Removing the Veil

By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff You yourself are under your own veil. -Hafiz Q: I have been traveling the road to higher consciousness for many years and it has been a long hard journey. ortunately there have been occasional Divine Breezes along the way! but I cannot say I feel any closer to "od for my efforts. #lso! sometimes traveling gets so lonely and I wish I had someone to talk to about this struggle$ can you hel% me understand! why the difficulty and mystery& Earth Phase: Physical & Spiritual The lower self prevents you from remembering God. -'raditional In the s%iritual journey! each traveler is both (uestion and answer$ goal and door which blocks the way. 'hat is the Design! or earth %hase! that we have immersed our self in$ one of %hysicality and s%irituality. 'his duality of knowing and not knowing$ seeking and finding are one of the universal laws of our earth e)%erience. *et beyond this duality of knowing and not knowing! is the first universal law+ ,neness of -reation. or you see! knowing and not knowing while at %olar o%%osites are both %art of the ,ne$ this ,neness may be e)%erienced in s%iritual states like the Beloved.s -aress or ,neness of -reation e)%erience. 'hese are sublime e)%eriences and many seek to re%eat these states over and over$ yet! when thinking and working this way! they miss the %oint of the journey ,ne day! I asked my teacher$ why this struggle& /hy this struggle between the ego 0daily consciousness1lower self2 and the wisdom of our heart 0continual awareness of "od2. /ouldn.t it sim%lify things if we were all born being continually aware of the Divine& He answered! the ego serves as a boundary between this world and the ne)t. /ithout the ego! we would all be lost! absorbed in the s%lendor of "od and of no use in this earthly life. 'his journey is much more than being continually absorbed in "od$ the journey is about serving others as "od.s Servant. #dded s%iritual ca%acity is necessary for s%ecific tasks and functions$ these are a tool to manifest something Higher. Manifesting the Real In order for that which is hidden behind the veil of our daily awareness! to be revealed! 3 %rocesses must be at work. #nd the outcome of both of these %rocesses is always de%endent u%on "race$ because in this endeavor! 4love is never earned it is bestowed.. Quieting the Lower Self/Ego. 'he first %rocess involves working on and refining our worldly consciousness or what has traditionally been termed 4the ego.. ,ften our worldly consciousness 0lower self2 blocks the higher consciousness with its concern for our

%hysical! emotional and intellectual well being. /e are multi-level beings and to fully enjoy and %artici%ate in this earthly e)%erience! there are many stimuli! thoughts and e)%eriences which are necessary for daily life. So! in this journey! of both %hysicality and s%irituality! the traveler must learn to still and (uiet the lower self$ in order to allow that which is dee%ly hidden to manifest. ,ften this stilling or (uieting of thought! for a time! involves unlearning many things! e)amining how our consciousness o%erates and %racticing techni(ues designed to still the lower self. Stilling the lower self is much different than destroying it$ this as%ect of consciousness! because it is very com%le)! as indicated! is needed to function in the world. 'y%ically we cannot not have a thought! but can learn how not to act on it and minimize its effect on our total consciousness. 'his %ushing aside by (uieting! tem%orarily! for most travelers takes much work and guidance by another. Awakening of Spiritual enters. 'he second %rocess involves awakening our inner s%iritual centers 0or chakras2 which must be done gradually and in a certain order. 'his awakening of our s%iritual centers can be done while the traveler is learning how to still troubling thoughts which create noise in the consciousness. 'his stimulating of s%iritual centers is often accom%lished through e)ercises! guidance of one of the teachers and the "race6 7ercy of "od. /hen the traveler is ready! s%iritual centers can be awakened or activated by the 8ight at any time or %lace. It is a (uestion of readiness and the %rocess has been termed organic and %art of a natural maturation. Enlightenment & Misconceptions /hen done correctly! adding of s%iritual ca%acity is accom%lished gradually so it does not disru%t others %ortions of a traveler.s life. 'his adding of ability is mysterious to most travelers! because they have limited e)%osure to this learning structure! further outcomes and %rocesses are rarely discussed. ,ften this structure cannot be accurately %ut in words! it is multi-level$ and because few have limited e)%osure to what is actually re(uired and how this is being done! there are many misconce%tions and resultant frustrations. 'y%ically most travelers view this develo%mental %rocess like other learning situations in their lives. or e)am%le! look I have read all the books! said my %rayers! given money to charity and talked to every 4teacher. I could find. I have been at this activity now for 9 years and worked very hard$ certainly if I was going to high school or college I would have my di%loma. *et mystical states elude me! I still get an)ious and worried and I certainly don.t feel "od18ight aglow in my heart when the kids start fighting and screaming. :nlightenment! or added s%iritual ca%acity! ty%ically occurs within the ordinary human %ersonality. :nlightenment involves bringing forward latent s%iritual skills and ca%acity to o%erate alongside all our other skills and ca%acities. 'his coming forward is additional

ca%acity that we consciously use to serve the situation and Higher Destiny. 'y%ically! this ability is not for oneself but to hel% others and the majority of work to enable this function involves removing from consciousness! for a time! those thoughts! ideas and hidden motives which stand in our way. Measuring Outcomes I remember one day! I asked my teacher! look I.ve been at this s%iritual study stuff now for ; years and really don.t feel anything is ha%%ening. How do I know I am %rogressing& /ith a smile on his face and a kind voice! he offered! <do you think about "od now more than you did before coming to see me&= #nd of course my answer was! 4yes.. However I was looking for outcomes of a different sort+ reading minds! knowing the future! being "od.s B and living in %eaceful harmony. Because of my e)%ectations! I had created my own frustrations. Strangers & Loneliness ,ne of the technical terms for the followers of the >ath! is that travelers are 4strangers.. Strangers to themselves and others! yearning for something they cannot define and must find. :ach traveler has an unsettling awareness that they don.t (uite fit into the world as most %eo%le define it! and for a time may be unclear what the inner unease and burning is about. If you find yourself on the long road and it is raining and dark! to ease your %ain! consider the following. 'alk to "od18ight. 'ell "od how you are feeling and what you need. "od is inside all of us and listens to all our %rayers. 'ell "od what you want and need! and in time! as "od /ills! it will be "iven to you. <?emember! if you take one ste% toward "od! "od will take ten ste%s toward you.. -all a friend and find out how they are doing. Share your feelings and e)%erience. Hel% another. ?each out and assist someone who is having a difficult time. "et-u%! do something %hysical that is fun or hel%s another. "et out of yourself. # healthy mind and body thrives on activity. If you need the com%any of like minded believers! reach out and contact one of the many organizations set-u% for this %ur%ose. ?emember be careful in your choices! there are many who would take from you. #sk the @niverse for whatever you need. *ou are the son1daughter of a Aing and this has been %romised to you. !ust be"ause you do not see a thing #t doesn$t mean it "eases to e%ist& The sun also shines in the night& -#. Hussain BBBBBBBBB ;

Register for my upcoming retreat wee en! atop "angor Mountain# in the beautiful >ocono 7ountains! Airkridge ?etreat -enter on Sufism ' Enlightenment! 7ay ;C- Dune I! 3C59. or information scroll down to %rogram listing+ htt%+11kirkridge.org1%rograms1u%coming-%rograms1. 'hen click on $etaile! %nformation for full %rogram highlights. Read my 2 books: Sufism for /estern Seekers+ (ath of the Spiritual Traveler in Everyday Life and 'he erryman.s Dream. Both books are also in Aindle format and available on #mazon.com or local bookstore. 'o contact author go to+ www.stewartbitkoff.com.