When we rely only on our outer selves, life’s experiences can sometimes be extremely overwhelming and often very painful. It is so hard to understand pain, struggles and suffering with simply the outer human mind. We resist it, we resent it. We cannot understand why, when we try so hard to do the right things, that life throws a spanner in the works, and we face conditions or circumstances that are hard and difficult to overcome. It’s often even harder when it affects people we love.
However, when we begin to look at life’s experiences through the eyes of spirit, when we know that there is a purpose behind all circumstances, this gives us the opportunity to react differently to demanding situations. Even so, understanding the purpose and reasons does not in itself make things go away, nor does it necessarily make them less painful. But it does, however, enable us to reach deeper within ourselves, to find that courage and strength, to see the wisdom of the lesson experienced, and above all to see with a wider vision where a certain lesson is taking us. This is truly the path of the soul. However painful our lessons and life’s experiences, they are not the outcome of a Creator whose acts are experimental and arbitrary. Invariably they are the results of many lifetimes’ experiences of sowing and reaping – our Karma. And yet karma is not a punishment, rather an opportunity for us to grow wiser, stronger; in other words, each experience brings us an opportunity to develop and unfold more soul qualities.
At some point along the pathway, we may ask ourselves ‘what is it really all about?’, ‘what is the purpose of all these struggles?’.
All life’s lessons are about unfolding and developing inherent spiritual qualities. The degree of this unfoldment is related to the experience we find ourselves in and whether we choose to be positive or negative about it. It is truly about our reaction to life’s lessons that matters. We always have the choice in how we react and whether we learn or not.
The pathway takes us through the soul lessons of the seven major chakras and the initiations that relate to them. Especially the first and second initiation relating to the first chakra the ‘Will to Survive’ and the second chakra ‘the Will to Feel, to Desire’. The soul lessons of these two chakras are known to be the most difficult to go through and it may take many, many lifetimes before we can overcome them. They relate to the water element. Water reflects our emotions. It means that the Soul needs to be disciplined and no longer give way to anger, fear or passion. It needs to learn to remain tranquil. It needs to overcome all hasty judgments, all angry passion, all subtle fear and anxiety. There is an instinctual need for survival on the many levels of human experience and one that will take us through deep waters, feeling often we are drowning. But when we overcome, it is the triumph of the Soul Consciousness over the emotional nature of the Personality. When the individual human Soul goes through these initiations, it demonstrates that the individual is no longer pulled apart by the sway of emotions. This is not about repressing or supressing but rather gaining the ability to rise above the emotions, whilst still recognising and honouring the value of the experience. It is through the illumined mind, our Higher Consciousness, that this is possible.
Walking the pathway can be joyful and painful. The beauty of the path of the soul is that we have within us all the qualities we need to cope with life’s experiences. Each time a new experience comes, it enables us to become aware of yet another soul quality and unfold this to perhaps a greater degree of consciousness, of understanding. We all have the courage and strength, wisdom and understanding to go through every experience of life. The problem is that we don’t really know ourselves, so these experiences come to help us go deeper within and to touch the Centre of Light and Love which is our true essence. It is only through Love and Wisdom that we approach the Light in ourselves and by coming to that state of consciousness when we truly know ourselves, we find that we can overcome difficult circumstances.
This pathway is a journey of discovery. To discover who we really are, to shape our sub-conscious with that inner or deeper understanding of ourselves and bring about that fusion between Soul and Personality. We need to remember that we are spiritual beings in a human body with a purpose. The purpose is to grow, unfold and develop our innate spiritual qualities so that the Light within grows stronger and stronger.
The journey is extraordinary, at times perplexing, at times inexplicable and even scary and overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is a pathway that will lead us forward and beyond the highest level of human understanding. It is our natural inherent right as spiritual beings to discover our true selves.
Let us take that leap of faith and go beyond…
Article by More to Life Elder – Astra Ferro
Article published in More to Life – Edition 67
