It is a natural thing when coming into this world, without a living awareness of your larger existence, to feel that this body and this world is your all and all. However, this becomes a problem since everything here is temporary. The basis for your existence is quicksand flowing through an hourglass. This can only provoke anxiety on some deep existential level, especially as you see the sand running out for yourself or others.
The question then must be asked, “Is there no alternative?” And this has been the prodding for spiritual quests since man has walked the earth; from looking up to the stars from a warming fire to using an electron microscope when exploring the atomic building blocks of creation.
Through the renaissance and the age of reason science gained much deserved credibility for answering questions as to the nature of this universe. However, if questions regarding the nature of soul, the why of life becomes the topic, you are summarily sent to the philosophy department. Quite often in the philosophy department you are shown the structure of a valid argument (is your argument properly formulated?); but not much there to satisfy a questing soul. That deeper yearning is considered by the philosophical to be the province of emotional religionism and held at arm’s length by the logical as stemming from a magical brew of illogic. And when you turn your attention to much of what religion is today, you find it formulated on faith, “Here is the creed, accept the creed and the real answers for the soul will be found when life is up.” Ah, what to do for a questing soul who does not have faith in the creed?
In my case, as with many of us, my interest took me to those who spoke of having actual experience of states of consciousness that positively described what, at my core, my soul needed to know. Beyond being interesting, these experiences made my soul say, “Yes!” These are mystical experiences, that is reaching beyond the five senses, and are not the product of logic, but they hold up to logical scrutiny when you accept the premise of the experience. They also have the added virtues that they are not formulaic, nor in need of accepting a creed, but based on seeking out and having your own experience. If science, philosophy or the acceptance of a creed satisfies a soul, then that is sufficient. However, I needed something more—I needed to touch Truth and to experience it in such a way that my soul found complete satisfaction in the here and now.
A product of this exploration not only emphasizes the temporary nature of life in a body, nothing great in that obvious deduction, but it gives me experiences in what transcendes transitory nature; the ever-existent Soul. In this experience I was lifted above the imprisoning limitations of normal ego-bounds, and I saw and knew that “I” was never created, for I was without beginning or end–it was liberating beyond belief. I saw that I existed before taking incarnation in this body, I knew that I would continue to exist after this body has returned to its natural elements. I experienced that I have always been, and will always be. I found this awareness to be sublime, filled inner assurance and satisfying for what my soul had been questing.
Today the exploration continues, however knowing the truth of the existence of transcendent Soul is a definite foundation upon which to build. It is a reminder that, for this body, the possession of any material thing, having a position in life, membership in a family or any other relative connection to creation, I am a renter, not a buyer—everything created comes with an expiry date.
There is the story of the manager of an estate. The owner was rarely seen, so the manager alone was responsible for its smooth functioning. After some time, the estate manager became arrogant in his position. One day the owner arrived with a new plan for the estate which did not include the need for the manager. The manager was sent packing, with nothing but the few possessions he could call his own. Likewise, we should all be proper managers of what God has given us, knowing that one day we too will be sent packing with nothing but our self, the quality of our being to recommend us. We will then report to the supreme Creator, who is no respecter of title, money or position–all stand equally before the all-knowing One. Only one thing will count: the quality of your inner self—built with a lifetime of what you think, say and do—your consciousness that exudes from your innermost being. That is what lasts, and that is what counts.