Soul Development

It is not always easy to say what is of the ego and what it is of Spirit, but in some cases it is pretty clear: the business person who strikes a deal with another one for the first time is perhaps more driven by rationality and profit motive, whereas the mother who holds her baby in her hands is feeling love instead. Most of the time, however, mind and the heart interact in mysterious ways so that we just don't know what the underlying motive is any longer. The business person who has spent decades together with his colleagues may still need the paycheck but may also consider her as part of the family. The opposite example is the mega church preacher who means well but deep down inside loves the status that comes with his mission as well as the handsome pay-off of his book sales.

In the table below I distinguish between what may drive us subconsciously, and what we are able to experience interacting with others.

                                                       Observed Reality

                                                    Ego                  Spirit

                              Ego             Business        Unhealed
Underlying                                                         Healer
Drive              
                             Spirit              Illusion            Heaven
                                                                             on Earth              
                                                                                 

Few of us are truly of the Spirit so that they truly create Heaven on earth. And when these enlightened folks  interact with the real world, they manage to see right through its empty structure, always having an eye on the beautiful world lying beneath.

As a Tao traveler I would say, it doesn't really matter what our underlying motive is. Everything that comes our way allows us to awaken to Spirit. If we mean well and want to help others, but turn out to be an unhealed healer, our ‘client’ will rip this mask of holiness right off us.

Everyone is on the same healing path, spiritual or not. The driven business man will be shown the ruthlessness and meaningless of soul-less business transactions. The misled preacher will sooner or later realize what is truly bubbling beneath the surface. Walk your path however you like, Spirit knows where to find you.