Spiritual Formation
“A person can only be said to have begun the journey on the Inner Way when the injunctions he or she obeys are no longer those that conform to the world’s scale of values, but rather those which accord with Divine Being within them.”
Underground Buddhist temple outside of Da Nang, Vietnam
Spiritual formation is not a quick fix with trendy answers. It is not an escape to an inner realm that is divided from our presence here on Earth. Nor is it an ego-driven seeking for personal enlightenment or manifesting one’s ideal life. Spiritual formation is a humble path of awakening to our True Self (Atman in Vedanta, Indwelling Christ in Christianity) within the Absolute Oneness of Ultimate Reality (Brahman in Vedanta, Godhead in Christianity). It involves directly engaging with the mystery of life while opening ourselves up to the abiding grace and presence of the Eternal One. A compassionate nature, selfless service, intuitive wisdom, and an unattached loving heart are qualities of true spiritual formation.
One of the greatest obstacles to authentic spiritual formation is self-centered thinking and living. The anxious and fearful egocentric self wants to cling to its own mental projections and separate physical identity with all its might. Various religions have different names for the delusional state that can hold people hostage and prevent them from awakening to their True Self, such as the Buddhist “Samsara”, the Hindu “Maya”, a “Nafs Attack” in Sufism and in Christianity it is called “The Fall”.
Wooden rowboat floating on the Thu Bon River in Hoi An, Vietnam
In The Gospel According to Matthew, chapter 26 verses 36-46, Jesus of Nazareth asks three of his disciples to stay awake while he goes further up into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Yet, time and again they succumb to their lethargy and fall asleep. This is a metaphorical teaching about how important it is to wake up to the Oneness of Ultimate Reality in this lifetime and the diligence that it takes to remain awakened once we have.
This awakening takes both human effort and divine grace. A metaphor that Jake uses for this conjoining is a wooden flute. When we are emptied of our egocentric desires and social conditioning, and are fashioned into a flute, then the Eternal One can play through us. The music born from this union harmoniously awakens us from our long slumber in worldly time. In Christian jargon this humbling process is called kenosis while other traditions refer to it as self-emptying.
“In genuine contemplation, what takes place is a contact between the inmost reality of the created person and the infinite reality of God.”
Prayer rugs in mosque in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
However, in today’s hyper-materialistic and techno-hypnotized world, many spiritual seekers who attend retreats and online courses are only building up or inflating their egos with spiritual pomp and self-centered “manifestation” claptrap. This pseudo-spiritual parody plays out online and at retreat centers around the world, as self-styled Spiritual/New Age/Manifestation gurus prey upon peoples’ egocentric desires to be “enlightened” or to become “powerful manifestors” or “live their best lives”. All of which are egocentric aims. Basically, seekers should remain vigilant of the pompous spiritual ego masquerading as having attained true spiritual wisdom.
A stray dog finds a modest refuge from the sun on a beach in Hua Hin, Thailand
The Sufi term for this kind of spiritualized ego expansion is bast; the revered Sufi mystic, Al-Qushayri, taught that there is a great danger in this mood for it can overtake a spiritually immature person with beguiling deception. Basically, what these egocentric teachers and seekers see as “enlightened spirituality” is nothing more than a projection of their desirous ego reveling in its own vainglory. Moreover, Jesus of Nazareth advised: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
This is why it is vital for sincere seekers to find authentic spiritual friends and humble spiritual teachers along The Way, or they may be led far astray. It’s like Sri Ramakrishna taught, “The tree laden with fruits always bends low. If you wish to be of service, be lowly and meek.” Quite simply, Spiritual Truth is a humble shelter that the ego cannot enter.
Please Contact Jake with any inquiries about entering into spiritual formation work either as an individual or as part of a group.
*All spiritual formation work is freely offered.
“True mysticism is never self-seeking. The genuine mystic wants only God, and this deepest desire reorganizes, destroys, or transforms all lesser cravings. ”