Spirit Speaks. Are You Listening?

I have always had faith in the wisdom of the universe and in its timing. Things happen as they should even if some events are initially unwelcome. Time inevitably unfurls the meanings of these, their purposes or the lessons inherent in them. What guided me spiritually had always been more real than anything the physical world had to teach me. I looked inward, followed the voice that whispered to me from there and forged ahead to find that the path thus chosen was always the right one. That voice came in several forms: as clairvoyant visions, prophetic dreams, and even as “automatic writing”—mysterious sentences that I felt compelled to record and then examine for their meaning. Inevitably, they were rife with meaning, gilded in wisdom that I did not know myself to possess. All the while, I have never seen myself as extraordinary and certainly not worthy of being celebrated in any way. I marveled only at the fact that I accepted the validity of my inner voice so unconditionally and that I followed its guidance with deep confidence. And that brings me to the idea of this book. It occurred to me that those ready to move ahead on their path would pick up this book, while those not yet receptive would simply let their eyes wander to other titles. It would constitute the kind of natural selectivity that would help those who could learn from my path and not squander the time of the others. I wanted to depict a realistic journey, one that is often rough and painful as we let go of the familiar old ways of viewing the world and leap with faith into the world of Spirit that lives within us all, there for the taking. The journey to our spirit will reward us lavishly. A notable part of this book is devoted to the ten years I spent living with the Lakota Sioux in South Dakota. However, the one thing it does not purport to be is a history of Indian culture or even of Indian spirituality. The book is strictly speaking about my personal journey, one which was given wings and substance in large part through the teachings, by example and otherwise, of those wise and generous people. I shall always be deeply grateful to them for having helped move me to a higher plane than one mired largely in earthly matters and concerns. In thinking about the purpose of this book, I realized that it was inextricably linked to what I perceive as my purpose in this life. Fortunately, the purposefulness of my life, or at least the importance of life purpose, came to me at an early age. I became the defender and advocate of the kids that were bullied, and, increasingly, the pain of others seeped into my being as though I was its recipient; a sense of unity with others was there without my needing or being able to put a name on it. I only knew that I had a very clear mandate to help whoever crossed my path, no matter what their age, gender, race, creed or culture. I placed no moral value on that mandate, rather, just accepting it as a fact of my life not requiring recognition, much like a gazelle does not need to be seen as swift. It just is. In this world of so much separation from one another as we sit in front of our computers and “speak” with each other largely via Facebook or Twitter, the need to acknowledge and validate one another is greater than ever. A warm smile, a small kindness, and a hug don’t transmit electronically and somehow we have replaced them with exchanges of brief news bytes. Can anyone feel they matter if they have become a cipher? Can anyone heal if they do not feel acknowledged or accepted for who they are? In later years, my purpose has been revealed to me most wondrously through the quiet inner voice of Spirit. I am meant to teach and guide seekers towards who they are spiritually and who they are destined to become. That destiny may be lofty or it may be simple and humble. A person may be on a path to a deeper realization of the gift they have to bring to others, perhaps as a musician, writer, social worker, chef, weaver, road builder or car mechanic. Not everyone is destined, empowered or endowed to lead others to their inner bliss. However, if they can find what makes them happy and fulfilled, they will quite naturally make a valuable contribution to the world. That being said, I believe with firm conviction that we all have the potential and destiny to realize our spiritual selves, the part of ourselves that transcends earthly preoccupations. It may not happen in our present incarnation, but it will happen in a future one to which we will have graduated through introspective effort. Thus, this book traces my journey to a higher purpose and, in so doing, hopes to deliver road signs for you to follow. Pursue your goals with the courage and confidence that the universe wishes fulfillment for you and that the universe itself will be there as your facilitator. On your path, you will need to be brutally honest with yourself in order to be true to your authentic nature, not to the sanitized face you wish to show the world, not the face that reflects your ego or your vanity. That face is not your true nature. Be a fearless warrior and believe in yourself and the boundless potential you possess. The only thing that holds you back is the unwarranted doubt in your worth. You will see that I have drawn on many disciplines in the belief that many diverse spiritual roads lead to the same end effect of self-realization. Open your mind and heart to every teaching that resonates with you. Do not feel that you must commit to one alone. Be the mystic who stirs the pot of many ingredients, inhales its many fragrances and then distills from them the essence that nourishes you most satisfyingly. I am not personally an enlightened soul but merely one through whom enlightenment travels like a strong, invigorating current. If anything, that is profoundly humbling, for how can the glass celebrate itself when the wine that flows from it to your lips is the true gift?