A sudden or gradual awakening
followed by exceedingly ecstatic highs and depressing lows…
uncovering every stone
to satisfy a newfound quest for inner freedom.
Soon, you will start to find the mystical keys
unlocking the doors to a radiant consciousness
that up until now was like a seedling in Mother Earth
waiting to grow into its infinite potential.
For a while (and for some, a very long while),
a blissful fascination with this new spiritual world
gracefully opened to you
will occupy your every thought and begin to permeate the depths of your being.
At this stage in your journey,
you will start to discover the magic that happens
as you expand your mind and explore your soul.
So during this time of becoming,
meditate and pray
chant
find joy in serving others
and dip your toes in the healing waters of sacred communion
being humbly offered to your curious spirit.
Soon, you will be richly rewarded with glorious glimpses
into the ultimate ground of reality
of which the world’s greatest prophets and sages
have spoken of through the ages.
Now, as you dive deeper and deeper into the cosmic void of eternal truth,
you—a child of the Universe—will start to find that all the beauty of the cosmos
is already perfectly reflected within you!
But as you experience all the joy in beginning your ascent
to the summit of self-realization,
be cautious of the perilous terrain that will meet you just ahead…
For all your inner wounds and mechanical conditioning
that kept you soundly asleep all those years
(and maybe even lifetimes)
will rear their ugly head in an attempt to divert your infinite quest
of divine union—
the end goal of all spiritual seeking!
It is at this juncture in your journey
when you must act with courage
and find radical self-love through acceptance…
For the dark night of the soul will soon be upon you,
with all its rounds of trials and tribulations,
to strengthen your faith and ability to surrender your will
to the ONE with many names.
Amid this dark night
you will find
that while you are learning how to purify your heart,
you are not yet pure,
and while you are gaining in your wisdom
you are not yet wise,
and while you are growing in your faith
you are not yet faithful enough to merge with the Beloved.
As your first dark night passes into the void of the Great Emptiness
(yes, there will be many more dark nights that you will encounter and transcend),
you will discover that practicing gratitude
is an absolute necessity on the path
and is a vital spiritual tool
to ground you in a foundation
of boundless devotion and genuine humility.
Now, go forth gentle seeker,
bravely and with an unwavering heart of compassion,
and
remember
who you truly are:
LOVING AWARENESS.
Dedicated to my gurus Neem Karoli Baba and Baba Ram Dass, and every seeker on the path of awakening.
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image: Luka_Laune (Cropped from original)