10 August 2023
Stepping onto the spiritual path and walking it is not difficult for those who are praying or performing a sacred act, who are in Unity with the Spirit, who are as aware as they can possibly be at the initial stage. Anyone can be in a state of mindfulness. It’s not difficult if you turn to the High for help.
It can be difficult for those who do not perceive it as a spiritual practice. It’s difficult for those spiritual practitioners who do not abide by spiritual laws but practise for their ego’s sake. The challenge appears when the ego begins to prevail.
It’s important for practitioners to be aware of the purpose behind their practice. Spiritual seekers should bear in mind that they are not the doers of their actions: all their actions are performed by the Creator or the Higher power within them. As soon as an individual begins to think, “I am working, I am doing great, I am practising, I am on the spiritual path,” they face challenges. It’s possible in the beginning, but as one proceeds along the path studying the laws, one should understand that there is no doer.
Ego helps us find the way and move on, but once it dares to make decisions for the Higher Power, when it becomes too active and takes all the credit that is not ours, life becomes challenging.
When we are in harmony with the Universe, that is the Primary Source, and resonate with it, there are no difficulties. When does one suffer from difficulties? When they want to become what they seek to be—right now. The difficulty arises when we put up this distance, without finding Unity right here – then a strong egoistic anxiety arises about not having what you want. Yet, nothing is really difficult or challenging.
Is it hard to sit down for practice and do pranayamas? It may be challenging to stop being ruled by your desires; but to sit down for practice or go and help someone—is it hard? No, it isn’t. If you are connected with God, nothing can be difficult for you, but you have a responsibility. Where you feel it’s hard, remember that it’s hard for your body, for your personality, for your ego. In such situations, appeal to God, and He will help you. The outcome depends on how sincere you are in your prayer.
An opportunity to practise spirituality, to step on this pathway is also opened up to us by the grace of God. This is how He helps us. There are millions of people who are deprived of such an opportunity. But you have deserved it through the millions of incarnations and your spiritual strivings. And when one appropriates this grace, life becomes challenging.
To accelerate your journey, you can appeal to God asking Him to reduce the distance to one lifetime or give you knowledge how to do it. We call this knowledge Kriya, it helps you attain realisation in quite a short period of time.
But before you get, you should give. We give away our ego, we prefer the Spirit and the Soul to the ego. We give away what we are attached to. If you are attached to the social life, you will have to find time and give up certain interests in order to practise, to sit down and do Kriya-pranayama. If you want to reduce the distance between God and yourself, it’s enough to practise self-realisation techniques of the seventh stage that enable one to attain this in one lifetime, or in several years with intensive practice. Just get up and do it.
Master Imram
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