Voices of Sky

Living in a community of devotees and fellow aspirants is invaluable and precious, but not without its inherent dangers. I think a spiritual community should inform our world, not limit it, and help us see beyond our mental constructions, not build a fence around our mind. Only when you are away from the association of bhaktas and sadhaks, do you realize how the views of the outside world can limit us to an even greater degree by trapping us in conventional, artificial and materialistic thinking. The great sage Swami Rama Tirtha kept a diary which he called “Sightseeing from the Hilltop of Vedanta.” As a teenager, this title really affected me. Our spiritual tradition, philosophy, practice and community are the sure foundation from which to behold the One beyond. Traveling can widen our world considerably. This is why the scriptures direct sannyasis to wander continually. Without this perspective, they would become functionaries and spokespersons of an institution, community or religion, instead of the voice of the sky (gagana-siddhanta).