And you could look at Ashrams, Ashrams, Ashrams, but they will simply Strangle you with an excuse

2012

25

And you could look at Ashrams, Ashrams, Ashrams
but they will simply strangle
you with an excuse

What’s the ‘excuse’ ‘ashrams’ (and other spiritual institutions) will strangle me with? ¹

It’s the excuse of being led by an external teacher rather than my own Green Christ. It’s the excuse of clinging to an external system rather than learning from my own Green Magdalene.

I’m to walk the road of the individual. I’m to walk the path of the pioneer. I’m to walk the path of the navigator. The Self will be my guide.

Within my heart, I hear the guide
The voice from which I will not hide

A voice as straight as straight can be
The voice of sight and prophecy

The voice that stalks in caverns deep
The voice that wakes & does not sleep

The voice that sets my life on fire
The voice from which I do not tire

Its ashram burns within my heart
Its darshan is, this second start
²

¹ Most seekers have an involvement, at some point, with an ashram, church or spiritual system. Yet, for those who seek to realise the Self, there inevitably comes a clash. The Self relentlessly challenges that part of us which is content to stay with group experience and group wisdom. If we are to realise the Self, sooner or later we must break free into the unique life to which the Self calls us.

See Saying 65: ‘Mere methods are not enough’
Saying 132: ‘I am the Master’

² ‘Darshan’ is the impartation of ‘living wisdom’ by a spiritual teacher. It’s ‘living’ because it is imbued with the lived experience and spirit of a teacher. In the Christian tradition, the word ‘anointing’ is used. A teacher is said to be ‘anointed’ with the Holy Spirit.

An ashram is a place where a guru lives and teachers.

Meditation: still yourself… when you are ready ask your inner teacher about an ashram, church, or spiritual system you are involved with… Is it helping you? How? Is it hindering you? How? How should you relate to this spiritual system? Dialogue with your inner Christ.