Question:
Dear Deepak,
Can we spiritually evolve, have expanded awareness and come to know who we really are without meditating? I know that meditation is a helpful, reliable tool for allowing us to un-condition our conditioned self and to help peel away the layers of obfuscation and also has many physical and psychological benefits, but is it necessary? As people, we are all different and approach life and truth in our own way, so is it possible to reach that place, feel that peace, and know that truth without meditation?
Response:
Our spiritual core is always there within us at the source of our mind and being. Even though it is always there, accessing it in a repeatable way is done most reliably through a spiritual practice such as meditation. Of course people do transcend and contact their true self randomly and out of the blue. Or they may have a talent or capacity that allows them to open up to their source more naturally, perhaps through art, music, or being in Nature. And some people have cultivated a profound sense of peace, wisdom and compassion without a spiritual practice. So meditation is not a necessity, but it is a powerful spiritual tool for those wishing to maximize their spiritual awakening.
Love,
Deepak