“We got our inspirations not from the heavens nor from the divine, but only from life itself”

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Throughout one’s life, we are forced to seek answers to many a question in order to develop spiritually and socially.  Those to which we find answers are very few compared to those we cannot.  Every individual is different.  And the physical, mental and emotional differences are much more varied than one would expect. The differences are great since apart from the differences at birth, we go through different experiences while upbringing and education.  What make individuals unique are these different characteristics.  People are recognized, known and remembered by these qualities that belong solely to them.  Hence people who wish not to live and ordinary life, who wish not to be just anybody should be aware of their own individual qualities, should bring them forth, should develop and utilize them.

Knowledge has become a commodity.  Yet there exists a wide gap between its value and price.  The value of knowledge regarding personal growth increases as much is it raises the quality of lie, peace, security and morale.

When we make correct choices in the books we read, the films we watch, the travels we make, speakers we listen to, the experts and friends we come to rely on, we will gain very different experiences. Because we are mortal and cannot live long enough to experience all, we need to make use of the experiences of others.  By doing so we support our personal growth in life.  However during the process of personal growth and awareness we should not be led to selfishness, loneliness and becoming an introvert.  The feeling of being different, unique or powerful should never be permitted to lead to a meaningless independence nor to an obsession of not being connected.  What is of utmost importance and furthermore meaningful for us is to behave and be a part of the social life.  To be assimilated and to be valued by others in social life is dependant upon the meaningful contributions we make to the work we do and the relationships we have had.  The people who are accustomed to team work and who have the desire to share are the people who have reached the understanding of unity, have gained the consciousness of belonging.  And hence they have matured.

People who have matured personally and have achieved the quality of being influential can easily meet the necessities of being a different and a genuine person.  They can also work in teams.  They can see differences not as barriers but rather as stimulants and the riches in the feeling of belonging.

During the process of personal growth one has to view working alone and in a team not as contradictory but rather as complimentary.  Then it will be much easier to achieve the basic aims of life, i.e. peace, happiness, security and success.  Personal growth is being able to say “I am after all only human!”  This will require long and tedious years of education, practice and initiation.  Personal growth is in fact only the attainment of courage to do so.

The concept of evolving is the process of the conscious comprehension of one’s self.  The assimilation of many concepts and being conscious make up awareness.  This requires the thorough research of basic concepts.  Unfortunately people in search of personal development seem to miss this very important fact.  They have ended up with teachings that lead to disillusion.  They are swept away by the polished up teachings supplied by people who consider themselves to be experts.  In the name of development these people fall into the trap of being brain washed.  We are on the verge of being a virtual society believing we are being spiritually enriched by the commercial guides and channelings. 

Our greatest dilemma in life is in fact not being able to be who we are.  Being human is a privilege in itself.  Yet we do not seem to be satisfied with this.  But in fact by knowing one’s self, one’s mental and emotional pain ends. Knowing one’ self is a concept we seem to mix up with ones instinct to work.  In reality knowing one’s self is a responsibility to one’s self.  But here it important not to confuse duty with responsibility. Duty has its borders, and its freedom has its limits.  In responsibility there are no corners and freedom of responsibility is limitless.  Responsibility is the feeling freely of ones essence and ones humanness.  One’s character is the shadow on his soul of all his responses to what he has encountered throughout his life. His attitude to life is the cornerstone of his individuality.  These are not hereditary characteristics but they are the necessities of developing and assimilating while living together and viewing one another.

Today showing off and putting on airs have become widespread.  The wish to appear more than you, the desire to exhibit a polished look is the examples of what the value judgments have done to people.  The value and the compliments given to objects, fame and power undoubtedly are societal misperceptions which lead people to believe they are true. The weak is after being approved, being strong and powerful, and loves compliments.  He or she is after approval.

However, the greatest power is one’s acceptance of his true self.

Firstly we have to realize that we are not particles floating in air.  We are halfway through when we realize that we are molecular particles moving in an order.  Secondly, we should be able to listen to out inner warnings in tranquility.  In short, here there is a state of physical no motion.  Here is a state of being above necessities.  It is a state of being consciously prepared not to act.  This is the state of being in minimum action so as to reach the best outcome.  Simply it is a state of submission.  However it is not an unquestioned submission.  It is a state of submission to be aware of and to hear the warnings in silence.

These days the attractions of the New Age Movement is turning into something which prevents people from true personal development and focuses attention on other directions.  This is what I have been trying to point out so far.  Do not think I am criticizing them if you are involved in energies, crystals, astrology, and channeling information.  I am only trying to point out that we should be aware of the fancy yet empty passages.

We know that in the past, in every dimension and in every path chosen, this earth provided a passage.  When we look at the Atlantis age, we see that many who were wise were under the attack of  “I”.  These people started to believe they knew all and in believing so they brought down many ancient civilizations.

And now we are going trough such a transitional stage.  This is the stage where the “I” energy is taking over those in personal development.  Many experts have begun to act selfishly; they are conceited, arrogant and ambitious.  They constantly say that they can give you healing energy, exorcise you from the evil spirits, and that they can provide you with spiritual knowledge.  The “I” energy that was the downfall of many ancient civilizations is now trying to leak into our world.  And we find ourselves being called such names as impostors. 

We are entering a path in the name of personal development.  And it is being said that everyone will reach awareness at the end of this path.  There are many alternatives along this path.  There are channelings, dragons, angels, various forms of Reiki, antennas, and many other methods.  In a state of madness there are people rushing to initiations during lunch break, there are dances made to angels, and many other such comical situations.

Somewhere someone says if you wear this pyramid on your head you will reach many secrets.  And you look and see many people wandering around with pyramids on their heads.  Some are lost in meditation. They have been told that a voice will wake them up and elevate them to higher levels and they will be saved of their past karmas.  Some others have been told to hold a crystal who wants permission to work with them.  Some one else is doing advisory work to souls.  And tells you that you are a special healer.  He begins by “Yes, tell me!” You end up telling…

Some of us just cast an eye over these, and continue on our way.  The others are waylaid by them.  In fact these serve only to make us feel better for a short while.

What I mean is that what is considered to be the charming parts of the enlightenment age is turning into something which prevents one from his true path.  And many a person is captured by this, thinking he is on the way to personal development or awareness.  In fact during personal development what needs to be done is not to surrender our power to teachings.  It is only to allow them in our learning experiences.  Personal development cannot be achieved by the opening of chakras or by mystical applications.  Personal development cannot be attained by some gurus trying to open up chakras from their seats.

No matter in which stage of civilization it is, personal development envisions a certain necessity of mind.  What is important is that a person realizes his freedom in nature and in society.  This can only be possible when we realize our own responsibility.  There is no magical stick letting people attain personal development.. There are only imitations.

I am not here to give a lecture on ethics.  I do not want to say what’s right or what is wrong.  There is one basic criterion: awareness.  If we act in awareness there is less chance of making mistakes.  One can do many things admired by others without awareness.  But these are only done by being double faced and is a show.  Actions carried out artificially cannot free a person will only enslave him.  The moon cannot be seen when behind clouds, yet it is there..  Personal growth is in fact seeing the unseen and claiming to be the owner of one’s life.

Personal development is not dashing from one teaching to another.  Personal development is what we feel towards ourselves.  It is to be able to set up our wholeness.  What personal development should provide are security, happiness, and peace.  It learning to support one another, and to replace hate with love.  It is learning the importance of ourselves, and building our self confidence.  It is being able to stop between what we have told and what we want to tell.  It is seeing people not with what they own but who they really are.

Personal growth is being able to make choices freely.  It is not saying “I am …. Master” when a hand is extended to be introduced.  It certainly is not channeling information nor is it various notifications.  It is listening to information with our instincts and sieving them through our mind.  It is not to be swept away by secret motives.  It is not seeing you apart from the whole with the information received, but it knows one’s self.  It is accepting to spend labor to regulate our life, to claim our life as ours, and it is not ruining our balance by hoping for a miracle and by accepting a part from each teaching.

There is a future lying in front of us.  Let’s forget the past.  And let’s live the future to create a new “old past”.  This time let us shape the future and let us free ourselves from the repetitions of the past.  Let us not keep our value judgments in strict limitations.  Let us not chase happiness.  Let’s live.  Then happiness will find us eventually.  And let’s own a soul that will face life gracefully.