Materialism a Path to Nowhere

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You have already learned much of great value, my friend. Just to know that materialism is hollow (and, in time, boring and unsatisfying) means that you are already on the right path. Your sagittarius-nature wants to be free of the utter, immobilizing slavery that material "masters" demand. The material world will draw away all your time and energy, leaving you zero freedom, if you let it. So, this insistence on your sacred freedom is a fine application of this sagittarius-energy!!

The world is filled with so many distractions because we find our lower natures attracted to them. That is why an important step in the Way is to minimize personal desires. Don't misunderstand: The enlightened being can have hundreds of desires, but they must all be what Love desires. It is an ignorant caricature to portray the enlightened mystic as having no desire. But the truth is, she has given up all personal desires, and this increases her happiness and tranquility. Most people try to "get happy" by trying to "get" all the "stuff" that they want. But, when they do, they are still miserable. What went wrong?

Happiness is an interior state of mind. It is not changed by the material world. So, there are as many wealthy people who are totally unhappy and miserable as there are poor people, although they have different reasons for their frustrations and misery. Getting "more stuff" does not make life richer or happier. Only increasing friendships and service can do that. Why?

Because this is what we were created to do. It is what we all, deep down, really want to do. For friendship and service are the two practical manifestations of Love in our world.

The world is beautiful. Especially nature is filled with many kinds of beauty. Even the material world is good. But what is not good is what most people do. They allow the material world to become their master. Serving money fulltime, these people no longer have any time to serve Love. This exhausts them, and leaves them bitter and frustrated. These people live lives of "isolated splendor," surrounded by a huge house and luxurious car, but having no one with whom to share them. They are lonely because they have invested not a minute in Love. They do not really value or treasure Love, and soon, find themselves without it. No matter what you have, it all feels and tastes like sawdust if you do not have a life filled with Love.
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