The Greatest Help a Spiritual Seeker Can Give to Others

Modern day civilization emphasizes some kind of exte
al 'result' that can be measured. Most frequently this is tied to a monetary value, but the world also appreciates and honors, in some cases, those who do humanitarian work, those who lead countries or fight wars, those who create new products, services or methodologies. Scientists are frequently honored for their groundbreaking discoveries. Religious leaders are frequently appreciated for their moral leadership.

One element of the true genius of the culture of India is that the renunciate, the sadhu, the ascetic seeker after liberation, or some spiritual objective, has traditionally been honored and supported despite the fact that they do not provide a visible, tangible result that can be obviously put to use in the society. Their work is inward, and it addresses the core issues of human life.

We can fly to the moon, we can climb the highest mountain peaks, we can explore the oceans, we can delve into the biological and biochemical basis of life and find ways to modify and adapt this basis to our own desired ends. We can explore the far reaches of the galaxy, and beyond, with our technology. And yet, we continue to act in the world in ways that create endless amounts of suffering, and which are highly destructive, both in the short-term and the long-term, in our quest for immediate satisfaction of our desires, ambitions and ideas. We are experiencing the sixth planetary die-off, in this case, very much the result of human activity. We fail to act to cut back on the pollution, the climate-changing use of hydrocarbon fuels, or the development of economic models that systematically drive vast numbers of people into desperate straits while a very few enjoy privileges and wealth that is unimaginable in any real terms. We rip up the earth, we cut down the trees, we deplete the fish in the sea, all in the name of our exte
al profits. And with all of our experience, our religions, our economic systems, our political systems, our technology, we have failed to find any solution to the root cause of all this imbalance -- the drives, desires and ambitions of the vital and mental being of man, untutored and unrestrained by any deeper understanding of human life, its significance and the meaning of our existence.

It is this seeking, -- the solution to suffering, the understanding of the deeper motivations that drive this incredibly destructive imbalance in our collective lives, which is the core effort tasked to the spiritual seeker. Whether the seeker is attempting to achieve liberation from the bondage of the outer existence, or attempting to go beyond the causes of suffering, or trying to bring forward a new level of consciousness that can harmonize the disharmony, balance the imbalances and set in some kind of meaningful perspective the solution to human suffering, the spiritual aspirant has the lonely, inward-focused task of uncovering the roots of these issues and developing within himself the means and methods of transformation. Once the seeker reaches such a status, he has then the power to communicate it to others, by relaying understanding, by his presence, or by the radiating force of the consciousness that has emerged as a result of his seeking.

Given that all our exte
al solutions have failed and humanity is on the brink of potentially utter destruction and possibly even extinction, the role of the spiritual aspirant, the exploration of 'inner space', is the most important way to help humanity and ensure its ability to both survive and thrive.

Sri Aurobindo writes: "To concentrate most on one's own spiritual growth and experience is the first necessity of the sadhak -- to be eager to help others draws away from the inner work. To grow in the spirit is the greatest help one can give to others, for then something flows out naturally to those around that helps them."

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pg. 54