Astral7 tells us the pure teachings are in good hands

Quote:

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Are we spending to much time on the "I"?
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On a different thread, the following question was posed along with a quote by Gyanamata:

The question:
"What does it matter? I had a profound shift in thought today. Are we spending too much time on the 'I' ? "

The quote:
"We make too much of feeling, even admitting that
the right kind of feeling is very enjoyable. What does it
matter how you feel? Bear your lot as long as it is the
will of God that you should do so. Act rightly, and in
due time the right feeling of peace and joy will
come".

To appreciate this quote fully, one has to take into consideration that Gyanamata is a Jnana yogi -- one of many legitimate orientations on the spiritual path. A jnani relies on the use of the mind as a detached witness. The idea is to break identification with name and form, and try to experience one's self as the eternal. When the sensory mind gets the upper hand, the jnani switches to endurance --- he or she regards the phenomenal world as a "flu" to be endured until wellness.

We can learn from everybody. But just because the method is correct doesn't mean all can or should use it. One man says the only way up the mountain is by horse. Another insists you can only make it by helicopter. Someone else says you must take a secret tunnel to the top. Which way is right for you? If you go by tunnel, you navigate in a strange internal landscape; it's dark and there are bats and spiders. By helicopter, you get the total view, but you miss the details; also, you must deal with updrafts and crosswinds which can be hazardous. If you go by horse, you get to enjoy the trails and the scenery from up close. But you also ride on an animal which may turn lazy or overly spirited.

Our guru gives us many choices. It is up to us to decide what and how to follow. In "The Divine Romance," there is an article titled "How Feelings Mask the Soul." Here Guruji's discussion seems to support Gyanamata's quote. Turning to the SRF Lessons, you find one titled "The Chemistry of Feelings" (S-2 P-33) which encourages a completely different tack.


Let's contrast representative statements made by our guru from the above-cited works:

"Your real nature is calmness. You have put on a mask of restlessness: the agitated state of your consciousness resulting from the stimuli of feelings. You are not that mask; you are pure, calm Spirit. It is time you remember who you are: the blessed soul, a reflection of Spirit. Take off the mask of feelings. Face your Self."

---- from "How Feelings Mask the Soul"


"By itself, a particular feeling produces a particular, limited result; but when rightly combined with certain other qualities, it may produce infinite results in spiritual realization."
---- from "The Chemistry of Feelings"

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