I once heard a story of a wise man that taught classes for seekers of Truth. Every day a young man would come to hear the master's discourses. He had listened dutifully for a couple of years. One day this same man came a little early and found the wise man alone. He approached him and spoke aloud a question that had been been forming for sometime.
"Master, I have a question that keeps arising in my mind, raising doubts."
"Oh? There should not be any doubts on the path; have them clarified. What is your question?"
"Master, for a couple of years now I have been coming to your classes, and I have noticed there are many different students, older and younger, who come to listen to you. Some of them, I can see, have certainly reached enlightenment or close to it. I can see that many experience change in their lives. They are better than they were before, although I cannot say they are fully enlightened. But I also notice that a large number of students, including myself, are as they were, or sometimes they are even worse. They have not changed at all, or have not changed for the better. Why should this be, master? People come to you, such a great man and clearly a master of Truth, with such compassion. Why don't you use your power and compassion to guide them to enlightenment?"
The master smiled and said, "Young man, where do you come from?"
"Master, I was born in Bombay, India."
"I would imagine that you have thought about returning there. And if asked could tell people the best way to travel to Bombay?"
"Yes Master. I am sure I could."
"And having come from Bombay, having travelled and thought about this path many times, you must know it well?"
"Oh yes Master. I know the path very well. I might almost say that if I were blindfolded I could find it on a map."
"And your friends, those who know you well, certainly they must know you are from Bombay, or at least from India?"
"Definitely. I have even discussed my hometown with other students. And there's no doubt that in between my memory and research I can describe it as well as anyone else, perhaps better."
"Then I've no doubts that others have asked you about the path from here to Bombay. Do you hide anything or do you explain the path to them clearly?"
"What is there to hide, master? I explain it to them as clearly as I can. Very plainly, master."
"And these people to whom you give such a clear explanation, do all of them reach Bombay?"
"How can that be, master? Only those who travel the entire distance to its end, only they will reach Bombay."
"This is what I want to explain to you, young man. People keep coming to me knowing that this is someone who has walked the path from here to enlightenment and so knows it perfectly. They come to me and ask, 'What is the path to englightenment?' And what is there to hide? I explain it to them clearly: 'This is the path.' If somebody just nods his head and says, 'Well said, well said, a very good path, but I won't take a step on it; a wonderful path, but I won't take the trouble to travel it,' then how can such a person reach the final goal? I do not carry anyone on my shoulders to take him to the final goal. Nobody can carry anyone else on his shoulders to the final goal. At most, with love and compassion one can say, 'Well, this is the path, and this is how I have walked on it. You also work and you will reach the final goal.' But each person has to travel themselves, has to take every step, travel every step on the path himself. He who has taken one step on the path is one step nearer the goal. He who has taken a hundred steps is a hundred steps nearer the goal. He who has taken all the steps on the path has reached the final goal. You have to walk the path yourself."
***
The message of this story is obvious. No one can quiet our mind for us. We have to learn what is necessary to quiet the active mind. No one can reveal Eternal Presence within us, we must reveal it within ourselves. In my experience revealing Eternal Presence "comes only when the thinker and the thought are one, when there is no duality such as the thinker controlling thought."
I will continue to explore such ideas over the coming months. And yet I know that this blog, filled with words as it is, is a limited vehicle for such ideas. And regardless of the eloquence of words, it is only when we walk the path ourselves that we can possibly hope to reach the destination. Otherwise, all we will be is a technician of Love, not a Lover.
With the realization of the limitations of words alone to inspire and support you I have an exciting announcement. As you may already know I have been working with a web designer to create a new home for this blog (currently planned for before the end of July). When the new site is released meditation podcasts will be available.
I have already begun recording guided meditations. For those who prefer a shorter time in sitting I shall be publishing two to three 30 minute meditations. However, I am most excited about the series of 1 hour guided Revealing Eternal Presence Meditations, designed to be followed in order and guiding you from the very first steps of this approach through to a fully established meditation practice. You will be able to download these audio files for yourself and be guided by me in the technique of Revealing Eternal Presence Meditation (an e-mail subscription option will allow you to be automatically notified when a new podcast has been published to KnowTheFlow). These meditation podcasts will be yet one more instance of someone pointing the way. However, maintaining a daily meditation practice is a very meaningful step in making your own way toward the destination. More details will be provided once the site is launched.
The goal of making these meditations available freely on this site is to offer you an opportunity to be guided in practicing quieting your mind. Whilst these blog entries are intended to inspire and support you, it is my experience that sharing my meditation practice is a more a more significant contribution than words alone. It is my deepest hope that you are inspired by such offerings and if the time is right embark upon a most wonderful journey with me.
Know the Flow and be happy my friends.
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