The Buddha — The Path of Enlightenment, The Path of Love
It seems quite apparent to many if not most of us, that we are going through a time of great Political, Economic, and Cultural Crisis. The Warp and Weave of our world seems to be coming undone, and the preservers of our way of life, the very institutions that we expect to embody and protect our very lives and loves are buckling and bending. There is a growing chorus for some answer, some solution that will secure a way out of these shadows and fears that grow longer every day, we yearn to find a pathway forward to a better time and place.
It is clear to most of us that the divisions within and the divides between various individuals and groups is at the heart of all our “troubles”. The fundamental cause of our fears and woes, is to be found in our seeming loss of commonly held meanings or truths by which to find our way out of these lengthening fear-filled shadows. We grow increasingly anxious and desperate for the gift of everlasting light, we long for truth and love to shine upon us once more, so that we might bind our wounds and bring us “together as one” once more.
Fundamentally, we are (yet again) in a time of a great spiritual crisis. We have been here before…and the great good news is that our ancestors found their way through in their time of unravelling too. The answer to our woes does not lie “out there”. It is not to found in some political reform, or economic program, or as some modernists may hope, in a technological “deus ex machina”, that will pull us back from the deepening darkness and doom. The answer to our self-cast shadows of doubts and fears is not outside of us at all.
No, the answer always lies within, in each and every human heart. What we require, as always, is a spiritual return to “source”. We need to remember: “from whence have we come, and why are we here, and where are we going”. We need to restore ourselves to our soul’s true purpose, to remember our true spiritual nature and so calm our minds and heal our hearts.
We can do this wherever and whenever we need to, by a return to our spiritual source found in the everlasting waters of life, in the spiritual heart found in every speck and mote of creation, and so equally in the heart of each and every one of us. These Living Truths are also beautifully preserved and passed down in the great teachings of the Masters or Great Souls who periodically come forth to remind us again of these immutable truths and of our true nature.
Yes, we need to remember that the answers to all our troubles were revealed long ago. Many of these Seers and Teachers are unrecognized and nameless to us, known by many appellations but perhaps the best for me is their title as “The Lonely Ones”. For they worked (and still work) “in the shadows”, quietly doing the work of Spirit where it is needed most, asking for nothing but to serve.
But some were destined to stand publicly in the Halls of History as exemplars, as pillars of Strength and Truth, and we honor and revere these Great Souls to this day: Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Zoroaster, Pythagoras, Christ, and the one we consider today, The Buddha.
The fundamental spiritual teachings that form the Ancient Wisdom, are found in the life and work of each of these messengers. All came to reaffirm and restate the Ancient Truths. They did not come for or intend to “start” a religion, that was left to lesser souls. They came not asking for devotions or prayers to be offered up to them, for they need them not. They came to remind you that we are all on the same path of fulfillment as they followed. Their life and work is a reminder to us that we are all here for one thing only…we must all, every one of us, we must each wake up and be fully human too.
That is why you can and should both listen to your own heart and follow their example too. You are to here to fulfill yourself and help one another to create better lives that are formed and guided by Spiritual Truth. A truly human life is guided by Unconditional Love, by kindnesses and considerations, because it embraces the Living Faith that we are all the “ones of the One”.
We are the creators of this World and of ourselves and for one another too, and it is our true purpose, duty and spiritual fulfillment to make life better for one and all. Because this is “The Teaching” that springs from your heart and from the Wisest of the Wise: you are inseparable, you are all one, so that,
“What you do to the least of these, you do to me, the One”.
You are here quite simply to Love one another. This simple yet profound Spiritual Truth is the Fountain-Source, the wellspring for all our Moral Imperatives towards one another, and in fact to all of Creation too.
Among these “Great Souls”, the Buddha is held to be most special. He is said to have been “the first” of our human type to find the path to self-illumination. He came and showed us how we can free ourselves from the illusion of matter and form. He lived his life and shared the wisdom that Life is Spirit, and Spirit is Life.
The fundamental core of the Buddha’s teaching in the Ancient Wisdom is this: The essence of Spirit is to become, to evolve or really to release from within the divine nature behind the form. Thus, the first fact of existence is Change, or as the Buddha stated, the “Law of Impermanence”.
Everything that exists, from the building blocks of atoms, to the atoms themselves, to elements and molecules, to minerals, plants, animals, humans, planets and stars, in fact all of Creation, all of these pass through the same cycle of existence: Beginning or Birth, growth, decline and the death of that form…and then Rebirth into the next form.
This is the essential esoteric meaning of the Scorpio Full Moon; it is the dynamic interplay or Journey of Everlasting Value or Spirit-Life (Taurus) evolving ceaselessly through the hierarchy of Mortal Forms (Scorpio). It is the old story of Spirit “falling into” matter and striving to return to its home with the One; yet equally this is the Journey of Spirit moving through all these forms of Matter which lifts or evolves those mortal vessels into ever more etherealized forms.
This is the Dance of Spirit; this is the Song of Life. Spirit is One and Undivided; Life is the Eternal moving through ever more rarefied forms. Though there are many, many forms, there is only one Spirit. Matter creates the Illusion of Diversity and Separation.
Awakening-Enlightenment shatters the division between the Knower and the known. The individual dewdrop or spark of the Divine rejoices in Cosmic Consciousness, swimming through the Ocean of Life-Spirit-Consciousness.
You are on the path of Immortality; moving through countless worlds, forms and lives.
Celebrate tonight, as you watch the Sun set and your Moon rise; this is the dance of spirit, this is your dance too.
Know that Spirit is Beauty, and Beauty is Truth; that these are Eternal, as is the spark of the Divine that is the true heart of you.
The Lesson of the Buddha is to flow, to not hold or attach oneself to any particular form of yourself, for these forms are not you.
Yes, live life as it is…Flowing, Growing and ever Awakening.
Whether you are with a friend for one sublime afternoon, or with your love for many, many heart-filled years, your time together is precious and so you should give of yourself to one another, share all that you can…because you know this, this is part of the bargain you made in moving into mortal realms, you must also part from one another too.
But your love will hold you, keep you for one another, to the end of time. Your love will hold you to one another for Eternity. So, when you must you will smile, and just say to one another, “fare thee well my love, until next time”.
The promise of the Full Moon of Scorpio is the Ageless Wisdom, it is your Freedom from fear. For death has no hold over we Immortals:
We are ones of the One, and we are made by love.
We are ones of the One, and we are here for love.
We are ones of the One, and we are here to love.
Remember, whenever you are in need, or you have some doubt or feel you may even succumb to fear, remember always, that you are never alone and have nothing to fear.
Within you is the One, your higher self, and you are equally held by the love of the Wise Ones, the Lonely Ones and by all with whom you journey.
Celebrate a fellow one, who showed you the way, let us give thanks to the Buddha!
Remember, you are on the path, be not afraid.
Have Faith, give of yourself and remain Centered in the Truth that is Love.
Give thanks, and with all the Wise Ones tonight, repeat the Great Invocation:
THE GREAT INVOCATION
From the point of light within the Mind of God
Let Light stream forth into our minds
Let LIGHT descend on Earth.
From the point of love within the Heart of God
Let Love stream forth into our hearts
May LOVE increase on Earth.
From the center where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide our wills
The PURPOSE which the masters know and serve.
From the center which we call Humanity
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door
where evil dwells.
Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.