My blog “Making the Shift” has struck a chord with many readers and perhaps deserves some elaboration.

In that blog, I wrote, “The spiritual transformation necessary is not merely a retreat into religious belief and dogma (a widespread reaction which as actually increasing conflict), but is rather an enlightenment process. As our innate Light grows, it illuminates the dark, showing the world as it is rather than as we hoped, feared or taught to believe. That same Light is present in each of us (though not necessarily recognized) and is the source of wisdom, love and oneness.”

At present and many times in the past, people expected their leaders, especially spiritual and religious, to show them the way forward. In our times, we need a way towards greater compassion and cooperation since we face global problems which require global response. Individual, national and sectarian response is great, but likely not enough within the necessary time frame. Unfortunately, many of our most vocal and influential religious leaders and movements (often Christian and Muslim) have become the source of division and conflict, insisting on exclusive access to and interpretation of “god”, “truth” and “right” and willing to go to war with “the enemy”. Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush use almost the same logic and terminology, except who is the “enemy/ devil” is predictably switched around in their respective minds.

By way of simplistic illustration, we can use the popular saying and analogy, “All spiritual paths lead to the same top of the mountain”. I absolutely agree. However, if our religious leaders do not describe a path to the very top of the mountain or insist that where we generally are now (considerably below the summit) is the actual summit or that there are no maps further up, then we will be locked into conflict as we are now, with everyone insisting that their way (scattered around the base of the mountain) is the best place to be.

It may come as a surprise to many, but the mystic teachings of the majority Western, Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are very similar to the (much older) Eastern wisdom traditions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and more. These traditions have been variously described as “Ageless Wisdom”, “Perennial Wisdom” or simply as “The Wisdom Traditions”. They teach that God/ The Divine/ The Self / The Absolute is not only some superhuman, universal entity that exists outside of yourself, but also exists within you and that it is possible for the consciousness of this Divinity to be awakened within you, leading to a shift in consciousness… of who you really are and your relationship to the “World” or Universe.

The vast majority of the global population is drawn to the Devotional/ Heart path, which is the basis of all the Western, Abrahamic religions and of Hindu Bhakti yoga. In the beginning of this path, God is outside of you and you use your devotional/ love feelings to move towards God, perhaps letting go of your personal/ egotistical priorities. Eventually (or not), you realize that “God” is actually inside you as well.

The other major spiritual alternative to the Heart/ Devotional Path is the Head/ Wisdom path, although this path, possibly more direct, is less travelled than the Heart path. In this path, the aspirant/ traveler pays attention to each step and each moment, discarding all that is false or illusionary….often becoming an “outcast” or “deviant”. Like a light wrapped in many layers, as each layer is discarded, the light grows brighter until it actually is in its total brilliance.. The opportunity to discard the False is Now! It is Simple but not necessarily Easy.