no expectation.

There is no demand.

There is no achievement seeking.

There is no goal.

Not even enlightenment.

There is nothing there that has any personal interest.

There is just that very deep knowing that this is where I am supposed to be.

This is what I am supposed to do.

And I dedicate myself to that.

I surrender myself to that.

Can you sense it?

There is something very pure about that approach to spirituality.

Because it is so light and free.

At a certain point in life,

As we evolve on the path,

We come to realize that this path is not there for us to gain something from.

That is not the point.

It is not founded to help us relieve ourselves of suffering.

It is not founded for us to fill our lives with meaning.

It is not founded for us to achieve any personal gain.

Many people,

When they realize that,

They leave.

Or they look for something else.

Maybe another way,

Another teacher,

Another technique,

Another book to read.

Maybe I will be able to fulfill my needs somewhere else.

But those who realize that and stay,

Not because they hope to achieve something,

But because they realize there is nowhere else to be.

There is nothing else to do.

These people can truly evolve.

What do you say?

Any comments?

Back before you started talking about the different people on the path,

Melissa said,

Wisdom,

Knowledge and the courage to use it.

And Kendra said,

My only purpose in the play of life is to follow my bliss as part of my spiritual path.

And John says,

Meaning perhaps comes only from expressing unconditional love with others.

Beautiful.

Now is the time to reflect back on your motivation.

What do you hope to achieve?

Yes,

You will find a cure for suffering on the spiritual path.

And yes,

You will find meaning in life on the spiritual path.

Are you brave enough to drop these conditions and be here innocently without expecting any reward,

Personal reward?

It's a risk I'm taking here.

The vast majority of people hearing that would say,

Oh no,

No,

No,

No,

No,

No.

I'm going to find another teacher.

This guy is not for me.

The ego is saying,

No,

No,

No,

I'm investing something I want return.

Right?

What's the point of investing something if there's no return at the other end?

I might as well find another path where I can actually measure how much I get back,

How much I benefit from all this.

And when they asked Buddha,

What did you achieve after enlightenment?

So he laughed and said,

No,

No,

No,

I didn't achieve anything.

I lost everything.

And then I was available.

Do you see that?

This is not a game where we compete to achieve the most.

Enlightened.

I will be enlightened,

Unlike any of you.

The most.

The most.

I will achieve the most out of it.

And Buddha is laughing and saying,

No,

No,

No,

I lost everything.

Everything I lost.

I lost even my own personal identity.

I lost my identification with my body,

With my story,

With my realm of thoughts and opinions and ideas.

I even lost the idea that I exist and I want,

Wants or needs anything.

Even that was lost.

So what is left?

Just the knowing that this is where I'm supposed to be.

This is what I'm supposed to do.

Jay Gurdev.

That's it.

What do you say?

Joe's thinking response to being on the path or finding meaning says satisfaction with where I am.

And Kendra said,

I absolutely am looking for rewards.

Yes.

From my work.

Okay,

Good,

Good.

You will gain definitely rewards.

So if you keep on working,

You know,

You'll see results for sure.

100 percent.

And the more dedicated you are,

The more results you'll find.

But I tell you,

This is just a masquerade.

You know,

You find all those teachers on the path promising you all those benefits.

You know,

You want a stress free life.

I can teach you how to do it.

I'll teach you the technique that will get rid of all your stress.

You want to be able to concentrate.

You want to be able to be successful in relationships.

No problem.

I can teach you how to do that.

All these are just illusions.

You know,

Like,

How do you call it?

Like when you fish,

It's like a bait.

It's like a bait.

The ego says,

Oh,

This is something I need.

Maybe I can learn that and apply that and my life will be much better.

Don't be fooled.

It's a bait.

Those teachers are fishing you in so you can go beyond that eternal thirst to achieve something.

To change something,

To fix something in order for you to be happy.

That's never the case.

All those beautiful techniques and all those amazing experiences you may hope to achieve or maybe you already experienced.

All these are just teasers.

The real occasion starts at the moment you drop all your expectations.

Until then,

It's just a warm up.

Now the question is,

How much are you dedicated to the path?

If you judge your path by the merits that you are able to harvest out of it,

I tell you,

It's temporary.

No path will lead you to the promised land.

You will keep on jumping from one teacher to another,

From one path to another,

Hoping to achieve more or lose less.

Cravings and aversions,

Cravings and aversions.

And you will never reach the top of the mountain.

You keep circling around it,

Hoping to be there,

But preoccupied with profit and loss.

Those who are mature enough to let go of the idea that they can profit anything out of it,

Or that they are supposed to protect and not lose whatever achievement they were able to secure,

Only those can enter the promised land.

Catch 22.

What to do?

What?

Barbara says,

I'm in category one,

And sometimes two,

But long to be transformed into category three.

And so I keep remembering who I am.

Beautiful.

And the fact that you are able to look in the mirror and observe that,

Is already a very good position to be in.

Most people are just oblivious.

They have no idea.

They are just led by their needs and wants,

And that's it.

There is no reflection on that at all.

So consider yourself to be one of the lucky ones that are able to look in the mirror and realize that,

The truth about themselves.

That's fantastic.

Now,

Listen to that invitation.

Can I place myself on the path free of any demand,

Any expectation,

To achieve any personal goal?

So much so that you are willing to let go,

Truly,

Totally,

Even for the hope of a better future.

The future will never be better,

Because the present moment is not comparing itself with its past.

Okay,

I'm going to say this sentence again.

I've never said it before.

The future can never be better,

Because the present moment never compares itself with the past.

So even the hope of a better future is standing between you and enlightenment.

Enlightenment is not a better version of you.

Enlightenment is you coming back home to what you already are,

Giving up the hope of a better version of you.

Do you see what I'm saying?

Laura says,

I was the first type at 18,

The second one at 40,

Dot dot dot.

So are you ready to join the third team?

Kendra says,

I was just about to write about illusions,

But I want meaning for myself,

Not to be empty.

I want to have passion.

Passion is not going to be lost,

But the force that drives the passion will transform.

Life is passionate,

Egoless.

Life is passion.

Look how passionate everything around you is.

The whole meaning of Tantra is that passionate union of everything to everything.

Isn't it?

Look how passionate the wind is caressing the leaves of the tree.

Look how passionate a cat is licking himself.

Nature is passion.

You are passion.

Passion is the nature of existence,

But it's not based on a personal lack that wants and needs and is passionate to reach and achieve and gain.

Don't confuse between those two.

Love is passionate,

But it's not empty.

Love is fullness,

Abundance.

Isn't it?

So are you.

Passion is not going to be lost.

Don't worry about that.

Whatever you do,

Be passionate about it,

But not because you hope to gain something out of it.

This is an illusion.

Next time you wash your dishes,

Do it passionately.

And you see God in the soap bubble.

Barbara is asking,

Do I really want to change?

Yeah,

I don't know.

You tell me.

Barbara is referring to the three stations each of us has to go through on the process of change and evolving.

The first station is looking in the mirror,

Like Barbara just said.

Looking in the mirror and facing what's being projected there.

Truthfully,

Honestly,

Courageously,

Without trying to make it more beautiful and avoid any discomfort it may project back to you.

This is how I am now.

And then once you've seen that,

The second station is asking yourself,

Do you really want to change?

What I see there,

Do I really want to grow and change that?

Am I willing to pay the price of change?

And I tell you,

This is where most people are stuck.

Not many people really want to change.

It's easier to stay where you are,

As you are,

And avoid change because it's too scary.

Or even worse,

I'll grow to be unrecognizable.

As I currently identify with who I am as I am.

And if I become a more evolved version of me,

Then I won't have the answer to the question,

Who am I anymore?

That's too much.

Many people are stuck there in the second station.

In the third station,

Which is only open for the people who went through the first two stations,

You can actually learn how to do that and change and grow.

But again,

It's irrelevant if you haven't done the work in the first two stations.

So Barbara is asking,

Do you really want to change?

And this is something only you can answer.

Eventually,

You either die or you get desperate enough.

So desperate that you have nothing more to lose.

In both cases,

You let go.

The question is,

What will happen sooner?

Will you let go or will you die?

What else?

It's so important that you ask yourself really truthfully,

What's your motivation?

You are leading a relationship.

What's your motivation?

You want a relationship.

You are longing for a relationship.

What's your motivation?

What do you hope to achieve?

You want a raise.

What's your motivation?

Why?

Why do you need that?

You want another job.

You want to quit.

You want to retire.

You want to be accepted to a special society.

What's your motivation there?

You have to be truthful about that.

What do you hope to achieve?

What do you think will happen if reality aligns with your expectations?

Do you think happiness will be experienced?

This is an illusion.

It's good that you can achieve.

You put yourself targets and goals and you strive to reach those.

Yeah,

Why not?

Some people find it helpful to keep them oriented,

Goal oriented.

But don't fool yourself to believe that once you've achieved that,

You'll be happy.

This is a,

How do we say,

Fallacy?

Fallacy?

Fallacy.

This is fallacy.

It's not the truth.

An illusion.

Happiness is not a consequence of an event,

Any event.

Happiness is who you are,

What you are,

Right now,

As you are.

Joy.

You are joy.

And you realize that as soon as you stop looking for it.

What else?

Kendra says,

I want to be a philanthropist.

Go for it.

I'm not sure if that's a spiritual philanthropist,

Spreading love around everywhere.

Depends on what you value,

I guess.

I want to be something.

You know,

What's your motivation?

Look at that.

What's hiding behind that want,

Behind that I want?

I want,

I want something.

It doesn't matter what comes after that I want.

It could be a noble thing,

Philanthropist.

Okay,

Yeah,

Excellent.

I want to contribute to world peace.

Fantastic.

But there is an I that wants.

Do you see that?

What is the motivation?

What does the I hope to achieve?

And for what reason?

Eventually,

We need to go beyond that.

Realizing there's nothing out there that will make you happy.

Kendra says that a philanthropist for spirituality and also for money to help those in need,

Kids that are kicked out because they are gay or animals in need,

Etc.

My heart is the motivation,

Not my ego.

Good,

Do it.

Definitely.

Laura is asking,

Are you happy?

Yeah,

Sometimes.

Sometimes I'm sad.

Sadness is there also,

No?

I'm thrilled to be happy.

And I'm thrilled to be sad.

I'm passionate about it.

Whatever life has to offer in the present moment,

This is where I'll be.

This is where I'll be waiting for you.

John says short-term happiness certainly occurs from events and achievements.

Maybe recognize joy as the longer goal.

Joy can never be a goal.

Joy can only be realized once you stop looking,

Hoping to achieve a goal.

This is what you are,

As you are right now.

Wake up.

As long as you keep looking for it,

It will be elusive.

Just let go.

Let go of the eternal search,

Even the hope of ever reaching.

And then you realize you are already there.

You were there all the time.

You never left.

This is who you are.

This is what you are.

He said that is not reachable.

Just accept the Kool-Aid.

What does it mean,

The Kool-Aid?

The Kool-Aid is something that you drink because somebody tells you to.

And you just accept the reality of that.

Okay,

That's a start.

Accepting reality as it is.

Definitely.

Or maybe it can also mean that you just go along with whatever leader you're following.

There was some sort of community where they were all fed Kool-Aid that killed them because that was their leader who led them to that conclusion.

That is not reachable.

As long as you believe it's not reachable,

I guarantee it won't be.

Because that's the story you chose to believe.

Buying the pitch,

I think joy is a goal.

Okay,

So keep striving for it.

I tell you,

If you believe it's not reachable,

You guarantee it will never be reached.

That's it.

End of story.

Because that's the reality you create.

That's the story that you choose to adopt.

Then it's not reachable.

What to do?

Or you want to put it as a goal that will one day be,

Maybe,

Achieved.

Then you will always be searching.

As long as you don't believe it's already here as you,

Then it will never be realized.

Enlightenment is a consciousness that grew beyond self-doubt.

As long as you doubt yourself as you are,

And you believe there is another version,

A better version of you waiting to be born,

Then you keep waiting.

Maybe this life,

Maybe next life,

Maybe in a thousand lifetimes.

That's what I invited you to do today.

Look,

What is your motivation?

What is the story that you believe that propels your decision making?

That sets goals for you,

Targets for you?

What is your motivation behind that?

I want,

I want.

What do you hope to achieve?

Ponder about that.

It is essential that you don't walk blind in that sense.

Then see,

Are you able to drop all those expectations and dedicate yourself,

Surrender to the present moment,

To the path that you've chosen,

Free of any preconceptions about possible gain,

About a target,

A goal,

That you might reach at the end of your journey.

Maybe John can drink the Kool-Aid you're offering.

It is as sweet as nectar.

Joy is not a hope.

It can never be hope.

Hope?

What is hope?

It is the idea of a better future.

Right?

This is hope.

Maybe one day circumstances will allow.

Maybe one day I will be ready.

Or God will be merciful and come and touch my forehead.

But not currently,

Not as is now.

Whatever is now is not enough.

Something else,

Bigger,

More advanced,

More perfect,

Should reveal itself.

I tell you,

If you're in this position,

You will always stay in this position.

Nothing will satisfy you.

So John's asking,

So joy is not a hope,

Just a present experience?

That's what I answered,

Yes.

No,

It's never a hope.

Joy is what you are realizing.

I am that.

Good,

Good,

Good.

So I wanted to invite you next Thursday at 6 p.

M.

My time.

I will post an invitation on InsideTimer.

We are going to have an intro talk for a series that will start in July of 10 sessions under the title of Tantra,

The Supreme Understanding.

Which will be a commentary to the book written by Osho.

One of the greatest books about Tantra.

What is it and what are the secrets that it reveals.

So if you want to join,

Please come next Thursday and learn about this course.

It's precious,

I tell you.

Unlike anything else.

I will post an invitation and you put it in your diary or your agenda.

Don't miss it.

And invite your friends.

We can make a party out of it.

Yes?

Sounds good.

Good,

Good.

So in the meantime,

Thank you for your time,

Your attention.

Thank you for your beautiful questions.

Thank you for your donations.

They are very helpful.

Put something there in the box.

Barbara,

He means May 11th.

I do.

May 11th.

Thank you.

See you next time.

Bye bye.