Many of us have been on an inner spiritual journey for quite some time.  For many years I looked for love in the most ridiculous places until I finally looked for it within myself.  I felt that God was Love and being one with God, I too am meant to be love.  If that was true, I wanted to feel and express love at all times, in all relationships and certainly within myself.   After many years of seeking truth and awareness, and working daily spiritual practice of applying the tools of Self Realization, I feel that I growing daily toward the “Hearts Natural Love,” in me.  This is a journey that is a process that keeps on growing.  God is not done with me yet.  This is a term I found in a book by Paramhansa Yogananda’s  (who wrote “The Autobiography of a Yogi”) guru, Swami Shri Yukteswar, who wrote “The Holy Science.”  It is a small priceless treasure of a book that I have close at hand and I keep very close to my heart.

When I first heard the term, the Hearts Natural Love, something inside of me was energized and saying “yes”.  I felt my heart open up to something I was about to explore for many years to come that caused me to seek a deeper and more universal understanding.  Our heart has profound wisdom that can lead us to God, wisdom and eventually Self Realization.  Our ego and our head on the other hand, has many opinions, conditions, distractions, reactions, flaws and obstacles that prevent us from expressing the hearts natural love.

Taking my own spiritual growth to heart I knew there was a lot of work for me to do. Opening my heart helps me learn better ways to serve God with greater energy and ever deepening dedication.  I am always working on the daily “Practicing of the Presence” by consciously knowing that “God is the doer”.  That is when I witness the growth in my own awareness and attune myself to my highest self rather than being caught in any unholy habits of trying to manipulate or have power over anyone else but me.

Shri Yukteswar wrote about eight obstacles to the hearts natural love and he called them “meannesses of the heart.”  The following is his list of traps that prevent our hearts from becoming perfectly purified.  At Ananda we do that with meditation and using the techniques of Kriya Yoga that help us reach the spiritual eye and light within us.  Many old habits block us from going deeper into spiritual substance within us and gaining the deep realization that we seek beyond the intellect.

Hatred: dislike, loathing, animosity, disgust, aversion- all are the opposite of love.

Shame: dishonor, humiliation, embarrassment, disgrace, dishonor, degrade, discredit.

Fear: dread, terror, anxiety, fright, worry, concern, afraid, alarm, panic, horror

Grief: heartache, pain, misery, unhappiness, sorrow, angst

Condemnation:  blame, disapproval, criticism, attack, judgment

Race Prejudice: People of influence who prejudge others set the stage for institutional racism to occur.

Pride of Pedigree: Proud of being in an elite and privileged group.

Smugness: arrogance, self-satisfaction, conceit, self righteousness, self importance, over confidence, condescension, pride, exclusiveness

Most of us will find some thing on this list that we still have some work to do upon.  If not, good for you.

If you would like to join me in exploring how the above thoughts or issues impact your relationships in your life, or in yourself, your family, in the work place, in your security, social actions and attitudes.  Who are you honest with?  This is a wonderful opportunity to get support on your spiritual journey.  I invite you to take advantage of it.

Perhaps you are willing to take a look at the above attitudes and behaviors and see what comes to you.  If you need to shift or change something within you to make the world a better place, now is a great time to do just that.  What I seek to share with you in this series of blogs is an opportunity to go more deeply into reflection over the next few blogs and in my book in development.

Share your thoughts, your struggles, victories and insights.  Lets see who is in this process with me that intends to grow and make a difference.  The world needs all hands on deck now.  “Be a part of the Change.”  We all grow a little faster with the help of our friends along the path.  I hope that you will share some of your process so we can all encourage one another and dissolve any doubts that blocks our peace and understanding with a little help of our spiritual friends.  You are not alone!  If that touched a vulnerable place in you…. put your hand on your heart and breath deeply.  Then write me a post and tell me how I can help, what is up, do you need to share something now?

I ask you to look at this as both a student and for those of us that are also teachers to make sure we are revealing the keys to our inner kingdom of divine consciousness in all of our thoughts, beliefs and actions.  This journey demands self-control and honesty and lots of prayer for assistance from God to help us discover the joy of living in tune with the Infinite.

Know that You are Loved!   Rev. Barb Walley