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Spiritual life transforms the heart
February 14, 2012  |  radhanath-swami

Richard (now Radhanath Swami) was beginning to find spiritual life natural and his previous lifestyle and interests a distraction. He found it strange and uncomfortable talking to a friend he had known in London whom he now met at Delhi. Sean’s mannerisms, language and interests were repulsive to Richard; he soon realized that it wasn’t Sean who had changed but he himself had changed due to his spiritual associations and experiences. Richard however cautioned himself from criticizing Sean for his ‘material’ outlook to life. Richard realized that being judgmental of others is detrimental to one’s spiritual progress. Richard also realized that the association and environment we chose molds our character down to the fundamental views of life. Richard saw his own heart undergoing a change and felt the potency of his spiritual learning.

Radhanath Swami reasons that this is the power of a genuine spiritual path. “Spiritual life is not a path of negation”, assures Radhanath Swami, “rather it is a system of transformation.” Spiritual life transforms our hearts and replaces the negative forces of lust, envy and greed in our heart with the positive forces of love and service. He gives an example to explain the point. A caterpillar may not be beautiful but when it transforms into a butterfly, it becomes one of the most attractive insects. Similarly our heart has much negativity but these forces can be transformed to a beautiful butterfly. Radhanath Swami says although the positive transformation of the heart is required, it only comes  when we abandon our egoistic conceptions of wanting to be the enjoyer and instead fix ourselves as the servants of God and all living entities. Radhanath Swami observes that real heart transformation comes about when we have the proper attitude to strive for that which is real. That is the spiritual platform. Radhanath Swami urges all spiritual aspirants that before we die, we have to ensure that our false ego dies. “Death means to let the false ego go and live on the light of real truth.” When we live such a life our lives are full of meaning not only to ourselves but we also lend meaningful substance to others’ lives. This transformation is for real and desirable.

However Radhanath Swami is quick to clarify that spiritual life doesn’t bring about a change in the personality. We are unique and retain our individualities in spiritual life. The transformation we experience is subtle; it’s a subtle transformation of our desires, motivation and attitudes. This transformation requires hard work and a desire to change.

I heard a nice story in this regard. Once there was a man who looked at his entire life through a distorted mirror. He was actually very ugly, but because of the distorted mirror he looked beautiful in the glass. Finally, a relative decided to help him see reality and gave him a proper mirror. The man became so disturbed when he looked into the real mirror that he threw it down and went back to his old mirror.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens sometimes when we come into spiritual life and see for the first time what needs to be changed in our attitudes and behaviour. Often we find it so intolerable that we prefer to abandon the spiritual path. The Native Americans have a very interesting saying: “If you say the truth you need a quick horse.” This saying shows how unwelcome the truth sometimes is for us. When we hear it, our ego rebels and then the one who told the truth needs a quick horse.

Radhanath Swami implores that let us not make this mistake of denying the reality that we have negativities in our heart and we need to change. Rather let us happily accept the changes we have to make. They are for our good. These transformations bring us closer to God and give us real and lasting happiness.

 

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47 Comments


  1. Very wonderfully Radhanath Swami Maharaj explains how can we accept our imperfections and happily try to remove thenm. Thank you

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  2. wonderful article.

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  3. “Spiritual life is not a path of negation” —& gt; I love this words

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  4. muraligovinda dasa

    Very nicely explained by HH RNS Maharaj the transformations , how the impurities and imperfections can be negated by taking the spiritual path. Thank u Maharaj.

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  5. Wonderful realization prabhuji, the mirror example is a perfect one. Thank you verymuch for sharing.

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  6. Nice one. Thanks for sharing it.

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  7. It is very correct that we are having negativities within our hearts. We need to change. It is possible when we curb our false ego. All glories to HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaja.

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  8. True ! Spirituality is a Positive transformation of heart.

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  9. thank you very much for a wonderful anecdote

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  10. Yes people has a lot of different perception about spirituality..Beautiful article..Very inspiring. Before death we have to strive to remove our false ego to make our life successful..

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  11. thanx for showing us key to real and lasting happiness

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  12. After taking the shelter of Krishna heart gets changed completely and devotee transformed with all good qualities.

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  13. great realisations of Radhanath Swami.

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  14. shyama radhika devi dasi

    thanx for posting useful words of wisdom.

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  15. Thanks for this nice article

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  16. Brilliant article.Haribol.

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  17. Wonderful story about the ugly man looking into the disfigured mirror. We should be able to accept our imperfections and try to amend them. Thank you for giving us this wonderful advice.

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  18. Radhanath Swami urges all spiritual aspirants that before we die, we have to ensure that our false ego dies. “Death means to let the false ego go and live on the light of real truth.
    Amazing how maharaj truly explains what is death.
    thank you maharaj.

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  19. Thank you for sharing this experience with Radhanath Swami.

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  20. MAHARAJ HAS SUCH DEEP REALISATIONS ON THE PATH OF SPIRIRTUAL LIFE THAT BY HEARING HIM REGULARLY WE COME TO KNOW WHO WE ARE EXACTLY AND CLEANSES OUR HEART.
    ALL GLORIES TO HH RADHANATH SWAMI MAHARAJ.

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  21. Hope giving article.

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  22. Hopefully, one day we will be able to transform our hearts and let go of our false ego. Thank you Maharaj for inspiring us and giving us hope.

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  23. thank you for enlightening us

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  24. Thank you Radhanath Maharaj for excellent explanation. It is so difficult to see our own dirty mirror of heart …

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  25. Thank you Radhanath Swamiji for so beautifully explaining the transformation that happens by practising spiritual life.

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  26. the potency of spiritual life for transforming the heart is unparalleled!

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  27. Brilliant article.Haribol!

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  28. Very inspiring.

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  29. Arjun K Ramachandra

    Powerful one-liner here “before we die, we have to ensure that our false ego dies”

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  30. Hare Krishna. Thank you very much Maharaj for giving such wonderful examples of caterpillar and distorted mirror and making us understand the truths of life and how to accept them.

    HH Radhanth Swami Maharaj ki jai!!!

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  31. “Death means to let the false ego go and live on the light of real truth”- Nice Quote.

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  32. The explanation by Radhanath swami is wonderful.Thank you maharaj

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  33. Kalpana Kulkarni

    We should acknowledge our negativities and transform ourselves for the better spiritually. Thank you for showing us the way!

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  34. Wonderful thoughts from Radhanath Swami!!!

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  35. highly appreciable

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  36. Bhushankumar Chaudhari

    Reality of wisdom

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  37. Very enlivening article. Radhanath Swami Maharaj has so much spiritual depth.

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  38. Hare Krishna Thank You for sharing

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  39. Nice article

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  40. very wonderfully explained.

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  41. Very truely explained by Radhanath Swami Maharaj that how Spiritual life transforms ones heart and replaces the -ve forces with +ve.

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  42. Very Wonderful !

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  43. nice lessons the aaglony of talvan forest and fruits to heart and propensity to love and share is very instructive .also the second lesson as comparison to ass, the beast of burden is very real .

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  44. By giving up false ego, spiritual life gives us love and devotional service to the Lord.

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  45. Identification of the problem is very much essential. We need to identify negativity in our heart then try to remove it with the spiritual practices.

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  46. wonderful article…,

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  47. wonderful article…,

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