Filling The Inner Hunger

Religion is intended

To be the center of life.

The focus from which

All other things spring.

-A. Hussain

Q:       In our society many are turning toward excess in drugs, alcohol, sex, food and countless other self-indulgent behaviors. Why this growing pattern? How can spiritual learning offset this imbalance?

Our bodies, particularly when we are young are pleasure machines. By design the world is filled with many delicious and enjoyable experiences. We were created to participate, have fun, and express our self on this wondrous planet, in many different ways.

Each of us has an excitement need and the world is a giant bazaar with many exhilarating opportunities. Also each is born with an inner spiritual hunger, emptiness or void, which needs to be filled.  Sadly many become confused and spend significant portions of their life seeking to add the missing ingredient in potentially harmful areas; turning toward all type of self-destructive, habitual behaviors to fill this primal emptiness. For many, to attain a more complete life, spiritual learning and religion is the missing piece and fills the inner hunger.

Remember there is a difference between casual experimentation, learning and destructive, habitual behavior. To a large extent segments of our society have glamorized and made fashionable: indulgence in senses, drugs, alcohol and individual desire.  These societal elements use people’s excitement need and exploit it for their own personal gain.

For many, religion has gotten old, lost its capacity to help and engage spiritual travelers in a stimulating way; often motivating only through fear.  Consequently people turn away from this essential aspect and look elsewhere to ease their inner fear and hunger.

Yet religion or spiritual capacity is intended to be the center; the point from which a life develops.  It is the missing ingredient and at its highest level, fills the inner hunger; giving meaning, direction, excitement and energy to life.

The world is a giant bazaar or market place.

You will find in it

Exactly what you are seeking.

Your energy will pull it toward you.

If you seek garbage- it is there.

Similarly if you desire sweets

There are many vendors.

Fortunate is the shopper

Who knows what to seek?

Most leave without making the Higher Choice.

-SB

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Check-out my two new books: Sufism for Western Seekers: Path of the Spiritual Traveler in Everyday Life and The Ferryman’s Dream.  Both books are available through Amazon.com or local bookstore.