Sacrifice and Truth

Centuries ago, there were no statues to honor the spirits with, there were no candles, little to no crystals, or perfumes. The origins of religion were with the geography, the rivers or trees. Passage ways to the supernatural were found in nature. They waited to reveal themselves to those willing to search. Each generation was taught to honor their deities or ancestors in a multitude if ways. Initially, the process of connecting to your spirituality takes from you in proportion to what you are trying to receive. This means that your sacrifice needs to match the depth of what you are trying to accomplish with your spirituality. A feast you could've presented in offering will mean nothing in comparison to the meal prepared by someone who may not have been able to easily pay for it. Offering and sacrifice are synonymous when discussing the spiritual journey. That is not to say you have to give until you are an empty vessel. There is no need to break yourself in a way that leaves you incapable of building again. The goal should be transformation.

Transformation is not always easy, it isn't meant to be. To remake yourself into something more than you were will take getting rid of what holds you back, it will take rebirth. Do not damage yourself but prepare for a process that will take the time it takes. There is no easy way to give yourself over to a path like that. To truly walk your spiritual path, you cannot be so ready to finish it. And yet, that's still just the beginning. A spiritual path will teach you about yourself because you have no choice but to learn. If you are truly committed to spiritual development, you will need to understand yourself, your reason for walking your path, you will need to answer questions about yourself you never thought to ask. A spiritual path is not a game. It is not something you do, it's something you can't help but take part in. Many today will forget the point of balance. We are physical beings with physical weaknesses and we should acknowledge those weaknesses so that they don't have a detrimental power over our lives. But there's another side here. Your sense of the spiritual aspect of your life needs to be crafted carefully. People need to learn how to respect all of who they are and every part of their lives. You cannot overwhelm yourself with spirituality or the physical. 

Today, people will convince themselves that offering is enough without sacrifice. That an altar is enough without spiritual meaning. What is a crystal you don't know how to use? What's the point of smudging sage if you feel completely disconnected from the earth? Today people will place statues on their altar in honor of spirits and spirit guides. Statues are an old and popular tool in your personal practice. But they are not the personal practice. Feel free to spend thousands on beautiful statues that show the world your have means without substance. Let me be clear, a spiritual practice is not necessary for a substantial life. One can build a great character and meaningful life while just living in the world as they understand it. The statement of substance is for those who claim they are on a spiritual path without taking the time to make it mean anything. This is for those who have forgotten the need to work for the balance between the physical and metaphysical; and yet they stand ready to claim that they have found the truth. 

I cannot say to what extent I understand the truth. I couldn't go into the street, point out someone and say, "Here, I've found someone who's faking it." This is only my version of the truth. It's a subtle feeling I get when my intuition tells me that something is wrong. I do not suggest that anyone take my intuition as the truth to live by. It would be prudent and beneficial for people to learn to listen to and hear themselves. To find their truths wherever it may hide, but to also understand the time, dedication and difficulty involved.