THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MAN AND GOD IS OFTEN JUST A CHANGE IN DIRECTION OF THE MIND.
A profound exchange between Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah and his spiritual master, Hazrat Shah Inayat, carries within it an extraordinary philosophy of spiritual awakening.
When Bulleh Shah approached Shah Inayat seeking the path to God, the latter was engaged in gardening. His response was as simple as it was profound:
The Original Punjabi Verse
ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹਿਆ, ਰੱਬ ਦਾ ਕੀ ਪਾਉਣਾ?
ਐਧਰੋਂ ਪੁੱਟਣਾ ਤੇ ਓਧਰ ਲਾਉਣਾ।
Roman Transliteration
Bullhiyā, Rabb dā kī pāuṇā?
Aidharoṅ puṭṭṇā te odharoṅ lāuṇā.
Meaning:
"O Bullah, what is there to accomplish in finding God? You merely have to uproot from here and plant there."
What an extraordinary answer!
Shah Inayat was not talking about changing one's geographical location. He meant changing the direction of one's consciousness.
What is 'Here' and what is 'There'?
Here represents our preoccupation with the external world — ego, possessions, recognition, desires, attachments and the endless pursuit of worldly satisfaction.
There represents the inner world — humility, surrender, contentment, remembrance of the Divine and spiritual awareness.
The message is not to abandon the world, but to stop letting it dominate our consciousness.
In Sufi philosophy, this transformation finds expression through several profound concepts:
• Nafs: Overcoming the domination of the ego and the desire-driven self.
• Tawajjuh: Redirecting one's attention and consciousness towards the Divine.
• Zikr: Cultivating constant remembrance of God, rather than allowing the mind to remain occupied with worldly concerns.
• Fana: Dissolution of ego-centred identification and the false sense of personal superiority.
• Baqa: Abiding in Divine consciousness while continuing to fulfil one's worldly responsibilities.
There is a remarkable parallel in Indian spiritual philosophy.
The Bhagavad Gita (6.26) teaches:
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्॥
"Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one must restrain it and bring it back towards the Self."
Similarly, the Kathopanishad (2.1.1) explains that the senses are naturally directed outwards, and therefore human beings ordinarily look outside rather than perceive the inner Self.
Different spiritual traditions, different philosophical frameworks, yet a remarkably similar insight: the journey towards spiritual awakening begins with turning consciousness inward.
Perhaps the most important lesson is that detachment does not mean indifference. One can remain engaged with family, profession, relationships and responsibilities without becoming psychologically enslaved by them.
A person may renounce possessions and withdraw from society, yet remain deeply attached to pride, recognition and spiritual superiority. Conversely, someone living an ordinary worldly life may possess profound inner freedom.
The real transplantation is not of the body. It is of the mind.
And here lies the beauty of the gardener's metaphor.
A gardener does not manufacture the life within a seed. He simply places it in the right soil and provides the conditions in which it can flourish.
Likewise, the spiritual master does not manufacture the Divine within the seeker. He helps remove the obstacles that prevent its recognition.
A FINAL REFLECTION
We spend our lives searching for happiness, recognition, security, fulfilment and peace. Yet how rarely do we examine the very instrument through which we conduct this search — our own consciousness.
Perhaps God is not lost. Perhaps our attention is simply misplaced.
We do not necessarily need to search farther; we need to look deeper.
We do not necessarily need to acquire more; we need to become less attached.
We do not necessarily need to abandon the world; we need to prevent the world from occupying the entirety of our consciousness.
The greatest distance between man and God may not be measured in miles, years of pilgrimage or accumulated religious knowledge. It may simply be the distance between where the mind habitually resides and where the heart is capable of awakening.
Shah Inayat gave Bulleh Shah a lesson in gardening. In reality, he was teaching him how to cultivate the human soul.
The seed was already there. Only the soil had to change.
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