DAILY LIFE AS SPIRITUAL EXERCISE:

The Way of Transformation

by Karfrie!" #raf $on D%r&'heim
Transate! by R%th Le(inne' an! P) L) Tr*$ers
This boo' (as ori+inay ,%bishe! in En+an! %n!er the tite The Way of
Transformation: Daily Life as Spiritual Exercise by #eor+e Aen - Un(in" Lt!) It is here
re,rinte! by arran+ement)
C./TE/TS
E$ery!ay Life as Pra&ti&e
0eain+ Po(er an! #est%re
The Whee of Transformation
1) Critical Awareness
2) Letting Go
3) Becoming ne with the Groun!
4) "ew#Becoming
5) $roof an! $ractice in E%ery!ay Life
A,,en!i6
Everyday Life as Practice
It is a tr%ism that a (or'" a art an! a ,rofessiona a&ti$ity re7%ire ,ra&ti&e if they are
to s%&&ee!) This (e a&&e,t" an! in or!er that (e may estabish o%rse$es in the (or!" it is
ob$io%s that (e m%st be at ,ains in a o%r $o&ations" a$o&ations an! transa&tions to ,ra&ti&e
an! assimiate e6,erien&e) We !o not s%ffi&ienty reai8e" ho(e$er" that the s%&&ess of man9s
most im,ortant tas':infinitey more essentia than any of his arts or ,rofessions:aso !e,en!s
%,on ,ra&ti&e)
The !estiny of e$erythin+ that i$es is that it sho%! %nfo! its o(n nat%re to its ma6im%m
,ossibiity) ;an is no e6&e,tion) <%t he &annot:as a tree or a fo(er !oes:f%fi this !estiny
a%tomati&ay) 0e is ony ,ermitte! to be&ome f%y (hat he is inten!e! to be (hen he ta'es
himsef in han!" (or's on himsef" an! ,ra&ti&es &easeessy to rea&h ,erfe&tion) 0ere (e
m%st as' o%rse$es the 7%estion : (hat is man9s most im,ortant tas'= It is none .ther than
himsef" the ma'in+ of himsef into a >tr%e man)?
The rea!ers may (e as':(hat ,%r,ose !o st%!y" ,ra&ti&e an! the &oe&tin+ an!
assimiation of e6,erien&e ser$e (hen one is onesef the tas' at han!= What ste,s are
ne&essary in or!er to a&hie$e this= What 'in! of e6,erien&es nee! to be tho%+ht of as
essentia an! therefore to be inte+rate!= In (hat !oes ,ra&ti&e &onsist= What are the
,rere7%isites of s%&&ess=
&
Let %s first &onsi!er (hat (e &on&ei$e of as a (or!y tas') It is e$i!ent that the
,rere7%isites for this to s%&&ee! are: a min! &om,etey at the ser$i&e of the (or' in han!" a
tena&io%s (i" a &a,a&ity to assimiate the ne&essary e6,erien&e" the effi&ient !e$eo,ment of
ree$ant taents an! their ,ro,er te&hni7%es an!" in a!!ition to a this" the abiity to a&hie$e a
&ontin%o%s a!a,tation to the e6terior (or!) As a res%t of s%&h abors it is ,ossibe for man to
brin+ to fr%ition that mastery thro%+h (hi&h (or!y s%&&ess is ass%re!)
0o(e$er" o%r inner tas'" if it is to ,ros,er" m%st be the fr%it of a h%man bein+9s &om,ete
mat%rity in a his as,e&ts) An! the ,rere7%isites of mat%rity &onsist first in the brea'in+ !o(n
of the sma >I? that is to say" the >I? that re@e&ts ,ain" is f% of fears an! is soey &on&erne!
(ith the thin+s of the (or!) Then m%st &ome the ,er&e,tion" the a&&e,tan&e an! %nfo!in+ of
o%r inborn" trans&en!enta Essen&e an!" to+ether (ith a this" the rein7%ishin+ of stan!,oints
an! ,ositions (hi&h obstr%&t it There m%st be attit%!e of earnest a&7%ies&en&e to s%&h
e6,erien&es as (i ea! to its ,er&e,tion" the attainment of ,ersona ,ost%re (hi&h
&orres,on!s to the inner essen&e an!" thro%+ho%t this !iffi&%t (or'" an abso%te on to one9s
,ro+ress aon+ the Inner Way) <y these means a man is e! to(ar!s inner mastery) An attit%!e
(i th%s ha$e been a&hie$e! (hi&h (i enabe the ,ro&ess of inner +ro(th an! ri,enin+ to
&ontin%e) S%&h a ife attit%!e is the ony one by (hi&h a man may f%fi his o(n a( an!
!estiny" (hi&h is to be&ome a Person" a h%man bein+ (ho is at on&e trans,arent to the Di$ine
<ein+ (ithin him an! abe to e6,ress it in his ife in the (or!) .%r inner tas'" %ni'e o%r
(or' in the (or!" !oes not re$o$e aro%n! e6terna a,tit%!es b%t has as its fo&a ,oint the
transformation of the bein+ a man into an e6,ression of Di$ine <ein+)
1
If an! (hen it ha,,ens that the inner tas' ,ros,ers" it m%st not therefore be ass%me! that a
man 'no(s or ,ossesses more than before) What ha,,ens is that he is more) A &han+e has
ta'en ,a&e) <ehin! the (or!y a&hie$ements $isibe to any obser$er there is the in(ar!y
transforme! man (ho" $ery ,ossiby" may be $isibe to nobo!y) <%t @%st as a $ai! &a,abiity
1
See A,,en!i6
in the (or! re7%ires a &ertain e$e of h%man !e$eo,ment" so aso !oes the transformation
(hi&h ea!s to inner mat%rity re7%ire that a man sho%! &ons&ientio%sy an! res,onsiby abor
at the tas's set 'y the worl!( Inner an! o%ter (or' are not m%t%ay e6&%si$e) .n the
&ontrary" (e are in$a!e!" as it (ere" from mornin+ to ni+ht" both by o%r inner bein+ as (e as
by the threatenin+ e6terior (or! for (hi&h (e are res,onsibe) The fie! of o%r &easeess
effort to re&on&ie both si!es is none other than o%r or!inary !aiy ife)
&
.%r a&hie$ements in the (or! may be sai! to be ,erfe&t ony in so far as they
&ons%mmate an! reai8e the i!ea that is their inner meanin+) Whether it be a (or' of art or a
system of ,hioso,hy" the b%i!in+ of a ho%se or the settin+ %, of some or+ani8ation" fa&tory
or te&hni&a a,,arat%s" it ,ossesses a $ai! form Ag)ltige Gestalt* ony (hen ea&h of its ,arts
a&&om,ishes the %n!eryin+ ,%r,ose of the (hoe) The same a,,ies to the inner tas') ;an"
himsef" is one of ife9s forms +Le'ensgestalt* b%t he" too" is $ai! an! &an en!%re ony in so
far as he f%fis" as a (hoe an! in the %nifyin+ of a his for&es" (hat be is f%n!amentay
inten!e! to be)
<%t (hat is man= What is he inten!e! to be= Intrinsi&ay : that is to say" in his essen&e :
man is an as,e&t of Di$ine <ein+" (hose ,%r,ose is to manifest itsef in him an! thro%+h him)
B%st as fo(ers an! animas in their o(n (ay re$ea Di$ine <ein+" so aso m%st man re$ea it
in the (ay of man) 0e &an ony be >ri+ht? (hen his ife:form" (ith a its for&es" f%fis the
!estiny that !(es (ithin him as his essentia bein+)
For ea&h of %s" o%r essentia bein+ is the me!i%m thro%+h (hi&h (e ,arti&i,ate in Di$ine
<ein+) It may aso be sai! to be the means by (hi&h Di$ine <ein+ stri$es thro%+h %s to
manifest itsef in the (or! : not as somethin+ a,art from the (or!" a mere s,irit%a
in(ar!ness" b%t as a bo!iy ,resen&e) It foo(s that o%r h%man inner +ro(th is ne&essariy
a&&om,ishe! (ithin the frame(or' of o%r (or!y !estiny in the mi!st of or!inary ife an!
the &arryin+ o%t of !aiy tas's)
&
;an9s !estiny is to bear (itness" in his o(n s,e&ia (ay to Di$ine <ein+:(hi&h is to say"
&ons&io%sy an! freey) Fo(ers an! animas f%fi theirs of ne&essity an! %n&ons&io%sy :
imite! ony by (hate$er e6terna &on!itions may hin!er them from be&omin+ (hat" in their
essen&e" they are) ;an" ho(e$er" %ni'e fo(ers an! animas" has been en!o(e! (ith
&ons&io%snessC an! it is by means of this 7%aity that" as an >I"? he is abe to stan! an!
&onfront the (or!) <e&a%se of this he be&omes" at east to some e6tent" in!e,en!ent an!
therefore res,onsibe for his o(n !e$eo,ment) 0erein ies his +reat &han&e) <%t here" too" et
%s not for+et" ies !an+er) For bet(een this &han&e an! this !an+er be may miss the mar')
&
The >oneness? of that Life (hi&h is beyon! s,a&e an! time brea's a,art in man9s e+o:
&ons&io%sness into t(o ,oes : one" the historical worl! (hi&h" bein+ s%b@e&t to a(s of s,a&e
an! time" &an be %n!erstoo! an! mastere!C an! t(o" Transcen!ental Being, (hi&h &annot be
en&om,asse! by s,a&e an! time an! is beyon! a or!inary %n!erstan!in+) Th%s" ine$itaby"
man e6,erien&es himsef as a bein+ stan!in+ bet(een hea$en an! earth) 0e i$es in a state of
tension bet(een t(o reaities : the (or!" (hi&h &onfines him to atit%!e" on+it%!e an!
!%ration" en!an+ers his e6isten&e" tem,ts him (ith ho,es of ha,,iness" an! !eman!s his
obe!ien&e to its a(sC an! the s%,ernat%ra state of <ein+ hi!!en (ithin him an! to(ar!s
(hi&h" e$en %n'no(in+y" he yearns) Ceaseessy stri$in+ to fin! the i+ht" this <ein+ &as
him forth beyon! the a(s an! bo%n!aries of his itte ,ersona ife" to the ser$i&e of #reater
Life)
&
It is essentia that ea&h ,erson" in or!er to be abe to en!%re his fate in the (or! an! to
master his o(n ifeC sho%! amass 'no(e!+e of himsef an! of the (ay he e6ists as a
tem,ora bein+) To be&ome a >(hoe? man" ho(e$er" he m%st aso &ome to ha$e 'no(e!+e
of the one he is in his !i$ine essen&e" i)e) of his essentia bein+" (hose nee!s m%st aso be
satisfie!) .ny (hen he has a&7%ire! this 'no(e!+e (i he be free to satisfy the !eman!s of
his inner bein+) 0o(e$er" the a( of his !e$eo,ment is s%&h that in the be+innin+ it is
,re!ominanty the &ons&io%sness" (hi&h ser$es to estabish his ,a&e in the (or!" that is
%nfo!e!) This one:si!e! $ie( of the (or!" (hi&h is !ominate! by the (i to s%r$i$e an! the
(ish that ife sho%! ha$e meanin+ an! ,ro$i!e satisfa&tion" $eis the Di$ine <ein+ ,resent in
his o(n essentia bein+) Th%s man rea!iy oses si+ht of the !ee,er si+nifi&an&e of his
e6isten&e (hi&h is" in effe&t to manifest Di$ine <ein+ (ithin this ife) Utimatey" ho(e$er" he
&annot es&a,e from the fa&t that his (hoeness an! (efare !e,en! on his f%fiin+ his inner
mission an! i$in+ from his essen&e) If" &ons&io%sy or %n&ons&io%sy" he &on&erns himsef
soey (ith his (or' in the (or! an! e6er&ises an! estabishes his (or!:e+o aone" he is
bo%n! in the en! to fa ,rey to a s,e&ifi&ay h%man %nha,,iness) An! this ha,,ens (hether
or not his ,ersona $irt%es an! a&hie$ements &orres,on! to the $a%es an! e6,e&tations of the
(or!)
&
The more man has s%&&ee!e! in a!a,tin+ himsef (or! by masterin+ e6terna ife an! the
more he ass%mes himsef to be i$in+ bameessy" the ess is he abe to %n!erstan! the
ine$itabe an!" to him" ine6,i&abe s%fferin+ (hi&h is bro%+ht abo%t by his estran+ement
from his inner essen&e) This s%fferin+" &omin+ as it !oes from his sti %nf%fie! inner bein+"
is of a 7%aity 7%ite !ifferent from any %nha,,iness the >I? may e6,erien&e in the (or!) .ny
that ,ain (hi&h arises from the !e,ths of himsef &an finay &om,e a man to oo' in(ar!s
an! brin+ him to the reai8ation that he has ost to%&h (ith his o(n essentia inner bein+) In
s%&h a &on!ition he may ,erha,s re&a times (hen be sense! somethin+ be&'onin+ to him
from (ithin an! t%rne! his ba&' %,on I itC moments (hen &ons&ien&e s%mmone! him" an! he
(as not abe to isten) Th%s he is fa&e! (ith a !e&ision : either to stife the inner $oi&e on&e
a+ain an! &ontin%e in his o! (ays" or to ma'e a ne( start base! on (hat he has earne! from
(ithin)
&
.n&e" ho(e$er" a man has so a(a'ene! to his essentia bein+ that he &an no on+er i+nore
its &aims" his ife from that moment is +o$erne! by a ne( an! &ontin%o%s state of tension)
Ine$itaby" no(" he (i be o,,resse! by the &ontra!i&tion bet(een the nee!s" !%ties an!
tem,tations of the (or! an! the &a of his inner nat%re) .n the one han! the (or! (i
&ontin%e to e6a&t its re7%irements (itho%t referen&e to the inner $oi&e an!" on the other"
(itho%t I referen&e to the (or!9s $oi&e" inner bein+ (i ma'e its insistent !eman!)
Th%s (e are torn bet(een the t(o as,e&ts of o%r h%man e6isten&e) An! yet o%r ife in the
(or!" as (e as o%r ,arti&i,ation in Trans&en!ent <ein+" are b%t t(o ,oes of the one self
that is e$er stri$in+ (ithin %s to(ar!s reai8ation) It is thro%+h the !e$eo,ment of this sef
that the oneness of ife is reai8e! in the h%man form) An!" +i$en these &on!itions" if (e are
%,ri+ht (ithin it (i ine$itaby mean that (e are %,ri+ht (itho%t) For this reason it is
essentia to !is&o$er in o%rse$es an attit%!e : e$en a ,hysi&a ,ost%re : in (hi&h (e &an be
o,en an! s%bmissi$e to the !eman!s of o%r inner bein+ (hie at the same time ao(in+ this
inner bein+ to be&ome $isibe an! effe&ti$e in the mi!st of o%r ife in the (or!) An! for this
to ha,,en (e m%st so transform o%r or!inary !aiy ife that e$ery a&tion is an o,,ort%nity for
inner (or') .%r $ery efforts to(ar!s (or!y effi&ien&y may" %n!er these &on!itions" be&ome
the means of inner ,ra&ti&e +exercitium*(
&
The ,%r,ose of a i$in+ thin+s" man amon+ them" is to manifest the !i$ine in the (or!)
;an9s !istin&ti$e $irt%e ies in the fa&t that the +reat" the Di$ine Life be&omes in him"
>&ons&io%s of itsef)? In the free!om of &ons&io%s ife : as o,,ose! to me&hani&a ife : the
!i$ine &an shine forth an! ta'e form) Therefore the tr%e man is he (ho" in free!om an! (ith
&ear a(areness" embo!ies an! re$eas the Di$ine <ein+ (ithin himsef) The $i$i!ness of his
inner ife" the ra!ian&e of his bein+ an! the beni+n effe&t of his a&tions (i a +i$e e$i!en&e
of his inner state) S%&h a state enabes Di$ine <ein+" in a its ,enit%!e" inner or!er an! %nity"
to a,,ear) It !oes not" ho(e$er !e$eo, aon+ a strai+ht ine for it m%st first ,ass thro%+h a
sta+e of e6isten&e in (hi&h the >I? is !etermine! soey by the (or!" th%s ,re$entin+ a man9s
a(areness of his essentia bein+) This so:&ae! >nat%ra? manner of e6istin+" (hose &enter of
&ons&io%sness is the (or!y:e+o" m%st of ne&essity be bro'en !o(n" for this e+o is not
&on&erne! (ith the nee! to ri,e in a&&or!an&e (ith inner bein+ b%t is soey ,reo&&%,ie! (ith
maintainin+ its se&%re ,osition an! &om,etent f%n&tionin+ in the (or!)
&
;an s%r$i$es in the (or! by means of a &ertain 'in! of &ons&io%sness" (hi&h" by its
&rystai8e! &on&e,ts" or+ani8es ife into a s%&&ession of ri+i! str%&t%res) Thro%+h these he
,er&ei$es the (or! rationay" masters it systemati&ay" an! or!ers it a&&or!in+ to fi6e!
$a%es) It is @%st this form of e6isten&e that $eis his a(areness of Di$ine <ein+) At the &enter
of this (ay of ife stan!s the e+o (hi&h" by its $ery nat%re" is soey o&&%,ie! in estabishin+
an! &assifyin+ >fa&ts"? an! aro%n! it re$o$e &ontin%ay its o(n (or!y !esires) <y means
of this e+o" man se,arates himsef from his %n&ons&io%s &onne&tion (ith the oneness of ife"
an! ass%mes in the (or! an attit%!e of in!e,en!en&e an! sef:assertion) As on+ as the e+o
ta'es %, %n&om,romisin+ attit%!es an! irre$o&aby fi6e! ,oints of $ie(" so (i the oneness
of ife brea' %, into the o,,osites of I:Wor!DWor!:I an! essentia bein+) The e+o9s
se,aration from the ,rima &ore of ife an! its !etermine! orientation to(ar!s the (or!" brin+
a +ro(th" a tr%e be&omin+" a transformation" to a !isastro%s stan!sti) It is tr%e that man
has nee! of an e+o that is &a,abe of ob@e&ti$ey masterin+ the (or!) <%t ony (hen he
s%&&ee!s in e$o$in+ a form of e6isten&e in (hi&h his (or! : e+o is s%staine! Atho%+h in
s%&h a (ay that it remains at the same time trans,arent to Di$ine <ein+ (ithin himE &an he
be&ome a >tr%e? man : a >,erson? in the %timate sense" thro%+h (hose ife #reater Life
reso%n!s Apersonare F to so%n! thro%+hE) To attain this state of min! re7%ires &easeess
,ra&ti&e) In other (or!s" e$ery ,assin+ moment of the !aiy ro%n! m%st be %se! as an
o,,ort%nity for s%&h ,ra&ti&e)
When one s,ea's of the !aiy ro%n! the ,hrase &arries o$ertones of meanin+ an!
e6,erien&e (hi&h !istin+%ish it from the hoi!ay) Com,are! (ith a hoi!ay the or!inary !ay
may a,,ear monotono%s an! +rey) It is !% in the sense that one is %se! to it" the &ommon
ro%n! of a&ti$ities a(ays has an %n&han+in+ sameness) <y this en!ess re,etition the norma
!ay threatens to me&hani8e %s) It is a trea!mi of re,eate! mo$ements an! a&tions" (hereas
the hoi!ay stan!s for somethin+ %ni7%e" @oyo%s" %n%s%a) The or!inary !ay !ea!ens" (hereas
the hoi!ay refreshes) If one &ontrasts the free!om S%n!ay brin+s %s" the or!inary !ay fees
&onstraine! an! ri+i!C it stan!s for abor" for a ro%n! of !oin+" in &ontrast to the eis%re
,romise! by S%n!ay) Its sobriety is far from the festi$ity (hi&h a hoi!ay brin+s) The
or!inary !ay !e$o%rs %sC on hoi!ay (e fin! o%rse$es a+ain) The or!inary !ay !ra(s %s
o%t(ar!s) S%n!ay enabes %s to be in(ar!y free) The or!inary !ay is r%e! by the
o$erbearin+ (or! (hi&h &om,es %s to be effi&ient ma&hines : b%t S%n!ay beon+s to o%r
inner" non:me&hani&a se$es)
/ee! this be so= It m%st be so" aas" as on+ as man is en+%fe! by his (or! : e+o" an! so
en+rosse! by (or!y %n!erta'in+s that they &om,etey o$ersha!o( his in(ar! sef) There
is" ho(e$er" a (ay o%t) It nee!s @%st a sin+e moment of insi+ht" a fash of %n!erstan!in+ of
o%r sit%ation : to ma'e e$erythin+ &han+e) S%&h a moment" s%&h a fash (i i+ht %, not ony
o%r o%ter a&tions : ,arti&%ary those most re,etiti$e an! famiiar : b%t o%r inner e6,erien&e as
(e)
It is ,ro$erbia that in (hate$er (e !o (e ass%me a &ertain attit%!e) >What? (e !o
beon+s to the (or!) In the >ho("? the way (e !o it" (e infaiby re$ea o%rse$es (hether
o%r attit%!e is ri+ht or (ron+ in harmony (ith the inner a( or in &ontra!i&tion to it" in
a&&or!an&e (ith o%r ri+ht form or o,,ose! to it" o,en to Di$ine <ein+: or &ose! to it) An!
here (e m%st ,ose the 7%estion: (hat is o%r ri+ht >form?= It is none other than that in (hi&h
(e are trans,arent to Di$ine <ein+) An! to be trans,arent means that (e abe to e6,erien&e
Di$ine <ein+ in o%rse$es an! to re$ea it in the (or!)
G
Let %s s%,,ose" for instan&e" that a etter has to be ,oste! in a ,iar : bo6 a h%n!re! yar!s
a(ay) If the mo%th of the ,iar : bo6 is a (e see in the min!9s eye" then the h%n!re! stri!es
(e ta'e to(ar!s it are (aste!) <%t if a man is on the Way as a h%man bein+ an! fie! (ith
the sense of a that this im,ies" then e$en this short (a'" ,ro$i!in+ he maintains the ri+ht
attit%!e an! ,ost%re" &an ser$e to ,%t him to ti+hts an! rene( himsef from the (e of inner
essen&e)
The same &an be tr%e of any !aiy a&ti$ity) The more (e ha$e mastere! some ree$ant
te&hni7%e" an! the smaer the amo%nt of attention nee!e! to ,erform the tas' satisfa&toriy"
the more easiy may the em,hasis be transferre! from the e6terior to the interior) Whether in
the 'it&hen or (or'in+ at an assemby : bet" at the ty,e(riter or in the +ar!en" ta'in+"
(ritin+" sittin+" (a'in+ or stan!in+" !eain+ (ith some !aiy o&&%rren&e" or &on$ersin+ (ith
someone !ear to %s : (hate$er it may be" (e &an a,,roa&h it >from (ithin? an! %se it as an
o,,ort%nity for the ,ra&ti&e of be&omin+ a tr%e man) /at%ray" this is ,ossibe ony (hen (e
are abe to +ras, the rea meanin+ of ife an! be&ome res,onsibe to(ar!s it) It is essentia to
reai8e that man is not &ommitte! merey to &om,rehen!in+ an! masterin+ the e6terna (or!)
0e is first an! foremost &ommitte! to the Inner Way) When this is %n!erstoo! the tr%th of the
o! Ba,anese a!a+e be&omes &ear: >For somethin+ to a&7%ire rei+io%s si+nifi&an&e t(o
&on!itions aone are ne&essary: it m%st be sim,e" an! it m%st be re,etiti$e)?
2
What !oes this (or! re,etiti$e si+nify here= It &an ha,,en that !aiy tas's" by their $ery
famiiarity" ser$e to free %s from the +ri, of the e+o an! its 7%en&hess thirst for s%&&ess) They
&an aso he, to ma'e %s in!e,en!ent of the (or!9s a,,ro$a" an! o,en for %s the in(ar!
(ay) <%t this is tr%e not ony of famiiar tas's) E$en the ,ra&ti&e an! re,eate! effort nee!e! to
master somethin+ ne( &an be ,%t to the ser$i&e of the inner (or') In e$erythin+ one !oes it is
,ossibe to foster an! maintain a state of bein+ (hi&h refe&ts o%r tr%e !estiny) When this
,ossibiity is a&t%ai8e! the or!inary !ay is no on+er or!inary) It &an e$en be&ome an
a!$ent%re of the s,irit) In s%&h a &ase the eterna re,etitions in the e6terior (or! are
transforme! into an en!essy fo(in+ an! &ir&%atin+ inner fo%ntain) In!ee!" on&e re,etition
is estabishe! it (i be fo%n! that o%r $ery habits &an be the o&&asion for inner (or') They
enabe %s to ma'e ne( !is&o$eries an! sho( %s that e$en from the most me&hani&a a&tions
there may iss%e forth that &reati$e ,o(er (hi&h transforms man from (ithin)
2
See D%r&'heim" >Die +eisti+e Uber(in!%n+ !es ;e&hanis&hen? in D%r&hbr%&h 8%m Wesen A<rea'thro%+h to
<ein+E" 0%ber" St%tt+" <ern)
G
<y !(ein+ e6&%si$ey in his I : (or! &ons&io%sness : (hi&h !e$eo,s o%t of" an! i$es
by" &rystai8e! &on&e,ts an! $a%es : a man oses to%&h (ith Trans&en!enta <ein+) <%t in
his essentia bein+ he is an! fore$er remains a >mo!e? of this <ein+) Witho%t &easin+" it
stri$es to manifest itsef in an! thro%+h man" as a threefo! ,ro&ess: as ,enit%!e brin+in+ @oy"
as or!er brin+in+ meanin+" as oneness manifestin+ itsef thro%+h o$e : a three bein+
in$%nerabe to the (or!) Th%s one be&omes a(are that <ein+" (ith its !ri$in+ for&e ,resent
an! ai$e in o%r essen&e" is the res%t neither of (ishf% thin'in+" nor of rei+io%s beief" b%t is
the most rea of a reaities) .ny for the man (ho is entren&he! in his (or!y ,ositions"
rationa &on&e,ts an! ri+i! habits !oes <ein+ remain an abstra&t i!ea) For him (ho has ost
to%&h (ith the &ore of ife it is" at most" a s%b@e&t for meta,hysi&a s,e&%ation or ,io%s
&re!%ity) <%t for one (ho brea's thro%+h the mists of rationai8ation" it be&omes ,ersona
e6,erien&e) A rei+ions" &on&e,ts an! ima+es are" in their ori+ina meanin+" inter,retations
of this !ee,est of a e6,erien&es)
When" ho(e$er" rei+ion is ao(e! to be&ome a system of ri+i!y or!ere! ,rin&i,es an!
!o+mas : i)e)" for&e! into the &onfines of a !o&trine that is re7%ire! to be beie$e!" it bo&'s
the ,ossibiity of $itay e6,erien&in+ Di$ine <ein+" or aternati$ey it tries to !ebase it by
abein+ it as a >merey s%b@e&ti$e? e6,erien&e) <%t (hat !oes s%&h a ,hrase &onnote= In
,oint of fa&t" it means the e6istentia tr%th of man as an e6,erien&in+ an! s%fferin+ s%b@e&t :
an! to this &on!ition he is bro%+ht soey thro%+h this so:&ae! s%b@e&ti$e? inner e6,erien&e)
The time has &ome for man to free himsef from the i!ea that ony those thin+s (hi&h &an
be rationay +ras,e! an! ob@e&ti$ey $erifie! are rea an! bin!in+ With re+ar! to 7%estions of
bein+ an! the meanin+ of ife he nee!s to re&o+ni8e the ,rima $ai!ity of the inner
e6,erien&e (hi&h" beyon! a !o%bt an! (ith %ne7%i$o&a &arity" (hen it arises (ithin him"
brin+s @oy" a sense of res,onsibiity an! transformation) The %n!eniabe inner e6,erien&e is
the one thin+ that &an tr%y to%&h" mo$e an! &om,e to foo( it) An! ony by &om,etey
e6,erien&in+ De$ine <ein+ &an (e &ome to reai8e that the (hoe &ontent of the (or!" as (e
see it" is itsef nothin+ other than that <ein+) <%t for %s that <ein+ is &o%!e!C (e ,er&ei$e it
thro%+h the refra&tin+ an! !istortin+ ,rism of the e+o : that e+o (hi&h" bein+ e6ternay
orientate!" ine$itaby ,ins !o(n an! e$erythin+ it obser$es or e6,erien&es in terms of ob@e&ts
an! of o,,osites)
S%&h a rationa e+o : $ie( ine$itaby has the effe&t of soi!ifyin+ o%r &ons&io%sness" so
that (e ta'e as rea ony that (hi&h fits &on$enienty into its ,re&on&ei$e! s&heme of thin+s)
Un!er s%&h &on!itions" man oses a(areness of his &onta&t (ith <ein+) The ony reaity be
beie$es in is the one he intee&t%ay %n!erstan!s" that in (hi&h Life" %n!er the fi6e! +a8e of
his e+o" a,,ears to ,resent itsef to him) The more man has sh%t himsef off from Di$ine
<ein+ by this attit%!e" the more is his o(n inner essen&e re,resse! : that inner essen&e (hi&h
is o%r ony a,,roa&h to the re$eation of Di$ine <ein+) It is the s%fferin+ (hi&h &omes from
s%&h re,ression that ma'es %s rea!y to +i$e ,ro,er (ei+ht to those rare moments in (hi&h
Di$ine <ein+ ba8es %, (ithin %s" besto(in+ @oy" +i$in+ %s a sense of free!om an! &ain+ %s
to ser$e its ,%r,ose) <%t man (i ony be abe tr%y to $a%e s%&h an e6,erien&e (hen he is
abe to re&o+ni8e that other s%fferin+ (hi&h en+%fs him (hen he ao(s the (or! :
orientate! e+o to hi!e him from tr%e <ein+) .ny then (i he be abe to be+in the ,ro&ess of
(ith!ra(in+ his e+o to some e6tent from its (or! : ,%rs%its) .ny then (i he be&ome o,en
(ithin" free to sense #reater Life !ire&ty" abe to hear its $oi&e an! th%s to transform himsef
an! a that s%rro%n!s him)
&
The state of min! an! bo!y that bo&'s any a(areness of the ,resen&e of #reater <ein+
ine$itaby ,ro!%&es a s,e&ia 'in! of s%fferin+) It is the e6,erien&in+ of this an+%ish that
for&es man to ta'e sto&' of his ife attit%!es) This ta'in+ sto&'" if honesty &arrie! o%t" brin+s
him to so +reat a ,it&h of !esoation that it for&es him to the ,oint (here he &an ,er&ei$e"
sense an! hee! the &a of the tr%e essen&e to(ar!s (hi&h he no( fees himsef !ri$en) If" in
some ,ro,itio%s ho%r" he has been +i$en this e6,erien&e of <ein+" an! if" thro%+h the fai%res
of his (or! : e+o an! the s%fferin+ that res%ts from them he has been bro%+ht to the +reat
t%rnin+ ,oint" then at that moment he fin!s himsef on the thresho! of somethin+ ne() /o(
(itho%t fai he m%st o,en himsef to the mysterio%s" n%mino%s &ontent of moo!s an!
im,%ses that he &an neither %n!erstan! nor e6,ain" sti ess transate into &on&e,ts" b%t in
(hi&h he &an" ne$ertheess" %nmista'aby sense somethin+ from beyon! this (or! be&'onin+
an! &ain+ to him) 0e m%st &ome to reai8e that thro%+h s%&h e6,erien&es Di$ine <ein+" as
has area!y been sai!" is ,resent in his o(n bein+) 0e m%st train his fa&%ty of sensory
,er&e,tion to fee an! a,,re&iate 7%aities (hi&h are beyon! the imits of his or!inary
&ons&io%sness) 0is effort no( m%st be to earn ho( to enabe Di$ine <ein+ to enter his o(n
bein+ an! remain (ithin him) An!" in a!!ition" he m%st stri$e to rea&h a state (here his
trans,aren&e to Di$ine <ein+ en!%res" th%s enabin+ him to !ra( ife from #reater Life" e$en
in his e6isten&e as an >I? in the itte (or!) To these en!s he nee!s ine$itaby to &eanse his
%n&ons&io%s an! !is&ar! any eement" s,irit%a or ,hysi&a" that !ams %, the fo( of his
essentia bein+) At the same time he m%st +i$e entran&e to an! b%i! %,on a that is in
harmony (ith this bein+) F%rthermore" he m%st ,ra&ti&e s%stainin+ this state in his e$ery!ay
ife an!" in so !oin+" he (i infaiby &ome to earn that !aiy ife itsef is a >fie! of
o,,ort%nity)?
There is nothin+ : no e$ent" no a&ti$ity : that &annot ,ro$i!e a moti$e for estabishin+
&onta&t (ith inner bein+" nothin+ that &annot be %se! to bear (itness to it) Any sit%ation in
ife may be the means of f%rtherin+ the brin+in+ to birth of the >tr%e man)? For man is ony
>tr%e? (hen he istens in(ar!y to <ein+" an! at the same time remains in a&&or! (ith it in
his bo!iy e6isten&e in the or!inary (or!) It is not eno%+h @%st to t%rn in(ar!s" to e6,erien&e
<ein+ soey from (ithin) To e6,ress it o%t(ar!y is e$en more im,ortant" for it is im,erati$e
that man9s ife in the (or! as (e as in his bo!y" sho%! !eri$e from inner essen&e)
Si!e by si!e (ith the re!is&o$ery of ;an" (hi&h is the !istin+%ishin+ mar' of o%r a+e" a
ne( &ons&io%sness of the bo!y is be&omin+ in&reasin+y e$i!ent) The meanin+ (hi&h (e
+i$e to o%r bo!y !e,en!s on the e6tent to (hi&h (e $a%e o%r h%man e6isten&e) If (e
meas%re o%rse$es soey by o%r reation to the !aiy (or! that &ontin%ay o,,resses an!
threatens %s (ith its en!ess re7%irements" then o%r bo!y has no meanin+ e6&e,t to ma'e o%r
,erforman&e an! s%r$i$a in that (or! ,hysi&ay ,ossibe) The (hoe ,oint of bo!iy
trainin+ is th%s narro(e! !o(n to the !e$eo,ment an! maintenan&e of ,hysi&a effi&ien&y
an! +oo! heath" the soe ,%r,ose of (hi&h is to f%n&tion smoothy at its o(n e$e) .n the
other han! on&e (e %n!erstan! that the rea meanin+ of h%man e6isten&e is to ma'e manifest
in the (or! the Di$ine <ein+ embo!ie! (ithin %s" then the tr%e si+nifi&an&e of bo!iy
trainin+ ies in the nee! to rea&h a state that ma'es s%&h manifestation ,ossibe) A man may
be at the hei+ht of his ,hysi&a ,o(ers" ho(e$er" an! yet not be abe to a&hie$e this) 0is
>,resen&e? may be" as it (ere" %nbe&omin+) In!ee!" his $ery effe&ti$eness in the (or!" in a
bo!iy sense" may a&t%ay obstr%&t his essentia bein+) .n the other han! it is ,ossibe for a
!yin+ man to be ,hysi&ay ,resent in the ri+ht (ay if" serene an! tr%stf%" he is abe to et +o
an! +i$e himsef %," ao(in+ that (hi&h is meant by >Death as Transformation? to ta'e
,a&e) Di$ine <ein+" sin&e it is beyon! both i$in+ an! !yin+" is re$eae! (ith e7%a &arity in
ife as in !eathC an! man" at the moment of !eath : e$en in his bo!iy &on!ition : may be&ome
trans,arent to #reater Life) It is th%s ,ossibe to !istin+%ish three !ifferent 'in!s of ,hysi&a
>&ons&ien&e)? The !eman!s of the first are orientate! to(ar!s heath" the se&on! to(ar!s
bea%ty an! the thir! to(ar!s trans,aren&e to #reater Life)
&
To!ay" it sho%! be +eneray re&o+ni8e! that (hat (e &a >bo!y? an! >,sy&he? are not
t(o se,arate entitiesC rather" they are the t(o mo!es by (hi&h man" (ith his rationa" !i$i!e!
$ision" ,er&ei$es himsef) They are the means (hereby man as s%b@e&t reai8es an! e6,resses
his ,ersona %nity) That (hi&h is (itho%t is (ithin" an! that (hi&h is (ithin is (itho%t) The
%nity (hi&h en&om,asses an! &om,rehen!s this antithesis of bo!y an! so% is the Persona
S%b@e&t) An! the ony 'in! of ,er&e,tion (ith (hi&h (e &an !o @%sti&e to man as a ,ersona
s%b@e&t is the one that sees him not merey as an ob@e&ti$e >thin+"? b%t : by ,arti&i,ation in
his ife : earns to $a%e him as a s%b@e&t an! re&o+ni8e him as a >Tho%)? 0ere it is ne&essary
to !istin+%ish bet(een the !is&riminatin+ >(hat? &ons&io%sness that is &on&erne! (ith
estabishin+ fa&ts an! the %n!erstan!in+ >(ho? &ons&io%sness (hi&h aone &an re$ea
,ersona tr%th)
&
As su'-ect, (e e6,erien&e o%rse$es as ,art of a system (hi&h has itte reation to the
o%t(ar! (or! in (hi&h a thin+s are rationay or!ere! an! fi6e! in %n&han+in+ ,ositions)
From the ,oint of $ie( of this (or!" (e see e$erythin+ materiay : as somethin+ o%tsi!e %s)
We e$en t%rn o%rse$es an! other ,eo,e into ob@e&ts" into mere >,ie&es of the (or!)? In as
far as (e see o%rse$es an! others in this (ay" (e are obi+e!" as are a >thin+s"? to fit into
an! f%n&tion (ithin ri+i!" (or!y : an!" on their o(n e$e" $ai! : systems an! str%&t%res)
0o(e$er" (hen (e reate to ife as s%b@e&t" as Tho%" (e e6,erien&e an! a,,y to(ar!s it a
personal point of %iew( Then e$erythin+ is seen in terms of the ife that (e o%rse$es are : that
ife (hi&h" in a&&or!an&e (ith its o(n a(" is fore$er stri$in+ to(ar!s &ons&io%sness"
&om,etion" iberation an! f%fiment) In this (ay the (or! reso$es itsef into the fie! of
o%r ,ersona ife) It be&omes the mirror of a o%r !esires" ho,es an! fears)
&
Life ne$er stan!s sti) Its or!er is ne$er ri+i!" i'e that of some system estabishe! by the
(or!) It is a(ays fe6ibe" a(ays &han+in+" a(ays in the ,ro&ess of be&omin+) An! so it is
(ith man) 0e is not merey an e6terna form" b%t a Form : in : Time +.eitgestalt* an!
therefore fore$er in the a&t of be&omin+) The !ri$in+ for&e behin! this transformin+ ,ro&ess
!eri$es not ony from the ,romise of ,ossibe reai8ation (hi&h ies in man9s inmost essen&e"
b%t aso from the an+%ish (hi&h arises (hen obstr%&tions ,re$ent the f%fiment of this
,romise) It is promise an! pain together that !etermine the ,ersona nat%re of the (or!)
If a man is to be&ome a Person" ho(e$er" his inner" menta : s,irit%a !e$eo,ment is not
the soe re7%irement: he nee!s" too" to !e$eo, his bo!y) If (e re+ar! an! treat the bo!y
merey as a thin+" a ,ie&e of the (or!" (e remain bin! to its meanin+) E$en in his bo!y"
man as s%b@e&t is not a thin+" a mere bioo+i&a or+anism) <%t (hat !o (e mean by the
>bo!y? of a ,erson= It is the mo!e in (hi&h he" as s%b@e&t" is $isiby ,resent to the (or!)
Ta'en th%s" the bo!y" in a h%man sense" &an ony be ri+hty %n!erstoo! an! (or'e! on (hen
(e &ontin%ay bear in min! the ,erson (ho i$es as this bo!y" that ,erson (ho : as a >some :
bo!y? : is a(ays rene(in+ himsef" a(ays stri$in+ to %nfo! an! to 'e in the (or!" in
a&&or!an&e (ith his inner a() Th%s the bo!y is not ony somethin+ (hi&h man has" b%t the
somebo!y he is in the (or!)
The tr%e man is he (ho is ,resent in the (or! in the ri+ht (ay) Whether he be !ense or
trans,arent" (ith!ra(n into himsef or o,en to ife" in form or o%t of form" &entere! or
(itho%t &enter" he is a these thin+s (ith his (hoe bein+" (hi&h is to say" aso (ith his bo!yH
Any an! e$ery +est%re of a man re$eas him to the (or!) An! it is &ear that (hen a +est%re
is fre7%enty re,eate! an! be&omes more an! more habit%a" the &ontent it e6,resses aso
be&omes" for +oo! or i" more an! more &rystai8e!) Th%s the bo!y" in its ,ost%re" its
,atterns of tension an! rea6ation" in the rhythm of its breathin+ an!" manner of its
mo$ement" is an infaibe in!i&ation of the ,oint at (hi&h any man has arri$e! on his (ay to
be&omin+ a Person) It may re$ea ho( an! (here he has st%&' fast in his e+o an! ost himsef
to the (or!" or aternati$ey to (hat e6tent he has remaine! o,en to his bein+ an! on the
Way)
&
Pra&ti&e on o%rse$es" in the ,hysi&a an! s,irit%a sense" is a(ays of t(o 'in!s) It
in$o$es both the pulling # !own of e$erythin+ that stan!s in the (ay of o%r &onta&t (ith
Di$ine <ein+" an! the 'uil!ing # up of a >form? (hi&h" by remainin+ a&&essibe to its inner
ife" ,reser$es this &onta&t an! affirms it in e$ery a&ti$ity in the (or!)
.%r %nion (ith Di$ine <ein+" (hi&h is en!essy stri$in+ to(ar!s transformation" is
obstr%&te! by e$erythin+ (ithin %s that is in any (ay ri+i!) From his eariest years man
!e$eo,s" a&&or!in+ to his !e+ree of &ons&io%sness" a (ay of e6istin+ in (hi&h" as an I" be is
&om,ee! to !o &ons&io%sy an! from &hoi&e (hat he &an no on+er !o %n&ons&io%sy an!
instin&ti$ey) Th%s" (hene$er the (or! threatens him" !oes not &onform to his i!eas" or
!isa,,oints him" he be+ins e$en in &hi!hoo! to !e$eo, ,atterns of beha$ior a!a,te! to his
s%rro%n!in+s +$assformen*( These &an he, him to s%r$i$e in sit%ations that may be
!an+ero%s" anta+onisti&" e$en o$eess" b%t if they be&ome too ri+i!" they may (e obstr%&t
his &onta&t (ith his inmost bein+) In s%&h a &ase" original trust is re,a&e! by a reian&e on
'no(e!+e" on in!i$i!%a &a,a&ity" on ,ossessions an! a their fase ,romise of se&%rityC
original faith, (hi&h rests on %n&ons&io%s inner a(s an! the %ninhibite! e$o%tion of the
inborn ima+e" +i$es ,a&e to reian&e on &on$entiona ,atterns an! the effort of 'ee,in+ %,
the a,,earan&e re7%ire! by the (or!C original union (ith Life is s%,,ante! by !e,en!en&e
on the o$e an! a&&e,tan&e of others)
The sti %nbro'en &hains of o%r &hi!hoo!" o%r im,risonment in the s%,erfi&ia so&ia ife"
o%r fasey &on&ei$e! a!a,tation to the (or!" an! the &easeess on+in+ of o%r e+o for
se&%rity : a these ha$e as their res%t a mi6t%re of ,re@%!i&es" rea!y:ma!e form%as of
beha$ior" an! +ran!iose i!eas of (hat (e (o%! i'e to be in the (or!) If s%&h as,e&ts of
o%rse$es be&ome ri+i! : as is %s%ay the &ase : the first thin+ ne&essary is that they be
re&o+ni8e! an!" after that" !isso$e!) .f &o%rse" if this ,ro&ess of inner ri+i!ity has +one too
far" i)e)" has be&ome ne%roti&" ,rofessiona he, may be nee!e! to effe&t the !isso%tion) <%t
the more man himsef be&omes sensiti$e to the &aims of his essen&e" an! the more rea!y he
is to enter into an! a&&e,t the tr%th" the more easiy &an he : if he is earnesty tryin+ to fin!
himsef : re&o+ni8e the ina,,ro,riateness of his one:si!e! (or!y stan!,oint an! be&ome
a(are of those attit%!es that estran+e him from Di$ine <ein+) #ra!%ay" %n!er s%&h
&ir&%mstan&es" be be&omes more an! more abe to transform himsef) An! it is his !aiy ife
an! its ,ra&ti&e that +i$es him this o,,ort%nity)
G
.ne in!is,ensabe 7%aity of a ,ra&ti&e on the Inner Way is the ,resentiment" in!ee! the
e6,erien&e" of one9s o(n essentia bein+) Witho%t a i$in+ &onta&t (ith this" a ,ra&ti&e is
bo%n! to +o astray an! ea! into a bin! aey) When this ha,,ens" (e are eft to the mer&y of
the 'in! of sef:!is&i,ine that" at the e6,ense of inner tr%th" see's heath an! $irt%e ony in a
(or!y &onte6t) A man (ho is bin! to his o(n essentia bein+ (i inter,ret the s%fferin+
(hi&h he e6,erien&es as an ine$itabe res%t of s%&h a &on!ition" as bein+ &a%se! by the
(or!) 0e may attrib%te the !e&ine of his effi&ien&y soey to e6terna eements" or fee
,erha,s that his !istress arises as a &oroary of some offense he may &on&ei$e himsef to
ha$e &ommitte! a+ainst the !eman!s of (or!y $a%es" rei+io%s !o+ma or someone in
a%thority) Th%s the $ery $irt%es : so:&ae! : of his a too ri+i!" ha,ess" (or!y e+o" !ri$e
him into sti +reater aienation from his essen&e) It &annot be too stron+y %r+e! that e$ery
attem,t to reai8e the tr%e sef is !oome! to fai%re %ness the !e,ths (ithin are &eanse! first)
.ny thro%+h this &onta&t (ith his essentia bein+ &an man be&ome sensiti$e to (hat is
+en%ine in him" an! as&ertain (hat is nee!f% for his sef:reai8ation) .ny by the e6,erien&e
of his essentia bein+ (i he &ome into &onta&t (ith the Di$ine So%r&e of <ein+) An! ony
(hen this ha,,ens is he abe to be+in the tas' of &reatin+ for himsef a >form? (hi&h tr%y
&orres,on!s to his o(n essentia nat%re an! frees him from a fasey &on&ei$e! metho!s of
a!a,tation)
It (o%! be 7%ite im,ossibe for man to ma'e any statement abo%t the nat%re of Di$ine
<ein+" (ere it not for i!entifiabe en&o%nters" e6,erien&es an! re$eations (hi&h in the
ab%n!an&e of their ,o(er" si+nifi&an&e an! feein+ an! in the sense of res,onsibiity they
brin+" are so %ttery !ifferent in 7%aity from his %s%a e6,erien&e of the (or!" that he &annot
he, b%t see them as manifestations of trans&en!en&e) E6,erien&es s%&h as these are ony
,ossibe (hen man9s hitherto im,ermeabe (or!y faIa!e has be&ome ,oro%s or" in!ee!"
bro'en !o(n) It is these e6,erien&es (hi&h &an initiate the >o,enin+ of the Way? +Wen!e /um
Wege*( A e6er&ises (hi&h ser$e %n!er transformation" if they are not the res%t of mere
!eferen&e to a barren faith in one or other a%thority" stan! %n!er the si+n of s%&h e6,erien&e)
They brin+ a sense of iberation an! res,onsibiity by means of (hi&h ife is seen to be >here
an! no(? an! <ein+ as in(ar! 'no(in+ +0nnesein*( Th%s" the first an! most $ita ,ra&ti&e in
e$ery!ay ife is to earn effe&ti$ey to $a%e those moments in (hi&h (e are to%&he! by
somethin+ hitherto %n!reamt of)
G
It &an ha,,en that from time to time (e are +i$en moments of i%mination an! !e&ision
(hen somethin+ mo$es an! stirs in o%r inmost !e,ths) When this o&&%rs (e fee bo%n! to
'ee, faith (ith the e6,erien&e" (e &annot b%t obey" an! this !es,ite:or rather" be&a%se : (hat
has ha,,ene! to %s is in&on&ei$abe) It is" in fa&t" somethin+ (hi&h o%r rationa >I? &annot
reay a!mit) <%t" if (e are abe at times reay to a&&e,t it" o%r fear of annihiation is
ass%a+e!) A !ee, &ontentment &omes %,on %s) We sense that (ithin %s there9s somethin+
in!estr%&tibe (hi&h by its ,enit%!e an! ,o(er &reates a ne( &ons&io%sness of ife : an! th%s
o%r tr%st is rene(e!) .r a+ain" there may be o&&asions (hen (e are thro(n into !es,air by
some a,,arenty meanin+ess ,ara!o6 in o%r i$es" by the >abs%r!)? <%t if (e are abe to
a&&e,t the in&om,rehensibe" it may ha,,en that in the $ery mi!st of o%r a&' of
%n!erstan!in+" (e (i sense (ithin the sit%ation some !ee,er im,i&ation) The reaity (hi&h
(e %n!erstan! (ith o%r reasonin+ min! is s%!!eny trans&en!e! an! ,enetrate! by another)
The ,rofo%n! meanin+ of this reaity ony be+ins to reso%n! in %s (hen (e ha$e &ome to the
en! of o%r rationa %n!erstan!in+) 0ere" at the ,oint (here o%r hitherto im,re+nabe beief in
the sense an! @%sti&e of the (or! has been shattere!" there (i !a(n for the first time a ne("
fr%&tifyin+ faith in ife an! its si+nifi&an&e) .r somethin+ simiar may ha,,en (hen some
bo( of fate ,%n+es %s into %tter !esoation) ;an is inten!e! to i$e in !iao+%e (ith others:
he &annot f%fi his ife in isoation) 0e nee!s a ,artner" an! stri$es to fin! sheter in h%man
&omm%nion an! o$e) When it ha,,ens that ife (ithho!s this" or !e,ri$es him of it" he is
!ri$en to an e6tremity in (hi&h he fees he m%st ,erish) If" no(" he &an brin+ himsef to
s%bmit an! a&&e,t his sit%ation" he has the &han&e to brea' thro%+h the tension an! ri+i!ity
(ith (hi&h his enfor&e! oneiness threatens him) If be &an no( yie! tr%stf%y to his inner
tr%th" he may e6,erien&e the sensation of bein+ &a%+ht %, an! embra&e! by an %n'no(n
,o(er (hi&h" at the same time" ma'es him re&e,ti$e an! o,en to the (hoe of ife) Atho%+h
he is forsa'en by the (or!" somethin+ from beyon! the (or! ma'es him fee at one (ith
e$erythin+ an! someho( %n!er the (in+ of o$e)
S%&h e6,erien&es may be&ome the t%rnin+ ,oint of o%r ife) They are the means by (hi&h
o%r inmost essen&e &an s,ea' to %s) When o%r (or!:e+o an! its ,rofi&ien&y fai %s : that
,rofi&ien&y (hi&h %nti no( has seeme! to be s%ffi&ient for the f%fiin+ an! masterin+ of
ife :bit is then that the inner $oi&es be&ome a%!ibe) It may ha,,en that at the moment (hen
the (hoe frame(or' of o%r ife is s%!!eny shattere! : the frame(or' (hi&h (as inten!e! to
,ro$i!e o%r e+o (ith &omfort" meanin+ an! se&%rity : the &han&e of somethin+ ne( may
a,,ear) If a man is no( abe to a&&e,t that (hi&h" (ith his >I? aone" he cannot a&&e,t" he
may 7%ite %ne6,e&te!y e6,erien&e the sensation of bein+ borne %, by Di$ine <ein+" an!
fie! (ith a ne( si+nifi&an&e an! sense of bein+ &omforte! far beyon! the &om,rehension of
his norma &ons&io%sness)
G
It is this e6,erien&e of #reater Life (hi&h ma'es it ,ossibe for %s to oo' !eath in the
fa&e) There are o&&asions (hen" (itho%t any !o%bt" (e sense this #reater Life in ife" an!
these &an o&&%r a moment after (e ha$e been in !es,air at the tho%+ht of ife9s
meanin+essness) .r a+ain (e may s%!!eny fee at one (ith a that e6ists" atho%+h (e are
in fa&t" in the or!inary (or! sense" &om,etey forsa'en) It is in s%&h moments that the
tyranny of o%r or!inary (ay of oo'in+ at the (or! is o$erthro(n) These are o%r a%s,i&io%s
ho%rs) It m%st be remembere!" ho(e$er" that the ,o(er of transformation inherent in s%&h
e6,erien&es &an easiy fa into the han!s of the !e$i" (ho is e$er rea!y an! (aitin+ to
,o%n&e) It is he (ho" in the +%ise of o%r s'e,ti&ism" 7%estions the $era&ity of e$ery
e6,erien&e (hi&h &annot be &assifie! an! ma!e to fit into o%r or!inary &on&e,ts)
<%t it is not ony those ,erio!s (hen fear an! !es,air !ri$e %s beyon! the imits of o%r
o(n stren+th an! (is!om that brin+ %s these ,ara!o6i&a re$eations of Eterna Reaity) It is
aso ,ossibe to e6,erien&e moments of bo%n!ess @oy" (hi&h ha$e a 7%aity of the infinite"
an! in (hi&h the ,enit%!e of Di$ine <ein+ seems to !ra( &ose to %s) This 'in! of @oy" it
sho%! be remembere!" has no reation to any form of (or!y ,eas%re)
0o(e$er" these ra!iant" %nfor+ettabe" !ee,y mo$in+ an! besse! e6,erien&es are not the
ony ones in (hi&h (e be&ome a(are of that Di$ine <ein+ (hi&h is the en!essy eff%ent
so%r&e of ife) There e6ists aso those ess o%tstan!in+ moments an! ho%rs in (hi&h" 7%ite
%ne6,e&te!y" (e fin! o%rse$es in that %ni7%e state (here Di$ine <ein+ may to%&h %s) It
may be that a of a s%!!en (e are o$er(heme! by an %na&&%stome! sensation) We seem to
be (hoy ,resent : &om,etey >there"? as it (ere J e$en tho%+h o%r attention is not !ire&te!
to(ar!s anythin+ in ,arti&%ar) In a stran+e (ay J stran+e be&a%se it is so %nfamiiar an!
%ne6,e&te! J (e fee >ro%n!e!? an! >&om,ete"? an! at the same time o,en in a (ay that
ao(s inner ab%n!an&e to (e %,) Atho%+h firmy base! on the earth" (e seem to foat in
air) At on&e absent" as it (ere" an! at the same time (hoy >here"? (e are f% of ife" abe to
rest &om,etey (ithin o%rse$es an! sti be &osey reate! to a that isC a,art from
e$erythin+ an! at the same time (ithin e$erythin+" bo%n! to a thin+s yet &in+in+ to
nothin+) In some in&om,rehensibe (ay (e are +%i!e! an! yet free) Reease! from ob@e&ts"
aims an! &aims" (e are ,oor in the (or!" yet fie! to the brim (ith inner ,o(er an!
ri&hness) At s%&h moments (e fee ,enetrate! by somethin+ that is at on&e most ,re&io%s an!
most fra+ie) Perha,s that is (hy instin&ti$ey (e ste, !ei&atey an! !o not try to oo' too
&osey at (hat is ha,,enin+ (ithin %s) Some an&ient 'no(e!+e (arns %s that the (arm"
semi:!ar'ness of an a(a'ene! heart A#emKtE is more a,,ro,riate here than the &o! beam of
the rationa min! (hi&h free8es e$ery as,e&t of ife) It is as if (e hear! a $oi&e sayin+: >See
as if yo% !i! not seeC hear as if yo% !i! not hearC fee as if yo% !i! not feeC ha$e as if yo% ha!
notH? <%t then" aas" this mira&e $anishes) S%!!eny it !isa,,ears) In!ee!" for it to !isa,,ear"
one has ony to (on!er an! as' as >(hat is it?= For (hate$er &at&hes o%r attention" a tho%+ht"
an im,ression" an e$ent : either from (itho%t or (ithin : imme!iatey &han+es o%r state of
&ons&io%sness) .ne moment it is 7%iet an! &am" re&e,ti$e an! %n7%estionin+" i'e a &hai&e
o,en to the ,o%rin+ in of (ineC an! the ne6t it is a s(or!" shar, an! !ea!y" (hi&h ,ier&es the
e6,erien&e an! rationay transfi6es it) /o( the (or! (hi&h" a se&on! sin&e" (as as if
en&hante! an! a of a ,ie&e (ith o%rse$es" fas a+ain into its %s%a ,attern) 0o(
im,o$erishe! (e fee" no( that (e are on&e a+ain thro(n ba&' on o%r !aiy se$es an! are
fa&e to fa&e (ith the or!inary ro%n!) The e6,erien&e $anishes i'e a !ream) An! yet it (as
&ertainy not a !reamH It (as the re$eation of the tr%e reaity (hi&h rose %, in %s be&a%se" for
a moment" (e (ere o,en an! free from the fetters of o%r or!inary &ons&io%sness) Thro%+h
s%&h e6,erien&es (e ,ass beyon! this or!inary &ons&io%sness to that (hi&h is trans&en!enta)
/o matter ho( brief the moments of iberation may be : astin+ ,erha,s a fra&tion of a se&on!
: they ma'e %s a(are" (ith &om,ein+ e$i!en&e" of that ife (hi&h far s%r,asses o%r %s%a I:
Wor! im,ressionsC that ife to (hi&h in o%r essen&e (e beon+" (hi&h in o%r essen&e (e are"
an! (hose re$eation is the +oa of a o%r on+in+)
G
In or!er to re&o+ni8e the reaity of this e6,erien&e of #reater <ein+" (e nee! nothin+
more than the >sa&re! sobriety? of &ommon sense) This" in fa&t" is that trans&en!enta
reaism
L
(hi&h is neither &o%!e! nor inhibite! by ,re&on&ei$e! &on&e,ts an! rationa tho%+ht
str%&t%res) This sense of reaity ,ermits the %ni7%e" %n&assifiabe 7%aity of the e6,erien&e to
be as it is" a&&e,ts an! sa$ors it" an! be&a%se of its $ery in&om,rehensibiity" is int%iti$ey
&on$in&e! of its tr%th) We nee! ,ra&ti&e in or!er to a&7%ire the ,ossibiity of re&o+ni8in+ the
7%aity of this reaity) <y remainin+ aert an! &onstanty ,re,are!" (e &an earn to hear an!
fee the &a of Di$ine <ein+ in e$ery:thin+ that ha,,ens to %s) For this (e nee! to (or'
!ii+enty in or!er to be&ome $esses &a,abe of re&ei$in+ a that is ,o%re! into them) An!
this ,ra&ti&eC remember" m%st not ony be+in b%t aso en! the !ay) >Learn to i$e ea&h !ay to
its en! in s%&h a (ay that it be&omes a ,art of Eternity"? as the ,oet says)
4

We nee! a ne( 'in! of !is&i,ine here" one that aims so to !e$eo, o%r inner e6,erien&e
that it is ifte! to a hi+her e$e) The res%ts of s%&h !is&i,ine &ome not from the sort of
,ra&ti&e that is the mere &arryin+ o%t of s,e&ifi& e6er&ises" b%t from one that &onfirms the o!
sayin+: >Ea&h moment is the best of a o,,ort%nities)? Th%s a thin+s an! a e$ents be&ome
the fie! of ,ra&ti&e on o%r @o%rney aon+ the Inner Way) ;o$in+ e$er on(ar! an! 'ee,in+
to%&h (ith his inmost essen&e" a man transforms himsef" ste, by ste," into a >,erson"? (hose
trans,aren&e to Di$ine <ein+ ma'es ,ossibe the f%fiment of his h%man !estiny)
&
The first &on!ition of a >&orre&t ,ra&ti&e? is that one sho%! %n!erstan! (hat that ,hrase
means) It is not the ,%rs%it of s%&h &a,a&ities as (i f%fi o%r (or!y tas's that is meant
here" b%t rather (hat may be &ae! >e6er&iti%m? on the inner (ay) The 'in! of ,ra&ti&e
(hi&h aims at a&hie$in+ a s,e&ifi& res%t in the (or! &omes to an en! (hen that res%t has
been obtaine!) Inner ,ra&ti&e" ho(e$er" be+ins ony after one has a&hie$e! te&hni&a mastery"
in (hate$er a&ti$ity it may be : e$en s,ort : an! &onsists of en!ess re,etition) .n&e the
te&hni7%e of some tas' has been ,erfe&te!" ea&h re,etition of its ,ra&ti&e mirrors one9s (hoe
inner attit%!e) E$ery mista'e that is ma!e sho(s %, a fa%t (ithin o%rse$es) If this is
%n!erstoo!" o%r efforts to a&&om,ish !aiy tas's &an" at the same time" be&ome inner (or' on
o%rse$es) In the same (ay" ,ra&ti&e of ri+ht ,ost%re an! ri+ht breathin+ &an be&ome
>e6er&iti%m? ony after one has f%y mastere! the ne&essary te&hni7%e) Th%s by means of
this &ontin%o%s re,etition" the tr%e" in(ar! ,erson be+ins to emer+e) In this (ay the or!inary
!aiy ro%n! &an be transforme! into >,ra&ti&e)?
The se&on! &on!ition for this 'in! of ,ra&ti&e : &ontin%o%s e6er&iti%m : is that a man m%st
be reso$e! an! ,re,are! to ea! his ife in the (or! in a&&or!an&e (ith his inner a(" an!
this means i$in+ his ife in the ser$i&e of trans&en!enta reaity) 0e m%st at a &osts +ras, the
tr%th (hi&h is that ony by bein+ faithf% an! &ommitte! to this ser$i&e &an he be&ome (hoe
+heil*, an!" that as on+ as he &ontin%es to i$e soey for se&%rity an! ha,,iness in the (or!"
he (i be %nabe to !is&o$er the ri+ht (ay) When a that (e 'no( an! !o be&omes a means
for the re$eation of #reater Life in the (or!" then the Way may be attaine!" an! the or!inary
!ay itsef be&ome one sin+e fie! of ,ra&ti&e) <%t so on+ as man tries to +ain somethin+
soey for himsef thro%+h this ,ra&ti&e : (hether it be the a&7%isition of hi+her fa&%ties"
e6traor!inary e6,erien&es" or tran7%iity" harmony" e$en his o(n sa$ation J he is bo%n! to
miss the Way)
&
In a tr%e ,ra&ti&e (e are &ontin%ay ,re,arin+ o%rse$es to attain to the ,osition (here
ife in the ser$i&e of #reater <ein+ be&omes se&on! nat%re) This ser$i&e (i seem onero%s
as on+ as (e are sti &%t off from essentia bein+" an! i$in+ soey in o%r (or!:e+o) .n the
other han!" on&e a man is reay &ommitte! to the Way he (i shorty ha$e e6,erien&es that
brin+ him +reat @oy an! a sense of free!om)
The Inner Way" an! the ,ra&ti&e (hi&h enabes %s to ,ro+ress aon+ it, has itte to !o (ith
o%r %s%a metho!s of !is&i,inin+ o%rse$es : often a+ainst o%r o(n nat%re : to ser$e
%nsefishy some (or!y &a%se or &omm%nity) What is in$o$e! here is not merey the
!is&i,ine by (hi&h man masters his instin&ti$e !ri$es an! o$er&omes his nat%re) /or is it @%st
a matter of a&7%irin+ those $irt%es thro%+h (hi&h he s%b@%+ates his sma e+o for the sa'e of
the &omm%nity an! his abors in the (or!) /either has it anythin+ to !o (ith the ,ersonaity
(hi&h oses fa&e (hen it !oes not s%&&ee! in the (or!" an! is !ishonore! (hen it fais to
a&&om,ish its tas's or ,ro$es to be an %nreiabe member of the &omm%nity) A these are
ste,s that ne&essariy m%st be ta'en on the (ay to(ar!s tr%e be&omin+ an! mat%rity)
<%t man &an ony be sai! to ha$e reay be+%n his @o%rney on the Inner Way (hen the
in@%n&tions he bin!y obeys are no on+er those that &onform to the (or!9s s&ae of $a%es"
b%t rather those (hi&h a&&or! (ith Di$ine <ein+ (ithin him : that <ein+ (hi&h &onstanty
stri$es to re$ea itsef in him an! thro%+h him to the (or!) E$en the most &orre&t an!
res,onsibe beha$ior is %nabe to satisfy these hi+h !eman!s if it is soey the res%t of an
ethi&a !is&i,ine instea! of bein+ an e6,ression of man9s inner essen&e) This essen&e is abe
to manifest itsef freey ony (hen the !e,ths in (hi&h it !(es ha$e been &eanse! an!
,%rifie!)
G
The most $ita eement in the ,ra&ti&e of the Inner Way &onsists in earnin+ to be&ome
o,en an! ,er&e,ti$e to the in(ar! e6,erien&e of essentia bein+) For it is o%t of essentia
bein+ that Di$ine <ein+ s,ea's an! &as to %s)
A !ay (e are s%mmone! by the (or!" (hi&h !eman!s that (e re&o+ni8e an! master it)
At the same time Di$ine <ein+ is ,er,et%ay &ain+ %s in(ar!) The (or! re7%ires of %s o%r
'no(e!+e an! s'i" (hereas Di$ine <ein+ insists that (e ay asi!e 'no(e!+e an! s'i for
the sa'e of inner +ro(th) The (or! e6,e&ts %s to be &ontin%ay !oin+ (hereas Di$ine <ein+
re7%ires %s" 7%ite sim,y" to allow the right thing to happen( The (or! tries to 'ee, %s on a
ne$er:en!in+ trea!mi" so that (e may a&hie$e somethin+ that (e in o%r bin!ness &onsi!er
,ermanent) Di$ine <ein+ !eman!s that (hie remainin+ in to%&h (ith it" (e refrain" at the
same time" from be&omin+ atta&he! to anythin+ at a : e$en tho%+h in so refrainin+" (e may
fear to ose o%r ho! on o%rse$es) The (or! en&o%ra+es %s to ta' an! to !o interminabyC
Di$ine <ein+ re7%ires that (e be&ome 7%iet an! a&t (itho%t a&tin+) The (or! for&es %s to
&on&entrate on se&%rityC Di$ine <ein+ as's ony that (e ris' o%rse$es a+ain an! a+ain) To
the e6tent that (e &om,rehen! it" the (or! !oes o%r bi!!in+C Di$ine <ein+ re$eas itsef ony
(hen (e a&&e,t the in&om,rehensibe) The ,o(er of Di$ine <ein+ be&omes a,,arent at the
moment (hen (e et +o of the thin+s that s%,,ort %s in the (or!) It is ony (hen (e are abe
to rein7%ish that (hi&h ma'es %s ri&h in the (or! that (e are enri&he! an! transforme! by
Di$ine <ein+)
G
Pra&ti&e in !aiy ife has many as,e&ts) It re7%ires that (e ma'e a mo$ement to(ar!s9 the
&enter of o%r bein+ an! s%&h a mo$ement ine$itaby in$o$es a &om,ete &han+e of !ire&tion
in the (or!) Thro%+h ,ra&ti&e (e are e! to rein7%ish the (or! so that o%r innermost bein+
may re$ea itsef) <%t on&e (e ha$e e6,erien&e! this innermost &ore an! a(o'en to o%r
essentia bein+" (e be+in to sense essen&e in a thin+s) An! so" in the mi!st of o%r ife in the
(or!" (e be&ome a(are of Di$ine <ein+ e$ery(here)
When essentia bein+ be&omes in(ar! 'no(in+" (e fee a s%!!en &han+e in o%rse$es)
Rea6e! an! free" f% of stren+th an! i+ht" (e are fie! (ith a ne( an! &reati$e ife) Those
thin+s that ie hea$iy %,on %s +ro( i+hterC ,robems (hi&h ha$e been &a%sin+ an6iety no
on+er o,,ress %sC an! e$ents that in o%r or!inary state M(o%! ,%n+e %s into !es,air no(
ose their ,oten&y) MWhere e$ery !oor seeme! &ose! a are no( o,en) We (ho in o%rse$es
(ere ,oor no( fee ri&h" an! in the mi!st of &amor (e are ,ea&ef% an! &am) It is as tho%+h
(e (ere bathe! in an in$isibe i+ht (hi&h (arms an! shines %,on %s) We sense abo%t %s a
ra!ian&e that shimmers thro%+h e$erythin+) <%t @%st as this ra!ian&e &an !a(n %,on %s
(itho%t (arnin+" so &an it as s%!!eny !isa,,ear) We ha$e no ,o(er to ma'e it ha,,en" nor to
retain it on&e it is there) The most (e &an !o is to earn to be&ome ,res&ient an! a(are of
those attit%!es (hi&h ,re,are %s for s%&h e6,erien&es an! aso" of &o%rse" those (hi&h ,re$ent
them)
The +reat esson to be earne!" (hen (e are on the thresho! of this ,ro&ess of
transformation" is to re&o+ni8e the $ita im,ortan&e of o%r inner e6,erien&e" an! to a&&e,t an!
a!mit to &ons&io%sness those moo!s an! im,%ses thro%+h (hi&h #reater <ein+ re$eas itsef)
Transformation ines&a,aby &on&erns not a ,art b%t the (hoe ,erson) The time has &ome for
%s to &om,rehen! the f% si+nifi&an&e of this statement) It means that a man m%st $a%e
himsef : @%st as he !oes another ,erson : in a his (hoeness" !e,th an! %nity" in a (or!" as a
s%b@e&t) .ny then (i he be abe to (or' ri+hty at the t(ofo! tas' of &eansin+ his inner
ife an! &orre&tin+ his e6terna attit%!es) When (e ha$e %n!erstoo! that bo!y an! ,sy&he are
not t(o se,arate entities b%t merey t(o as,e&ts of the (hoe (ay in (hi&h a ,erson
manifests himsef" o%t(ar!y an! in(ar!y" (e &ome to %n!erstan! that (or' on o%r inner
bein+ (i ine$itaby effe&t the bo!y" an! that efforts to &han+e the bo!y (i e7%ay
ine$itaby ha$e their effe&t (ithin)
G
;ention sho%! be ma!e here of t(o attit%!es (hi&h ,arti&%ary ,re$ent sef:reai8ation)
They are hypertension an! slac1ness( The one re$eas a ,erson entirey in the +ri, of an e+o
(hi&h has &om,etey ost to%&h (ith the ,o(ers that !(e in the !e,ths of bein+ an!"
be&a%se of this" is &onstanty &on&erne! (ith its o(n se&%rity) The other !is&oses a ,erson :
(ith a &om,ete absen&e of any res,onsibiity for that state (hi&h &orres,on!s to essentia
bein+ an! is &a,abe of re$eain+ it)
B%st as hy,ertension an! sa&'ness hin!er a re&o$ery from ,hysi&a iness" so !o they
obstr%&t man9s sef:reai8ation an! inner (e bein+) We a &ome to re&o+ni8e" sooner or
ater" to (hat e6tent the &onstant s(in+ bet(een these t(o &on!itions ,re$ents the formation
of the &entra &ore that is so essentia to o%r bein+) <%t" on&e (e are a(are of the si+nifi&an&e
of s%&h a reai8ation" (e &annot b%t stri$e to o$er&ome these t(o +reat enemies of the ri+ht
(ay of bein+)
Where there is hy,ertension" (e fin! that e6&essi$e sef:(i" ,ersistent sef:&ontro an!
&onstant s%r$eian&e by an a:too:(at&hf% e+o" bo&' the fo( of the for&es of Di$ine <ein+
(hi&h" in a&&or!an&e (ith their o(n a(s" ine$itaby ,%rs%e their &o%rse in &on&eament) In
or!er to be abe to o,erate freey" these for&es re7%ire from man a basi& tr%stf%ness (hi&h
enabes him to +i$e himsef &onfi!enty to the ife +i$in+ an! iberatin+ <ein+ (hi&h is
,resent in his essen&e) A hy,ertension is an e6,ression of a a&' of tr%st in Di$ine <ein+)
Sa&'ness" on the other han!" is a si+n that man has et himsef +o an! therefore forfeite!
his inherent form) A man &an ne$er be >&orre&t? (itho%t a &ertain !e+ree of a(areness of the
res,onsibiity he bears for his tota a,,earan&e +Gestalt#geissen*( If he remains tr%e to his
&ons&ien&e" it is im,ossibe for him to be (itho%t form) The ,ro,er frame of min! a(ays
re$eas the &ombination of a tr%stf%" ,assi$e attit%!e an! an a&ti$e attit%!e of in!i$i!%a
res,onsibiity) ;ost ,eo,e ha$e neither" therefore they a&' the two most essentia &on!itions
for bein+ in the ri+ht state of min! an! bo!y: transparency an! true form(
&
;an" as a Person embra&in+ bo!y an! so%" !e$eo,s an! reai8es himsef in e$ery +est%re
he ma'es) <%t his ,ersonaity is re$eae! most ,arti&%ary thro%+h ,ost%re" tension an!
breathin+) /othin+ of (hat has been sai!" ho(e$er" sho%! be %n!erstoo! soey in a ,hysi&a
sense) <a! ,ost%re" (ron+ tension an! in&orre&t breathin+ are a !ifferent (ays in (hi&h a
,erson9s im,ermeabiity an! a&' of form ma'e their a,,earan&e) Th%s it is that (e are abe
to assist into bein+ this Person (ho" (hie embra&in+ bo!y an! so%" is beyon! the
&ontra!i&tion of these a,,arent o,,osites) ;an &an be he,e! to ta&'e the tas' of settin+
himsef to ri+hts by the ,ro,er ,ra&ti&e of ri+ht ,ost%re" ri+ht tension an! ri+ht breathin+) It is
the re&o+nition of the nee! for this that o,ens %, a fie! of ,ossibiity" a&&essibe to a"
thro%+h (hi&h the !aiy ro%n! itsef be&omes ,ra&ti&e : ,ra&ti&e that &onsists sim,y in
earnin+ ho( to be an! ho( to beha$e in the (or!)
&
;an9s &orre&t ,ost%re is a(ays !etermine! by the ri+ht >&enter of +ra$ity)? The in+raine!
ba! ,ost%re of many ,eo,e is &a%se! by the shiftin+ of the &enter of +ra$ity too far %,(ar!s)
This &an be seen in those (ho are !ominate! by the habit >Chest o%t : bey in? (here the
!ra(in+ %, of the sho%!ers is a(ays an in!i&ation of tension) When (e &ome a&ross s%&h
instan&es of in&orre&t ,ost%re" the reason is ne$er soey ,hysi&a nor is it (itho%t im,ortan&e)
In!ee!" it has +reat si+nifi&an&e" sin&e it is a si+n of arro+an&e an! an o$erem,hasis on one9s
o(n ,erson) S%&h a ,ost%re is the !efensi$e an! ,rote&ti$e me&hanism of the man (ho is
i!entifie! (ith his sma e+o an! (ho therefore see's abo$e a to safe+%ar! himsef an! to
ho! se&%re his ,osition in the (or!) Whene$er a (ron+ ,ost%re has be&ome !ee,y
in+raine! it bo&'s the re!eemin+" rene(in+ an! ,reser$in+ for&es that arise from the !e,ths
of <ein+) The &om,ementary form" of this attit%!e" (hi&h is often seen to aternate (ith it" is
that of &oa,sin+" or +i$in+ (ay) In s%&h a &ase" the innate ima+e of man as an %,ri+ht bein+
is ost) S%&h !isso%tion is e$i!en&e of a a&' of feein+ for" an! res,onsibiity to(ar!s" the
&orre&t form (itho%t (hi&h essentia bein+ &annot manifest itsef)
&
.n&e" ho(e$er" (e be&ome a(are of the harmf% effe&ts of ba! ,ost%re an! &onse7%enty
stri$e to !e$eo, an! mat%re in a&&or!an&e (ith o%r tr%e nat%re : (hi&h means an %nfa++in+
sear&h for the ri+ht &enter of +ra$ity : (e be+in to ,er&ei$e in o%rse$es &ertain far:rea&hin+
&han+es) We 'no( (itho%t !o%bt that (e are mo$in+ in the ri+ht !ire&tion)
The Ba,anese ha$e a s,e&ia term for that ,art of the bo!y (hi&h is the &orre&t &enter of
man) It is 2ara( The (or! 0ara" 'no(n to many thro%+h the e6,ression >0ara'iri"? iteray
means >bey)? 0o(e$er" in its a,,ie! sense" it !es&ribes rather the +enera attit%!e of man"
in (hi&h" free! from his sma e+o : reease! from ,ri!e" from the !esire to !ominate" the fear
of ,ain" the on+in+ for se&%rity : he be&omes firmy an&hore! in his tr%e &enter) Th%s
&entere!" he is abe to be re&e,ti$e to the for&es of <ein+ (hi&h" (ith or (itho%t his
a(areness" transform" s%,,ort" sha,e an! ,rote&t him (hie at the same time enabin+ him to
re$ea these for&es to the (or! by the 7%aity of his (or'" his abiity to &reate an! his
&a,a&ity for o$e)
This effort to attain the &orre&t &enter of +ra$ity is the f%n!amenta ,ra&ti&e by means of
(hi&h (e are enabe! to i$e in the (or! in the ri+ht (ay) Th%s restin+ in the basi& &enter"
(e are rea6e! an! free an! at the same time fee o%rse$es s%,,orte!) In the tr%est sense"
here" (e &an be sai! to be %,ri+ht) <y means of this ,ra&ti&e" the bey" the ,e$is an! the
sma of the ba&' an! their reation to ea&h other form the basis of &orre&t ,ost%re) When a
mo$ement fo(s from this rea6e!" yet firm &enter" a +est%res" attit%!es an! ,ost%res :
(a'in+" stan!in+" sittin+ : be&ome" as it (ere" testimonies to tr%e bein+) There is no as,e&t of
!aiy ife that !oes not ,ro$i!e o,,ort%nity for this ,ra&ti&e) If" for one moment" (e for+et
0ara : (hether it be in (a'in+" stan!in+ or sittin+ : (e &ease at that moment to be f%y an!
,ersonay ,resent) When the %,,er ,art of o%r bo!y : the e+o area : be&omes" tense an! ri+i!"
this ri+i!ity &%ts %s off from o%r essen&e) .n the other han!" (hen (e sin' !o(n(ar!s :
!isso$in+ into sha,eessness : (e ose the form (hi&h testifies to essentia bein+)
A those a&tions (hi&h re7%ire &on&entrate! attention an! (i ,o(er ha$e the ,ossibiity
of en!an+erin+ o%r ho! on the &enter an! o%r ,resen&e in 0am) Whene$er (e as,ire to(ar!s
some +oa or" bein+ !ominate! by o%r (or!y:e+o" (e fi6 o%r at:ten!on on a ,arti&%ar
ob@e&ti$e" (e are in !an+er of osin+ to%&h (ith o%r &enter) In!ee!" e$ery: 'in! of (or' or
a&ti$ity (hi&h is aime! to(ar!s a !efinite en! &an be the means : %ness (e are !ee,y
+ro%n!e! in 0ara : of shiftin+ the &enter of +ra$ity too far %,(ar!s) If (e 'ee, this in min!"
it (i be seen that e$ery a&tion ,ro$i!es an o,,ort%nity to ,ra&ti&e &orre&t ,ost%re) Ea&h
moment &ontains for %s the ,ossibiity of estabishin+ an! &onsoi!atin+ the attit%!e (hi&h
frees %s from the !omination of o%r (or!y:e+o an! ao(s %s to e6ist from o%r essentia
bein+) To the e6tent to (hi&h (e s%&&ee! in this" (hate$er (or' (e %n!erta'e (i fo( more
easiy) .%r 'no(e!+e an! s'i (i be f%y at o%r !is,osa" o%r abors &ro(ne! (ith s%&&ess
an!" moreo$er" in reationshi,s (ith ,eo,e (e (i be rea6e!" %ninhibite! an! free)
&
Tension an! relaxation are t(o as,e&ts of e$ery i$in+ (hoe) We mo!erns" ho(e$er" ten!
to s(in+ ba&'(ar!s an! for(ar!s bet(een the t(o m%t%ay e6&%si$e e6tremes of these
as,e&ts : ?0y,ertension an! Sa&'ness)? E$en (hen (e ta' of rea6ation" (hat (e %s%ay
mean is nothin+ b%t &om,ete !isso%tion : a &on!ition (hi&h a moment ater is ine$itaby
transforme! into a tension e7%ay abso%te) What has to be earne! an! &onstanty ,ra&ti&e!
is to rea6 (itho%t bein+ sa&') Corre&t rea6ation in!%&es the ri+ht 'in! of tension an! has
the effe&t of rene(in+ %s) The ,%r,ose of a tr%e ettin+ +o is not some bissf% &on!ition
(here there is no tension at a" b%t rather a transformation by (hi&h a &orre&t tension is
a&hie$e!) It sho%! be remembere! that in this ,ra&ti&e to a&hie$e the ri+ht &enter" rea6ation
is ne$er merey a ,hysi&a or a te&hni&a e6er&ise) It a(ays im,ies a tota transformation of
the ,erson) We nee! to earn to rea6 o%r sel%es # not ony o%r bo!ies : in the ri+ht (ay) This
entais far more than a rea6ation of the m%s&es) Dro,,in+ the sho%!ers an! ettin+ +o of
one9s self in the !ro,,in+ of the sho%!ers are t(o f%n!amentay !ifferent mo$ements) The
one is a te&hni&a e6er&ise" (ith res%ts that are merey e6terna an! ha$e no astin+ effe&tC the
other transforms the (hoe ,erson) 0y,ertension bears (itness to the fa&t that (e are &a,ti$e
to the (or!:e+o) Th%s it is essentia" in so far as (e are i!entifie! (ith o%r (or!:e+o" that
(e earn to et +o not ony at those times (hen (e are tense" fri+htene!" >%, in the air? or
!efensi$ey &in+in+ to the %,,er ,art of o%r bo!y : b%t at a times an! in a ,a&es) This
sho%! be o%r ,rimary &on&ern)
&
Whene$er (e mana+e to !ro, that e+o (hi&h ho!s %s fast in a state of hy,ertension" it
(i be noti&e! that a &han+e in o%r (hoe ,erson is bro%+ht abo%t) /ormay" (e be&ome
a(are of (ron+ tension ony (hen (e are tro%be! by ,hysi&a hy,ertension) <%t it sho%! be
reai8e! that hy,ertension of any 'in! is a(ays a si+n of a (ron+ attit%!e to ife) We ha$e to
earn to et oursel%es +o" as (e as o%r attit%!es) .ny then" an! ony +ra!%ay" (i (e
be&ome &am an! &om,ose!) It is im,ossibe for %s to rein7%ish" (itho%t fain+ a,art" the
s%,,ort (e +ain from tension in the %,,er ,art of the bo!y Athe e+o areaE" %nti (e ha$e earnt
to an&hor o%rse$es ese(here : in a (or!" in the ri+ht &enter)
&
<%t that is not a) It sho%! be remembere! that the ,ra&ti&e of ri+ht tension +oes han! in
han! (ith the ,ra&ti&e of 'reathing( The inner si+nifi&an&e of this ,ra&ti&e of breathin+ (i
be misse! if it is e6&%si$ey re+ar!e! as a bo!iy e6er&ise (hose soe ,%r,ose is to im,ro$e
heath an! effi&ien&y) When breathin+ means no more to %s than the !ra(in+ in an! ettin+
o%t of air" it is an in!i&ation that (e ha$e not %n!erstoo! that" in tr%th" it is the breath of
#reater Life (hi&h ,enetrates %s an! a i$in+ thin+s) It mo$es thro%+h man" +i$in+ him ife
as a threefo! entity : so%" s,irit an! bo!y) <y means of this breathin+" man o,ens himsef to
#reater Life an! &oses himsef a+ainC +i$es himsef a(ay an! a+ain re&ei$es himsefC oses
himsef an! fin!s himsef) When breathin+ is o%t of or!er" not merey the bo!y b%t the (hoe
,erson is o%t of or!er) E$ery !ist%rban&e in breathin+ si+nifies a !ist%rban&e of the tota
,erson an! has the effe&t of barrin+ man9s (ay to himsef) Wron+ breathin+ im,airs (or!y
effi&ien&y) <%t (hat is more im,ortant" the !ee,y in+raine! obstr%&tion of essentia bein+
(hi&h it re$eas affe&ts the entire !e$eo,ment) Contin%o%s (ron+ breathin+ e6,resses a
,ro+ressi$ey stren+thenin+ inhibition of essentia bein+) .n the other han!" breathin+ that
fo(s &orre&ty in!i&ates that the (ay is free for ife to %nfo! o%t of essen&e)
The most (i!es,rea! fa%t in breathin+ is fo%n! (here a man breathes not from his &enter
b%t from the %,,er ,art of the bo!y so that the instin&ti$e mo$ement of the !ia,hra+m is
re,a&e! by the a&ti$ity of the &hest m%s&es) In s%&h a &ase an %nnat%ra e+o breathin+ ta'es
the ,a&e of that breathin+ (hi&h nat%re inten!e! for %s) This in!i&ates that the man is
&ons&io%sy or %n&ons&io%sy !oing somethin+ (hi&h" if he (ere in harmony (ith his
essentia bein+" (o%! ha,,en a%tomati&ay) Whene$er in&orre&t breathin+ be&omes habit"
the ,ro&ess by (hi&h a man be&omes a Person is obstr%&te!) S%&h (ron+ attit%!es to
breathin+ are intimatey reate! to other as,e&ts of the ,ersonaity" to a those f%n!amenta
mis&on&e,tions that man ao(s to master" him an! hin!er his essentia !e$eo,ment in a
s,heres)
&
Thro%+ho%t the &ent%ries" man has in$ente! many !ifferent 'in!s of breathin+ e6er&ises
that ser$e a $ariety of ,%r,oses) .ne may or may not a+ree on the 7%estion of their $ai!ity)
<%t there is ony one in!is,%tabe ,ra&ti&e of breathin+ an! that has neither been in$ente! nor
!is&o$ere! by man) It is an essentia ,art of him" inborn an! in a&&or!an&e (ith his essentia
bein+ an! &onsists sim,y in ettin+ breathin+ ha,,enH S%&h ,ra&ti&e merey in$o$es
estabishin+ : or rather" re!is&o$erin+ : the nat%ra manner of breathin+) This means that the
breath sho%! be ao(e! to fo( o%t(ar!s an! in(ar!s nat%ray in a rhythmi& mo$ement of
+i$in+ an! re&ei$in+) With re+ar! to the (ron+ habits (e a&7%ire: thro%+h the !omination Mof
the e+o : (hi&h ea! %s in$o%ntariy to resist the f% e6haation an! then too 7%i&'y to !ra(
in the breath : the basi& an! most he,f% ,ra&ti&e of breathin+ &onsists mainy in ao(in+
&om,ete e6haation) If this is !one" &orre&t inhaation foo(s 7%ite freey (itho%t any
assistan&e) Let me re,eat that this ,ra&ti&e J i'e that of rea6ation J sho%! not be
a,,roa&he! soey from the ,oint of $ie( of a ,hysi&a e6er&ise) With the e6haation of the
breath" (e9 sho%! et +o of o%rse$es tr%stf%y an! (itho%t reser$e) When a man &an ao(
his breath f%y to fo( o%t" it is e$i!en&e of his !ee, tr%st in ife) Whereas those (ho restrain
their breathin+ mistr%st both ife an! themse$esH Th%s : as it (as (ith the ,ra&ti&e of ri+ht
,ost%re an! ri+ht rea6ation : so it is (ith ri+ht breathin+: it is abo$e a a 7%estion of ettin+
+o the &in+in+" sef:,rote&tin+ e+o) This is the ony (ay in (hi&h (e &an free o%rse$es from
o%r e6a++erate! inhibitions an! hy,ertension an! th%s be&ome re&e,ti$e to(ar!s o%r
essentia bein+) In this %nion (ith bein+" it is ,ossibe for %s to a&7%ire the o%ter form (hi&h
&orres,on!s to o%r inner ima+e)
&
;an9s ha,,iness as a ,erson !e,en!s on the f%fiment of his !ee,est on+in+s) In these
he ,er&ei$es Di$ine <ein+ stri$in+ to manifest itsef thro%+h him) 0is most f%n!amenta
yearnin+ is for somethin+ (hi&h in his essentia bein+ he reay is an! is inten!e! to be) 0is
ha,,iness therefore" !e,en!s on the e6tent to (hi&h he is abe to &onform to his inner
!estiny) <%t s%&h a &ons%mmation is ony ,ossibe in so far as he freey f%fis this intention
in his !aiy ife)
The (or! in (hi&h (e i$e is not a $ae of sorro(s (hi&h se,arates %s from the ,ea's of
the !i$ineC rather it is a bri!+e (hi&h %nites %s (ith those ,ea's) We nee! b%t ,enetrate the
obs&%rin+ mists that ie bet(een %s an! &ons&io%sness an! tear !o(n the obstr%&tin+ (as
that bar o%r (ay) This ne&essitates i$in+ the or!inary !ay as ,ra&ti&e) /o s,e&ia time nee!
be set asi!e for this) Ea&h moment is a s%mmons &ain+ %s to re&oe&t an! ,ro$e o%rse$es)
There is no a&ti$ity" ser$in+ (hate$er e6terna ,%r,ose" that !oes not &ontain an o,,ort%nity
to !e!i&ate o%rse$es more ar!enty to the sear&h for tr%th) /o matter (hat (e are !oin+ :
(a'in+" stan!in+ or sittin+" (ritin+" s,ea'in+ or bein+ sient" atta&'in+ somethin+ or
!efen!in+ o%rse$es" he,in+ or ser$in+ others J (hate$er the tas'" it is ,ossibe to &arry it
o%t (ith a ,ost%re an! attit%!e (hi&h (i more an! more estabish the &onta&t (ith bein+) We
m%st earn to ma'e %se of these o,,ort%nities in the ,ra&ti&e of the >ri+ht +est%re)?
Healing Power and Gesture
In man the ,ro&ess of ri,enin+ an! mat%rin+" in &ontrast to the nat%ra ri,enin+ of a fr%it"
is not a&&om,ishe! a%tomati&ay) It re7%ires &ons&io%s &oaboration) In the ream of
instin&ti$e !ri$es" it is nat%re that thr%sts %s to(ar!s the f%fiment of o%r !esires" an! it is
ony ne&essary for %s to yie! to this irresistibe for&e for s%&h f%fiment to foo() The
same !oes not ho! +oo! in the ream of the s,iritC tho%+h here" too" the ,re:&on!ition for
any &han+e is that (e are first sei8e! by im,%se) <%t %ness man !eiberatey an!
&ons&io%sy +ras,s that im,%se an! &ommits himsef to a&hie$in+ its reai8ation" the &%rrent
soon be+ins to (ea'en)
S,irit%a ,ro+ress ine$itaby brin+s abo%t transformation) To this en! it is ne&essary that a
,art of the former attit%!e to ife be rein7%ishe! : some habit or re7%irement" some attit%!e
or har!:(on ,a&e on the a!!er) In the on+ r%n it be&omes in!is,ensabe for %s to +i$e %,
the ,re$aiin+ &on$i&tions" a,,arenty so nat%ra" he! by o%r (or!:e+o) It is !iffi&%t for %s
to rein7%ish anythin+ (ith (hi&h (e ha$e been habit%ay" tho%+h %n&ons&io%sy" i!entifie!)
S,irit%a transformation" for this reason" nee!s a +reat !ea of har! (or') It not ony entais
inner ,ra&ti&e" b%t aso the ,ra&ti&e of o%r manner of bein+ ,hysi&ay ,resent) This re7%ires a
on+ an! ,atient ,ra&ti&e of the bo!y" of +est%re" mo$ement an! ,ost%re) .ne s%&h basi&
,ra&ti&e M&1iose ,%r,ose is transformation is that of me!itation)
G
A +en%ine me!itation &onsists of t(o sta+es) It be+ins (ith &on&entration" by means of
(hi&h a man &oe&ts himsef (ith the he, of his (i an! !ire&ts the ,o(er of his e+o on to
(hate$er may be the theme an! ,%r,ose of the ,ra&ti&e of transformation) Con&entration is
a&hie$e! thro%+h the ,o(ers of the e+o" (hi&h is abe to +ras, tho%+hts ob@e&ti$ey"
!ifferentiate bet(een them an! a&ti$ate the (i) Th%s in his &on&entration man &omes to a
&oser %n!erstan!in+ of the theme of his me!itation) <y means of this effort he is abe to
re&o+ni8e the fa%ts in his ,hysi&a ,ost%re an! the !ist%rbin+ fa&tors that are at (or' (ithin
him) In a!!ition it &an brin+ &om,rehension an! a &ear ,er&e,tion of the ob@e&t &hosen for
me!itation" no matter (hether this be a ,i&t%re" a (or!" the foo(in+ of the breath or some
other theme) The (hoe ,ro&ess ta'es ,a&e (ithin the tension of s%b@e&t an! ob@e&t) Witho%t
s%&h &on&entrate! ,reiminary tension" (itho%t the attention that &oe&ts the (hoe ,erson :
)so that he is at the same time fo&%se! (ithin himsef an! t%rne! to(ar!s the ob@e&t : no
me!itation is ,ossibe) /one of the fore+oin+" ho(e$er" is as yet me!itation)
;e!itation !oes not tr%y be+in %nti that (hi&h the e+o ha! sei8e! %,on in t%rn sei8es the
e+o an! by this mo$ement &han+es rationa anaysis into synthesis) <y this means the 7%aity
of &ons&io%sness is transforme! from the mas&%ine" a&ti$e state (hi&h is" as it (ere" a s(or!"
into the feminine" ,assi$e &on!ition of the o,en &hai&e that is &a,abe of bein+ fie!" as from
an inner (es,rin+" (itho%t the a&ti$e he, of the e+o) Th%s a&tion is transforme! into
>,assion"? an! !oin+ into bein+)
The (or! >me!itation? &omes from >me!itari"? (hi&h is a ,assi$e form of the $erb
meanin+ J >bein+ mo$e! to the &enter"? rather than the a&ti$e (hi&h is : >mo$in+ to the
&enter)? <%t this &enter is not a fi6e! ,oint on (hi&h a man &on&entrates as he (o%! on an
ob@e&t) Rather" the &ontrary &an be sai! : that it itself &on&entrates a man by !ra(in+ him
in(ar!s an! &oe&tin+ him there) This &enter is" after a" man9s o(n essen&e : his
trans&en!enta &ore) E$ent%ay" (ith ,ra&ti&e" the &enter is e6,erien&e! as a ,arti&%ar state in
(hi&h the antithesis of s%b@e&t an! ob@e&t is +ra!%ay !isso$e!) When this o&&%rs the
me!itator has the sensation of bein+ &entere!) An! so" ste, by ste," essentia bein+ a(a'es
an! be&omes an in(ar! 'no(in+ that e6,erien&es itsef as a ,ersona ife &enter an&hore! in
#reater Life) This forms the basis of a ne( &ons&io%sness of the (or! in (hi&h man senses
himsef as bein+ re:born)
G
The transformation (hi&h is the ob@e&t of me!itation is a ,ro+ressi$e ,ro&ess)
I!entifi&ation (ith the (or!:e+o is s%,erse!e! by i!entifi&ation (ith Di$ine <ein+) <%t not
%nti there is an inte+ration of worl!#e+o an! o%r essential 'eing !oes the tr%e sef" i)e)" the
Person" reay e6ist) When this ha,,ens he is abe to re$ea essentia bein+ in his &han+e!"
an! no( trans,arent (or!:e+o) Th%s me!itation is not merey a ,ro&ess of tho%+ht" b%t a
transformation of the (hoe manC not ony an inner ha,,enin+" b%t one (hi&h in&%!es the
transformation of the bo!y) It (i be rea!iy %n!erstoo!" therefore" that the theme of a man9s
me!itation is ess im,ortant than his manner of me!itatin+) The ,rere7%isite of any
me!itation (orthy of the name is that the ,%r,ose of ,ra&ti&e is %n!erstoo! to be ,ro+ress
aon+ the Inner Way rather than (or!y a&hie$ement or the enar+ement of (or!y
&a,a&ities)
In me!itation there is a &ose &onne&tion bet(een (hat is !one an! ho( it is !one) It may
ha,,en that the &ontents of e6,erien&e ha$e s%&h o$er(hemin+ ,o(er that they iteray
thro( a man to his 'nees" i)e)" they for&e him into &ertain ,ost%res) .n the other han!" there
are ,ost%res of s%&h ,ermeabiity to trans&en!en&e" s%&h ,o(er to transform that thro%+h
them a &ontents of me!itation be&ome trans,arent to essen&e an! <ein+) Pro$i!e! a man is
(hoe:hearte!y &ommitte! in his stri$in+ for %nion (ith Trans&en!enta <ein+" the reeasin+
of the for&e (hi&h brin+s (hoeness (i !e,en! more on the to:ta'y of his ,hysi&a ,ost%re"
than on the fa&t%a &ontents of his rationa min!)
G
A man9s state of min! at any +i$en moment be&omes a,,arent in his (ay of bein+
,resent" his beha$ior an! his +est%res) Whate$er ,ost%re he may a!o,t in the (or!" it (i
a(ays be e6,ressi$e of his tota attit%!e) ;an re$eas himsef thro%+h his +est%res" b%t the
same means that manifest him to the (or! &an aso ea! him to fin! sef:reai8ation as a
,erson) 0is +est%res an! +enera !emeanor rin+ tr%e (hen they rise freey an! !ire&ty from
essentia bein+ (itho%t ha$in+ to ,ass thro%+h the barrier of habit%a an! &on!itione!
inhibitions) To the e6tent that o%r +est%res ha$e been iberate! from the ,rison of o%r (or!:
e+o" the +reater the 7%aity of ,%rity they re$ea) The +reater the ,%rity of the +est%re" the
more (e are he,e! to heain+ an! (hoeness) For this reason it is ,ossibe to s,ea' of the
heain+ ,o(er (hi&h ies in the ,%re +est%re)
G
There is a story that tes of ;aster E&'hart9s meetin+ (ith a ,oor man: >Yo% may be
hoy"? says E&'hart" >b%t (hat ma!e yo% hoy" brother=? An! the ans(er &omes: >;y sittin+
sti" my ee$ate! tho%+hts an! my %nion (ith #o!)? It is %sef% for o%r ,resent theme to note
that the ,ra&ti&e of sittin+ sti is +i$en ,ri!e of ,a&e)
In the mi!!e a+es ,eo,e (ere (e a(are of the ine6ha%stibe ,o(er that arises sim,y
from sittin+ sti) After that time" 'no(e!+e of the ,%rifyin+ ,o(er of stiness an! its
,ra&ti&e (as" in the West" ar+ey ost) The tra!ition of ,re,arin+ man for the brea'thro%+h of
trans&en!en&e by means of inner 7%iet an! motioness sittin+ has been ,reser$e! in the East
to the ,resent !ay) E$en in &ases (here ,ra&ti&e is a,,arenty !ire&te! not to immobiity b%t
to(ar!s a&ti$ity : as in ar&hery" s(or! fi+htin+" (restin+" ,aintin+" fo(er arran+ement : it is
a(ays the inner attit%!e of 7%iet an! not the s%&&essf% ,erforman&e of the (ays (hi&h is
re+ar!e! as of f%n!amenta im,ortan&e)
.n&e a te&hni7%e has been mastere!" any ina!e7%ate ,erforman&e is mirrore! in (ron+
attit%!es) The tra!itiona 'no(e!+e of the fa&t that it is ,ossibe for a man to be in(ar!y
&eanse! soey thro%+h the ,ra&ti&e of ri+ht ,ost%re has 'e,t ai$e the si+nifi&an&e of &orre&t
sittin+) The inner 7%iet (hi&h arises (hen the bo!y is motioness an! in its best ,ossibe form
&an be&ome the so%r&e of trans&en!enta e6,erien&e) <y em,tyin+ o%rse$es of a those
matters that normay o&&%,y %s (e be&ome re&e,ti$e to #reater <ein+) As e$i!en&e here is a
story of Do+en Nenshi)
The Nen ,ra&ti&e of Do+en" fo%n!er of the Soto se&t of Nen <%!!hism" &onsiste! in
sim,y sittin+ sti" (itho%t me!itatin+ on any theme or ob@e&t) Esai Nenshi" the fo%n!er of
Rin8ai:Nen" on the other han!" mainy ,ra&ti&e! the >Koan? : the so$in+ of an inso%be
menta ,robem) When as'e! for his o,inion of the Rin8ai metho!" Do+en re,ie!: >It is $ery
+oo!)? ><%t"? ,roteste! the en7%irer" >They ,ra&ti&e the KoanH? >We"? sai! ;aster Do+en"
>some ,eo,e may be abe to sit sti ony (hen they ha$e somethin+ to thin' abo%t) <%t if
this brin+s them eni+htenment" it is not !%e to their thin'in+ b%t soey to their sittin+ sti?
The ,ra&ti&e of 'ee,in+ the bo!y motioness transforms man9s inner bein+) This story" i'e
the one reate! of ;aster E&'hart" ,oints to(ar!s somethin+ that nee!s most !ii+enty to be
e6,ore!)
G
It sho%! be %n!erstoo! that the transformation (hi&h is bro%+ht abo%t by means of
me!itation is not merey a &han+e in man9s inner ife" b%t a rene(a of his (hoe ,erson) It is
a mista'e to ima+ine that eni+htenment is no more than an e6,erien&e (hi&h s%!!eny brin+s
fresh in(ar! %n!erstan!in+" as a briiant ,hysi&ist may ha$e a s%!!en ins,iration (hi&h
thro(s ne( i+ht on his (or' an! &a%ses a reor!erin+ of his (hoe system of tho%+ht) S%&h
an e6,erien&e ea$es the ,erson himsef %n&han+e!) Tr%e eni+htenment has nothin+ to !o
(ith this 'in! of s%!!en insi+ht) When it o&&%rs" it has the effe&t of so f%n!amentay
affe&tin+ an! sha'in+ the (hoe ,erson that be himsef" as (e as his tota ,hysi&a e6isten&e
in the (or!" is &om,etey transforme!)
G
To (hat e6tent the habit of sittin+ sti &an im,ress an! &han+e %s be&omes &ear ony
(hen (e ha$e ta'en ,ains to ,ra&ti&e it) After a short time (e fin! o%rse$es as'in+: ho( is it
,ossibe that s%&h a sim,e e6er&ise &an ha$e s%&h far:rea&hin+ effe&ts on bo!y an! so%=
Sittin+ sti" (e be+in to reai8e" is not (hat (e ha! ima+ine! ,hysi&a or s,irit%a ,ra&ti&e to
be) We are fa&e!" therefore" (ith the 7%estion: >What is it (e are reay ,ra&ti&in+ if" atho%+h
both are affe&te!" it is neither bo!y nor s,irit=? The ans(er to this is that the ,erson (ho
,ra&ti&es" is himsef bein+ ,ra&ti&e!) The one (ho is (or'e! %,on is the Person in his
ori+ina totaity" (ho is ,resent beneath an! beyon! a ,ossibe !ifferentiation into the many
an! $ario%s ,hysi&a" s,irit%a an! menta as,e&ts) In so far as (e re+ar! an! $a%e o%rse$es
as in&arnate ,ersons" &ertain manifestations in o%r ife mo$e from their a&&%stome! sha!o(
into the i+ht of %n!erstan!in+) Th%s o%r moo!s an! ,ost%res ta'e on ne( meanin+) So on+
as (e thin' of bo!y an! so% as t(o se,arate entities" (e re+ar! moo!s sim,y as >feein+s"?
an! oo' %,on bo!iy attit%!es an! breathin+ as merey ,hysi&a manifestations) When" bo(:
e$er" the (hoe ,erson is re&o+ni8e! as a >tho%:9 it is no on+er ,ossibe to se,arate the bo!y
from the so%) .n&e it be&omes a 7%estion of transformation" o%r basi& inner moo!s" to+ether
(ith a the +est%res an! ,ost%res that e6,ress them" a&7%ire ne( si+nifi&an&e) They are the
means thro%+h (hi&h (e +ro( a(are of" manifest o%rse$es" an! be&ome ,hysi&ay ,resent
in the (or!)
G
We ha$e seen that the ,%r,ose of a ,ra&ti&e is transformation) It is the means (hereby
essentia bein+ is abe %ne7%i$o&ay to ,re$ai in man9s inner an! o%ter ife) 0is ne( state of
min! an! the ra!ian&e that no( foo!s his or!inary e6isten&e &an ,ermit Di$ine <ein+ to be
e$er more &eary manifest : not ony in his inner im,%ses an! his ne(y:a&hie$e! sense of
,%r,ose b%t in the sense of besse!ness that ,er$a!es e$erythin+ he !oes) In his essentia
bein+ man ,arti&i,ates in #reater <ein+" an! sin&e it is this ,arti&i,ation (hi&h +i$es ife to
his o(n bein+" man9s transformation brin+s abo%t the manifestation" in the (or!" of the
Trans&en!enta <ein+ ,resent (ithin him" ami! the &on!itions of his or!inary ife)
G
D%rin+ the ,ro&ess of man9s +ro(th from &hi! to a!%t" he a&7%ires the 'in! of
&ons&io%sness : (ith its &orres,on!in+ attit%!e that in effe&t &%t him off from ,arti&i,ation in
Di$ine <ein+) 0e !e$eo,s an e+o &a,abe of the 'in! of o+i&a thin'in+ that enabes him to
&onfront an! rationay master the (or!) The (or!:e+o" as this >I? is &ae!" $ie(s ife
soey as a matter of estabishin+ an! s%stainin+ &ertain fi6e! ,ositions" it foo(s that (hen
man is orientate! theoreti&ay" ,ra&ti&ay an! ethi&ay soey to(ar!s estabishe! fa&ts"
essentia bein+ is ost) Life" bein+ a mo$in+ ,ro&ess" !oes not toerate anythin+ stati&) The
oss of &onta&t (ith #reater Life be&omes e$i!ent in man9s reationshi, to the (or!" (herein
he o,si!e!y !e$eo,s ony those of his abiities (hi&h he, him rationay to %n!erstan! an!
!ominate his s%rro%n!in+s) S%&h obstr%&tion of essentia bein+ &%minates in the !e%sion that
he is himsef a%tonomo%s" abe to &ontro ife an! +i$e it meanin+ soey thro%+h his o(n
,o(ers) This !e%sion &reates a barrier (hi&h se,arates man from Di$ine <ein+ ,%n+es him
into a s,e&ifi&ay h%man s%fferin+) Yet it sho%! not be for+otten that this same s%fferin+"
(hi&h is the res%t of estran+ement from Di$ine <ein+" &an itsef be&ome the means (hereby
Di$ine <ein+ &an at some time shine o%t a+ainst the ba&'+ro%n! of o%r mis&on&e,tions) For"
(hen the s%fferin+ &a%se! by estran+ement has +ro(n so +reat that man is o$er(heme! by
!es,air an! by the fear of bein+ &%t off from his roots" he may" at that moment" fin! himsef
rea!y to o,en to Di$ine <ein+ (hi&h is a the time stri$in+ to !efe&t him from his o,si!e!
&on&ern (ith the (or!" an! t%rn him to(ar!s itsef)
G
The &on!itions ne&essary to ma'e ,ossibe this re$ersa in a ife that has been orientate!
soey to the (or!" are: A1E that the reaity of Di$ine <ein+ ,resent (ithin a man9s bein+
sho%! &easeessy stri$e to be&ome manifest in an! thro%+h himC A2E that this man (ith his
rationay orientate! min! sho%! ha$e be&ome estran+e! from an! be in &onfi&t (ith his
essentia bein+) Witho%t this tension" this t%+ of (ar" man (o%! be as itte abe as a fo(er
to be&ome a(are of the Di$ine #ro%n! of his bein+C A3E that in brea'in+ thro%+h the barriers
of (hat is ine$itaby a imite! a(areness" he o,ens himsef to #reater <ein+ an! thereby
a(a'ens to the reai8ation that the barrier has its ori+in soey in his rationa e+oC A4E that be is
,re,are! to ao( the Di$ine Wi (hi&h s%mmons him from (ithin" to be&ome his o(n (i"
an! to !e&i!e to foo( the Way to (hi&h essentia bein+ &as him) This re$ersa of !ire&tion
: arisin+ as it !oes from his s%fferin+ at bein+ estran+e! from essentia bein+ an! his @oy at
re!is&o$erin+ it" si+nifies his settin+ o%t %,on the Way)
G
The Way is the ne$er:en!in+ ,ra&ti&e (hi&h ea!s %s from the reaity that (as sha,e! by
o%r (or!:e+o to the reaity that is beyon! time an! s,a&e" an! then&e to(ar!s trans,aren&e
an! ne( be&omin+) .ny the man (ho" (ith the f% for&e of his nat%re" reai8es that the
(hoe meanin+ of his (or!y e6isten&e ies in the manifestation of Trans&en!ent <ein+" (i
be abe to rea&h the Way) When he %n!erstan!s this he (i nee! to !e&i!e on&e an! for a to
be&ome a (itness to Di$ine <ein+ in his or!inary ife" to (hate$er e6tent it is +i$en him to be
so) 0e is th%s no on+er bo%n! in $assaa+e to his (or!:e+o" nor e$en" in the fina instan&e"
to the a!$an&ement of the (or! an! his feo( men) <eyon! a these" he is &ommitte! to the
ser$i&e of a ne( master : Di$ine <ein+) In so far as this ne( master is roote! in inner
e6,erien&e an! is not merey the res%t of bin! beief" this ser$i&e ,res%,,oses ,er,et%a
&onta&t (ith essentia bein+)
G
We may be mo$e! by #reater <ein+ in many (ays an! in !ifferent !e+rees) A yearnin+"
of (hi&h (e are amost %na(are" may ,erha,s stir in o%r hearts) It is not ony the +reat
e6,erien&es of >brea'in+ thro%+h? that &om,etey transform o%r reationshi, to ife) The
smaest in&i!ent may e7%ay a&hie$e it) The ,rimary aim of a ,ra&ti&e on the Way is to
,re,are man for s%&h e6,erien&es of <ein+ an! by ma'in+ him re&e,ti$e to +en%ine &onta&t
(ith essentia bein+" o,en for him the Way of Transformation) The ,%r,ose of this ,ra&ti&e is
to he, man to brin+ to an) en! his se,aration from essentia bein+" an! ea! him ba&' to the
,ath of reinte+ration (ith his o(n inner bein+) This ,ro&ess ser$es man9s +reatest (e:bein+
A0ei:Wer!enE) <%t (hat !o (e mean by (e:bein+ or" in other (or!s bein+ (hoe=
A man may be thoro%+hy effi&ient an! s'if%" abe to estabish &onta&t (ith an! a!a,t to
the (or! an! th%s s%&&essf%y master his ife" b%t if he is sti !eaf to his essentia bein+" it
!oes not yet mean that he is (e an! (hoe) 0e &an be sai! to be (hoe ony in so far as he is
o,en to the re!em,ti$e #ro%n! of <ein+" an! at the same time abe to a&&e,t an! obey the
for&es of rene(a that +i$e him !ire&tion an! free!om) The man (ho" in the mi!st of a the
&onf%sion" ,o$erty" an! !is%nity of the (or!" is abe to manifest the ,enit%!e" si+nifi&an&e
an! oneness of OTrans&en!enta <ein+ is in!ee! (hoe) There is no one" ho(e$er" (ho &an
finay a&hie$e this state) A A )@ any man &an !o is set himsef on the ,ath to(ar! it) :O:)0e
&an be sai! to be heae! Aor (hoeE on&e his &onta&t (ith <ein+ has ,ro!%&e! a mo!e of ife
(hi&h 'ee,s him on the Way of Transformation) 0e (ho ,ra&ti&es &easeessy so that a
+est%res" ,ost%res an! mo$ements A(hi&h is to say" his bearin+ an! abiity to yie! himsef
%,E are a tr%e e6,ression of his essentia bein+ : that man is heae! an! (i be enabe! to
remain on the ,ath that ea!s to (hoeness) Th%s" the ,%r,ose of &orre&t ,ra&ti&e is not to
brin+ man to a state of tran7%iity b%t to 'ee, him in a &on!ition of &onstant (at&hf%ness an!
,re$ent him from &omin+ to a stan!sti on the Way)
G
The so:&ae! >,ea&e? of the (or!:e+o" i%strate! by the bo%r+eois aim of a >7%iet ife"?
&omes abo%t (hen a inner mo$ement an! +ro(th ha$e sto,,e!) .f 7%ite a !ifferent 7%aity
is the ,ea&e of inner bein+ an! the ife (hi&h stri$es to manifest itsef thro%+h it) This 'in! of
,ea&e &an ony ,re$ai (here nothin+ f%rther interr%,ts the mo$ement to(ar!s be&omin+) To
a&hie$e s%&h an attit%!e to ife is the aim of a ,ra&ti&e an! me!itationC it &an ne$er re,resent
a state of >ha$in+ arri$e!? b%t is a(ays a ,ro&ess of >bein+ on the (ay)? S%&h ,ra&ti&e"
therefore" is by no means a&&e,tabeO to a) There are many )(ho thron+ toP the so:&ae!
,ro,hets (ho ,romise a &hea, 'in! of ,ea&e to tro%be! man'in!) <%t s%&h >masters? sim,y
betray n:ian by hi!in+ from him the rea &a%se of his an6iety" (hi&h ies in the !esire for
transformation inherent in his inmost bein+)
G
0o( &an (e re&o+ni8e the &orre&t state of min!= What are the obsta&es that stan! in the
(ay of a&hie$in+ it= Stran+ey eno%+h" the $ery manner in (hi&h a man !e$eo,s his I:(or!
a(areness is one of the &hief obstr%&tions) This is a form of &ons&io%sness in (hi&h the e+o"
intent on assertin+ itsef" &onsoi!ates its rationa $ie( of an! ,osition in the (or!) Th%s (e
see that the !an+er (ith (hi&h s%&h an e+o threatens the mat%rin+ man ies not ony in the
(e:'no(n threefo! sin of see'in+ ,ossessions" ass%min+ im,ortan&e an! stri$in+ for
,o(erH The rea &a%se ies rather in the fata h%man ten!en&y to remain stati&) The so:&ae!
nat%ra e+o is r%e! by its in&ination to(ar!s an! &a,a&ity for ho!in+ fast to fi6e! ,ositions
that seem to ,romise se&%rity)
Tho%+ht an! ener+y are t%rne! to(ar!s fa&ts that ha$e been rationay estabishe!"
(hether their ,%r,ose be to safe+%ar! ,ossessions in the (or!" to !efen! a system of tho%+ht
or to &in+ to fi6e! $a%es)
Whene$er the i!ea of ho!in+ fast !ominates the min!" ife itsef is in !an+er) <%t (here
ife is" nothin+ is fi6e!" a is in motion an! en+a+e! in the eterna ,ro&ess of &rystai8ation
an! !isso%tion" +ro(th an! mat%rity" !eath an! rebirth) If ife is ,resent" then e$en that (hi&h
a,,ears to be &om,ete! is o,en to f%rther &han+e" an! that (hi&h may ha$e finishe! +ro(in+
sti remains trans,arent an! rea!y for ne( be&omin+) So it is (ith the man (ho has
a(a'ene! to ife) E$en those attit%!es (hi&h ha$e been estabishe! in him by the rationa
min! are ,ermeate! by the &onstant mo$ement an! transformin+ ,o(er that &ome from
essentia bein+)
Whene$er essentia bein+ ma'es itsef fet" an attit%!e is &reate! in (hi&h the (hoe stati&
or!er of the (or!:e+o is ta'en o$er by a ne( an! !ynami& ,ro&ess of &ontin%a be&omin+)
G
What is it that (e mean (hen (e %se the ,hrase Di$ine <ein+= Di$ine <ein+ is an
abstra&t an!" as it (ere" far a(ay term in) reation to o%r &on&e,t%a thin'in+) <%t in the
!e,ths of o%r inner e6,erien&e it is the one most &on&rete an! &osest to %s) It is" after a" that
(ith (hi&h in o%r essentia bein+ (e are oneC or" to ,%t it more &eary" it is that (hi&h in o%r
bein+ (e reay are) For this reason it is abe to sho(er %,on %s e6,erien&es of s%&h for&e"
ra!ian&e an! ,enit%!e" that o%r rationa min! is &om,etey o$er(heme!)
When (e are th%s sei8e! by Di$ine <ein+" o%r basi& moo! entirey &han+es) Stren+th" @oy
an! o$e seem to (a'e (ithin %s : e6,erien&es (hi&h" from the stan!,oint of the e+o" are
in&om,rehensibe an! (itho%t reason) Ine$itaby" the im,o$erishment" senseessness an!
%n&ertainty of o%r e+o:&entre! (or!y e6isten&e sho( %, shar,y an! ,ainf%y (hen seen
a+ainst the ba&'+ro%n! of o%r first e6,erien&e of <ein+) 0en&eforth" the res,onsibiity for
re$eain+ Di$ine <ein+ in a (e !o (ei+hs e$en more hea$iy on %s than !oes o%r former
!esire to enar+e o%rse$es in the (or!) E$en so" (hene$er #reater <ein+ stirs (ithin %s"
thro%+h a the !es,air (e e6,erien&e (hen (e re&o+nise o%r im,erfe&t state" an! a the
,ress%re of o%r ne(y:a(a'ene! &ons&ien&e" (e fee a ra!iant" (arm an! &reati$e ,%r,ose
streamin+ thro%+h %s) <%t if #reater <ein+ is to be enabe! not merey to mo$e %s for a brief
moment" b%t &onstanty to be ma!e manifest thro%+h %s" it (i be ne&essary for %s to fin! a
(ay of ife that e6ten!s beyon! the moment : a (ay that ma'es %s ne( in bo!y an! so%) This
(e &an ony !is&o$er an! estabish (ith the ai! of &easeess ,ra&ti&e)
The e6,erien&e of Di$ine <ein+ an! the transformation that is the res%t of &onta&t (ith
Di$ine <ein+ are t(o !ifferent thin+s) In the matter of the transformation that &omes from
Di$ine <ein+" (e mean more than the mere a&7%isition of a ne( &ontent to ife or a ne( s&ae
of $a%es : more e$en than the ste, that ea!s from rationa %n!erstan!in+ to e6,erien&es ri&h
in inner ima+es) It is ,ossibe for a man to ha$e (on!erf% $isions that hera! the a!$ent of
Di$ine <ein+" (itho%t reay tastin+ it) 0e may e6,erien&e a foretaste of Di$ine <ein+ in a
!ream or in a moment of +reat ha,,iness" b%t s%&h momentary inf%en&es (i not be
s%ffi&ient to transform him) In fa&t" he may ha$e &o%ntess re$eatory e6,erien&es (itho%t
bein+ &han+e! by them one (hit) They may e$en ha,,en !aiy an! ea$e him essentiay
%natere!) It is ony (hen (e reay hear the s%mmons that reso%n!s in a +en%ine e6,erien&e
of <ein+ an!" ha$in+ hear!" &ommit o%rse$es to re,y" that o%r state of min! be&omes
s%ffi&ienty mo!ifie! to &orres,on! to it) In this (ay the ne( Person is born an! ife is fie!
(ith fresh meanin+ an! im,%se) Ima+ination" a&tion an! tho%+ht are no( so im,re+nate!
(ith the trans&en!enta #ro%n! of <ein+" that e$en the a%thority of the rationa ,er&e,tion
%n!er+oes a f%n!amenta &han+e) It is n. on+er the %timate @%!+e of o%r %n!erstan!in+ an!
the arbiter of a o%r a&tions) We m%st not" ho(e$er" be&a%se of this" re$ie an! &on!emn it)
The rationa min!" after a" is that (hi&h !istin+%ishes %s from the beasts an! is the
,rere7%isite for s,irit%a +ro(th) /either rationa thin'in+" nor its fo&a ,oint the e+o" are in
themse$es e$i: they ony be&ome so" (hen man i!entifies himsef (ith them aone an! th%s
be&omes estran+e! from the #ro%n! of <ein+ (hi&h is by its nat%re beyon! rationai8ation)
The rea si+nifi&an&e an! ,%r,ose of a rationa beha$ior sho%! be to ma'e room for Di$ine
<ein+ to %nfo! (ithin %s an!" thro%+h %s" to manifest itsef in the (or!H
G
To &han+e o%r attit%!e by means of the ,ra&ti&e that a&&or!s (ith essentia bein+ re7%ires"
abo$e a" that the (or!:e+o be !iso!+e! from its &entra ,osition) .n&e (e ha$e reai8e!
this" it ne&essariy foo(s that in a those areas of ife an! e6,erien&e (hi&h &annot be
s%b@%+ate! by the +ras,in+" fi6in+ e+o" o%r interest is enar+e!) T(o reams of e6,erien&e
no( a&7%ire ,arti&%ar si+nifi&an&e : that of sense an! that of inner bo!iy res,onses)
Whene$er o%r hierar&hy of $a%es is or!ere! by rationa ,rin&i,es these ta'e a ba&' seat) <%t
they &an ne$er be robbe! of their 7%aity of imme!ia&y an! freshness" e$en (hen they are
e6,erien&e! (ithin the frame of a rationay or!ere! ife) Their intrinsi& 7%aity enabes them
to be&ome in %s benefi&ent (itnesses to Di$ine <ein+" ,ro$i!e! (e earn to i$e (ith them
an! et them be) It is a tr%ism that man" e$en (hen enmeshe! in his rationa a&ti$ities" is
&ontin%ay rene(e! by his &onta&t (ith nat%re : &o%ntry air" forests" the sea shore)
Pra&ti&in+ the ,er&e,tion of the 7%aities of sme" taste" si+ht" hearin+ an! inner bo!iy
mo$ement &an ha$e a (on!erf%y refreshin+ an! &%rati$e effe&t so on+ as (e are abe to
e6,erien&e them ,%rey) <y >,%rey? (e mean free from the e+o9s habit%a ,ro&ess of
abein+ an! namin+ a thin+s a&&or!in+ to their s,e&ifi& ,ro,erties) There is a form of
me!itation in (hi&h" by shar,enin+ o%r senses" (e %no&' the trans&en!enta &ontent that
resi!es in them an! thereby assist transformation) E$en more im,ortant" ho(e$er" than this
freein+ of the senses" is o%r nee! to e6,erien&e o%r bo!ies : a(ays ,ro$i!e! that the bo!y is
not re+ar!e! merey as a thin+" b%t as the means by (hi&h a man manifests himsef in the
(or! as a Person)
G
Whether it be in re,ose or in motion" the h%man bo!y is inten!e! to &arry" transmit an!
bear (itness to essentia ife (hi&h is !esi+ne! to ass%me a ,arti&%ar form in the (or! in
a&&or!an&e (ith its inner ima+e) In this (ay" the bo!y bears (itness to that <ein+ (hi&h is
e$er stri$in+ (ithin it to(ar!s manifestation) The (or! >bo!y? here is not to be tho%+ht of in
stati& terms: it im,ies rather the %nity inherent in the &han+in+ ,attern of ,ost%re" attit%!e
an! +est%re by means of (hi&h an in!i$i!%a ,erson i$es o%t his ife) This bo!y" ho(e$er"
sin&e it is s%b@e&t to the !istortin+ &on!itions of the (or!" &an ne$er be&ome the ,erfe&t
e6,ression of <ein+" nor the &om,ete reai8ation of that inherent ima+e (hi&h is
Un&on!itione! by time an! s,a&e) Whate$er its momentary form may be" it (i a(ays
mirror the im,erfe&tions that the (or! has (ro%+ht in it) A man9s ,hysi&a state an! the
+est%res that re$ea it &an +i$e" on the one han!" &ear in!i&ations of the meas%re an! manner
of his a&&or! (ith essentia bein+ an! the e6tent to (hi&h he has be&ome himsefC or" on the
other" it &an ,ro$i!e in!%bitabe e$i!en&e of ho( far he has faie! himsef)
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In oo'in+ at man sim,y as man (e sho%! not ma'e any !istin&tion bet(een his bo!y
an! his so%) If (e are abe to set asi!e this ine$itabe antithesis" (e see thro%+h his most
!ire&t re$eation of himsef is thro%+h his +est%re) In!ee!" his (hoe fie! of mo$ement"
,ost%re an! fa&ia e6,ression ,ro$i!es in&ontro$ertibe e$i!en&e of his inner an! o%ter states)
In res,e&t to o%r (or' (hen (e are on the Way" the manner in (hi&h o%r bo!ies mo$e is $ery
si+nifi&ant" for it is here that (e e6,erien&e o%rse$es not o%t(ar!y b%t in(ar!y) To obser$e
an! re+ister (hat ha,,ens from a ,%rey e6terna stan!,oint is $ery !ifferent from in(ar!y
e6,erien&in+ the rhythms of the breath" an! the inner sensation of mo$ement)
G
Rationa 'no(e!+e has not the same 7%aity as in(ar! 'no(in+) .n the other han!" if (e
are to a&hie$e &arity in o%r inner a(areness" a ba&'+ro%n! of a&7%ire! 'no(e!+e is
essentia) The im,ortan&e" for the ,ra&ti&e of the Way" of the in(ar! 'no(in+ of the bo!y9s
&han+in+ ,ro&esses" &an ony be reai8e! (hen (e %n!erstan! that this bo!y" in its e6istentia
sense" !iffers from the bo!y &om,rehen!e! anayti&ay" i)e)" as an o,,osition of s,irit%a an!
,hysi&a for&es) The bo!iy e6isten&e of a i$in+ man has no reation to the &or,se he ea$es
behin! (hen he !ies) In its o(n (ay the bo!y9s manner of e6isten&e sho(s ho( far a man9s
trans&en!enta bein+ has been abe to e6,ress itsef %n!er the &on!itions of s,a&e an! time)
The &ommon $ie(" (hi&h !ifferentiates bet(een bo!y an! so%"" is the ,ro!%&t of the
anayti&a" rationa min! that &annot" by its $ery nat%re" ,er&ei$e the %nity of the i$in+
,erson) Whene$er man is oo'e! %,on as a thin+ : a thin+" moreo$er" o+i&ay !etermine! :
(e ost si+ht of him as a Person) It foo(s that if (e !o not ,er&ei$e him as a %ni7%e" i$in+
(hoe" (e not ony &annot he, him on his (ay to sef:be&omin+" b%t (e fa into the fata
!iemma of !%aism) With its rationa !istin&tion bet(een the ,hysi&a an! s,irit%a as,e&ts"
!%aism se,arates man into t(o !ifferent entities) This o+i&a $ie( &an so misea! %s in o%r
,ra&ti&a e$a%ation of ,eo,e that (e ten! to re+ar! another ,erson as im,ortant ony in
res,e&t to the si+nifi&an&e of his f%n&tionin+ in the (or! an! to i+nore his e6istentia
re7%irements) To re$erse s%&h metho!s of thin'in+ is far more !iffi&%t than is +eneray
s%,,ose!) 0i+h:so%n!in+ ,atoni& ass%m,tions of the %nity of bo!y an! so% are no more
%sef% here than o%r ineffe&ti$e mo!em attem,ts to &o:or!inate the ,ra&ti&es of me!i&ine an!
,sy&hoo+y) We sha not a&hie$e any $ai! %n!erstan!in+ of a h%man bein+ by a!!in+ (hat
(e &an !e!%&e from the i$in+ &or,se to o%r 'no(e!+e of the bo!iess ,sy&he) The &on&e,t
of the %nity of bo!y an! so% is the ,ro!%&t of !is&%rsi$e thin'in+) It fais to ta'e into a&&o%nt
that $ita Person (ho is to be met in another as a tho% or e6,erien&e! (ithin o%rse$es as an I)
S%&h an attit%!e ma'es it im,ossibe" either theoreti&ay or ,ra&ti&ay" to &ome to any
%n!erstan!in+ that &o%! !o a man @%sti&e as a i$in+ Person)
3
G
When (e meet him as a Tho%" (hen (e are abe to see him in his e6istentia reationshi,
to the (or! an! to ife : ony then !oes man as Person a,,ear) It is ,ossibe no( to see him
as an eement in a system of interreate! ,arts (hose or!er has no ree$an&e to the or!er so
!ear to the rationa min!) We &an" in!ee!" ne$er !o a man @%sti&e (ith o%r rationa
%n!erstan!in+ aone: o%r !ire&t ,arti&i,ation in his ife an! s%fferin+ is ne&essary for this)
.ny (hen he is ,resent to %s as a Tho% &an (e fee an! sense him in his ,ersona" h%man
e6isten&e" (here he" i'e o%rse$es" is stri$in+ for ha,,iness" meanin+ an! f%fiment) When
this ha,,ens (e re&o+ni8e in him a brother (ho is aso on the Way" borne aon+" by !estiny"
as (e are" to(ar!s the +oa of be&omin+ a tr%e man : (hi&h is to9 say" a Person) A !o&tor for
instan&e" (i ose si+ht of the h%man bein+ if he oo's at the ,atient sim,y as a &ase)
3
See 0ans Tr%b" 0ei%n+ a%s !er <e+e+n%n+ A0eain+ thro%+h En&o%nterE" K%ett:Qera+)
G
At e$ery moment in his ife" man as a Person is bo%n! by his o(n essentia a( to ,%rs%e
his transformation a&&or!in+ to his inner !estiny) It is in the &onte6t of this a( that his
,arti&%ar bo!iy form is to be %n!erstoo! an! e$a%ate!) <y this means it is ,ossibe to
!is&o$er (hether be has straye! from or remaine! faithf% to the Way of TransformationC
(hether he has mo$e! for(ar! or has be&ome st%&' fast at some inhibitin+ ,oint) Any
in&orre&t bo!iy form" any hy,ertension" any &ram,e! &on!ition : %n!erstoo! e6istentiay : is
an e6,ression of an in+raine! (ron+ attit%!e) It is an in!i&ation that a man" as Person" has
+one astray or been bro%+ht to a stan!sti on the Way)
G
The !ominatin+ tension" e6istentiay s,ea'in+" is that (hi&h o&&%rs bet(een man9s
(or!:e+o an! his inner bein+) This &orres,on!s to the tension bet(een his bo!iy form
(hi&h has !e$eo,e! %n!er the &ir&%mstan&es of s,a&e an! time" an! his essentia form" as
yet %nreai8e!" b%t (hi&h is ne$ertheess a(ays abso%te in its !eman! for reai8ation) The
&orre&t attit%!e ne&essary for the f%fiment of his ife as a Person is one in (hi&h his
&on!itione! bo!y has be&ome trans,arent : in other (or!s" ma!e ,ermeabe for the re$eation
of his essentia bein+)
G
That (hi&h" abo$e a ese" stan!s in the (ay of the reai8ation of the ,erson" is the fi6e!
attit%!e:or &rystai8ation : by means of (hi&h man attem,ts to estabish his se&%rity an! to
assert himsef in the (or!) The ,hysi&a e6,ression of s%&h a fi6ation is easiy a,,arent in
anyone (hose e+o is stri$in+ to attain se&%rity) As (e ha$e area!y sai!" it is re$eae!
,arti&%ary in the ,ost%re" in the reationshi, bet(een tension an! rea6ation an! in
breathin+)
When (e s,ea' of ,ost%re" tension an! breathin+" it is ne&essary to ma'e a !istin&tion
bet(een their si+nifi&an&e as man9s ,ersona e6,ression an! their $a%e as !ata for the
rationa:anayti&a $ie( : as" for instan&e" in the ,ra&ti&e of me!i&ine) When (e &onsi!er man
e6istentiay (e a&&e,t his !emeanor an! a,,earan&e as (ays in (hi&h he manifests himsef)
We %n!erstan! that it is by these means he is abe to be himsef an! aso to be ,resent as
himsef in the (or!C (hereas" re+ar!e! from a o+i&a or rationa stan!,oint (e may be
a(are ony of some !eformation of the bo!y or of inner obsta&es that inhibit his stren+th an!
effi&ien&y) If o%r &on&ern is (ith sef:be&omin+ (e &annot fai : for the sa'e of o%r o(n
%n!erstan!in+ : to ta'e into a&&o%nt the ,ersona si+nifi&an&e of ,ost%re" breathin+ an!
,atterns of tension) /o e6er&iti%m &an i+nore these three eements" for the reason that man9s
,hysi&a attit%!e !oes not re,resent ony a bo!iy state" b%t aso his (ay of bein+ ,resent as a
Person) An! there are" as (e sha see" e6er&ises (hi&h ser$e the inner !e$eo,ment of the
Person by brin+in+ abo%t the &orre&t bo!iy form)
The manner in (hi&h he is ,hysi&ay ,resent an! the !e+ree of his ,ermeabiity re$ea
the ,oint at (hi&h a man has arri$e! on his (ay to mat%rity : (hi&h is to say to(ar!s
inte+ration (ith his essentia bein+) 0e may ,erha,s be ,hysi&ay i an! yet" as a Person"
,resent in the ri+ht (ay Mbe&a%se of his ,ermeabiity to the !eman!s of his essentia bein+) In
&ontrast to this" a thoro%+hy heathy athete may (e be ,resent in the (ron+ (ay if his
in(ar! +ro(th is obstr%&te! by arro+an&e or sef:o$e" either of (hi&h (i bar him from
essentia bein+)
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A man9s &orre&t attit%!e is ne$er stati&C it is not somethin+ that is a&hie$e! on&e an! for
a) Rather" it is a i$in+" mo$in+ an! &han+in+ ,ro&ess (ithin (hi&h he &an remain re&e,ti$e
to(ar!s his essen&e" in s,ite of the fa&t that the bo!iy form he may ha$e at any +i$en
moment is bo%n! by &on!itions of s,a&e an! time) This enabes him to obey the stri$in+ of
his inner bein+ to be&ome manifest" to remain a(ays in a state of transformation an! to
be&ome e$er more ,ermeabe to Di$ine <ein+)
An attit%!e" or state of bein+" manifests itsef an! !e$eo,s from moment to moment in
the %nity of a man9s +est%res) As (e s,ea' of &orre&t attit%!e" so &an (e s,ea' of trans,arent
+est%re : (hi&h is one &a,abe of manifestin+ the ri+ht attit%!e an!" by re,etition" be&omin+
firmy estabishe!)
This trans,arent +est%re may be sai! to e6ist (hen essentia bein+ is f%y manifeste! in
it) To ma'e this ,ossibe" the +est%re m%st be free of a fi6ations +ro%n!e! in the e+o" an!
abo$e a from the !ominan&e of those attit%!es by means of (hi&h the (or!:e+o ,rote&ts
itsef) .%r &on&ern is to be&ome trans,arent to Di$ine <ein+ an! to et it reso%n! thro%+h %s)
The ,%re +est%re &an manifest essentia bein+ in a&&or!an&e (ith the inner ima+e) <%t no
+est%re" e$en tho%+h it may ha$e in it nothin+ of e+o" is reay ,%re" so on+ as it a&'s form)
It is by means of the ,%re +est%re that the &orre&t form is reai8e! an! abe to ,ro$e itsef)
S%&h a +est%re is not ins,ire! by the e+o" b%t is a +ift to man from his inherent ima+e) Th%s
the &orre&t ,hysi&a form is the means by (hi&h the ima+e &an e6,ress an! f%fi itsef)
G
<y the ,%rity if his +est%re (e are enabe! to see that a man is ,resent in the ri+ht (ay)
This means that he is ,ermeabe to his in!i$i!%a essen&e as it stri$es to(ar!s the re$eation
of ,enit%!e" innate form an! %nity of Di$ine <ein+) When a man is ,resent in the ,%rity of
his +est%res" his &hief &hara&teristi&s are a sim,e" %naffe&te! tr%stf%ness" a nat%ra harmony"
an! an attit%!e of frien!iness (hi&h &an ony e6ist (hen there is +en%ine &onta&t (ith
essentia bein+) In a i'e sense" the ,%re +est%re aso iberates the heain+ s,irit of (hi&h it is
an e6,ression) It is both the manifestation an! the e$er:i$in+ so%r&e of an attit%!e (hi&h
enabes man to res,on! a,,ro,riatey to a sit%ations of ife) Ea&h ne( &ir&%mstan&e
stim%ates the &y&e of transformation afresh) Th%s (e see that the ,%re +est%re is an
e6,ression of the a( of mo$ement (hi&h is &onstant rene(a) <y means of ,%re +est%re"
man as an in!i$i!%a >form in time? ANeit+estatE is enabe! to reate in his o(n (ay to the
,rima mo$ement of ife" (herein the forms (hi&h ha$e &rystai8e! in him %n!er (or!
&on!itions are re,eate!y !isso$e! an! rema!e in a&&or!an&e (ith essentia bein+) This is a
,ro&ess of &ontin%o%s transformation
The ,%re +est%re is e$i!en&e of the fa&t that man has fo%n! a $ita (ay of ife" a (ay
(hi&h enabes him to fa&e the (or! fearessy be&a%se he is i$in+ !ire&ty from essentia
bein+) Th%s" the more %ne7%i$o&ay a man i$es from essentia Obein+ an! (itho%t re+ar! to
his (or!:e+o" the more freey an! (itho%t ,re@%!i&e (i he meet a that may" from moment
to moment" &onfront h%rt) This means that he is reay o,en to ife (hi&h" as (e 'no(" ne$er
re,eats itsef /o( he ,er&ei$es e$en famiiar thin+s as if for the first time" no on+er ta'in+
%, fi6e! ,ositions" he is abe to +i$e his (hoe sef" @%st as he is" to e$ery ,assin+ moment)
The ,ra&ti&e of ,%re +est%re re7%ires first that a man ha$e a &ontin%o%s a(areness of his
%s%a beha$ior" his ,re@%!i&es" habits" an! ,ro&esses of sef:,rote&tionC an! se&on!y that be
sho%! a(a'e in himsef a !etermination to retra&t an! !isso$e a these attit%!es (ith (hi&h
be !e&ei$es himself as to (hat is the tr%th of ife)
The Wheel of Transformation
It is im,ossibe for man to a&hie$e sef:reai8ation as a ,erson" %ness he is ,re,are! f%y to
&o:o,erate in the ,ro&ess) At ea&h ste, this ,ro&ess !e,en!s on man9s (hoe:hearte!
&on&%rren&e" for in the on+ r%n sef reai8ation &an ony be the res%t of his &onstant an!
tireess ,ra&ti&e) /ot %nti a man has be+%n to ,ra&tise &ontin%o%sy (ith &om,ete a(areness
&an he be sai! reay to ha$e @oine! the Way) From then on the Whee of Transformation
ne$er sto,s t%rnin+) .r" if it !oes sto," it to,,es o$er an! man be&omes st%&' fast an! is
%nabe to mo$e)
The ,ro&ess of transformation &onsists of three sta+es:
1) A that is &ontrary to essentia bein+ m%st be rein7%ishe!)
2) That (hi&h has been rein7%ishe! m%st be !isso$e! in the #ro%n! .f <ein+ (hi&h
absorbs" re!eems" transforms an! re&reates)
3) The ne(y forme! &ore (hi&h arises o%t of the #ro%n! of <ein+ m%st be re&o+ni8e!"
a&&e,te!" ao(e! to +ro( an! ,ersona res,onsibiity for it %n!erta'en)
F%rther : sin&e that (hi&h &onfi&ts (ith essentia bein+ m%st first be !is&erne! in or!er that
it may be rein7%ishe! : so the ne(y:forme! &ore m%st be assente! to by the (i" in or!er
that it may %timatey be reai8e! an! ma!e effe&t%a in ife Areinte+ration (ith the (or!:
e+oE)
To this en!" it may be sai! that the Whee of Transformation has fi$e s,o'es Aste,sE:
1) The ,ra&ti&e of &riti&a a(areness)
2) The ettin+ +o of a that stan!s in the (ay of ne(:be&omin+)
3) Union (ith the #ro%n! of <ein+)
4) /e(:be&omin+ in a&&or!an&e (ith the inner ima+e (hi&h has arisen from the
#ro%n! of <ein+)
5) P%ttin+ to the test this ne( form" ,ra&ti&in+ it in e$ery!ay ife an! notin+ a fai%res
by means of &riti&a a(areness) An! so the (hee t%rns)
Ea&h se&tion of the re$o$in+ (hee ser$es in its o(n (ay to &reate an attit%!e that enabes
man to +ro( more an! more trans,arent to Di$ine <ein+) To a&hie$e this" no ste, may be
omitte!) Ea&h one" if it is tr%y a&&om,ishe!" &ontains a the others) Yet ea&h has its o(n
s,e&ifi& ,%r,ose) 0ere it sho%! be sai! that it is he,f% for the be+inner : an! (hi&h of %s
!oes not remain a be+inner thro%+ho%t his ife= : to ay s,e&ia em,hasis" in his !aiy ife or
in set ,erio!s of ,ra&ti&e" sometimes on one ste," sometimes on another) The essentia thin+
to remember" ho(e$er" is that transformation is ony ,ossibe so on+ as the Whee is 'e,t
t%rnin+) The ste,s ha$e their %se an! meanin+ ony (ithin the &onte6t of the &ontin%o%sy
re$o$in+ (hee)
.ne isoate! e6,erien&e of Di$ine <ein+" (hen in some %ni7%e moment (e are ,ossesse!
by feein+s of iberation an! res,onsibiity" is" of itsef" ne$er eno%+h to +i$e %s the stren+th
to 'ee, the (hee in motion) It is essentia that (e re&o+ni8e an! re,eate!y +ras, ane( the
,ro,er ,%r,ose of s%&h e6,erien&es (hi&h is to bear (itness to Di$ine <ein+ in the mi!st of
o%r ife in the (or!) F%rther" (e m%st stri$e for the f%fiment of this ,%r,ose by re,eate!y
affirmin+ o%r !e&ision" rootin+ it firmy in o%r &ons&ien&e an! absorbin+ it into o%r (i) .ny
from fi!eity to this ,ro&ess of &easeess transformation &an &riti&a a(areness" ettin+ +o"
%nion" ne(:be&omin+ an! o%r testimony to these in !aiy ife" be e6istentiay $ai!)
1. Critical Awareness
Criti&a a(areness bears %,on a that obstr%&ts o%r &onta&t an! inte+ration (ith essentia
bein+" as (e as a that stan!s in the (ay of tr%e sef:reai8ation) Criti&a a(areness is not a
state of min! (hi&h &an be rea&he! on&e an! for a" (itho%t f%rther effort: it is a &ontin%in+
,ro&ess (hi&h has as its aim the +ro(th of &ons&io%sness) It is not to be &onf%se! (ith the
,%rey intee&t%a fa&%ty b%t is" rather" an inner a(areness" an inner 'no(in+ in!ee!" a
transformin+ ,o(er)
For instan&e" to ta'e &o+ni8an&e intee&t%ay of the fa&t that there is a &ontra!i&tion in
(hat (e thin' of as the i!ea ima+e is not at a the same thin+ as be&omin+ in(ar!y a(are
of a (ron+ attit%!e) The atter ,ro&ess is" rather" an in(ar! sensin+ of the (ay in (hi&h" as a
,erson" (e are ri+hty or (ron+y ,resent : that is" in harmony (ith or anta+onisti& to o%r tr%e
nat%re) This sensin+ +ro(s more a&%te the more &om,etey (e are &ommitte! to foo(in+
the Way" to i$in+ in a&&or!an&e (ith essentia bein+ an! to obeyin+ o%r inner a()
The &reati$e an! transformin+ ,o(er of &riti&a a(areness !e$eo,s o%t of an inner
a(areness of the bo!y" an! not from some rationa &on&e,tion of (hat (e beie$e
&orres,on!s to or &onfi&ts (ith &orre&t ,ost%re) For this reason transformation be+ins ony
after the ne&essary attit%!e has been in(ar!y e6,erien&e!) Th%s (e fin! that" in or!er to be
effe&ti$e" o%r orientation to(ar!s the Di$ine an! its manifestation : (hi&h sho%! be the
fo%n!ation of a other a&tions : re7%ires far more than the &on&ei$in+ of an i!ea ima+e an!
systemati&ay stri$in+ to(ar!s it) It is not %nti (e &om,rehen! o%r inner str%&t%re that s%&h
orientation effe&t%ay be+ins to ,ermeate a bo!iy mo$ements) .ny by means of
&ontin%o%s sin+e:min!e! effort &an this ,ro&ess in the on+ r%n either brin+ abo%t
transformation or e6&%!e a that stan!s in the (ay of s%&h ,ermeabiity)
&
With re+ar! to the !e$eo,ment of &riti&a sef:a(areness" (hat eement in it sho%! (e
&onsi!er most im,ortant to ,ra&ti&e= It is the a(a'enin+ of" the se,aratin+ o%t an!" as it (ere"
the ma'in+ arti&%ate a ne( sense that &an sme o%t inner tr%th) S%&h (or' re7%ires the
!e$eo,ment of a sensiti$ity (hi&h (i enabe %s reiaby to ,er&ei$e a !e$iations from the
tr%e inner or!er) In ,arti&%ar (e nee! to be&ome s%s&e,tibe to that (ithin %s (hi&h 'no(s
beyon! any !o%bt (hether (e are (ron+y or ri+hty &entere!) In this (ay &riti&a a(areness"
bein+ the means by (hi&h (e ,ro+ress" be&omes a&ti$e in ea&h aim an! as,e&t of a man9s
ife) Thro%+h it (e &ome to %n!erstan! that (hat is re7%ire! is the !e$eo,ment of a ne( 'in!
of sensiti$ity (hi&h (i enabe %s to sense the &orre&t &enter an! to be&ome a(are of a
!e$iations from it)
&
Fe( ,eo,e" in these !ays" ha$e any feein+ for or %n!erstan!in+ of the ri+ht &enter" e$en
tho%+h there may be &onsi!erabe te&hni&a 'no(e!+e a$aiabe abo%t ri+ht an! (ron+
,ost%re) <ein+ &orre&ty &entere! !oes not mean merey that a man is so an&hore! in some
&entra ,art of himsef that he &an" from that soi! ,osition" &onfi!enty &onfront the (or!)
This is not eno%+h) The ri+ht &enter is that (hi&h enabes %s to &orres,on! to essentia bein+)
.n&e a man has been tr%y sei8e! by essentia bein+ an! %n!er+one the transformation that
res%ts from s%&h an e6,erien&e" his ife (i hen&eforth re$o$e aro%n! his !etermination to
attain" ,reser$e or re:9estabish that state of min! an! bo!y (hi&h &an remain ,ermeabe to
essentia bein+) This re$o%tion aro%n! the tr%e &enter be+ins ony (hen man is abe to
s%stain the ,ro,er in(ar! attit%!e (itho%t sa&'enin+) A !istortion an! oss of the &orre&t
,hysi&a form : that form thro%+h (hi&h man is inten!e! to f%fi his ife : is &onne&te! (ith
the absen&e of the ri+ht &enter) <%t "(hat !o (e mean by the term >&enter=?
In reation to the >(hat? &ons&io%sness" (hi&h sees reaity soey in the &onte6t of >thin+s"?
the (or! >&enter? has merey a s,atia or ,hysi&a meanin+)
For the >(ho? &ons&io%sness" ho(e$er" >bein+ &entere!? si+nifies a state (herein a man
mo$es &ontin%o%sy to(ar! his innermost nat%reC that is to say" his aim is &entere! in his
essentia mission (hi&h is to manifest <ein+ in the (or!) The o,,osite of s%&h an attit%!e
(o%! be one (here a man is e6&%si$ey orientate! to(ar! (or!y $a%es an! (hose ife
re$o$es (hoy ro%n! the !esires of his (or!:e+o)
In other (or!s" >&enter"? from a rationa ,oint of $ie(" refers to a fi6e! ,oint) In its
,ersona meanin+" ho(e$er" the &enter is the &enter of o%r in!i$i!%a ife" o%r !ri$in+ for&e"
reason an! ,%r,ose) Un!erstoo! in this ,ersona sense" the (or! >&enter? has a threefo!
fo%n!ation) It stan!s on the strength by (hi&h (e i$e" the meaning aro%n! (hi&h (e re$o$e
an! the fulfillment for (hi&h (e sear&h)
&
Ine$itaby man9s ife is fo&%se! an! no%rishe! by a s,e&ifi& $ita for&e" by sear&h for
in!i$i!%a meanin+ an! by a on+in+ for ,ersona f%fiment) Stren+th" meanin+ an!
f%fiment" ho(e$er" ha$e a !ifferent si+nifi&an&e a&&or!in+ to (hether a man i!entifies
himsef (ith his (or!:e+o or (ith his essentia bein+) Stren+th from the stan!,oint of the
(or!:e+o is a 7%aity (hi&h enabes man to s%r$i$e heathiy an! effi&ienty in the (or!C
meanin+ may +ro( o%t of any 'in! of (or' : in&%!in+ ser$i&e to the &omm%nity : that is
$ai! in an! re&o+ni8e! by the (or!C f%fiment is bro%+ht abo%t by (hate$er finay sets the
min! at rest) When" ho(e$er" man is i!entifie! (ith his essentia bein+" stren+th is the res%t
of &onta&t (ith essentia bein+" meanin+ !eri$es from obe!ien&e to the re7%irements of
essentia bein+ an!" on&e he @oins the Way of <e&omin+ Trans,arent" f%fiment is at han!) In
a state of i!entifi&ation (ith his e+o man is !e,en!ent on the (or!C he nee!s the (or! an!
reies %,on it to +i$e himsef meanin+) The !e$eo,ment an! f%n&tionin+ of his (or!y
stren+th" as (e as his sef:&onfi!en&e an! abiity to s%r$i$e" are &on!itione! on a si!es by
e6terna fa&tors) Un!er s%&h &on!itions he is iabe to be easiy %,set" to%&hy" 7%i&' to fee
a++rie$e! an! a(ays on the oo':o%t for se&%rity) 0e s(ays ba&'(ar!s an! for(ar!s
bet(een states of restri&tion an! aban!onment" hy,ertension an! !isso%tion" ee$ation an!
,rostration) 0e e6,erien&es e$ery &on!ition e6&e,t that of bein+ firmy baan&e!) Why is
this= The e6,anation is to be fo%n! is his a&' of a &enter) &a,abe of s%,,ortin+ him" a &enter
(hi&h &annot be sha'en) .n&e a man is an&hore! in his essentia bein+" he be&omes a(are
that there e6ists in him a &ore that nothin+ &an !estroy) From this he +ains stabiity an!
,ermanen&e) 0e a&7%ires a &om,os%re that is in!e,en!ent of the (or!" a &ear sense of his
inner !ire&tion" an! abo$e a" a sef:&onfi!en&e that is in!e,en!ent of the (or!9s ,raise or
bame) The ,ersona si+nifi&an&e of >bein+ &entere!? is that a man &an so i$e in the mi!st of
a the %,s an! !o(ns of ife that he re&ei$es stren+th" ,%r,ose an! !ire&tion from essentia
bein+) Im,ert%rbabe an! at ,ea&e" he &easeessy ,%rs%es his inner !estiny an! so manifests
Di$ine <ein+ in his ife in the (or!)
G
Stret&he! as he is bet(een hea$en an! earth" man9s s,irit%a !e$eo,ment an! the
,ossibiity that essentia bein+ (i re$ea itsef to him !e,en!in+" in the first instan&e" on his
bein+ &orre&ty an&hore! in the >earth)? In other (or!s" he has first to !is&o$er his ri+ht
&enter of +ra$ity) Un!erstoo! in the ,ersona sense" >&enter of +ra$ity? !oes not refer to any
s,e&ifi& area" b%t to (hat (e may &a the root of ,ersona or e6istentia ife) /e$ertheess it is
,ossibe to ,er&ei$e (hether or not a ,erson is ,ro,ery roote! in his ,hysi&a bo!y) When a
man has fo%n! this &orre&t &enter of +ra$ity in his bo!y he &an o,en himsef to the for&es that
ie at the essentia &ore of ife an! an&hor himsef therein) The >Qita or Earth Centre of
;an?
4
&ontains a the ener+ies of the #ro%n! of <ein+" ener+ies that brin+ to his ai! a sense
of iberation" a stron+ inner s%,,ort an! the ,ossibiity of re+eneration) When he is rea6e!
an! firmy base! in this &enter man e6,erien&es these for&es in his ,hysi&a e6isten&e) 0e
imme!iatey oses them" ho(e$er" (hen he !ra(s himsef %, tensey" for s%&h a mo$ement
&%ts him off from the ife:+i$in+ stren+th from beo() The &enter of +ra$ity is th%s mis,a&e!)
Worse sti" it &an ha,,en that no &enter of +ra$ity e6ists at a : e6&e,t ,erha,s for a feetin+
moment : in (hi&h &ase hy,ertension or !isso%tion are the res%t) It is the &enter of +ra$ity
(hi&h !etermines the tota ,ost%re of the bo!y as (e as its ,atterns of tension an! the
&hara&ter of its breathin+)
&
That ,o(er (hi&h enabes %s to be tr%y &entere! ies" ,hysi&ay" in the mi!!e of the
bo!y" in >0ara"? or more a&&%ratey" in the ,e$i& re+ion)
5
0ara ABa,anese for beyE refers to
an attit%!e by means of (hi&h man is an&hore! >beo(? in s%&h a (ay that he is free! from
habit%a restri&tions bro%+ht abo%t by bein+ to,:hea$iy &entere! >abo$e? in his (or!:e+o)
This settin+:!o(n into himsef >beo("? this re:orientation of bo!y an! so%" ao( the
stren+th (ithin man9s o(n bein+ to s%,,ort an! mo%! him" an! to +i$e !ire&tion to his ife)
A man may ha$e an in&orre&t &enter of +ra$ity or e$en none at a" an! in either &ase this is
a res%t of the e6tent an! !imension of his (or!:e+o : (hi&h is to say that he has either too
m%&h of this or too itte) The more he i!entifies (ith this e+o" the hi+her %, in his bo!y (i
be his ,oint of an&hora+e) Ca%+ht th%s in these e6tremes of the e+o" his attit%!e (i be
!etermine! by his intee&t Ahea!E" his (i A&hestE or his a too sensiti$e feein+s AheartE)
Th%s !ra9(n %," tense an! ri+i!" he (i be totay at (ar (ith his instin&ti$e !ri$es an! &%t
off from &osmi& for&es) If" on the other han!" a man9s e+o is %n!er!e$eo,e!" the &onne&tion
to the &enter from (hi&h stren+th an! form are !eri$e! may be amost &om,etey a&'in+) As
a res%t" he (i fa a,art of &oa,se" an! be&ome the ,aythin+ of inner an! o%ter for&es) 0e
(i be %nabe to be tr%e to himsef or to stan! %, to the (or! as a ,erson) Th%s (e see that
(hen the &enter of +ra$ity has be&ome fi6e! too far %,(ar!s in the bo!y" man is &%t off from
the #ro%n! of <ein+ as (e as from the iberatin+ an! s%,,ortin+ ,o(er of his o(n essentia
bein+" an! th%s is tra,,e! in a the mena&e an! terror of the (or!) When" on the other han!"
he has no &enter of +ra$ity at a" e$en a minim%m amo%nt of sef ,ossession (i be a&'in+C
he (i ha$e no means of re&ei$in+ the in&omin+ stream of Di$ine <ein+ sin&e he has not
!e$eo,e! that inherent form thro%+h (hi&h he &o%! +i$e it entran&e an! ,o%r it o%t a+ain in
his (or' in the (or!)
&
The &ore of the ,ra&ti&e of ,%re +est%re ies in earnin+ to an&hor the (hoe of o%rse$es in
the &orre&t &enter of +ra$ity) It is $ita to a(a'en (ithin o%rse$es an innate feein+ for the
tr%e earth &enter) This sho%! be o%r &onstant ,ra&ti&e so that" (ith the he, of &riti&a
4
DKr&'heim" Hara, the Vital Centre of Man, Aen an! Un(in)
5
There is a Fren&h e6,ression: >Ii n9est ,as !ans son assiete)? Assiete" >,ate"? means the ,e$is) MWhen one says of
someone" >0e is not in his ,e$is"? it si+nifies that at ,resent he is hy,ersensiti$e" irritabe" %nreate! an! easiy !ist%rbe!) In
short he is %nbaan&e! et&)
a(areness" (e may bear (itness to it in o%r i$es)
/o matter ho( manifo! nor ho( &om,e6 the manifestations of the earth &enter may be" it
ne$er &eases to s%mmon %s an! entreat) If (e are ,re,are! to isten faithf%y" (e (i
&onstanty hear its &a) It rin+s o%t (ith e7%a fei&ity an! ,romise" no matter (hat the
sit%ation: in &on!itions of @oy or +rief" !earth or e6&ess" an! in the (arnin+ $oi&e of
&ons&ien&e that &ries ao%! to %s (hen (e ose si+ht of o%r inner !estiny)
&
As (e ha$e area!y seen" the &o%nter,art of a (ron+ or a non:e6istent &entre of +ra$ity is
a ten!en&y to(ar!s hy,ertension" (ith its ine$itabe &om,ensation" !isso%tion) 0y,ertension
is an in!i&ation that the attention is ,re!ominanty &on&erne! (ith see'in+ to &onsoi!ate a
,arti&%ar ,osition) This 'in! of fi6e! attention (i ne$er rea6 its ho! (hie man is he! fast
by his e+o) E$ery ty,e of hy,ertension" e$ery 'in! of &ontra&tion" is an e6,ression of a&' of
tr%st an! re$eas" (hether a&ti$ey or ,assi$ey" attit%!es of sef:,rote&tion or resistan&e) S%&h
attit%!es &annot" therefore" be &orre&te! by ,%rey te&hni&a means: ony on+ ,ra&ti&e of the
f%n!amenta +est%re of tr%stf%ness ser$es any ,%r,ose here)
0y,ertension a(ays +oes han! in han!" as it (ere" (ith the 'in! of shao( breathin+ that
ta'es ,a&e in the %,,er ,art of the bo!y) This of itsef is s%ffi&ient e$i!en&e of a man9s
im,risonment in the e+o) It a&'s the &amness an! &om,os%re (hi&h !istin+%ishes one (ho"
bein+ ri+hty &entere!" is in !ire&t &onta&t (ith <ein+) 0ere" &riti&a a(areness ,ro$es its
$a%e (ith its &a,a&ity for sensin+ the (ron+ &enter of +ra$ity" in&orre&t tension an!
inharmonio%s breathin+) It is im,ortant that this sensin+ of the &enter of +ra$ity" tension an!
breathin+ sho%! not be tho%+ht of Aor ,ra&tise!E in any rationa (ay" b%t %n!erstoo! rather as
an in(ar! an! ,ersona attit%!e) .ny th%s &an it ser$e as a means of f%fiin+ man9s basi&"
inner a(" (hi&h re7%ires him to be ,ermeabe to Di$ine <ein+ an! to i$e from his essen&e in
his o(n ,arti&%ar form) <%t the abiity to sense (hat is in&orre&t" as (e as to estabish (hat
is &orre&t" (i ony be ,resent if the ar+er" e6istentia sear&h has area!y be+%n)
G
As on+ as a man" atho%+h abe theoreti&ay to re&o+ni8e (hat (o%! be for him the
&orre&t state of bein+" sti thin's in terms of the !esires an! an6ieties of his e+o : see'in+
free!om" &omfort or se&%rity (ith his rationa %n!erstan!in+ : he (i not be abe to ,er&ei$e
the ,ersona si+nifi&an&e either of the &enter of +ra$ity" or of tension an! breathin+)
Un!er s%&h &on!itions" he (i reason soey in ,hysi&a terms) 0e (i ta&'e (ron+
,ost%re in a ,%rey te&hni&a (ay" attem,tin+ to &orre&t it sim,y as a ,ra+mati& ne&essity" for
the sa'e of his heath an! effi&ien&y) In a!!ition" he (i mista'e the ,ra&ti&e of estabishin+
the ri+ht &enter" an! the firm an&horin+ in the ,e$i& re+ion" for some ,hysi&a tri&' that (i
be of %se to his (or!:e+o) In s%&h a &ase" the ,ra&ti&e of the ri+ht &enter" of stiOness an! of
rea6ation : if &arrie! o%t merey for the sa'e of easin+ the min! : (i t%rn into the o,,osite
of (hat (as inten!e!) It (i be&ome the means for enabin+ man tem,orariy to retain his
(ron+ ,ost%res an! attit%!es (itho%t !is&omfort" an! th%s to remain &a%+ht in the e+o" (hi&h
by its nat%re %nfaiin+y tries to t%rn its ba&' on s%fferin+) The ,ra&ti&e that reates to <ein+ is
7%ite !ifferent) It ma'es it ,ossibe for man to ris' himsef &o%ra+eo%sy" frees him from his
fear of the (or! an!" thro%+h his a&&e,tan&e an! en!%ran&e of the harshest tests" enabes him
to remain on the Way of Transformation) .n the other han!" (ron+ ,ra&ti&e (i a(ays 'ee,
him at a !istan&e from Di$ine <ein+)
2) Lettin+ #o
The more sensiti$e (e are to those in&orre&t inner attit%!es that si+nify an e7%ay
in&orre&t a,,roa&h to ife" the more it is a si+n that (e are inter,enetrate! by the Di$ine
Presen&e) It &an e$en be sai! that this ,resen&e sets free in %s a harmonio%s an! re&e,ti$e
form) A ne( feein+ of &ons&ien&e to(ar!s o%r (ay of bein+ emer+es an! this has as its
&oroary an in&rease in &riti&a) a(areness) E$ent%ay" this sensin+ of (hat is erroneo%s in
o%r attit%!es &oin&i!es (ith the im,%se to et +o that (hi&h is (ron+ or stan!s in the (ay of
the ri+ht attit%!e) The a&tion of steerin+ a bi&y&e or &ar ,ro$i!es an i%strOtion of this) The
&ontin%a instin&ti$e a!@%stments that are ne&essary if the $ehi&e is to be 'e,t on a strai+ht)
&o%rse &annot be se,arate! : any more than &a%se an! effe&t : from the !ri$er9s a(areness of
e$ery min%te !e$iation from the &hosen !ire&tion) The more ,ra&ti&e! he is" the more !oes
his re&o+nition of s%&h !e$iation &oin&i!e (ith his a!@%stments)
G
What !o (e mean by the e6,ression >ettin+ +o=? It is e$i!ent that on the (ay to tr%e
bein+" there are many thin+s from (hi&h (e m%st ine$itaby be ,arte!) This is best e6,resse!
by ;aster E&'hart) A&&or!in+ to him : an! it is an an&ient tr%th : the ettin+ +o (ith (hi&h (e
are &on&erne! is >the ettin+ +o of o%r e+o)? This mo$ement enabes a man to e6tri&ate
himsef from the net in (hi&h his i!entifi&ation (ith his (or!:e+o &ontin%o%sy ensnares
him)
This ettin+ +o of the e+o" ho(e$er" means m%&h more than merey rein7%ishin+ a those
ob@e&ts to (hi&h !%rin+ his ifetime a man has be&ome atta&he!) It entais the +i$in+ %, of the
entire ife ,attern that has re$o$e! aro%n! the >,ositions? ta'en by the e+o) In this ,attern a
o%r thin'in+" feein+ an! !oin+ is orientate! to(ar!s (hate$er is firmy an! finay
estabishe!) Where$er man is he! fast in the +ri, of any stati& system A(hether of fa&ts"
attit%!es or $a%esE his ife in the (or! is im,ermeabe to its rea meanin+) This meanin+ is
a(ays ,ersona an! is a(ays in the ,ro&ess of transformation) The ony attit%!e thro%+h
(hi&h it &an be !is&o$ere! is one of in(ar! 'no(in+ an! e6istentia reai8ation) >Lettin+ +o?
means forsa'in+ the briian&e of the rationa min! an! enterin+ (hat may be &ae! the
semi!ar'ness of another form of &ons&io%sness in (hi&h is re$eae! an inner i+ht) In this
(ay aone &an the ri+i!ity (hi&h transfi6es a tho%+ht an! beha$io%r be !isso$e! an! the
'in! of thin'in+ that t%rns a thin+s into ob@e&ts" +i$e (ay an! !ie) .ny (hen (e et +o
those attit%!es (herein (e rey soey %,on (hat (e >ha$e" 'no( an! &an !o"? (i there
arise a ne( &ons&io%sness in (hi&h the &reati$e !ynamism of ife is &ontaine!)
G
>Lettin+ +o? re7%ires not ony that (e rein7%ish those ima+inin+s that ha$e !etermine!
o%r %n!erstan!in+ in the ,ast" b%t aso the beha$io%r that &orres,on!s to them) The res%t of
a rationa" e+o:&entere! ,oints of $ie( is a 'in! of (if%ness) Therefore the &onse7%en&e
of ettin+ +o m%st be the aban!onment of any attit%!e that ea!s %s to beie$e that e$erythin+
!e,en!s %,on o%r o(n >!oin+)?
An" e+o orientate! to(ar!s rationa aims is a(ays &on&erne! (ith notions as to ho( ife
reay o%+ht to be) <y ettin+ +o in the ri+ht (ay" (e earn to >et in? an! >et ha,,en? that
(hi&h" in s,ite of a o%r i!eas" ,ro@e&tions" !esires an! ,re@%!i&es" meets %s !ire&ty in the
sha,e of the (or! an! &omes from the &onstanty:stirrin+ essentia bein+ (ithin)
The !esire >to !o? ,re$ents %s from hearin+ this inner &a) <y ho!in+ fast to &on&e,t%a
,atterns an! ima+es" (e bo&' the roa! to o%r %nion (ith Di$ine <ein+) .ny (hen (e are
finay abe to +i$e %, o%r or!inary (ay of thin'in+ (i (e be abe to re&ei$e an! a&&e,t that
(hi&h is an!" as a &onse7%en&e" +i$e o%rse$es (itho%t reser$e to a that arises)
Th%s (e see that ettin+ +o re7%ires that (e +i$e %, any i!ea that ife m%st be (hat (e
e6,e&t an! (e !esire) Time an! a+ain o%r faith is !estroye! (hen the ,ro&ess of #o!9s @%sti&e
: ine$itaby in&om,rehensibe to %s : !oes not &orres,on! (ith o%r &on&e,tions as to ho(
thin+s sho%! be) Therefore" the ,rere7%isite for +en%ine faith is to +i$e %, a s%&h
&on&e,tions Tr%e faith !e$eo,s ony (hen ife is a&&e,te! in (hate$er (ay that ,ro$i!en&e"
a(ays in&on&ei$aby" offers it) It is bro%+ht to birth in %s (hen (e are abe to re&ei$e" from
%nfathomabe ife an! abso%te <ein+ that (hi&h" thro%+h a &on!itionin+" stri$es to(ar! the
i+ht" in the form of o%r inner states" &haen+es an! im,%ses)
G
As on+ as the e+o" tra,,e! in its fi6ations" !ominates o%r i$es" a &han&e of
transformation is inhibite!) The state of the e+o" at any +i$en moment" is manifeste! by %s
an! re&o+ni8abe to others by the (ay in (hi&h (e are ,resent) 0o(e$er" the ,ro&ess of
ettin+ +o the fa%ty attit%!es so re$eae! is by no means a ,%rey in(ar! ,ro&ess) It &onsists
in rein7%ishin+ an!" as it (ere" >metin+ !o(n? the in&orre&t ,hysi&a ,ost%res (hi&h are
themse$es the in&arnation an! e6,ression of the (or!:e+o9s !esire for se&%rity) When this
ettin+ +o o&&%rs it (i be ob$io%s to the most &as%a obser$er from the (ay in (hi&h a man
!ro,s the h%n&he!:%, sho%!ers that s,ea' so stron+y of the safety:see'in+ e+o" oosens the
o(er @a( (here the ,o(erf% an! arbitrary sef:(i is estabishe!" rea6es the tense bro(
(herein the e+o9s +a8e is transforme! into a fi6e! stare" (ith!ra(s the rationay !etermine!
eye of the (or!:e+o in fa$o%r of the re&ei$in+ an! a&&e,tin+ +a8e of the in(ar! eye" an!
reeases the bey A(hi&h (hen ,%e! in" &%ts him off from his basi& ener+yE an! ma'es of it
a broa!" f%ent an! firmy roote! bo!y:&enter abe to s(in+ freey in the ,e$i& area) It sho%!
be remembere!" ho(e$er" that in tryin+ to o$er&ome fa%ts in ,ost%re (e are not &on&erne!
merey (ith &ram,e! >bo!iy? states" b%t rather (ith the manifo! manifestations of a ,erson
(ho is inhibite! at the &enter" &a%+ht in his (or!:e+o an! %nabe to tr%st in ife) For this
reason" if m%s&es are merey te&hni&ay rea6e!" ettin+ +o &an ne$er be a&&om,ishe! in any
astin+ senseC sti ess (hen" to(ar!s this en!" :%se is ma!e of in@e&tions an! massa+e) It
s%&&ee!s ony (hen man earns to et himsef +o in his ego" (hi&h means to +i$e himsef
tr%stin+y to (hate$er &omes) Where$er a: ,arti&%ar tension ma'es itsef ,hysi&ay fet" this
is !%e to the fa&t that the ree$ant in!i$i!%a" thro%+h a&' of ,ro,er tr%st" ho!s himsef in
an! be&omes tense) Lettin+ onesef +o re7%ires" abo$e a ese" the inner &on$i&tion (hi&h
enabes %s to fee" e$en if (e rein7%ish o%r (or!:e+o" that (e (i by no means fa into
nothin+ness) .n the &ontrary" (e (i be %,he! by a state of min! (hi&h frees %s from
reyin+ soey on o%rse$es an! o%r rationa min!" an! he,s %s to i$e from essentia bein+
an! to ,arti&i,ate in Di$ine <ein+) When a man has earnt to yie! to his essentia bein+" he
has o$er&ome !e,en!en&e on an! fear of the (or!)
G
The si+nifi&an&e of ettin+ +o for (hat may be &ae! o%r >tota ,ost%re? ies in +i$in+ %,
that &enter of +ra$ity (hi&h 'ee,s man ,risoner in the %,,er" e+o:re+ion of the bo!y) As
re+ar!s breathin+" the im,ortan&e of ettin+ +o ies in the &han+e of em,hasis from >!oin+? to
>a!mittin+"? from >ta'in+ in? to >+i$in+ in)? In ,a&e of the >hi+h"? ,re!ominanty &hest
breathin+ (hi&h se,arates %s from the tr%e &enter" there arises the nat%ra !ia,hra+m
breathin+" (hi&h at one an! the same time iberates ife an! ao(s it to manifest in the tr%e
&enter)
E$ery form of ettin+ +o has a &eansin+ an! transformin+ effe&t" b%t the rea!er sho%! be
remin!e! that this is neither a ,%rey te&hni&a" ,hysi&a e6er&ise nor a (hoy inner ,sy&hi&
,ro&ess) It is a ,ersona +est%re that" in an anayti&a sense" is ,sy&hoo+i&ay an! ,hysi&ay
ne%tra) At o%r ,resent e$e of %n!erstan!in+ it is a too easy to %n!erestimate the
si+nifi&an&e of (or' on bo!iy attit%!es an! to oo' %,on it sim,y as a te&hni7%e for
in&reasin+ the sense of bo!iy (e:bein+) S%&h a &on&e,tion 7%i&'y ea!s to a sort of
(ron+y:inter,rete! Yo+a an! fasifies the effort by ao(in+ it to be&ome mere ,hysi&a
+ymnasti&s) Pro,ery ,ra&ti&e!" ho(e$er" that (hi&h from an anayti&a ,oint of $ie( may
a,,ear as the reation bet(een inner an! o%ter ,ro&esses is here seen as a t(ofo! e6,ression
of the one : the Person)
3. Becoming ne !wit" t"e Ground
What si+nifi&an&e for %s" as the Whee of Transformation t%rns" has the ,hrase >be&omin+
one (ith the #ro%n!?= We ha$e seen that ettin+ +o means rein7%ishin+ the forms an!
str%&t%res (hi&h in the &on!itions of o%r ife in s,a&e an! time ha$e +ra!%ay e$o$e!) These
&on!itions are the means (hereby the (or!y ,ersonaity" re$o$in+ aro%n! fi6e! ,oints an!
,rom,te! by its !esire for se&%rity" maintains itsef by (or'in+ sim,y for itsef or the
&omm%nity) To the e6tent that these &on!itions be&ome &rystai8e!" they obs&%re the $ita
#ro%n!) ;an fees himsef to be b%r!ene! (ith %n%se! ener+ies an! im,%ses that" be&a%se
they ha$e been re,resse!" re&oi %,on him" an! may e$en ,aray8e an! !estroy him)
G
Psy&hoo+i&ay %n!erstoo!" the transformin+ #ro%n! is" in terms of h%man e6isten&e" the
>ream of the mother)? Any %nreso$e! reationshi, bet(een &hi! an! mother &a%ses an
obstr%&tion in this s,here an! hin!ers !e$eo,ment) The effe&t is the same (hen the mother
!enies the (armth ne&essary for the &hi!9s +ro(th" or on the other han! ho!s on to him (ith
a !e$o%rin+" ,ossessi$e o$e) In the first instan&e" (hen the &hi! be&omes a man" he is
inhibite! an! !e,resse! be&a%se he re@e&ts the ,rotests that rise from his !e,ths" !efen!in+
himsef a+ainst them by thr%stin+ them !o(n into the %n&ons&io%sC in the se&on!" he !rea!s
the ,o(er of a that embo!ies the #reat ;other in the (or! for fear it sho%! !e$o%r him)
When the #ro%n! has been th%s bo&'e!" he is robbe! of the ,o(ers that rei+n (ithin him for
the ,%r,ose of re!em,tion" ,rote&tion an! transformation) Th%s he be&omes (hoy
!e,en!ent on his (or!:e+o" e6,erien&in+ his re,resse! !e,ths as fri+htenin+ for&es that
either ine6,i&aby attra&t him or !emoni&ay t%rn a+ainst him)
.n the other han!" the #ro%n! is aso the bri!+e by (hi&h (e are bro%+ht to e6,erien&e
the materna as,e&ts of Trans&en!enta <ein+ : that (hi&h no%rishes" s%stains" re:mo%!s an!
iberates a that e6ists in the (or!) Th%s" (hene$er man is &%t off from this materna
#ro%n!" he is a(ays" at the same time" barre! from the aternatin+ rhythm of >!eath an!
be&omin+? (hi&h itsef is a ,art of ife)
G
In a a+es Di$ine <ein+ has !(et in man as ,enit%!e" or!er an! %nity) .f o! it (as
re$eae!" as man beie$e!" in the ,o(er" (is!om an! o$e of the #o!s) <%t to!ay" (e are
be+innin+ to reai8e that Di$ine <ein+ is (ithin the s,here of man9s o(n e6,erien&e This is
,arti&%ary tr%e for those (ho in fear an! !es,air" ha$e &ome %, a+ainst the imits of the
stren+th an! (is!om of their (or!:e+oC an! for others (ho" a&'in+ the s%,,ort of
&omm%nities that are
!isinte+ratin+" as on&e the o! #o!s !isinte+rate!" are thro(n ba&' on themse$es)
B%st as Di$ine <ein+" stri$in+ to manifest itsef" is ,resent (ithin %s" so the e6,erien&e of
%nion (ith it be&omes at the same time an e6,erien&e of o%r own bein+) An!" e7%ay" the
e6,erien&e of o%r o(n bein+ is an e6,erien&e of o%r oneness (ith Di$ine <ein+) If (e ha$e
on&e be&ome &ons&io%s of o%rse$es in o%r essen&e" (e ha$e be&ome &ons&io%s of o%r %nion
(ith Trans&en!enta <ein+) We m%st" therefore" sear&h for that <ein+ (hi&h iberates %s an!
in(ar!y !etermines o%r form" an! th%s !is&o$er (ithin o%rse$es an >immanent
trans&en!en&e? far beyon! the frontiers of o%r itte e+o) We sha not s%&&ee! in fin!in+ it"
ho(e$er" %nti o%r (or!:e+o &ara,a&e has be&ome ,ermeabe) .n the other han!" o%r abiity
to !o (itho%t the s&affo!in+ in (hi&h (e are %,he! by o%r (or!:e+o !e,en!s on the 8
stren+th of o%r &onta&t (ith Di$ine <ein+) So it is an en!ess &y&e) It is ony to the e6tent
that (e earn to !isso$e the ri+i!ity of estabishe! forms an! in+raine! i!eas of ho( (e
sho%! be an! a&t in the (or!" that o%r essentia bein+ &an astin+y a(a'e (ithin %s) Lettin+
+o re7%ires %s to (ith!ra( from a theoreti&a an! ,ra&ti&a ,ositions by (hi&h" on the e$e
of o%r (or!y e6isten&e" (e 'ee, %, the str%++e a+ainst nat%re an! !estiny) When this
str%++e !e,ri$es %s of o%r essentia ,o(er" (e are bo%n! to attem,t to free o%rse$es from
o%r habit of rationa &assifi&ation : atho%+h in an intee&t%a sense this may (e be
in!is,ensabe) It &annot be !enie! that a ,ro,er %n!erstan!in+ of the $a%es that are a&&e,te!
by the (or! in (hi&h (e i$e is a ne&essary sta+e on the (ay to be&omin+ a Person) It is" in
fa&t" the means (hereby the e+o&entri&" nat%ra ,re:,ersona e+o (ith a its $ioent !ri$es" is
ma!e to s%bmit to or!er an! &%stom) It tea&hes man to &on7%er his (if%ness thro%+h
ser$i&e to somethin+ abo$e him) When" ho(e$er" the e+o +i$es itsef o$er to any ,aterna
a%thority" to the &omm%nity" to habit" rei+io%s tea&hin+ or (or' in the (or!" the effe&t often
+oes beyon! the &ontro of the ,rimary e+o Ai)e)" the as yet %ne!%&ate! e+o one fin!s in a
babyE &a%sin+ the in!i$i!%aity of o%r tr%e bein+ to be re,resse!) S%&h ser$i&e an! obe!ien&e
may hin!er an! imit the imme!iate %ninhibite! &onta&t (ith tr%e ife) From this ,oint of $ie(
it is &ear that the so:&ae! reiabe man" the >stron+ ,ersonaity"? is by no means aso a
&onstanty mat%rin+ Person or one ,ermeabe to Di$ine <ein+)
*
In or!er to be&ome a Person it is ne&essary to be &om,etey o,en to ife an! to a&&e,t an!
inte+rate essentia bein+) <%t before inte+ration &an o&&%r" essentia bein+ m%st a(a'en"
&ome forth an! o%tfa&e the !iffi&%ties of &omin+ to terms (ith the (or!" (hether the (or!
be frien!y or inimi&a)
.%r !is&o$ery of essentia bein+ as a reaity (ithin o%rse$es entais aso o%r &on&%rren&e
in its !eman! that it be&ome a reaity in the (or!H Essentia bein+ is the %n&on!itione!"
&reati$e" moti$atin+ ,o(er of h%man e6isten&e (hi&h !eman!s to be +i$en form an! (hi&h
no amo%nt of &on!itionin+ has the ,o(er to stife) For this reason" man" fin!in+ himsef
im,risone! in those in+raine! habits that ,re$ent essentia bein+ from enterin+ his
&ons&io%sness an! &omin+ in &onta&t (ith the (or!" is bro%+ht to the %tmost e6tremity)
When his (or!:e+o is estran+e! from Di$ine <ein+ Ae$en tho%+h his essentia bein+ is
ine$itaby in'e! to itE man sooner or ater e6,erien&es not ony the s%fferin+ inherent in s%&h
estran+ement" b%t aso the mysterio%s t%++in+ of the &or! that @oins him to his hi!!en" inner
sef an! from (hi&h he is ne$er entirey free) To the e6tent to (hi&h he se,arates himsef
from his e+o" he (i e6,erien&e this t%++in+ as a ,ainf% on+in+ for !ei$eran&e) 0e 'no(s
himsef s%mmone! by &ons&ien&e) Somethin+ is o$in+y is !ra(in+ him home) .%r ans(er
to this s%mmons &an ony be the !etermination to (or' on o%rse$es in the ri+ht (ay)
The more ob!%rate an! %nyie!in+ o%r &on&e,ts an! attit%!es ha$e be&ome thro%+h o%r
&on!itionin+ in the (or!" the har!er (i it be for essentia bein+ to emer+e) Instea!" its
re,resse! ener+y (i be transforme! %n!er s%&h &ir&%mstan&es into a !ar' for&e (hi&h" in
the sha,e of the Sha!o(" a&ts !estr%&ti$ey in an! thro%+h o%r %n&ons&io%s) It is" of &o%rse"
ne&essary that man sho%! be ethi&ay !is&i,ine!) If" ho(e$er" this res%ts merey in the
ere&tion of some e+o:s%,erstr%&t%re an! !oes not brin+ abo%t tr%e transformation" it (i aso
&a%se re,ression) ;an &annot a&hie$e free!om %nti he &eanses the #ro%n!" re&o+ni8es his
re,ressions" an! by !ire&tin+ them into fr%itf% &hannes rene(s his a&&e,tan&e of the ,o(ers
of the !ee,)
It sho%! be remembere! that the as&ent to the bri+ht ,ea's of tr%e bein+ is a(ays ,re&e!e!
by a !es&ent into the !ar' !e,ths" i)e)" into those areas (hi&h ha$e been thr%st !o(n into the
%n&ons&io%s) It is ony (hen (e ,er&ei$e an! a&&e,t the Sha!o(" an! ,ainf%y re&o+ni8e o%r
erroneo%s res,onses to ifeC (hen (e ,er&ei$e" assimiate an! i$e thro%+h the Aar&hety,aE
fi+%res (hi&h ,ersonify the - re,resse! ener+ies Athe !e$o%rin+ mother et&)E" that the (ay
to(ar!s tr%e %nion (ith essentia bein+ is o,ene! an! the ne( sef" born from essen&e"
be&omes free to +ro() A s%&h efforts are f%n!amentay an e6,ression of obe!ien&e to the
s%mmons (hi&h bi!s %s fin! the (ay from o%r state of aienation ba&' to o%r be+innin+s : in
other (or!s" to enter into the #ro%n! in or!er to emer+e rema!e in a&&or!an&e (ith essentia
bein+) It is a ,ara!o6" ho(e$er" that (e &an ony !is&o$er o%r tr%e home by reai8in+ the
e6tent to (hi&h" in the (or!" (e ha$e be&ome estran+e! from it) <%t (hen" by &ontrastin+ it
(ith o%r ife in the (or!" (e a&t%ay e6,erien&e o%r essentia home" (e are in the ,osition
freey an! res,onsiby to bear (itness to it (here$er" a&&or!in+ to !estiny" (e may i$e an!
(or' amon+ the str%&t%res of the I:(or!:reaity)
&
The &hief ob@e&ti$e of &riti&a a(areness is to re&o+ni8e ho( an! %n!er (hat &ir&%mstan&es
o%r state fais to &orres,on! to o%r essentia bein+ an! to ,er&ei$e that the fa%ty state is
ine$itaby refe&te! in fa%ty attit%!es) The ,%r,ose of the ,ra&ti&e of ettin+ +o is to free the
(ay to essentia bein+C an! the ,%r,ose of the thir! ste, in the ,ro&ess of transformation is
%nion (ith the #ro%n!) There are many sta+es an! !e+rees of %nion) The hi+hest is that in
(hi&h (e are %nite! (ith the materna oneness of <ein+) 0ere" (hate$er is inimi&a to
essentia bein+" or has be&ome stati& an! ri+i! as a res%t of the (or'in+s of the (or!:e+o" is
mete! !o(n an! re&ast" in or!er that the ne( e+o may be born) A esser sta+es of %nion
sho%! be meas%re! a+ainst this %timate sta+e) From the stan!,oint of this" as (e may &a it"
Persona Anthro,oo+y" a e$es of !e$eo,ment sho%! be re+ar!e! from >abo$e? : that is
to say" from the hi+hest e$e &a,abe of bein+ a&hie$e! by any h%man bein+) ;an is
inten!e!" as his %timate &on!ition" to rea&h s%&h a ,ointC his tr%e nat%re is" in fa&t" a(ays
stri$in+ to(ar!s this ,ossibiity) E$en those systems of tho%+ht in (hi&h man is &onsi!ere!" I
+eneti&ay s,ea'in+" as at the >bottom"? i)e)" in an %n!e$eo,e! sta+e" are !e%!e! if they are
not orientate! to(ar!s the hi+hest e$e for (hi&h man is !estine!)
G
When (e s,ea' of Trans&en!enta <ein+ an! the transformin+ an! iberatin+ %nity of the
#ro%n!" the 7%estion ine$itaby arises: is it not ,res%m,t%o%s to in7%ire into that (hi&h so
ob$io%sy to%&hes the !ee,est mystery of ife an! of man" an! (hi&h is beyon! a rationa
&om,rehension= In!ee!" s%&h in7%iry is ,ermissibe ony if a,,roa&he! (ith the %tmost
!ei&a&y) E$en so" (e sho%! not be so !iffi!ent before this +reat mystery that o%r !iffi!en&e
ma'es %s bin! an! !eaf to essentia bein+) The time has no( arri$e! (hen man has
s%ffi&ienty mat%re! to e6,erien&e a reaity (hi&h has hitherto beon+e! soey to the ream of
faith) Im,ressions that &ome" so to s,ea'" from >ese(here"? stirrin+ %s to o%r !e,ths :
ro%sin+" enri&hin+ an! transformin+ %s : enabe %s not ony to beie$e b%t to 'no( (itho%t
!o%bt that (e ,arti&i,ate in a e$e of <ein+ that is >7%ite other? than that of o%r famiiar
(or! e6isten&e : an! (hi&h (e &a >trans&en!enta)? <y means of s%&h e6,erien&es (e
reai8e that in the se&ret &ore of o%rse$es (e are far more than (e are normay a(are of
bein+) In ,arti&%ar (e !is&o$er that o%r %n&on!itione! essen&e a(ays s%r,asses (hat (e in
o%r (or!y ,resen&e : &reate! %n!er abnorma &on!itions of e6isten&e : &an e$er be&ome)
E$en so" (e ha$e" ha,,iy" the ri+ht to remin! o%rse$es that the mystery of the #ro%n! of
#reater Life &onstanty ,enetrates o%r itte ,ersona ife" (ith its &ontin%o%s s%mmons an! its
,o(er of rene(a) This &an sometimes o&&%r (ith s%&h intensity that (e (on!er" ama8e!"
ho( it &an be that the restri&ti$e ,o(ers of the e+o are so often abe to hi!e tr%e <ein+ an!
re,ress s%&h mi+hty ener+ies) Unfort%natey" ho(e$er" for the sa'e of its o(n s%r$i$a an! its
,erennia ,reo&&%,ation (ith e6terna fa&ts" the e+o &ontin%es to (or' its (i (ithin %s) E$en
so" Di$ine <ein+ stirs in o%r !ar'ness" besto(in+ on %s" (hen at ast the !e,ths be+in to stir
an! the $ei of &on&e,t%ai8ation fas" its i%minatin+ e6,erien&es)
When a man +oes o%t to meet these intimations of <ein+ an!" faithf%y ,%rs%in+ his
,ra&ti&e" brea's thro%+h the barriers of the system in (hi&h ife habit%ay ,resents itsef to
his thin'in+ an! a&tin+ (or!:e+o" then he is at the ,oint of enterin+ >the Way of the so%9s
initiation)? .%r +eneration is (itness to a !e&isi$e t%rnin+ ,oint in man9s !e$eo,ment : the
o,enin+ of the initiatory Way" formery the e6&%si$e ,ro$in&e of the mysti&s" to a those
(ho ha$e arri$e! at this e$e of mat%rity)
G
.n&e the thir! ste, : Union (ith the #ro%n! : has been ta'en" then in the an+%a+e of
essentia bein+" Di$ine <ein+ arises in its threefo! as,e&t: as plenitu!e, (hose stren+th from
then on s%stains" s%,,orts" no%rishes an! rene(s a man no matter (hat his !iffi&%tiesC as
or!er, from (hi&h there emer+es a hitherto %n!reamt:of ,%r,ose that obi+es him to &reate
himsef ane(C an! as an a:embra&in+ unity thro%+h (hi&h he be&omes a(are an! rests %,on
the (or! of >one:ness? beyon! this (or!) S%&h an e6,erien&e ma'in+" as it !oes" a thin+s
ne(" sets man on&e an! for a on the Way an! transforms him from su'-ectum mun!i to
su'-ectum Dei : (hi&h is the >#reat E6,erien&e"?
R
the ><rea'thro%+h to Essen&e)?
S
We
&annot a&hie$e it by (iin+ it" nor &an (e intentionay brin+ it abo%tC a (e &an !o is to
,re,are o%rse$es for it) This ,re,aration is the &hief aim of a man9s e6istentia sef:
e6,oration an! ,ra&ti&e" an! by ,erformin+ it he is &ommitte! to be&omin+" abo$e a ese" a
ser$ant of Di$ine <ein+)
G
;any esser e6,erien&es of &onta&t (ith <ein+ may ,re&e!e an! a&t as ,ointers to(ar! this
>#reat E6,erien&e)? They are i'e i+hts on the Way (hi&h ea! to(ar!s the +oa) <%t" in fa&t"
any +en%ine me!itation in (hi&h (e s%&&ee! in ettin+ +o of o%r (or!:e+o" may brin+ a
foretaste of (hat is to &ome) It is ,ossibe" too" that a s,ar' of the i+ht (hi&h ,ier&es %s
!%rin+ the #reat E6,erien&e may ba8e %, in any ife sit%ation to (hi&h (e f%y +i$e
o%rse$es) It &an ha,,en at those times (hen (e fin! the &o%ra+e to fore+o a the e+o9s
,re@%!i&es" !efen&es an! reser$ations an!" no matter (hat the &ost" ao( them to !ie in or!er
that tr%th may i$e) To the e6tent that the ,ro&ess of transformation ta'es root in man so that
he earns at ast to et +o : affirmin+ an! yie!in+ to a that is in his !e,ths : so (i the
iberatin+" i%minatin+" 'in!in+ s,ar' of the #reat Li+ht shine more an! more fre7%enty
%nti finay it be&omes a ,art of the basi& st%ff of ife) This (i o&&%r a the sooner if a man
aso fin!s the &o%ra+e to ao( the ,%re ,rimary im,%ses to arise freey from essentia bein+
: that is to say" those im,%ses (hi&h ha$e not yet been &assifie! an! a,,ro,riate! by the
e+o) If he &an !o this there (i !e$eo," si!e by si!e (ith this" a more stabe attit%!e" a ne(
an! oftier (ay of bein+ in the (or!) The &enter an! meanin+ of ife (i no( no on+er be in
the (or! b%t in Di$ine <ein+C no on+er in the sef:see'in+" sef:,reser$in+ (or!:e+o b%t in
the essen&e that is &onstanty brin+in+ abo%t transformation) This (hoe ,ro&ess res%ts in the
formation of a ne( &ons&io%sness) For" (hereas the &ons&io%sness of the (or!:e+o is
R
See DKr&'heim" 0m .eichen !er Grossen Erfahrung AThe Great E6,erien&eE" .) W) <arth:Qera+)
S
See D%r&'heim" Durc''ruch /um Wesen A<rea'thro%+h to <ein+E" 0%ber Qera+" St%tt+art:<ern)
forme! from an! ma!e effe&ti$e by s%&h stati& &on&e,ts as rationa !etermination" the nee! to
&assify an! the habit of thin'in+ in terms of o,,osites" the +ro(th of hi+her &ons&io%sness
A(hi&h is &entre! in essentia bein+E is e$i!en&e! by the risin+ %, of stren+th (hi&h &an fa&e
the bottomess abyss an! a&&e,t the &ontra!i&tions inherent in ife (hie at the same time
a!mittin+ the trans&en!enta ,o(ers) When man is o,en to a these" he e6,erien&es s%&h an
in&rease of" stren+th that he is abe to reai8e his o(n essentia form" e$en %n!er (or!y
&on!itions)
G
It is ine$itabe that o%r first a,,roa&h to Trans&en!enta <ein+ sho%! sha'e the str%&t%re of
o%r or!inary ife) S%&h en&o%nters o&&%r m%&h earier in ife than is +eneray s%,,ose!" >First
e6,erien&es?
L
may arise in eary &hi!hoo! !%rin+ the transition from one e$e of
&ons&io%sness to another) They often o&&%r at the moment (hen the ori+ina oneness is
shattere! an! the &hi! !is&o$ers that his >I? an! the (or! are not one : that" in fa&t" they are
in o,,osition to ea&h other) The &hi! &annot attem,t to +ras, the ,%r,ose that ies behin! this
in&om,rehensibe e6,erien&e" b%t the +ro(n man fees himsef &om,ee! to try to %n!erstan!
intee&t%ay the brea'in+:%, of the o! she that brin+s him the e6,erien&e of <ein+C an!
this &om,%sion &an ha$e !isastro%s effe&ts) As on+ as his (or!:e+o remains !ominant he
imme!iatey transforms into menta &on&e,ts any re&%rrent a(areness of Essentia <ein+) In
the same (ay" this +ro(n man" (hen so%+ht o%t by the Di$ine " (i a(ays be tem,te!" at
the moment of en&o%nter : the moment (hen it mi+ht be ,ossibe to !is&o$er that (hi&h is
his essentia bein+ he has sear&he! for a his ife J to abe an! &assify the e6,erien&e) An!
by so !oin+ he oses it) ;an &heats himsef of the benefit of any sho&' that may ha$e been
$o%&hsafe! him" (hen he tries to re!%&e its in&om,rehensibe an!" for that reason" fri+htenin+
&ontent" to famiiar &on&e,ts an! ima+es) As a &onse7%en&e" the n%mino%s &ore of the
e6,erien&e an! the sense of besse!ness that arises from it" are ost) If (e are to be re&e,ti$e
to the #ro%n! of <ein+" (e nee! to ha$e the &o%ra+e to meet the %n'no(n" to reno%n&e the
ri+ht to &o+ni8e an! tab%ate" an! to an! to en!%re the mystery that (hi&h &annot be
&on&e,t%ay &om,rehen!e! : in short" to ,a%se an! in(ar!y !(e in that to (hi&h (e (ere
a to a&&%stom" the ra!ian&e of Di$ine <ein+)
G
The ,ra&ti&e of be&omin+ one (ith the #ro%n! : the thir! s,o'e in the Whee of
Transformation : re7%ires abo$e a" ,ra&ti&e in earnin+ to en!%re the a(a'enin+ of Essentia
<ein+ in the &ons&io%s min!) There(ith a ne( !imension arises (hi&h is fore$er ina&&essibe
to the (or!:e+o) E$erythin+ that ser$es to %n!ermine the fo%n!ations or to !estroy the
s%,,orts on (hi&h the (or!:e+o has hitherto reie! an! estabishe! itsef im,ements the
e6er&ise that ,re,ares %s for this 'in! of inner 'no(in+)
T
/ot ony !oes it no( be&ome
ne&essary for %s to 7%estion e$ery a,,arenty se&%re an! &onsoatory o,inionC the e+o9s fear
of ,ain an! annihiation : (hi&h arises from its &on&ern for its o(n s%r$i$a : has aso to be
&on7%ere!) It is ony (hen man has earne! ris' o$er an! o$er a that has seeme! ass%re!"
that (hi&h is fore$er %n'no(abe brea's %mino%s on him) .ny then &an #reater Life
besto( on %s its i+ht as (e as its !ar'ness" ony then &an Di$ine <ein+ enfo!" rene( an!
transform %s)
G
The man (ho" bein+ reay on the Way" fas %,on har! times in the (or! (i not" as a
L
MSee #ebsatre" >Ersterebnisse? AFirst E6,erien&esE" in the Festschrift for <%iten!y' 1TR1)
T

&onse7%en&e" t%rn to that frien! (ho offers him ref%+e an! &omfort an! en&o%ra+es his o!
sef to s%r$i$e) Rather" he (i see' o%t someone (ho (i faithf%y an! ine6oraby he, him
to ris' himsef" so that he may en!%re the s%fferin+ an! ,ass &o%ra+eo%sy thro%+h" it th%s
ma'in+ of it a >raft that ea!s to the far shore)? .ny to the e6tent that man e6,oses himsef
o$er an! o$er a+ain to annihiation" &an that (hi&h is in!estr%&tibe arise (ithin him) In this
ies the !i+nity of !arin+) Th%s" the aim of ,ra&ti&e is not to !e$eo, an attit%!e (hi&h ao(s
a man to a&7%ire a state of harmony an! ,ea&e (herein nothin+ &an e$er tro%be him) .n the
&ontrary" ,ra&ti&e sho%! tea&h him et himsef be assa%te!" ,ert%rbe!" mo$e!" ins%te!"
bro'en an! battere! : that is to say it sho%! enabe him to !are to et +o his f%tie han'erin+
after harmony" s%r&ease from ,ain" an! a &omfortabe ife in or!er that he may !is&o$er" in
!oin+ batte (ith the for&es that o,,ose him" that (hi&h a(aits him beyon! the (or! of
o,,osites) The first ne&essity is that (e sho%! ha$e the courage to face life, an! to en&o%nter
a that is most ,erio%s in the (or!) When this is ,ossibe" me!itation itsef be&omes the
means by (hi&h (e a&&e,t an! (e&ome the !emons (hi&h arise from the %n&ons&io%s : a
,ro&ess $ery !ifferent from the ,ra&ti&e of &on&entration on some ob@e&t as a ,rote&tion
a+ainst s%&h for&es) .ny if (e $ent%re re,eate!y thro%+h 8ones of annihiation &an o%r
&onta&t (ith Di$ine <ein+" (hi&h is beyon! annihiation" be&ome firm an! stabe) The more a
man earns (hoehearte!y to &onfront the (or! that threatens him (ith isoation" the more
are the !e,ths of the #ro%n! of <ein+ re$eae! an! the ,ossibiities of ne( ife an! <e&omin+
o,ene!)
G
The en&o%nter (ith essentia bein+ (hi&h sets %s free from a the bon!s of the e+o" an! the
a(areness of Di$ine <ein+ (hi&h ,%ts an en! to a (or!y attit%!es" are @oyo%s an!
iberatin+ e6,erien&es) <%t the ,ro&ess of be&omin+ one (ith <ein+" thro%+h the !isso%tion
of a that o,,oses tr%e ife" sho%! not be tho%+ht of as an en! in itsef) When the (or!:e+o
is" as it (ere" &an&ee!" the e6,erien&e of Di$ine <ein+ :m%st not be ao(e! to ebb a(ay)
Rather" it m%st be &on$erte! into a &reati$e im,%se to(ar!s a ne( form) .ny th%s is Union
(ith the #ro%n! of <ein+ f%fie!) The (hoe ,oint of the ,ainf% tension bet(een (or!:e+o
an! Essentia <ein+ is that by this ,ro&ess the se&ret meanin+ hi!!en in this tension be&omes
&ear) In a (or!" it is to ea! man from the (ron+ (ay to the ri+ht (ay : not to brin+ him safe
home to some 'in! of >eterna restin+:,a&e"? b%t rather to !ra( him on to(ar!s the ,ainf%"
re(ar!in+" ne$er:en!in+ ,ro&ess of transformation) <y this means aone &an he a,,roa&h the
f%fiment of his !estiny : (hi&h is to be&ome a Person in (hom an! thro%+h (hom Di$ine
<ein+ is re$eae! in this ife)
4. New-Becoming
#$"e inner image and decision%
I remember the &ase of a (oman (ho" bein+ serio%sy i an!" as she beie$e!" !yin+" fet
hersef finay enterin+ into the S,irit%a #ro%n!) It (as a bissf% state of bein+" she sai!" in
(hi&h she (as absorbe! into a bo%n!ess sea of o$e) She remembere!" too" ho( @oyf%y an!
%nresistin+y she fet hersef >,assin+ o$er? into this state of a:re!eemin+ infinit%!e) An!
then a stran+e thin+ ha,,ene!) S%!!eny" in the mi!st of a the bri+htness" she be&ame a(are
of hersef as somethin+ !istin&t from it" a shinin+ n%&e%s) At the same moment she 'ne( that
she (as not to be ,ermitte! to !e,art" b%t (as re7%ire! to ret%rn to ife) The feein+ of bein+
hersef a n%&e%s of i+ht &oin&i!e! (ith the im,%se : e$en" she fet" the sense of obi+ation :
to ret%rn to the (or!) An! this im,%se ha!" at the same time" s%&h a%thority that she &o%!
not b%t obey) So she remaine! ai$e)
This in&i!ent sho(s $ery &eary the essentia eements that &hara&teri8e the !a(nin+ of
/e(:) <e&omin+) These are: the entry into the +ro%n!" the en&o%nter (ith the n%&e%s an! the
ma'in+ of a ne( start) The ,%r,ose of these sta+es is &eary re$eae! in the +reat e6,erien&e)
The ,rin&i,e of these three ste,s +o$erns ea&h &orre&ty a&&om,ishe! e6er&iti%m Ae$en that
of me!itati$e sittin+E) It aso a,,ies to e$ery sit%ation in !aiy ife that is &arrie! o%t
a&&or!in+ to the !eman!s of o%r essentia bein+)
G
The #reat E6,erien&e
1U
: (hi&h ea!s to ;etanoia" to a re$ersa of the o! ife an! to ne(
birth : &ontains t(o eements: the e6,erien&e of oneness" in the stiness of (hi&h a thin+s
are ren!ere! !o(n" an! the en&o%nter (ith the s,e&ia (ay in (hi&h (e as in!i$i!%a bein+s
,arti&i,ate in <ein+ as #reater Life" (hi&h !ri$es for(ar! (ith !ynami& for&e into the >i+ht
of the (or!)? .%V e6,erien&e of Di$ine <ein+ as the Life (hi&h stri$es (ithin %s to manifest
in the (or!" is none other than Essentia <ein+) The #reat E6,erien&e ne&essitates first the
metin+ !o(n of the (or!:e+o str%&t%re an! th%s (hen it ha,,ens" has the effe&t of iberatin+
a man from his hitherto &om,%si$e obi+ations to(ar!s it) The se&on! re7%irement is that
man m%st en&o%nter his o(n essentia bein+ an! e6,erien&e its !ri$e to be&ome manifest in a
&ertain form" an! th%s aro%se his &reati$ity an! his sense of res,onsibiity to(ar!s ife)
Liberation from the e+o ao(s %s to ta'e the ste, that ea!s to the birth of the Person) The
birth itsef" ho(e$er" o&&%rs ony (hen the e6,erien&e of Essentia <ein+ is fet as a
&om,ein+ s%mmons) Th%s (e &an see that the en&o%nter (ith o%r essentia bein+" (hi&h
,res%,,oses reease from o%r o! se$es" !oes not merey brin+ %s to the bissf% a(areness of
o%r o(n in!i$i!%aity" or a feein+ of @%biation at ,ersonay ,arti&i,atin+ in Di$ine <ein+"
i)e)" >that one is onesef it(3 It has the f%rther effe&t of remin!in+ %s of the hea$y
res,onsibiity of o%r h%man mission" (hi&h is to +i$e e$i!en&e of o%r ,arti&i,ation in
Trans&en!enta <ein+ in terms of o%r o(n in!i$i!%aity in the ife of s,a&e an! time) .n&e (e
o,en the !oor to Essentia <ein+" (e are re7%ire! to ma'e an irre$o&abe !e&ision to be
ans(erabe for the reai8ation of its ima+e in a form that is $iabe for ife) F%rthermore" (e
m%st hen&eforth" in ea&h fresh &onta&t (ith the (or!" affirm o%r reationshi, (ith Essen&e
an! bear (itness to the fa&t that (e are in!ee! that >someone? (e 'ne( o%rse$es so
abso%tey to be in that first rea en&o%nter (ith the #reat E6,erien&e) In!ee!" that (hi&h may
be e6,erien&e! in some ,ro,itio%s moment as the #reat E6,erien&e" may reso%n! thro%+h
e$ery &onta&t (ith Di$ine <ein+" no matter ho( si+ht it may be)
G
The s%mmons to reai8e an! +i$e ,roof of o%r essentia bein+ ami! a (or!y &on!itions is
an abso%te !eman!) It refers not ony to o%r o(n !e$eo,ment" b%t e7%ay to the or!erin+
an! sha,in+ of the worl! itself, (ith (hi&h (e are so &osey in'e!) <%t (hie (e are
absorbe! in masterin+ or ser$in+ !aiy ife" it is essentia that at the same time (e bear
(itness to Di$ine <ein+) Th%s" in the fina instan&e" the ,%r,ose of o%r ser$i&e to the (or!
ies not soey in o%r ,ersona aims an! ,ersona sa$ation nor soey in the ,erfe&tin+ of the
(or!" b%t in o%r ser$i&e to both) We are" in fa&t" inten!e! to ta'e %, the &a%se of $ita <ein+
both (ithin o%rse$es an! (itho%t) In the &o%rse of the #reat E6,erien&e man !is&o$ers that
in his essen&e he is !estine! to be&ome a ,arti&%ar >someone)? At the same time" he be&omes
a(are of the nat%re of the tas' he m%st %n!erta'e" the tas' of fashionin+ himsef an! the
(or! to a s,e&ifi& re7%irement) The ,arti&%ar &hara&ter of that form (hi&h it is man9s an!
1U
MSee DKr&'heim" 0m .eichen !er Grossen Erfahrung AThe Great E6,erien&eE" 1TR1" U) W) <arth:Qera+)
the (or!9s !estiny to a&hie$e ies in its trans,aren&e to(ar!s Di$ine <ein+)
11
It is ony
thro%+h the >be&omin+:trans,arent? of the &reate! (or! that that (hi&h a man has
e6,erien&e! as an inner ima+e an! sense! as a &a to the Inner Way +ains &on&rete reaity for
him) The h%man mo!e of this &or,orea reaity of the inner ima+e of the (or! is the Person)
This &an ne$er be a stati& form" for it m%st ,arti&i,ate in the en!ess ,ro&ess of
transformation an! by this $ery ,ro&ess be&ome trans,arent) 0ere (e ha$e a >form%a? for
ife" a means by (hi&h" if man a&&e,ts the &easeess aternation of M!eath:an!:be&omin+" he
(i more an! more e6,erien&e Di$ine <ein+ as ,entit%!e" form an! oneness)
G
For the ,er&e,tion of the tr%e sef" for its e$o%tion an! the ,o(er to ,%t it to the ,roof Aas
(e as for the ,ro,er +%i!an&e of othersE there are three essentia re7%irements: a &a,a&ity
for e6,erien&in+ the inner ima+e as the manner in (hi&h (e an! the (or! are !estine! to
,arti&i,ate in the ne$er:en!in+ ,ro&ess of transformation an! be&omin+C an abiity &eary to
,er&ei$e an! stea!fasty to retain the &on&e,t of the WayC an! the s'if%ness" in s,e&ia
,erio!s of ,ra&ti&e Aas (e as in the +enera ,ra&ti&e of !aiy ifeE" (ith (hi&h (e &an
transform o%rse$es an! o%r (or! so as to be&ome &ontin%ay more trans,arent to Di$ine
<ein+)
*
In these !ays" (hen the efforts ma!e to(ar!s re!ressin+ the ne%roti& !isor!ers that ,re$ent
man9s abiity to (or' an! to ma'e &onta&t (ith himsef an! the (or! are tea&hin+ %s more
an! more abo%t the (ay he f%n&tions" it is to some e6tent nat%ra that the main em,hasis
sho%! be ,a&e! on the si+nifi&an&e of his ,ersona history) S%&h em,hasis" ho(e$er" sho%!
not be ao(e! to bin! %s to the tr%e ima+e of man or to the a( that +o$erns his Way) A,art
from his ,ersona history" he is re7%ire! to manifest s%,er:histori&a ife in the histori&a
(or!" an! in this ies the rea ,%r,ose of h%man e6isten&e) There are fe( to!ay (ho ,ro,ery
$a%e" either in theory or in ,ra&ti&e" the innate ima+e of man or his in(ar! Way : an! neither
of these as,e&ts &an be re!%&e! to ,sy&hoo+i&a or so&ioo+i&a eements)
*
What !o (e mean by the term >innate ima+e?= Let %s s%,,ose" say" that (e &ome %,on a
!r%n'en (oman) Why !oes s%&h a si+ht sho&' %s= It is not be&a%se she is $ioatin+ >the
essentia ima+e? of a h%man bein+= Is it not this that offen!s %s" 7%ite a,art from the ife:
story or the ,arti&%ar ife:sit%ation that mi+ht e6,ain her !r%n'enness= S%&h a s,e&ta&e &an
sometimes so !ee,y re,e o%r sense of >inner ,ro,riety? that tho%+h (e may %n!erstan! an!
e$en sym,athise (ith the (oman9s sit%ation" (e are o%tra+e! by s%&h a $ioation of h%man
!i+nity) The e6tent to (hi&h this !i+nity is a,,arent in any h%man bein+ is e$i!en&e of an
attit%!e of fi!eity to Di$ine <ein+) S%&h an attit%!e is !e,en!ent on the !e+ree of his or her
abiity to 'ee, faith (ith that (hi&h (e ha$e &ae! the innate ima+e of man)
The innate ima+e sho%! not be tho%+ht of as a mere i!eai8e! or abstra&t &on&e,tion) .n
the &ontrary" it is the basi& reaity of o%r h%man e6isten&e) <y its ,o(er to sha,e ife" to
a(a'en &ons&ien&e" to bi! %s har'en to the s%mmons that &as %s to foo( the in!i$i!%a
Way" the ima+e (e bear (ithin %s ,ro$es its reaity) We &o%! e$en say that f%n!amentay the
innate ima+e is o%r >innate (ay)? We are &ontin%ay !ri$en to fin! a manner of ife that
&orres,on!s to an! manifests it) If this !ri$e in man is re,resse! an! its !eman!s %nhee!e!"
the res%t (ifi be a harmf% inner &on!ition an! e$en ,hysi&a iness) The innate ima+e of
man is in!ee! no other I than his essentia bein+" %n!erstoo! as the !ri$in+ for&e" the feein+
11
See D%r&'heim" >A%f !em We+e 8%r Trans,aren8? .n the Way to(ar!s Trans,aren&eE in Transparente Welt, 1TR5" 0%ber:Qera+
St%tt+art:<ern)
of obi+ation an! the f%n!amenta on+in+ (hi&h !etermine the ,arti&%ar ,attern of +ro(th
thro%+h (hi&h Di$ine <ein+ may be re$eae!) A&&or!in+ to this ,attern" (hi&h is not soey
bioo+i&a an! is 7%ite in!e,en!ent of the e6terna &on!itions of ife" a !efinite s%&&ession of
sta+es ea!in+ to the state of trans,aren&e is shar,y !eineate!)
The innate ima+e is the inborn Way that ea!s to o%r rea Sef) This Inner Way has abso%te
$ai!ity for a men : not merey for the ,arti&%ar ife of the in!i$i!%a) Its reai8ation &an
ne$er be !e,en!ent on &ir&%mstan&es (hate$er they may be) Its ines&a,abe !eman! for
reai8ation ,ro$es the reaity of the innate ima+e an! (hen man i+nores or re,resses it be
be&omes ,hysi&ay or mentay i)
The nee! to be +i$en its !%e" (hi&h is inherent in the innate ima+e" is e6,erien&e! by man
as an immanent s%mmons to reai8e himsef an! his (or! a&&or!in+ to the ,attern
a,,ro,riate to his ,arti&%ar nat%re) For this to be ,ossibe" man9s state of min! an! bo!y
m%st be s%&h that it enabes him to a&t in harmony (ith essentia bein+ %n!er a
&ir&%mstan&es) /o s,e&ia ,ea!in+ arisin+ from !iffi&%t ife sit%ations has any $ai!ity here)
It foo(s therefore that in the ,resen&e of a man (ho is s%fferin+ the &onse7%en&es of ha$in+
faie! himsef" a mere theoreti&a %n!erstan!in+ of his sit%ation is 7%ite %seess: he (i nee!
somethin+ more)
*
In these !ays" (hen o%r insi+ht into the ,sy&hoo+i&a &on!itions of h%man !e$eo,ment
is be&omin+ in&reasin+y enar+e!" (e are abe to re&o+ni8e more an! more &eary the
ori+ins of the !istortions in beha$ior) S%&h !is&ernment" ho(e$er" &an easiy misea! %s into
be&omin+ a too >%n!erstan!in+? of &on!itions that ha$e arisen of ne&essity from the
&ir&%mstan&es of s,a&e an! time) If (e ta'e the ine that as (e as ,er&ei$in+ the ori+in of a
man9s error" (e m%st aso e6&%se it" (e may (e be trans+ressin+ the inherent a( of his
,ersona +ro(th) <y ta'in+ s%&h an attit%!e (e (i inhibit the hi!!en yet e$er ,resent nee!
in man that the abso%te &aim of his essentia bein+ be ta'en serio%sy an! he himsef sho(n
the (ay to its f%fiment) In offerin+ ony >%n!erstan!in+"? &ommiseration an! forbearan&e"
(e may be by:,assin+ a man9s &han&e of free!om an! his ,ossibiity of a&hie$in+ ,ersona
res,onsibiity) In the mista'en beief that (e are he,in+ him" (e may in fa&t be barrin+ the
Way of Transformation to him)
It &an ha,,en that a man (ho has misse! the Way to(ar!s the reai8ation of his essentia
sef may so s%ffer as a res%t of this that he is bro%+ht &oser to s,irit%a birth than someone
(ho has been !enie! this s,e&ia 'in! of an+%ish) That man (ho fees himsef ost in %tter
!ar'ness in the (or! (hi&h" so on+ as he is &a%+ht in his e+o" thr%sts him into fear" !es,air
an! oneiness" may be the one %ni7%ey rea!y to hear the &a of his essentia bein+ : rea!y to
res,on! to the s%mmons that" brea'in+ thro%+h his e+o:she" brin+s him to the a(areness of
his inner &ore) Th%s" (hen someone entr%ste! to o%r &are has faen" ,erha,s" into %tter
!es,air an! rea&he! the imits of his aienation from Di$ine <ein+" it may be ne&essary for %s
to fin! the &o%ra+e to !eny him sym,athy an! &onsoation) <earin+ in min! his innate ima+e
an! o%r o(n ae+ian&e to tr%th" (e may rather nee! to &a him to enter %,on his innate Way
in or!er that his essentia sef may be+in its str%++e to(ar!s the i+ht) This is the (hoe
,%r,ose for (hi&h his state of !ar'ness (as +i$en him) <%t o%r attem,ts to remin! him of his
tr%e sef m%st not be an a%thoritati$e >re+imenta? &a to or!er) <y ,rotestin+ a+ainst s%&h a
&omman! his e+o (o%! ony be f%rther stren+thene!H We sho%! rather a,,ea to him
thro%+h the me!i%m of his innate ima+e an! so &a him ba&' to his essen&e) A rea man
(o%! ,refer to s%ffer the &onse7%en&es of bein+ faithf% to Essentia <ein+" rather than b%y
free!om from this s%fferin+ at a &ost of betrayin+ it) In the on+ r%n it is !isastro%s (hen a
man9s heath an! effi&ien&y" a&'in+ &onta&t (ith Essen&e" !o not &orres,on! to his tr%e
nat%re" or (hen his easy a!a,tabiity to the (or! : by seemin+ to ma'e s%&h &onta&t
%nne&essary : hin!ers it) .n the other han! the $ery fa&t of bein+ &onfronte! (ith the innate
ima+e reeases a mira&%o%sC a:transformin+ ,o(er) We may therefore &onfi!enty tr%st in
the heain+ for&e of the innate ima+e an! rey on it not ony to !isso$e the ,ainf% ri+i!ity of
o%r mista'en res,onse to ife &on!itions" b%t aso to reease the &reati$e ,o(er of the #ro%n!)
G
The emer+in+ an! %nfo!in+ of the innate ima+e" an! the ,ro&ess of be&omin+ one (ith it"
is not ony an inner e6,erien&e: the bo!y itsef %n!er+oes transformation at the same time) We
&an" in this res,e&t" s,ea' of >the &or,oreaity of the innate ima+e)? <%t (hat !o (e mean by
this e6,ression= It &on$eys the fa&t that Essentia <ein+" thro%+h ,ra&ti&e" be&omes a,,arent
(ithin a man9s ,hysi&a ife:form ALebens+estatE) That is to say" Essentia <ein+ is
manifeste! in the manner in (hi&h he is ,resent in the (or!) The ,ermeabe" e$er:&han+in+
form (hi&h man a&7%ires as be ,ro+ressi$ey brin+s to birth his inner ima+e" is $ery !ifferent
from his infe6ibe" im,ermeabe I:(or!:form (hi&h" bein+ born o%t of !esires an! fears"
in!i&ates his mista'en !ri$e for se&%rity) Different a+ain" be&a%se it has not +ro(n from
Essentia <ein+" is the Persona" (hi&h re,resents a &on&e,tion of the ,erfe&t form b%t in
!oin+ so b%ries the Sha!o()
It is as itte ,ossibe for a ,erfe&t form of the innate ima+e to e6ist as it is for a ,erfe&t" so
to s,ea'" form of ife &on!itione! by the (or!) In the atter &ase" e$en (here a!a,tation to
e6terna sit%ations has &o%!e! Essentia <ein+" the innate ima+e sti fitf%y shines thro%+hC
an! in the former" e$en %n!er the most fa$orabe &ir&%mstan&es the a,,earan&e of the innate
ima+e is a(ays to some e6tent &on!itione! by the (or!) A $ai! ife:form ALebens+estatE
!e,en!s on the ri+ht reationshi, bet(een both) In e$ery a,,roa&h (e ma'e to(ar!
%n!erstan!in+ an! +%i!in+ men" these t(o as,e&ts sho%! be 'e,t in min!) In the ,ro&ess of
be&omin+" the ,re!ominan&e of an orientation to(ar!s the (or! is ine$itaby s%&&ee!e! by
one (hi&h +i$es ,re&e!en&e to Essentia <ein+) .ny in this (ay &an the !eman! (hi&h
arises from (ithin be f%fie! an! the ne$er:en!in+ in(ar! @o%rney faithf%y foo(e!)
G
.%r ife:form" (hi&h be+ins to emer+e !%rin+ the ,ro&ess of +ro(in+:%," is ar+ey a
res%t of o%r &onfrontation (ith a the histori&a &ir&%mstan&es of ife) In see'in+ to &ome to
terms (ith these fa&tors man tries to &on!%&t himsef in s%&h a (ay as to enabe him to a!a,t
as ,ainessy as ,ossibe to the !eman!s" o,,ort%nities an! !an+ers of the (or!)
When it ha,,ens that a h%man bein+ +ro(s %, %n!er !iffi&%t &ir&%mstan&es" or from a&'
of o$e an! %n!erstan!in+ ine$itaby be&omes !istorte!" he is thro(n ba&' %,on himsef)
Ine$itaby" he rea&ts to s%&h &on!itions by !e$eo,in+ ,ost%res (hi&h are the res%t of
&ontin%o%s a!a,tation) <y means of these he ,rote&ts his nat%ra e+o" b%t a(ays at the
e6,ense of the +ro(th of his in!i$i!%a essen&e) S%&h forms of a!a,tation hin!er the arisin+
of the $ita stren+th that ies at the $ery root of himsef) F%rthermore" they in@%re his essentia
!ri$e to a&7%ire in!i$i!%a form A#estatE an! re!%&e his &a,a&ity for o$e) The more ri+i!
s%&h habits be&ome" the more !oes his &onfi!en&e in&reasin+y !e,en! on his o(n effi&ien&y"
his ,ossessions" his intee&t%a 'no(e!+e an! a his (or!y &a,abiities) Th%s his reian&e
on the o%ter (or! &ontin%es to e6,an!" an! as a res%t he be&omes the ,rey of oneiness an!
isoation) If it sho%! ha,,en" ho(e$er" that he fin!s the (ay ba&' to the f%n!amenta ener+y
of his essentia bein+" then the a(areness of his o(n rea stren+th an! innate (orth he,s him
to be&ome a+ain in!e,en!ent of the (or!" (hie at the same time remainin+ in(ar!y %nite!
(ith it) For thro%+h his essentia form" Di$ine <ein+" tho%+h it trans&en!s the >(or!"?
,enetrates an! in's to+ether a as,e&ts of man9s e6isten&e)
The man (ho" as a res%t of bein+ in a&&or! (ith his innate ima+e" is +en%iney ,resent"
im,resses a (ho meet him) Re,resentin+" as he ines&a,aby !oes" their o(n embo!ie!
&ons&ien&e" he be&omes for them a mirror in (hi&h their o(n sear&h is refe&te!) For (ithin
e$ery man ies the ho,e : an! the (ish : that he may not ony be !es&ribe! b%t &haen+e! by
his best eementsC this is tr%e e$en (hen" as a res%t of %nfort%nate &ir&%mstan&es" any
!istortion in himsef mi+ht seem to be @%stifie!) F%n!amentay o%r on+in+ for essentia sef:
reai8ation is a(ays stron+er an! !ee,er than the !esire to be a&7%itte! of o%r short&omin+s)
G
From the moment in (hi&h man en&o%nters his innate ima+e an! hears its s%mmons" it
be&omes ne&essary for him to hee! the &a) It is not eno%+h to ha$e been momentariy sei8e!
by it) .f o%r o(n free &hoi&e (e m%st aso affirm an! !e&i!e freey to a&&e,t the im,%se
from Essentia <ein+ that has ta'en ,ossession of %s an! this re7%ires that (e in t%rn
&ons&io%sy sei8e %,on it) We m%st reno%n&e the sef:(i of o%r (or!y:e+o an! a&&e,t
instea! the res,onsibiity for that (hi&h &omes to %s from the f%n!amenta #ro%n!) It is a
mis&on&e,tion to s%,:,ose that" in obeyin+ Essentia <ein+" man is +i$in+ a(ay his iberty
an! his (i) .n the &ontrary" ony by s%bmittin+ his (or!:e+o to the !eman!s of Essentia
<ein+ !oes he tr%y a&7%ire that free (i he is inten!e! to ,ossess in his reation to the (or!)
This (or!y (i itsef be&omes ,ro!%&ti$e an! mat%re ony (hen it is ,%t at the ser$i&e of a
(ish that !oes not stem from the (or!:e+o" b%t from the e6,erien&e of the trans&en!enta
#ro%n! of <ein+)
G
To ret%rn for a moment to the Whee of Transformation" it sho%! be sai! that ea&h of the
fi$e ste,s (hi&h to+ether &om,ose it may at &ertain moments in o%r i$es be e6,erien&e! (ith
,arti&%ar intensity) For instan&e" in s%&h moments a man may s%!!eny be&ome a(are" (ith
a feein+ of an+%ish" of some on+stan!in+ (ron+ attit%!e he may ha$e he! to(ar!s his
nearest an! !earest) In this reai8ation he may $i$i!y e6,erien&e a state of sef:&riti&a
a(areness) .r a+ain" he may reai8e that some bo( of fate has &ra&'e! the she in (hi&h he
has been en&ose! an! f%n+ him into a sit%ation (here he fin!s himsef ettin+ +o of
e$erythin+ he ha! hitherto &%n+ to (ith a the stren+th of his bein+) A+ain" it may ha,,en
that he fin!s himsef so in(ar!y sha'en that he is &arrie! beyon! the narro( imits of his
h%man %n!erstan!in+ an! &a,a&ity" an! is th%s enabe! to brea' thro%+h to the &ore of his
tr%e sef) W%ite %ne6,e&te!y he may fin! himsef bro%+ht into &onta&t (ith Di$ine <ein+" the
(ay to (hi&h ha! hitherto been obstr%&te!) Finay" in some ,ro,itio%s moment" he may
en&o%nter his essentia bein+ in s%&h a (ay that he is instanty free! from that ife:form"
(herein in his a!a,tation to the (or!" he has betraye! his o(n I bein+) Th%s" transforme! by
s%&h an e6,erien&e" he I (i fee the res,onsibiity to fin! the ife:form ALebens+estatE that
&onforms to his innate ima+e)
At any time in o%r !aiy ife it &an ha,,en that (e fin! o%rse$es se&rety sear&hin+ for"
an! e$en %ne6,e&te!y &omin+ %,on" that (hi&h" in some %ni7%e ,ast moment" (e on&e
!ee,y e6,erien&e!) It sho%! be remembere! that : thro%+h ,ra&ti&e : the ,ossibiity e6ists
for %s a(ays to be in a state of rea!iness for this) .n&e (e ha$e reay +ras,e! the ,%r,ose of
o%r ife an! &ommitte! o%rse$es to the Way of Transformation" e$erythin+ that ha,,ens
be&omes an o&&asion for brin+in+ abo%t the ri+ht state of min!) To this en! (e nee! to !e$ote
o%rse$es to the &ontin%o%s ,ra&ti&e of s,e&ia e6er&ises Ae6er&iti%m a! inte+r%mE)
G
.ne f%n!amenta e6er&ise" (hi&h in&or,orates a the eements ne&essary for the ,ro&ess
of transformation" is the ,ra&ti&e of &orre&t" that is to say" %,ri+ht sittin+) Thro%+ho%t the
Eastern (or! : from In!ia to Ba,an : me!itati$e sittin+ is the fo%n!ation:stone of a s,irit%a
,ra&ti&e) S%&h sittin+" ho(e$er" sho%! not be tho%+ht of as bein+ the ,rero+ati$e ony of
Eastern man) There is no one" in the East or the West (ho" &riti&ay a(are an! ,ra&ti&in+
&orre&t sittin+" !oes not $ery soon reai8e : by obser$in+ his ,ost%re" tensions an! breathin+ :
that there is somethin+ (ron+ (ith his (ay of e6istin+) This reai8ation +oes far beyon!
mentay notin+ his ,hysi&a !istortions) Its ,rime ,%r,ose is to ma'e a man a&ti$ey a(are of
his (ron+ attit%!es" an! his (hoe (ay of bein+ in the (or!) <y aban!onin+ those tensions
in the %,,er ,art of the bo!y that in!i&ate the e+o9s !esire for se&%rityC by ettin+ onesef
!o(n into an! be&omin+ one (ith the &enter A0araEC by sensin+ an! a!mittin+ the tr%e"
%,ri+ht form (hi&h arises from &onta&t (ith this &enter" an! finay by attem,tin+ to +i$e
,roof of it in the (i!er &onte6t of e$ery!ay ife : a these ,ro&esses" thro%+h the me!i%m of
&orre&t sittin+" be&ome o,,ort%nities for the ,ra&ti&e of a) ri+ht attit%!e to(ar!s e$ery as,e&t
of ife)
A too often I fin! someone sittin+ o,,osite me in a ,ost%re that ine$itaby robs him of
a his &entra stren+th) The s%n'en &hest" the bent hea!" the !ra(n %, 'nees" the &on&a$ity of
the torso" are a &hara&teristi& of a man (ho" as himsef" is not reay ,resent in any sense) IfH
sho%! then say: >What 'in! of ,ost%re !o yo% &a that=? ine$itaby there (o%! be ,rotest)
Yo%n+ ,eo,e" in ,arti&%ar" i'e to ma'e it &ear that they are not in fa$or of the >sit:%,:
strai+ht? attit%!e) It remin!s them %n,easanty" they may say" of an a%thoritarian father) This
is &ertainy %n!erstan!abe) <%t if one then as's: >0o( !o yo% ,refer to ho! yo%rsef=? the
re,y is %s%ay" >I @%st i'e to sit &omfortabyH? It ta'es no more than a fe( min%tes to sho(
s%&h a ,erson that : bet(een one ,ost%re in (hi&h he is %nnat%ray !ra(n %," stiff as a ram
ro!" an! another in (hi&h" osin+ a sense of himsef" he &oa,ses i'e a fo!e! %mbrea :
there is a thir! ,ossibiity) In this thir! 'in! of sittin+ he is abe to be ,resent in his &enter in
s%&h a (ay as to be both %,ri+ht an! baan&e!" free! from any ri+i!ity that &o%! !o $ioen&e
to his form an! at the same time ins%re! a+ainst the 'in! of &oa,se (hi&h ,%s him
!o(n(ar!s to(ar!s !isso%tion) In this ne( ,ost%re he (i soon !is&o$er that he is both at
ease an! ri+hty or!ere! an! : (hat is more im,ortant : that be is ,resent as himsef)
This is (hat a man e6,erien&es (hen he +i$es %, his fase e+o:,ost%re : an attit%!e that is
as m%&h a,,arent in ri+i!ity as it is in !isso%tion) 0e is no( abe to et himsef rest sereney
in his basi& &enter" a!mittin+ Aan! ,ermittin+ to enter his (iE that (hi&h &omes to him as the
ri+ht form) It is (orth noti&in+ that (hene$er a man9s sho%!ers are h%n&he! %, an! his
&enter of +ra$ity !is,a&e! too far %,(ar!s he is as si+nifi&anty (itho%t a tr%e &enter as he is
(hen he sin's !o(n into formessness an! inertia) Whether it be &orre&t or in&orre&t" e$ery
attit%!e is the res%t : &ons&io%s or %n&ons&io%s : of a man9s o(n (i) As (e a 'no(" an
anima &an see, stan!in+ %," b%t if a man fas asee, (hie stan!in+ he $ery soon &oa,ses)
It is in&%mbent on man" therefore" to be &onstanty (at&hf%) /ot for a moment is he abso$e!
from res,onsibiity for the (ay in (hi&h he is ,resent at any +i$en time)
G
Corre&t %,ri+ht ,ost%re sho%! not be tho%+ht of as ha$in+ anythin+ to !o (ith bein+
>,%ffe!:%,=9 or ta'in+ on the e6tra$a+ant stan&e that is the mar' of an artifi&ia ,ersona) .n
the &ontrary" it is a(ays an e6,ression of tr%e h%miity) There is a &ertain mo!esty abo%t
&orre&t ,ost%re in that it re@e&ts anythin+ that s%r,asses its o(n meas%re" (hist a&&e,tin+ an!
re$eain+ %nreser$e!y as m%&h as &orres,on!s to that meas%re) Therefore" to remain beo(
o%r tr%e e$e is fase mo!estyC an! fase mo!esty is as e+o:&entere! an! e6istentiay
%ntr%thf% as the ,reten&e that (e are somethin+ (e are not) It is &ear" therefore" that &orre&t
,ost%re has as its ,rimary re7%irement that the innate ima+e be ao(e! its a,,ro,riate form)
.ny L%n!er s%&h &on!itions &an (e be s%re that is it (e o%rse$es (ho are reay ,resent"
rea!y an! abe to res,on! to ife (itho%t either fear or ,res%m,tion) 0ere is a &ase in ,oint)
Some time a+o" a yo%n+ 0%n+arian (ho ha! been har!:hit by ife &ame to &ons%t me) U,
to the a+e of fo%rteen" (hie +ro(in+ %, at boar!in+:s&hoo" he b%it %, s%&h an i!ea ima+e
of his on+:absent mother that she be&ame for him" in his min!9s eye" the most ,erfe&t of
o$in+ ,arents) 0o(e$er" (hen he met her in the fesh" he (as sho&'e! to fin! that she t%rne!
o%t to be : for him at any rate : a that he most hate!) The for&e of his !isa,,ointment
,%n+e! him into the roe of the ,er,et%a a$en+er" of one in(ar!y &om,ee! to !estroy
(hat he o$es an! to !e$a%e an! !ebase those thin+s that others ho! sa&re!) To+ether (ith
a this" he (as immensey taente!" a s%&&essf% !esi+ner an! a&tor" an! a f%y traine!
!an&er) It (as this ast fa&tor : his !an&in+ : that ma!e it ,ossibe for me to yie! to his
re7%est that I sho%!" (itho%t insistin+ on any ,reiminary trainin+" tea&h him the ,ra&ti&e of
>0ara)? So" I %n!ertoo' to sho( him ho( to &ome to his tr%e &enter) The ,ro&ess of ettin+ +o
(as no ,robem for himC his !iffi&%ty ay in stan!in+ %,ri+ht &orre&ty an! ao(in+ the tr%e
form that &orres,on!e! to his innate ima+e to emer+e) At ast" ho(e$er" he (as abe to !o this
&orre&ty" an! I eft him stan!in+ there" in the mi!!e of the room" ettin+ him ta' to me (hie
I mysef sat !o(n) I %se! this as a test in or!er to !is&o$er (hether" (hen eft to himsef" he
(o%! imme!iatey fa ba&' into his o! !estr%&ti$e rebeions attit%!es) In fa&t" the o,,osite
o&&%rre!) Sin&e he (as in the >ri+ht ,ost%re? it !i! not (o%n! his feein+s to be eft stan!in+)
In!ee!" to my astonishment" he s%!!eny" b%t ,oitey" interr%,te! my &on$ersation by sayin+:
>I m%st te yo% somethin+) A $ery stran+e b%t" I beie$e" im,ortant thin+ is ha,,enin+ to me)
At this moment I am e6,erien&in+" for the first time in my ife" (hat is ,robaby &ae!
h%miity)? An! no(" I sa( for the first time the i+ht of tr%th in his eyes)
This" of &o%rse" (as ony a >first e6,erien&e? an! s%&h an o&&%rren&e by itsef !oes not
si+nify transformation) <%t the first is" ne$ertheess" a(ays a !e&isi$e e6,erien&e" an! in this
&ase it ha! a tremen!o%s effe&t) For this yo%n+ man" at the moment of e6,erien&in+ his o(n
tr%th a ne( ife be+an) This is an e6am,e of ho(" thro%+h the ass%m,tion of a ri+ht inner
attit%!e" a iberatin+ im,%se &an emer+e) The heain+ ,o(er of this im,%se &omes from the
fa&t that the innate ima+e is sim%taneo%sy reai8e! an! manifeste! by the >,%re +est%re)?
This" of &o%rse" &an aso ha,,en !%rin+ ,ra&ti&e" (itho%t" as in the &ase abo$e" bein+ reate!
to s%&h !iffi&%t ife ,robems)
&. Proof and Practice in Everyday Life
If a man is to +ro( into a Person it &an ony be by re,eate! reso%tions of the ,ainf%
&ontra!i&tions bet(een the transformation (hi&h the a( of his essentia bein+ re7%ires of
him" an! his !esire to &in+ to those a&7%ire! metho!s of a!a,tation that seem : tho%+h
mista'eny : to set him free from fri&tion) E$en (hen a man has rea&he! the hi+hest ,ossibe
,oint of his !e$eo,ment" he is abe to res,on! to the &aims of s%,er:histori&a" or abso%te"
<ein+ ony thro%+h his histori&ay &on!itione! an!" as it (ere" o%ter habiiment) We are
ne$er abe entirey to !i$est o%rse$es of (hat (e ha$e be&ome) /one of %s &an meas%re %,
to the ima+e" or form" of the essentia bein+ that e6ists (ithin %s) What (e &an !o is to so
,ra&ti&e that o%r ,ersonaity : (hi&h is &on!itione! by the (or! : be&omes as trans,arent as
,ossibe to that ima+e)
G
Pra&ti&e may be tho%+ht of as ha$in+ a t(ofo! as,e&t: firsty" (e m%st at s,e&ifi& times
abstra&t o%rse$es from the !aiy ro%n! an! by &orre&t breathin+ or me!itati$e sittin+ ,ra&ti&e
ettin+ +o" in or!er to a&hie$e oneness an! to :be ma!e ne(C se&on!y" (e m%st i$e the
or!inary !ay as ,ra&ti&e) Ea&h of o%r !aiy a&tions not ony has an e6terna im,ort (ith
re+ar! to its ine$itabe res%ts in the (or! b%t" by the manner in (hi&h it is &arrie! o%t" it aso
re$eas an inner si+nifi&an&e an! ,ro$i!es an o,,ort%nity for inner +ro(th) .n&e a man is on
the Way" e$ery a&t an! e$ery tas' &an be the means by (hi&h the Whee of Transformation
a&hie$es another re$o%tion) <y means of &riti&a a(areness of o%r in&orre&t ,ost%res" by
ettin+ +o" by s%rren!erin+ so &om,etey that (e be&ome %nifie!" by a!mittin+ into o%rse$es
the innate ima+e an! !emonstratin+ it in the ri+htness of o%r a&tions" the fi$e ste,s are
a&&om,ishe!)
In so far as (e ao( o%r !aiy ife to ,%t %s &ontin%ay to the inner test (e are" in effe&t"
,ra&ti&in+ the fifth ste,) Th%s" ami!st the &on!itions &reate! by any feetin+ sit%ation" (e
sho%! en!ea$or to bear (itness !%rin+ the !aiy ro%n! to that (hi&h (e may ha$e
e6,erien&e! (ith ,arti&%ar &arity (hie &arryin+ o%t s,e&ia e6er&ises in the 7%iet an!
,ri$a&y of o%r room) Pra&ti&e itsef is sim,e" b%t it is not at a easy to be&ome one who
practices( The fa&t that (e may ha$e s%&&ee!e! in some ,arti&%ar e6er&ise" ,ri$atey
,ra&ti&e!" is no ass%ran&e that a simiar s%&&ess (i be a$aiabe to %s in o%r ife in the (or!)
To reai8e that an attit%!e (hi&h may ha$e bro%+ht %s o%r first &onta&t (ith Di$ine <ein+
!%rin+ isoate! ,ra&ti&e &an so easiy be ost is a(ays a ,ainf% e6,erien&e) This may ha,,en
not merey from the ,ress%re of a!$erse &ir&%mstan&es b%t is" in fa&t" the &ommon res%t of
o%r bein+ >o%t in the (or!)? S%&h s%fferin+ is ine$itabe: it &omes from o%r !aiy fai%res to
,ermit %n&on!itione! Essentia <ein+ an! Di$ine <ein+ to ta'e sha,e (ithin o%r histori&a
e6isten&e) In!ee!" for a h%man bein+ to a&hie$e this (ith any !e+ree of &ontin%ity" ho(e$er
har! he tries" is ,ossibe ony to a &ertain e6tent)
G
When (e oo' at a tree (e see in its form" on the one han!" the manifestation of its innate
ima+e" an! on the other" the res%t of the &on!itions that ha$e +o$erne! its manifestation)
Certain trees ha$e i$in+ sha,es that seem to &orres,on! f%y to their essentia form) There
are others (hose bi8arre &ontortions as" for instan&e" the o! (eathere! bee&hes at
S&ha%insan! s,ea' so $i$i!y of the many storms they ha$e en!%re!" that it is e$i!ent that
their ori+ina innate ima+e has amost entirey !isa,,eare!" or a,,ears ony as a ne+ation of
it) An! yet" are not these $ery bee&hes the most &on$in&in+ (itnesses to (hat ha,,ens in
!aiy ife= An! !oes not the $ery manner in (hi&h they !e$iate from their o(n innate ima+e
a&t%ay re$ea it=
In the same (ay" ea&h in!i$i!%a man9s (or!y form !is&oses this !o%be ori+in) <%t %ni'e
,ants an! animas" man is res,onsibe for the e6tent to (hi&h his innate ima+e is enabe! to
re$ea itsef an! !e$eo, no matter %n!er (hat a!$erse &on!itions) 0o(e$er" the fa&t that this
is ne$er more than ,arty ,ossibe m%st be a&&e,te! as an %naterabe eement of h%man
e6isten&e)
G
Sometimes it may ha,,en that in ta'in+ (ith a frien! abo%t somebo!y ese the 7%estion
(i arise as to (hat 'in! of ,erson that >somebo!y? reay is) This ine$itaby brin+s %s %,
a+ainst the &ontra!i&tion as it a,,ears to %s bet(een his essentia bein+ an! his em,iri&a
,ersonaity) In the i+ht of the atter" (e may ,erha,s @%!+e his ,ersonaity too harshy) <%t if
(e meas%re him a+ainst his innate ima+e" ma'in+ ao(an&es for (hat he may ha$e s%ffere!"
(e may ,erha,s ,%t asi!e o%r &riti&ism of (hat" thro%+h (or!y &on!itions" he has be&ome"
an! fee o%rse$es bo%n! to a!mit: ><%t" after a" he is a rea h%man bein+H? In ma'in+ s%&h
an a!mission (e may fin! o%rse$es ta'in+ into a&&o%nt the many $i&issit%!es of his ife an!
(i honor an! +i$e him &re!it for sim,y an! honesty a&&e,tin+ his ife:bo!y) +Le'enslei'*4
It may e$en be that" for this $ery reason" (e fee o%rse$es !ra(n to him in h%man
feo(shi,) We be+in to see that by not !issembin+ his im,erfe&tions he +i$es e$i!en&e of
the &or,orea %nity of that (hi&h is or!aine! an! ma!e ,ossibe for man) In the en! (e may
e$en &ome to $a%e him for the fa&t that he neither ,reten!s to be ess than he is" nor (ishes
to be more) 0ere (e are &onfronte! (ith a mystery) When a man" tryin+ to !o an! to be (hat
is ri+ht" sim,y a&&e,ts (hat he has be&ome" he thereby +ro(s trans,arent to his essentia
form e$en (hen he is not f%y in a&&or! (ith it) Th%s" as on+ as he stan!s fast to (hate$er is
his o(n tr%th" his inborn" s%,er:histori&a bein+ +o(s i'e a i+ht in the mi!st of his or!inary
e6isten&e) An! this &an ha,,en e$en (hen" %n!er the a!$erse &ir&%mstan&es of s,a&e an!
time" the ife:bo!y has been +ra$ey (o%n!e!) Whene$er a man str%++es to be tr%e to
himsef an! at the same time stan!s sim,y an! honesty by that (hi&h he has be&ome"
a&&e,tin+ himsef in a his (ea'ness an! im,erfe&tion" his essentia bein+ ine$itaby shines
thro%+h)
In the same (ay that o%r inborn" f%n!amenta ,er&e,tion of the Way" in (hi&h momentary
states of bein+ !o or !o not &orres,on! to o%r innate ima+e" &an be a(a'ene!" so (e &an train
o%rse$es to re&o+ni8e the +en%ineness of o%r attit%!es (hen &onfronte! (ith (hat (e
a&t%ay are) <y means of &onstant ,ra&ti&e (e &an !e$eo, o%r a(areness of those attit%!es
that &orres,on! to o%r innate ima+e as (e as stri$e to be&ome sensiti$e to the +en%ineness
of o%r +est%res" a&tions" an! beha$ior) We en!an+er this abiity (hen" for the sa'e of some
i!ea %s%ay fase of ho( (e sho%! be" (e !ishonesty &o$er %, (hat a&t%ay is) .ny
e6tremey rarey !o (e s%&&ee! in the t(ofo! tas' of !e$eo,in+ o%r a(areness of o%r tr%e
attit%!es (hie at the same time refrainin+ from hi!in+ those (e fee to be ess &re!itabe) For
this reason (e sho%! res,e&t in!ee!" re$ere the ,%rity of those +est%res an! ,ost%res that
enabe the i+ht of o%r Di$ine #ro%n! to shine o%t %n!is+%ise!" e$en thro%+h the often Ato %sE
,ainf% affirmation of o%r (or!y manifestation)
Any man (ho has reay entere! on the Way is bo%n! to !is&o$er that hen&eforth he
(i ne$er a+ain be free" e$en for an instant, from the res,onsibiity for attestin+ to essentia
tr%th in his attit%!es an! his ife) 0e m%st &easeessy en!ea$or to f%fi this res,onsibiity"
'no(in+ $ery (e that" no matter (hat he may a&hie$e" it (i a(ays be ina!e7%ate
&om,are! (ith the !eman! of the innate ima+e) Abo$e a" he ine$itaby earns that (hate$er
i+ht may shine forth from him an! his (or's" it is ne$er he himsef (ho has &reate! it a he
&an !o is re&ei$e an! a&&e,t it" in the s%re 'no(e!+e that it !oes not ori+inate in him) The
most im,ortant ,rere7%isite for any s%&&ess in o%r ,ra&ti&e is that there sho%! a,,ear in a
o%r a&tions the a(areness that anythin+ (e may a&hie$e in re+ar! to trans&en!en&e is not
!one of o%rse$es) A that &an be sai! is that (e ha$e been abe for a moment to a&&e,t an!
a!mit that to(ar!s (hi&h the Di$ine #ro%n! &onstanty im,es %s) There is bessin+ in!ee! to
be re&ei$e! b%t it ony &omes (hen" by +atherin+ a o%r ener+y into the effort to(ar!s sef:
reai8ation" the &om,%si$e &on$i&tion >I m%st !o it a mysef9 in&reasin+y !iminishes) We
nee! to earn to tr%st an! to a&&e,t that (hi&h rei+ns &on&eae! (ithin %s) .n the other han!"
(hen (e be&ome a(are of o%r o(n (ea'ness" the &ons&ien&e that enabes %s s&r%,%o%sy to
!e$eo, the form that &orres,on!s to the innate ima+e m%st (itho%t fai ta'e root)
Re&o+nition of &ons&ien&e an! obe!ien&e to s%&h re&o+nition sho%! a(ays +o han! in han!"
if (e are fr%itf%y to ser$e the manifestation of Di$ine <ein+ in o%r i$es) It sho%! be
remembere!" too" that ea&h time9 (e be&ome a(are of fain+ short of (hat is !eman!e! of
%s" an! (ith ea&h ne( insi+ht into o%r Mfai%res" the fifth ste, on&e more be&omes the first)
For it is thro%+h >&riti&a a(areness? that (e are enabe! to reai8e ho( an! (hen (e e6ist
an! beha$e in a manner %nbe&omin+ to one (ho bears (itness to Di$ine Life)
G
<earin+ (itness to Di$ine <ein+ in the ri+ht (ay has as its &oroary the &ontin%o%s t%rnin+
of the Whee of Transformation) For this &ontin%o%s t%rnin+ t(o fa&tors are res,onsibe" the
most f%n!amenta bein+ the fa&t that Di$ine <ein+" 7%ite (itho%t o%r assistan&e" 'ee,s %s
&onstanty mo$in+) <y means of this a&ti$ity it in&essanty (or's (ithin %s) It res,on!s to o%r
e$ery !e$iation from the form a,,ro,riate to it (ith a more or ess +ente home(ar! ,%) We
are ne$er entirey set free from o%r oneness (ith Di$ine <ein+) The on+in+ an! restessness
in o%r hearts an! the ,ress%re of o%r &ons&ien&e ,ro+ressi$ey ma'es %s a(are of this bon!)
The se&on! fa&tor that 'ee,s the MWhee of Transformation t%rnin+ has its ori+in in man9s
free (i) It m%st be remembere! that ony in the meas%re that" (e ha$e %n&on!itionay
in&or,orate! the Di$ine Wi into o%r own (i" are (e abe to stay on the Way) Sooner or
ater the time &omes (hen (e ha$e to !e&i!e" on&e an! for a" to remain o,en not ony to
e$erythin+ of +oo! or ba! that ife ines&a,aby brin+s %s b%t aso to that (hi&h @oyo%sy fo(s
thro%+h %s from the !e,ths of Essentia <ein+ an! ma'es %,on %s its abso%te !eman!) There
(i ine$itaby &ome a time (hen (e m%st !is&o$er in o%rse$es a state of rea!iness to bear
(itness to this %n!er a &on!itions of e6isten&e) For it is ony by means of o%r 'ecoming that
Di$ine <ein+ &an be re$eae! in the (or!) As ;aster E&'hart says" >Di$ine <ein+ is o%r
<e&omin+)? 0o(e$er" s%&h essentia <e&omin+ &an ony be manifeste! by an attit%!e that
embra&es e$ery s,irit%a an! ,hysi&a e6,ression of a man9s ife) An! ony this (ay of bein+
>in form? enabes Essentia <ein+ to e6,ress itsef more an! more freey in a o%r ,ost%res
an! +est%res" an! to stren+then the Person in his ,ro+ress to(ar!s be&omin+ more an! more
trans,arent) There is no ,attern in(ar!y ai$e in man that is not refe&te! in the ,attern of his
,hysi&a beha$ior) The more !ee,y a man be&omes a(are of his (hoe !isastro%s attit%!e to
ife an! the (ay in (hi&h he i$es it : the more s%rey" as he a,,roa&hes transformation" (i
he be+in to re&o+ni8e the e6tent to (hi&h the !istortion an! ri+i!ity of his ,ost%res ha$e
be&ome ,hysi&ay in+raine!) 0en&eforth" ,erha,s" he (i %n!erta'e to ,ra&ti&e those
+est%res (hi&h f%rther that trans,aren&e to Di$ine <ein+ (hi&h is ,reor!aine! for man)
G
Some years a+o" a a!y &ame to see me as'in+:
>0o( is one s%,,ose! to ,ray=? >Can yo% 'nee=? I as'e! her) ;y 7%estion m%st ha$e
to%&he! her on a sensiti$e s,ot" for she retorte! irritaby" >What !o yo% mean=? >It is 7%ite
sim,e"? I sai!) >Yo% @%st 'nee !o(n by yo%r be! an! +i$e yo%rsef %, &om,etey) . . . At
that she trembe!" rose from her seat an! eft the room" (itho%t a (or! of +oo!:bye)
The ne6t !ay she re,orte! Mthe foo(in+ in&i!ents) After she ha! eft me" she ha!" she sai!"
sta++ere! as if str%&' by a bo(" then s%!!eny she ha! be+%n to r%n" faster an! faster" %nti"
arri$in+ at her Mhote" she storme! %, the stairs" o&'e! her !oor an! fe9 %,on her 'nees) An!
then >it ha! s%!!eny &ome o$er her)? She !i! not %n!erstan! (hat ha! ha,,ene!C a she
'ne( (as that in this ,ost%re she ha! been ,o(eress an! as it (ere" e6tin+%ishe!" an! at the
same time !ei$ere! %, to somethin+ that ,rote&te! her" an! yes" no( she 'ne( (hat it (as
a abo%tH
This is an e6am,e of the heain+ ,o(er of ,%re +est%re)
G
.ne ,rere7%isite of o%r bein+ abe tr%thf%y to bear (itness to Essentia <ein+ in o%r
e6isten&e in s,a&e an! time" is that (e m%st ine$itaby ,ass thro%+h a 8one of annihiation)
The notion that it is ~ ,ossibe" on&e an! for a" to a&hie$e the e&stati& stare of i$in+ in the
,resen&e of Di$ine <ein+" is erroneo%s)9 Simiary" the &on&e,tion of the >,erfe&t man"? f%y
ro%n!e! an! at one (ith himsef" is a !e%sion) The taes one hears of men (ho &an no on+er
be inf%en&e! by anythin+" an! o$er (hom the M(or!9s o,,osin+ Mfor&es of i+ht an! !ar'
ha$e no ,o(er" are mis%n!erstan!in+s" if not betrayas of the tr%th)
G
.ny the man (ho !oes not fa into the error of ima+inin+ that he is >&om,ete"? is abe to
+i$e ,roof of Essentia <ein+ in the mi!st of ife) .ny he (ho 'no(s that he (i ne$er &ome
to the en! of his efforts &an &o,e (ith the (or! as it is in!ee!" for s%&h a one its $ery ins%ts
ha$e the effe&t of %nifyin+ him sti f%rther" to the e6tent that he is e$en rea!y to ta'e %, the
+a%ntet an! !o batte (ith it) What matters here is that he fi+hts in the ri+ht (ayH
12
An! this
!e,en!s on the !e+ree to (hi&h he is >ri+ht? in himsef)
To be ri+ht in this sense" it is not eno%+h for a man (ho (ishes ony to !efen! himsef an!
+ain his ,ersona en!s" to ta'e ti, the fi+ht sim,y from the stan!,oint of his ,ra+mati&
thin'in+ an! a the famiiar te&hni7%es of his e+o) /or" on the other han!" is that man ri+ht
(ho" in the ser$i&e of the tra!itionay estabishe! $a%es of his &omm%nity" s%,,resses his
e+o an! ma'es +reat sa&rifi&es) In!ee!" (e m%st +o f%rther an! assert that not e$en he is ri+ht
(ho" by reatin+ himsef soey to the for&es of i+ht" i+nores an! !enies the !ar' for&es those
,rima ,o(ers that are !ar' sim,y be&a%se they are re,resse!) <y !isre+ar!in+ these" an!
faiin+ to +i$e them their !%e" he a&t%ay &as them into bein+" both (ithin himsef an!
(itho%t) .ny the man (ho is abe to stan! fast an! im,ert%rbaby ao( the !ar'ness (ithin
an! (itho%t him to a,,roa&h" ma'in+ no attem,t to e$a!e its mena&e" &an +i$e ,roof of
Essentia <ein+ in ife) 0e is &a,abe of this" ho(e$er" ony (hen" in obe!ien&e to that a( of
ife (hi&h ,ermits no res,ite" he ris's re,eate!y (hate$er (or!y ,osition he may ha$e
(on) 0e m%st be ,re,are! to test the form that seeme! to be &omformabe (ith his essentia
bein+ o$er an! o$er a+ain in rene(e! en&o%nters (ith the threatenin+ (or!) .%r tas' is not
merey to &on7%er the ,rimary e+o (ithin %s" nor to o$er&ome (hate$er form" &orres,on!in+
to the (or!9s re7%irements in the matter of effi&ien&y an! so&ia &on!%&t" inhibits o%r
essentia bein+) It is e$en ne&essary for %s to ha8ar! that $ery state of min! (hi&h" from the
time (hen it be+an to manifest itsef" has +ro(n o%t of &onta&t (ith Essentia <ein+) Witho%t
'no(in+ it" a men" as soon as they ha$e re&o+ni8e! the &ore of their essentia bein+" be+in to
b%i! a tem,e aro%n! it) <%t this is the $ery e!ifi&e that nee!s to be !estroye! : not on&e b%t
a+ain an! a+ain in or!er that Di$ine <ein+ itsef may remain ai$e an! rene( its i+ht (ithin
%s) An! for this no tem,e is ne&essary a that is nee!e! is trans,aren&y)
G
12
See DKr&'heirn" >The Ri+ht to Fi+ht? in The 5apanese Cult of Tran6uility, Ry!er an! Co)" an! Wun!er'are
7at/e, .)W) <arth:Qera+" 1TR5)
Di$ine <ein+ is beyon! a o,,osites) It is %n!o%bte!y ,resent (ithin %s" b%t it &annot
fo%rish in this ife of o%rs if" i+norin+ the m%tiform an! &onfi&tin+ as,e&t of the (or!" (e
remo$e o%rse$es from the mar'et ,a&e an! !(e in a ,a&e a,art) ;an &an ony +ro( from
the root of Essentia <ein+ (hen he 1 ao(s e$en those thin+s that are re,%+nant to a,,roa&h
him) 0e m%st (itho%t reser$ation &onfront the ,o(ers of the (or! @%st as they are" neither
a$oi!in+ the !ar'" nor in+erin+ in the i+ht) It is ony by freey an! re,eate!y &hoosin+ ne(
en&o%nters" by mar&hin+ on an!" (hen ne&essary" yie!in+ %, that (hi&h has been most
!eary bo%+ht" that the s'in" so to s,ea'" of the inner man A(hi&h is ne&essary for his s%r$i$a
in the (or!E &an !e$eo, an! +ro( stron+" an! the instr%&tions nee!e! for the b%i!in+ of a
ne(" more $ai! str%&t%re be tem,ere! an! +i$en a &%ttin+ e!+e)
G
In &ontrast to the har! an! im,ermeabe she of the itte e+o Aor the ,ersonaityE" the i$in+
s'in of the inner man that is &omformabe to Essentia <ein+ an! at the same time a!a,te! to
the (or! m%st be&ome trans,arent" i)e)" as (e as bein+ ,ermeabe to Essentia <ein+ it m%st
aso be so to the re,eate! !eaths of the e+o) This inner &oatin+ is the means by (hi&h a man
in&reases in stren+th an! form an! is abe to &ontain (ithin himsef the ,entit%!e an!
%nifyin+ ,o(er that &omes from Di$ine <ein+) It sho%! be remembere!" ho(e$er" that this
>i$in+ s'in? remains ai$e ony (hen" both in tho%+ht an! in a&tion" man re,eate!y ris's the
form that has arisen !%rin+ some ,re&io%s moment of reease from the e+o an! in(ar! %nion
(ith the #ro%n!) At s%&h times" the tem,tation to !ra( a,art into some i!ea state of
7%ies&en&e is $ery +reat) <%t by s%&&%mbin+ to this tem,tation a man ine$itaby rea,ses into
his former &on!ition)
It is im,ossibe for Essentia <ein+" th%s enshrine! an!" as it (ere" ,rote&te! from the
(or!" to +i$e i+ht to or be&ome &reati$e in the (or!) .ny (hen the ,ersonaity has
be&ome trans,arent is Essentia <ein+ abe to ,%rs%e its re!em,ti$e ,ro&esses an! ,ier&e (ith
its rays the she of the (or!:e+o) Therefore" he (ho has (o'en to Essentia <ein+ f%fis his
ser$i&e to Di$ine <ein+ by the (ay in (hi&h he !oes >the one thin+ ne&essary?: that is to say"
by manifestin+ the Di$ine in the mi!st of the (or! in a his stri$in+" a his &reati$ity an! a
his o$e)
APPENDIX
Terminology
It sho%! be %n!erstoo! for the ,%r,oses of this boo' that (e !istin+%ish bet(een the
&on!itione! (or! of manifestation" i)e)" the reaity of time an! s,a&e" an! that (hi&h is
(hoy %n&on!itione! : the reaity of Di%ine Being( This %n&on!itione! reaity is" in effe&t"
the essen&e of a that e6ists) The manifestation of any i$in+ thin+ is ine$itaby the res%t of
the inte+ration of t(o ,oes" the one re,resentin+ that (hi&h is &on!itione! by time an!
s,a&e" an! the other Di$ine <ein+)
Essential 'eing, a+ain for the ,%r,oses of this boo'" is the term %se! in res,e&t to the manner
in (hi&h Di$ine <ein+ is ,resent in" say" a fo(er" an anima or a man) It is the in!i$i!%a
form that Di$ine <ein+ ta'es in any ,arti&%ar manifestation of ife) In man" on&e he be&omes
a(are of its ,resen&e" it is e6,erien&e! as an inner ima+e an! at the same time as an inner
,ath for him to foo() This essentia bein+ of man" re,resentin+ as it !oes the ,resen&e of
Di$ine <ein+ (hi&h &ontin%ay stri$es to manifest itsef in an! thro%+h him : is at one an!
the same time ,arty hi!!en an! ,arty re$eae! by (hat (e &a the worl!#ego( It is man9s
!estiny so to transform himsef that his essentia bein+ an!" as a &oroary" Di$ine <ein+ is
abe to manifest itsef in its entirety in the (or!) In so far as s%&h transformation is a&hie$e!
a man be&omes )a $erson, (hi&h means to say a i$in+ form thro%+h (hi&h Di$ine <ein+
may so%n! +personare*( $ersonality here in!i&ates that as,e&t of man (hi&h enabes him to
meas%re %, to the re7%irements of the (or! in a (ay that a&&or!s (ith the (or!9s tra!itions
an! $a%es) The &on&e,t of the $ersona &an be referre! ba&' to C) #) B%n+) It re,resents the
faIa!e (hi&h" to a +reater or esser !e+ree" &orres,on!s to that ima+e of himsef (hi&h a man
fashions in or!er to re,resent the ,arti&%ar roe he (o%! i'e to ,ay in the (or!) In his
efforts to(ar! this it in$ariaby ha,,ens that he s%,,resses an! thr%sts into the %n&ons&io%s
e$erythin+ that a,,ears to be anta+onisti& to this ima+e) Th%s the Sha!ow is &reate!)