FOR most persons, spiritual Sadhana (the path of attainment) consists in the external observance of rituals and ceremonies prescribed by their own religion. Transition from rituals to deeper aspects of Sadhana In the initial stages such observance has its own value as a factor contributing towards self-purification and mental discipline; but ultimately the aspirant has to transcend the phase of external conformity and become initiated into the deeper aspects of spiritual Sadhana. When this happens the external aspect of religion falls into the background and the aspirant gets interested in the essentials revealed in all the great religions. True Sadhana consists in a life which is based upon spiritual understanding, and it comes to a person who is really keen about spiritual realities.
Sadhana must never be regarded as consisting in the application of rigid laws. In life there cannot be and need not be strict and unrelieved uniformity. Diversity of Sadhanas In the spiritual field there is ample room for diversity of Sadhanas. The Sadhana which is useful for a particular aspirant is bound to be related to his sanskaras and temperament and so, although the spiritual goal for all is the same, the Sadhana of a given aspirant may be pe-
culiar to himself. However, since the goal is the same for all, the differences with regard to Sadhana are not of vital importance, and the deeper aspects of Sadhana have importance for all aspirants in spite of their differences.
Sadhana in the spiritual field is bound to be essentially different from Sadhana in the material field, because the end is intrinsically different. Sadhana in spiritual field different from Sadhana in material field The end sought in the material field is a product which has its beginning and end in time. The end sought in the spiritual field is completeness which transcends the limitations of time. Therefore in the material field Sadhana is directed towards the achievement of something which is yet to be, but in the spiritual field Sadhana is directed towards the realisation of that which always has been, will ever be and now IS.
The spiritual goal of life is to be sought in life itself and not outside life, so Sadhana in the spiritual field has to be such that it brings one’s life closer to the spiritual ideal. Goal of spiritual Sadhana Sadhana in the spiritual field does not aim at the achievement of a limited objective which may have its day and then ingloriously disappear forever. It aims at bringing about a radical change in the quality of life so that it permanently becomes an expression of the Truth in the eternal NOW. Sadhana is spiritually fruitful if it succeeds in bringing the life of the individual in tune with the divine purpose, which is to enable everyone to enjoy consciously the God-state. Sadhana has to be completely adapted to this end.
In the spiritual field every part of Sadhana must aim at the realisation of the spiritual goal of securing godliness in all phases of life; therefore the different aspects of spiritual Sadhana will, from one point of view,
