“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people
when they realize their relationship, their oneness,
with the universe and all its powers,
and when they realize that at the center of the universe
dwells the Great Spirit,
and that this center is really everywhere,
it is within each of us.”
~ Black Elk – Oglala Sioux ~

The higher self or the soul, the oversoul, the lower self, the middle self, the mental self, the emotional self, the animal self, the sub-self, the light self, the shadow self;  who are all these people and how did they get in our heads?  It seems we are all on the brink of schizophrenia with all the new age, Buddhist, Vedic, religious dogma flying around.  First of all let’s settle on one term for the sake of conversation, the higher self.

The higher self has an elusive quality to it, mostly stemming from the premise of non agreement between spiritual leaders.  If the goal of reaching the higher self seems attainable with on teacher, another may in fact say, “Oh no, THIS is the way to get there!”  Few if any coincide with one another on a fundamental basis.  In every religion or practice there is some concept referring to the higher self;  what it’s purpose is, how to connect to it or if it even exists has been the height of esoteric debate for as long as there has been people running around the planet eating berries, bugs, and bush roots.

We have been arguing about the concept of spirituality and the higher self as a whole for thousands of years, mostly due to the discord between spiritual leaders and thusly a discord within ourselves.  As a people, we have come into the habit of seeking out our political leaders to solve all our problems: financial, emotional and most unfortunate of all, spirituality.

Not that gurus are bad or wrong, they give those that need it guidance and direction.  But they also have a habit of disagreeing with one another, not so much with words as much as with practice.  One must do this, eat this, or wear this to reach spiritual enlightenment.  Very rarely do two true gurus endorse or coincide with each other’s practice, unless they subscribe to the same master teaching such as an organized religion.

The world would be very dry and boring with only one spiritual path even though “all paths lead to enlightenment.”

Sadly there are even those who exploit spiritual vulnerability for a profit.   Even these people have a vital lesson to deliver, all be it a possibly unpleasant one.  The act of being deceived is a wonderful opportunity to learn inner wisdom.  Being shaken by an outside force such a misrepresented vibration really causes someone to turn on their own inner guidance systems and move in the direction they truly wish to go, assuming they do not crumble emotionally from being deceived on such an intimate issue.

As stated in the past, there are as many paths as people.  There are thousands of books, tapes/CD‘s, papers, retreats, videos and pre-guided meditations all waiting to be picked up and explored if an external discovery is desired; something to be thought about and analyzed.  Although it is important to get the brain on-board, all the mental programming in the world cannot compare to the knowledge learned from looking within.

In the beginning, these are all wonderful study aids, a crutch to stand on.  But ultimately these are the reflection of someone else looking within; by using them we receive an insight into someone else’s journey to the higher self, a blueprint so to speak.  We must still take our own steps along our own path to come to true understanding, integration and ideally wisdom.

“And you have a certain archetypical concept of this thing called enlightenment and guru, and it’s very distracting, because you put this as the Standard or the example, the shining light in your path and say, “I have to be like that. I have to be – in order to be my spiritual self – I have to do as the gurus did.” ~Adamus Saint-Germain

The time has come to step back from the religious leaders, spiritual teachers and gurus to become our own saviors.  Their messages can still be listened to, they can still be turned to for guidance if need be.  There is no reason to shut them out for we are all vessels of source, a manifestation of each other.  The second coming is in our hearts, the rapture in our minds and egos.  Heaven is here; all we need do is take notice and create it.

Oddly enough, Bob Ross has one of the most strait forward messages for living heaven on earth there is;  stated more simply and eloquently than any prophet or guru ever could.  Thanks Bob, for teaching us to paint the canvas of our lives.