Every person is influenced by a spiritual thought from a spiritual master at some point of time. It can be a religious thought, ritual, mantra or practice. All of it comes from the heart, so it doesnt matter who choses what. Can’t help recalling William Blake’s famous verse in “Auguries of Innocence” as it reads: “He who shall hurt the little wren, shall never be belov’d by Men.”

Hey, before you think this is some dotty religious scrap, let me assure you that I am from the glorious state of Communists (dont read China or Russia, its Kerala,ok) where every person has had a brief love affair with the idea of Communism and all that it entails, like the utopian dream that the rich will join the poor to end poverty, that all capitalists are demons, and so on.

But ultimately, most of us do manage to emerge unscathed, sane, secular persons, so take it easy, okay?

For me, God isnt a glorified accountant who keeps strict tabs on the number of times I invoke his name or do prayers or fasts or weave flower garlands. God is the indweller of the heart, whom you connect with simply through love, whom you see in others around you, even those who irritate you to the point of driving you nuts.

You dont need to learn a new language or culture to connect with the people you love, right? You can just be yourself, try to change into a better person if you think there is room for improvement and maybe do whats best for the world if you can think that generously. Its the same with God, you dont have to pretend to be something you are not. I dont believe in a God who tells you to worship one form, one name or one specific ritual to get grace. That god isnt Love. Not to me.

For me, the most compelling spiritual thought that guides me all the time is “Contemplate on God as Love.” I cant think of a better way to connect with the world and with the conflicts you face in the world.

When you put this into practice in small areas of your life, it pays off rich dividends in strengthening the person that you are, the values that you hold dear and sometimes makes you see things from a different perspective. In its own way, this love is what leads you from darkness to light.