Page 143 - Mystic Pathways through the Bible

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chapter Six 137
This great world is imperfect, and whatever one possesses will pass away. Everything in this world is ever changing; nothing is substantial or absolutely real. Therefore, the human quest for happiness through the objects of the world is a futile quest. Genuine and ful lling happiness can never be found as a result of external developments. “Mourning,” then, implies promoting a constant understanding that a life con ned to egoistic consciousness is a miserable life, a life that is limited and transient. On the other hand, a life that transcends ego and enters into universality is rich and joyous.
You are like a person who once was the ruler of a great kingdom, but now nds himself con ned to the desolation of a prison cell. You are intrinsically one with God, yet due to ignorance you have become identi ed with a body and ego personality. You must realize that being con ned within these limits is not your real nature. Thus, your spirit should “mourn” over its con nement and eagerly aspire to become free of bondage by realizing its Divine identity.
The term “mourn” also refers to developing a contrite heart. In addition to perceiving the inherent limitations of the world, an aspirant develops a keen awareness of his own limitations and imperfections as well as a yearning to be free of them. That is the characteristic of an advancing soul. If you are practicing self-introspection, you realize that there is