Spiritual Center

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Yoga – the path to knowledge of oneself
 

"It is only if we understand our true nature, being the divine nature, and only if we choose the path to our innermost thoughts that we will recognize our
own true manner which is the entity, consciousness and happiness (Sat-Chit-Ananda)."

If we look at ourselves through a mirror, we will see our true face, whether we like it or not. It is not the mirror which is to blame for our appearance, because it only reflects what it sees. In a higher sense all human beings whom we meet constitute mirrors of our true nature, our character, our conception of life. How often do we blame others for our own faults, weakness and unkindness. "You don't love me" is one of the reproaches we heap on others, but what about us? Do we love the other person? Do we have the ability to love others in the first place?
Hardly anybody knows what real love is. Many people think love is sexuality, desire, lust. Yet, love is more than that. How worn-out is the term love in our Western culture! There are uncountable love films and love novels, and yet these films and novels do not describe the true love. The relationship between man and woman is only a pale reflection of the divine love.

Young people who in their first state of being in love think to have heaven on earth will become disillusioned after some time has passed. The reason for wrong perception of true love is the lack of self-knowledge and a naïve conception of love and security which is conveyed by our society – by means of books, magazines, films, etc. If a partnership fails, nearly always the partner is blamed, seldom oneself takes the blame. The partner is "unloving", he/she does not satisfy the needs ....
And yet, the other person is only a mirror in which I can recognize myself. A spiritual education would be necessary, not only a religious one or even only an "ethical" one – what some circles would like.

A spiritual education is an instruction given by an advanced person who acts independently and self-consciously and is ready to take over responsibility for others. The yoga path as we understand it is a spiritual instruction, the aim of which is to free people from wrong ideas and help them to recognize their true natures.
To believe everything means to know nothing. Buddha himself instructed his disciples to only accept that from his teaching which they themselves have experienced and realized. Blind faith without knowledge has to be rejected; Jesus Christ says in one of his parables that a blind person should not lead and guide others: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?" (LUKE 6, 39).

Thus, in a spiritual education it is also necessary to concern oneself with one's own subconscious which shows itself in dreams and visions. The interpretation of dreams and the acquiring of the metaphorical language should constitute compulsory subjectstaught at a spiritual university. Unfortunately, there is no such university, neither is there any officially recognized school for spiritual education. The yoga path as described by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras would be such a path to self-knowledge and liberation.

Yoga is more than only a physical contortion training (Hatha-Yoga), as it is wrongly depicted in the West. It is the path of prayer, spiritualization and meditation. It is beneficial to the body, the sole and the spirit. Through the connection with our own higher self we also achieve the guidance by our "inner teacher". Each of us has this divine guidance, yet because of the noise of the world we became deaf to it. Through yoga we again come into contact with the divine source which guides us lovingly in each and any situation (as far as we let this happen). Nobody needs an external guru, because God alone is father and mother to us. If we trust in her/him, then we will receive the love and the light which illuminates our darkness. At the beginning, it might be necessary to have an external teacher who helps us with the first steps, but later on one should only listen to the divine guide in one's own heart. One should not listen to doctrines of some masters of the other world which are channeled through a medium or intermediary. These have not lived among us human beings, but to saints who have taken over the hardship of an earthly incarnation in order to be our prefiguration and Savior.

The so-called "esoteric" movement which confronts us with all possible and impossible doctrines (of salvation) unfortunately in reality has become only a "market place" promising salvation, if one is ready to pay a determined sum of money (for seminars, meetings, etc.). If Jesus Christ lived among us today he would go into the temple and begin to drive out those who bought and sold in it (LUKE 19, 45).

God does not stipulate conditions, SHE/HE gives love to any human being who has good intentions. It is not necessary to pay for this love, it is not only not to be had for money, but it constitutes the highest good in this world and in any other world that may exist. The grace of God cannot be bought, it is given as a present, if a person is prepared to turn around and go back to his father's house. If we recognize that it is not other persons who are responsible for our luck or bad luck, then we are free to experience real wonders in our life. If we no longer depend on the acknowledgement and affection of others, because we realize that all which makes us happy lies in ourselves, then we are free. As soon as we are free, we are ready to give. To give love. If everybody gave, then there would be heaven on earth. Let us therefore start with ourselves. There is not much sense in it to try to change the world by teaching others or by preaching from the pulpit, but we can change the world by starting with ourselves.
"The one who saves a human life, saves the whole world" "May God's blessing be with you"

Amen - OM Shanti OM