DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

The Deeper Aspects of SadhanaFOR most persons, spiritual Sadhana (the path of attainment)consists in the external observance of rituals and ceremoniesprescribed by their own religion. In the initial stages such obser-Transition fromrituals to deeperaspects of Sadhanavance has its own value as a factorcontributing towards self-purification andmental discipline; but ultimately the aspiranthas to transcend the phase of externalconformity and become initiated into the deeper aspects of spiritualSadhana. When this happens the external aspect of religion fallsinto the background and the aspirant gets interested in theessentials revealed in all the great religions. True Sadhana consistsin a life which is based upon spiritual understanding, and it comesto a person who is really keen about spiritual realities.Sadhana must never be regarded as consisting in theapplication of rigid laws. In life there cannot be and need not bestrict and unrelieved uniformity. In the spiritual field there is ampleroom for diversity of Sadhanas. The Sadhana which is usefulDiversity of Sadhanasfor a particular aspirant is bound to berelated to his sanskaras and temperamentand so, although the spiritual goal for all is the same, the Sadhanaof a given aspirant may be