Goals on the Mystical Teachings

The Mystical Teachings aspirant’s understanding of the true goal of any spiritual process must be put into proper perspective. For his aim should not be the accumulation of intellectual knowledge, nor psychic phenomena, nor even self-gratification, for these tend to be hallmarks of status and achievement, which are elements of the mundane world, not of the heavenly reality. Goals such as these are only ego hooks that act as anchors which will hold back the aspirant from any real goal. Therefore, one must become humble on this path, so that he may learn to surrender into the Divine.

Certain Eastern teachings will teach that the path involves a “goalless goal” by which you must “seek without seeking.” This line of reasoning only baffles the Western thinker and confuses his logical mind. Let us explain that this kind of philosophy is essentially saying that the Mystical Path is not concerned with some distant destination, but it focuses on the whole journey. Hence the idea is to live life as fully as possible without endeavoring to reach some utopian goal. For when you hold out for a supreme destination, you will miss the journey and any significant keys to development along the way. You can’t force your inner progress, but you must remain receptive to the flow of Spirit within you, so it can guide you where you need to be. The journey is a natural process that you can’t rush or manipulate.

“Growth is natural to man. No one thinks of a flower trying to bloom, or of a tree trying to grow. The blossoming of the flower is the manifestation of universal law flowing through the plant; it is the will of the Infinite made manifest in the finite. Illumination is the blossoming of the soul in man; it is just as natural, simple, and inevitable as the flowering of the rose.