Does your spiritual practice match your search for truth & enlightenment?
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Enlightenment is a vast subject that has more than just one meaning. Different schools of thought address areas such as knowledge and learning, history, philosophy, science and spirituality. It is therefore logical to thoughtfully examine enlightenment from several angles in order to see the bigger picture of the puzzle that has been broken down into it's smaller parts that these various schools of thought represent. We can look at such a comprehensive study of the parts of enlighten, as the many parts of humanity's one self collaborating for the good of the whole, in the same way that the cells and organs of the human body must work together for the good of the entire body. Enlightenment needs to be both spiritual as well as relevant to the continuous acquisition of knowledge in fields of, Quantum Physics, classic and behavioral sciences. Because in spite of itself, science, specifically Quantum Mechanics, is making more and more exciting discoveries that provide the explanation and proof of the possibilities and abilities described in ancient esoteric knowledge as well as enriching the subject of enlightenment with new understandings, that have previously overlooked. Quantum Mechanics have for example, provided understandable hypotheses for even previously difficult to accept practices, such as shamanism. When these hypotheses are clearly presented through film, interviews and images geared towards a lay audience, it is easy to make the connections, and once those connections have been made, abilities such as 'shape shifting or bi-location' become an acceptable and exciting goal.
Perhaps surprisingly for some seekers of truth, is the fact that a great amount of very valuable information is hidden in the Christian Bible in oftentimes perplexing metaphors. The Kabalah on the other hand, is already mentioned in spiritual articles as a particular area of knowledge that has also information for those seeking the truth. In the Kabalah this is hidden in numbers, letters and Sacred Geometry. Both of these areas require insight and discretion of the heart if attempting to unravel the real meanings of the secret teachings that they hold. Moving on from these two great books, perhaps the most unusual place of all to look for knowledge that will need to enlightenment, is in the dimensions where out of body experiences unfold.
Imagine the how absolutely stunning it would be, to prove to yourself that you continue to exist after death. And equally thrilling, that you can go to school while having these experiences in order to gain powerful knowledge. Though this requires some courage, that won't be as difficult as it might first seem. Taking a thrill ride on a modern roller coaster, is for me far more difficult to willingly step into, than going out of body. At any rate, it should be now obvious that to be enlightened in the 21st century, is to have obtained knowledge from a variety of sources and not just meditation, as important and necessary as meditation may be. As a spiritual seeker myself, I remember on first starting out and thinking that it was difficult to find information and I particularly found enigmatic spiritual writings and says very frustrating when I could not understand what was being said. However the more I searched and grew, the more I discovered and understand. There is so much more knowledge to be explored. a large amount of it new, that the average spiritual seeker is undoubtedly unaware of. This new knowledge effects changes in an individual’s believe systems, perceptions, expectations and behavior. For the individual on a spiritual path, these mental and behavioral changes have the potential of creating a fifth change; that of transforming the individual into a kind of meta-human who is said to be self-realized, and lives in a constant state of pure consciousness and constantly updating knowledge This new evolved being has abilities that are usually unavailable to other humans.
Usually for most seekers, after the initial stage of learning, studying and concentrated meditation, a number of ah ha! moments, usually occurs followed by awakened or greater intuition andvarying levels of internal knowing. As the process continues to unfold, the Kundalini energy may begin to awaken and signal it’spresence through manifestations of tingling electrical sensations in the body. Yet those seekers who manage to arrive at this stage, may nevertheless remain there for a needless length of time without making any further identifiable progress. There is of course so much more to learn and to accomplish so every effort needs to be put forth to advance. However over and above effort, it is necessary to include Love on your spiritual path if you truly wish to make great progress. My own spiritual practice includes certain very specific beliefs; The first is love,. meaning love for the planet, myself and all of humanity. This is much easier than some may imagine. All that is needed is the understanding and the acceptance that all sentient beings share the same consciousness, and that all of humanity is engaged in a shared experience and experiment in free will. And all descent into hate, war and conflicts are due to being separated from the truth of ourselves. love does not mean blindness, in this case, love in keeping the truth in mind and refusing to judge.
Holding on to the old Model of Enlightenment......
blocks the rapid advance that is possible when the new model is embraced. Humanity discovers more and more enlightening knowledge as the natural sequence in the process of our evolution. Like climbing a ladder, when one foot is raised on a higher rung, we instinctively know that what we must do next, is to shift the weight from the lower foot and lift it even higher. That is the intention of human consciousness evolution: Holding fast & staying stuck on any particular rung of the ladder defeats our purpose for being here on Earth
Another belief that I hold and I know to be helpful, is that I am already pure love and light, just like my source. Another belief that guides me is that“what I am seeking is also seeking me.” This affords me to regard and experience enlightenment and beyond, as the great evolutionary adventure that it is. My beliefs and expectation always find a way to effortlessly attract the knowledge and results that I seek. For the most part, the exact details of the manifestation of what I desire remains outside of my conscious mindThese simple straightforward belief might also be useful if you have yet tomake the progress that you desire. You could use it for the next 90 days and then evaluate whether it works for you. Continually embracing different aspects of enlightenment in order to experience a richer and more comprehensive knowing, may also be as potentially helpful. So with all that being said, what is the goal of your own spiritual journey?. What methods do you include; and what are your expectations?.
Are you giving your search for truth and enlightenment the time and attention that is needed?. Have you given your goal the absolute highest priority in your life? and do your expectations and your practices match up?. Seeking spiritual enlightenment can neither be a hobby or an occasional pursuit since success is directly related to the effort put forth as well as consistency. It should come as no surprise to learn that time spent in meditation, contemplation and in learning and then practicing what has been learned, is the most reliable way to advance. This must be done until illusion is replaced by the reality that was always in place, just previously hidden. If you have yet to make the advances that you would like, then maybe it is time to change either your expectations or the amount of time and steadfast dedication that you have so far given your spiritual practice. If you after asking yourself the questions posed, it is that you feel that you lack asufficient knowledge base to make your search more understandable and real, then know that there are many great books that you can read that describe many aspects of the basic spiritual teachings. The cord that runs through each, is that we are more than our human selves and that we can create whatever we desire. The spiritual path is therefore a journey back to to our essence, this greater part of ourselves Many of these spiritual classics were written in the past century are free to read online in PDF formats through a search of each respective titles. I have also included a selection of helpful informative books and videos on the Books and Videos pages on the blog. The books are available on Amazon, while the videos can be viewed on youtube by clicking on their links.
The two most often encountered problems, by new and even seasoned spiritual seekers, is lack of time and difficulty in experiencing meaningful meditation. The ability to meditation depends first and foremost on the ability to relax. If you have or are encountering these problems, then there is a solution that is very effective called a walking meditation. I have written about this in another post but I will elaborate on it here. The reasons why it is so effective are many fold. First it takes little time; 15 -20 minutes. It adds the benefit of gentle exercise that your body will soon crave. Next it induces exactly the light to moderate trance state that is perfect to experience deep meditation. Everyone knows the effect that driving a well known route or a long road trip has on the mind of the driver: Well the same repetitive and or rhythmic activity coupled with the kinesthetic activity, also produces the same trance effect. This in turn produces the exact inner focus necessary for deep meditation. So for 15 - 20 minutes you can walk in a a light trance, preferably out doors in a safe place among nature. Choose the pace that appeals best to you, brisk or slow, it does not matter. What matters is that you are able to enter into and maintain a deep inner focus as you walk. You should not, and will not need to close your eyes. though you can repeat a mantra either silently in your mind or out loud if doing so helps you to better focus.
You can also use a walking meditation to uncover very specific information by giving your inner selfthe question or subject that you wish to know more about. Then set on on your walking meditation in silence with a feeling of expectation. Now as always when you intend to manifest anything, you must must adopt what I term the “The holding on while letting go ,” state of consciousness. This means that the idea or desire is “just there in the back of the mind,” but without a direct focus being given to it, and without any attempt made to solve the information desired. Instead there should be a quiet confidence that the necessary details for the information or other desired thing to come to you is being put in place and, of great importance, that it ultimately arrives and is presented to you. Note carefully here that if you only had thoughts that the thing you requested is being “worked on by the universe,” or Source or God, then you will create a state of continuous “going to happen” rather than one of “has happened.”
Meditation Wisdom
"You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour." ~ unknown
The first function of thought, is to create, what is desired, felt, or visualized. Subsequent thoughts about the subject add energy to the thing in the process of manifesting and also reaffirm belief. this process of thought creation is literally represented in The God filed, or Field of Intention by a mist-like three dimensional formation of the thing or idea of the thought. This mist-like representation becomes more concrete and solid depending on the amount, or strength of the thought and the emotion given to it. Do not be discouraged if you need a few attempts to get this just right, as it will become easier with time. It is preferable to place the attention on deepening your light trance and a feeling of peace and relaxation as you do your walking meditation. And remember that as humans we need only 3 - 4 weeks to develop a habit. so doing a walking meditation 4-5 times each week can pay great spiritual dividends in just a few months. Once you are able to begin to relax and quiet your mind and to turn your focus inwards, you will find that this ability transfers itself to those moments when you do sit in the more usual style of meditating. And as a bonus, the more you meditate, the more you will want to meditate. once you have saturated your mind and thoughts with transformation throughmeditation, you will reap extraordinary benefits.
Be honest with yourself as you re-evaluate your goal or goals for your spiritual journey. Hold yourself accountable as to whether your efforts, the time that you set aside for spiritual learning and practice, as well as your beliefs, are in line with the results that you are hoping to have. In the same way that you would not enter a long distance race competition, or engage in heavy weight lifting in the gym, or any other activity that requires time, focus, practice and effort, you should not expect to become a spiritual adept without devoting yourself to the processes that will transform you. However, once you devote yourself with passion and ask for guidance , usually something wonderfully strange takes place; as if the inner self which has been nudging you to look inside to begin the inner spiritual search, then seeing your dedication and determination, turns up the volume and frequency on your vibratory rate and your intuition, (the latter, if you think about it, literally means inner teaching). This allows you to make quicker progress as long as you engage this inner teacher for your answers. Synchronicity also usually comes into play to guide you. You will notice that when you are aligned to your true self and the communication is open and flowing, you will have many incidences of synchronicities. This is a dependable signal that you are now operating and living at a higher frequency than previously and when you notice, it is your encouragement to keep going forward .
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Basic knowledge about the need for meditation and inner reflection is easily available to anyone with a computer, or access to a public library. However the real goals and practices are not always clear even in the spiritual community. In spite of well meaning intentions, the idea that enlightenment is mostly a hoped for, yet nevertheless murky idea of an enigmatic and extraordinary something that one wishes to collide with at some point along the spiritual path, while a noble concept, is simply not only inaccurate, but also deeply restrictive. There is much more to learn as the soul within you evolves, however this knowledge becomes more precious and more astounding as the individual advances up the ladder. Advanced knowledge is only given to the determined, diligent and appreciative soul. In nature we see that effort must be expended in order to reap the reward of food, and even to stay alive. In the quote below from The Bible, though undoubtedly harsh and unkind sounding, is of course intended to explain that something as precious as spiritual knowledge, should only be given to someone who will appreciate it having put forth the effort to obtain it and have desired it deeply.
However many areas you choose to direct your journey, it is the spiritual practices of meditation, inner focus and contemplation and love that should remain central to your spiritual practice and the most valuable. Because your inner teacher, when allowed, not only guides you where to look, it also gives you the discretion on whether or not to accept the information that you find and how to interpret the true meanings below the surface; in order words, the inner teacher provides valuable discernment. And as you mature in your spiritual practices, you will notice that the knowledge and the lessons themselves will set themselves up so that you grow in wisdom and ultimately acheive enlightenment
