The Extra Mile

“Going the extra mile” is a phrase that originates in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and is included in the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew states that:

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

A huge component of success, in every aspect of life, is the willingness to venture into the extra territory. The idea of going the extra mile is to do beyond what is expected of you, with a positive attitude, without any expectation of honour, praise or reimbursement.

The rewards of doing so in our worldly commitments are close to immediate; even if it is in the smallest form, such as praise from our employer or a show of gratitude from our families. But what about on the spiritual level, where we see few signs of progress and where simply abiding by the four principles sometimes seems impossible? Why should we do more than two and a half hours of meditation each day? Why should we do more than abstain from meat and alcohol? After all, we are committed to the four vows – what does it mean to go the extra mile?

If we live by this philosophy as a matter of daily habit, the first thing we accomplish is a great friendship with our conscience. For example, when we are at a restaurant with colleagues or friends and we voice our hesitancy to pay for the meat portion of the meal, even if it is a little socially awkward to do so, where does that put us? We may not be on that party’s guest list in the future, but we would have gone the extra mile to clear our conscience of an unwanted guest: guilt.

In response to a question about a similar issue, Maharaj Charan Singh said to a disciple:

You should not do anything that makes you carry a sense of guilt with you, for that will not let you sit in meditation, it will not let you live with yourself, and it will not let you be happy.
_{Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

On the other hand, is going the extra mile even expected of us? Our gracious Master, our best friend, our Father, melts at any miniscule effort that we make. He rewards even the smallest positive action on our part. In that sense, it is so easy to please our Beloved, just by doing what we signed up for. So, no, we are not expected to do more. But then again, why shouldn’t we? We go out of our way for our family, friends and often for strangers. Why not for him?

It may seem cumbersome at first, but keep in mind that we don’t need to change a long list of things. Just living in this world, there are a number of karmas we cannot avoid. But there are some we can choose to cross out. Hazur Maharaj Ji used to say that we are sinning at every step. For example, thousands of insects are killed before food comes to our tables. He referred to these karmas as ‘innocent weight’. But we have to decide for ourselves: how heavy do we want this burden to be? The heavier the burden on our backs, the harder it is for us to walk that extra mile. It is for us to decide and make a choice as to where we want to draw the line. But Hazur Maharaj Ji adds:

We have to take a practical view in life and try to collect the least possible load, which should be cleared by meditation and devotion to the Lord.
_{Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

So if we choose to quit smoking, for example, that is a great step. Gambling also incurs extra karmas, for the reason that we are pocketing what does not belong to us. Abstaining from telling lies is something any disciple can do. Making a conscious effort to avoid gossiping will also prevent additional karmas. We may also wish to avoid animal-derived ingredients in the cosmetics we use on our skin. Our Master does not impose these decisions on us. These are principles we can decide to impose on ourselves.

And when it comes to the most important task – meditation – we are more than welcome to go the extra mile. Our Master has instructed us to sit for at least two and a half hours in silence every single day, for the rest of our lives. Going the extra mile in meditation is probably not expected of us, but highly encouraged. Maharaj Charan Singh once answered a disciple’s question regarding “too much effort” this way:

Nothing is too much on the path. There is nothing too much in love and devotion. A lover never thinks that he has been able to give too much love. A lover never calculates. He’s always absorbed in his love, happy in his love. He would utilize every minute in love and devotion; so it is never too much for him. The more he gives, the more it grows. People become rich by getting something from somebody. In Sant Mat, you become rich by giving. The more you give, the more it grows, the richer you are in love and devotion.
_{Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

In any facet of life, we go the first mile out of the fear of failure. But when we continue the second mile, it is solely out of love. In essence, when Jesus asked his disciples for the “second mile,” he was discreetly asking for a sacrifice. He was asking for love. Jesus did not make an exception for the less skilled, or the less resourceful when he asked for the second mile. Nobody is an exception. But when a heart full of love drives a disciple to do more, that disciple becomes exceptional.

You should develop a little more faith in God and remember
  that anything given in God’s name returns severalfold.
_{Fariduddin Attar, as quoted in Essential Sufism}