More on Why

In my first post on 4 Oct 2012, I said a little about why and how I got interested in mysticism in the first place, but little about why potential spiritual development has become such a priority with me now.

It's because, though I know I'm swimming against the tide in everyday society, I think IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ANYBODY CAN DO. And anybody can do it.

In the increasingly available material comforts that science and modernism have given us, in the heady rush of “getting and spending” we “ lay waste our powers” (thanks, Wordsworth.) Our attention is all directed outward, and we are at the mercy of the physical world which, however pleasant we have made it, is neither designed nor able to fulfil a good many of us. Some of us are born with, or find we have developed, urges that the materialist world cannot satisfy. 

We may throw ourselves into our jobs, seek new relationships, engage in literature, art and music, drown ourselves in acquisition, or in drink (my personal favourite, though I enjoy them all); some of us will tell ourselves that there’s no point in asking ‘what’s the meaning’ because there is no meaning; and when we find ourselves wondering if this is it, we go out and buy something, or wait until our mood picks up. This does suit many people; probably most of the world’s population actually, which is quite sensible once you start to look into the perils of spiritual development. But many of us find we don’t have the choice. It nags away at us.

More importantly, even if there isn't such an urge, nagging away at you, there is a logic in spiritual development, (I've realised I don't like the expression spiritual development - could somebody suggest something else please?) The point of the spiritual quest is to try to align yourself, your everyday ego, with the will of an entity much wiser and more compassionate. 

Goodness knows the world could do with a lot more wisdom and compassion (compassion being the balancing point between 'mercy/tolerance/expansion' and 'discernment/judgement/contraction'. If there was an imbalance of too much of the first in the universe it would simply fly apart, and too much of the latter condition would make the universe unbearable to live in.)

Giving what one thinks is one's own will over to what appears to be some-one or something else is frightening in at least two ways: 1) your ego, who thinks it IS you, will fight like mad against this and 2) the spiritual quest involves rummaging around in your unconscious, and there's some very scary things in there (well, there is in mine.) Everything comes from the Absolute/Ground of all Being/Transcendent God, including evil, and there are entities out there (or, more rightly, in there) that are very unpleasant indeed. They don't always appear so, but look at what's going on around them ("By their fruits you will know them" as one great mystic said). It is necessary to affirm everyday that you are seeking the positive, the integrating, the true, the decent, the unselfish, the trusting, the hopeful and the loving.

Am I beginning to sound like a saint in my intentions??? Those who know me personally will know of course that I'm very far from it. This is all in the pursuit of self interest - what benefits the world benefits me, because I am part of that world. (I do wish some politicians would learn that.) Also, one has to take the long view. For reasons that I'll probably talk about in later posts, I believe in reincarnation, and life between lives. You can't take anything material with you from one to the other, but your mental, emotional and spiritual state will determine where you end up - like seeks to like. So it's win-win all round really.....