The 4 Commitments of a Genuine Spiritual Seeker

I often worry about the integrity of humanity’s spiritual roots. These roots have grown thousands of years deep and with each generation of devoted seekers, the secrets of transcendence have been preserved. It is the seeker who has uncovered and protected the essence of our humanity: our spiritual roots.

Despite predictions of a soulless and secular postmodern world, spiritual longings appear to be more widespread than ever. Though matters of divinity have not become obsolete, humanity’s soul may be increasingly exploited due to the spiritual sector that occupies a multi-billion dollar market. For anyone entering this journey today, media and technology have provided privileged access to transcendental secrets without barriers of initiation. Accessibility also poses a risk to the integrity of teachings and the manner in which we engage with them.

How do we determine an authentic path of spiritual devotion from the ever-growing market for “soulful” consumption?

In my search for the soul, I have uncovered that most people have been blessed with an innate desire for some sort of divine fulfillment.

Only a select few, however, are called to uncover the deepest depths of personhood and see beyond mundane experiences. These select few, are the monks, mystics, hermits, shamans, and contemplatives: the genuine spiritual seekers that make up the complex root system of humanity’s spiritual identity.

This article may seem to undermine the importance of consumer spiritual practices that undoubtedly benefit the masses. This is not a critique of spiritual consumerism, but rather an investigation of the qualities of those special individuals that have wholeheartedly devoted their lives to the realization of transcendence.

May all seekers integrate these qualities into their spiritual lives.

A Portrait of the Genuine Seeker

The qualities of a genuine spiritual seeker were first revealed to me when my research brought me in contact with Edward A. Burger’s film “Amongst White Clouds” and Bill Porter’s book “Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits.”

To be granted an intimate glimpse into the life of a Chinese mountain hermit is the privilege of a modern seeker’s experience. The intense devotion to their practice ignited a passion within me to pursue a more genuine spiritual path. 10 years have passed and I am far from making progress toward their inspiring examples of spiritual life.

In Bill Porter’s interactions with these hermits, he often explains that he is documenting their lives to share with western practitioners so that they understand the depth of hardship experienced in genuine pursuits of uncovering realities that lie within.

It is not pretty or fun, it is jarringly hard work. Their sacrifices inspire me to do better as a seeker. Their simple words have highlighted the absurdity of a seeker’s life when bound to the mundane world.

“The world of red dust”

The Four Commitments of a Genuine Spiritual Seeker

1. Overcome the ego

To move beyond the false self is a lifelong process of confronting the things that make one comfortable in their experience. Identities form and cover the secret depths of spirit. To be wrapped up in material existence is the greatest hindrance to the embodiment of a genuine pursuit.

Spiritual masters are elusive when asked questions of their individuality, for they have devoted themselves to the removal of ego. They view themselves only in relation to the divine.

By emptying out preconceived notions of self, space is held for transcendental truths to appear.

Start by sitting, not-doing, and repeating:

What am I?

Don’t know.

As the self starts to empty, room for truth will develop. The “don’t know” will fill with a presence that need not be affirmed.

2. Decipher the motivation behind seeking

This is a process of determining the what and why behind a spiritual journey.

What am I hoping to uncover?

Why am I seeking?

By asking what, paths of guidance will present themselves. Whether that be Buddhism, Christianity, Shamanism, or any other tradition, every seeker can call upon bonafide paths for guidance in their journey. These traditions should support the emergence of the true self, rather than re-affirm the desires of the ego.

When the seeker seeks for seeking’s sake, a genuine spiritual practice begins. While there are many benefits to spiritual life, those called to practice without needing to state its material gains are welcomed into the fold of a genuine path.

3. Submit onto the bonafide scriptures and practitioners that came before

Once the motivation is determined, methodology and guidance must be sought.

“You should not do something just because I say so. Everybody who has gone the same road should approve it, and the ancient scriptures should also approve it because the truth is the same. It is not something newly invented. All our present day inventions can easily go wrong.”

Sri Swami Satchidananda commentary on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Verse 7

Take time to learn from a sacred tradition that upholds a timeless practice. This guidance will avoid errors of convenience, for the journey is not to be practiced according to one’s desires. Uncovering truth requires years of steadfast devotion, and without proper guidance, the mind will lead the seeker into egotistical delusions and away from their true selves.

4. Commit to a regulated lifestyle

This path comes with sacrifice, and the modern seeker tends to evade all efforts to regulate their life. The fact of the matter is that learning must be accompanied by practice and regulation. Every tradition with proof of spiritual achievement demands certain commitments of purity from the practitioner. Some examples of these regulations are Christianity’s 10 commandments, Buddhism’s five precepts, and Yoga’s Yamas and Niyamas.

While living a life based on rules requires some discretion on the seeker’s part, a genuine seeker welcomes and abides by regulative principles. Beyond popular belief, they were developed as a part of the process to reach realization, not as a method of control. Chasing passion and desires prohibits realization.

You are not alone.

The spiritual path is not an easy path. It asks the individual to sit with their discomfort rather than hiding behind the pleasantries of consumer life. When entering into the fold of the true self, the love and light of your local yoga studio may seem impossibly out of reach.