The old adage“silence
is golden” becomes more apparent and meaningful, as we grow along the
spiritual path. Like a spiraling staircase, we can’t see to the top, but we know it’s there.
Spiraling around each step along the staircase very carefully, not seeing or knowing when the end will come…if ever, in our lifetime.
We keep moving upward (inward) and seemingly going around and around, and assuredly ascending, carried strictly by our faith. We don't know what we’ll experience when we get to the next plateau, much less what's at the top, or end of the journey. But knowing that "faith without works is dead," we keep moving.
Imagine, though, that as we're treading each step carefully, midway up someone comes along and tries to talk. Can we keep our focus? Perhaps, but the walk upward suddenly is not as meaningful nor insightful because now we need to give attention to both the staircase and the other person.
"For as the body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 21:26
We keep moving upward (inward) and seemingly going around and around, and assuredly ascending, carried strictly by our faith. We don't know what we’ll experience when we get to the next plateau, much less what's at the top, or end of the journey. But knowing that "faith without works is dead," we keep moving.
Imagine, though, that as we're treading each step carefully, midway up someone comes along and tries to talk. Can we keep our focus? Perhaps, but the walk upward suddenly is not as meaningful nor insightful because now we need to give attention to both the staircase and the other person.
Without realizing it, now we find ourselves going around and
around, without much ascension because our attention is now divided.
Matthew 6:22 speaks of this:
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."
"But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness."
Then comes the warning about double-mindedness:
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Many of us striving for spiritual growth are walking the way
of the double-minded man. Indeed, it seems next to impossible …on the surface…to
do otherwise. Unless we’re part of a full-time ministry and serving at some
level of dedication, we’re seemingly forced to walk in two ways:
- The way of the world
- And the way of spiritual commitment.
Yet, there are those finding ways outside the ministry that provide truly holy and wholesome lifestyles.
Take a look at these people:
John and Ocean Robbins, respectively, a father and son team that is dedicated to providing food and nutrition information that empower people to take control of their lives. John is of the Baskin Robbins family but chose a life outside the family business to offer more to people. Here's the link to their revolutionary food Website: Food Revolution.
Dr. Wylie Carhartt is a young and up-coming medical doctor, based in Phoenix, Ariz., who honors the Hippocratic Oath and the field of medicine, while also respecting his patients' needs to marry medicine with their natural health programs. Dr. Carhartt also defies the image of the doctor whose bedside manner is to rush in and out of appointments; he chooses instead to present the image to his patients that he’s working on their time. This is an awesome young doctor who you can totally trust for your care or that of your children or parents. We would all be blessed if more doctors had Dr. Carhartt's style and demeanor.
Dr. Ed Dodge, a retired doctor, also is reminiscent of the caring physician who is using his retirement from family medicine to make even more of an impact in helping people take control of their health and healthcare. Check out his website here: Power of Lifestyle.
Michael Singer, author of best-selling, "The Untethered Soul," and other books, seems to have struck a comfortable life of spirituality, balanced with successful business endeavors.
Deepak Chopra, MD, is a walking example of living a successful life all generated from a spiritual lifestyle. (Many others authors of spiritual books and teachers of spirituality also seem to marry spirituality with a comfortable lifestyle.)Then, we also have Oprah Winfrey, talk show hostess, who already was successful when she switched gears and began to offer spirituality as a way of life for her audiences.
Different generations seem to bring those who offer their wisdom and insights for those striving to find yet another way to walk successful through life, without selling our Souls. Joel S. Goldsmith is a master guru who in the 1950s and 1960s offered many comfort, hope and triumph to transcend the challenges of daily life. Through his Infinite Way organization, Goldsmith focused on the consciousness within us as our true power. He strongly believed that once we focus on this consciousness that fuels us, we are empowered to do and be anything we wish.
Getting to know this consciousness that resides within is our life's journey, no matter how we wind up looking to find it. Some choose to go searching via the dark ways of the world, others through a heightened sense of illumination. We must remember though, as we get lost along the way, only getting back to the center of our being will bring us the wholeness we desperately seek. For each of us, this is an individual thing. Though we may seek guidance and wisdom from spiritual leaders and teachers, ultimately, no other person can take the ride with us, or for us.
We thus must stay vigilant so as not to get lost by those who would try to accompany and direct us as we make our way along the unending pathway of the spiral "staircase" to our Soul.
Stay focused. Stay true to your goal. Seek direction from within...this should ultimately be your only guide.
Namaste',
Che'
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