Recently a friend remarked, “Why are there only few people interested in the wisdom teachings and in group meetings? Why don’t you do some activity in the public to attract more people?” Some time later, another person asked, “Do you do any get-to-know events or meditation retreats?”
I knew that behind the answers I spontaneously gave there is much more than some short remarks can explain. It is about discovering your path. And about understanding what is your inner urge and that of others.
I told the first person, “Spreading the wisdom teachings cannot be done by propagating them but by way of one’s own inner transformation. And to talk about it, there has to be a searching soul showing a deeper intent.” Curiosity might be a starter but it needs perseverance.
The second person I wrote about some possibilities of coming into contact, and there was no further reaction. There are many such ephemeral contacts. Opening doors for non-entrants?
For a long time, I thought that it is mainly a matter of informing people to arouse an interest so that they find “the spiritual path”. And with my enthusiasm for the path I was going I wanted to get others interested in it. I identified the path with the movements I was associated with for a while. And in a way I thought that this path I was going was the right direction also for others. However, quite a number of times I discovered after a while that I needed to change my course and left movements. With each change, temporary co-walkers stayed behind and new ones came.
It took a long time until I really deeply realised that “the path of the soul” and “the teachings I feel associated with” are two different things. And shifts in my inner orientation need not cause, from my side, shifts in outer associations. On the other hand, changes with the path of friends or close ones need not result in shifts in my inner orientation. This realisation caused some profound changes in me. It happened about 3-4 years ago. Now, when people come to me complaining about things – in society, with others, with the teachings – I inwardly check, does it touch my association with what I am doing or my path? I can respond in a friendly way without taking their viewpoints – and without feeling a need of explaining mine.
The wisdom teachings help me understand myself and clarify my understanding of others and of the greater nature. But if I don’t relate them to myself they are like straw and not corn. Trying to “market wisdom” is like distributing straw or giving food to people who don’t want to “eat”. And what is food for others might not be the same for me.
It needs lot of discrimination to realize what is nourishing for your soul and what you better leave off. And not to leave off the right thing because of what others think. It does not matter whether there are many people interested in the things that are good for me, or for you.
