Each religion has laid great stress on the sort of company that a human should keep during his sojourn on Earth. The consequences of these choices can be deeply felt, yet most times we stick to our old friends and acquaintances, out of sheer habit, or from the necessity of keeping up with them, merely to prove our loyal qualities.
Today the tables are upturned, for it has become highly important in the New Age to associate only with those who help you to progress along the path of spirituality that you have chosen.
Let us now sift through our friendship stable and see what we can do. When we find fools for friends, then there is no point even talking to them about 'higher' paths, as it will just go above their heads. And it is impossible to convince a 'fool' that he is being foolish.
Those friends, whom we see are adopting wrong means of livelihood, and have strayed from the path of value based living, to a 'grab all the money you can' attitude, should be shunned at all costs. These are worse than the fools, for they will soon turn their mal-intentions in your direction, and you will have lost both, your friend and your wealth.
Those of you who are seriously on the spiritual path will have, in the normal course, shed quite a few of old friends, whom you do not seem to vibe with any more. But there may be some, who, out of a force of habit, will still be a part of your life, dragging you back into duality. Try fading out such people with silence, instead of confrontation, for that is the only way to move on.
{{/usCountry}}Those of you who are seriously on the spiritual path will have, in the normal course, shed quite a few of old friends, whom you do not seem to vibe with any more. But there may be some, who, out of a force of habit, will still be a part of your life, dragging you back into duality. Try fading out such people with silence, instead of confrontation, for that is the only way to move on.
{{/usCountry}}The sangat that is ours will then, very naturally and gracefully, become useful and nurturing to our own goals. Then you will wonder how you could have remained in the company of such old friends for so long.
The 'real' sangat that we should keep is that of people who are always engaged in uplifting themselves, whatever their occupation in life may be. Truthful and pure, joyous and loving from the heart, you will always feel a sense of comfort and peace with them.
Another quality that always comes to the fore in spiritually active people is 'compassion'. They look at others, who are less fortunate than themselves, with compassion, and try to help in whatever way they can.
The best way of finding out if a person is truly on the right path, is when you feel so comfortable with him that there is no need to project yourself in any other way, than as your nature truly is.
The time is NOW, let go of all that pulls you down, and choose your companions wisely and well. In fact, when you endeavour to move along this path, you will naturally magnetize the right kind of people to yourself, and gravitate to them gracefully! Then energy will provoke energy, and a synergy between you will arise, which, in turn, will raise both your vibrations to unending levels of meaningfulness in your lives.