Helping each other find God

by Tracy Leddy

Charity begins at Home.

There were once two companions, a man and a woman, and they loved each other truly. At one time in their ling life together, the woman received a summons, an imperious call to begin a long, long journey to a Place Far Away. The One Who called her was waiting for here there; He would send His two servants, Light and Music, to guide her on her way. The woman started off; she had no choice. She loved both Music and Light and she knew that she was going to love the One Who called for her more than all the world. The man, however, had received no call. Nor did he understand anything about the One Who called or about His two servants, Music and Light. But, because he loved the woman truly, decided to accompany her on her journey.

Immediately, difficulties arose between them. The woman became so intoxicated by the prospect of the journey and by the two guides and became so involved in her own dreams of what awaited her in the Place Far Away that she sorely neglected her companion and eventually, because her mind was such, she began to consider him a positive impediment on the way. The man, in turn, became very angry. It seemed he was losing his beloved companion to something he understood nothing about. He began to say wounding things to her; he began to try to pull her back from making the journey. But she would look behind her and start in terror; to her eyes nothing was there – an empty space, an airy mist. For her the road opened only before her; there was no going back. They quarrelled bitterly. The man threatened to leave. The woman pretended not to care but her heart was heavy within her all the same. She resolved to continue on, even if she were left alone.¹

Then the One Who had sent for her from the Place Far Away appeared before her in a vision. His beautiful face was very stern and by His manner she knew He was far from pleased.

What are you doing travelling alone?

He asked the woman.

Have you no companion?

– I had one,

She whispered, awestruck at the sight of Him and terribly frightened at having so displeased Him,

but he went away.

– Go back to him, then,

He told her abruptly.

The needs of your companion come first. Make him happy and then you may continue the journey. All you have to do is love him. And remember, the more you grow in love for each other, the more you will grow in Love for me.

And He was gone.

Filled with remorse for all her wrong-headedness and filled with the desire to obey the One Who had sent for her at any cost, the woman hastened back to where the man sat, dreaming by a river.

I haven’t been able to see you very well for a while,

she said softly,

I’m so sorry I hurt you; I’ve had such blinders on. I think they’re gone, now.

She went and knelt at his feet and looked up into his face.

I still love you truly,

she said.

The man looked down at her, his brow darkened with pain.

I don’t believe you,

he said.

You’ll have to show me. Only time will prove the truth – or falsehood – of what you say.

And they began their life together once more. The woman knew that somehow she was still on the journey, but she went nowhere and the man became increasingly trustful and content. If the coman did occasionally lapse into her old dreams, the man snatched her out of them, sometimes angrily, sometimes sorrowfully.

We must always be completely open towards each other,

he told her.

I need you to be here with me, not off in a dream.

Often she cried in curious combination of pain and thanksgiving; it seemed she was far from her journey to see the One Whom she had come to love more than all the world, and yet she understood that her companion was helping her to make the journey by forcing her to obey His wishes. And she wanted to obey; even when her foolish mind rebelled, her heart wanted to obey. The woman understood that she did not get away with anything. If she faltered at all, the man was there to chastise her, to demand changes, to push her forward again.

This process went on for some time. As the woman’s attention became more and more focused on her companion and less and less focused on herself, the realisation came to her that her companion was none other than the One Who had sent for her Himself, in another form, and she was overcome, overwhelmed with feelings of thankfulness for such a Great Gift; without her companion, she could not have begun the journey at all. And if she had, she would have made many wrong turns, often unwittingly, without him. Over and over again it was his criticism, his perception which kept her on the main road. All this prodding and pushing had been to open her up to the True Beginning – passage through the first gate² – to find the One standing there, arms outstretched, His face streaming rays of Love and joy.

I’ve brought her,

says the man.

You’ve done well, my son,

replies the One.

Now, each of you take one of my hands; we will make the rest of the journey together.

_______________

Footnote: 1) In the following there is a text extract from the account of a talk with Kirpal Singh in which He makes clear that He does not accept divorce under no circumstances. This applies not only to the following case but in general, without exception.

It was my [Russel Perkins; Editorial Note, 2013] privilege to be with the Master on a number of occasions when this matter came up. During my stay with Him in 1969, I received a letter from my wife Judith asking me to intercede for a satsangi whose husband, among other things, was violently opposed to the Path and the Master and had ordered her not to attend Satsang.

I brought the matter up to Him, and His reply amazed me:

I don’t like divorce.

I was amazed because the question of divorce had not come up. I stammered something, and He repeated:

I don’t like divorce.

We were alone, and the intensity of His reply and its repetition made me uneasy. I said – although I fully accepted and thought I understood His teaching on this subject:

But, Master: he won’t let her go to Satsang, and …

He broke in:

She should submit, you see. If she loves him, he’ll come round.

When I went to Germany in 1963, there was an initiate there whose wife hated the Master. She wouldn’t  allow His picture in the house. When I went there she was sick; I just went to see her. Today she is initiated.

And He laughed.

Source: Sat Sandesh / May 1975

If someone turns to a worldly man for advise in this matter, he oder she will only be able to give a worldly advise, and such an advise may quite recommend divorce. But this does in no way apply to Kirpal’s Will.

2) Behind and between the eyebrows, the Third Eye, of that Christ said:

If your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of Light.

St Matthew 6:22

Editorial Note, 2013: 1) “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word*, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. […] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:21-33)

* A soul who takes a bath in the Inner Amritsar becomes purified. It is the only True Place of Holy Pilgrimage, because through the purifying bath the soul becomes free from all her karmas and she becomes amar – immortal – and does not have to incarnate anymore. (For further information see ‘The Soul’s Journey – Part II: The Way through the super causal Regions’.)