Spiritual Vanity

There are many ways to be proud.

One of the most devious ways we can face is spiritual vanity... When a person works hard towards their spiritual selves, eventually there comes a time when they may feel they no longer need support in their journey, or that support is no longer helpful.

This is a fallacy. Looking back, even the greatest spiritual masters of the past need others. Some people grow spiritually by speaking of their spiritual journeys or by teaching others. Some grow by listening or by absorbing the spiritual teachings of others, and still others grow by feeding their spiritual energy into others. However we look at it, we are born of a single soul, and that soul binds each of us together.

One can never continue their journey without engaging others, even if it seems there is nothing to be gained, asking the difficult questions, the ones that have no answers is important - if only to gain perspective.

Of course, this differs from having a guide. I believe that as Rumi once said - without a guide, the journey is impossible. Each person has their own guide, their own belief system, and none of these are wrong. However, a guide is needed to even fully participate in the spiritual journey.

The journey of the spirit is a strange one indeed when looked at through the lens of the material. The spiritual journey benefits from companionship and requires guidance. The spiritual journey also relies on trial and error. The material world frowns on this approach, but it is the only way to take the journey of the spirit. This journey is a personal, deep trip with many obstacles and detours. As such, the only way to progress is to try different techniques within the realm of your individual guidance and see what works, what helps you to progress... Of course, the technique that works best that eventually gets ignored by most seekers is to ask... Ask God for help, ask others around you for their advice, ask learned individuals for their knowledge.

When we refuse to or fail to ask, we are engaging in spiritual vanity. Each person has been put on this Earth for some reasons, it is for us to find those purposes within ourselves and within others.

Speaking about the spiritual is important and it is sadly fading in many circles. Keep talking, keep asking and stay foolish.