The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the power of all true science. . . . To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive form—this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness.
Albert Einstein
Guidance from
Your Higher Self
Although this book presents a variety of methods for achieving success in life, it must be remembered that true happiness does not come from material possessions, prestige, power, or status. Many who have gained all of these have been very lonely, troubled individuals. Deep and lasting fulfillment can come only from developing a harmonious relationship with your inner self. The first step, always, is to work at becoming the person you want to be. The things you want to have in your life will follow automatically.
We live on four planes: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. All these aspects of our existence must be nurtured and cared for if we are to become psychologically healthy, self-actualizing human beings. The needs for meaning, for higher values, for a spiritual life, are as real as biological and social needs. Two great psychiatrists, Roberto Assagioli, author of Psychosynthesis, and Carl Jung, strongly stressed the need to develop our higher psychic functions, the spiritual dimension of our lives, since this awareness leads to wholeness, security, and joy.
What we are experiencing in this technological age is an impoverishment of our spiritual selves. We are living in a society surfeiting us with “things” we are constantly urged to purchase, yet offering us little to nourish the higher, aesthetic side of our nature, so the inner self is often parched and neglected. We have evidence of this in the enormous number of neurotic and unhappy people we see around us, many of whom are consuming a tremendous quantity of prescription and nonprescription drugs, alcohol, and other substances, to mitigate their emotional pain. We have to realize—and often life forces us to realize—that the spiritual aspect of our personality must be nourished, and is as vital to our lives as food and water. “To not give credence to the spiritual life,” Albert Einstein once stated, “is to deny the validity of human experience.”
It is really not possible to live an emotionally healthy life without making some contact with our inner self. We can develop our personality, our intellect, our physical body, and our career, but eventually we must satisfactorily answer the deepest, most fundamental questions of life if we are to actualize our full potential as human beings—the most advanced creatures on earth. “What is the meaning of my life?” “What is my purpose and ultimate goal?” These questions are basic to living a joyous, harmonious life, yet they are the very questions our academic institutions largely ignore. Thus, our schools and universities are graduating students who know how to program computers and analyze data, but who know very little about how to live a life constructively and gain the greatest fulfillment from it.
We are all aware that we have five outer senses—hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching—that bring us information about the external world. But we are often unaware that we also have inner senses, such as intuition, imagination, perception, clairvoyance, and other faculties that can be categorized as extrasensory perception. Civilization has chosen to ignore these inner senses, so they have become diminished through neglect. Yet, there is a wealth of hidden knowledge within the subconscious realm of our minds, to which we could avail ourselves if we would only listen. All of our faculties can be consciously developed, stimulated, and augmented because they are in a state of becoming, either developing or diminishing as we grow older, depending upon the amount of attention we give to them.
To expand our consciousness and begin to live in a higher dimension, we must develop these intuitive faculties. They will start to open up by a natural process when we consciously attempt to live a higher life and express the positive emotions, such as love, joy, and compassion. Though many people today have a smattering of extrasensory capacity, most have not developed their spiritual consciousness. On the other hand, it’s unfortunate that some so-called psychic people are misusing their gift as an ego trip by pretending they have something that others don’t, and cashing in on it. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the gift of intuitive power is available to all of us when we are open to receive it.
The Importance of Meditation
One of the most fundamental methods of developing and expanding the higher faculties is meditation, the single most important pathway to higher consciousness. Through regular and persistent meditation, the voice of intuition speaks to us to guide and help our lives. But people often avoid meditation, claiming it is too difficult to learn the correct method. Is there a correct method? Is it necessary to take courses in specific techniques and learn intricate disciplines before you can meditate in the most appropriate way? I would answer these questions by echoing the great Indian teacher Krishnamurti: “Do not ask me how to meditate, do it!” Meditation can begin with the simplest of questions: “Who am I?” And then listen to the thoughts that follow. Or: “I am an expression of the Infinite. How has Spirit chosen to express itself through me?”
In his wonderful book Learn to Meditate, David Fontana says “Meditation . . . is the most profound method of exploring the mind, and plumbing the mysteries of being, known to humankind. . . . Like a journey during which every turn of the road opens up new vistas, meditation reveals insight after insight as it takes us ever deeper into ourselves.” By acquainting us with ourselves on the deepest level, meditation enriches our lives in a way no other discipline can.
When meditation becomes habitual, a permanent change takes place in one’s life, and one begins to perceive the existence of something beyond the five senses. As you become more spiritually minded, you will realize that the inner strength you can build during meditation will help you to overcome any problem in your life. Every time you practice meditation, you make a gain that becomes a soul-possession and a soul-profit forevermore.
History records that the most highly evolved lights of this world, such as Socrates, Plato, Walt Whitman, Mary Baker Eddy, and Saint Teresa of Avila, all spent a great deal of time contemplating inwardly, getting in touch with their higher nature, which is the only way to self-realization. These great souls were, for the most part, solitary individuals; men and women who walked alone, thought alone, and communed with nature alone. In solitude, each came to grips with the meaning of his or her life and the direction it should be channeled. It is in these moments of solitude that we can discover our inner self, and realize the true nature of our relationship with life.
Most people run away from the challenge of being with themselves by attempting to find themselves through someone else. People who are afraid to be left in isolation with themselves surround their lives with constant noise and distractions, thereby drowning out the still, small voice within. If, instead of running away, you will spend some time with yourself, you will have the joyous experience of discovering who you really are at the deepest levels of your being. To make room for a deeper understanding, the ego has to be moved over. The only way to do this is to have sufficient time and silence to allow Spirit the opportunity to speak to your mind and heart. Unless we make some room in our consciousness for Spirit to incline us from within, we cannot hear Its guiding voice.
It is not necessary to turn away from the world by hiding in a monastery or Himalayan cave to achieve this attitude. One can learn to remain in the midst of conflict and confront it for what it is, yet maintain one’s serenity. Meditation is not a withdrawal from the world; it is a return to reality, but it’s a different view of reality. Real happiness comes from struggling with the difficult and overcoming it, not avoiding it. People who live what may be called the contemplative life, or the spiritual life, do not allow their inner peace to be disturbed by all the confusion and dissonance of the outer world—and that’s what makes their lives different. As Dr. Thurman Fleet has said: “Nothing is worthy of disturbing your inner peace.” Adopting this philosophy is a wonderful, serene way to live, regardless of outer circumstances.
As Thomas Merton states in The Seven Storey Mountain:
The contemplative person ceases to identify himself with the actions that are contributing to the problems, to the violence, to the madness of the mob. He watches the play but he is not emotionally involved in it. Yet at the same time he is not under the delusion that he is better than those who are involved in it. It is not the world that is bad, but the way of being in the world which kills that which is most vital in man if he becomes enslaved to it. And then one experiences within oneself the entrapment of the Spirit, or the separation of the lower nature from the higher . . . and the person has lost himself. One who is free from the controlling domination of his emotions is the only one who can think intelligently. Since he is not governed solely by his passions, he can see clearly, and thus he acts clearly from this standpoint of self-mastery.
Meditation is a powerful technique for transformation and requires no elaborate preparation, so you can begin using this technique right now, even before you finish reading this book. To assist you, here are some simple steps that will create the appropriate mood. Fundamental to successful meditation is finding a quiet place, with no distractions. Plan to meditate fifteen minutes to a half-hour when you begin. Later, as you start to experience the benefits accrued from this quiet time, you may wish to extend it. Be sure you will not be disturbed by the telephone, the kids, or the dog, because if you’re concerned about being interrupted, it will interfere with achieving maximum introspection. It will be especially helpful if you have a separate room you can use at this time; if not, reserve a special chair for use only when you are meditating. This helps trigger a “conditioned reflex” whenever you sit in that chair, which is conducive to your intention.
It is best to meditate with the lights off and your eyes closed. If this bothers you, however, simply dim the lights so they will not be distracting. Begin your meditation by relaxing your body as much as possible. If you wish, you can use the relaxation formula given in Appendix A to accomplish this.
When you first begin to meditate, it will probably require a week or two to train your mind to focus on the task at hand. The mind is a great trickster, and often brings up things you would least like to think about at the beginning of meditation. If you are already accustomed to meditating but have stopped practicing it for a period of time, you’ll probably find that it takes a week or two to get back in tune with it. Whether you are a novice or a former practitioner, have patience—the rewards are great!
I like to divide my meditation period into two parts, one I call concentration and the other decentration, or the active and passive parts of my session. In the active part, after calming my body and mind, I spend five to ten minutes making visual images and affirmations for things I want to achieve in my life. When I feel this is complete, I begin the passive part of my meditation, during which the inspirational thoughts and deeper effects occur. This is the time when you attempt to move your ego-self out of the way to listen quietly to your inner voice. At this stage, you must shut down the machinery of your mind as much as possible and simply allow thoughts, flashes of intuition, and guidance from Spirit to come to you. This can be a time of sublime joy, a time when you make contact with the Infinite and feel a peaceful, blissful unity with all life. This is the ecstasy spoken of by mystics and saints and, though rare, is the greatest benefit of meditation and its highest achievement. It is available to anyone willing to put in the necessary time and effort.
To achieve this state, you need a method for stilling the numerous thoughts of the mind. The best way of doing this is either to concentrate on your breathing or choose a “mantra,” a single, meaningless sound on which to focus. Transcendental Meditation masters give students a particular Sanskrit word upon which they concentrate to clear the mind. Dr. Herbert Benson, author of The Relaxation Response, found that the word “One” is equally effective.
I have found that concentrating on slowing down my breathing as much as possible, accomplishes the same objective. One way is to breathe in slowly to the count of eight, hold your breath for a count of eight, then breathe out slowly to the count of eight. There must be no strain whatsoever in doing this; if eight counts are difficult for you to hold, try a smaller count until you feel comfortable. Continue breathing this way until your body feels almost motionless and your mind is equally stilled. Once still, a feeling of peace, harmony, and oneness will often flood your being. Sometimes intuitive insights and messages from the subconscious will accompany this, or they may just flash into your mind at a later date.
The most effective way to achieve self-mastery is through meditation. The inner strength you gain will help you overcome any lack in your life, and you will find the time of peaceful meditation not only inspiring but a great benefit to your physical and emotional well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that meditation can reduce hypertension, eliminate headaches, and alleviate a variety of other medical problems.
Through regular meditation you come continuously closer to alignment of the self with the Infinite Wisdom and Creative Power Within. Through meditation you can achieve a greater sense of the spiritual and cosmic nature of your life by turning your consciousness to your Higher Self. It is invaluable to the evolution of your consciousness and, in fact, is the only way to discover Spirit Within and reawaken the eternal within you. Once you are in contact with your Higher Self, anything is possible to you. The pathway to love, security, and inner peace is reached by integrating all the aspects of yourself—spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. Make continuous efforts to contact Spirit, thus awakening your Higher Self, which will guide and direct you in achieving your goals in life. It is a beautiful, noble, loving way to live, and it will bring you total fulfillment.
You ask me where I get my ideas, that I cannot tell you with certainty; They come unsummoned, directly, indirectly—I could seize them with my hands—out in the open air; in the woods, while walking; in the silence of the night; early in the morning, incited by moods, which are translated by the poet into words, by me, into tones that sound and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.
Ludwig van Beethoven