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PILGRIMAGE
AND QUEST
Our consciousness or inner presence reflects the
way in which everything in the universe organizes itself and exhibits a
dimension of subjective spontaneity. From the beginning of creation, from
galaxy to planet formation, consciousness was always there, revealing an
extraordinary ability to unfold powerful forces and exquisite imagination
in an incalculable complexity of forms, moving, expanding, collapsing,
exploding, and fulfilling through creation its own unknown and mysterious
destiny. Man is a part of creation, and consciousness in him takes another
dimension, another level. Should this be called an evolution of
consciousness, or better still, an awakening?
The journey into the depths of self begins with
the adventure of consciousness, starting with a limited and narrow
appreciation of our real essence, and expanding our consciousness with our
mind and imagination. We do that to experience and understand that we, as
consciousness, are mirrors reflecting the whole of creation.
However, we are not just mirrors; we must also discover that we are also
centers of creation.
Consciousness in man has two functions. Firstly,
it reflects our own understanding and interpretation of creation, which
helps us to develop our inner potential, innate wisdom, and individuality.
Secondly, it shows us that consciousness will always remain a mystery—the
realization of which is our real mission in life—because consciousness
itself takes all kinds of forms in creation and yet we know that, as an
inherent part of the Essence of the Unknown God Himself, consciousness can
never be created. So, who is man? What purpose does he fulfill, and what
is his "mission" in creation?
Man is not consciousness itself, but
consciousness grows and transforms him, so man is inhabited by
consciousness. Henceforth, he is no more mind, nor love. His role in
creation is to be a vessel, a chalice, a grail cup, and to receive those
mysterious energies that consciousness bestows upon him—the gifts of mind
and love. We are not the creators of these essences but the
receivers
of them, and our mission is to incarnate and manifest them in our
lives. When we become the center of these mysteries, then, we are no
longer just human. We become an awakened consciousness reflecting the
whole of creation in ourselves, and when we experience that portion of
consciousness, then we realize that consciousness, through us, is also the
source of this creation. Then we live on both levels of
consciousness at the same time. Different traditions use different names
for such a person, such as the Son of Man, Christ Consciousness, the
Buddha, and the Enlightened One.
Initiations such as the one explained in
Pilgrimage by author Paulo Coelho open in the seeker a genuine and
true dimension of what a real quest and initiation is all about. As
seekers, we unfold the quest in ourselves, since we are both the quest and
the path. The goal of initiation is the direct awakening of our
consciousness to a higher level. However, initiation also reveals to us
that while we are awakening a new level of consciousness in the world, we
are also letting go of our previous one. "When the disciple is ready, the
Master appears," so, strange encounters and inexplicable events take place
in our lives when we are open to receive initiation. It can happen
suddenly in a most ordinary and natural way, and rupture our
consciousness, helping our soul to intervene and awaken us to our true
Self.
Consciousness could be transformed by any event
in our life. However, an initiator or catalyst is needed, an
awakened, enlightened soul who knows what kind of initiation each seeker
needs, a master in whom the seeker has complete trust. Some seekers need
to be "handled" subtly, others more roughly, but what counts is the
rupture, the opening that initiation brings.
Pilgrimage and quest are therefore levels of
passage, levels of transformation, of dying and of being reborn. Although
initiation can take place anywhere, certain locations around the world
have mysterious strong and powerful egregore due to the higher
levels of consciousness of millions of pilgrims of pure heart soul. These
powerful energies give us courage and strength to continue and, in return,
we give them our love and gratitude.
So, the Light shines in darkness. Come along and
follow the sacred Fool. There is nothing to fear.
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