It Never Truly Satisfies
This illusory world, practical advice from Ramakrishna, and podcast updates
Imagine this: You finally get everything you thought would make you happy.
The perfect job, the ideal partner, the dream house. For a moment, you feel it—that fleeting satisfaction. But then, almost imperceptibly, the restlessness creeps back in. The mind whispers, "Is this it?"
That’s the thing about this world—it never truly satisfies. It can’t.
A Course in Miracles makes this clear: Nothing out here will ever work the way we hope it will. Not in the way we long for deep in our souls. Why? Because this world was built on a false premise—the illusion that we are separate from God. And illusions, by their very nature, can never fulfill us.
Seek not within the world to find your Self.
Love is not found in darkness and in death.
Yet it is perfectly apparent to the eyes that see and ears that hear love’s Voice.
–ACIM (W-127.6:1-3)
Mystics across time have tried to tell us.
The ancient sages called life a dream. Rumi likened it to a guest house, temporary and passing. Yogananda compared it to a motion picture, flickering and unreal. But ACIM takes it even further: God has nothing to do with this world.
At first, that’s hard to hear. It feels like a loss, like everything we’ve ever known is being pulled out from under us. But it’s actually the key to liberation.
“The entire universe is God's cosmic motion picture, and that individuals are merely actors in the divine play who change roles through reincarnation; mankind's deep suffering is rooted in identifying too closely with one's current role, rather than with the movie's director, or God.”
—Paramahansa Yogananda
If the world was never meant to bring us lasting joy, then we can stop chasing it. We can stop placing our hopes in things that were never designed to fulfill us. Instead, we turn inward. We love—not because the world is perfect, but because within every being is the One who is perfect. We serve—not because we expect the world to change, but because love is who we are.
So no, this isn’t about apathy. It’s about clarity. Love, give, serve—but don’t be fooled. The world will always disappoint. But the Truth, the Divine within, is untouched by all of it.
Ramakrishna’s Simple Images of Spiritual Wisdom (Part 1)
Ramakrishna was one of the most extraordinary Hindu saints of the modern era. I write about him briefly in my book, but if you’d like to know him more deeply, I can’t recommend this biography enough. He puts spiritual truths in these charming, simple images that are almost infuriatingly accessible. How can the Eternal Truth be so clear? So easy? He does it time and again. Enjoy a few of my favorites.
Q: How can we devote our mind to God in this worldly life?
A: If a man lives in the world and busies himself day and night with worldly duties and responsibilities, he cannot give his mind to God. So it's important to go into solitude from time to time, and think about God. When the plant is young, it should be fenced in on all sides. Unless there's a fence around it, goats and cattle may eat it up. But when the same plant grows into a mighty oak tree, the same goats and cows will rest in its shade.
Q: Why are there so many different religious paths?
A: God himself has arranged for many ways of worship to suit the varied temperaments of his worshippers in their different stages of growth.
A mother has five children. There is fish to be cooked. She prepares different kinds of fish dishes, to agree with every kind of stomach. For one child, she cooks fish pilau, for another pickled fish, for another baked fish, fried fish and so forth. She has cooked all kinds of dishes to appeal to their different tastes and digestions.
Q: How is one to live in the world and lead a family life?
A: Attend to all your duties but keep your mind fixed on God. Wife, son, father, mother - live with all of them and serve them, as if they were your very own. But know in your heart of hearts that they are not your own.
The maid in the house of a rich man attends to her work, but her mind dwells in her home in her native village. Furthermore, she brings up her master's children as though they were her own. She speaks of them as 'my Rama' or 'my Hari', but she knows in her own mind that they do not belong to her.
The tortoise moves about in the water of a lake. But do you know where her mind is? On the bank, where her eggs are laid. Do all your duties in the world, but let your mind dwell on thoughts of God.
Podcasts!
My podcast, Karmic Relief, keeps wheeling and dealing. I released episode 14 (of the reawakened season) with Michael Phillip of Third Eye Drops earlier this month and Carol Howe, an ACIM Master, is coming this week. And I have several more excellent recordings coming ASAP.
I’ve also guested on a few the past couple of months. Hanna Williams of @organic.abundance and I went in the paint for two hours… coming soon. And this was a great convo on Mind Love with Melissa Monte:
There is a YT playlist and a Spotify playlist of my guest appearances.
Lastly, I’m very thankful for the creative momentum that’s been gently snowballing over the past few years. If you’re reading this, this far down on my Substack, I am sending gratitude to you. I was impacted by the recent Meta layoffs this month, so I’m taking time to really get grounded in my spiritual practice. Spend quality time with my family and friends. And push out the last of 2024’s Karmic Relief recordings!!
May all beings be happy and free.
Loved this, Bob. Thank you!
loved this one