Yog is the ultimate science of creation, preservation and transformation. It encompasses in its ambit all of the manifest creation and also that which is unmanifest. All that pertains to the prithviloka or earth, and also that which pertains to the seven dimensions below and above. It is — true to what it is often termed as — the final frontier. So then, what makes a person venture towards this final frontier? In the last three decades of sadhna and my interactions with seekers and sadhaks, I have come to conclude that the reasons for people walking (or attempting to walk) this path may be divided into three categories.
1.Ego and Arrogance: These people take up the science to prove or show to others how able and accomplished they are. The underlying thought behind taking up the science in this case is, “I will do and show.” For them progress on the path or a siddhi, is not so much a milestone on the journey to ultimate but a trophy to flaunt and adorn. If you go back in history, this thought resonates with that of most asurs through various yugas. The end result of this approach will be the same as those asur stories. There is no hope for this category because as soon as they take a step forward, they begin to externalise by showing off and which further shoots up the ego and… the progress on this path is inversely proportional to the ego. Majority of them are on a look out for experiences and hence dilute the path. Even as an experience happens, they want another, and in the process miss out on the journey. Entire time is spent in the pursuit of experiences only. In majority of cases, the thought of experience is so strong that the subconscious mind comes into play, and what they think to be another experience is actually daydreaming. One should only look at finality and the Guru’s path and not worry about visions or experiences.
2.Fear of the Unknown: A lot of people take up the science out of fear for hells or pain, or because of the fear of a deteriorating body. They do the practices out of compulsion, “If I don’t do this, don’t know what will happen…” and so they walk. When one does something out of compulsion, the consistency is lacking – that is, it is often done as a ritual or as steps, the quality or bhav is missing. When this path is followed, one gets entangled in ritualism and the rituals are a never ending process. I have often seen such people performing their daily havan or jaap in a hurry, because they have to go somewhere or be somewhere else. These people get a chance where they understand the path and the finality but are also lured by attractions. Majority of them choose the latter. But these people still have hope. There is nothing wrong in having a combination of desires. The problem starts when you find a Guru and breach a certain level of proximity with him/her. As then those desires start to manifest, and mostly people are unable to handle and get swayed away. It’s the time when maximum get into ritualism and the path is lost. At that time one should have the ability and capacity to not let their thought waver from the path. Then they can reach.
3.Desire for Merger: A minuscule minority takes up the subject out of love for Divine. They practice neither to show nor out of compulsion, there is consistency in their practice as they genuinely want to merge. Such people are bound to reach.
Aspiring seekers need to do swadhyay and identify their category and strive to change to category.
