Here is something to read while Golden Turquoise (30, 616K) is loading.
There are schools of Mystical thought that say that Spiritual progress should be measured by what you lose. That's a difficult concept for the Western mind to wrap itself around. So let me put it to you this way :
Let's say you've got a really nice dependable car. It has a nice design, the engine runs well, and it gets good mileage, BUT you haven't washed the thing since you bought it. Since it looks filthy, the cops tend to pull you over rather frequently, (they do do that, you know). Your neighbors don't want to talk with you, because your car makes the neighborhood look trashy. You go to work & do a good job, but your co-workers keep at a distance, and perhaps you get skipped over for a raise or a promotion.
All this stuff happens, because you've never washed your car. So what is this dirt on the car? It is the trappings of Ego. There is nothing wrong with the car itself. It's fine. It's a good car. It's just that a filthy Ego can really stink. That's why mean people suck. They've got dirt, & dead leaves, and bird crap encrusted all over themselves, and why would anybody in their right mind want to be near any of that?
Engaging in Spritual Practices is like washing your filthy car, and making it clean. You can even go further, and do Deep Meditation. That's like washing your car, and then waxing it, until it really shines. It's the same car, but the appearance is a whole lot different. This is why you lose things as you go along on the Spiritual Path... and what you lose, is all stuff you never needed anyway.
What you lose on the Spiritual Path
