Many set their feet upon the spiritual path believing that to get anywhere they must learn many occult and magical secrets.
But they are eventually disappointed, because the spiritual mysteries can never be conveyed to a soul through words alone.
The Work
The real power to perform so-called miracles can only come to you through your working to attain it. You can read every book in the libraries of the world, and know many interesting facts, and still remain impotent. The only way you will learn to work the oracle is through diligent work in your daily life. It is of no avail to dream, and hope, and wish. You must turn up your sleeves and get down to real practical service to humanity. It may be only thoroughly scrubbing a floor, or doing something much more distasteful; it may mean giving humble and sincere service to one whom you do not feel drawn, or giving your hand to another in brotherhood – perhaps a difficult task. It may mean controlling your own wayward tongue and thoughts, and finding that the world gives you no credit because nobody is aware of the battle which you wage with yourself.
This is the kind of work we mean when we say, ‘Turn up your sleeves, get right down on your knees in humility, and scrub the floor of your own lodge or temple.’ This also implies having courage when in adversity, and facing apparent injustice with a calm spirit, secure in the knowledge that God's love has led you to face injustice for a wise purpose.
Ring true
Be true. This is the essence of the spiritual life. Strive always to ‘ring true’. The note of your spirit is sounded on the higher planes, and the knocks which you receive in your everyday life come to test whether you can really ring true. To ring true you must always sound in tune with the note of God which is within you.
The calm, faithful spirit which rings true throughout every experience of life, in both adversity and disappointment as well as in success, will gain admission into the heavenly places.
To find truth
Seek always the tranquil way, my brother, my sister; cleanse your heart of all conflict, all fear; this you will do as you learn to understand the meaning of love.
A story is told of a pupil who went into the wilderness to seek his master. The master kindly received him but told him that like all neophytes he must prove himself ready to advance on the path which led to spiritual enlightenment, illumination and power. The pupil was over-eager, and his mind over-active; he wanted power; he wanted to advance quickly on the spiritual path. But he lacked one essential – complete love towards God and all humankind. He knew many things with his mind, but his heart was only slightly awake.
So his master took him to the edge of a lake and firmly but gently led his pupil into its waters; he immersed and held him under the surface for a considerable time. When at last the pupil was allowed to rise, gasping and spluttering, and saying that it had been a terrible experience, the master said, ‘My son, when you long for God as desperately as you longed for air when you were underwater, then you will find God; and in finding God, you will find all’.
Holy longing
Many believe in God; they know a great deal on the intellectual plane. They go through ceremonies and follow devious paths, hoping always to find God, but instead go round and round in circles and their hearts remain barren. It is one thing to know about esoteric truths, and quite another to become part of, to experience, actually to live them. The only sure way of entering the kingdom of heaven is through the heart, through love, through becoming at one with God, who dwells within the silence of the heart. Aspiration towards God must become a yearning, a real driving force in you, until you feel ready to renounce everything that you think you possess, in order to become at one with God. When you sincerely and truly long so much to love God and to know God's love that nothing else matters, then you will find God, and all truth.
From Golden Harvest by White Eagle, copyright The White Eagle Publishing Trust 1958, 1999.
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