| Spirituality is not simply a topic to be discussed by | | | | the self which we have in God. Let me explain. |
| those who want to know more about spiritual | | | | If you observe carefully, in any journey our |
| things. There is a practical purpose for discussing | | | | purpose is something that is related to our self. |
| things related to spirituality. | | | | The scientist goes on a journey to the south pole |
| And so also there is a practical purpose in going | | | | because of his desire to record the temperature |
| on a spiritual journey. What that purpose is will be | | | | there. He wants to satisfy his desire to measure |
| made clear in this article. | | | | such temperature and report it to the world. He |
| There is a physical journey, a journey to a | | | | wants his self to be recognized as the one who |
| physical destination, a place. And there is always a | | | | shall have measured and recorded such a |
| purpose in such a journey. The place is not the | | | | temperature. |
| purpose. It is only a destination. Usually, one or a | | | | The tired worker wants to go on vacation in |
| combination of these is the purpose of a physical | | | | order to relax his self, find satisfaction in rest and |
| journey: a business or work related transaction, a | | | | excitement. |
| vacation, a bonding of a relationship. | | | | The reader goes into the ideas of other people |
| A scientist wants to go to the south pole to | | | | because he or she wants to use these ideas for |
| record the temperature there. His purpose in | | | | his or her self. |
| going there is not the south pole but the recording | | | | The self is always the reference of our purpose |
| of the temperature. | | | | in a journey. The self is always the one who will |
| A tired worker wants to go to Australia to enjoy | | | | benefit from a journey. |
| a vacation there. His purpose is not Australia, but | | | | The same is true in a spiritual journey. We are |
| the vacation, rest and excitement Australia can | | | | looking for our true self. And this true self can |
| offer to him. | | | | only be found in the world of spirits, in God. |
| The same is true in a mental journey, going into | | | | That is why read that one time Jesus appeared |
| the ideas of men and women who lived a long | | | | to Teresa of Jesus and said to her, Seek your |
| time ago or in other areas of the world. The | | | | self in me. |
| purpose is not just to know these ideas. The | | | | When we undertake a spiritual journey it is for |
| purpose is to see how these ideas may be of | | | | the purpose of finding our true self, our real self. |
| help to the one reading these ideas. We read | | | | The self is always the focus of spirituality. We |
| about the Greek tragedies in order to learn how | | | | read more about this topic and learn more about |
| tragedies are worked out in one's life with the | | | | it for the sake of our self, our true self. |
| purpose of avoiding them. | | | | Why, are there other selves, not so true? Yes, |
| In a spiritual journey our destination is the world | | | | there are. The self that we present to other |
| of spirits and ultimately God Himself, but He is not | | | | people is not really our true self, but the one that |
| the purpose of such a journey. He is only the | | | | we want them to see. We want to appear |
| destination, not the purpose of the journey. We | | | | diligent, therefore we busy ourselves with work, |
| want to go there because He has something to | | | | although deep inside we may want to be lazy. We |
| offer us which we cannot acquire by a physical or | | | | want to appear righteous before others, and so |
| mental journey. | | | | we try to be religious and obey the rules and |
| The purpose of a spiritual journey may be | | | | regulations of our church and society, but deep |
| curiosity, trying to know what lies in the realm of | | | | inside we know that we are just tired of |
| the spirits. But more than curiosity the person | | | | pretending to be so before other people. |
| undergoing a spiritual journey wants to enjoy life | | | | But when we get to God we cannot show to him |
| to the fullest possible that he can attain. | | | | a self that we want to show Him. He knows us in |
| One may say that the purpose of a spiritual | | | | and out. And only in Him can we be most relaxed, |
| journey is to enjoy God. But what is in God that | | | | most natural. Only in Him can we enjoy our true |
| we can enjoy? | | | | self. |
| Paradoxically, the one which we are searching | | | | The purpose of going on a spiritual journey is to |
| when we go on a spiritual journey is our true self, | | | | find and enjoy our true self. |