By mastering meditation under the guidance of a spiritual teacher, we not only attain personal fulfilment, but we become an instrument for bringing peace and joy to those around us. When we merge with the Creator, we recognise that all living things are children of God. We realise that the light of God that is within us is within everyone else. We realise that all beings are brothers and sisters for the Creator. It is at this stage that we develop true love for all, for our fellow beings, and for all creation. We become ambassadors of God’s love. We radiate love to others. If each person had this realisation, there would be true peace on this planet.
By experiencing inner peace, we can achieve outer peace. By entering into the sanctuary of peace within us, we gain the inner treasures. Some people may feel that the path of meditation is one of escapism. They feel that it requires one to sit in a cave or on a mountaintop like a recluse. But meditation does not lead to escapism — rather, it makes us more alive. It is one of the most effective ways to actively work towards outer peace. We should maintain a balanced life in the world. While attending to our spiritual progress, we should also lead a normal life, fulfilling our worldly responsibilities. We need to work in the world to earn a living. We must care for our family. We should contribute to the needs of our neighbours, our community, our society, the nation and the world. Whatever we undertake, we should do to the best of our capabilities.
The spiritual path is twofold. We achieve inner enlightenment and peace for ourselves. Then, we use our talents and skills and the gift of our human life to make the world a better place, a more peaceful place. If we are a doctor, we should be the best possible doctor. If we are a carpenter, we should be the best carpenter. If we are a musician, we should be the best musician we can. In this way, we make improvements in our society and make life better for all around us. By developing our inner and our outer life, we will become complete human beings. We will find fulfilment and peace for ourselves and help others achieve it as well.
We may not be able to change our life or eliminate its problems, but through meditation we can look at it differently. Through meditation we can face life because we understand it better. We have the knowledge to help us face up to what happens to us with strength. We will have gained the inner peace that comes from spiritual consciousness. And we will be a source of peace to all around us.
