Chapter 1
Spiritual Crisis
Why are you here?
What is this place, of all its beauty, and awe-full horror?
Is anyone listening?
Is there someone minding the cosmos?
What is killing us?
Why do we have to die?
Why do we have to change?
Why is there no justice in this world?
Who makes things happen?
Why do you feel powerless?
Why do you pretend not to?
Why are you ashamed?
Where is all this going?
Just to death?
Is there something else?
Why are you afraid of silence and the dark?
Can you really know anything that you can never be?
Can you even know yourself?
Are you anything at all?
What good are you?
Why are you so miserable?
And why do you hold on to staying where you are, if where you are is full
of misery?
Who are you?
You are happy, but then forget.
There is wonder all around you, that you ignore.
There is a music you can almost hear, but you close your ears.
You want to find a purpose, but waste your time on meaningless things.
You fear death so much you cannot live.
You would rather have longevity than fulfillment.
You feel like nothing ever happens, but you are terrified of having to
grow.
You regret the worlds suffering, but inflict harm on yourself.
You want adventure but are full of fear.
You want to feel in control but do not want to be responsible for yourself.
You are terrified of what others will think of you.
You think you are unworthy of love.
You want to know the future, but do not pay attention.
You cannot accept the end of things.
You cannot see the miraculous.
You cannot bear to be alone un-distracted with yourself.
You want to categorize everything and experience nothing.
You find it easier to accept an identity than to explore your true uniqueness.
You cloak yourself in what others have made you, so that you are yourself
empty.
You want to force life to fit your agenda, but in reality can't change
anything.
There is an emptiness in your heart, that you have tried to fill with
everything you cling to.
Your pain has been there so long, you even fear the responsibility of
living without it.
Live.
On the Master and Students
In life, there are many amateur catalysts.
But the master is in essence a professional catalyst.
What is a catalyst?
An agent of change.
And the important thing to remember is that all life is this, it is all
a catalyst.
But then, why the need for a master?
First it must be understood: a master is not a master because of his
own accomplishments.
It has nothing to do with his intelligence or dedication to spirituality.
It is only because of his experience, an experience that he was not responsible
for bringing about.
There are those who insist a master would only be a teacher because
he wants it.
The truth is that it has nothing to do with that.
Some people who become teachers may enjoy it.
Others may in fact be reluctant.
But they are teachers simply because it cannot be helped.
It is their nature.
The difference between a master and any other catalyst is that a teacher
will be conscious of the catalytic space he is creating.
He will be directing it, and consistently enforcing it.
But understand that no one can be helped by a master.
People will come to you, and those who wish to be stuck, to be slaves,
will remain slaves around you.
An element incapable of being catalized will not react.
And those who wish to be transformed, they will be transformed not because
of you, but because of them.
Yes.
The master is the catalyst.
But anything could have been the catalyst.
Yet a student who is drawn to a master is not drawn to some other catalyst.
The master is not responsible for the student's transformation, but he
has simply provided the service, the space, which the student was looking
for.
It is important for students to understand: the master does not need
his students.
But it is even more important to understand: the students do not need
the master.
They will change or not due to themselves, not due to him.
There is no dependence; that is what makes the relationship with a master
and student beautiful.
Yes, the master shares, and yes the student shares, but it is not based
on any need, salvation, or instruction.
Most of all, remember that the master is not salvation; he is humanity.
He is human, and he can show you the way to being more human yourself.
It is purely natural.
Only love.