from chapter 5
. . .
“To get back to your question,” Luma said, tucking her shawl back into place, “I serve the Supreme Will on the causal level by bringing down the light to balance the energies, thereby establishing harmony in creation. As more and more human beings become aware of this light within and without themselves, my work will progress more swiftly. I am bringing the necessary knowledge and tools for this work to legions of young women and men, who have exhibited compassion, strength of character, and purity of heart. It is in this way that I am helping to establish the atmosphere in which the change in human consciousness may proceed. But the situation being so serious,” Luma said, her smile disappearing, “it will take time and a great deal of effort on the part of all human beings.”
Caroline felt troubled, wondering why Luma had chosen her to be instructed in all this knowledge, and what on earth she expected her to do with it.
“I am drawn to both need and potential – to where I see tears and where I see light and strength. You, my child, have experienced grief, and have felt compassion for the suffering of human beings and the earth. You are blessed with many gifts – radiant light, vitality and special talents – all of which will serve you well when you discover your true calling. As you will understand in time, your true calling is that by which you most excellently may serve mankind, and bring love and light into the world.”
Caroline was not sure what her question about love and her feelings for Lorenzo had to do with her true calling, with serving mankind.
“Love pervades everything. Everything that you perceive and everything that you do not perceive is suffused with love. There exists only One Love. This is a fact. Just as there is only One Consciousness, One Mind, and One Eternal Present in which everything takes place. It is because of this Oneness – this ultimate reality – that it is not useful to ever speak of a space/time effect or event, without acknowledging the One.”
Caroline was trying very hard to grasp the meaning of what Luma was speaking of.
“You need not understand, at this moment, the full meaning of what I am telling you. It takes a while for statements of truths to penetrate the cloud of ignorance. The time will come when you, along with legions of seekers, will grasp their meaning and live in the knowledge of these ancient and eternal truths.”
Caroline couldn’t stop thinking about Lorenzo, feeling a growing affection for him.
“Yes Caroline?” Luma smiled. “You must learn how to state a question.”
“What I want . . . what I wish to know is . . . does love between two people always turn to ashes?”
“When two human beings fall deeply in love, it is due to the light of the One Self, which they discern in each other’s being. For a brief time of their alliance they are held in this embrace of oneness and bliss. The trouble begins when they claim the love, the light and the happiness to be their own possessions, and use these universal attributes to further their selfish desires. To make matters worse, they claim each other as their property, desiring to keep and hold each other forever. This chain of events, coupled with individual patterns of ego-consciousness, brings about an ever deepening sense of duality. Where there was One, there are now Two, resulting in me versus you, and mine versus yours. This sense of duality is by necessity unstable, and the widespread belief in its existence makes matters worse.”
Luma looked almost pained as she tried to catch a ribbon drifting past her, motioning to Caroline to remain seated. “When their sentiments for each other decline, and their expectations aren’t met, the two individuals drift apart, shattered by strife and unhappiness, with which they fault each other. Thus, their love and affection turns into misery and loathing, ensuing in a mutual longing for separation.”
For once, Caroline had a very good grasp of what Luma was saying. She wanted to ask about her parents quarrels, but seeing the light fade around Luma and hearing her urgent words to leave at once, she got up in a hurry, grabbing her parka on the way out the door. A fierce chill gripped her bones. It struck her as peculiar that the hut was so warm and cozy, yet no fire was anywhere in sight. But then, it wasn’t nearly as peculiar as some of the other things she’d witnessed, for which there were no earthly explanations . . .
Excerpted from Winter Break: A Luminous Journey into Wisdom and Love by Astrid Fitzgerald
© Copyright 2008 by Astrid Fitzgerald
Astrid Fitzgerald is an artist, writer, and a passionate student of the Perennial Philosophy who has applied its principles to her life and art for more than thirty years. The author of An Artist’s Book of Inspiration:, Being Consciousness Bliss:, and Winter Break: A Luminous Journey into Wisdom and Love, Fitzgerald’s writing is based on a fusion of Western and Eastern thought and practice of self-development. A Seeker’s Guide A Collection of Thoughts on Art, Artists and Creativity
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