“You, yourself, must make the effort. Buddhas do but point the Way.”

HESE WORDS HAVE a deep and profound meaning, but, like other sayings of the same kind, they can be heard and read over and over again without any real understanding of the process of evolving development, that lies behind the words. The effort . . . for what? And the way . . . where?

The materialist makes the effort for material things, and in the process, more often destroys himself, because he becomes enchained by his false values; he is a slave to the things which can fail him at any moment, and leave him utterly barren, for he is like a spoiled child wanting everything for his own gratification.

The self-styled spiritual person, on the other hand, damages himself by developing a spiritual pride and a feeling of exclusiveness. He does not want to bring GOD to earth; his GOD is something afar off, and exclusive to himself. He, too, shirks the issue.

The way must surely lie between these two extremes, but to find it, we have first to face ourselves, and the problem of life on earth, with conscious intelligence, as mature beings; for the whole evolutionary plan consists in this descending unconsciously from God into the densest form of matter; achieving full consciousness as man, and then ascending back to the source, which leads to God-Consciousness. GOD becomes man, so that man may become GOD.

“It is no game for the faint-hearted,” for the Path back to GOD is likened to a razor’s edge, and needs endless love and courage, patience and humility. The first requisite is to grow up. This necessitates seeing truly and impersonally our own vices and virtues . . . deciding our own way (different for each of us); deciding what to do with our lives and what to give to life . . . facing the issues, digging deeply within ourselves, accepting all experiences willingly, without running away . . . not thinking wishfully, but bit by bit pulling down the false facades and facing ourselves squarely. Then we can decide what is of real value to us, and eliminate the superfluous things which clutter us up and blind us to the truth.