To evolve throughout life is spirituality

Human evolution is a biological as well as spiritual process,' opined the American sage Ralph Waldo Emerson. In fact, it's more of a spiritual process than being a biological one. Mind you, here spirituality has nothing to do with religion, god or any esoteric mumbo-jumbo. Evolution is a qualitative mutation, 'a meditative surging ahead' according to Eckhart Tolle. It's a continuous process that goes on till an individual finds his/her spiritual or meaningful anchorage in this world. 

When Buddha's disciple Vaishampayan was grappling with the purpose of human life and trying to understand the whole spectrum of spirituality, his master Buddha told him, 'Look into yourself. Peep into your existence and dive into your inner self, you'll get the meaning of your existence on earth. You need no master, guru or god to know that from the outside. Because, Truth has to be experienced through spiritual evolution and not through vicarious experiences of other people.'

Vaishampayan got the answer and he embarked upon a journey to South East Asia where he attained enlightenment. 'Kho ja khud mein, paa le suroor-e-hayaat / Apni dahleez se iski kar shuruaat' (Lose yourself in the depths of your own existence and get the essence of life/Start this journey from your threshold).

Constant evolution of oneself leads to higher consciousness. It's not finding fault with oneself but assuming the role of a silent spectator, observing his/her own actions and steps from a distance. Hakim Sanai says, ‘Be a dispassionate witness to your own life.' When we become disinterested and dispassionate to everything around us, we start looking at ourselves and our actions sans any prejudice and cataract of illusion. This is the beginning of human evolution which's always vertical. 

To evolve is the ultimate objective of human life. The attainment of higher and greater consciousness, that comprises sensitivity, empathy, compassion and all humane attributes, is our sole purpose for coming to earth. Persian poet Khaqani put it so succinctly: Life that's not ascending is just purposeless and descending.   

Franz Kafka called the world, 'An experimental school for the students of mental and philosophical evolution.' So very true. Life that remains un-examined, remains un-evolved. We, therefore, should keep striving to find the actual objective of our existence here. So that when we leave the world, we can heave a sigh of relief like Walt Whitman and say with justifiable complacency, 'Life hasn't gone in vain. It continuously evolved and I can feel it even while departing...' 

Live like that with a spiritually greater aim and goal.