...progress on the spiritual path?

A question was posed to Meher Baba and this is his answer (from The Awakener, Volume VI number 3, p. 25):

Do intellectual attainments help or hinder man’s progress on the spiritual path?

Meher Baba: “It is impossible to reach the spiritual Truth and Realization by talks, arguments or by reading books. It can be reached by the heart alone; but that would be a very slow process. But when the heart and the head are equally developed and well-balanced, man’s progress is much quicker.

“The man in whom the head (intellect) is more developed than the heart, is liable to get idees fixes (fixed ideas), and he becomes attached to his intellectual achievements and superiority. The man with a warm heart has greater faith, and for Love and Truth, he will give up all.

“Intellect is the lowest form of understanding, and is developed by reading, listening, reasoning and logic. These processes create and illusion of Real Knowledge.

“The higher form of understanding is permanent illumination through which one experiences and sees things as they are. In this state, one feels in harmony with everyone and everything and realizes Divinity in every phase of life and is able to impart happiness to others.

“The last and the highest state of understanding results from the merging of the soul into the limitless Ocean of Infinite Knowledge, Bliss and Power. One who has himself attained to this can enable thousands to attain Perfection.”

Re: ...progress on the spiritual path?

I choose to remain as the child I once was, never losing the wonderment of life. 

Remember when everything in the world was new, everything was wonderful?  That we should never lose this wonderment, and appreciate the beauty around us at all times.  Experience the beauty of nature, the taste of ice cream, the wonder of fireworks, as we experienced it the very first time we saw it.

The struggle to live through your heart can be most difficult, as you have the world pulling at you to use your intellect, to lose your vision, to lose your very essence.  They want you to merely exist, as they do, all along thinking that they hold the key to happiness when, in actuality, they are the saddest of all.

Victory is attained when you consciously decide to live life as it was intended, connected to the beauty of nature, the beauty of the universe.  To let your heart guide you so that you may truly love as you loved when you were a child, to truly experience what life is all about, to live with the innocence and wonderment of a child forever.

Victory is reached when despite the rejection of others, you merely accept their decision, but you still love them and keep the door open for the day when they too seek the truth, the real joy in life.

My thoughts as a child were feeling thoughts.  As I grew, they changed to logic, just so I could conform to the masses.  I no longer think with logic as I remember the beauty I once had.  I strive again to regaom it and this time never to let it go, as true joy and beauty comes from within.

I continue my journey through life this time never letting go of what really matters, the simple things, the beautiful things.  I no longer use logic.  Instead love rules my life.  I reach out to those who don't know love, as well as to those who do know love.  And I continue my journey with the wonderment of a child knowing that one day, I will cross the portals to a new dimension, a new life, and the adventure will merely continue.

Re: ...progress on the spiritual path?

THANK YOU LuellaMay for this !!!! I truly loved this, and will be saving it and reading it again many many times. Definately goes along well with my Peter Pan Complex….;o)

I love it, and in being ChildLike. And God does Love His children. My problem is, and I guess I didn't really think about it until your post made me think about it, is that I have definately been trying to use way too much Logic the past few years. And it is most likely time to Not hold onto Logic quite so much these days, at least Not constantly , when we can get away with letting logic go in real life, and strive to once again, become more ChildLike whenever possible.

Thank you again for posting this. Sorry it took me a few days to get to read it and post a response. Work and Life kept me too busy recently, and I was being way too logical….;o)

Love in the One,

Mickey

Re: ...progress on the spiritual path?

THANK YOU so much for bringing some of Beloved Baba to this POD !!!!

I could NEVER get enough of that…..:o)

Wonderful Quotes to Post.

Jai Beloved Baba,

Mickey