The self is a bundle of contradictions. We want, we get, we want something else.
Suppose I had all the things I wanted when I was ten years old; every material possession, every physical and mental attribute, friendship with my favorite characters and heroes on TV and in the movies, the most fun games and toys. Who would I have become at 11? And suppose I had all the things I wanted when I was 25; a PhD, the perfect job, the ideal mate, the gorgeous home? Who would I have been at 26? Thirty five is an even greater mystery. At thirty five I wanted to penetrate this world, to find out what was on the other side, to taste consciousness of another flavor. Suppose I attained this desire. Who would I have aspired to become when I 36?
Beneath it all there is another want that is difficult to name. It disguises itself in a matrix of physicality where pleasure and pain are avenues that merge on a boulevard toward inevitable death. When you let go of mundane desires you discover a grander, more celestial desire. I am in the process of surrendering to that desire.
On the surface it seems that this desire is in conflict with life itself. We often think of conflict as a bad thing, an unpleasant experience that requires choice, selecting one perspective or opportunity over another. It does not need to be that way.
Here I am, seemingly trapped in this physical body and held within the boundaries of self consciousness. Not so, for within this self consciousness there is a spark, a memory that is distant and mysterious. It is one of plurality, of being beyond the state of oneness.
The self is a condition of continual wanting. The soul is an experience of perpetual having. Give the self what it wants, and it will want something else. What it truly wants is to be united with soul.
What about soul? If it already has all that it wants and needs, why this desire to surrender to individuality?
Perhaps the soul in its state of perpetual having is simply having an experience of self, an individual mission that cannot be completely understood within the context of that self.
The self has a mission, and each one is unique. I came here almost sixty years ago with a mission, but the mission is still not completely clear. I have discovered, however, that there is a relationship between my wants and desires and my mission. Desire is a queer thing. What one wants does not come in a complete package. It isn’t as though they came in a bundle that was scattered, and it has become my task to identify and experience them. I’ve discovered that you cannot collect what was not contained. Desires come in sequences and cycles. They have contingencies and build upon one another, and sometimes there is no way to predict a future want.
An irony in the concept of self is that desires often come from outside of self. They come from other people, their influence, their shared experience. The mystery of attraction is worth contemplating. How does the company you keep influence your desire? How do you influence the company you keep? What brings the greatest happiness, the greatest contentment? Is there a balance between mundane, physical desires and spiritual desires?
When I think back on my life, it was the periods of balance that brought me everything I wanted.
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Welcome!
If you are interested in reading my new book, please look for it on Amazon.com. Immediately below are comments about the book. Further below is an onging Imagine That journal. Your comments are welcome and encouraged!
COMMENT FROM JULIE SCOTT, Grand Master of the Rosicrucian Order for the English speaking Americas:
COMMENTS FROM STEPHEN THOMSON, Author Of The Secret Key:
"This is a truly remarkable book. In fact, I think it’s a really rare and unusual find. Imagine That is a fascinating mix of biography, blended with life lessons and spiritual teaching. Throughout the book, the reader gets a candid and intimate look at the poignant events and turning points in Michael’s life. And as the book progresses through the years, he also shares his spiritual awakening and the significance of so many life events to his soul journey.
For anyone interested in his or her own spiritual growth, this is a great primer and motivational source. The book is packed with profound spiritual truths, presented in simple and easily understood language. There is enough information in this book to keep the reader busy meditating, in their journal and just gaining understanding of the path, for a long time. Imagine That is also a catalyst for a deep inner search that is the hallmark of the spiritual way. There is so much to be learned about the spiritual path and ways to approaching unfolding consciousness in this book.
On a personal level, this book provided me with so many gifts. I enjoyed the voyeuristic feeling I experienced reading a book that is an entrée someone else’s life and spiritual experience. There were parts I found easy to read and enjoyed. Then there were parts of the book, which totally changed my way of thinking. Further still, I found sections where as I began to read, I had to put the book down and wait several days, just to digest the thoughts and concepts presented in a Cluster. I can honestly say that reading Imagine That affected me deeply and changed many of my core spiritual beliefs.
One last comment on the book. At the end of each cluster, which replaces traditional chapter breaks in the book, is an evolving creed. As the reader it felt like each new creed was an addition of another block being added to a strong foundation. Emotionally, the idea of an evolving creed seemed so logical, but not something I had ever thought of in my own work. Yet, with each addition and the advancing nature of Michael’s creed, I couldn’t help but experience a sense of increased personal power and strength."
If you are interested in reading my new book, please look for it on Amazon.com. Immediately below are comments about the book. Further below is an onging Imagine That journal. Your comments are welcome and encouraged!
COMMENT FROM JULIE SCOTT, Grand Master of the Rosicrucian Order for the English speaking Americas:
"...I have read through your book which is very interesting. I really like what you have created with “Your Evolving Creed”, and your experiments and questions are very engaging…”
COMMENTS FROM STEPHEN THOMSON, Author Of The Secret Key:
"This is a truly remarkable book. In fact, I think it’s a really rare and unusual find. Imagine That is a fascinating mix of biography, blended with life lessons and spiritual teaching. Throughout the book, the reader gets a candid and intimate look at the poignant events and turning points in Michael’s life. And as the book progresses through the years, he also shares his spiritual awakening and the significance of so many life events to his soul journey.
For anyone interested in his or her own spiritual growth, this is a great primer and motivational source. The book is packed with profound spiritual truths, presented in simple and easily understood language. There is enough information in this book to keep the reader busy meditating, in their journal and just gaining understanding of the path, for a long time. Imagine That is also a catalyst for a deep inner search that is the hallmark of the spiritual way. There is so much to be learned about the spiritual path and ways to approaching unfolding consciousness in this book.
On a personal level, this book provided me with so many gifts. I enjoyed the voyeuristic feeling I experienced reading a book that is an entrée someone else’s life and spiritual experience. There were parts I found easy to read and enjoyed. Then there were parts of the book, which totally changed my way of thinking. Further still, I found sections where as I began to read, I had to put the book down and wait several days, just to digest the thoughts and concepts presented in a Cluster. I can honestly say that reading Imagine That affected me deeply and changed many of my core spiritual beliefs.
One last comment on the book. At the end of each cluster, which replaces traditional chapter breaks in the book, is an evolving creed. As the reader it felt like each new creed was an addition of another block being added to a strong foundation. Emotionally, the idea of an evolving creed seemed so logical, but not something I had ever thought of in my own work. Yet, with each addition and the advancing nature of Michael’s creed, I couldn’t help but experience a sense of increased personal power and strength."
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