Human affection, care, tender feelings is the sign of our human-ness and are the touch of the psychic in earthly life. It has its own place and role in bringing out deeper emotions and making us less self-centered. Yet, for all its beauty, it is after all a play of the extended ego-self. For the seeker of the higher spiritual life it can become an obstacle if it becomes a constant preoccupation with the well-being of the family or near and dear ones, a preoccupation due to excessive attachment. It then absorbs our consciousness keeping it locked in a small circle of the family leaving little energy for higher and deeper pursuits. Besides it can turn our relationship with the Divine, largely if not exclusively, into a transactional mode. The true relationship is to give oneself to the Divine and His Work. The paradox is that when one is preoccupied with loving God for the joy of loving Him, or serving the Divine out of love for Him, then the Divine takes care of all our material and spiritual needs without even asking him for anything. The relationship with the Divine then becomes much deeper and stronger, full of trust and reliance upon the Grace, a leap of faith so to say.
Kept in its little place, in its right measure, but widened in its scope, whence one prays not only for those with whom one is connected in various ways, but through each other for the whole world, then it can help us widen and enter into sympathy with all creatures. It can even help us develop compassion towards all who labour with the challenges of earthly life. But if it becomes the sole or main motive of prayer then it does not have enough spiritual force to propel us towards the future. To grow and progress, the best and fastest way is to ask for nothing except the nearness with the Divine and to give oneself completely, unreservedly seeking nothing in return but the joy of loving Him..
Affectionately,
Alok Da
