Anthony J. Fisichella...
A New Kind of Adventure Begins
Excerpted from “The Christ Epoch”
In the early stages of development we speak of the awakening individual as an Aspirant - one who aspires toward a new and more spiritually oriented lifestyle, complete with revised attitude and value system. Actually, it is more than a change of lifestyle that is in question. It is the initial stage of a metamorphosis into a new state of existence that is at stake. From out of the cocoon of personality orientation, he must emerge and take wing upon a new stage of life. The governing factors will be honesty of mind, sincerity of heart, non-attachment and a growing lack of identification with the form side of existence.
Initially, it should be realized that no Aspirant, no matter how earnest, faithful, heartfelt and dutiful, is without faults. If he were we would call him "Adept" or "Master." All Aspirants are still possessed of some measure of ego and are thus personality driven to that extent. They are still prone to anger, temper, depression and irritability. Instead of appearing spiritual, at times they seem the antithesis. Like all of us, they are a work in progress. In the early stages of the Path the Aspirant is bound to succumb periodically to earlier appetites and temptations. It is an ongoing struggle characterized by many relapses and disappointments.
These faults may be aroused in them by what might seem to be "just causes" and a sense of "self-righteousness," giving rise to a rationale and justification for their conduct. Injustice, cruelty to other human beings, animals or the environment; violence, hatreds and the bigotry of their fellow men, sometimes arouse in them corresponding reactions and cause them much suffering and delay in their journey. What better are they than those they are judging if their reaction is likewise that of intolerance? It is hard, in the face of seeming injustice, to turn one’s face away and pretend we just didn't see. It is even harder to see and acknowledge the sorrow of the world and not get overwhelmed by it all, rendering one impotent, where love, wisdom and understanding are needed.
Descending to the level of your antagonist will not elevate either. People who oppose each other, tend to become alike. As Ram Dass correctly suggested in his landmark book, Be Here Now, “You can only protest effectively when you love the person whose ideas you are protesting against as much as you love yourself.” Justifications, excuses, denials and defenses are counter-productive and will not further the spiritual agenda. Denials keep us fixated and stuck.
It must ever be remembered that the reaction of the Aspirant or, to a lesser degree, the Disciple, is the result of the fact that they still harbor within themselves the seeds of harm: divisiveness and separateness. Antagonism towards others only feeds these seeds of dissension. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap,” applies even more strongly to those who have committed their lives to the spiritual Path, for they wield greater power, which produces more potent results, and thus, karmically, a greater rebound upon the initiator. And woe betides the one who presumes to teach spiritual knowledge and disciplines, for the karma of toying with the minds and hearts of the student is monumental. As the Aspirant, and later the Disciple and the Initiate, grow in spiritual knowledge and power, they become mediums for force of a greatly increased kind, which causes lapses upon the Path to have a more profound and powerful effect than in the case of the less advanced man. Consequently, his Karmic retribution will be equally increased. Inevitably he must pay the required karmic price before he is permitted to proceed further along the Way.
What truly matters is that the individual Aspirant has arrived at a stage where shortcomings are recognized and the willingness to fight and overcome failings and imperfections is surfacing in consciousness. A new vision is held out as the goal of attainment and the motive for action. It is not that which is desired that is of consequence. It is not the typical drive toward acquisition that motivates the Aspirant, it is the intent to manifest the qualities that are indigenous to the soul, through the personality. How?
For example: You want love? Give it. You want to give love? Be it. You want to be love? Open to your soul, the principle of love within your being. Again, how? You could start by focusing your identity in your soul and bringing its energy to bear within your life and upon your daily activities. Do this first in meditation and later in the activities of your daily life. This requires a withdrawal from the demands of the senses and their attachment to the objects of the world. The Aspirant striving for discipleship must be able to bring all the senses under control and sever the connection between the internal sense organs and the corresponding external objects to which it responds. This is done through the concentration of the mind. Instead of being a slave to the mind, it must be brought under control and ultimately made subservient to the soul.
Everywhere the Aspirant goes he must allow the experiences of the moment to open his heart. In other words, live as a soul, in the world though not of it. When faced with the challenges of daily life, ask yourself, “If I were Jesus or Buddha, how would I respond to these circumstances?” Then do it. They are the personification of the soul in action. Is that too much to ask? Then aspire toward and emulate the highest to which you can relate. Before having yourself totally submerged in the Spirit, try putting your toe in to test its temperature, as it were.
But what if you’re wrong? So what? Learn your lesson and move on. You’re only working on yourself, remember? So no one is harmed. If you have judged wrongly, make appropriate adjustments and “keep on keeping on.” Jesus and Buddha and others have huffed and puffed and gotten there. It’s your turn, and no one can do it for you. Start huffing. There has never been a better time than now.
Further, all Aspirants, down through the ages, have been taught that harmlessness, singleness of purpose, purity of mind and heart, a love and respect for truth in whatever form it may be found, and a life of creative service are the prime requisites for treading the Path. Do this also, the best you can. The Aspirant must now direct his energies and throw himself into the Process; passionately pouring his soul into every activity, siding always with the evolutionary forces he is learning to contact. It is interesting, as a Disciple he will later have to learn dispassion and detachment. For the average human being and Aspirant, these qualities are so essential, but later on will prove to be obstacles and impediments to the journey.
During these trying times the Aspirant discovers and begins to tread the probationary Path. An increase in mental activity, a growing response to abstract levels of awareness and a developing psychic sensitivity will mark this stage of growth. It is during this period that the individual takes himself in hand, ascertains his weaknesses, and diligently begins to work at correcting them. He cultivates the qualities that are lacking in his character, and seeks persistently to integrate his personality and bring it under the control of the soul. He now begins to hear the “still small voice in the silence,” that of his soul, and endeavors to strengthen that connection and live by its dictates. His conscious efforts are supplemented by training at the hands of higher level Disciples, Initiates and Masters, taking place sometimes in the outer environment through individual and group relationships that are developed, and also upon the inner planes of reality for those who are accepted Disciples. The Aspirant sometimes works alone, but is often attracted to a group of aspiring individuals with whom he can work in the expanding of awareness and the furtherance of the Plan. An expansion of consciousness with responsiveness to a higher order of vibrations is the key for the group. Developing an awareness of the soul and a shift of identification is the task at hand.
As the level of Aspirant blends into that of Discipleship, yoga or union with the soul will become the focus of attention. With the intensification of the inner spiritual faculties, an acceleration of vibratory activity is experienced which puts the Aspirant en rapport with the higher frequencies of the soul realm. The light of the soul then begins to glow, grows into a flame and precipitates downward into the personal self, burning away the dross. This occurs in stages, each with greater and greater intensification, and was referred to in The Bible as the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 3:11) The Mystics of old called it the “Inquisition of Fire.”
Unfortunately, the life of an Aspirant tends to be most unstable, especially in terms of his new commitment, since the demands of past modes of conduct are most compelling, and conditioned behavioral patterns are extremely difficult to shed. The life of the Aspirant, if progressing properly, is therefore characterized by constant movement, change, conflict and seeming instability. He ceaselessly searches for avenues of creative work through which his awakening vision may be expressed -- through literature, the spoken word in lecturing and teaching, science, music and the arts; various ways of manifesting the inner vision are explored. He labors to touch the hearts of his fellow man, to aid in their journey of awakening and to somehow alleviate their suffering. He has not matured enough spiritually to realize that he cannot truly eliminate the suffering of those around him, but his heart pains for them.
Irrespective of evolutionary development, the Aspirant, or even the more advanced Disciple, cannot shield others from life’s struggles. Neither can he anesthetize another’s pain or cry their tears, hard as he may try and as well intended as he may be. He wants to do good, so badly. He is stuck in what is sometimes described as “helpers prison.” Aspirants and even more advanced Disciples get themselves caught in the grip of the most powerful emotion that can beset the mind and heart of man, the desire to save the soul of their fellow man. It is one of the frustrations of life that no man can carry another man’s cross.
It is also a form of ego driven arrogance, to think that one can truly know what is best for another person. The help offered is often a hindrance to the true spiritual needs of the one being helped. The resulting frustration only tends to amplify the personal struggles of both. Like being in quick sand, the more he struggles, the more he will sink and likely take down the ones he has presumed to help.
A New Kind Of Adventure Begins Part II – From Aspiration to Discipleship
As the inner spiritual knowledge and understanding takes hold and the Aspirant moves toward Discipleship, he must develop his discriminating faculty. He must learn when to wisely use and discreetly withhold the knowledge and wisdom he is receiving. The Disciple speaks when others would be silent, and is silent when others would speak. The Aspirant is not so discriminating. The aphorism that captures this attitude and is characteristic of the Disciple is, “To know, to will, to dare, and to be silent.”
Those who wish, with sincerity, to be of service to others need only be open to their needs and their suffering, in spite of the fact that nothing can be done about it, apart from support and encouragement. The Aspirant must keep his heart open, gently, tenderly and empathetically experiencing the pain of others so they need not suffer alone. Regardless of what is occurring, no matter how bad it may seem, can you stand free and detached from the situation? Ask yourself, “If needed, could I keep my heart open in hell?”
Borrowing from Book Two of this work, I reiterate, “Love is not slavishly filling another’s needs nor the simple willingness of being available to experience the anguish of another person’s pain and suffering. It is being predisposed and prepared to live with the impotent and often frustrated awareness that, though we want to, we are powerless to save another from their pain. All we can hope to be is compassionate and lovingly supportive as they struggle through their ordeal.”
All the Aspirant can hope to do is create an environment, with his work upon himself, for the growth of those with whom he may come into contact. As J. R. R. Tolkien wisely stated in Lord of the Rings, “The burned hand teaches best. After that, advice about fire goes to the heart.” Learning the lessons of life does not happen vicariously. Does this mean you should not help or try to be of service? On the contrary, it just requires a shift in perspective and context. There is a subtle but important difference between service and interference. And it takes an acute, sensitive awareness of a unique kind to distinguish the difference. It takes someone that fully understands the karmic predicament involved and, further, understands his or her own dharmic responsibility in the unfolding scenario. In the final analysis, it is a service to Life, to truth and to your own soul that is at stake.
The Path is tread through study, meditation and service. What after all is service? In the fullest sense, it is a life of example, not demand or coercion. The Aspirant does not offer dogmatic platitudes as an act of service, he offers himself. The work you do in the world, even that of service, is your means of working upon yourself. It is the declaration of an inner vision demanding expression. He is the best exponent of the Ageless Wisdom who lives each and every day the life of the soul, manifesting its qualities in that place where he finds himself, not where he would rather be. It is the exercise of growing spiritual faculties that will enhance your being and serve those around you. By elevating yourself, you elevate the world. “And I, if I be lifted up from the Earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 1:32) This statement, made by Jesus, is equally true of all who aspire to spiritual growth and wish to serve the Process. It is the Aspirant’s opportunity to open his heart and exercise his love that is at stake. The Path is constructed by each of us, individually, as the spider spins its web out of the center of its own being. I’m leery of the metaphor I just employed for we must be cautious not to ensnare others in our well-meaning web, and yet the analogy is appropriate.
My wife is a Master Gardener, forever at work with plants. Using her work as an appropriate analogy, my suggestion for those of you attempting to tread the Path and desiring to be of help to those around you; position yourself as the soil, moist and soft and receptive, so that each and all may grow as they need to, fed not by what you desire, but by that which you are. The soil has no intent to change nightshade into wheat or corn. It allows the inherent nature of the seed to take root and flower. The Tao Te Ching tells us, “The wild geese have no intent to cast their shadow, the lake has no mind to receive it.” Yet both play their appropriate role without intent, simply by being authentic. If you’re open and aware and have no personal ax to grind, the situation will define who does what. Loving support, comfort and encouragement are possible, but each soul must find its way through, by dint of its own effort.
The Aspirant plans, only to see those plans disrupted due to his own spiritual immaturity, and a lack of the essential inner vision and understanding of those around him. Continuous building and breaking up; clashing with environmental circumstances; numerous friendships made and left behind; misunderstandings from friends and family; ideals envisioned and established, only to become mere stations on the road to Higher Ground; these constitute the life of the Aspirant. Through it all, his principle task is to balance the pairs of opposites, the conflicting forces within him that have been and are at odds within his being. There are those forces that have been necessary to function effectively in the world. These should now be waning. And then there are those waxing forces that are awakening within, calling for a more contemplative life and the exercise of growing powers unknown until now.
As established earlier, there are entrenched, conditioned factors within each of us, habits of mind and emotion, that will conflict with the new life rhythm that is attempting to assert itself. Past compulsions must be broken and a new rhythm established. We are all out of balance; the conditioning of the past is so deeply rooted in our animal soul which resists the efforts of the awakening spiritual Identity, trying to declare Itself. Until a balance of spirit and matter are achieved, challenge and conflict will be the way of the Aspirant. The conflict is not merely with one’s self, but also with all those who are at odds with the individual who presumes to live by a different lifestyle and set of values than his neighbor. How dare he presume to be different? “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary?” “…And they were offended in him.” “…A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:55-57)
The Aspirant may never convince those around him that his way of life is appropriate and will lead to a status in evolution that we all must eventually pursue, nor is proselytizing even appropriate. Regardless of the convictions of others, when the Aspirant has achieved the prerequisite inner strength that shall be his as a Disciple, the opinion of others will no longer weigh heavily upon his heart.
With the dawning of the Age of Aquarius and the unique energies being brought to bear on humanity at this time, coupled with the current, advancing, evolutionary status of the masses of humanity – though some cynics may see this in the opposite light – there are numerous human beings of every gender and every national, religious and racial type that are approaching the threshold of the dawning new Kingdom and aspiring toward heightened levels of spiritual awareness -- though unconsciously so in many cases. This must be transmuted into conscious effort. All these conditions, and more, seem awesome and intimidating. One is tempted to turn one’s back and walk away from the severe and compelling disciplines involved. This is generally engendered by fear, especially of the unknown. The message conveyed by the fear is likely an inner recognition and reminder that it is not yet time; the metamorphic process in preparation for the awakening that is to occur has not fully run its course. If such is the case, if the Journey seems much too harsh, then the best one can do with integrity, humility and sincerity is to acknowledge that fact and be willing to await a more propitious time to embrace the demands of the Path. Aspirants in the world are becoming legion. Your time will come. As the tide of spirituality rises and the level of spiritual power and commitment increases, many will enter upon the Path proper – the Path of Holiness – and will embark upon the life of the Disciple.
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