Active Mysticism

Education is an indispensable aspect of the Way of Love, or mysticism. It is both a refreshing joy and necessity to learn about the Enlightenment Traditions of the past.

It triggers our own creativity and positive feelings to read of the Tradition. But reading alone, even admiring, the beauties of the Way will not, in itself, transform you. Instead, we all need to read and learn with the fullest and most honest intention to imitate the fine writers. For it is one thing to admire the great beauty of Sufi poetry, for example, famous for its profound beauty, and quite another actually to imitate the Love that it advocates. Reading, admiring, even imitating style, is not enough. For we must cultivate the intention of heart-transformation. In studying mysticism or mystical poetry, we should do so with the full intention of dissolving the ego or human identity into fuller identification with the interior Beloved. For if we do not, all our timenergy might be poured into an exercise that is merely intellectual.
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The Sermon on the Mount, Part XXIV and XXV of XL

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TEXT Continuing, with Matthew 6:16:

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

COMMENTARY: Jesus really wanted his listeners seriously to understand and remember his Message, and so, repeats it for emphasis.
The "scary" warning is here yet again repeated: If you receive a "human reward," you cancel any chances of receiving a divine reward. Let her who has ears to hear, hear this crucial warning! For many ministers, preachers, and religious leaders, accepting and welcoming fame, have rejected any chance of being rewarded cosmically! Their huge egos have spoiled everything for them.

TEXT:

17. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

COMMENTARY: Again, to underscore and highlight his important Message, Jesus refers to the interior "Father," who watches our lives "in secret." From only the "Father," in His role as "interior Judge," or "Observer," can genuine, lasting karmic rewards arise. For "Him," egotism is a slap in the face, an arrogant rejection. We cannot afford to give in to this low selfesteem, or we will ruin our chances of any "heavenly" reward (in the life to come).



The Sermon on the Mount, Part XXV of XL
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TEXT:

19. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.

COMMENTARY: This is Jesus the simple, recommending a Way of simplicity so great that it is a terror to many in our materialistic culture. Applied literally, in this text, Jesus forbids unnecessary accumulations and luxurious acquisitions. This is the same message of the Buddha, who similarly forbade "clinging," "attachment," "grasping," and "craving" for the enlightened. (He said that the enlightened mind had no interest in these "spiritual diseases" and the baubles that accompany them.) The follower of the Way must drop all materialism. She must live in utter simplicity. Again, to be literal, the person of Love must not "store" material things "on earth."

TEXT:

21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

COMMENTARY: Now, Jesus reveals the mystery as to why materialism is so dangerous: It can conquer the "heart," or emotional nature. People who are too obsessed with business often discover, to their utter heartbreak, that money and the incessant accumulations of materialism actually dull their emotions in relationship, friendship, and depth of feeling generally. For they have sold pieces of their Souls, and their only reward is the stinking "mud" of money. They have traded the "gold" of God, which is Love, for the dirt and mud of materialism.
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The Beautiful Heart

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No, my friend, it was not hollow flattery to point out that you have a "beautiful and unique heart." You are halfright: Everyone has a "unique" heart, but not every heart is beautiful. (Well, yes, they are, but often so deeply as to be inaccessible.:) A beautiful heart manifests itself through acts of kindness, generosity, service, and expressed and practical goodness. It reaches out to help and aid others. It cares about people, and for human needs. It is courteous, polite, and solicitous. It is, in short, a heart of expressive Love, or of Lovexpressions. All of these qualities have been observed in your behaviors.

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The "Second Coming" of Christ

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The "second coming" of Christ has long been an excuse for quibbling and cantankerous squabbling among many Christian denominations. It means many things to many people, and Christians have long disagreed in their interpretations.

When Jesus spoke with his disciples, he did not always speak in "ordinary, everyday" talk. At times, he spoke in symbols-- just as he did indeed also in his parables.

The "first coming" was in the flesh, as a man. (Actually, the Greek word translated as "coming" is parousia, which more closely resembles "Presence" in meaning.)

So, his first Presence in history was as a human being, in time, limited to one body, etc. Since that first Presence did not do all that he might have done, spectacular and joyous as it was, he promised a second Presence.

Since, the first time, he "came" to an entire nation and to a whole religion, to show them the imperfections of their faith, and was rejected, renounced, and even murdered, many Bible-scholars believe what I now do also:

They think that his second Presence is a personal revelation to the individual heart. True, the Scriptures do say that "every eye will see Him," but they do not say that "every eye shall see Him at the same time." So, the second Presence is not like the first. In the second, Christ does not reveal himself to thousands, but to each-- one at a time.

In other words, he comes to the individual heart and reveals Himself. So, for some, Christ has already revealed Himself-- his great Love, his compassion, his forgiveness. He has revealed that all who know him in this intimate way are in "grace," and covered and forgiven by God's grace.

But there are soul-minds of darkness to whom he has not yet revealed himself. At the end of time, he will, of course, have revealed his Presence, Love, and Splendid grace to everyone, and all will find that they are filled with the Lovelight of God and sweet forgiveness, beautiful wisdom. But this will not occur quickly, for many are still in training, and some will have a training-course that might last centuries. But still, there is no sin in the universe greater than God's Love, or God's will to forgive. God has worked it all out through the "Second Presence" of the Lord.
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