Did you ever notice

how your finger stops hurting 

when you go to the movies?

For two hours ,you forget it

But after you come out,

It begins to throb again.

Isn’t there a movie house

I could spend my life in

To remove my pain?

The sage tells us there is;

The problem is we have to build it;

Brick by brick.

I’ve started,but there’s

A long way to go.

Yet sometimes,already

When I sit in it,

I can feel my troubles go.

I can’t wait till

It’s finished.

     On the right side we have a soul. Most of us believe that, and even the skeptics acknowledge that it probably exists. All of history ,all spiritual traditions,all the wise beings we respect,love and admire have told us this over the milleniums,and have lived their lives accordingly.

     On the left side we have the body – the 5 elements (earth,fire,water,air,and ether).And out of these arise mind and desire.Everything in the physical world relates to these elements and we struggle to keep them in balance and to take from them what give us sustenance and  pleasure.

    The ego,which belongs to the left side, dictates,consciously or unconsciously, our behaviour.Yet even with both sections operating, one factor always emerges as the essence of our lives – Peace. With it we need nothing and without it we may have everything the left side offers but we will still lack peace and hence be unhappy . 

   Back to the beginning – the soul is made up of the qualities of God -patience,tolerance,forgiveness,compassion,wisdom,understanding, faith,certitude,determination,love,forbearance,peacefulness,justice,truthfulness,generosity,fair play,love for all beings,duty,conscience,and unity. 

    When we act with these ,we have peace – our lives have fulfillment and we are then in the state ,we are able to bring peace to others. . Goodness brings peace. It is simple but it is true and it is a wonder,this soul,this life,this kingdom of God ; right here and now.

What is unity? What is peace? In light of Obama’s recent speech in the mid east M.R.Bawa Muhaiyaddeen offers this wisdom on how each of us sets about to gain this peace.

      ”In order to do this,in order for each of you to do this,you must have these actions.I am begging you.I am humbly begging each child; please have the qualities of God on the path of justice. Please act with patience,inner patience,sabur; Nurture unity among yourselves,and bring peace and tranquilty to each other.Establish the qualities of justice.

       We are one family,with one mother and one father.There is only one God.In this state we exist as the funny family, justice must be evident. Peace must be reached.We must act with the qualities that rule the kingdom of God. We must walk on the path of justice.”

     M.R.Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

The striving towards peace and spiritual understanding is difficult and daunting,but at the same time,not complicated.Like many things in life that require success, it is simple to perform yet requires patience,faith and perseverance – kind of like a really dirty brass pot that you know has  a wonderful lustre –  neath all the hardened grime. We also realize,when we begin to scour ,how much effort, determination,and time it will take to restore the pot to its original state of glowing beauty.So,we begin and follow the three words that guarantee success- BEGIN AND CONTINUE. Everyone begins ,at some time or another, but the ones who see the task through to its completion are rare. This work of the practice of God’s qualities is hard and our antagonist (the ego) is skilled and persistent.Each day we make this effort we build a part of the house -the storehouse of grace.Without this storehouse –  God’s grace has no place to reside, hence slips away. With the house ,even in construction,it offers a resting place for God’s grace and this gives us the peace we so ardently desire.