Epilogue 

‘Love solves everything. In the end there is only love.’

I have been on a journey of spiritual discovery for over 35 years. It has been a steep and rocky path. It is only by looking back that I am aware of any progress, and there is always the next mountain to climb, so there is never time for any complacency. However, when I think back to the self-indulgent days of the ’60s, I am aware of some improvement. I only wish it had been greater and quicker. But this is a journey that cannot be rushed. Truths are revealed as the consciousness is raised, and then comes the ability to accept them. This takes time, but the journey is eternal.

Along the way we may ask for direct guidance from our soul and eagerly await this contact, but when we do receive it, we must let ourselves be guided by it. We can no longer do what we want, because this will coarsen and break the relationship. It is a life of total devotion. Of course it brings tremendous joy, love, helping and healing, and after a while we have no desire to go back to our earlier ways. But initially we must sacrifice those parts of our life that are not in line with love and service, and this can be hard. Nevertheless, it is the way we must all go eventually, and we can either climb the slow and winding or the steep and stony path. Don’t despair, you travel at the pace that suits you.

I am trying to climb the steep path, but it isn’t easy. I still have my weaknesses, and my indulgences – I can sob at a sad movie (who didn’t watch Greyfriars Bobby and shed bucketfuls when the old hobo’s dog was saved from being put down and instead given the freedom of the city of Edinburgh?) and I am a terrible chocoholic. I still enjoy my own company a bit too much for some of those around me – as I’ve said, I hardly ever socialize with the Coronation Street cast; indeed, I don’t even know where most of them live.

But I’ve learned that as we progress, we become more sensitive, and life in many respects seems harder. The thought of animals being slaughtered for you to eat becomes unbearable; the sight of people suffering rips you apart. Anger and hate seem like major illnesses. But it is only by going through all this that you will find out how strong you are. The spirit is stronger than anything on Earth and there is no power greater than the power of love.

I started out feeling afraid of death and infinity. Now I know there is no reason for either to be feared. Death is a change of environment, that’s all. It is something to look forward to because it is a process that leads to a better life. And the fact that infinity goes on forever gives me a great feeling of peace and security. In fact, I love it. We are all infinite. We exist forever and ever and we are growing in love all the time. It’s wonderful. Sadly, of course, that doesn’t apply to Ken Barlow – his end will come, although I hope he will live in people’s memories for a while. But for William Roache and you, dear reader, life will go on, albeit it in a different place.

As we move forward, our aim should be to make ourselves little beacons of light and illuminate the area we’re in. That way we make things better both for ourselves and for those around us. And when we reach a certain point, all we are interested in, all we want to do, is to help others.

I remember someone said to me once that an intensive course of self-development was selfish. That rocked me back a bit. He was absolutely right. It is selfish, but only in the initial stages. Later on, as you move forward, all you want to do is love and serve.

Unfortunately, we often need shocks and difficulties to wake us up. It’s only by overcoming some form of suffering that we get the strength and the wisdom to move forward. The Earth is a hard school and it may seem a horrible place at times, but more and more people are now gaining a spiritual understanding and I feel sure that ultimately we will discharge all the darkness and move into a very beautiful age of peace and harmony.

I’ve already seen a big shift in people’s attitudes in my own lifetime. In my younger days most people didn’t think, for instance, about whether it was right to go to war or not. Your country was at war, so you went. You were a coward or a traitor if you thought otherwise. And if you had a nervous breakdown in the front line, you were shot. That attitude has totally changed now. People don’t just blindly follow governments because they decide to go to war. Look at the opposition to the war in Iraq, for example.

So I’m very hopeful. There is still a lot of evil in the world, but there is also a wonderful enlightenment going on. Even films and television programmes have more of a spiritual side than they used to. Overall there’s a swing in the right direction. We’re breaking down national barriers and learning to live together. We’re all brothers and sisters, after all; we’re all equal in a spiritual sense, equal in love and equal in honour. We are all part of God.

So all you have to do is to tune in to your own soul. Let go and marvellous things will happen.

I wish you well on your journey; and remember, enjoy yourself.