"There is only one journey. Going inside yourself." -Rainer Maria Rilke
It has been fifty three days since I began this blog about my meditative journey. Although I have meditated daily for near four years, the accountability of blogging my journey has required dedication (a virtue I have found on the path). When I began this journey, I thought I'd meditate a few times and blog some profound wisdom - then be off.
And just when I thought I had arrived...I am humbled to be reminded that the intent is for me to use my new found virtues to maintain and sustain this journey, the path into "the valley of my soul." Such is the circle of life - no beginning and no ending. Today, the truest miracle for me is that I have the desire to persevere.
Might I note here that had I not seen profound rewards, in the form of insights into myself and others, physical stress reduction, organized thinking, and the ability to pause when agitated, I would not be so diligent in blogging my results. There has always been a direct correlation to my mediation and the benefits but to actually put them on paper brings the fruit of the labor to the forefront of my minds eye! A year ago I would simply say meditation really helps me to be grounded or meditation helps immensely with my intuition. This daily awareness put to words is instrumental in my sustaining the results throughout my day. In part I find this to be so because I do not want to share erroneous information. The other benefit is that I mostly see vivid imagery while meditating and this blog is enabling me to put words to those images. In Zen and Taoism they say no words are needed. We live in a culture engrossed in the written and spoken language of WORDS. Words sustain power, and though I do not seek power, I seek to rid myself of ignorance. In ridding myself of ignorance I must be able to decipher the words of others in contrast to my own personal experiences.
Today's meditation required patience and perseverance. I wanted to hurry and get on the path with my guide but was stopped by a giant elasticized fence. The implication was that I was not ready and had to focus my mind more intently. This feeling gave me hope. Had I seen a brick wall, I would have been worried! Worried that something had gone wrong and that I couldn't get on the path today.
During my meditative journey it was explained to me that the path is the journey. The journey will ebb and flow, expand and tighten. Character development is a life long endeavor. Just when you think you've got it, you will inevitably be tested and if you recognize the virtue at play it will grow, if one does not use the virtue it will shrink and wither like a flower that dies of thirst.
Seekers differ from followers of a specified religion in that they seek their own direct experience of God. There have been various factions of this type of persons throughout history. My knowledge of correct terminology is vague here but one of the earlier schools of thought involving this knowing is called Gnosticism. The main premise of their belief was that anyone could have esoteric knowledge of God rather than relying on scripture, theology or dogma. In these I find much EGO, and also I find many references for my own personal experiences. To say that I am anything other than a person who has had tremendous psychic experiences in my daily life and want to find a way to understand them would grossly handicap my current understanding. Having been brought up in the world of Christianity I find much comfort in its teachings. To say that this meditative journey parallels those experiences would be erroneous. The journey into the valley of my own soul has been an experience unique to me. But I believe that anyone psychic or not can partake of this type of journey. Do I believe that meditation is the only way? No, I do not. It has and is the way for me.
As I sat on the mountain today towards the end of my morning journey I was reminded that the symbol of the mountain is that I get to be a teacher but that the journey is a continuous one. (a teacher? who me?) My virtues will develop as long as I seek them. Today, I will know peace. I will experience joy and happiness, excitement and bliss. And so it has been said...now I will go and practice by living life on life's terms.
The path is the journey...not the beginning nor the end!
