Always remember, joy is not incidental to spiritual quest. It is vital.

This quote suggests that joy is not just a byproduct or an occasional outcome of the spiritual journey, but it is an essential and critical component of it. In other words, joy is not something that just happens to come along once in a while during the quest for spiritual growth. Instead, it is a necessary, vital element that fuels and sustains the journey itself.

The reference to joy being “vital” implies that it is as necessary to the spiritual quest as air is to breathing. It is not a luxury, but a necessity. Without joy, the spiritual quest may become a burden or a chore, rather than a fulfilling, life-enhancing journey.

Applying this to today’s world or personal development, one could argue that too often, we approach tasks or goals with a sense of duty, obligation, or even dread, rather than joy. We might see our work, our relationships, or our personal growth as something we ‘have to do’, rather than something we ‘get to do’. According to the wisdom in this quote, such an approach is not only less enjoyable, but also less effective.

If we see joy as vital, we might start to look for it in every task, every challenge, every moment. We might start to seek out work, relationships, and personal growth opportunities that bring us joy. And in doing so, we might not only enjoy the journey more, but also get further along in our spiritual quest.

So, in essence, this quote is a reminder to prioritize joy, to seek it out, and to let it guide us on our spiritual journey. It is a call to shift our perspective from seeing joy as a ‘nice-to-have’ to seeing it as a ‘must-have’. It is a call to live joyfully, not just occasionally, but constantly.