"The only journey is the one within."
Rainer Maria Rilke
The spiritual path is just that, a path. There is no arrival. The journey to understanding the Universe stretches out to Infinity and beyond…
Ernest Holmes says, “Mind—the Thing, Spirit, The Cause of Life —is beyond, and yet not beyond, our grasp. Beyond, in that It is so big; within, in that wherever we grasp at It, we are It to the extent that we grasp It; but, since It is Infinite, we can never encompass It. We shall never encompass this Eternal Life Force, the Source of all Things, and yet we shall always be in this ONE and of this One!”
So here lies the journey…
At some point we understand that life is not about attaining more;
more wealth,
more friends,
more stuff,
more holidays…
We understand that there is something much deeper than this.
Imagine for a moment a door. Through-out the years experiences have been accumulated along with all the ‘stuff’ that comes with them. At the time, each experience has a rating on the scale of fulfillment and a shelf life. After the experience is over it is tossed out, thrown over the shoulder into a messy pile in front of this door. Some may even spend time scrap booking, putting pictures in photo albums, or more recently, compiling a story on the favourite social media site. And then the happening is over, the next circumstance shows itself and the data continues to piles up.
One day, along comes the opportunity to explore a spiritual path. Another fun activity to do perhaps, besides, it has become a pretty popular thing to do, “No I’m not religious, I am spiritual.”
“Cool!”
It is cool, fun, deep, and profound. As time goes by a new collection begins. The books pile up, the journals extend across the shelf, yoga equipment fills up the cupboards… all in front of this door.
One day, for whatever random reason, you happen to notice that the pile in front of the door has gotten pretty large. In fact, it has been a long time since you opened the door. Now there is this huge pile of completed and no longer needed experiences, but held onto because you don’t want to loose them.
You have a longing, a desire to go through this door. Something is drawing and pulling you but there is all this stuff. UGH! The draw is strong so you sit down and begin removing the layers.
At first the going is pretty easy. Colours of the recent past aren’t so bad. As you proceed and uncover the articles deeper into the pile you discover they are heavier and much harder to remove. Layer by layer they get more intrenched in the surfaces below. Some of them are stuck and require deep prying, pulling and strength to release their grip. Finally, when some of the heavy ones are removed, you are exhausted and want to quit. A friend passes by and reminds you of the ‘good times’. They invite you out, you have a blast, and toss another circumstance onto the pile. Maybe this goes on for a time again… amnesia about the door and lots more entertaining distractions.
In time the draw to the door resurfaces. You return to the pile and begin all over. The recent top layer is easy to discard. It is light and frivolous. This time you find yourself at the heavy sticky parts more quickly.
Oh the door, You want the door! You know there is something so much greater than you have ever had. But now the pile is becoming much more painful and harder and harder to move.
Many before you have long given up never to return. Some remain trapped in the cycle of clearing and adding and clearing and adding. Few press on meeting each discarded layer with determination, “There is Good for me and I ought to have It”, until one day, they open the door.
“I am constantly finding more and more Good.” Ernest Holmes
There is a Life beyond our present day experience and it is not out of our reach. We are already within this Grand Life. The door is in our house. It is our work, our spiritual study and understanding, that creates an expansion. When our understanding of a spiritual life is small our experience of Good is small. Greater Good is right here. It is on the other side of the door. But only you can do the work and deal with your pile.
I like to help people. Perhaps I have helped you in the past. Helping others is a big part of my pile. It gets in the way of the door. I am so busy running through other’s problems, adding on my pile and avoiding the removal work. I have thoughts that others aren’t ok just the way they are, they need my help. My door becomes and elusive idea. Even still, daily I rise with renewed intention and begin again at the heap.
As I tug and pull to remove the layers the going gets tough. I realize these experiences are stuck together by shame & self hatred; “Ohhhh, this is way too hard!” So I call up a friend, or my son, or my husband, and I get all involved in their life and my pile grows again.
Still the door calls. I know “There is greater Good for me” and I make an agreement with the Universe for peaceful experiences. I do nothing to solve ‘problems’ but rather allow the balance and harmony to find its way for me and for each and every person. I watch the pile shrink, the door cracks open…
So much good awaits.