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The Greatest Help a Spiritual Seeker Can Give to Others · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Modern day civilization emphasizes some kind of external
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  result that can be measured. Most frequently, this is tied to
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  a monetary value. But the world also appreciates
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  and honors in some cases, those who do humanitarian work, those
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  who lead countries or fight wars, those who create new
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  products, services, or methodologies.
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  Scientists are frequently honored for their groundbreaking
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  discoveries. Religious leaders are frequently
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  appreciated for their moral leadership.
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  One element of the true genius of the culture of India is that
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  the renunciate, the sadhu, the ascetic seeker after liberation
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  or some spiritual objective, has traditionally been honored and
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  supported despite the fact that they do not provide a visible,
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  tangible result that can be obviously put to use in the
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  society. Their work is inward and it
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  addresses the core issues of human life.
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  We can fly to the moon. We can climb the highest
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  mountain peaks. We can explore the oceans.
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  We can delve into the biological and biochemical basis of life
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  and find ways to modify and adapt this basis to our own
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  desired ends. We can explore the far reaches
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  of the Galaxy and beyond with our technology, and yet we
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  continue to act in the world in ways that create endless amounts
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  of suffering and which are highly destructive both in the
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  short term and the long term. In our quest for immediate
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  satisfaction of our desires, ambitions and ideas, we are
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  experiencing the 6th planetary die off, in this case very much
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  the result of human activity. We fail to act to cut back on
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  the pollution, the climate, changing use of hydrocarbon
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  fuels or the development of economic models that
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  systematically Dr. vast numbers of people into desperate straits
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  while a very few enjoy privileges and wealth that is
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  unimaginable in any real terms. We RIP up the earth, we cut down
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  the trees, we deplete the fish in the sea, all in the name of
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  our external prophets. And with all of our experience,
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  our religions, our economic systems, our political systems,
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  our technology, we have failed to find any solution to the root
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  cause of all this imbalance, the drives, desires and ambitions of
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  the vital and mental being of man, untutored and unrestrained
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  by any deeper understanding of human life, its significance and
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  the meaning of our existence. It is this seeking the solution
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  to suffering, the understanding of the deeper motivations that
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  drive this incredibly destructive imbalance in our
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  collective lives, which is the core effort tasked to the
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  spiritual seeker. Whether the seeker is attempting
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  to achieve liberation from the bondage of the outer existence,
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  or attempting to go beyond the causes of suffering, or trying
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  to bring forward a new level of consciousness that can harmonize
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  the disharmony, balance the imbalances, and set in some kind
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  of meaningful perspective the solution to human suffering, The
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  spiritual aspirant has the lonely, inward focused task of
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  uncovering the roots of these issues and developing within
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  himself the means and methods of transformation.
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  Once the seeker reaches such a status, he has then the power to
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  communicate it to others by relaying understanding by his
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  presence or by the radiating force of the consciousness that
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  has emerged as a result of his seeking.
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  Given that all our external solutions have failed and
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  humanity is on the brink of potentially utter destruction
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  and possibly even extinction, the role of the spiritual
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  aspirant, the exploration of inner space is the most
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  important way to help humanity and ensure its ability to both
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  survive and thrive, Sri Orabindo writes.
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  Quote To concentrate most on one's own spiritual growth and
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  experience is the first necessity of the sodic.
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  To be eager to help others draws away from the inner work.
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  To grow in the spirit is the greatest help one can give to
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  others, for then something flows out naturally to those around
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  that helps them. End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
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  and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2.
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  Looking at Oneself and Others, page 54.