“Isness and Notness, It All Begins with Struggle”

There are those that suggest the spiritual seeker start with “I am”. This is an affirmation of truth and aliveness. There are others that suggest the seeker find what she is not. By removing falseness and illusion, we are left with the truth. These are both right-minded.


They are also both problematic in that we do not yet know the truth from the illusion. If we do not know the difference, aren’t we back to where we started? Is this the reason why we struggle so hard?


Let me say this, the first step is allowing the struggle to begin. Until we struggle, we live in ignorance. I do not mean innocence, I mean ignorance. Until we start the inner struggle, we live in the illusion of our personality, an actor on the stage of acquired ego.


The Struggle Within

If only true

That we listened to the call

Beyond the ego

Beyond the personality

We have become.

A struggle denotes possibility

No matter how remote

That the truth may be heard

That peace is at hand

That the kingdom of heaven

Is not far behind.

Not some faraway place

But close at hand

For if there is a struggle within

The truth will overcome

Desire, fear, illusion

In full retreat

And then?

As the gateless barrier

Cracks open, the

Ego enlisted as co-conspirator

In a trinity of

Body, mind and soul

United in truth.

Freedom at hand.

Oh, what a happy day.

In this brave new world.