Aims for soul development

The more I sit with the wisdom of the ages, and study the mystics, the more congruence I begin to sense. One philosophical congruence is the concept of the power of NOW—as Eckhart Tolle has popularized. Approximately 500 years before Christ’s advent in the Middle East, the life of Siddhartha Gautama emanated in Nepal and Northern India. His noble eightfold path and his words and teachings still ring true. Many of the concepts of his teachings are not at all incompatible with the capacity we are given through life in Christ.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. -The Compassionate Buddha

Eknath Easwaran comments: “When the mind is at rest, we are lifted out of time into the eternal present. The body, of course, is still subject to the passage of time. But in a sense, the flickering of the mind is our internal clock. When the mind does not flicker, what is there to measure change? It's as if time simply comes to a stop for us, as we live completely in the present moment. Past and future, after all, exist only in the mind. When the mind is at rest, there is no past or future. We cannot be resentful, we cannot be guilt-ridden, we cannot build future hopes and desires; no energy flows to past or future at all.

Past and future are both contained in every present moment. Whatever we are today is the result of what we have thought, spoken, and done in all the present moments before now- just as what we shall be tomorrow is the result of what we think, say, and do today. The responsibility for both present and future is in our own hands. If we live right today, then tomorrow has to be right.”

Yeshua’s words, "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

As Easwaran explains, this is in beautiful convergence with Buddha’s teaching which was introduced centuries earlier. Much of Christ’s teachings reflects the wisdom of the ages.

So, as I contemplate—con templum--enter into the Temple of my Heart—what resonates with me is this prayer of affirmation: “Lord Christ, supreme teacher of all wisdom and truth, have mercy on me! Enable me to grow in faith, faith in your provision, faith in your word, faith in your indwelling Spirit. I hear your word, and the resonance with the words of wisdom espoused through the ages. So, embed in my soul the trust in you, that knows that I am not to worry, or to be anxious, but simply to live in the present moment, wisely and earnestly.”

What is most empowering and encouraging is that I do not have to muster up the self awareness or gumption to live rightly by myself—to be strong enough internally to live Buddha’s philosophical teachings out of my own strength. My relationship with the Ascended Master of all wisdom and truth, the Logos, or eternal Word of God is such that He can empower and strengthen me within, and be embodied by his Living, Encouraging Holy Spirit. I must enter into the Temple of my own heart and He is there. He is abiding and teaching, in so many ways. He is the Word Incarnate—even in my incarnation, He is present, saving me ,and applying the Balm of Gilead to my heart, right now, this moment.

That gives the courage to live now, today, for Him, in Him, through Him.

Thanks be to God.