Progress on the Path

Wisdom Teachings
Fundamentals of Spiritual Life

In every human being there is an inner urge to grow. It is through this urge that humanity progresses. Consciously or unconsciously, we try to progress and strive for a better future. We hope for better health, better economic conditions, better living conditions, better family conditions, better social relations and so on. Thus, each person tries to progress on his or her path, even though what one person sees as progress, another may not. The ideas about progress are varied, and they range from very mundane to spiritual goals. However, the ideal of perfection is present in all.

As we move forward in our development, difficulties get in the way, such as health problems, arguments with our partner or family, financial insecurities or other obstacles…. We experience successes and failures, conflicts, and struggles. We have expectations and experience disappointments. We make mistakes which we can learn from and then move forward. If we do not learn from our mistakes, we stagnate.

Life is progressive, like the stream of a river. A river is not deterred by obstacles; it circumvents all obstructions. We should be like a River, strongly affirming progress in life. Such affirmation enables progress regardless of difficulties or sicknesses. Affirmations generate will and destroy mistrust. Mistrust and artificiality are the worst enemies of progress in life. Mistrust brings forth doubt. Doubt opens doors for indecision. Indecision leads to the counter-movements. The counter-movements cause fears and worries and we are then unable to move forward.

To reverse this wheel, we need to re-establish the needed trust within ourselves. We need to trust ourselves and trust our intrinsic nature. Trust enables us to connect with the reservoir of nature's life within and thus sets forth a reflow of life energy. By daily uttering sacred sounds and contemplating radiant colours, we turn the thoughts back to the divine and to the light. We should learn to conquer obstacles with trust and grow even to love the obstacles. Every obstacle when overcome creates additional joy of achievement, which eventually leads to fulfilment. “Let me trust and move forward” is the thought of people who have succeeded in life.

When we find ourselves in a situation we can't get out of, we need someone to help us. We helplessly search for a way to move forward. It is only in such critical and helpless situations that teachers are available and come to our aid. The teachers do not help those who can help themselves. They wait until the student has become helpless. Then they step in.

We can meet a crisis with divine help. Behind every crisis there is a divine hand. We meet the crisis by remembering the divine in us and in the crisis. In this way, the crisis dissolves and the gift of God appears for further progress towards the truth.

We should not become depressed, angry or and indignant in a crisis. There is a widespread sweet, gloomy tendency. It makes us believe that others are responsible for our misery and that it is the enemies around us or the situation in the world. We may also see the cause as an external force like “fate” or “the planets”. Whatever name we give to the cause, the origin of our own unhappiness is our own behaviour. We usually know very well that we are the cause of our own unhappiness and that we are responsible for the results of what we do. But nevertheless, we would like to believe that an external force is preventing us from progressing.

The inner attitude is important. We are not to see others as the cause of our problems. Nor are we to judge ourselves or others. We should refrain from holding opinions about others. Judging others is an obstacle to our own progress. It is important for us to realise that we have unfinished obligations from the past and that it is our own doing that causes the delay in our path. The karma of the past comes out of the womb of time with all our debts. We should pay the debts in an honest way and abide by the law of acceptance. If we try to reject, postpone, or manipulate the debt, our mountain of debt will become even bigger.

People who blame and reproach others feel comfortable for a moment blaming others and not wanting to face themselves. When we play this blame game, we are in a dangerous situation because our own progress stagnates. As long as we do not clear things up with the help of the inner light, we are not allowed into higher regions, and the heaviness of our own karma drags us down.

To move forward, our actions should be consequential but not create consequences. We should be careful to clear up past karma in the present and not create karma for the future. Otherwise, we strive to progress but always remain where we are because of the newly created karma. It's like walking on a treadmill, and when we stop on it, we slide back again.

When we enter into the chamber of the heart, we learn from our own inner voice what we must do. This voice does not judge us, does not look for mistakes, but shows us everything in such a way that we can recognise it ourselves. The inner voice tells us from within all what we need to clean up, repair, and what the right approach is. Then, we can start to reprogramme ourselves to clean things up. Every Master speaks through our inner voice - there is no other way, because if he told us from the outside, we would not agree with him.

Every evening or every morning we are to reflect on the actions of the previous day: Did I act correctly and well? Did I express myself accurately? How did I manage my time and money? How did I spend my energy in terms of thoughts, words, and actions? We develop the inner voice of conscience when we are accountable to ourselves. Daily review is very important to make progress on the path. Without a pure conscience, we cannot make progress.

Behind every act of purity and goodwill there is a host of invisible helpers. The seers and the angels of nature subtly help every person who dedicates the self to noble deeds. Acts of purity remain unaffected by conflict and crisis in a society. However much society is in turmoil, goodwill in action is unstoppable and acts of purity continue to progress.

The Aquarian energy aims at the progress of humanity as a whole. It does not allow for separatism and separate progress. As we progress, we should think and act in order to help the progress of others around us. In working with a group, many transformations happen. When we form groups, we gradually sacrifice our individuality for a common movement and progress. However, we still retain our personality, which emerges from time to time. Our tendency to be impersonal is a step in terms of group progress. In quietly working for the common good, we learn to transcend our personality. Our personality becomes a vehicle for the Soul, which is group conscious.

We come together to move forward together. Our first group is the family. Then come all the other groups. If we forget to establish the right relationship with those around us, we do not make much progress.

It is a great opportunity to become part of a group. After that, there is yet another opportunity to find work in the group and thereby to further participate. We are not asked to do a work. The work itself is for our progress on the path. If we think that we are of great help to a group or to a Master, we are living in a great illusion. It is an opportunity and with great humility we should take up our part and do our work. We should share what we have, whether it is knowledge or resources that have come to us.

It is a commandment to be inclusive, not exclusive. Exclusivity leads us to be more individualistic. This is not progress, it is regression. It is the Master who has brought all into the group and so we should serve them. Our brother's needs are our needs. Our brother's problems are our problems. This kind of identity is important. All those who dedicate themselves to the group and work for the group make better progress on the path in the Aquarian Age. Individual progress has only secondary importance. Group activity should come before individual activity. Group work is done for the common good and enjoyment of all. That should be the aim and purpose in the group so that we all progress simultaneously with our work.

By coming together as a group fulfilling the objectives of the Hierarchy, we move forward as a wave. According to the progress we have made in life, Nature offers us in the next life an incarnation in a family under conditions in which it is easier to fulfil the programme of the soul and to make further progress together.

Sources used: K.P. Kumar: The Golden Stairs; div. seminar notes. Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India (www.aquariusbookhouse.com).