New Delhi: Acharya Nilay has a different take on success, which is more than just about money, career, recognition and social media popularity. Spirituality is not to him a rejection of the world and a search for a calling. Rather, it’s a matter of comprehension and eradicating all of the false selves and attachments that form our lives.
Acharya Nilay says that prior to gaining the title of spiritual teacher, he was just trying to “reach home”, not realizing that he was already home. He doesn’t call his life a journey, since a journey is defined as moving from one place to another, as he says. His journey has been to leave behind what he is not and get to know himself.
Nothing to find, Only Something to Realise
Purpose is something that a lot of young people have a hard time with today. Many think to themselves, “What am I doing here? What should I do with my life?” Acharya Nilay does not think that the answer is always to be found outside.
He tells her that there is “nothing to find”. Rather, they should let go of and abstain from their identity and attain to the Atman, which means their true self. For him, spirituality is not about accumulation of knowledge instead, it’s about unlearning. It involves releasing the thoughts and beliefs about who they are that others have embraced.
This notion is reflected in his idea of happiness as well. People are looking for happiness in the outer world, while happiness is related to what is going on in the inner world of the person, Acharya Nilay said. He likens it to attempting to reach the sea by climbing up a mountain. If the direction is incorrect, then a higher speed will not be of any benefit.
He feels that after all the layers of maya, the false perceptions and attachments that hide our understanding, one is left with bliss.
Money and success can go hand in hand with spirituality. Money, success and spirituality can work together.
Acharya Nilay also debunks the notion that one has to sacrifice ambitions, wealth or success in a career for spirituality.
He says “adhyatma” is the Hindi term for spirituality, which stems from the term “adhi” and “atma” and translates to referring to the Atman, or true self. He believes that those who are asking, “Who am I?” are on the path of spirituality.
The real problem with him is that he’s attached to things rather than owning them. An attachment can be as simple as a social media account that an individual creates to post pictures and develop an online persona.
The answer isn’t always to give up everything, he says. Rather, individuals need to develop their ability to perceive the thing as it is and comprehend its actual nature. The issue, he said, is that it’s in the mind and in our association with possessions, emotions and identities.
Social Media: Another layer of Maya.
As everyone increasingly embraces spirituality on social media, people have to be wary about how they consume it, Acharya Nilay says.
People need to learn what spirituality is and have to be sincere with themselves about their feelings. Just watching spiritual films and following spiritual personalities is not enough to ensure spirituality.
He says social media can be an additional veil of illusion. It creates a version of reality that people constantly consume, compare themselves with and identify with. For this reason, even spirituality is made into food for the mind, rather than a reality of the soul.
After all, a message for young people.
If the young ones are facing difficulty because of careers pressure, comparison and uncertainty, Acharya Nilay says, there is no need of a long lecture.
His message is clear: know what you’re not.
He encourages people to realize they are more than just their body or their mind. Instead, he calls the true self ‘Pure Consciousness and Pure Existence’. He feels it’s important to be conscious of this distinction and to stay away from getting caught up with external identities and fleeting emotions.
As a spiritual teacher, he tells me maya still poses questions for him. These moments, rather than being distractions, keep him alert and aware.
Acharya Nilay’s approach to spirituality is that it is all about clarity. Instead of looking for happiness, success or identity outside, he asks others to question what they “believe” and encourages them to look within.
Now his last message is simple: view things openly, know what you are not, and strive to discover who you are.
