Picture: Dominating the view south is the maginificent Mt. Shasta; gateway to California in our renewed pilgrimage.
Our Journey south began with a stop in Ashland to be with devotees. Such times with sincere aspirants is truly an elixir of joy. Without a spiritual orientation in life I find that it offers little in the way of lasting happiness. However when God-experience enters the picture, then all relationships, all experiences in life opens new dimensions of deeper meaning and fulfillment.
I gave a talk to the Group there and read from Papa Ramdas:
“The path to the source of your and the world’s being, is not without. You have to go within yourself. You must go past your senses, mind, and intellect; you must traverse beyond all your ideas and ideals; you must transcend all limits, conditions, and tastes, and then alone will you have the fullest vision and realization of your immortal root. This immortal root is also the root of all that exists–the visible and the invisible worlds and all beings and creatures in them.
Religion is a matter of experience. Merely by becoming a member of a church, creed, or sect, a person cannot be entitled to this experience. By reading any amount of scriptures and sacred books he cannot obtain this experience. By the observance of rites, ceremonies, or worship a man cannot come by this experience. Spiritual realization is a question of individual effort and struggle…The man of true religion when he is on the path, is mainly concerned with his own internal struggle for liberation and peace.
A steady, persevering, and concentrated effort and struggle alone can lead the aspirant to the realization of God.”
This kind of aspiration that Papa speaks of is the key to having God-experience. The need to know God is a gift of Grace combined with a keen desire by the individual. There is a simple equation that formulates a clarifying question we should ask ourselves, “Do I want God more than this world?” I may assess this during the day as to whether I feel a greater pull to God than the things of the senses, outer accomplishments, and what others think of me.
Jesus gave us the great commandment to put God first, then everything else (according to His will) will be added to my life. However, the human ego does this in reverse, it seeks out the world, and then gives burnt offerings (used up life-force) to God, if anything at all.
Do you feel a passion to know God? Do you put Him first in your thoughts and desires? The equation is simple, your mind is a constant creator, and what you place your powerful mind upon is the direction your life is steered toward. It is why you get uncertain results, you swerve in this direction, then that. A steady, determined mind gets more results than a brilliant mind that cannot hold any particular course.
True genius is going straight to the Goal of goals without deviation. Make God-experience as important as breathing the air, seeking out comfort, accomplishing whatever outer journey you have embarked upon; make Him at least as important, nay more important in your day-to-day life and you will make rapid progress to Self-realization and find the fount of unending bliss and radiant light right within your own being. Be it so!