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Discover Your Inner Power House || Acharya Prashant, with IIT-Madras (2023)
11.3K views
2 years ago
Spirituality
Responsibility
Inner Growth
Service
Love
Enlightenment
Kabir Saheb
Personhood
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the question of whether spirituality is a personal, inward endeavor or an outward, social one. He explains that these two aspects are not separate but operate in tandem, hand-in-hand, or even hand-in-glove. Using his own life as an example, he states that he has his own personal, inner space where his own things happen, but he also has a public space where he shares what he has cultivated inwardly. The inner process and the outer experience are interconnected; what one observes and experiences in public leads to a furthering of the inner process. He argues that one cannot be dissociated from the wider world and still maintain a purely internal spiritual process, deeming it unlikely. Conversely, one cannot be entirely outward-looking and disconnected from their inner self in the name of serving society. To illustrate this, he uses an analogy from electrical engineering: there must be both a generator plant (the inner process) and a transmission side (outer sharing). The plant cannot generate electricity if it is not being transmitted and consumed. Similarly, the inner spiritual generation needs an outlet. Without it, one experiences an "uncomfortable fullness," like a cloud that is full but not allowed to rain. The purpose of the cloud is fulfilled only when it rains. When one goes within, they discover that it is not meaningful to exist just for oneself. The goal of the spiritual process is to breach the limits of the personal self. Therefore, if enlightenment is purely personal, it is worthless and no different from accumulating wealth or fame for oneself. He quotes Kabir Saheb, who said, "What's the point in being elevated like a date palm tree? It offers no shade to the traveler, and its fruits are too far to reach." This highlights that spiritual attainment must benefit others. The speaker concludes that the pressure of responsibility towards others—which he equates with love—is what makes one's capabilities grow. The inner solitude is crucial, but it must be paired with an outward expression that serves the world. The spiritual process is a two-fold journey, both inwards and outwards.