The Essence of Spiritual Practice

What is the Essence of Spiritual Practice?

To activate by inspiration, dedication, and decision of will those aspects of consciousness that  become progressively self-actualizing.  They are empowered by compassion, devotion, humility, and the willingness to surrender to unconditional love.  Perception then transforms into spiritual vision.  This evolution evokes a supportive response from the highest levels of consciousness for it takes great power to overcome the ‘gravity’ of the earthly life and its habits of perception.  The act of worship is an entreaty and invitation to these higher energies for assistance in one’s spiritual endeavor.

From The Eye of the I, ch. 9, pg. 186

Each One of Us Counts

So, the spiritual person now is confronted with how to contextualize and comprehend and understand the current world events, but then again, it has been that way since I have been on the planet. World War One had just expired and then came the Great Depression, and then World War II, and I don’t know how many wars since then. And so, we’re always confronted with the spiritual—the seeming spiritual dilemmas of the expression of the ego in its expression as the actions- collective actions- of society.

In any case, all any of us can do is within our own heart to reach the highest level of compassion and understanding and try to recontextualize it compassionately because in so doing, we undo it. So each of those who were able to undo great negativity did so because in a way their heart was supported by the hearts of all of us. They just didn’t reach 550 all by their lonesome, out there on an ice floe, you know. So, the evolution of the consciousness of mankind is dependent on the contributions of all of us. So, each one of us counts and each one of us counts quite decisively. Each one of us certainly counts quite decisively. [Testing]: “That’s a fact-resist.” (True). Hahaha. You know, I’ve always been suspicious of holy-sounding religious teachings, you know what I’m saying, Hahaha. Holy-sounding religious teachings, you say, “Yeah, right.” I want to see is that a fact or is that not a fact.

From Radical Subjectivity: The ‘I’ of Self, Feb 2002 lecture, disk 3

All Is God

Q: There are contrasting terms and concepts, such as form versus formless, unmanifest versus manifest,  linear versus nonlinear, and duality versus nonduality. How can these be resolved?

A: The resolution is by means of the awareness of the nature of thought.  Perception itself is an illusion; it is like a mirror looking back at a mirror that is looking at a mirror reflecting a mirror.  There are contrasting terms and concepts.  God is both immanent and transcendent, both form and formless, both duality and nonduality, both manifest and unmanifest, both linear and nonlinear.  All is God.

From The Eye of the I: ch. 17, pg. 341-342

Peace is the Truth

There is a shift of perception of the universe and of our relationship to it. The inner Self prevails. The personal self has been transcended, with all of its feelings, beliefs, identities, and concerns. This is the ultimate state sought by all seekers, whether they are religious, humanist, or have no spiritual or philosophical identification at all.
 
We have all had moments of profound peace where time and the world seemed to suddenly stop, and we have come in contact with the Infinite.
 
… With continual surrender, we begin to experience these states of peace with ever-increasing frequency.
 
At times, they may become quite profound and of greater and greater duration. When the clouds are removed, the sun shines forth and we discover that peace was the truth all along. Surrender is the mechanism that uncovers the true nature of our existence.
 
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