Part Seventeen: The Road to Victory
[Ca 20200927 12:01:00 7K Si 2020 11 23 ]
Love and Truth are forces which exist everywhere in the universe. They touch everything. They touch every cell within the human body and can be felt in moments of silent contemplation. This journey is about aligning the psyche with them in order to change life forever. This is the purpose of life here in this realm and victory is achieving this purpose.
The mind is constantly undergoing change, without being consciously aware that new ideas and perspectives are being assimilated. The human body is an amazing mechanism with the ability to adapt to its surroundings. Under the command of the subconscious, the body and mind will adjust in response to changes in the physical and mental environment. For example, the body has been gradually adjusting to an increasingly toxic atmosphere. Since this change is gradual, the mind is oblivious to what is occurring and moves on to accept the new reality as normal. It is important to recognize that changes are not only physical. For example, personality adjustments will occur with the ever shifting landscape of morals. Again, the mind would be blind to this occurrence. The environment and morals are just two examples. The integration of new technology which then becomes a way life is another powerful example. Evolution may be an appropriate term for this process; as physical and mental changes have been occurring since time immemorial based on the lived experiences and environments of any given person. Governments, churches and industry all use the nature of the human psyche as a weapon of control. Often, it is for political and financial benefit. It is important to realize however, that such controls are ineffective if the mind is firmly grounded in Truth. A lifestyle which incorporates meditation follows the path of Truth.
Meditation is not simply musing or being quiet for an extended period of time. With dedication, it evolves into a lifestyle where time is systematically set aside to introspectively seek a connection to the true self; the source of Truth. It is about finding the doorway which exposes the mechanics of the psyche. It is also about opening the door to the true nature of self. To explain, in the meditative state, patterns which define the psyche are set aside for a time to expose the true self. It is a vantage point where the Spirit can observe the conscious and subconscious. From this position, the Spirit can take the driver’s seat and rather than following patterns established by the past, life can be navigated in a different direction. The journey onward will feel different; significantly more positive and calming. Instead of feeling like a leaf being tossed about on stormy waters, it becomes a lifestyle which is filled with a sense of stability and purpose; much like a vessel being navigated through still waters.
Food intake is also a process which is integrated into society as a lifestyle. The attitude towards food holds the power to redefine the nature of the physical. For example, fancy dinners have become a courting ritual. Bottomless buckets of wings and fries have become a ritual when watching sports. Visiting buffet restaurants is often an excuse to overindulge through lunchtime meetings. Supersizing with extra sugar, salt and fat creates very desirable indulgences that are popular in many countries. These practices result in poor nutrition and subsequently, illnesses such obesity and heart disease. Walking away from these practices is a positive step-but cannot be successfully achieved by simply eating purely salads, reducing caloric intake, or even through bursts of deprivation or starvation. Additionally, a brisk bout of physical activity such as walking, running or other forms of exercising does not negate the act of overindulging. The body will revolt when mistreated in this way. Such remedial measures can only be sustained temporarily, as old habits will return, and with greater strength.
Overindulgence in any form is self abuse and results in disease. It may take weeks, months or years to reverse negative patterns, but the impact on the body will eventually manifest. Changing these patterns requires a change in lifestyle, one which excludes activities where there is a potential for self indulgence such as going to the sports bar, meeting friends at the buffet restaurant or impressing a potential mate at expensive restaurants. Perhaps ‘friends’ who wish to meet at buffet restaurants or at the sports bars are not the type of people who are conducive to a healthy lifestyle. A walk in the park and a picnic lunch would offer greater opportunities to reveal the nature of people hoping to be mates.
Exercising the free will to choose a lifestyle which includes a healthy diet is the first step. Excluding activities which are not conducive to this lifestyle will be the next challenge; one which will impact every aspect of life including everyday routines, relationships and even the circle of ‘friends’. By following a proper diet, the body will radiate health and meditations will be deeper.
Choosing a healthy lifestyle is an important step on the meditation journey. Food holds the power to define and redefine the nature of the physical. Similarly, what enters the mind through meditation holds the power to define and redefine the whole person. A lifestyle which involves meditation is a challenge much greater than changing dietary routines. Not only will it require mental preparation, but one must be prepared to face the fallout of a changing psyche. Based on the level of commitment, significant changes will occur as old patterns are replaced with new ones. As this happens, realize it is the purpose of the journey. This is the process of redefining the psyche with patterns which are underlined by Love and Truth. This is the stage of the metaphorical death and rebirth. Sacrificing the old patterns and an old way of life symbolizes death. Rebuilding life with new patterns creates a new psyche, thus a new person is born as symbolized by rebirth or resurrection.
The journey towards rebirth is both a significant commitment and a sacrifice. It requires sacrificing the patterns which previously defined the present life. People, places and things which do not contribute positively to the new and desired lifestyle must be abandoned. The new lifestyle will also come with its challenges. For example, it is important to consider what happens when travelling on an airplane at a time scheduled for meditation. Similarly, one should think ahead to what will happen when friends and family visit at a time that is scheduled for meditation. In order to honour the personal commitment to a new lifestyle, friends and relationships will have to change. These are just two examples where change would be required while navigating through uncharted and tempestuous waters towards a new life.
When fear knocks on the door with logical reasons to give up this lifestyle and turn back, remember it is a commitment made out of Love for oneself. It is out of this Love that difficult choices must be made in order to reap the benefits of eternal joy. This leads one to consider: is a party with friends and family more important than walking the path of personal Truth? Is avoiding embarrassment on an airplane more important than excusing oneself from the conversation for thirty minutes of silence?
It is evident that being committed to a new lifestyle requires implementing many difficult changes in everyday activities. Living the Truth will always require challenging choices to be made. There is one consolation however; once the journey has progressed to this stage, the state of inner peace, happiness and the feeling of accomplishment would overshadow the anguish of difficult challenges. It is the road to victory.
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