1.1.1 FNS

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There are those whose greatest value lies not in spiritual life but in their worldly activities and there are those who value most the relationships that they have to others . . . There are those who value most the goods which they possess, those things which they feel will make them secure and there are those who value most their spiritual life. They value the deep recesses within themselves from which they may draw nourishment and sustenance. They value most that which is ephemeral which can be known only by pure experience, by pure essential contact, not by physical touch and not even by intellect, but by direct contact. For you know, the Divine has been spoken of in so many ways, for so many thousands of years. People have tried to describe Divinity. In so many different cultures they have made so many monuments, they have given so many descriptions, they have given so many scriptures, but all of these descriptions, all of these monuments and scriptures, they do not give what is required most. For though they may point the way, though they may say: "What you seek, lies over here". They cannot give you the direct experience. That direct experience must be known within your own heart, within your own soul, within your own mind, within your own being. This is the only place that that direct knowledge may be accessed. So it is not something that can be learned from the scriptures, nor is it something that can be find in any philosophical work. Though this may be interesting to the mind, they will not give the direct experience and though you may read all of the scriptures, though you may study so many philosophical works and even you may do intricate practices, if you do not bring yourself to the altar of love, if you do not bring yourself to the Divine, heart and soul, then that contact will remain inaccessible. So you see, it is not a matter of how many scriptures you have read, what books you are acquainted with, who are the important people you know or perhaps what famous lecturers you have seen, important conferences you have attended. These things are not criteria for spirituality, neither is the amount the practice you have done, the austerities you have performed, the religious life you have pursued. All of these are good and well but they do not constitute spiritual experience. Spiritual experience, experience of Divinity lies not in all of these externals, though they are about religious subjects, they are still external. The relationship to God is very personal relationship, it is very internal relationship. It can only be known deep within you. And in that internal experience one may come to know the Divinity which lies quiescent at all times available, expressed, omnipresent, omnidirectional, always with you. You know it is not that the Divine is not with you, but that human beings often are in the habit of looking to the play of creation rather than the one who created that play, mesmerized, fascinated with the colors of this world. You forget whom it is, who has created this play of colors. Absorbed in the colors, you do not notice the One who throws them about. So in spiritual life, you are to turn around, turn around from the play of external colors and face within you the Divinity which was always existed, which exists today and which will always exist in the future.

You are to turn yourself around towards that Divine essence which your Divine birthright, which is your home of homes, which is the Divine Progenitor from where you have come. For you are none other than the child of that Divinity. In your own experience of selfhood lies your relationship of God, in heart of your humanity lies the key to Divinity. For in your essential nature as a human being, what are you, who are you? The question must be asked: "Who am I, who am I who resides in this body who does all things in the life, who has so many degrees, so many important involvements, who feel both pleasure and pain. Who is this person who experiences all of this?" In that essential nature, in your selfhood, comes the contact with the Divine. For in your own experience of existence, you come to know, that upon which your experience is founded, your existence is founded, for you exist within a larger context, within a context that is vast, that can not be contained and defined by words, a consciousness that is indefinable, indescribable, omnipresent and omnidirectional, a consciousness which has always been, pure, peaceful, self-resplendent and your very existence takes its root in that consciousness. For the consciousness which underlies your own existence which constitutes your self-awareness. What is that cognition, what is that awareness which allows you to experience the myriad of colors in this manifest world. That very cognition, that very awareness that lies at the root of your selfhood is the very same substance from which the Divine is formed. It is from that Divinity, that substance, that self-awareness takes its root. And if the mind is turned around to look deep within, to look deep into the core of your being, into the essence of your own self, to observe not the play of colors that flash upon the mind, but to observe the observer, to observe the witness of your experience, to observe the One who is cognizant. Take the mind, turn it around to that very One who is cognizant of your existence and in that cognition you will find the key which unlocks the door. And when the door opens there is nothing but pure indescribable blessedness, it cannot be contained within the mind, but it can be experienced directly. The true knowledge of spirituality is a practical knowledge that comes from direct experience and all the scriptures, all the books, all the religions point the way, but it is in the laboratory of your own mind that you must follow these directions and turn around, turn around to face yourself, to face the pure and beautiful Divinity which lies within you and within all beings. It is your birthright and your greatness that this is with you.

For the Divine is ever present, ever with you showering Grace upon You. It is only due to the umbrella of ego, due to the sense of self-importance, to the sense of involvement in the world that the rain of the Divine love is not constantly felt. When the umbrella of ego is closed and the Divine presence, the shower of Divine love allow to fall upon you. When the heart and mind are open in love and all defensiveness melted away, then this pure direct experience may be had. It is always there, He is always there waiting for you, He is always with you. That Divinity is always yours. There is no time when you are alone, unguided, unprotected. Only due to absorption in the illusions of this world, you have forgotten your Divinity. You have forgotten how to turn around, how to look within, how to look to that Divine Entity who is always showering you with a fine rain of Divine Grace. So do not waste this human life. In this life, use your time wisely, use it to learn the path home, learn how to turn around, learn how to look directly to your Lord, to the Divinity which lies within you and how to dissolve the Ego, the umbrella of separateness, to allow yourself to fully experience that flow of Divine love, to allow to fully experience the Divine within you.

It is being said, be as little children, pure and unaffected and open. In that condition with an open heart, the Divine may be seen.