Path of Jnana – AWAY from the World

Others see the material world as an illusion – they look AWAY from the world. In a world where communication is wireless, politics is shameless, people are jobless and desires are endless, they conclude that everything is useless! Having failed in their attempts to enjoy the world, they develop a sense of detachment and a desire to escape the world. This can lead to an impersonal vision where they label the entire material manifestation as an illusion, and instead aspire to enter a spiritual void. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, clarifies that though the material world is temporary and insubstantial, it is not unreal. A photocopy may lack the colour clarity, quality and detail of the original, but it’s nevertheless a real document that provides information. In the same way, the material world, though lacking the fullness of the spiritual world, has its part to play and can render us great benefit if we interact with it appropriately.

In the initial years of spiritual life, many practitioners may go through elements of this detached psychology. They find that they can’t relate to friends, family, career or material goals any more. Their earnest desire to spiritually connect can leave them somewhat estranged from the material world, struggling to find the motivation to interact with it in the same way they did previously.