Spiritual Journey

News
No new updates for this week.

Quotes
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
-Buddha

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?
-Jesus Christ

"God dwells in you, as you, and you don't have to 'do' anything to be God-realized or Self-realized, it is already your true and natural state." Just drop all seeking, turn your attention inward, and sacrifice your mind to the One Self radiating in the Heart of your very being. For this to be your own presently lived experience, Self-Inquiry is the one direct and immediate way."
-Ramana Maharshi

My Thoughts
Spirituality is a touchy subject for most people, however it is incredibly important. So, I wanted to share my own story of spiritual growth this week. I am not saying the following is right, it is simply my journey up until this point.

I was raised Catholic. Went to church on Sundays, a better way to put it was forced to go to church on Sundays, until I was about 13. I went to a Catholic high school and when I was 16 I decided to turn my back on Catholicism and Christianity. There were many things that lead up to that point but, basically a priest and I got into a heated discussion in religion class over some teachings.

For the next 11 years I would categorize myself as agnostic. I supposed their could be some sort of higher power but I wasn't sure.

About 3-4 years ago I was starting to get involved in coaching and one of Bob Proctor's core components of coaching is spirituality. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive about that whole part. But I kept going forward and just put off thinking about the whole spiritual side of things. One part of our coaching program included a recommended reading list. I guess there are about 40-50 books on the list. Some of them get deep into spirituality. I decided I better start reading some of those.

As I started reading some of the books I realized something. I had made an error in judgement when I was 16. I turned my back on everything but it wasn't that all of Christianity's teachings were flawed just certain people's interpretations of those teachings were flawed. Also, I didn't need to claim a specific religion to have a relationship with a higher power.

Time went on and I read more and more. I eventually started reading teachings from: Buddha, Huang Po, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, Yoganada, Ramana Maharshi, David Hawkins, etc..
Eventually I realized that all of them were essentially saying the same thing.

This lead me on a journey to northern India. I spent almost two weeks at an ashram. I witnessed a man there speak to a crowd of one million people. The man spoke for 90 minutes and no one in the audience said a word. Some people were crying but no one said a thing. Remarkable considering we were sitting on the ground outside in 110F/44C heat. Eventually my view of the world was drastically altered.

I know now that a higher power exists. Is this God necessarily the same exact one found in the Bible? Not exactly. It would take me way too long to explain this fully here.

I am also starting to view the entire world from a place of love. I am beginning to see the inherent beauty that exists in all things. I also realize that everything happens exactly when it is supposed to so there really is no need to worry. Finally, I am able to focus more and more on the present moment.

I am not finished on this journey. I still have much spiritual growing to do. It is not easy but once you realize that God is both internal and external your entire view of the world will change. It is simply awesome.

Have an amazing week.

Deep Quotes

There will be no posts for the next two weeks because I will be India.
I am going for some serious meditation, and I am sure I'll write something about my experience when I return.
So, seeing as there won't be any quotes for the next two weeks, I decided to post a few quotes that you could really spend time thinking about.

Quotes:
"One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.”
-from the Bhagavad Gita

“Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? … You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”
-Jesus Christ

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
-Buddha

"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous."
-from the Qur'an

"People are scared to empty their minds
fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.
What they don’t realize is that
their own mind is the void."
-Huang Po

"Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes."
-Ramana Maharshi

Until next time