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Silence.
Retreat. A Wilderness experience. Communing deeply within.
This
is the X factor. It can truly be said that prior to this inner
retreat, there was actually nothing spiritually distinctive
about these people at all. Virgin birth apart, the life of Jesus
prior to this isolation is hardly even discussed in the Gospels.
The Buddha was one of many Indian princes. You couldn't have
picked Mohammed out in a crowd. And Moses, though an
accomplished magician at the time, and leader of a nation of
homeless and hungry, still had his best days very much ahead of
him.
When they
returned from the place of silence and solitude, they came with
FIRE! The flames of that fire spread with unquenchable force.
It
set light to the world. The truth they revealed differed very
markedly, according to their own times, as well as the history
and traditions of the people they taught. But it was new.
It was
powerful. It came from a place where most of us never go.
It was
divine revelation.
Perhaps none of
us will start a major world faith or would even wish to. Yet,
the power these spiritual masters tapped is available to us all.
In fact, they are the first to say this. This power can
transform our personal and spiritual development. It is the
power to break the boundaries of our own limitations and ego
consciousness.
Now, from this
dramatic comparison of the lives of the Spiritual Masters, we
have a strong hint of how to get there ourselves. It is through
silence, withdrawal and inner stillness. It is only by
BEING, i.e. willing to spend time with ourselves, to conduct our
own retreats. This is how we can truly break through the
barriers and blocks that prevent us from realising who we really
are and what our life destiny is.
If you need any
more persuading, consider the following from some of the
greatest minds that have ever been:
All of man's problems
stem from his inability
to sit quietly with himself.
--Pascal
You can't teach
anybody anything, only make them
realise the answers are already
inside them. --Galileo
When you go into the
space of nothingness,
everything becomes known. --Buddha
You can never learn
anything
that you did not already know. --Aristotle
The Kingdom of Heaven
is within you. --Jesus Christ
An old story
relates that the Gods debated as to where to hide their wealth
of wisdom and spiritual power. They finally settled on hiding it
deep within Man himself. They knew he would look for it
everywhere across the planet except there!
Thus, if you
wish to make progress in anything--spiritual, material, or even
financial--the place to start is to go within. This is
where the Inner Genius lies, the Higher Self, the Power of God.
Spend time with yourself in contemplation. Wait upon that inner
voice. Do not bring your preconceptions with you. Allow what
comes to be virgin-born.
How different
this teaching is to that of the world; even of the spiritual
authorities. The Church will tell you that spiritual growth
comes through regular attendance, good works, holy communion and
other outward forms. The business world will tell you to attend
more seminars, read up on presentation techniques, and jump onto
the latest trend.
However, the
wise person knows that inner victory must always precede outer.
There are no shortcuts. This way of silence is tougher.
It takes
time and patience. It is out of sorts with the ways of the
world, which is precisely its power. You may not even know how
to begin or what to expect. Just begin. Schedule
regular time for it. All questions will be answered in
time. By You!
It is the way
the Masters have walked. It is the way they recommend.
Practice
it yourself. Begin today.
Copyright, Asoka Selvarajah, Ph.D. You can subscribe to Dr. Selvarajah's ezine, "Aspire To
Wisdom"; which combines powerful Personal Development and
Spiritual Growth teachings that together enable you to live a
joyous, fulfilled and prosperous life in every way.
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