The purpose of being on the spiritual path is to awaken ourselves to the realization of our real nature. The number one barrier to Self-realization is the ego, or the sense of separation.

Ages ago when humanity first became involved with creation, it was through an orderly process. The soul is a ray of spirit which is surrounded by a magnetic field composed of feeling (emotions), ego, intellect and mind. From this aura, electricity emanates and produces the casual and astral bodies. Then, the soul takes on a physical body and this is where we find ourselves now, as physical sense-oriented beings.

The way back to God realization is to allow the attention to flow back to the source. Through Transcendental Meditation we transcend everything that is not pure, for that which is not pure is that which keeps us bound. In the transcending, we introduce the purity of Being into our physical and relative nature and we begin to effect the necessary change that leads to enlightenment.

Early on the path, we start to learn the importance of letting go of our selfish cravings. We learn to replace uncontrolled emotions with reason. We also learn to make intelligent use of the mind; to use the mind as a creative medium. And, we cease to create binding personal situations for ourselves and, in most cases, for others who we are in contact with.

As human beings, we are a combination of body, mind and spirit. Ordinary people, who are in tune with the mass consciousness of humanity, are known as sons of man. When we awaken and become conscious knowers of truth, then and then only, we become sons of God. This is the challenge of the seeker on the path; to rise up from the son of man to his true status, son of God.

Of ourselves we can do nothing, the ego can do nothing. This is the recognition that leads us to the path of freedom, the path that lies within all of us.

This life is either one of bondage, or one of becoming free. This depends on whether we are awakened and without an ego, or whether we are conditioned and unaware. Up to a point, we have free will. We can decide whether to relax and surrender to our higher Self, or we can willfully follow personal ambitions. While we are busy pursuing a mundane course in a material life, we will never find true happiness. We can only find happiness as a result of our absolute surrender to our divine true Self.

Once we start to work toward rendering a worthwhile service in this world for the upliftment of humanity, then we begin to feel that we are a part of the cosmic plan for the transformation of this earth and the people on it. We then rise above petty concerns, problems and personality conflicts. We are no longer ego motivated, and we find satisfaction in working towards the realization of God. We then find that we are neither moved by praise or blame. We do not surrender to temporary obstacles in our path, and the gales that blow do not blow us away from our eternal goal.

The main thing is that we understand and not become depressed when we see how slowly the masses awaken in consciousness, and how few people there are in the world that are concerned with spiritual growth. We just do our work, because it is ours to do. We, however, know that our selfless action is the action that leads us to the Supreme life. In the final analysis, that is really all we need to know.

The true renunciate is the one who renounces all activity that would bind him to this world. Success and failure, health and sickness, wealth and poverty; these are appearances on the screen of life. They belong to the world of relativity. There is only one thing that now matters to us, and that is to be forever anchored in the absolute life eternal; one with our Self and one with God. This and this only is the one thing that can bring us everlasting happiness; bliss divine.