COLLECTING ONESELF

The School of Truth Lecture given 2nd November 2003, Johannesburg, South Africa Source p.332, Dec. 2003 / Jan. 2004 - The Path of Truth (EW) The gateway to the apparently material qualities of life is our spiritual consciousness. If we want happy, harmonious, successful lives we need to develop our consciousness of God. In this state our security increases, our anxieties and fears fade. Saint Augustine declares humbly to God "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and we know no peace until we find peace in Thee." Our spiritual consciousness is measured by our faith, our trust, in God - our state of knowing and feeling that in spite of any difficulty all is well. Even when the outcome of our problem is not what we hoped for, the certainty persists that all is well. Faith is the proof of our God-consciousness. Paul would say "Things are made from that which does not appear." We let go of our dependence on material circumstances and rely utterly on God to guide us and reveal the good that lies in store for us. How are we to develop this spiritual awareness and hence our faith? The Master's answer is to develop the "single eye" - thoughts and feelings which are whole or sound. Our thoughts and feelings - our consciousness - create our reality and when we change them we change our reality. God's presence lies with all of us, almost like another person, observing and approving what we are thinking and feeling and saying and doing. We should, through our philosophy, be the easiest of people to live and work with, not speaking about Truth but demonstrating It, being It. When our inner Guide is not satisfied with an aspect of ourself we can change it. What is bitter becomes sweet. Our perception of circumstances enlarges, as if from a higher vantage. We see things in a new light, with greater understanding. As we seek so do we find, as we knock the door is opened unto us. We move from mere intellectual theory and knowledge to a state of "knowingness" which embraces our entire being spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Why do we seek God? It is an inner compulsion, the Presence of God within us seeking expression. Thomas a Kempis, the 15th century monk and religious writer, reveals "Son, if thou wouldst be truly happy, refer all things to Me." In beautiful language the Old Testament declares that God is our very life: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." As we go through life we need to align our personalities with the Soul so that the Soul may flow in our lives to the glory of God. Then we do not live in vain. The spiritual aspect of our lives expresses as light, love, compassion, kindness, helpfulness, going the extra mile. It is truly rewarding. Many people feel there is a missing factor in their lives. They strive for material rewards but find no lasting happiness in them. What is missing is the expression of their spiritual dimension, which alone brings harmony and contentment.

The Master Jesus-Christ teaches us "I came that (you) may have life, and have it abundantly...Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." Note All things, not some things. Health, joy, peace and prosperity are yours - as you develop your consciousness of God and express Him in your life. Live in the awareness of God's presence. Be conscious of the Spirit of God everywhere. Dwell on God's attributes - Love, Truth, Beauty, Compassion, Goodness, Peace, Harmony, for as we think in our hearts so do we become. I met a man in a bookshop a little while ago who told me an anecdote of how at an airport he had spilled his coffee over a man, and this man remained cool, calm and "collected." The man in the bookshop said he would like to be like that. How do we remain poised in irritating circumstances? It is by being conscious of God's presence at the moment the irritation occurs. It means being practiced in "collecting" oneself interiorly, or drawing our mind and heart into our spiritual core. Just as it is no good to start studying the day before an examination, so must we learn in advance to collect ourselves interiorly. We need daily at least to sit quietly in a suitable place, relax our body and close our eyes. Our thoughts may remain restless, running like a wild horse from subject to subject but, because the mind can accept only one subject at a time, we can counter our waywardness by clinging to one thought that is good, true and beautiful and affirming it over and over - for example "The Lord is my light and my salvation." Thomas a Kempis confirms this practice: "In silence and quiet the devout soul maketh progress and learneth the hidden things of scripture." Our meditation should carry on for 5 to 10 minutes after which our consciousness will be raised and we will feel that we are in direct contact with the Infinite, that we are beyond thought, time or place, dwelling simply in the consciousness of God. To become successful in this collecting of mind and heart in our spiritual core we need to control what we let into and out of our thoughts and feelings. For example, people commonly report their domestic problems always as though it is the other person's fault, never considering that it is they themselves who have allowed disharmony into their consciousness, that they themselves are not expressing their spiritual dimension. Again Thomas a Kempis is our guide (in modernised language): "Study to be patient in bearing the defects of others whatever they may be. Remember you have many things other people have to bear with...Oh if you could realise what peace you would obtain for yourself, and what joy you would bring to others by well-doing, if you concerned yourself more with your spiritual progress." We need to concern ourselves more with what is timeless, or eternal, the God-consciousness that removes anxiety. The Psalmist puts it well: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord 'My refuge and my fortress; my God in Whom I trust'." Collecting ourselves interiorly, practicing unity with God, gives us the necessary detachment to deal effectively with mundane worldly affairs, to remove anxiety and fear from our experiences, to give us strength to meet the day, and to fulfil our lives as children of God. *****