The ego constantly puts one to the test when one strives to attune oneself to all those conditions in which life places one, such as communicating with others at their own level of understanding, answering their smiles with a smile, offering tears to their tears, standing side by side with them in their joys and pains, helping them when they stumble over their own self assertion, performing conscientiously all those outward roles which are expected from us while experiencing inwardly the great tragedies and comedies in human nature. Naturally, the one who succeeds in this certainly appears to be a mystery to the average person, who cannot possibly measure selfless behavior.

Inner life means making God the very ideal to which we relate, calling God by sacred names illustrating such attributes as Judge, Forgiver, Friend and Beloved, as well as numberless other qualifications traditionally adopted by other religions. By this means, belief in God becomes such a tangible reality that the feeling heart turns to the Divine Presence for help and guidance. One looks up to God, the Beloved, when one is broken-hearted. One looks up to God, the Helpful Friend, when deprived of sympathy in this cruel world. One looks up to God, the Lord of Justice, when worldly disillusionment has broken one's trust. One looks up to God, the Forgiver, when one is tortured by an unrestful conscience. Obviously, however religious or pious one is, unless one discovers the reality of a living God, living in one's own heart, one is like a fatherless child. It is therefore that the task on the inner path is to establish a godly relationship in our lives, for in so doing, a new dimension of understanding with God is revealed, making oneself a living God. But the one who is God-conscious speaks little about the inner life, whereas the unbeliever displays all doubts and fears in endless arguments and debates.

The inner path is a path of freedom, which is why every effort is made to free oneself from all those regrets which are a hindrance to progress: regrets such as unfulfilled worldly ambitions, past torments, hatred and an unrestful conscience. The vehicle used during the journey is an energy with two poles, Will Power and Wisdom. When these two polarities are synchronized it secures a perfect state of balance at all levels of consciousness; balance of thoughts and feeling; balance of action and repose; balance of material and spiritual ideals. It is then that the traveler on the path of the inner life is able to offer treasures of thoughtful deeds and uplifting examples of love, harmony and beauty to all those left behind. Although the traveler on the inner path is clad in 'veils of silence' out of respect for the sacredness of the journey, yet the traveler is never alone because the Divine Presence is always present. It is then that one conceives God as Love, Lover and Beloved. As lovers of God, our love reveals to us that we are the beloved ones of God when we become at the same time human and Divine.



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