Thread by @Satyamshakti9

Is effort required for enlightenment?

Extraordinary effort is absolutely required for Spiritual self-realisation.
#enlightenment #spirituality

Don't fall for non-dualist theories that you need to do nothing. You will reach nowhere except imagining yourself to be enlightened. And when reality strikes, you would have done lots of psychological damage to yourselves.
#enlightenment #spirituality

Please Beware!!!!

You must put effort in negating all that which is making your self-reflection, vichara, and dhyana difficult.

Once you are meditative by your own nature, you may not call it effort anymore, as you are floating with it already.
#enlightenment #spirituality

But, it is only effort that will lead you to effortlessness. You cannot skip it.

Until then, conscious effort and die-hard struggle is necessary in terms of what we call Spiritual Sadhana.
#enlightenment #spirituality

You are neck deep in water and yet cry for water. It is as good as saying that one who is neck deep in water feels thirsty, or that a fish in water feels thirsty, or that water feels thirsty.
#enlightenment #spirituality

Grace is always there. Dispassion cannot be acquired, nor realisation of the truth, nor inherence in the Self, in the absence of Guru’s grace. But practice is also necessary.
#enlightenment #spirituality

Staying in the Self by one’s efforts is like training a roguish bull confined to his stall by tempting him with luscious grass and preventing him from straying.

Ramana Maharishi
#enlightenment #spirituality