Meditations on The Journey Home – Lesson from Chapter 2
Inspirations from ‘The Journey Home ‐ Autobiography of an American Swami’
Richard savoured each session during the ‘World Yoga Conference’ and waited with anticipation for the grand finale. Three thousand people thronged for the closing session, each seeking knowledge, and blessings from such an august assembly. The organizer, Christopher Hills reminded the audience about their special good fortune to get association of so many spiritual teachers. He also announced that the programme must conclude at sharp 7.00 p.m. Richard wondered how could a programme of so many Swamis end on time; after all that meant not all would get a chance to speak. As the deadline approached and it became clear that not all would speak, some of them began barraging Hills with insults. As tension built up and one yogi began chanting Om to signal the conclusion of the session, there was uproar; many yogis fought to grab the microphone. As they rambled aggressively like politicians, the yogis’ behaviour shocked the audience. The men supposed to bring peace and harmony to the world, were fighting bitterly on stage, right in public eye.
Richard’s innocent expectation was disappointed. Later he felt consoled by Swami Satcitananda who in a tender voice said to Richard that all are struggling at their respective level of progress, and we can’t expect all to be perfect. He warned of a trap in spiritual life, of judging others for their faults. It’s better to work on our own spiritual practises sincerely, and put faith in those of good character.
Having known Radhanath Swami personally for over a decade, I find a refreshing quality in him- refusal to find faults with others, whatever the provocation. Whenever I have pointed out faults of others, he has expressed irritation, and helped me see the good in the other person, and insisted I focus on my own spiritual practises. His golden words reverberate in my heart, “Fault finding is a vicious weapon of the illusory forces that wants to divert our attention from what we have to do in life, and that is to clean up our own hearts. Physician heal thyself.” He repeatedly points out that when we look for faults, our heart gets contaminated. “But”, I wondered, “what if the faults are obvious, and is affecting others’ spiritual lives?” “Then, while addressing the fault, do not judge the person”, answers Radhanath Swami. “We should remember a spiritual practitioner has entered a hospital. We are all getting cured here for our negativities. Some are responding to the treatment of spiritual practises fast, others take time, and in some cases the symptoms or even the disease relapses. Be sympathetic while administering the treatment.”
Monk Thomas Kempis addresses this question of fault finding in his thirteenth-century work Imitation of Christ:
“Try to bear patiently with the defects and infirmities of others, whatever they may be, because you also have many a fault which others must endure. If you cannot make yourself what you wish to be, how can you bend others to your will? We want them to be perfect, yet we do not correct our own faults. We wish them to be severely corrected, yet we will not correct ourselves. Their great liberty displeases us, yet we would not be denied what we ask. We would have them bound by laws, yet we will allow ourselves to be restrained in nothing. Hence, it is clear how seldom we think of others as we do of ourselves.”
On one occasion Radhanath Swami gave the example of bathing under a shower. We are all dirty due to material consciousness and are bathing under the shower of spiritual practises. Some may have got cleansed of the dirt and others are just beginning to take a bath. We can’t criticize others for having dirt. Appreciate their attempt to get cleansed. While giving others’ time, we need to work diligently on our own weaknesses. Radhanath Swami says our original nature is pure, and in the purified state we see everyone superior to us. Presently we are trying to purify ourselves with spiritual practises so that we can revive this original nature of ours. However when we are lax in purifying ourselves, we go further away from our pure nature and finding fault becomes our second nature.
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Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
very nice article inspiring.
View CommentIs easier said then done ” not to find fault in other ” In country like India where people have 33,00,00,000 way of pleasing the lord and all are convinced that only his way is the right.Radhanath Swami earlier has spent good time with some prominent group and he has only learnt something from them and has appriciation for them
View CommentThankyou for the clear presentation.
View CommentWow this is a great resource.. I’m enjoying it.. good article
View CommentRadhanath Swami very nicely explains this principle given by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura that to find faults in others, means that that mistake is first in us. The barometer lies within us and not outside
Radhanath Swami has the wonderful transcendental quality of appreciation and seeing good in everyone.
View CommentBy a fan of Radhanath Swami-During his journey home (India) in search of spirituality he found so many life threatening obstacles still he took each and every obstacle as an appropriate opportunity to celebrate the glory and mercy of God. It is really amazing. No ordinary person can do it. I aspire to implement this quality in my life.
View CommentEven if i mediatate on one of the lessons realised by H.H.radhanath swami in his book journey home, my progess in life will be millions time more. thank you maharaj.
View CommentJust like Swami Satchidananda told Radhanath Swami that “all are struggling at their respective level of progress”, Radhanath Swami too, though very advanced, deals with all as per the individual’s level.
View CommentThis is so tru but so very difficult to remember and practise, especially when provoked. But by reading such realisations by Radhanath Swami we can get the determination to try and reduce our fault finding tendencies.
View CommentSuch a fabulous lesson. Radhanath Swamis’ words, qualities and teachings make a prolific impact and inspire to improve ourselves.
View CommentThis is really very funny how people even fight during peace conference.
View CommentWhat wonderful analogies by Radhanath Swami: of a spiritual practitioner entering a hospital to get cured for negativities and of people bathing under a shower to get rid of dirt….. and that each of us are in different stages of being cured or bathed of our dirt…that we should appreciate their attempt to get cleansed, giving them time while we work diligently on our own weaknesses.
View CommentHaribol!
These idea was so good to me because everytime I harvest my ,I don’t mind to have an idea of planting it again. As for these tips, I’m so thankful because I gain an idea on how I value my flowers.
View CommentSo true! Its difficult to practice but not impossible. If we stop finding faults ,then it will not only get peace in our life but also help in our spiritual progress.
View CommentRadhanath Swami observation was really amazing, to read the mind, and to think about them it is really wonderful to read his pastime again and again
View CommentThanks to Radhanath Swami for helping us this most vital aspect in life of not finding faults with others & working on our weaknesses instead of judging others.
View CommentThis fault finding is a biggest impediment in my spiritual path. But some how, Radhanath Swami maharaj’s teachings are helping me overcome this weekness. I hope by the mercy of Radhanath Swami Maharaj I will overcome this.
View CommentThis was a great blog entry. Please continue to post great content like this!
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View Commentvery nice article from Radhanath swami’s book. I hope and pray that I can follow these nectarian instructions of Radhanath swami.
View CommentWe always forget that if we don’t forgive we cannot ask for that favor.
View CommentRadhanath Swami says our original nature is pure, and in the purified state we see everyone superior to us- Thank you fro wonderful instructions.
View Commenthey, nice blog…really like it and added to bookmarks. keep up with good work
View CommentThanks Maharaj for showing us the rigth path and how we can avoid finding fault in others. It really true, if we are trying to find fault in others, means that activity is there in us in abudance. Pl Maharaj , have your causeless mercy on this unfortunate soul , so that by sincerly crying lord names can overcome this attitude of fault finding in others
View Commentgood point about taking bath in spiritual practices.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for giving us positive techniques to genuinely appreciate others.
View CommentSo true.
View CommentAll Glories To.H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
Amazing wisdom.
Hare Krishna
View CommentAll Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
What a profound and transparent clarity that shall not only work as a ladder to further spiritual progress but an purgatory exercise to help us grow without hurdles on the paths of spirituality.
Hare Krishna
View CommentGreat -Thanks Again!
View CommentHoward
Radhanath Swami’s words “Fault finding is a vicious weapon of the illusory forces that wants to divert our attention from what we have to do in life” are so true for any genuine Spiritual Practitioner !
View CommentThanks for this wonderful & important post !
Hare Krishna !
Hi, just found this web and I’m happy I did. I like what I see, it’s very informative. I want the opportunity to come back from time to time and add a comment or two. I beleive he is right, it will stop the agression.
View CommentThanks,
ilie
This is suvh an important topic to discuss on. Radhanath Swami has no fault finding tendency.
View Commentwe should not criticize or try to find fault in others we cannot advance in bhakti we will always be envious nature
View Comment