The symbolic metaphor of a path is such a beautiful way to describe how we experience our spiritual search. The Way of a Pilgrim, The Pilgrim’s Progress and Dante’s Paradisio, all classics of spiritual inspiration, explore the idea of a path, a journey, with all of the people, adventures and lessons we meet along the way to God. (Yes, a little bit like the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz!)
The idea of a path is a useful metaphor, but like all metaphors, it only approaches the truth. The problem with the idea of a spiritual path, or journey, is that it implies that we need to go somewhere other than where we are in order to find what we are seeking.
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The truth is that we carry God around with us, within us, even as we are seeking Him. Enlightenment exists where we stand right now, but we are looking outward, off in the distance, hoping to see a glimpse of what we seek - over there!
It’s like looking for your reading glasses all over the house and when you have finally looked everywhere, you realize that you were wearing them all along! You couldn’t find them because they were so close to you. Finding God isn’t so much a matter of searching as it is a shifting of perception, an awakening.
You can have good teachers and books that help you search, to bring you to the place where you finally stand still and realize that God isn’t hiding from you, God isn’t lost. God is shouting, “Here I Am!” in and through everything around you, everything within you. It’s less of a mystery than it is a trick - of hiding in plain sight!
The Buddha, the Christ and many other spiritual masters have all told us this in many different ways. They speak from their personal experience and they all tell us the same thing. Can’t you just imagine them all sitting around together, shaking their heads and wondering, “What part of ‘Look Within' don’t you understand?”
There is an inmost center in us all,
Where the Truth abides in fullness; and to know
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape
Than in effecting entry for a light supposed to be without.
~ Robert Browning
Nice thoughtful post. Many truths have been "discovered" by many different religions and schools of thought :) This reminds me of advice I give to young parents. New parents often will say I can't wait until ... he walks, she speaks, he starts kindergarten. I tell them enjoy every day. The joy is found in the the journey of your child growing up. Don't always be waiting for the joy to happen. It is happening now. Enjoy today.
Wise words indeed!
Just as for parents, I can remember looking forward to my 'milestones' - driving a car, being allowed to date, going off to college, finding my 'true love' - always something in the future! Along the way many people told me to live in the moment because that's where joy lives. It has taken me this long to put it into practice!
Dear @donna-metcalfe 👐 how are you today? Everythings back on the track? This post remind me to a long and depth conversation with someone who identify himself as a polytheist agnostic. As a muslim, i have had taught about God is so close to my neck vein. God is everywhere and nowhere to find but within you and your surroundings.
Spiritual Path is a long way to go for those who doesn't recognize the Light. But it is a common path to go in every beat of the heart. Couldn't agree more with your thoughtfull post as always.
Different faiths believe in different things and have different practices but at the heart they are not so different. Treat others as you would like to be treated. God isn't 'out there' somewhere, He is wherever we are, inside us. And, important to me, is - "don't tell me about your religion - show me."
As for me I am much healed. I fell again but only a short distance and on a carpet. The strange thing is when I stood up my side muscles felt much better! My tailbone isn't happy when I sit down, but overall better.
Nice post .... what we seek is within not without :)
Really insightful essay!
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