Everybody has heard or read that a genuine seeker of spirituality should shun all types of possessions and materialism. Theoretically, this is true. But in practice, it’s not a good idea to oppress a desire.
Do you know what happens when you suppress a powerful desire? It consumes you, and it’s just a matter of time until it explodes and takes possession of your life. Suppression is never the way forward.
What is required is discernment. This means not forcing desires away, but understanding that what you genuinely desire is not actually what you think it is. If you want a new expensive thing, but your guru forces you to not buy it by saying “You should neither desire nor cling to material objects” (which is true), and you end up not buying it through sheer will, that doesn’t mean you’ve dissipated that desire—it just means that it was pushed back into the subconscious. This untranscended desire will germinate and spread negative seeds through your psyche, and then at some future point, either in meditation or in life, it will come to the forefront and have to be dealt with. Suppression of desires can turn them into powerful monsters.
Most of the time, meditation in and of itself is not enough to awaken the required discernment. You also require strong additional pointers that direct your intellect toward such insight and discernment. These pointers on their own are not enough either, despite what Neo-Advaita contemporary teachers may suggest. Meditation and direct pointers both work together synergistically. That’s why you should read powerful and authentic spiritual books and perform spiritual practice/meditation.
However, if there’s still a strong remaining desire toward materialism, it’s okay. Live your life and fully experience it through the senses. Build a business or get a fantastic job, earn lots of money, buy whatever you wish to buy, get your dream partner, go on vacation to the most exotic and marvelous places, etc. Do everything that you believe will fulfill you. Then, if despite all of this hard work and perseverance you don’t succeed in acquiring what you wished for, or once you directly realize that “having it all” will never be enough to bring total fulfillment and permanently cease suffering, you can finally turn to spiritual life and practice.
Some spiritual guidance and insights can help you realize this faster. Many of these teachings and wisdom can be found in the newest book: The Yogic Dharma. Check it out if you haven’t already. This book will motivate you to go further into your inner depths, and awaken you out of this materialistic-trap of living just to acquire pleasure-giving things you don’t really need!
Many blessings,
SantataGamana.
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