Let’s be very clear on one point. When first stated, you may think you already know it, but let’s take a deeper look: The spiritual path lies within you. Let’s say it a few different ways: Evolution is an inner process. The battlefield of human evolution is within. The spiritual journey is an inner journey. Most of your challenges, most of your karma, lie between your ears and within your heart.
Now the all-important point #2: You take that inner landscape and project it out onto the world. You have challenges: financial, emotional, logistical, moral, intellectual, personal, political, social, etc. You have obligations. You have conflicts. You have irresolvable issues. You have needs. You have made mistakes. You have hurt and have been hurt. You have many fears. You have beliefs and convictions about all of these things. Now here is the tough one: I say again, you take your inner landscape and project it onto the outer world. You convince yourself that your challenges are not about you, but about the situation you find yourself in. You decide that it is what lies outside of you that is wrong or needs attention. Oh yes, if the outer world just had it right, then you would be fine. Then you could tend to your evolution and make some real progress.
My daughter is in France for 10 days on a class trip. She had typical concerns such as who she would have to sit next to on the plane, who she would be assigned to room with, etc. This is the first time she went so far from home for so long. I found myself reflecting on what few words I would most like to say to her before she left on her journey. My first bit of advice was to stay close to the group, which she somehow turned into a funny joke about her dad telling her to not flirt with the taxi cab drivers. The second was to have a good attitude. Be a ‘player.’ Keep a positive attitude and be flexible with challenges or situations that may not be to her liking.
This made me think of my students. There are those that seem to be eternally plagued with outer world, insurmountable obstacles that torment them. Then there are those that keep going forward without getting caught up in this or that disturbance.
You are climbing a mountain. Imagine you have partners to climb that mountain with. What would you like them to be like? What kind of person would you like them to be? What kind of attitude would you like them to have? What attributes would make them the best partner along the way? How would you like to see them deal with conflict, adversity, things being not just exactly how they want them at times, and how they deal with major challenges?
In all honesty, I know of no one that can better help you with the inner journey than I. And I say to you, be that person. Never stop. Keep your eye on the ball. Stay one pointedly focused on climbing that mountain. Do not be distracted by your preconceived notions or the outer world. People come up with innumerable reasons to not keep their priorities straight. Your number one priority must be your evolution.
Attitude is everything.
Fabulous blog. Thank you.
This came at a perfect time for me, thank goodness. I realized a situation i am in kicked up a lot of my samskaras at the same time and I was feeling overwhelmed. This blog helped to bring it back into perspective. I am climbing a mountain and each time I stumble you reach out your hand to guide me back to the path.
Jai Guru Dev
Awesome!, Of course I like the mountain climbing analogy. Climbing a mountain for 2 months, 21 days, or even or 6 day basic class was always so all encompassing, you could not help but know by just looking around what your mission was….. UP and DOWN. The talk would often go to daily worldly things (pizza, sunny days, houses, showers, etc.) as if people wanted to escape from where they were. Very tricky.. Evolution is even more all encompassing and seemingly easier to forget you are on the path. Thanks for the reminder. You are the best mountain GUIDE, thankyou. I love this blog. Todd
One reality is I am simply reading words on a screen to start my day however the feeling that the lesson generates is the reality that moves me through that day and through life. Dr. Viktor Frankl..an “Auschwitz” holocaust survivor..says the only thing that no man can take from another..is one’s ability to choose one’s own attitude. In my opinion, few if any have ever had it worse than what those souls had to endure.
Thank you for your constant pushing Brahmarshi!
It is a great time to be alive
I’m glad this blog and other recent blogs are focusing on evolution as priority number one. They are helping me get creative to make that happen. Each blog seems to be a guiding hand from Brahmarshi to help me climb the mountain rather than backslide. I certainly don’t want to waste this once-in-many-lifetimes opportunity.
I don’t think I’ve received something you’ve said or written as well as this since I glimpsed ‘resting in to my own being’ and ‘deriving support naturally from nature’. I appreciate this.
As with Crystal, this comes at an valuable time. Thank you. The mountain path is long and windy, tho I know the view is what is seen and I will see is one like off your porch, but will be off mine. Tanya’s photos are a constant reminder of home, beautiful.
Jai Śiva Śaṅkara
Powerful blog. Thank you.