The Shadow's Gold, and the Middle Way

Thriving or struggling within what is arguably the most turbulent period in human history, pushing the boundaries on the front lines of a brave and bold paradigm as it marches ever-forward into our delicate and precious natural world, whether it can survive it or not, we as a species are vulnerable in ways we have never known. This is only deniable through ignorance, a premature sense of personal achievement, or synthetic privilege-born delusions of immortality. However, between countless lines of data illustrating the dire nature of our global situation, there is an opportunity of epic proportions, aeons in the making. We have come into this world with the power to shift this sketchy global situation back into balance. If we are to achieve this, and by doing so, earn the right to live and thrive on this planet, it is vital that we come to understand the fact that we will not shift this until we take an honest look at the entire spectrum, allowing ourselves to fully integrate the subject matter at hand into our being. If we are to become advanced alchemists, as I believe many of us are here to do, we must first allow all of this raw material, all of this lead, each frightening face of reality to be seen and accepted onto our table. We must work with it directly, hands on. Doing this, we will become vulnerable, we will begin to believe in the threat, and this is necessary. A vital step that many people of a sort of "new age" persuasion tend to deliberately skip. Most of us are quite familiar with the tendencies of many seemingly spiritually focused or "truth oriented" people who spend their days pursuing the highest and purest state they can through philosophy, diet, meditation, the protocol of various ancient wisdom traditions, etc. They seem to radiate a kind of bliss that seems a match for Christ or Buddha, and there is very specific wisdom in attaining such states. However, as it tends to be, if you introduce a heavy subject like the ongoing situation at Fukushima, government pyramids of manipulation, mass hypnosis via media, and so on, they are likely to simply "send love" and/or disengage, explain how such matters are not "in resonance" with them, or something to that effect. This approach is indicative of an internal sensation of vulnerability, conscious or otherwise, and it is likely that these same people will essentially unravel under intensely heavy circumstances, or even under the pressures of everyday life. Not unlike the way a dietary purist will feel ill after ingesting something from beyond their philosophical menu, whether or not the unfavorable sensation is derived from an actual physical response. This stage of personal development can be likened to the untested, pre-enlightenment Siddartha, or the young Jesus Christ before returning to Israel. As a transitional state, it is beautiful, but to adopt this state as a permanent way of being, is insanity. These individuals are likely to be a part of an elitist group of sorts, and will have developed an intricate philosophical web of personal control that make it nearly impossible for them to escape their extremely fragile paradigm. In short, their very way of being reinforces their own belief that illusory threats are real, and that the light of truth can be dominated by the apparent darkness of what they judge to be negative. This reinforced and encouraged belief makes these apparent threats very real for them. Therefore, these are not the people we want to have guiding the masses through dark times into a golden age. Under their guidance, we would pursue bliss, and elevate ourselves to the level of the lightest light, abandoning desire itself, and as the ages evolved, the pendulum of reality would swing us all back down the line to the opposing polarity on this spectrum of illusions. No transmutation will occur, and we will end up precisely where we began. We will transmute lead into gold only when we muster the courage to step away from our comfort zone, and accept that our attention is needed apart from what we judge to be 'the light.' This great alchemy will take place beyond mantras, beyond affirmations, yoga, prayer, ecstatic practices or even the most pure form of optimism. Any polarized thinking though effective in the realms of manifestation, potentially rewarding and self-affirming, only ever reinforces duality on a grand scale, and therefore ensures the persistence of the great illusion of our separation from source. If we dance only in the light of the colors that "resonate" with us, we will only be tampering with an intangible philosophical fabric, and will at best make ripples in our self-perpetuating experience of duality, witnessing just enough evidence of progress to keep us spinning in place. Comfortable, blissful, yet stagnant, we will bathe in unchanging waters, never knowing the state of cleanliness we seek, regardless of how pure or strong our intentions are. Ironically, the path taken by a vast majority of modern day spiritualists is utterly at variance with Gautama Buddha’s middle way, which never involves the exclusion of anything for the sake of avoiding any form of discomfort, as if the light of truth could be threatened by them. We must graduate from first grade, and step through our shadow. The transcendent middle way looks and feels very different from the “bathing in bliss” scenario I have just described. Those among us who walk upon this middle way do not always appear “successful,” or “enlightened,” to those who behold them. They do not typically fall into a category of especially high vibrational, clear minded, or even happy types, though they experience states of transcendence far beyond anything achieved by many self-important elitists who perform this unnecessary and mistaken act of categorization. At times, they stumble, or even forget who they are. In truth, it is the work done by these very individuals that opens doors leading to profound transcendent realms to those who have not yet mastered the prerequisite realms, and these inspirational glimpses ease and lubricate the entire ascension process for everyone. The divinity at the core of their being is not polarized, and they do not live within the boundaries of some chosen energetic experience. They are not so naturally self-serving, though some may at times perceive them to be “self-indulgent” or melodramatic, as they are willingly overcome by whatever waves of emotional energy are necessary for their work as it unfolds in real time. The difference is, these transcendent people do not seek the a sense of personal justification through perpetuating the drama of victimization. A shallow result relentlessly pursued by truly self-indulgent individuals. The transcendent people will rarely be heard “venting” or gossiping for the sake of temporary personal gratification. At times, life does seem to defeat them, they really feel it, and it is obvious to those who are close to them. Often they are diagnosed with various so-called personality disorders early on, and medication is common. They are essentially carrying the weight of the entire world, and are actively shifting the foundation of our collective consciousness from its core, not simply practicing the novice level manifestation skills required to generate what is often called “abundance” on the surface. Their own personal abundance is achieved as the result of a life’s work adequately achieved. Therefore, they may struggle with money for a majority of their lives. Behind the appearance of an average person, they wield the philosopher's stone, and walk among events of cosmic proportions, recognized only by the most advanced among us. This is not a path of enlightenment, as profound as such a path may be. In a sense, enlightenment was the result of mastering first grade. Theirs is a path of transcendence, and we are ALL capable of walking it. It is not required that we experience enlightenment in this life before we can move on to the next level. Many become discouraged needlessly due to the fact that they seem unable to attain enlightenment in this life, when in fact, they allready mastered such things in former incarnations, and need to be focusing on other matters now. Their spiritual memory may beckon them back to enlightenment, but their inability to fully attain it in this life urges them to expand beyond their former psychological, physiological, emotional and spiritual constructs. These middle way walkers are not some elite few, born with special abilities. It is very likely that you are one of them. Anyone can suddenly become one. As soon as we choose to be truly still, to remove our layered garb of preconceived notions and philosophical constructs, and then take an honest look at our inner world, and that which has been projected forth from it as the World in which we live, we are presented with the choice to take this path. It sounds easy, but for many of us aspiring conscious people, it is very difficult to let go of our various ascension tools, psychological/spiritual “permission slips,” and take a path uncharted by many masters of “first grade,” who inspire us and teach us of source wisdom. Just beyond the entrance to this path, we immediately encounter an onslaught of deterrents, most of which do not sit well with the many philosophical platforms introduced by our former Gurus and teachers. Along this path, we may become frightened, we may even tread into fields of despair, but if we stay strong, if we shine the light of our highest heart from our core and carry on into our most frightening shadow, we come upon the legendary philosopher’s stone. That which allows each base metal to undergo the process of transmutation into gold. We come to the inevitable understand that nothing real can be threatened, and that nothing unreal exists. With this understanding, emerges the peace of the divine. With this mature understanding, refined through experience, we become the master alchemist, and all we touch may become gold. With every new participant, the path becomes easier for those who walk it, as less of the collective effort is unconsciously polarizing the world into seemingly perpetual chaos. We will know we have made it to the entrance of this middle way when we are no longer frightened by any aspect of our existential shadow. Until then, fear is an ever-present opportunity for transcendence, as lead is potential gold to the aspiring alchemist. To achieve master alchemist status, we must first make the choice to accept, forgive, and engage what we may otherwise deny, fear, or judge, so as to actualise the paradigm in which our soul light cannot be darkened or tainted by any externalization of our own shadow.