“The state of the saints is transparent and shining, and therefore they receive the Brightness without intermediary, but our state is still mortal and gross, and this sets up an obstacle which causes a shadow over the sun, which so darkens our understanding that we cannot know God and heavenly things as clearly as the saints do. For as long as we dwell in the shadow, we cannot see the Divine Sun clearly, but we see the sun through a glass darkly. Yet the shadow is so enlightened by the Sunshine that we can perceive the distinctions between all the virtues, and all the truth which is helpful in our mortal state. If we would become one with the Brightness of the Spiritual Sun, we must follow Love, and go out from ourselves into the Wayless, and then the sun will draw us with our blinded eyes into its Brightness, in which we shall possess Unity with God. As soon as we feel and understand ourselves thus, we are in that contemplative life which is within reach of our mortal state.”

–John of Ruysbroeck

The State of the Saints

When Ruysbroeck speaks of the saints, he means the true saints and not everyone who has been given that title. These saints are not literally transparent, but they have nothing to hide, so transparent in that way. They do shine with the Brightness of God’s Light that comes down to us from the Spiritual Sun.

Shadow Over the Sun

Whether you call it a shadow or a veil, the sun has been partially blocked from us for centuries. This is to protect us as well as to protect the sun from the thoughts of primitive, materialistic people. Now that we are in the End Times, and the birth of the Sun of Righteousness has happened, that shadow has been removed so that we can turn to the sun and receive God’s Brightness even if we are not yet saints.

With Love and Humility

With Love and Humility, and without greed or a selfish desire to use the Sun’s Power to control others, we can receive the Light of the Spiritual Sun, although we still receive the light of the physical sun along with it. We can, to a large degree, block out the negative effects of the physical sun by visualizing the Cosolargy Crose over the sun and over our eyes when we practice solar viewing techniques.

Unity with God

This is indeed the ultimate goal of spiritual practices. Few people achieve this during their physical life and those who do usually achieve it only for brief moments. Yet it is what we should aim for so that we can continue that quest to reach Unity with God and the All at the highest level of consciousness after the death of our physical body.

“Let it always appear and be manifest to you that solitariness, and places in the desert, so esteemed by philosophers, are of themselves but thus and thus; and all things are to them who live in towns also, and converse with others as there is the same nature everywhere to be seen and observed: to them that have retired themselves to the top of mountains, and to desert havens, or other desert places. For anywhere it thou wilt mayest thou may find and apply this to thyself; which Plato saith of his philosopher, in a place: as private and retiring, saith he, as if he were shut up and enclosed about in some shepherd’s lodge, on the top of a hill. There by thyself to put these question to thyself or to enter into considerations: What is my chief and principle part, which has power over the rest? What is now the present state of it, as I use it; and what is it that I employ it for? Is it now void of reason or no? Is it fresh and separated; or so affixed, so congealed and grown together as it were with the flesh, that is is swayed by the motions and inclinations of it?”

-Marcus Aurelius

Solitary Places in the Desert

It is somewhat difficult to follow the convoluted language of Aurelius, even though I have simplified it a little in the quote, yet I think we can all get the point he is trying to make. First, he tells us that we don’t need to be out in the desert or in some solitary place to practice our spiritual development techniques. Depending on where you live, it might be impossible for you to go to a desert, or a mountaintop regularly to do those practices. But Aurelius assures us that even those living in towns and cities can practice spiritual development techniques and get good results. So why do philosophers like Plato advise going to the desert or to a mountain? Because some places are better than others.

Who You’re With

Who you are with, or around, when you practice techniques is one reason why the ancient teachers recommended going to a solitary place. When doing techniques, it is best to be surrounded only by like-minded people. If that is not possible, then it is best to do them away from others whose negative or materialistic thoughts interfere with yours. It is like trying to get good reception on a cell phone when you are in a place surrounded by many electrical sources emitting static. You might still be able to hear the other person, but not very well. That is why it is recommended that those who live in urban areas make an effort to get out to the country, or at least to an open area such as a park, occasionally.

Find Your Place

Aurelius advises us to choose our place for spiritual practices by asking ourselves: What is the state of that place now? Does it feel spiritual to you, or has it become congealed into a materialistic place? Many places that were once considered holy or spiritual are not so anymore. So do the best you can to find a good spot and if you can be in a desert, by the seashore, or on a mountain top occasionally, you should make the effort to go there.

I fly above the dark and angry sea
I call to others to come join me.
But few respond, most cannot see
or hear the things ahead of me.
So fly alone, if you must fly
’til others join you in the sky.
One day, the angry sea will end
And we will call each other “friend”.