A Seeker’s Journey

A Seeker’s Journey

Every spiritual seeker walks their own path. But there are common turns, familiar confusions, and echoes that resonate across every journey. This is a map drawn from my own seeking — not to instruct, but to invite reflection.

A Seeker’s journey:

The first seed of enquiry - What is all this around me? Who am I? What is the purpose of all this? What is the purpose of life?

The growing restlessness - Why am I not happy? Why does everything seem to appear so distant despite being with me? My family, my friends, my possessions, all seem to give me happiness. But why can I not feel it inside? What is this restlessness inside me?

The seeming solution - Do I need to see a therapist? How about I meet some counselor? Let me try yoga. Or maybe be a meditation retreat.

The first step - Nothing I tried gives me peace. Bhagavad Geeta seems to have answers to life’s every problem. Let me start reading it.

The initial disappointment - I read the Geeta but cannot relate to it. It says I am Ātma and not this body. But I cannot see anything beyond this body. How do I see the Ātma? And why did Krishna say this simple thing with so many shlokas? Scriptures are too difficult to understand.

Accidental encounter - Let me listen to some spiritual masters. May be I can understand the meaning of Geeta. Wow, I am now able to understand the deeper meaning in Geeta. This master explains everything so nicely. His words are simple and direct and I can relate to everything he says.

The misunderstood clarity - I understand a lot of things about life now. My Guru’s grace is always guiding me. But why hasn’t the pain gone yet? Why do I still suffer?

The actual dive - How do I apply what Guruji says in my daily life. Where is the problem, I am trying to solve? If it is created by my mind, where is my mind? How do I reach my mind?

Beginning of the Sadhana - I will follow what my Guru says. I will leave all the external cravings. I will live a Sattvik life - getting up early, eating sattvik food, listening to satsang, reading scriptures, meditation and name chanting. 

The cat and mouse chase - I can see the mind - giving rise to desires, distracting me, pushing me towards the external pleasures. But how do I catch it? I can’t fight it unless I catch it.

The endless pursuit - I have clarity. The mind is a powerful device. It cannot be defeated. But it can be distracted. I will beat the mind, in its own game. But I still feel a void. 

The lingering dilemma - My Guru’s grace has brought me so far in this journey of self discovery. He preaches Bhakti. He says, “a lover never asks, he only gives”. But I still have questions. I still seek answers. Am I doing something wrong?

Choosing the right path - I have always been told, I have an analytical mind. My inquisitiveness has led me till this junction in this journey. How can I consider my strength as my weakness? I will use my strength to move forward. The path of knowledge can quench my thirst for answers.

The path is now lit up - Knowledge lights up the darkness inside me. It quenches my intrigue, one insight at a time. I can understand the deeper nuances of life. Bhakti, is not wrong - but it is not for me. Answers give me peace.

Staring at the Truth - I have asked a lot of questions and found many more answers. I understand life and the way to live it. 

But after all this I still try to figure out, what is the purpose of it all? If truth was always here, why did I travel all around - only to find it right where I started? 

The answer is simple -  What you seek is what you are. 

There is no one apart from you, there is nowhere to go, nothing to achieve. 

Whatever it is, is right here, right now, right in this.