Honesty begins with what you tell yourself. And clarity or deception is determined by what you listen to within yourself, what self you are really listening to. For part of you is wise, and part of you is unwise. How can you tell the difference? Where can you find the part of you that is wise? And why is it wise? Can that part of you that is wise be counted on to face the unexpected, to navigate the uncertain times ahead?
The world is a beautiful place, particularly this world, a jewel in the universe of barren worlds. But the world is also a hazardous place, a place of many perils, a place of many difficulties.
Beneath the surface of your life, there is a sacred place, a holy shrine, a place where people come to pray or give devotion, a place of deeper meaning, a place of mystery.
Because the Greater Community represents such a vast network of societies and such a tremendous variety of environments and races and natures and so forth, spirituality must take on a more universal character, a more essential nature. If it is encrusted with cultural images, if it is intertwined with the social history of certain cultures alone, then its essential nature becomes clouded and more difficult to access.
Gaining a Greater Community understanding and perspective is certainly quite essential in preparing for the Greater Community itself, but alone this would not be enough. Here you could not rely simply upon the power of your intelligence or your will in order to gain the discernment that you would need in order to function within a more complicated mental environment. You would need more than mental power or will power in order to function successfully in this environment. For no matter how powerful you might become as an individual, your power will be insignificant compared to the power of the group mind that represents the real dynamics of interaction in the mental environment within the Greater Community itself.
he Greater Community is an environment in which you live. It represents the greater physical and spiritual universe into which humanity is now emerging. You have always lived in the Greater Community, but your relative isolation in this world has not given you the experience of the greater context into which you are now emerging. It is this greater context that will give you the clarity and the understanding that you will need to discover the greater purpose that has brought you into the world.
The Greater Community into which humanity is now emerging represents a vast network of communities and cultures in the physical universe. This vast network represents the evolution of intelligent life in all of its manifestations, from the very primitive to the very advanced. It encompasses cultures that possess a wide array of values, motivations, beliefs and associations.
The religious traditions of the world have a rich heritage, and from a Greater Community perspective, they have kept Knowledge alive in the world despite their manipulation by world governments, societies and so forth. They have kept the glow of spirituality alive for many, many people.
The Creator has given you authority over the affairs of your life. This authority extends to what you think and to what you do, to your decision-making and to the results of these decisions.
A relationship worth maintaining is the one worth starting again.
What are the necessary criteria and the basic requirements for maintaining a primary relationship?
First, it is necessary that you share a commitment to each other’s spiritual development. Second, you must be able to function together harmoniously in the mundane world. Third, you must meet each challenge as it comes along. The challenges will come along one after the other. They may seem difficult at first, but they provide the means for your relationship to become established. If seen correctly, these challenges enable you to grow closer together and grow outwardly at the same time.
We will divide our conversation regarding work into three categories. The first is your work in the world. The second is your greater work. And the third is the handling and contribution of money.
Let us start with your work in the world. To build a foundation for learning and living The Way of Knowledge, it is necessary that you be able to provide for yourself in order to meet your basic needs and expenses and that you deal with these resources—money, time and effort—effectively. If this is neglected, you will be disabled in your attempt to build your foundation and to begin your journey into the next great stage of your life, which is the reclamation of Knowledge and the discovery of a greater purpose.