“There is a Source, The Source of Love and Light, The Source of everyone’s true self. It is our spiritual heart that is the doorway to the realization of this fundamental truth. Who we really are is our true self – our spirit. Our heart is the key to our connection with True Source because the spark of love and light lives within the core of our spiritual heart. Only with our spiritual hearts can we properly feel the Complete Love True Source has for us.”
[Ed Rubenstein]
Ed Rubenstein, Ph.D.
The Journey of Fulfilling Why We Exist Are you seeking enlightenment, salvation, yoga, meaning or understanding
Are you seeking enlightenment, salvation, yoga, meaning, or understanding about the deeper purpose of your life? If so, how will you know it when you find it? Every day I meet people with the same
questions that I had; people who are so often living in the illusion that they are growing spiritually but without realizing it are in fact, trapped in limited. This is why I chose to write ‘The Way of the Spiritual Heart’. Let me ask you another important
question: What is the meaning of spiritual growth? How are you measuring your own spiritual development? This is a question I had asked myself since 1972. I had been an aspirant and student of different spiritual traditions for 30 years, and during this time I thought and believed that I had finally found what I wanted. In reality, what I found was an assortment of ways to stroke my ego and build the illusion that I was growing spiritually. I was totally convinced that my measure of spiritual development was genuine. I taught others the spiritual models I was practicing under the belief that these models were a doorway to spiritual fulfillment. While these different meditation modalities had value, in terms of spiritual development, they were all so limited. The spiritual heart is the true doorway
through which we experience our connection to our Creator. Until we realize this, all our actions, all our attempts to grow spiritually will be blocked or limited by the one being who we think is actually responsible for our spiritual growth – ourselves! Like many people, I thought my heart was open, but even when I thought I was already opening my heart, what I later discovered was that I was merely scratching the surface in a very shallow way. ‘The Way of the Spiritual Heart’ is based on the premise that no human being in
30 july 2012
history has ever opened his or her heart by earnest effort, by great ability or by special talents. I understand this is a bold statement to make, and from the perspective of the brain, it may not make sense. However, once we realize that opening the heart completely is directly related to the purpose of our existence, and that we are not capable of opening our heart by our efforts, techniques and best intentions, then truly, we will never be the same again. We say to ourselves: “If it is not up to me,
then who will do it for me? If I am going to get somewhere, it is up to me, and I cannot expect or rely on anyone else to do it for me. I am responsible for what I do and create.” When we do this, we are putting the ego in charge, holding the steering wheel of the ship with compass in hand. All we are doing, when we rely on the ego, is enhancing our ability to achieve what we want. But is that what The Source of Love and Light wants for us? Accepting the truth about our limitations
is not always an easy thing. Accepting the truth may mean letting go of some very big beliefs, concepts and practices, all of which may not be serving us spiritually. An important question is: ‘If we have learned how to manifest our highest dreams, but our heart has failed to open, haven’t we missed the boat?’ Knowingly or unknowingly, when our
non-physical heart opens, it is The Love and Light from The Source of Love and Light that opens our heart. It is NOT our doing, efforts, special talents or ambitions. It is only by feeling and accepting The Love from The Source of Love and Light, that our heart opens, allowing us to become who we are in the essence of our being. This is not about a belief or a conceptual understanding. Authentically opening the spiritual heart is a deep tangible experience.
To whom do we open our heart? To The
Source of Love and Light – our True Source! Our Creator is not capable of harm and wants to give us the best of the best in every moment. If we feel ourselves having some resistance to this statement, perhaps it is because we are still holding on to feelings of abandonment, betrayal or rejection left over from long, long ago. These unresolved matters influence the way we relate to True Source. When our spiritual heart opens more and more, it becomes obvious that True Source has never rejected us. It is we who have rejected True Source’s Love by choosing name, fame, power, control, expectations, desires, personal will, self- centeredness, unworthiness, or emotional reactivity over The Love. This book is not a ‘how to’ book. It does
not guide you in techniques and practices. Instead, it deliberately asks you to examine your own practices, behaviours, thoughts, beliefs and concepts while also pointing out some of the subtle games that our egos play. If we are not prepared to challenge or let go of our ways, efforts and concepts related to spiritual growth, then we might not recognize the limitations we have created. Should the words in this book speak to your heart, there are links provided that will enable you to begin that very practical journey of opening your heart in the most effective way possible. In reality, this spiritual journey is so
simple; a joyful experience based on the direct loving relationship between our spark and our Creator. This journey is a process which allows The Love and Will of True Source to bring our true self back Home, restoring our true self to its original nature... to once again become a part of The Love. This journey of our spirit, our true self, returning Home to True Source, fulfils the purpose of this life, and is the reason why
we exist within existence. Allowing The Love to bring our spirit Home is what our spiritual growth is really about. As a Ph.D. psychologist and spiritual
aspirant, Ed Rubenstein spent over 30 years studying and teaching positive psychology and meditation to people from all walks of life. His pursuit began in the early 70s and led him to study yoga and meditation for nearly three years in Nepal and the Himalayas in Northern India which culminated in his teaching a variety of different approaches in both Eastern and Western contexts. He came to realize that what he was in fact doing – in all the disciplines, and all the practices – was nothing more than a process of cultivating the development of his soul. When he discovered that soul development is not the same as spiritual development, it was like waking from a dream, and it took him in a completely new direction. In his new book, ‘The Way of the Spiritual
Heart’, Ed offers the reader some of the profound understandings that became clear to him as his spiritual heart began to open. He challenges all of us to re-think our priorities and asks us to consider whether it’s our ego, or our spirit that we are growing, in the practices and beliefs we hold on to. Ed Rubenstein, Ph.D., is an Open Heart Instructor within the international Padmacahaya organization. For more information on ordering The Way of The Spiritual Heart, go to wayofthespiritualheart. com. You will also find some free audio downloads for your enjoyment.
For details about workshops and other activities that can assist in the opening of your spiritual heart, contact Padmacahaya in Australia, see
Padmacahaya.org.au or phone Steve Ray on 0419 005 386.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36