Only One Way

Q: This "preparation to meet God or truth" sounds like a "big deal", something only a monk or nun would attempt to do, but not for someone like me in regular daily life.

MM: Since when is growing in humility, trust and love not possible in daily life? More so in many cases than in the monastery. It all depends on you. There is as much competition, ambition, jealousy, greed and fear in the monastery as there is in the household. Spiritual community in any form, be it monastery, ashram, or church on Sunday can be very helpful - like being at the gym with friends versus at home alone on the treadmill - but for many people truth is found easier in solitude than in company. What is good for one is not necessarily good for all, and what is good at one stage in life in not necessarily good at another.

People who suddenly face death often start "preparing". What does that mean? Suddenly there is a more urgent sense of life beyond this life. How do you prepare? And for what? How do you prepare for the unknown? Your life and even your death are always arranged in such a way as to be opportunities for this preparation. There is only one way to be ready. Deepest trust, deepest love, and deepest humility.

Q: If you said this to someone who is suicidal wouldn't they think that taking their life is a humble thing to do considering how "awful" they are, since so many suicidal people are so down on themselves?

MM: Yes - that is the problem with spiritual teachings. We are talking about a kind of suicide. The good kind that sets us free. The freedom the suicidal person seeks is freedom from the mind or body, both of which can be in great pain and distress. This is what spiritual teachings are - teachings to end suffering from body and mind even if there is terrible pain. That is why mental and physical pain can be such catalysts for spiritual growth.