Your Spiritual Life Journey, Meditation, Centering, Your Body & Drugs
Your Spiritual Journey is the most amazing Journey you will ever embark upon. To be on your Spiritual Journey is to Understand Your Body Mind and Soul. Our BODY is a chariot, THOUGHTS and EMOTIONS are the horses, and the SOUL is the charioteer. The chariot, horses and the charioteer, each play a role in the speed of our movement towards enlightenment and the state of happiness we are able to achieve.
If the horses, which are your (thoughts and emotions) lead your self development journey, the chariot your (body) astray, you might never move forward or it might move too fast or completely in the opposite direction of the charioteer your (soul) path. There are two mistakes we could make: if the horses (thoughts and emotions) are strained or abused they might die of exhaustion before reaching the destination; or if the horses (thoughts and emotions) are let loose they will stop to do whatever they please, they will fight and will not care about the charioteer the (soul). If the chariot our (body) is not in a good condition, it will break during the self development journey. If the chariot is not oiled properly, not taken care of, it will get damaged or fall apart as soon as there is an obstacle, a stone in the way, or a bit of rough road. The body has to be respected.
One of the most pressing problems of modern society stems from drugs. There are numerous forms. Caffeine is a drug. Alcohol is a drug. Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroine, Meth and LSD are others. Sedatives and sleeping pills alter the mind. Aspirin affects the nervous system. They all change some part of the body and are drugs. Everyone has to determine for his or herself whether you will use such substances and, if so, when and how. Naturally if you are under a doctor’s care that you know and respect, one would be foolhardy to ignore the advice and throw away your prescriptions. Further along in your self study, when you become centered, you may be able to discard medicines that you need now. For the present if you are taking medications work with them in your meditations. If you need sleeping pills, you will eventually learn to relax and sleep soundly without their aid. Sedatives will not be required for you to be calm. Even aspirin will become a thing of the past, for you can learn how to prevent headaches and other bodily pains, like this in the future. With practice this can be achieved however in some cases it may be necessary for you to utilize these drugs in extenuating circumstances; child birth, surgery, or bodily cramps just to name a few. Their are also natural remedies that can be considered before resorting to chemical solutions.
Most individuals who are serious about meditation find drugs a hinderance. This is particularly the case with “drug abusers.” Many individuals in our society expand their minds and force the “doors of perception” open with drugs. Also if you are young in your years, 25 and under as an approximate rule of thumb, your mind has not yet had the opportunity to fully develop and could be permanently damaged by experimenting with recreational drugs of this nature. Once folks become interested in meditation they learn that it is easier and infinitely safer to achieve a “natural high” and that continued drug abuse prevents progressing.
For the “more common” drugs like alcohol and coffee and tea, there is no set rule for everyone. Many meditators do away with alcohol because it interferes with their meditations, however if you enjoy drinking occasionally there is no reason to stop. “Everything in moderation” is a great motto to journey through life with, and the better you take care of your body the more you can do with it. Regardless if you believe in past lives or future lives the focus should be on taking care of the life that you are living now. Each person must become aware of his or her own inner signals, and if the time comes when you should stop ingesting alcoholic beverages, you will know it.
Among those whose meditations are hampered by the common drug, coffee, it is no problem to switch from twenty cups of black coffee per day to a few cups of decaffeinated beverages from time to time or even hot water with lemon for detoxing and fasting. None of this happens overnight. In special cases some individuals can put these practices into place immediately but it is important to set realistic goals for yourself. Start with letting go of the easier things first. Perhaps a year later, or sooner, you will be able to omit social drinking and smoking if you choose to do so.
Your body will alert you to the need for change. Your guides will be there to help you through this change if and when you reach the point where it becomes more beneficial for you to do so. When you are able to love yourself as you are with out any “additives or preservatives,” attempting to fulfill a void, you will find you have everything that you need and the less you need the more you will have. Unless you are born with medically limiting circumstances or you have developed a condition that requires you to take such medications, you can find a way to love yourself as you are and hone in on your inner light.
Listen, Listen, Listen to what your body is telling you and you will find your way to your soul path. Your (soul) the charioteer that has always been there for you to lead your (thoughts and emotions) the horses and your (body) the chariot, toward the light of becoming the ultimate version of your soul self. Alive and shining bright as the sun, you are beautiful just as you are.
tHE tERRY tREE | Photo | You Are Beautiful
Reference text via | http://www.artof4elements.com/entry/96/spiritual-journey | Centering A Guide to Inner Growth | Sanders G. Laurie and Melvin J. Tucker
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