Thoughts From A Mystic

. To be 'on the path' a person MUST be willing to deny everything s/he holds dear. 'The path' IS the payoff, it's not 'self' serving, which means it doesn't deliver anything (riches, power) beyond 'life in abundance'. A person is either on the path, or not; and a great challenge of staying on the path is to remain watchful to avoid falling from it. Nothing can be held back, which is why Jesus speaks about 'God's kingdom' as if it were a treasure that can only be purchased AFTER SELLING EVERYTHING a person owns [to 'possess it]. 'Works' are dead, since they are attempts to get a priceless 'something' for a limited price (having your cake and eating it, too). Repentance, which is necessary IN ORDER TO FIND and GET ON the path, isn't about doing 'good'. Repentance is an 'about face' in the way a person sees and responds to reality. A 'your will, not mine' way of seeing, that completely ...

. "He who has encountered the mystery of life has reached the source of wisdom. He experiences...,his finitude in face of the infinite. He learns that acceptance of one's limits is the decisive step towards wisdom. The fool rebels against the limits set by his finitude. He wants to be unlimited in power and knowledge. He who is wise accepts his finitude. He knows that he is not God." Paul Tillich THE ETERNAL NOW p.168, 2ndPP

Expression is not the 'thing'. (Neither is a reproduction of an expression of a thing.) '...,and the truth will set you free.' John 8.32b Matthew

. Seek Peace. Gaining knowledge (learning about specific 'things'), is a detour to finding Truth and Life. Peace comes from discovering Reality- which is not a 'thing'. You have awakened from the 'dream' of self (which is the cause of alienation and suffering), when you discover that everything which IS is exactly the way it should be. Your PRESENCE- awareness and participation with Being, is all that's required of 'you'. Enjoy the journey! Matthew