A great vision is one which showers results, has an impact, and is enduring. Results build material wealth, impact creates social wealth, yet when a vision endures, it is almost always due to its inherent spiritual richness.
A great vision is driven not just by material or social wealth. There is one other kind of wealth that is instrumental in making any vision a path-breaking one: spiritual wealth.
What is Spiritual Wealth?
Spiritual wealth resides inside us. It comes from cultivating the inner and not the outer world. Unlike material and social wealth, which are transactional in nature as they involve someone other than us for their plenitude, spiritual wealth rests within us.
Spiritual wealth has nothing to do with the external circumstances, it thrives in our inner canvas. It is an inner abundance which can be accessed anytime to elevate ourselves to a higher layer of consciousness, in which lies meaning, purpose, compassion, connectedness, and contentment. In fact, spiritual wealth is a magnet that draws the other two kinds of wealth unto to itself.
3 Questions Behind a Great Vision
So, how does one enrich spiritual wealth? Whether it is marriage, work, romance, or parenthood, in all our major quests of life we need to ask ourselves three questions. I did too when I started YogaDiviners to teach yoga, train teachers, and lead practitioners inwards through retreats.
1. What Am I Really Here To Do?
I could not answer this question effectively then, and I still cannot.
What we want to do has to be done despite. I teach yoga and teach it anyway.
Some find me strict, some overwhelming, some a yoga fanatic, some immeasurable. Yet I teach anyway. YogaDiviners could have a few or many followers, my blogs none or several takers, yet I would continue to do what I do, as is it what I know. I may know it best, good, bad, more, or less, it doesn’t matter. What matters is to show up, day after day, even when the class is empty and only the sun strays in with its rays. That is cue enough to bow my head and begin the practice.
2. What Is My Higher Purpose?
This question too I could not answer fully. However the question did help me define my quest. I realized that I am the collaboration, and I must go on. We must take care of ourselves and back ourselves. I was my own investment, agency and conglomerate.
The five dimensions or koshas that are the foundations of a thriving yoga practice also helped me define my purpose. The physical layer needs nutrition and exercise; the breath-body needs good thoughts and free flowing prana. The mental body needs emotional balance. The psychic body needs spiritual intelligence.
When all four are settled, productivity is a natural outcome. It comes from sacredness, diving deep and listening to the voice of the soul. I experienced a state of blissful restfulness when I stayed close to my soul and deep disturbance when i strayed away from it.
This voice inside says strange things to me, none of which seem practical. Yet doing the practical doesn’t seem to work for me. In listening to the voice, at least l feel enriched.
My heart tells me to savor this wealth but my head keeps me restless. This is a conflict that is likely to go on eternally unless transcended.
We are told that asana is a practice that ends this battle. Sage Patanjali said:
Tato dwandva nabhi ghatah.
which roughly translates to:
The purpose of asana is to end the conflict, and thereby we would cease to be assailed by an attack of two opposite forces.
We could then be indivisibly guided by our inner voice and thus realize our vision.
3. What Do I Want To Make Myself Responsible For?
Finally, a question that I do have a clear answer to. I could answer this one right away!
I want to be responsible to my inner voice and all the people and forces who have led me to it. I want to hear it, heed it, and be healed by it.
Summing Up
There is an immense spiritual wealth contained in the inner voice. Persistence and unwavering steadfastness grows this wealth. But we need courage to use this wealth, as it might invert the world upon our heads.
