In the ancient past, your first identity was your tribal affiliation. Your name, or personal identity, was secondary. Your beliefs were only expressions of the tribal beliefs. The idea that you would carve out your own unique identity, based on your intuitive understanding of reality, would have been considered absurd.
As people awaken spiritually in this new era, they recognize that they are members of a rather large tribe called the universe. Yes, there are meaningful groupings of families and like-minded individuals, and these have an important place. But what happens when your spiritual explorations bring you beyond the usual categories of family and peer group?
As you go deeper in your spiritual quest, you recognize that your basic spiritual link is to cosmic consciousness itself.
But does this mean that you are supposed to express a vague universal consciousness?
The opposite is true, because the intelligence of the universe is vast and multifaceted. The universe is best served when you contribute your distinctly unique presence — your personality and your soul vibration. Your unique vision of reality is your highest contribution to humanity — your gift to the universe.
For centuries, people defined themselves as being members of a particular religious group. You can still do this if you choose, but there are options now for creating your true spiritual path. You no longer need define yourself as being a member of a specific religion. Nor do you need any substitute new-age definition, or a specific teaching to define yourself.
Your eclectic, multifaceted approach need not have a name. You choose to align with the highest truth — that is enough. Naturally, since you are distinctly you, the appropriate path for you may differ from the appropriate path for another. These different beliefs are not in conflict, just as two people with different shoe sizes are not in conflict.
When you study any spiritual teaching, you are free to study the aspects of that teaching that resonate with your highest truth. You can do this without naming yourself as being an official member of that group. You are also free to eclectically combine the best of various teachings.
Some people will claim that your multifaceted approach is not focused, or not real — according to their definition of reality. People with these restricted views don’t recognize anything that transcends the simple categories that they are familiar with. This is why your uniquely varied path, with no official label, might be misunderstood by those who only understand specific categories.
So what is the answer to the question of which spiritual path to choose? You need not follow only one particular teaching. Your soul may require more than what one teaching can provide you.
You can choose to follow the path of exploring the highest truth, presented in various forms. This puts you in contact with the teachings you need. And this path that you evolve into, though having no name, is your own specific spiritual path.
What if you feel comfortable with the spiritual group that you have been associated with, and yet, at the same time, you yearn for a broader understanding of spiritual truth? You can, if you choose, follow your own inner-directed, multifaceted spiritual path, while also remaining affiliated with a specific religious or metaphysical group, if that serves you.
Learn to tune into the highest teachings in every path that you study.
In your daily practice, cultivate a deep connection with your own inner soul essence. Let your eternal cosmic soul be your source of guidance, healing, and unity with the divine truth. This practice gives you the confidence, if you choose, to release labels and restricted definitions that may have limited your understanding of your vast potential.
You come to recognize your inner infinite divine presence as the ultimate teacher. This lets you see that the many excellent teachers, and the many splendid spiritual paths, are all created to refer you back to your own cosmic soul wisdom. They are all mirrors for your inner teacher, who lovingly guides you on your daily spiritual path.
Many Blessings,
Joel Bruce Wallach
Founder, Cosmic Living – spiritual instruction – tele-classes and home-study mp3’s
My teacher says that following a specific path with a genuine realised soul as the teacher is like making the journey towards the golden shore in a big boat that crosses the turbulent ocean of ignorance safely and at top speed. He compares being on your own as having a small raft. He also doesn t encourage trying to follow different paths or different teachings at the same time, as every path has its own way of seeing the truth and some might be in contradiction with each other and actually confuse the seeker.
Seekers of the highest truth are everywhere, true realised souls are unfortunateky not as many, and realised soul teachers are even less.
I wish to humbly share two links of two different realised spiritual masters that you might receive inspiration from:
A talk about meditation from Guruji Devababa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XLqw_lo01E
High meditations beyond samadhi in live with Sri Chinmoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M3iK_a-azM
Mahasathi,
Thank you for writing. The apparent contradictions between paths are worth exploring.
As you delve deeper into the essence of the seemingly contradictory principles presented by various teachings, you can find deeper unifying principles. This is the value of exploring paths and learning from them.
The idea that students would become confused assumes that the teachers are not able to rectify the various teachings. Here is but one example of apparent contradictions that confuse some students:
– In Hinduism, the student is taught that there is an essential timeless self at the core of one’s being.
– In Buddhism, the student is taught that there is no self at the core of one’s being.
When you explore these teachings more deeply, you find that the Buddhist doctrine of “no self” means that all the labels that define experience, and that define self, are not expressing the deepest essential truth; they are only labels. Anytime you think you’ve arrived at “the final definition of self,” you find that there is always more to discover. And yet, as you go ever more deeply within, you eventually do find an essential cosmic energy of some kind, and you may wonder what it is. It is not a physical or spiritual self definition in the usual sense, but it is nonetheless a distinctive inner universal energy. This is something you experience, and not something you can be taught.
Likewise, when you explore more deeply into the inner cosmic essence of the Hindu teachings, you find something that closely fits the definition and experience of the deeper Buddhist experience. Therefore, the “eternal self” of Hinduism, and the “no self” of Buddhism are found to be the same cosmic inner essence, although described in different ways that appear to be contradictions.
In other words, the seeming differences between paths can be understood through deeper inner exploration. Those teachers who help you see the essential unities are worth exploring and learning from, because they are not stuck in the superficial differences between different religions and spiritual paths. They are guiding you to discover, for yourself, the essentials of all teachings.
I understand you are saying the destination is the same wichever path we follow. It’s all one! (Like the soaps )
What I am trying to convey is that it is important, if we choose to follow a specific spiritual path, to stick to it and not look elsewhere.
I really like the image of the boat being a spiritual path: some people enjoy simply watching the different boats from the shore and wondering wether or not they are going to reach their destination.
Others are alone on a small raft paddling looking at this boat and then that boat and wondering what is the right way to navigate to get to the destination, because one boat says ‘no self’ and the other ‘supreme self”.
Another is on a boat, looking at some other boat wondering wether or not that other boat is going faster, or wether the people are having more fun over there or how nice the boat looks.
My point is, if you don t have a boat, good luck on your journey (no sarcasm intended), if you do have one, stick to it! ☺
Of course I understand more advanced souls have a strong enough connection to their inner self in their life to easily do the journey on their own, without an outer and inner structure to carry them or help them carry themselves, lucky they are!
I enjoy your articles very much, it is a very smooth reading experience filled with light in every word, thank you for that.
Mahasathi,
The student who needs to stick with one teaching is the younger soul who would become otherwise confused. The advice to not look elsewhere is appropriate for their protection.
These articles are for the older souls who would benefit by discovering the subtle links between various teachings. When an older soul is following only one teaching, they may receive a view that is too narrow for their infinite capacity to recognize truth as it appears in many forms.
In my experience, I see amazingly great value in following a spiritual path! And in some ways, it does take a conscious effort to start and do so. But does not mean you must follow anything religious. We all have our own way of following a spiritual path!
http://www.keithmintz.com/blog/why-you-should-follow-a-spiritual-path
KJ,
Thank you for mentioning this, KJ. There are many paths up the mountain.
Since childhood I have searched for spiritual answers, with my mother’s help (a very religious woman in a good way). Then with marriage and the birth of my two sons. (plus divorce) there didnt seem to be anytime. In 1980 with the death of my mother, my spiritual search began once again. From 1980 to 2001 my life expanded in wondrous ways. Interaction with Angels (messages for others in trials), readings of all kinds, spiritual communications with deceased loved ones, again bringing help and guidance for their loved ones. As my life took on many ups and downs, I too was supported & guided.
20014/2016 medical issues and financial problems changed my direction. I feel lost and off of my path. Terribly barren. My belief is still there but my connection isn’t. I feel as if I have lost my love and compassion for people. Their petty annoyances & greed makes me very discourage. I’m feeling, they aren’t even connected to their spiritual selves.
Does my lack of compassion and my judgement of these folks mean that my purpose or spiritual path is over? There is so much need for someone to channel love in this world. To share God/Goddess, Angels and spirit guidance with those who are in need.
How do I find my path again, how do I warm heart to all, without judgement.Please I welcome any guidance? Thank you.
Patricia,
You can recover your spiritual connection by releasing the judgments about yourself and others. Here is how:
When you find yourself judging your thoughts and feelings, say this to yourself: “Self, I love and accept you, even when you feel name the feeling here.
When you find yourself judging other people because you think they are negative or petty, say this to yourself: “I release judgment about these people, even though they behave as they do.”
Each day, you will feel lighter, and your spiritual divine connection will become stronger.
How do i start preparing myself spiritually and learn to focus on i am doing to find my true route. I have studied different some ways but i haven’t find the right path that work for me.
Good question, Joseph.
The answer is in the article above:
“Learn to tune into the highest teachings in every path that you study.”
That means that your path may include some wisdom from everything that you study.
Your path is Your path, and it includes the wisdom that works for you, no matter where you find it. Look everywhere, and keep what feels true for you.