Life’s Ideal

The world we live in is one of increasing complexity. Whereas in past times our struggles were for basic survival, for existence in the tumult of battles and political upheavals which punctuate the history of man’s evolution, the greatest challenge of today is to find our true selves and to keep our eyes on the guiding light of life’s true purpose in the face of stifling materialism.

To know one’s purpose in life is to be the possessor of knowledge beyond value. So many of life’s travellers see life as an accident, to be spent with no thought at all, while others, prompted by the untranslated urgings of the imprisoned self within, search restlessly in many directions, falling prey to the many distractions of our modern way of life. Those who have spent many years in the pursuit of possessions and social position often reached an end to their materialistic goals only of find their lives empty of happiness. Which direction can they go to assuage that inner gnawing? Unfortunately, because of attitudes gained through the search for possessions, such persons often seek the quick and easy ways, or follow the latest fading fad. If they but realized that this lifetime may be only the first conscious step in their search, a quest unlimited by time and space!

In realizing the pitfalls before us, and following an inner plan for living, we have an invaluable guide, but in no way are we immune from the demands and challenges of life. Indeed, in setting an ever-expanding standard for our lives, we face challenges and tests unlike other people who have not consciously accepted the responsibility of their own evolution.

Along with growing inner awareness comes deepening sensitivity to life’s myriad expressions. This requires inner seeking through meditation for that infinite pool of strength and balance of idealism and practicality to prevent deep emotional upsets. We must be strong to cope with the stresses and demands of this world, but strength in the mystical sense of the word does not mean aggression, the type which berates others of gentler character and falsely assumes superiority. The strength based upon the faith of inner conviction and attunement is a passive strength, often mistaken for weakness by those who rank strength with aggressive and forceful behaviour. There is no weakness in serenity, and indeed, no need for forceful displays in the lives of those who have achieved such a balance of their physical and psychic selves. Their strength is a quiet river, running deep and ready for use in times of need.

Cosmic Education 

As we see the pattern of our lives emerging, we realize what goals we have set ourselves. When we measure the distance between our present self-expression and our aspirations, we may be overwhelmed. But it is a considerable achievement to know when we have not measured up to that ideal, to recognize the mistake and strive to compensate in our actions and thoughts at the next opportunity. And there will be another, for the cosmic educational system never fails its students – it simply introduces the lessons at another time.

The pressures of our material-oriented world continually seek to distract us from our mystical ideals. Mystics may feel they live in two worlds at once, particularly if they work in a business environment where the values are generally measured by material standards, mainly money, and where interaction between people seems to be at an all time low. In such situations, when all the precious, long-evolved, and painfully won mystical values seem to be totally absent, and no recognition of the deep soul-link between all people exists, we need to call on the quiet inner strength. The sentiment world is a mirror, and image distortions can make life extremely confusing. 

Daily attunement, or seeking within, is vital to help us to keep our balance, so that our mystic quest may be a constant, continuing one, functioning fully every breathing moment. Requesting inwardly to remain positive in all our thoughts and actions, and remembering that no matter how unpleasant a situation we may find ourselves in, we have attracted that situation as a cross for inner unfoldment, and our path through life can never again be undertaken in shadows. We traverse the thorns to reach the bloom of rose’s beauty.

It has been our great privilege to be guided onto our present path, so that the contact with others of like mind, can make the journey through life a little easier as the peaks and valleys of life’s pattern are not quite so extreme. Each of us must make full use of his guidance, to prepare for the day when our journey to the mountaintop is undertaken. Quiet strength, calm serenity, and an all-pervading love will infuse us as we near the peak of our ultimate ideal.

- By Raynor Millen 

The Inner Self

The greatness of man lies not in his intellect, but in his ability to comprehend and express the Inner Self in all his affairs. Man is a divine being, created in the image of God, who possesses tremendous creative powers which he must develop and attain through inner growth and service to others.

We should give more freedom to the expression of this self within and to train the outer self to give greater credence to what the Inner Self inspires while at the same time break down the general superiority complex of the outer self with its false belief in the integrity and dependability of worldly impressions and worldly reasoning.

It is through the guidance of this Inner Self and through its dependable messages, its inspiring impulses, and its whisperings of warning that we are able to guide our lives correctly, meeting the problems of life with a superior power of understanding, overcoming the obstacles with a never-failing solution, and attaining the goal of our desires through a correct leadership.

The inner evolution takes place when we study and contemplate, thereby making the knowledge we acquire a part of the Inner Self. We learn to master the events and circumstances of life. However, it is only when we listen to the wisdom of the Inner Self, and gradually become aware of the beauty and divinity of this Inner Self, that we can truly say we are expressing the Consciousness of God.

The aim of our studies and progress on the Path is to provide a vehicle for the expression of God’s consciousness so that we may truly become living images of God. By turning our thoughts inward to the wise silence of the soul, we come to realize the wisdom and powers of accomplishment of the Inner Self, and how the Divine Consciousness of God is seeking to express itself in our lives.

Our task is to listen within and allow the inspiration of the Inner Self to guide and instruct us. Thus, we will grow and evolve to a point where this becomes a reality to our consciousness.

Quiet reflection upon the inner self and spiritual nature of our being is far from being a casual occupation; it is imperative to one on the Path and will in time produce most remarkable results. The wise silence of the mystical life results in an understanding of life and its purpose far beyond our present understanding, and it brings a power of service needed in the world today. Study is an important part of our work in the mystical life, but contemplation and meditation synthesize this knowledge, making it more productive in all our daily affairs. We must live life more deeply and sense a kind of passion to give the best we can in everything we do.

Our dominant thoughts and our constantly visualized ideals and wishes make us what we are. They have fashioned us even in the smallest details. By our creative and wilful decisions we can change those things we do not like into more desirable tendencies. We can be the master of our life. By looking inward and listening to the whisperings of self, we come to express our greatest powers of accomplishment that God has given us.

The mystical life is a great adventure. How many of us, in looking back over the years of study and reflection, can fail to realize that the mystical path is the most demanding, most fulfilling, and the most exciting experience that life and consciousness can provide? It is not an escape from responsibility as some may suppose, but an adventure that requires courage and conviction, that tests and tries our greatest resolve. This is why so few have trod this path with us.

We may often ask ourselves if the journey into the higher and finer things of life is really worthwhile. It is in moments like these that the wise counsel of the Inner Self comes to urge us to continue on the road to life’s greatest attainments.

Before coming to know and experience the higher spiritual life, we must over come the tears of wounded pride, underserved abuse, harsh criticisms, and unfriendly statements; the irritations, annoyances, failures, and disappointments of daily life. With the help and guidance of the Inner Self, we can rise above these negative conditions. We cannot ignore them; they are a part of life. Yet when we learn to see all things from a wise detachment, from an inner depth, we learn not to allow our sight to be obscured by these hindrances. We must learn to see and understand all things from the spiritual self’s point of view; from an ascension of consciousness. One thing that will aid this inner sight is to cultivate an attitude of loving compassion towards others, and a sense of humility about ourselves.

A daily attunement with the Inner Self and the harmonizing of the spiritual nature of our beings will prove a real preparation for our service to humility.

- Author Unknown 

What Good Can We Do?

Life is a complex experience of triumph and trials bringing opportunities for the growth of our personality. Life, which can be difficult and hard to bear, also provides moments of great joy and happiness, and at times we experience a peace of mind that makes our search for the greater light even more valued each day. 

Let our problems become stepping stones to progress and our difficulties will become the next step on the upward path to the attainment of greater peace and harmony. Each day should provide those experiences which, upon reflection, cause the inner self to become a little wiser and better able to adjust to life’s problems.

Our problems, difficulties, and burdens in life are more easily borne when we realize and accept that the divine presence of God is ever present within us. We are living souls having personalities which need to grow in light and understanding through the trials and experiences of daily life. We then see our burdens as opportunities for advancement, but we need not face these problems alone. The ever-present and vital divine consciousness is always urging us to adjust to the present times and circumstances , and it is when we resist these normal and natural changes taking place within that frustration and difficulties occur. When we seek within, allowing the inner self to guide us through the promptings of the still small voice within, we can see and accept things from a wiser point of view.

No matter how hard the task, or difficult the trial, know within yourself that there is an ever-present spiritual force leading you through and upwards to success and achievement.

One important cosmic law is “As you give, so shall you receive.” It is important that we learn to give of ourselves and we must follow the urging and prompting of the inner self in order to fulfil this law.

We so often forget to give to others that which needs to be given and which is due to them. This may be a word of thanks, of praise and appreciation, or telling someone close that you love them. Do not deny what is rightly due to others; give freely of yourself, but let the giving come sincerely from within. Do not withhold your words of praise or your words of rebuke, for these may be precisely what others need to help them on their way through life.

Let your motives be pure when giving of yourself, since this is how we are judged on the inner side of life. This law says it is AS we give that is of prime importance, for we will receive in accordance with the way we give, as much as with what we give.

However, giving is only a part of this law. We should also give much thought to the principle of receiving. Esoterically, it is important that we learn how to receive what is rightfully due to ourselves. We can so often retard our own happiness and progress because we have not learned how to receive graciously. We cannot always be giving unless we are also prepared to receive. The love, the praise, and the happiness others want to share with us is necessary to our growth.

There are many things both of a material nature and a spiritual nature that we have earned and deserve, but we must allow ourselves to become receptive to accepting them in our lives. Therefore, this law of giving and receiving requires much thought and meditation in order that we may give wisely and fully of our real selves and gracefully receive what is rightfully ours, thus bringing a greater abundance of success and prosperity to us as well as much love and happiness. We learn many important lessons from life once we have come to truly realize that “As we give, so shall we receive.”

- By Robert E Daniels, F.R.C. 

The Way Within

To many people life is a series of ceaseless conflicts and difficulties, involving the trial of personal adjustment, and for many the spiritual path provided the only real escape from these continuous problems.

But problems of one kind or another will always cross our paths until we have come to realize their true value to us and how we may rise above them. These conflicts in life are very real and never too far from anyone. Millions spend large amounts of money, time, and effort in finding a certain elusive happiness which they hope will take them away from their difficulties and the problems they face each day.

Our problems, however, are really blessings in disguise, if we see them in their true perspective. Mystical ascension means that through facing our daily problems with insight and composure, we learn to raise our consciousness to a higher level of understanding, permitting a greater and more detached view of our daily situations so that we see how best to deal with them. Accepting the circumstances of our present life and of the universe in which we live is imperative to the mystical student. We so often try to place the responsibility for our own problems upon others blaming them for all our difficulties and for the restrictions which have been placed upon our so-called freedom.

But these problems when viewed from an ascension of consciousness, are clearly seen to be of our own making, even if by association, because we share in the karma of those around us. Once we accept the conditions of our own lives we can then more readily adjust to the lessons they try to teach.

One of the causes of many of our daily problems is the rigid and inflexible attitude we hold regarding many of our daily circumstances. The lesson of life teaches that we must learn to adjust to all events and conditions confronting us. This is not to suggest that we must bend the way the wind blows, but it does mean that by holding an open mind and a loving heart we will see all the more wisely how to act and respond in any circumstance.

We are constantly influenced by others on the material plane, and as we aspire to the mystical life and follow its teachings, we become more conscious of, and sensitive to the influence of the sufferings of others. Now, if we are inflexible and become antagonistic to these influences, which can take many forms, we will experience more problems and become more entangled in the world of material affairs.

Ascension of consciousness which comes about by mystical aspiration and the study and practice of its teachings allows us to rise above these influences. We can never be indifferent to them or be totally free from the turmoil of life, because that is our destiny in this incarnation. Our only escape is to aspire even higher in consciousness, where these influences can no longer have any power over us, so that we become not indifferent to them but impersonally detached from them. Should we try to ignore them, we will be trust back into their influence, because life is a school of discipline – a temporary school which prepares us for the real and greater life of service, and only by living life to the full, experiencing all of its problems and risking above them, can we attain mastership.

The cosmic influence always brings change in the upward spiral of evolution. We are a part of the Cosmic and must become receptive to its beneficent influences. With a flexible and open mind, and a sensitive and loving heart, we can grow in consciousness and understanding in preparation for the greater life that awaits us.

The dedicated heart opens the door to mystical revelations in its aspirations to the highest envisaged ideals. Life is the school where we learn these lessons necessary to our own individual progress and it is the arena where we give back to the world and express the love and the spiritual benediction which God has granted us.

- Extracted from the article The Way Within by Robert E. Daniels 

Shoe Salesmen

              Two shoe salesmen were sent to an undeveloped country to open new territories.

              Three days after arrival, the first salesman sent a telegram to company headquarter, “Returning on next plane. Impossible to sell shoes here. Everybody goes barefoot.”

              But about two weeks later headquarters got this message from the second salesman. “One hundred orders enclosed. Prospects unlimited. Nobody here has shoes!”

A Time For Decision

There comes a time for each of us when we must decide upon the future direction of our lives. Perhaps up to this time of decision we have lived a life of some usefulness, but for many this critical decision must be faced, because in spite of all our past efforts we see no meaning to the future unless we take ourselves firmly in hand and decide that our future must have a new purpose. Much of our past has failed us; we need to rededicate ourselves completely to a new way ahead, leaving aside all those things that are unworthy and have held us in bondage to our material way of thinking.

Knowledge of all kinds is so easily available to us today that we often lose sight of the need to apply it to some worthwhile purpose. We can be well versed in all kinds of knowledge yet our lives may appear to lack a satisfying purpose and direction. This is a time of testing and a time for decision. The soul within has given us a sign, and we can no longer be truly satisfied with our former way of life. Something dynamic must be aroused within us to carry us forward into a life of real meaning and usefulness, one of real satisfaction wherein we have at last found our path to attainment and service.

Looking Within 

The world in which we live can give us little encouragement. We are therefore driven inward to the wise silence of the soul, where lie all the solutions to our difficulties and the answer to our needs. It is within where we must look for the new direction in our lives. The soul seeks to guide our path ahead and it will provide all the encouragement and knowledge we need if we decide to live life more purposefully in the future.

Many of our old values will gradually fall away, and we can look to greater and higher values in the future. Everything within us must become gradually attuned and reoriented towards the higher and finer things of life, but such adjustment cannot come by merely thinking about it. Life is a matter of experiences; once we aspire to advance in mystical and spiritual understanding, we evoke those experiences which will reveal the truth of life to us, but this happens only when the voice of the outer personality acknowledges the wisdom of the inner self and all it can do for us.

Once we set our hearts upon inner development, we are often beset by opposition and problems. Those who have difficulty resolving these problems believe that love will conquer all. However, they soon realize that until they develop a courageous spirit they will not have the strength to combat the opposition of circumstances which faces each of us on this higher path.

We must be ever mindful that the forces of opposition will endeavour to thwart our progress, and many retreat from these inner difficulties and return to the safety of the masses. But the Mystical way to the highest evolution of consciousness requires that we step out from the crowd in order to ascend – and spiritual courage is the one quality which makes that step possible. We need spiritual love for a wise perspective in life, but only spiritual courage and a determined will can carry us forward.

Therefore, once we make the decision to move onward and upward in our spiritual quest, the host of cosmic forces will consciously assist our progress. We can be sure that our service to mankind will prove to be the stepping stone to the highest attainment in the mystical life. With a determined and courageous spirit, we can face and overcome our daily difficulties and meet our problems as a challenge to life’s greatest attainment. Let us then resolve to use each day as our greatest opportunity to take another step towards our idea, knowing that each step receives the blessing and encouragement of the God of our Hearts.

- Robert E. Daniels 

The Trials Of Life

The burden of life often presses hard upon us, destroying the harmony and peace of our minds and consciousness, bringing anxiety, worry, and sometimes despair.

These trials, although difficult to bear, are often necessary for us, since in our desire for greater things in life we cause an inner reaction to be brought into effect. The trial seems like a setback, yet it really is an opportunity to learn an important lesson and remove an obstacle to our desired attainment. It is often necessary to remove these obstacles, attitudes of mind, and ways of living in order to pave the way for greater progress, thus enabling us to attain our visualized ideals.

However, we so often blame other people for our difficulties and problems that we fail to realize that our personal Karma is teaching us a valuable lesson needed at this time. If we can see beyond the frustration, we will see the wisdom of the Cosmic working in our behalf even though we may be somewhat wounded.

We therefore provoke our own problems by our desires for improvement. Yet our negative thoughts make the lesson more difficult to bear, and if we would allow our consciousness to become attuned within, permitting the inner self to express itself, we would more clearly see the wisdom within our daily trials.

Life demands that we grow in every way: mentally, psychically, and spiritually. We must develop our full potential as human beings so as to use these gifts for the benefit of ourselves and others. There is a perfect ideal for man to reach in life, and the Cosmic directs, guides, and urges us along the path to attain this ideal. Life is a school, and we are all pupils undergoing training and a purposeful discipline in it. No experience in our lives is insignificant. Each change and experience always has a purpose in moulding our character and bringing forward various latent aspects of our personality.

Within the Divine Consciousness is held the perfect pattern of that to which we should evolve. Each experience and each change we pass through is part of the Cosmic’s plan to lead and guide us toward that perfect pattern. Like the rose in full bloom whose each and every petal must unfold, every one of our faculties and abilities must be developed.

Life, which can be so beautiful, is often a burden difficult to bear because our thoughts are turning on a spiral of self-interest. We think of our own needs, our own feelings, and our own desires. Such thoughts bring little, if any, comfort. Yet when we turn our thoughts within, and express our love to the God of our Hearts and our love for family and friends, we will find that our thoughts are suddenly uplifted and a new awareness has begun to awaken in our hearts and minds. We will no longer be so concerned about our own desires and our problems; rather we will find satisfaction in sending and thinking good thoughts about others.

The time has come for man to seek a new and better way of life, one that will bring real satisfaction and peace of mind. It has always been close at hand and readily available to all who would seek within. But only the few have chosen to travel this path to a greater realization of the meaning of life. The fascination with the pursuit of pleasure has been the tempter which has kept the masses of people from ever seeking that which is their natural birthright.

The realization of a greater and more significant meaning of life’s values is a refreshing change on the world scene. It reveals a growth of spiritual consciousness in the lives of increasing numbers of people who have come to see the fallacy and limitations of the pursuit of materialism. There is a growing realization that life’s great values must be more enduring than the empty satisfaction which the material life brings.

Once the trend becomes an accepted way of life, it will strongly influence the rest of humanity. Our interest in the mystical life can have an influence in the lives of others if we learn to radiate love, harmony, and peace of mind in our thinking. If we set a high standard for our own behaviour at all times, it will prove to be a great blessing to all those with whom we come in contact.

As we attune our thoughts each day with the divine consciousness within, we allow the spiritual forces to guide our lives and activities. A love of life grows and develops and we see our influence change the lives of others. Love, the law that makes all things possible, will allow to see our occasional trials as an aspect of the divine growth that is taking place within us. We will thus have the assurance that the Cosmic is always present, guiding and urging us to adjust to the present time.

- (extracted from the article The Trials of Life by Robert E. Daniels) 

The Scope Of Evolvement

The forces of nature continues to function regardless of what man may do. The seasons of the year, the rotation of the earth, and the various changes that take place in our immediate surroundings became the function of what we call natural laws. The effect of these forces are inevitable. Therefore we are placed in the position of working with these forces or being swept along by them.

As man accumulated knowledge and experience, man began to grow in his understanding of certain natural laws and forces that were previously unexplainable. The general growth in understanding and use of knowledge can be generally classified as evolvement.

We do not know when man first began to try to understand his environment. We do know the process of evolvement is still taking place. Man is still attempting to explain the manifestation of certain universal laws. There still exists a vast area of the unknown.

Evolvement is an aim of life. Whether we are dealing with the physical world and the physical characteristics of man, or with the transcendental world commonly known as the world of the spirit and the psychic make up of man, evolvement is one word which we can apply toward man’s attempt to gain in the understanding and adjustment to an area previously unknown to him.

Life evolves step by step, taking on characteristics in each step of the process. We face many choices of the evolvement process through which we pass. The choices are many, and the living organism faces such a variety of choices in the process of evolution that it would be difficult to determine in advance how the evolutionary process might proceed.

Life is an evolutionary process, and life will continue to change, be modified and affected by external environment and by the process of life itself.

Evolution continues because it is a manifestation of the life force itself as expressed in matter, on the other hand, psychic evolvement is a volitional process.

The mature individual today begins to reflect upon his place in life and in the universe and tries to determine the meaning of all that he experiences and learns, thereby making his consciousness a more important factor of his existence than his physical body or any physical functions.

In developing physically, we develop the attributes to realize that the physical world, the entire universe and all of its laws and manifestations are, in the final analysis, only vehicles which we temporarily use in order to evolve our physic consciousness and gain awareness of the soul.

Life sprang from the Divine, and when it consciously realizes its divine nature it will return to the Absolute and be a part of it. Man is a god-like entity who can communicate with the Divine and reunite himself with it. Evolvement, then is man’s reaching out to become a part of the Divine about which he is entitled to know more and to experience fully. Since psychic development is a volitional process – a decision that man can make – will man evolve, or will he let the experience of life and the greed to possess the physical world overwhelm him so that the evolutionary process will have to continue until such time as life may express itself in a form capable of realizing its divine nature and divine origin?

Those mystics aware of the reality of the psychic world have reached degrees of peace and understanding expressed in their writings and which they try to pass on to their fellow men. This degree of peace, harmony, and a profound satisfaction in their relationship to divine forces is what man can look at for the moment as his aim of evolvement. It is through our understanding of mysticism that we can work to become truly at one with the Divine. 

- Author Unknown 

Timeless Transiency

Philosophers and mystics have realized for themselves that nothing is permanent or changeless except the law of change itself.

What is good? It is the opposite to what we consider to be bad. Can we describe or experience good without knowledge of its opposite condition? Try to realize any positive concept without consideration of its opposite! We cannot because of the law of duality, the manifestation of which is the operation of the law of change. It is the constant and permanent swing of the pendulum between positive and negative or the eternal opposites.

The law is timeless but its manifestation is transiency.

Once we have understood the law of change we can and should develop hope, aspiration, tolerance, and patience. Remember, nothing is, but everything is becoming. The severe tests and disappointments of today are actually the preparatory stages for our blissful and rewarding moments of tomorrow – if we realize and accept them as such today. The vast majority of us, lacking vision and perspective, resent and reject our negative cycles as being some undeserved punishment inflicted upon us. And so we prolong or intensify our unpleasant experiences unnecessarily. We, too, must change according to the law.

Admittedly, accepting the negative or ‘down’ side of life is not always easy. Probably it is intended to be thus, for the very unpleasantness of it give birth to hope and aspiration, visualization and planning to change conditions toward the positive cycle. We are never subjected to more of the negative conditions than we can withstand. Whenever physical suffering becomes more than the body and mind can tolerate, nature has provided us with blessed unconsciousness. When mental torment becomes unbearable, nature induces a psychological block to conceal the source of aggravation from our objective and reasoning mind. 

Take comfort in the fact that there can be no positive unless there is a negative; there is no good, except as compared with evil. How can we recognize happiness unless we have experienced sadness? We reach or attain success from what? The pendulum must swing. The swinging is timeless; the extremes of the swing are transient.

In striving toward self-mastery we would do well to ponder upon certain basic and fundamental principles. Time is a man-made invention or concept. Certainly it is a great convenience in regulating our lives so long as we do not permit time to control us. Time is relative to the situation in which we measure it. If we are waiting, it drags; if we are very busy, it races. Actually it does neither except as we measure it against our activity. 

In a similar manner we measure our happy and pleasurable moments in life as being very brief and our less happy, learning, and adjusting periods in life as being very long and tedious. They are neither except as we measure them and experience them. Our consolation is the inevitable law of change. Whatever conditions we experience – good or bad – life will change. With sufficient evolvement and accumulated wisdom we will realize that the duality of experience is all-beneficent in the long run.

If we remember that the law of change functions in both directions we shall be able to maintain equilibrium and tranquillity in our lives. Realize that the positive and negative are simply two aspects of the same thing. Monotony would be a curse. The law of change blesses us with its timeless transiency.

- Extracted from the article Times Transiency by Chris. R Warnken 

A New Way of Life

The cause of the suffering and pain pervading human life today is its total absorption in the material way of life. The soul of man is pushed into the background as if it did not exist.

This absorption with life as it is today has brought nothing but despair and disappointment. Those who have pursued the material way of life to its highest point have found it empty and wanting. They have come to realize that life has a deeper meaning, and the spirits and hearts of men have cried out for a release from the burden which they have place upon themselves.

What the world needs now is a new way of life which will lead to a deeper and more meaningful understanding of all that life is and can be. The spiritual nature of man must be released from within and allowed a free and natural expression of its being.

The burden of life which millions have to bear is one of the absence of spiritual awareness – the absence of the deeper and real meaning of what life really is.

Every individual should seek the real self within, the discovery of which would set men and women free of their addiction to the materialistic way of life.

Life, which can be so beautiful, is often a burden difficult to bear because our thoughts are turning on a spiral of self-interest. We think of our own needs, our own feelings, and our own desires. Such thoughts bring little, if any, comfort. Yet when we turn our thoughts within, and express our love to the god of our hearts and our love for family and friends, we will find that suddenly our thoughts are uplifted and a new awareness has begun to awaken in our heart and mind. We will no longer be so concerned about our own desires and our problems; rather we will find satisfaction in sending and thinking good thoughts about others.

When we look at the quality of life today, we see that the majority of people are seeking to improve their material welfare. However, this is a never-ending chain of disappointment, for only when we look at life and our daily circumstances from the point of view of man’s spiritual self, do we begin to realize man’s great possibilities and where his true happiness lies. There are so many opportunities for man when he begins to see things from the higher view of the spirit. The limitations of the materialistic ideals are soon realized when we see things in comparison with the infinite possibilities of the spiritual self.

The time has come for man to seek a new and better way of life, one that will bring real satisfaction and peace of mind. It has always been close at hand and readily available to seek all who would within. But only the few have chosen to travel this path to a greater realization of the meaning of life. The fascination of the pursuit of pleasure has been the tempter which kept the masses of people from ever seeking that which was their natural birthright. 

However, there is a new trend to be seen throughout the world today, a new rhythm and change of emphasis in the minds of many people. On the one hand, the decadence of materialism has reached a high point, bringing despair and an empty heart for many, and on the other hand, we can see a new interest on the part of many young people who are not in sympathy with the traditional search for wealth and fame. They are seeking more meaningful values and share a concern for the welfare of their fellow men and the environment in which they live. The traditional values of wealth, position, and property are no longer given first priority, as in the past.

Their realization of a greater and more significant meaning of life’s values is a refreshing change on the world scene. It reveals a growth of spiritual consciousness in the lives of increasing numbers of people who have come to see the fallacy and limitations of the pursuit of materialism. Organizations devoted to self-improvement and the search for a meaning to life are to be found everywhere, and while many only cater to the casual seeker, others help the sincere student to set his feet on the path of self-discovery.

We are now witnessing a change of values in the lives of many people and it is significant that this change is happening throughout the world. The important and interesting point to notice is that many who are changing their outlook are more mature people as well as those young in years. There is a growing realization that life’s great values must be more enduring than the empty satisfaction which the material life brings.

This change in the emphasis on more enduring values will grow stronger and become more important in the lives of many people. Once the trend becomes an accepted way of life, it will strongly influence the rest of humanity. This is what is needed today. Our interest in the mystical life can have an influence in the lives of others if we learn to radiate love, harmony, and peace of mind in our thinking. And if we set a high standard for our own behaviour at all times, it will prove to be a great blessing to all those with whom we come in contact.

Let it be our task that in the months and years to come we will make the greatest effort to set our feet firmly on the path to a new and better way of life, and that we will resolve to have harmony and peace radiate from our consciousness at all times. May we always endeavour to seek a deeper understanding of life and of our fellow human beings to the end that we may truly reflect the wisdom and love, the idealism and the practical knowledge of the Cosmic.

With this resolve our lives will become richer and more successful, and our influence for good in the lives of others will bring real satisfaction and the knowledge that we are all growing to ward a true brotherhood of man.

- Extracted from the article A New Way of Life By Robert Daniels 

When Times Are Hard

When times are difficult and hard to live in, the mystical techniques we have learned have their greatest potential for success. When life is too comfortable we realize little success in applying those principles which can bring about those circumstances we desire to establish in our lives.

When we are confronted with emergencies and difficult problems, the application of mystical principles has its greatest power and almost miraculous results can be seen. Many people’s experience points out that remarkable results can be achieved when a sincere and dedicated appeal is made to the Cosmic after all else has failed. These experiences should give us comfort and confidence that the Cosmic is willing to work on our behalf during times of great need.

These principles of Cosmic assistance have greater efficacy during times of emergency or great stress. It is a fact that when our appeal to the Cosmic is strong and persistent, results will soon be realized. This applies mainly to those who have been following the mystical path for some time and living its life.

Living in harmony with the Cosmic is more than simply meditating for a few minutes each day and reading mystical literature. It means living the mystical life and living by the conditions it requires of us. These conditions imply that we must become as tolerant as the Cosmic, as loving as the Cosmic and as broad and as universal in our thoughts and conduct.

If in our thoughts and conduct we are biased, selfish, envious, jealous, or hateful, no harmony with the Cosmic can exist, even if we entertain these inharmonious feelings only occasionally. The central rhythm of our daily living should be kind, loving and generous, full of our praise and sympathetic understanding. We must accept that there are spiritual forces within our beings and in the universe, and seek daily to attune ourselves with them. This is living the mystical life and being in harmony with the Cosmic. The Cosmic will protect us, counsel us, and care for our, and respond readily with all the necessary forces it commands.

Living such a life is not as difficult as we might believe, and our experiences in life will grant us every opportunity to gain a proper understanding of how we should react to all the circumstances with which we are confronted, as long as we desire and seek self-improvement.

The time is rapidly passing when merely reading about the mystical life will have any value for us. We must become involved and dedicate our lives to some useful purpose or the opportunities of a cycle will pass us by.

Whatever our goal in life, whatever our desires for achievement may be, the mystical life can make these possible. Living in harmony with the Cosmic reveals talents and abilities we little realized we possessed. We find that our minds and consciousness are uplifted and charged with a power and desire to succeed in all we do, and our hearts and total beings will be filled with a spiritual love all humanity. Our thinking will be broader and our sympathies and feeling of compassion will grow stronger. Life will bring greater joys and happiness and we will sense a divine purpose for our mission in life which will bring the greatest gift of all, Peace Profound.

- Author Unknown 

Too Many Girl Friends

              The Vietnamese soldier serving in Cambodia, far from home, was annoyed and upset when his girl wrote breaking off their engagement and asking for her photograph back. 

              He went out and collected from his friends all the unwanted photographs of women that he could find, bundled them all together and sent them back with a note saying: “Regret - cannot remember which one is you. Please keep your photo and return the others."

I Am What I Am

Loneliness

There are many forms of loneliness. The loneliness we feel on the physical plane can be overcome by our association with others of like mind. But an effort must be made if we are to attract others to us, and it is our character which provides the attractive force which brings about harmony among friends.

On the mental plane a sense of loneliness can be overcome through serious study of those subjects which the mind is consciously or unconsciously attracted to. Restlessness can be changed to a consuming interest once we have found that which we find intriguing and worthy of our investigation.

However the loneliness of the soul calling for recognition is quite another experience and until we realize this deep inner call, which ultimately can lead to a union of the threefold nature of our being, there can be no real peace of mind for us. The experience of loneliness can be a blessing in disguise if it leads us to the true path of mystical attunement.

There comes a time when mystical students must take certain steps on the path entirely alone and cannot depend on friends or teachers for guidance and help. We need to become more attuned to our inner selves and thereby establish a divine companionship which will always prove to be a source of inspiration and comfort for the long journey ahead.

In the early stages of study, the mystic often finds that his new knowledge and experiences conflict with the orthodox views and opinions of his friends and family. He then must decide whether to proceed along this path which can only widen the differences. Should he have the inner strength and the determination to proceed, he may evoke from within himself the companionship of the divine light which is ever ready to provide greater illumination on his path.

One who has left the mystical and spiritual nature of his being undeveloped is likely to feel a sense of inadequacy, to be a little uncertain, fearful, and lacking in confidence and self-esteem. However, those whose life experiences have made them reflect upon the more serious issues of life, and have awakened their mystical awareness, will inwardly sense greater peace and harmony in their beings, more confidence and an inner assurance. Their sympathies and concern for others will be more prominent in their consciousness and they will have a love of life that comes from a deep inner response to life’s activities.

We cannot discard or negate our deep-seated feelings. Life has too much meaning that goes far beyond the intellect and the limitations of the mind. Often, we try to ignore the issues of life, but these feelings are the responses to the soul life within, and its influence is all pervading and powerful. How often have you been very deeply moved by your emotions? You know how difficult it is to control these feelings with your thinking, because the soul force within needs to express itself. We should not try to divert our minds from those experiences, but try to see what lessons we can learn from them.

The centre of our attention should be to bring about and experience those emotions of love, harmony, peace, and a sense of kindliness towards others. We need to exercise the will in order that the wisdom we have acquired through years of experiences will be reflected in a deep love for all living things, for as we build this attitude to life and have it become the central motivation of our lives, we will feel and know a love and a spiritual power and a spiritual companionship far beyond our present hopes which we must use for the good of others – and our lives will become a great blessing to all mankind.

- Author Unknown 

Change – The Path to Self-Evolution

Among the greatest of natural laws is the condition commonly known as ‘change.’ Through observation of life’s process, we note that change preceded growth – and since all things are constantly in the process of change, it follows naturally that all things must be experiencing growth or evolution.

In the case of man, we find that there is an unrelenting desire for a state of static constancy in life, as opposed to the world of change in which he lives. This tendency does not altogether detract from man’s realization of his highest aspirations, but if pursued to an extreme, it limits his creative expression and the achievement of his cherished goals and ideals.

To illustrate this point, consider the artist who perfects the technique of one aspect of his craft and is quite satisfied to constantly use only that technique because of its proven effectiveness, never trying new ideas of deviating from the original method. Obviously such an artist would know little success, if any, from his craft, and would not have the inner satisfaction of the growth experienced by those who try new ideas and methods to better enhance their creative expression. Such a limited attitude and way of living are in direct opposition to life’s natural process of evolution, and are the cause of much unnecessary anxiety and fear any time a change of importance is required for the growth of an individual.

In order to achieve a greater degree of happiness and fulfilment in life, we must strive to accept change as a necessary and useful part of our lives; as a prerequisite for our growth and mastery.

To better understand change, we must remember that man is a creative being and, as such, is the prime cause of all the conditions he experiences in life; many times the creation of our experiences of change originates from the yearnings of the inner self for fuller expression and are not a conscious effort on the part of the objective mind. The objective mind or intellect of man creates change through the thoughts, beliefs, and subsequent actions that are a part of his daily life.

Therefore, man places himself in a peculiar paradox where he, being the creator of his experiences of change, feels that he is a “victim of fate” and is anxious and fearful of those same changes of which he has been the source.

This can plainly be seen in those who have a pessimistic outlook and tend to dwell on the negative, worldly aspects of life; they seem to manifest more of those same negative conditions and circumstances in their lives than would someone who thinks constructively and positively. Thus, if we want to be happy and have a sense of greater fulfilment, we must create those conditions in our lives that will foster such happiness and fulfilment.

Changes present opportunities for growth which are often mislabelled as “problems” or “obstacles” and are things which we often think of negatively, rather than as positive conditions in which we can evolve certain qualities and characteristics to a greater degree. We will find through personal experience that by greeting those opportunities with a positive and constructive attitude, we quicken our evolvement and attain a greater degree of mastery in our lives.

The opportunity to accept our self-impelled changes and to take control of our lives can begin right now – if we so choose. If we choose not to act, we may delay our evolvement, but only for a time. In the meantime, life will continually present us with more opportunities to evolve ourselves, and we will eventually realize the need of our accepting and taking full advantage of these opportunities if we are to further our growth and mystical development. 

- Mark Ruffing 

Dreams

It is a common but mistaken idea that all dreams are mystically significant or prophetic. The oldest mystical writings indicate that primitive man was often horrified by dreams of any kind; and because he knew so little about mind and its actions and the brain and its peculiarities, he felt sure that the experiences through which he passed in his dreams were either satanic or divine. He was impressed with the possibility that during sleep he was a different character than when awake. 

Many of the ancients believed that revelations from the various gods came to them through the agency of dreams and during the Middle Ages belief in dreams as divine revelations of some kind became part of the Christian doctrines. 

The general belief in such prophetic symbols in dreams later led to the preparation of dream books and dictionaries of dreams. It is regrettable that so much that is worthless is so easily accessible to the seeker for simple reading matter about mysticism. 

Man should realize, first of all, that the mere fact that dreams occur is proof of his ability to extract from the storehouse of memory certain associated and disassociated facts. 

One is in a lighter state of sleep when dreaming than perhaps at any other time. Just what constitutes the dream state we do not knew; however, it is a borderline condition much like that during which many forms of psychic functioning are made manifest. It is unquestionably a state during which the recorded things and registered impressions of the storehouse of memory pass easily into the objective consciousness, across the veil between the chambers of consciousness. 

We know, of course, that all registered impressions remain a permanent record in the subconscious memory, and we also know that all impressions made upon the eyes and ears and other sentient faculties of the body do not really registered themselves upon us. Only those things which hold our attention sufficiently long for us to have a concentrated consciousness of them are registered, and this registration automatically passes through the indelible records of memory. 

During the dream state, however, it would appear that withdrawing these registered impressions is simple; so easy, in fact, that often the impressions seem to rise up out of their entombed and forgotten place and parade before our psychic consciousness without control or direction. 

As stated above, the registered impressions that are stored away in the permanent memory of the psychic self are so classified and indexed by subject and related subject that, in order to extract any of them from their well protected place, one mush have the proper key to recall them. 

If someone asks us what we did on the first Monday of July last year, we may be unable to answer until we look at a calendar and discover that the first Monday in July was the Fourth of July. Instantly, that date becomes a key to the recorded impressions in our memory, and with it we can perhaps instantly bring back from the recesses of the memory the registered impressions of things that occurred on that day. 

The process of Recall 

The whole process of recalling from the memory facts that are stored there is based upon this principle of association of ideas. Whenever one tries to recall the address of someone, a telephone number, or some other incident in connection with a person or place, he generally concentrates for a few moments and excludes all other impressions while he proceeds to correlate and associate certain things in order to bring fore the key to the fact that he desires to recall. 

The same thing often occurs in dreams. Here it is not necessary to concentrate in order to blot out all other objective impressions, for the borderline state of sleep has already blotted them out, leaving one free to manipulate the subconscious actions relating to recollection. 

Two things can occur in such a state that are responsible for dreams. Conditions of our own body and physical consciousness may suddenly present us with a key to some locked-up impression in the memory; or some external psychic or mental impression coming to us may furnish a key. 

Let me take the first method and explain it. Dreams usually occur in a peculiar borderline state, midway between complete and partial objectivity. In this state, the sudden blowing on our face or hands of a cold breeze from an open window may give us an objective impression of extreme coldness. In the borderline state, this is interpreted as a chilly, icy impression and may be taken as a key to subjects pertaining to the North Pole, winter with its ice and snow, a sudden plunge into an ice-covered lake, or many other things connect with extreme cold. 

With such a key, the memory storehouse of impressions connected with such subjects is unlocked, and out into the subjective consciousness come parading all the impressions which have ever been registered in our memory from books, moving pictures, and actual experiences pertaining to the North, to frozen areas, to winter, and to coldness an dice generally. 

In the morning, we recall having a dream about skating and falling into a frozen lake, of being high up in the air in an airplane where it is very cold, or of being on an expedition to the North Pole. 

Perhaps, while we were in the borderline state, something or someone touched us on the hand or face, giving an impression of a sudden jolt or shock, and this may be interpreted as a pistol wound or a blow with evil intent. Immediately, impressions relating to such things are unlocked from the memory, and we have another peculiar dream. 

We might go on and cite thousands of things such as sounds, flashes of coloured lights, the changes of temperature in a room, little pains from an improperly digested meal, the unusual touch of the blankets on some part of the face, and so forth, which could cause the unlocking of impressions from the memory. 

In the other instance of impressions received from external sources, we have that of thoughts received from the minds of other persons. Perhaps someone somewhere is thinking of us so concentratedly that there is a transmission of the thought, which acts as a key and unlocks impressions regarding the person whose thought reached us while we were in the borderline state. If the impressions do not relate to the person who sent the thought, they may relate to things connected with his life and activities. 

There is a possible third process whereby we may receive an impression from the Cosmic in regard to some event transpiring at some distant place or about to occur, for all things are registered in the Cosmic before they manifest on the material plane. Receiving such an impression may also cause us to dream by supplying a key to the memory storehouse. 

So we see that dreams may be caused in many ways. It may be there are dreams caused by a book falling from the open shelves of the memory library, opening itself to some page of past impressions, which rise and pass in review before subjective consciousness. 

Fundamental Ideas 

It seems to be a fact that nothing we dream ever pertains to something we have not registered in its fundamental idea. Of course, we may take the impressions from the memory of a giraffe and hippopotamus and combine them into a unique animal, seeing it in all its grotesqueness as part of our dream. Later, we are certain that it could not have come from the memory because we could never have seen and registered such an animal. Likewise, we may take several impressions from the memory pertaining to occurrences in our lives and unite them so as to make a new impression or a new picture, much to our surprise and inability to explain. 

Not all dreams are recalled. Many do not pass over into the objective consciousness at all. That peculiar borderline state in which dreams occur is a rapidly fluctuating state with most sleepers. The turning in bed from one side to the other partially awakens every sleeper and for a moment brings him to a borderline state which may last but a few seconds; but during that short space of time, a dream may be started. 

However, before it is underway, the sleeper is again more than ninety percent unconscious and the dream never reaches the objective mind. On the other hand, in those periods when deep sleep seems to be impossible and a borderline state lasts for many minutes or an hour or more at a time, there may be many dreams or one long one which will pass over to the objective consciousness and remain there and be vivid in the mind in the morning. 

All in all, dreams are intensely interesting and certainly prove that man has a dual consciousness and a dual state of mind, that he can live at times in either state or on the borderline of both. 

One thing should be kept in mind: it is quite impossible for another to interpret your dreams. The oracles or wise men of the past who interpreted dreams, like those of today who pretend to interpret them, could do nothing more than guess at the significance of any dream. 

If there is in the dream a real communication or impression of prophecy or advice being transmitted to you from some other person’s mind, no one but you and the person who sent the unconscious or conscious thought as a key can fathom the mystery of the dream or tell its significance. 

Therefore, dream books and dream dictionaries are useless. If your dream means anything at all, it must be interpreted by you: and if it seems unusually significant, the thing to do is to analyse it as best you can and make a note of the date and day, recording your brief analysis of it. Then see if some future dream or experience will check with it in some way. By this process, you can discover after a year or so whether your dreams have any significance to you or not. 

- Extracted from the article Dreams by Dr. H. Spencer Lewis 

Buddhism Wins “The Best Religion In The World” Award

August 24th, 2009 by Egbert F Bhatty

Editor’s Note: This major story has escaped the American media’s notice. It was brought to my attention by my friend and washingtonhotwire.com reader J Lindsay Smith of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It was published 15 Jul 2009 in the Tribune de Genève – byline Linda Moulin.

If this does not wake up Christians and shake up Christianity in America I don’t know what will.

The Geneva-based International Coalition for the Advancement of Religious and Spirituality (ICARUS) has bestowed “The Best Religion In the World” award this year on the Buddhist Community.

This special award was voted on by an international round table of more than 200 religious leaders from every part of the spiritual spectrum. It was fascinating to note that many religious leaders voted for Buddhism rather than their own religion, although Buddhists actually make up a tiny minority of ICARUS membership.

Here are the comments by four voting members:

Jonna Hult, Director of Research for ICARUS said “It wasn’t a surprise to me that Buddhism won Best Religion in the World, because we could find literally not one single instance of a war fought in the name of Buddhism, in contrast to every other religion that seems to keep a gun in the closet just in case God makes a mistake. We were hard pressed to even find a Buddhist that had ever been in an army. These people practice what they preach to an extent we simply could not document with any other spiritual tradition.”

A Catholic Priest, Father Ted O’Shaughnessy said from Belfast, “As much as I love the Catholic Church, it has always bothered me to no end that we preach love in our scripture yet then claim to know God’s will when it comes to killing other humans. For that reason, I did have to cast my vote for the Buddhists.”

A Muslim Cleric Tal Bin Wassad agreed from Pakistan via his translator. “While I am a devout Muslim, I can see how much anger and bloodshed is channelled into religious expression rather than dealt with on a personal level. The Buddhists have that figured out.” Bin Wassad, the ICARUS voting member for Pakistan’s Muslim community continued, “In fact, some of my best friends are Buddhist.”

And Rabbi Shmuel Wasserstein said from Jerusalem, “Of course, I love Judaism, and I think it’s the greatest religion in the world. But to be honest, I’ve been practicing Vipassana meditation every day before minyan (daily Jewish prayer) since 1993. So I get it.”

However, there was one snag – ICARUS couldn’t find anyone to give the award to. All the Buddhists they called kept saying they didn’t want the award. When asked why the Burmese Buddhist community refused the award, Buddhist monk Bhante Ghurata Hanta said from Burma, “We are grateful for the acknowledgement, but we give this award to all humaity, for Buddha nature lies within each of us.” Groehlichen went on to say “ We’re going to keep calling around until we find a Buddhist who will accept it. We’ll let you know when we do.”

Egbert F “Burt” Bhatty has worked 30 years as an Analyst at the American Embassy, New Delhi, and at British [Dunlop] and American [Chase Manhattan] multinationals. He is a Certified Catechist. Holds a 3-year [part time] Certificate in Foundations For Christian Ministry.

Linda Moulin’s article is reproduced on the basis of fair use of current affairs reporting.

Awesome Art Work

Stunning crop art has sprung up across rice fields in Japan. But this is no alien creation - the designs have been cleverly planted.

Farmers creating the huge displays use no ink or dye. Instead, different colours of rice plants have been precisely and strategically arranged and grown in the paddy fields.

As summer progresses and the plants shoot up, the detailed artwork begins to emerge. The murals in Inakadate cover 15,000 square metres of paddy fields.

The largest and finest work is grown in the Aomori village of Inakadate, 600 miles north of Toyko, where the tradition began in 1993. The village has now earned a reputation for its agricultural artistry.

More than 150,000 visitors come to Inakadate, where just 8,700 people live, every summer to see the extraordinary murals.

Each year hundreds of volunteers and villagers plant four different varieties of rice in late May across huge swathes of paddy fields.

Rice-paddy art was started there in 1993 as a local revitalization project, an idea that grew out of meetings of the village committee.

In the first nine years, the village office workers and local farmers grew a simple design of Mount Iwaki every year.

But their ideas grew more complicated and attracted more attention. In 2005 agreements between landowners allowed the creation of enormous rice paddy art.

A year later, organisers used computers to precisely plot planting of the four differently coloured rice varieties that bring the images to life.

The farmers create the murals by planting little purple and yellow-leafed kodaimai rice, along with their local green-leafed tsugaru roman variety to create the coloured patterns between planting and harvesting in September.

From ground level, the designs are invisible, and viewers have to climb the mock castle tower of the village office to get a glimpse of the work.

A Sengoku warrior on horseback has been created from hundreds of thousands of rice plants, the colours created by using different varieties, in Inakadate in Japan.

Napoleon on horseback can be seen from the skies, created by precision planting and months of planning between villagers and farmers in Inkadate

Over the past few years, other villages have joined in with the plant designs. Another famous rice paddy art venue is in the town of Yonezawa in the Yamagata prefecture.

This year's design shows the fictional 16th-century samurai warrior Naoe Kanetsugu and his wife, Osen, whose lives feature in television series Tenchijin.

Smaller works of crop art can be seen in other rice-farming areas of Japan such as this image of Doraemon and deer dancers.

Closer to the image, the careful placement of thousands of rice plants in the paddy fields can be seen.

The different varieties of rice plant grow alongside each other to create the masterpieces.

Sixteen Years

              It was many years ago since the embarrassing day when a young woman, with a baby in her arms, entered his butcher shop and confronted the butcher with the news that the baby was his and asked what was he going to do about it? 

              Finally he offered to provide her with free meat until the boy was sixteen. She agreed. 

              He had been counting the years off on his calendar, and one day the teenager who had been collecting the meat each week, came into the shop and said, “I’ll be sixteen tomorrow."

              “I know,” said the butcher with a smile, “I’ve been counting too, tell your mother, when you take this parcel of meat home, that it is the last free meat she’ll get, and watch the expression on her face.”

              When the boy arrived home he told his mother. The woman nodded and said, “Son, go back to the butcher and tell him I have also had free bread, free milk, and free groceries for the last sixteen years and watch the expression on HIS face!"

Reincarnation and Timelessness

https://netizenv.blogspot.sg/

Question: If the Cosmic is timeless, how can we have past and future incarnations?

The reason we undergo incarnations – as individual personalities – is to learn various lessons, lessons which we must learn in order to become more aware of the existence of natural or cosmic law as it relates to the Universal Mind. In other words, we must realize both on the objective and subjective levels that which exists in the cosmos and which is directed by the Universal Consciousness.

Once we have gone through transition, all of those experiences and impressions which have been important to us become past incarnations. They are consigned to the Complete Memory, which in reality is our soul personality. Any additional information from subsequent incarnations, of course, is added through this same process. This continuing process of incarnation and transition is referred to as development, or soul personality development. Therefore, we are the sum total of all our past experiences.

Future incarnations, on the other hand, are those experiences which come about because of previous causes which we, as individual personalities, are responsible for. We must accept these effects and learn the lessons derived from them. This will then provide an environment which will produce additional experiences necessary for a gradual and continuing understanding of the Universal Consciousness. In this way, incarnation after incarnation, we become more perfect in likeness to this Universal Consciousness, eventually becoming totally perfect. 

It is important that both past and future incarnations are realize in the now. That is, all experiences are realized as they happen in the present. Whether we say future incarnations are brought about by past causes, or they become past incarnations simply because they are a part of memory, does not in any way change the fact that they existed and we become aware of them at that instant we call the now.

In the cosmic sense there is no time, since the Cosmic is infinite, with no beginning or end. There are no limitations in the universal world. In a word, it is timeless. However, unlike the universal world, the objective world of man is limited. That is, certain limitations are placed upon it. Since man’s objective, reasoning mind is finite, he cannot conceive of the infinity of the Universal Mind. Therefore, objectively he cannot conceive of any notion of what is ‘timeless,’ for man’s earthly mind can only conceive a beginning and end in all things, and not the non-beginning or non-ending of the universe. Since man is the only animal creation with the ability to objectify his realities, he then is responsible for the conditions he classifies as past or future.

Since the outer man, the objective man, is limited in his ability to reason because of the restrictions placed upon the five senses, he invents something to account for his inability to reason. He invents time and space arbitrarily to take the place of his inability just as he arbitrarily chooses twelve inches as a measure for one foot of distance, there being no measure regarding infinity.

- Author Unknown 

Reincarnation

One of the first the thing to realize is that reincarnation is a law of the universe and not a religious doctrine; neither is it solely an Eastern Doctrine.

Reincarnation is the cycle of birth and rebirth of the soul personality. It is in a sense, the process of purification of the ego part of man’s consciousness, transforming that ego into the essence of God’s consciousness. That is, by the experience of life, the ego is changed into the pure thoughts of the consciousness of God. The process of transmutation takes place here on earth, because it is here on the lower level of awareness that the ego is closely attuned. By associating with this environment and by passing through a series of experiences, the ego begins to change, gradually attaining the state of awareness we know as God Consciousness.

The Real Life 

The purpose of the development is to enable the soul personality to reach a state whereby it can exist harmoniously in the cosmic realms with all levels of the consciousness of the Creator. The earth life is a school of preparation for that life.

Although we can only overcome our individual karma on earth and learn life’s adjustments here, we do pass through many experiences on the cosmic plane which help us to realize our shortcomings and the egocentric problems which impede our progress.

Life on earth is a wonderful opportunity. It is here that we can truly help those other seeking souls to find the way to more highly developed consciousness. Once that desire is kindled, all the steps to help the one who is seeking the greater light are to be found here. That is why we must aid one another to find the path by spreading the knowledge at every opportunity. Life can change so dramatically for the searching soul who finds the path to illumination.

The beauty of the realization of our oneness with God can be a most moving experience. Nothing on this earth can compare with the condition of spiritualized awareness of the God Within and the Master Within.

The soul personality of man is purged and purified by association with earthly experiences. Therefore, we should try to understand the reasons for our present incarnation and for those circumstances and experiences we need in order to transmute the lower elements of our awareness into a better, more beautiful expression of the Divine Consciousness.

The perfecting of our soul personality cannot be accomplished in one or two short lifetimes on earth. Rather, many varied lives are needed to round out the character and personality. We need varied stimuli to bring about the necessary circumstances in which we will seek to purify ourselves of any undesirable tendencies we have developed.

Our emotional harmony is acquired by passing through disturbing events, which will help us to understand the lessons that are there for us to realize.

However, our past incarnations can often reveal traits of character which do not always seem consistent with our life and training in the present incarnation. Quite often qualities of character can come forward and reveal quite a different character trait that we were not necessarily aware of. By looking back into our past history, we can bring forward these hidden traits.

We can often be amazed at what lies in our past and this can be revealed in time and through the proper development of our inner psychic consciousness.

Our present incarnation should be the one that interests us most. Analysing our inner tendencies can help us to a greater degree of attainment. So we always suggest that a rational outlook is preferable to one where we are ready to believe what others tell us of our past.

Our past is in the realm of possible recall to a certain degree, depending upon our inner awareness. Regression techniques and other readings can sometimes be helpful. However, they also be misleading, and in the case of regression certain highly emotional reactions can take place when one is asked to relive a period of one’s past.

We realize why the strong impressions left on some of our past incarnations can be very disturbing when we consider that the strongest memories are usually those which were deeply impressed because of traumatic experiences we had. When we regress in time, these traumatic experiences are likely to be the ones that first come to the fore.

We have to recognize that most of us were not high potentates, royalty, or well-known historical figures. Many of us lived and worked under most difficult circumstances, as history will reveal, and when we recall our past, we might be very disappointed to learn who we were.

It is only natural that we would, upon learning about reincarnation, dream of being some great historical figure. However, those who were well known for one reason or another were very few in number compared to the billions of soul personalities now on earth. Therefore, we are often on safer ground with the personality we have at present than a former one of doubtful repute.

Reincarnation is, of course, one of the most fascination of subjects. It is only now that the general public is becoming interested in the subject on a wide scale. Few of course, are willing to engage in a deep study or investigation of the subject: their interest lies only on the surface. However, people today are becoming more aware than ever before that there is more to life than a few mortal years. They are beginning to accept that there is much more to life. This trend will be quite helpful to us when we bring the light of a greater life to their attention.

We should each realize, of course, that our personality and character as we now express them are very much determined by our past lives. Although there are parts of our personality that are hidden from view, we can, through inner reflection, become aware of what that past has to reveal to us, but our main concern should be the degree of cosmic contacts and awareness we have so far developed.

In our spiritual development, we are always adding to our attainments, and although we may not be aware of what we have attained at times, we can be sure it is there awaiting our application and use. We should ask ourselves, how can we use and apply our spiritual development in our everyday life? The answer is often that we can use our attainment in a most natural way. When we are faced with any particular problem, we should endeavour to meditate briefly upon it. By raising our consciousness into the Cosmic for just a brief period, we find that our minds are enlightened, that our problems will be seen in a clearer perspective, and that we will also be lifting our consciousness above the disturbing emotions that many of our problems bring.

Life here on earth is the great preparer. It is here that all the cosmic laws and principles are fulfilled and demonstrated. If we can apply ourselves to our lessons, we will surely find that the cosmic intelligences are anxious to do our bidding and that we can command all nature.

Above all, let us remember that what we think and do today will determine what our tomorrows will bring. Therefore, let us lift up our thoughts and establish the highest ideals in our hearts, so that all our tomorrows will reflect the peace, love, and harmony of the Cosmic.

- Extracted from the article Reincarnation By Robert E. Daniels