Introduction/A Spiritual Seeker

[Guest guest]

I wanted to introduce you today to Robert Ryder who has written an essay

called "A Spiritual Seeker." Robert is a retired Biologist/RN and is now

part of a small unique group, in SW Missouri, called Oneness Center, that

studies comparative religion and mysticism. On his way to Vietnam (68-70),

Robert was given three books on Eastern Philosophy at the airport, Gita,

Upanishads, and Dhammapada. Robert has seen much in his life and studied and

practiced and one can see the distillation of his life experiences in the

powerful, beautiful, and eloquent essay, "A Spiritual Seeker" which can be

read at the HS Magazine and website.

 

 

Robert writes:

 

"If you cannot find God in your own backyard, it is not likely you will find

God along the Jordan, the Ganges or the Nile; nor will you find Her in the

flower or a smile.

 

We must be living expressions of truth, not fossilizing custodians of

ancient theosophy. The spiritual seeker knows that life is being moved by

powerful unseen forces. At times traditional beliefs and dogma are

insufficient. Recasting old ideas and collecting knowledge is not synonymous

with spiritual experience. It may serve to activate our interest but it does

not provide an inner awareness. There is no set course of instruction which,

after completing, we receive an S.D. ("Saint's Degree") or an M.D.

("Mystic's Degree"). Each of us has a unique past to draw from and each is

drawn to and responds to certain practices in our own unique and individual

way. Individual differences are neither better nor worse, just different. To

compare one's self with others is to forget the uniqueness of your own

journey."

 

Robert also shared from the quotes from Sengstan at :

 

/join

 

By Sengtsan...

 

The Way is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing is

 

in excess. Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do

 

not see the true nature of things. Live neither in the entanglements of

 

outer things, nor in inner feelings of emptiness. Be serene in the oneness

 

of things and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves. when you

 

try to stop activity to achieve passivity your very effort fills you with

 

activity. As long as you remain in one extreme or the other you will never

 

know Oneness.