Truth needs no special lifestyle

me: Dear Swami ji, from last few days I am confused about basic characteristics/lifestyle requirements for a seeker to receive truth..... I am trying to say that as truth conveyed by you is quite different from the way of world... when is a seeker ready to receive it and live it?
Master Akshara: That's a thoughtful question Puneet ! Truth needs no special lifestyle. To realize oneself in any manner, in form of lifestyle, is the easiest. But when we talk about a suitable lifestyle then we get into this trap again. A trap where you create conditions and then try to fulfill them too.

If you introduce a new lifestyle in order to realize the Truth, then the introduced lifestyle itself becomes an obstacle. Life gets "organized" itself upon knowing the Truth, but to organize the life in a particular way to know the truth can be misleading.

Only achievements are planned and achieved. But knowing one Self is no achievement and no planned lifestyle can do that.

When you plan a lifestyle it may improve your style of living but need not bring the awareness of SELF. If it is a particular lifestyle that made people in the past realize their true nature, then it could be so easy. On the contrary the masters from the past seem to have lived such varied lifestyles.

me: I understand that a lifestyle of a certain discipline or characteristics may not bring the understanding of truth but my question is that basic minimum requirements.... yoga talks about certain discipline, Shankara had listed few requirements, few religions like Jainism and Islam have rigid mathematical rules, Buddhism has its own basic requirements... When so many systems have enlisted requirements...so that is why i am asking this question...
Master Akshara: It's a way of waking up a sleeping seeker. It's not the new lifestyle that brings awareness with it. But the change in the lifestyle does it.

When someone got used to a lifestyle for too long then there is a least possibility of "waking" up. It becomes very predictable and Truth slips through the predictability of a lifestyle.

So when there is a change introduced or brought or forced in, or even happened more naturally (life job transfer, get married etc) the possibility of awareness being triggered about one's strength and weakness is high.

So the religious masters told the followers to change their lifestyles in order to notice one self. It's about leaving a comfort zone and expose oneself to the trials and tribulations. The idea of pilgrimages also came about this way.


me: So what I understand is that more important than a specific lifestyle or certain discipline is to "not become" dependent on it or caught in it.
Master Akshara: Very well said. No lifestyle can bring about inner transformation. But certain changes in lifestyles can trigger awareness of the inner SELF.

I think if the understanding of what is SELF is clear, then the need for such lifestyles and other ideas will drop for ever. Perhaps next time when you come on line we will make it a point to discuss just the same (SELF).

But do not misunderstand that I advocate no change of lifestyles. In fact lifestyles keep changing all the time for most people. Life keeps changing but awareness happens when you stand apart from changes and observe them. So next time when meet we will get little more closer to this topic.

me: ok swami ji, Namaste !