In my life, I have tried to be Good and Pure and True. In these qualities, I have failed miserably. Why is it so hard to be good? Why is it so difficult to act in harmony with our mental ideals?
From the sea of Emptiness, everything arises.
Many people on the spiritual path eventually come face to face with their "Dark Side" - that part of themselves that is very, un-enlightened, selfish and spoiled. Reactions are a great mirror. We shout at the driver who cut us off. We take advantage of our employees because they really need the job. We cheat on our diets, our spouses, and our promises. We want to be good. We want to live in harmony with our spiritual nature, but sometimes, sometimes when lust, fear, or power overwhelm us - a demon seems to take charge of our actions. He makes us do things we regret if others see, and "forget" if others don't.
The lion kills the gazelle. The ice kills the last dinosaur. Man loves Woman. Man kills Man. Man creates monuments to the Gods.
Reactions. Words are easy. It is easy to say you are good, to say you love everyone and everything, to think to yourself that you are enlightened, to imagine that you give selflessly to the unfortunate. But actions, particularly re-actions are the great indicators of our deeper nature. Your "dark" reactions - both physical and emotional - are what the spiritual seeker must boldly face if they are ever to progress past a rudimentary taste of Inner Peace.
To survive, He kills. To spread his seed, He goes to war. To teach his children, he works his life away.
There are a million self-help books out there. Countless psychologists and billions of people who will all tell you exactly what you need to do to make yourself "better." Let me posit that you don't need to be fixed. Let me further posit that the only thing any of us are guilty of is a little fantasizing.
At his base, He is an animal. At his apex, He is a god.
One of the gifts of humanity is the gift of imagination. The problem is, sometimes we don't realize that we are imagining. We believe some fantasy about who we are and all our "problems" rear up and slap us in the face when we don't live up to that fantasy. Let me say that again. Our problems arise when who we really are conflicts with who we think we are.
Self preservation. Procreation. Possession. Defending the Tribe. Attacking to Survive.
You are selfish. You do lust after your neighbor's wife. You really do want to be famous and rich and powerful. Your fantasy says these are all off limits to the spiritual seeker. That if you were a good man/woman/god you wouldn't have those feelings.
War and Peace. Good and Evil. Love and Hate. Me and Them. One cannot exist without the Other. One cannot exist without Two.
So which is more real, your fantasy persona or your true, if somewhat repressed emotions? All this might sound a little funny coming from a man who claims to see God (a female god nonetheless) in a discarded banana peel, but damn it, I know my viewpoint is an illusion. Most seekers don't realize their fantasies are really only mental images - ideals that exist only in their minds.
Below it all, the Source. Below it all, Emptiness. From the sea of Emptiness. All life arises.
Your "dark" reactions are simply little indicators of where your true self deviates from your imagined self. Deny your nature and live your fantasy. Embrace the Darkness, feel the burn - and you will quickly find the Light.
Wayne Wirs is the photographer and author of Fading Toward Enlightenment - Life between the Ego and the Ethereal. For more information about Wayne, his writings or his photography, please visit http://fadingtowardenlightenment.com
bedroom cleaning professionals Glencoe ...Be filled with the Spirit.? always giving thanks to God... Read More
Matthew 2:19-23 The Return to Nazareth19 But when Herod died,... Read More
What could be a scary thought for some? How bout'... Read More
In a recent article entitled "Our Virtual Reality Reality" I... Read More
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on... Read More
God rides a Harley, God drives truck, God is a... Read More
First, there is the field of complete consciousness.This then expresses... Read More
One of the first issues people on the spiritual path... Read More
In our fast paced society we often want everything done... Read More
There is no incident in the life of Moses which... Read More
The Bible tells us that we need to be led... Read More
Years ago no matter where I lived, whether a house... Read More
When God first unveils a business or ministry vision that... Read More
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.... Read More
Contrary to popular beliefs, we are not our mind, our... Read More
If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to... Read More
Hello, My name is Mellody Davis and here is my... Read More
The Orisha are the Messengers of Oludumare, the God/dess of... Read More
A while back the Lord had given me this message... Read More
Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More
Every month I usually sit down and write an article... Read More
There is no such thing as a coincidence. Albert Einstein... Read More
Limiting beliefs, just like positive, empowering thoughts, provide a foundation... Read More
You decide! We are often asked to make decisions. Decision... Read More
Even Pandora and her box come in two versions. In... Read More
scheduled cleaning services Des Plaines ...As a Psychiatrist I spent most of my life training... Read More
While study and pursuit of the Kundalini is considered part... Read More
Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More
The greatest frustration in a Christian's life is not being... Read More
In one forum, one participant posted this query:I think quite... Read More
When I was 10 years old my father decided to... Read More
So I met a friend recently and we went to... Read More
Job was a spiritual man who loved and obeyed God... Read More
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. --ROMANS... Read More
There are many different and interchangeable terms that are used... Read More
When the Bible makes reference to a "yoke" it is... Read More
There's nothing new about "the new age" except the attitude... Read More
To many people in the Western world Metaphysical Healing is... Read More
All of my life I had heard, read and sang... Read More
Remember me! It's me! Joseph here in touch with you... Read More
Imagine the Bible is a sharp and deadly double-edged sword,... Read More
The question, "Is God Dead?", first entered my consciousness when... Read More
Taco Bell, the Mexican fast-food franchise, has a new ad... Read More
Self-actualization comes down to three basic premises: this is who... Read More
When I was a child, I thought as a child,... Read More
I can see the cops coming! They're a good thousand... Read More
The fastest way to raise your frequency is to do... Read More
Michael Shermer speaks with the energy and passion of an... Read More
One of the most touching stories in New Testament scripture... Read More
Most forms of psychotherapy I know either tries to help... Read More
Spirituality |