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INTER-FAITH
LIVING IS A GREAT PILGRIMAGE
JAI
Reuben Thuku vividly explains the universal concept of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage nourishes the spirit
T
HE OCEAN COMMENCES PILGRIMAGE AS A tiny droplet of water in a mountain streamlet. Similarly, no sooner has the acorn entered into the soil than the gigantic towering oak starts the prodigious venture. The tiny oscillating atom targets the magnificent universal galaxies. In nature, all beings are pilgrims.
Though history indicates that humanity has been transformed from gatherers and hunters into enthusiastic interstellar space explorers, the number of spirit-of-sphere aspirants is multiplying fast. Globally, people of diverse enterprises are merging into corporates for survival. Later this tendency will flower into altruistic and self-sacrificing service, a major ingredient for spiritual growth of the human species. Our civilisation's pilgrimage centres on consciously shifting our focus from negative, selfish, exploitative relationships to positive, loving, helpful fraternisation. Debilitating wars, grinding poverty and degenerative diseases can only be remedied by compassionate and loving hearts. The endless
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round-table conferences are a bubble of vanity! Besides, the massive paperwork involved in these meetings greatly contribute to the world's deforestation and desertification.
What is pilgrimage?
Pilgrimage is defined as: standing in the presence of God. The ever creative Plato styles God as the 'universal good'. Many sages and saints of all ages have equated God with love - indeed, they say: God is Love and Love is God. Thus the process of pilgrimage entails the arduous yet benevolent self motivated task of raising one's consciousness from the narrow, inhibitive and destructive abyss of hatred into the vortex of all-beneficent, liberating and life regenerating cosmic love. No other reform is so glorious. The very attempt is highly commendable irrespective of the degree of achievement.
When to start the pilgrimage?
Before embarking on a pilgrimage some cardinal soul-searching questions are worth pondering upon:
Is the quest egocentric? If the main motive is to gain personal good health, financial boost or name and fame, then the expedition may be quite disappointing and deflating.
Does the mob pressure induce the attitude and urge? To avoid being subjected to mass-hypnotism and thus losing clarity of spiritual vision, one's soul-selector must be very sensitive. Be cautioned and warned: independent thinking is precious; all forms of hero-worship are soul enslaving. The path of spiritual awareness is over-crowded with breathtaking doctrines and luring preceptors. Proper choice and right perception will depend on your inner conscience. ⚫ Do the sorrows of the world send a quiver and a chilling shiver through your heart? That signals the ripening of time for commencing the pilgrimage. Jinas and Avatars of all climates were ignited for the great search by their immortal compassion for all suffering beings. The prompting has to arise from within.
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