I feel like I have some unique ways of looking at ourselves, life, and the spiritual process. From time to time I'm going to offer some of these ideas. I'm not really going to argue or advocate anything as I do not believe there is a right way to look at things. Whatever perspective provides you with the experience you desire is the right one.
I'm just going to try to show you some of what I've learned and how I've looked at different things along my own path of spiritual growth. I hope to offer perspectives that are useful, but might not be found in quite the same way anywhere else.
Anway, let's start with spiritual practices in general. There is this idea that if you do things it can lead to spiritual growth. For example, the notion that meditation can bring us closer to our higher self. We belive that some action causes spiritual progress.
To the best of my experince, this idea is not entirely correct. In reality the mechanism is sort of reversed. The spiritual growth that is occurring is actually what drives a person to pursue certain pratices.
For example, when a person is drawn to meditate or engage in some other spiritual practice it is because the creative source within them is already beginning to grow stronger. This means that their human self will be brought into a new and more refined alignment. This means that certain things must occur in order to achieve that aligment.
The driving force in this process isn't the spiritual practice. The driving force is our higher self growing stronger which causes us to feel called to explore the spiritual practices we need in order keep our human side aligned with this higher self.
In other words, the actions of the lower self cannot ever bring about the realization of our higher self. The actions of the lower self are merely what has to occur in order for it to remain aligned with the higher self.
This is why someone can explore legitimate spiritual practices forever and never really grow. If it isn't their time to change it will just be going through the motions. For example, how many people have read the words of Jesus and his closest followers but not actually grown spiritually? It's all just words and practices that never really change the person.
On the other hand when it's time to change, change will occur. A person will eventually be driven to do whatever they need to do in order to change. They'll find some way to make the leap regardless of circumstances. (Of course this is when weird things can happen if people don't have a variety of spiritual tools and techniques to choose from. For example a Christian can go all Jesus crazy or think they are a modern day prophet since those are the only kind of ideas they have to explain the spiritual processes that is occurring in them.)
This is something that is important to understand. No matter how much we may know, we cannot change or help someone who isn't ready to change. We can write perfect spiritual texts and instructions, and it will still not help somone who isn't ready to grow.
On the other hand we can be there for each other and offer new ideas and ways of seeing things to those that are going through periods of personal growth. We can give more choices and clearer paths to those who will go from here to there one way or another.
So human spiritual practices cannot drive spiritual growth, because spiritual growth is actually driven from our inner divinity. However, it is still important to engage in spiritual practices and explore different ideas when we are going though a period of growth as they are what bring our human side into aligment with our non human one.
Of course this discussion of higher self driven change has some very practical applications. Basically, one of the most important things a person can do is to stop trying so hard to do this or do that, and leave room for life to take them where they need to go.
You, what you think you are at least, is nothing but a flimsy collection of ideas that exist because the other half of you wanted it to be this way in order to experience life from that perspective. This lower self can not really make change or growth happen. The only thing it can do is go along with any changes that your real self is trying to bring about.
For example, we can listen to our feelings, and go where they take us. We can pursue the practices and do the things that call to us. We can move on when they no longer do.
Most importantly, we should not hold a vision of where we think we are trying to get to with our spiritual practice. We are trying to get to new perspectives and new experinces which means we will have to let go of the way we currently perceive and do things. How can we see or do things significantly differently while holding fixed ideas about what we need do and where we need to get to?
A very powerful exercise is to occasionally stop, maybe lay down, and say, "Ok, I admit, I don't have a clue what the hell I am doing. I feel the need to grow, but everything I try to do is born out of my current state of mind. So I let go of everything. I protect no aspect of myself. Take me towards where I need to be."
Then just lay there for a while trying to let go of everything you think you know. Or take a nap. Or get stoned. Do whatever seems like giving up and not trying to do anything or figure anything out. Just know that you have a desire to grow. Do absolutely nothing to try to make it happen. But be willing to do or change whatever you need to in order to allow that change to occur.
This exercise allows your higher self an opportunity to change and realign you human self. In the end that is all your human self, lower self, ego, or whatever can really do. It can just give up and be willing to change. Without a willingness to let go and change, everything else, every other action or practice only tends to reinforces our current perspective. But with a willingness to let go of who we are today these things become powerful tools for personal transformation.
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i look forward to reading what else you choose to post 
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