Patience on the Path
“Be patient. The path of self-discipline that leads to God-realization is not an easy path: obstacles and sufferings are on the path; the latter you must bear, and the former overcome — all by His help. His help comes only through concentration. Repetition of God’s name helps concentration.”
–Swami Ramdas (a.k.a. Papa Ramdas, Indian Spiritual Teacher, 1884-1963)
“Epidemics of the Soul”
“Materialism has cast man into such depths that a mighty concentration of forces is necessary to raise him again. He is subject to illnesses of the nervous system which are veritable epidemics of the life of the soul.”
–Rudolf Steiner (Croatian-born Austrian Mystic, Occultist, Social Philosopher, Architect and Founder of Anthroposophy, 1861-1925)
The Spirituality of the Ordinary
“Spirituality…is to be found and nurtured in the smallest of daily activities…The spirituality that feeds the soul and ultimately heals our psychological wounds may be found in those sacred objects that dress themselves in the accoutrements of the ordinary.”
–Thomas Moore (American Psychotherapist and Writer, 1940-)
“Care of the Soul : A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life” (Thomas Moore)
Readiness to Receive
“The Grace is always there for the asking, always in abundance, but is the seeker capable of receiving it?”
–Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (Indian Spiritual Teacher and Exponent of Jnana Yoga and Advaita Doctrine, 1897-1981)
Good Works
“Paradoxically, it’s most often our smallest, most anonymously done good works that have the greatest spiritual impact in and on this world.”
–Thom Hartmann (American Author, Psychotherapist and Radio Talk Show Host, 1951-)
Are You Meant For the Path?
I constantly meet people who tell me that they want to follow a spiritual path, but then begin to flounder when I ask them “Why?” or “What are you going to commit to doing on your Path?”
This a a fine expression about the Path by the close spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo.
“What do you want the Yoga for? To get power? To attain to peace and calm? To serve humanity? None of these motives is sufficient to show that you are meant for the Path.
The question you are to answer is this: Do you want the Yoga for the sake of the Divine? Is the Divine the supreme fact of your life, so much so that it is simply impossible for you to do without it? Do you feel that your very raison d’etre is the Divine and without it there is no meaning in your existence? If so, then only can it be said that you have a call for the Path.
This is the first thing necessary – aspiration for the Divine.
The next thing you have to do is to tend it, to keep it always alert and awake and living. And for that what is required is concentration – concentration upon the Divine with a view to an integral and absolute consecration to its Will and Purpose. Concentrate in the heart. Enter into it; go within and deep and far, as far as you can. Gather all the strings of your consciousness that are spread abroad, roll them up and take a plunge and sink down.
A fire is burning there, in the deep quietude of the heart. It is the divinity in you – your true being. Hear its voice, follow its dictates.”
–The Mother of Pondicherry (a.k.a. Mirra Alfassa, French-born Indian Spiritual Teacher, 1878-1973)
Imagination, Aspiration and Spirituality
“Imagination plays a most significant role in the spiritual life. Suppose you are not having good meditations, but six months ago you had a very good, powerful, high meditation.
What you can do is try to imagine that powerful meditation. Then your imagination will become reality.
After fifteen minutes or half an hour, you will get a good meditation.
Vivekananda was such a great spiritual figure, yet sometimes for six months at a time he did not have a good meditation. What did he do? He used to imagine a time when he did have a good meditation, and inside his imagination was aspiration. So imagination is very good.”
–Sri Chinmoy (a.k.a. Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, Indian Philosopher and Spiritual Teacher, 1931-2007)
Deeply Human Spirituality
“A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply human.”
–Rev. William Sloan Coffin, Jr. (American Liberal Christian Clergyman and Peace Activist, 1924-2006)
Infinite Spirit and Total Enlightenment
“If Spirit has any meaning, it must be omnipresent, or all-pervading and all-encompassing. There can’t be a place where Spirit is not, or it wouldn’t be infinite.
Therefore, Spirit has to be completely present, right here, right now, in your own awareness. That is, your own present awareness, precisely as it is, without changing it or altering it in any way, is perfectly and completely permeated by Spirit.
Furthermore, it is not that Spirit is present but you need to be enlightened in order to see it. It is not that you are one with Spirit but just don’t know it yet. Because that would also imply that there is some place Spirit is not. No, according to Dzogchen, you are always already one with Spirit, and that awareness is always already fully present, right now. You are looking directly at Spirit, with Spirit, in every act of awareness.
There is nowhere Spirit is not. Further, if Spirit has any meaning at all, then it must be eternal, or without beginning or end. If Spirit had a beginning in time, then it would be strictly temporal, it would not be timeless and eternal. And this means, as regards your own awareness, that you cannot become enlightened. You cannot attain enlightenment. If you could attain enlightenment, then that state would have a beginning in time, and so it would not be true enlightenment.
Rather, Spirit, and enlightenment, has to be something that you are fully aware of right now. Something you are already looking at right now… We are all already looking directly at Spirit, we just don’t recognize it. We have all the necessary cognition, but not the recognition.”
–Ken Wilber (American Philosopher, 1949-)
“Grace and Grit: Spirituality and Healing in the Life and Death of Treya Killam Wilber” (Ken Wilber)
Evolution Is The Law of Life
“Evolution is the law of life. Everything must evolve, even minerals; they evolve very slowly, but they do evolve. There is a force in minerals which works to bring to light all the qualities and virtues they contain. Precious stones and precious metals are more highly evolved minerals, possessing beneficial virtues. Plants also evolve, and the more they do the more they provide nutritious, healing flowers and fruits. It’s the same with animals and people, and it’s even true for our planet and the whole solar system.
Everything must progress and improve; where this law is impeded, destruction occurs. Entire human cultures, worlds and constellations have disappeared, because they have opposed the law of evolution. So, try to take this law seriously: your whole life will be transformed by it, and you will create a magnificent future for yourself.”
–Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov (Bulgarian Spiritual Master, 1900-1986)
