Use It or Lose It

‘Use it or lose it’ is a popular adage which describes something that must be used by a particular date, or you will lose the opportunity offered. These four little words hold much meaning for spiritual seekers. In Sant Mat it can be applied to a human birth – we have been granted a fixed number of breaths in and out.

One of the greatest gifts the Lord has given us is the human body; only in this form are souls able to go to their final resting place, their home with the Father. The book of Corinthians in the Bible reminds us of this by asking a rhetorical question: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

The value of a human birth also comes up a lot in satsang. Maybe it’s because we’ve heard about this so many times that we’re beginning to overlook the significance of what we’re told. When, for example, did you think about being given a human body? Have you reminded yourself that you have an expiry date that is yours alone? And have you cheered yourself up with the thoughts of the ultimate gift – the one without the expiry date?

We now have the opportunity to end our homesickness and reunite with our Father. Let this put you straight if you think he’s forgotten about you or is not missing you. He wants his children home, all of them, including you, dear reader.

Mobile phones include a function that monitors battery levels, which gives a breakdown of how much power is being used by each application. No doubt you’ve been in a situation when your phone needs charging but you find you’ve left your charger at home. At that time, the first thing you would do is conserve the battery by closing the unnecessary applications.

Our life is in the same emergency situation; we are short of charge, and to make the most of this lifetime we need to shut down all unnecessary applications – unhelpful thoughts, wasting time, gossiping and so forth – so that we can make it to our true home. I bet you feel the frustration or annoyance caused by phone crises. Imagine, then, how annoyed you’d feel with yourself if your life’s expiry date were earlier than you thought it would be, and you hadn’t gotten around to preparing for this earnestly. How can we be sure that we will get a human birth next time around?

Just as a phone needs charging daily, our soul needs to be powered daily by two and a half hours of meditation. Running out of phone battery is not serious, but our life is at a critical juncture, with each second drawing us closer to the inevitable ‘battery dead’ point. When, in the future, our soul leaves the body, we can either go off fully charged or face the realization that we are drained of power. Since I get really annoyed when my phone battery runs out, I’m tuning into the Shabd to ensure that my soul is fully charged. I hope you are too – I’d hate for you to think, “I forgot to do that.”



Whatever you do in life, always remember that meditation should never be sacrificed for anything in this world. The wealth of meditation is permanent and lasting and is yours, whereas everything of this world is perishable and transitory.
_{Quest for Light}



You should not have feelings of frustration. Life should be faced as it is, with courage and the Master’s grace. One day everything will be all right. The more you devote yourself to meditation, the more peace you will have inside. Do not worry unnecessarily about your failings. Forget the past, live and meditate in the present, and do not worry about the future.
_{Quest for Light}