Spiritual poverty
“It is not only individuals who are impoverished; it is all of humanity.”[1]
"Goaded by the fear of poverty and deprivation, people are driven to seek endless amounts of wealth and reassurance for themselves. This is pervasive in the world. This is the condition of the human family. This is the 'state of the union' for the human family. And all of the addictions, all of the depression, all of the poor mental and physical health you see around you is a product of this desperation and this disassociation that people have with themselves and with the greater purpose that has brought them into the world." [2]
“You are here to serve. You are here to give. You are here because you are rich with Knowledge. Regardless of your circumstance in life, your own sense of poverty will be banished forever as Knowledge arises within you, for there can be no sense of deprivation when Knowledge is being experienced and expressed. This is the promise of this Program of preparation.” [3]
“This deeper need does not mean you have no other needs, for you will still have some practical needs, psychological needs and emotional needs. But to fulfill the deeper need of the soul means that you have given satisfaction and fulfillment to your essential nature here. You could acquire wealth. You can be devoted to beauty. You could be politically involved. You can have a deeply engaging social life. You can have all the appearances of success in the world. But if the deeper need of your soul remains undiscovered and unfulfilled, you will still be impoverished and the feelings of emptiness will haunt you, driving you further into your outer pursuits as you try to mitigate or satisfy this deeper need within yourself. But you cannot do it, because it can only be fulfilled by responding to the power and presence of Knowledge and having it guide you to the discovery, the experience and the expression of your greater purpose.”[4]
Nothing replaces Knowledge
“You only have two choices, for you can only serve Knowledge or that which attempts to replace Knowledge. Since nothing can really replace Knowledge, a desire to serve that which replaces Knowledge is the desire to serve nothing, to be nothing and to have nothing. This is what we mean when we speak of poverty. It is a state of serving nothing, being nothing and having nothing.” [5]
The great endowment
“You may pray urgently to God for salvation, for guidance, for redemption and for protection, but God has already given you a perfect guiding intelligence. Whether you are a part of a religion or not, whether you practice a faith tradition or not, wherever you live, whatever your culture, whatever your financial position, you have the great endowment living within you.” [6]
References
- ↑ The New Message for the Impoverished & Oppressed (April 18, 2008)
- ↑ The New Message on Freedom (February 23, 2008)
- ↑ Steps to Knowledge, Step 185: I have come into the world for a purpose
- ↑ Interdependence (July 4, 2008)
- ↑ Steps to Knowledge, Step 343: Today I will honor the source of my preparation.
- ↑ Navigating the Difficult Times Ahead (September 29, 2008)
See also
Further Study
- Steps to Knowledge
- Step 158:I am rich so I can give.
- Step 159: The poor cannot give. I am not poor.
- Step 160:The world is poor, but I am not.