Like a Candle in the Wind

“When the candle is lit, there is a flame. As the candle burns, there is still the same flame. So there’s no difference between the beginning time and the later time of the candle burning. The flame is neither new nor old. The flame is like the light of the beginner’s mind. The candle, when it is flameless, is like the lack of vision of one who has not begun the WAY."

(Rujing)

As I was wondering how to introduce my forthcoming book, "The Way of the Meister", the candle analogy came handy. The German expression 'Meister' denotes a master of his craft. From a spiritual perspective, a Meister has walked the WAY for an extended period of time. In fact, our perhaps most enlightened soul in Germany was a medieval monk with the name Meister Eckhart.

When does the transition from spiritual novice to Meister take place? Is it GOD's stamp of approval or is it the passage of time? When I wrote up my Awakening process in 2012 in the book, 'The Magnificent Experiment', I was as connected to the WAY as I am currently. When you are connected to this divine FORCE there is no grade of spiritual separation. Either the fire is burning, or it is not. What differentiates the beginner from Meister, perhaps, is consistency. The advanced traveler has seen the ingenious tricks of the ego before. And even though we still will be occasionally fooled, we mostly immediately reposition as we realize that the CONNECTION is slipping. 

Perhaps we can use the flame analogy in the following way. The Meister knows when to seek cover as the wind picks up, whereas the novice, without proper guidance, is left hanging like a candle in the wind.