Prior to my exit from hyperactive social media use, I came across a fascinating experiment someone had posted. I am sharing that with you to elucidate a point about the divine.

The Four Monkeys Experiment

A research team confined four monkeys to a room with a tempting bunch of bananas on a center table. While the monkeys were free to eat the bananas, there was a harsh catch. Any monkey attempting to grab the bananas triggered an ice-cold water shower.

Initially, each monkey attempted to seize the bananas but was quickly discouraged by the icy water. Gradually, they were all conditioned to shun the bananas thoroughly. In fact, the aversion became so ingrained that the others thrashed any monkey attempting to go near the bananas.

Soon, when the fear of repercussions effectively kept them away from the bananas, the researchers turned off the icy water shower. Unaware of this, the monkeys continued to avoid their favorite food.

The next phase saw the researchers replacing one of the original monkeys with a new one. Unfamiliar with the past icy showers, the new monkey naturally ran towards the bananas, only to be attacked by the others. Soon, the newcomer learned to avoid the bananas solely because the group enforced this behavior.

Over time, all the original monkeys were replaced one by one. Unaware of the original ice water shower, each new monkey learned to avoid the bananas. Eventually, the room housed four monkeys who had never experienced the icy water, yet they continued to shun the bananas, adopting a behavior pattern whose origin they did not understand.

Distancing the Divine

If you think it through, you will notice that most people in our society behave like the new batch of monkeys in the experiment.

Most of us avoid listening to our inner voice or even using our brains because we fear getting beaten up (abused) by others.

Sadly, this is how our elders conditioned us to suffer, much in the same way their seniors taught them. This conditioning has continued for generations, becoming deep-rooted norms, causing a pandemic of suffering.

One such cultural norm is our attitude toward spirituality and the Divine. The vast majority maintain a distant relationship with the Divine. That’s because they have been conditioned to fear God or “use” the Divine to fulfill their desires. As a result, even after hours of meditation and prayer, many find themselves at the beginning of their spiritual journey.

My Choice is the Divine

On the other hand, stepping away from social norms, I felt no distance from the divine. My divine was (and is) everything: friend, foe, philosopher, guide, venting space, and whatnot. I expressed my love and happiness to God, as well as my anger and frustration. I laughed like a maniac, wailed like a baby, and sat bravely before my chosen deity, confessing whatever mistakes I had made.

In summary, I was unapologetically myself with the Divine, intimate and close, not attempting to conceal my true nature. My sense of closeness with the Divine propelled me quickly to my spiritual truth within a decade.

At one point, when faced with a choice between my kin and the divine, my response was apparent:

When the treasury called Divine invites me, why would I pick worldly treasures? I want my guru because I believe he is the only one who can guide me to the treasury. My choice is the Divine, period!

Treasury or Treasure?

My attitude of thinking the Divine my own resulted in a vision of Shiva-Shakti, utmost tranquility, and the perennial divine presence. God’s grace showered on me because I chose the “treasury” over the “treasures” and performed my duties with surrender.

As the wise say, “If you want something someone else has, you must almost think and act like them.” Reflecting on this, I pose a question to you:

What do you choose? The transient treasures of the world or the eternal treasury Herself?

Choose wisely, for your choice shapes your immediate and ultimate future.

Love,
Sri Devi Om