Month: December 2019

No matter where I am on the mystical path, and no matter the degree of severity of my “dark night of the soul”, it lasts only as long as I allow it.

My beliefs and rituals either bring me back to God in a timely fashion, or I endure a protracted loss of identity and suffer a hell of my own making.

If it is the latter, it is usually because I misunderstand the message I am being given by God. Or, I am resisting the way of truth that is being laid out before me. Only a disciplined return to my authentic practice solves this dilemma.

My mystic path tells me: surrender, adoration, and glory. It says return to sacrificing the self, loving all unconditionally, and praising God. Give up your will, attachments, and pride. Return to the helping hand, faith-based love, and being of God.

 

Mystic surrender is giving up on the mundane “wants”, “shoulds”, and “don’ts” in life. Letting them go, not seeking or resisting. No judging, except for being sure you do no harm, and that your actions originate from mystical consciousness. The awakened voice that brings with it definitive truth, mercy, and love. It cannot happen any other way, lest the soul be wounded. When the “wants” presented in your life coincide with your wishes, accept and praise God. When they don’t, bless the circumstances and move on. No celebration or grief, they only serve to strengthen ego. “Don’ts” are often good intentions gone wrong. The result of ignoring or disrespecting what Spirit, from its wisdom, deemed you should do. Acting on your own accord you restrain the spirit, which only serves to deflate the soul and hurt the heart. And if of bad intentions, duality most likely severed your heart from God’s, causing you to do harm. Your “me” having become paramount, a little god seeking its own glory. With forgiveness and compassion re-establish union with God and allow the Divine to guide you in giving up trivial prohibitions. “Shoulds” seduce you into believing you are secure and in control. All that is required is to act as others do, and follow the rules. After all, there is strength in numbers, and the majority must be right. But the mystic’s life, while for the benefit of the tribe, is not a life of the tribe. It is one of remaining close to Spirit, obeying revealed sacred principles, and living the freedom granted you by doing so. A liberation characterized by love and abundance, the result of diligently following and glorifying God.

 

The mystic pursues union with Spirit through non-ordinary states of consciousness, e.g. peak experiences, unitive awareness, awakened witnessing, supernatural events. In direct opposition to separation, these moments are influenced by nonduality, and are the ones that raise our awareness beyond ego. Eventually our soul awakens, and we become closer to God. With time our habits and character change, and we become a new person, no longer of this world. It is our spirit now that lives here. And it spends its time following the way that is laid out before it by Divinity. Stillness of mind and unconditional love giving rise to “superconscious thought” and spontaneous “action without action” determining our response to the world. Not predicted by, and significantly deviating from ego, this results in each moment feeling fresh and filled with goodness. Living becomes a wandering of sorts, filled with peace, love, and communion. And, with each moment glorifying God.

Spiritual purification rejects the ego perspective and moves one closer to God. This transition is aided by adopting an attitude of refusing to remain upset, e.g. feeling down, annoyed, pessimistic. Instead, one commits to always returning home to Spirit through practices involving forgiveness, intercessory prayer, or praising and/or affirming one’s relationship with God. While purifying, these actions also reduce one’s distress. Returning to soul, the mystic benefits from the Divine viewpoint with its peace and love. And is often provided a new and unique course of action for challenges being faced. Concomitantly, the mystic’s soul is strengthened and emerges more fully alive in the world, bringing goodness, compassion, and love to others. But most importantly, the mystic’s life purpose of glorifying God is served.

If there are no coincidences, then it wasn’t me. If all circumstances are sacred, then it most certainly could not have been me. Then, what was it that caught your attention? What was it that caused you to stare? It wasn’t me. The spirit within you saw it, felt it. Was drawn to it. But it wasn’t me. Familiar to you, perhaps even quietly desired, the feelings you felt were welcomed. And you thought it was me. But, it wasn’t. You may have wanted to, but you dared not approach. Or, you may have been awed, and moved away. Maybe you approached, getting so close you could touch it. But it wasn’t me. No, you had been gazing upon, and subtly communicating with the spirit within me. There was beauty and there was love. But it wasn’t me. It was Us.