The Ten Symptoms of Dharma Indicate Our Place in the Spiritual Journey

Satsang by Gautam Baiji 

Did you ever ask yourself how far along you are in your spiritual journey?

Is it the same when you are traveling, maybe going to San Diego, and the person is calling you wondering where you are, then you will say, "Oh, I am in Irvine, or Mission Viejo."

So a person asked me where I was in my spiritual journey.
I said I know where I am, but I don't know what to tell you.

You know why? The same reason someone asks me to describe something I'm eating that is so sweet, and so delicious, but how can I tell you about the sweetness?

For that, you have to taste it yourself.

A doctor may say, I can take a patient's temperature. Or ask what their pain level is: 2? 7?

But a patient cannot describe the pain. A doctor cannot experience the pain.

But for the spiritual journey, we can do a self-examination.

We're doing bhakti, we are doing devotion, we are listening to satsang for a long time, we get knowledge...

We don't need to tell others - they will see our actions.

There is a scripture from Manu Smriti about 10 Symptoms of Dharma (Law of Cosmos, spiritual duty and righteousness, upholds and sustains positive order):

1. Dhrati - patience or fortitude (Especially needed when life is most difficult)
2. Kshama - ability to forgive (Otherwise we are a slave to our emotions)
3. Damah - control over desires (Like when Arjuna told Krishna to take the reins and lead)
4. Asteyam - honesty and integrity (Take only what you earn through hard work)
5. Shouch - purity (We clean our mind through meditation)
6. Indriya nigrah - control of sensory organs (Enjoy your life but control your senses - yoga and meditation help with this)
7. Dhi - wisdom (Despite difficulties and temptations, we choose the right path)
8. Vidya - knowledge (Spiritual and practical knowledge with humility) 
9. Satyam - truthfulness (Always seek truth and follow it for more peace and strength)
10. Akrodho - absence of anger (Not angered at all despite provocations, helped by meditation - how fast it comes! Don't give your remote to others!)

So where are you in your spiritual journey? In San Diego? Irvine? Brea? Mission Viejo? Oceanside?

Check often...