Level 1 Lesson 8 224B What is Necessary for Success in the Spiritual Practice
1. What are the main teachings brought out in the audio lecture recording? Explain in your own words.
A. One can become so degraded that one can blackout due to extreme ignorance. But on the reverse we can use the shedy disciplines for that same energy to build up and move it in a positive direction and have the same effect of it building up and pushing us towards enlightenment instead of towards ignorance.
B. The practice of Shedy helps one to unburden oneself from the past actions due to ignorance no matter what it was.
C. The more we purify and let go we will realize that the person who did these things was not the real us but it was the ego.
D. The parable of the yoga practitioner really brings home the point of the purpose of truth. To lift oneself and other up towards the heights of spirituality. It should be used in a manner that brings about the greater good and not for egoistic satisfaction.
E. We should perform actions for the action itself and not the result. That enables us to discover the inner divinity and more importantly that we are doing nothing at all, that all actions are really performed by God which we are.
F. Spiritual practice should be regular and balanced. It should not be fanatical. One can do a little of each discipline daily until one develops the flavor for it so that it increases naturally instead of a “soda water” type of practice. As we advance our practice should move to an informal as well as formal practice so that when we enter the world through our various daily activities we should be reflecting on as well as applying the teachings.
G. The spiritual gathering is like a fulcrum playing an important role in the progress of the aspirant. It helps to accelerate his/her growth as like energies are multiplied as well as one can get the gross as well as subtle food from the preceptor.
H. The idea of getting right back up after a fall. The concept of an infant who is trying to walk and is constantly urged to get back up once they fall is the same way that we as aspirants should approach the spiritual practice. We should get back up and remember that enlightenment is guaranteed as long as we have the correct understanding and practice of the teachings.
2. Are you currently implementing the teaching given in the book and the lecture? If so which ones?
A. I am practicing remembering that my situation in life is due to my past ignorance of my true self but as well as keeping in mind that my prosperous situations are due to me realizing my true self and acting in accordance with that. It is said in the Neterian Creed that if I act with positive Ari then I will bring harmony and truth, discovery of the Divine into my life. Also I am practicing Maat and the application of Maat to every aspect of my life. I am ready to let go of the burden of egoism and individuality. It is actually beginning to be much harder to maintain the illusion of Andrew instead of just realizing I am Neberdjer and acting with how my conscience wants me to act. I’m focusing now on avoiding the kickback of an unrighteous life.
B. I understand more now that attending the conference is of paramount importance in my personal growth. I have always had the attitude that I cant experience everything and that If I’m unable to participate in something then It just wasn’t meant to be but I realize that somethings you have to create in your life, you cant just sit back and say if it happens it happens. The yearly conference is one thing that I am trying to create in my life now as I feel it is very necessary to adopt this as a yearly event that I must attend.
C. I practice more on the action while at work now instead of getting praises for my work being error free or being able to solve some problem that arises at work. It is much more peaceful as well to cut of the thought process once we finish the task and just move on to the next thing to be done.
D. The example of a child not giving up on walking and just crawling for the rest of their lives really stood out to me as there have been some negative actions that have been ingrained in me for years but realizing that I will be able to eventually get up and walk away from them is very helpful and the more and more I see myself and creation as the divine this will aid in the process as well.
3. If not then how will you implement the teachings you are not currently practicing, in your life and spiritual practice?
The main practice I am trying to implement is not to have a soda water approach to my Shedy practices. Some days all I want to hear is the chants and watch videos that expound on the wisdom and some days I want to listen to Pandora. Now what I do is go with the flow. If I am moved to listen to the teachings outside of the formal practices I don’t stop it. I listen as long as I naturally gravitate to it. When the ego is more in control now I listen to just the instrumentals of egoistic music leaving the words out. This helps me because I can use the instrumentals as background music to reflect with. I have always had a strong desire to create and I have moved away from the creation of music and poetry that although may be leaning towards relative truths they still don’t move one towards the ultimate understanding of who they are in favor of contemplating ways to create poetry and songs that express my desires for enlightenment.
