How important is morality in leading my spiritual life?

Ans : We may be quite different and diverse in every way, but there is one common factor, and that is the indwelling Reality. If this is pondered and gradually grasped as the basis of relating ourselves to "others,' we discover that there are no others. From the innermost reality of our spiritual being, there are no others in the sense that they are something else other than us or something different with whom we have nothing in common. If we make this the basis of relating ourselves with all living beings and all of God's creation, then we will live and move in this world as a unifying factor and harmonising principle. We are not what we see when we stand before a mirror. We are that which is not seen, and that is the same in all. That Being that makes us all one, we call God, the One in the many.

This truth is the basis of the good life. It is the real basis of kindness and courtesy. Why should we give respect to others? Because the Being whom we worship and adore is the Being who is the indwelling common consciousness. When we worship Him in the temple or church, how can we show disrespect when He is before us as the living God? That which gives us happiness will also give happiness to others. That which is painful to us will also give pain to others. Therefore, the true basis of morality, compassion, and being helpful to others is the ultimate spiritual experience that gives us the vision and reveals to us the truth that God is one, and He is everywhere. He in a sense says, "I come to you in all directions through My own creation. I put before you My creation so that you may never forget Me."
Gurudev came to open our eyes to this vision. He taught us to see the hidden God in all things and to make that truth the basis of our life. Such a life will be full of reverence for life and respect for all beings. Out of such a life will come sweet, desirable and beautiful human relationships. This is the need of our times, the need of the world today. Many people do not know how to behave with each other-individually, collectively or internationally. Our behaviour is un-spiritual; we fight and quarrel. We worship the outer form, and the awareness of the inner content is conspicuous by its absence. Therefore the world is what it is today. Although we can do little to change the world, yet we can change ourselves. We can bemoan the world but we cannot change it. However we can do everything to rise from unreality to Reality, from darkness to Light, from mortality to Immortality. That we can! That we must!