Diary Entry of a Yogi
Date: December, 2009
Location: Yoga Retreat, Rishikesh, India
Dear Diary,
Another day of self-discovery amidst the serene embrace of the Ganges. The journey within continues, and today’s contemplation revolves around the interplay of flexible thoughts and flexible hearts.
In the world outside, when the heart contracts, our thoughts tend to become rigid, linear, and confined. The path to expanding the heart, I’ve learned, involves practices that nurture lateral thinking. It’s a dance between the heart and mind, an intricate balance we seek.
The question that haunts many, including me, is how to shift from a fixed, linear mindset to a more expansive, lateral perspective. Modern science and Western psychology often suggest that our personalities are etched in stone, unchangeable throughout life. But deep within, I sense that there’s more to our potential.
The key lies in nurturing spiritual intelligence. While science and psychology shed light on many aspects of our existence, they can only take us so far. The mysteries of the soul and the divine cannot be fully unveiled through these means alone. It’s not a matter of superiority; it’s about embracing what is. All roads ultimately lead to the divine, and we must embark on this inner journey to truly know ourselves and our Creator.
This journey, however, is not an academic pursuit. We can’t intellectualize our way to God. True connection with the divine is born of an intuitive, heart-to-heart transmission of light. Ancient traditions offer a multitude of pathways, from sacred mantras and dhikr to yoga, salaah, meditation and muraqaba. Each soul finds its unique route to the Divine, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
To cultivate flexibility in our spiritual journey, we must recognize that there isn’t a single path to connect with the divine. The ego often clings to one way, but a lateral mind acknowledges the beauty of diversity. Just as personalities differ, our spiritual paths can take myriad forms. Investigative minds may gravitate toward research and logic, while artists tap into their emotional centers. Both paths lead to the same essence: Allah.
As we develop spiritual intelligence, we transcend the limitations of our uni-dimensional personalities. We become holistic, adaptable beings, capable of understanding and empathizing with others on various paths. We cease to impose our way and humbly accept the gifts others offer.
In this journey, we embrace diverse approaches, tools, and techniques without judgment but with discernment. We nurture our physical bodies, understanding that they are temporary vessels. We recognize that a healthy mind should accompany a healthy body in its journey beyond this realm.
To further expand our hearts and elevate our spiritual intelligence, we turn to practices like dhikr, fasting, and Quranic recitation to nourish our emotional bodies. This subtle, often unseen realm stores our subconscious beliefs and childhood traumas. Cleansing and purifying this domain through dedicated spiritual practice is essential.
Yet, one crucial aspect remains—the spiritual or “astral” body, our higher self. It’s insufficient to merely exist in the material realm. To know ourselves and our Creator profoundly, we must connect with our soul, which emanates from Allah and will return to Hu.
This connection occurs through silence, the absolute truth. In silence, we surrender and submit, intuitively connecting with the divine. A profound dialogue unfolds beyond words, transcending thoughts and language. Meditation emerges as the highest form of spiritual practice, uniting us with a higher state of consciousness.
In this sacred stillness, we transcend time and space, reaching the deepest connection with Allah. Words fall short in this realm, trapping us in the egoic mind. True dialogue at the soul level happens through silence, where we become one with the divine.
With meditation, we can access our higher selves anywhere, anytime, synchronizing with the Divine in profound silence. True knowledge, I’ve come to realize, is not confined to books but flows through the transmission of light, from heart to heart. It’s the culmination of our journey—a union of the soul and the Divine.
In this haven of yogic practice, I find myself ever more deeply immersed in this transformative journey. With each day, my thoughts become more flexible, my heart more open, and my connection to the Divine more profound. May this path continue to guide me toward the ultimate union with the One.
In gratitude and surrender,
Ya Hu, Ya Haqq
Shana
