Author: Brian

  • Through it all, Eckankar

    Through it all, Eckankar

    There are times that I enjoy the teachings of Eckankar, but there are aspects of it that are sometimes hard to except. Sometimes I think of the path and wonder what my siblings would think of it. I can imagine their doubts over the past masters from hundreds or a thousand years ago, or the

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  • True, Necessary, Kind

    True, Necessary, Kind

    For the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed a downturn in my attitude. I haven’t been practicing the daily work as I should and it has reflected in my online discussions. The other day I read a negative review about technology. It triggered me and I ended up in a useless debate that didn’t change

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  • Depression

    Depression

    I want to keep this online journal honest. There are times when I have doubts. Not just doubts on a specific spiritual path, but doubts of God (Sugmad) from any path. Recent events in the world has gotten me down. Perhaps the information overload of abusers, and wars has turned my head from hope. Perhaps

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  • Being & Becoming

    Being & Becoming

    In Lesson 6 there is a practice added where the reader reaches out to the Mahanta for private instruction on the inner planes. I sat in contemplation this morning, after chanting HU and there came the words of the Mahanta. I hadn’t noticed but my vision kept drifting to a stack of books in my

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  • Doubts, are they relevant?

    Doubts, are they relevant?

    I’ve been in maybe 20 different faiths or spiritual groups in my lifetime. I’ve obviously had my share of doubts. Are those doubts validated, or are they my weakness? Before I came to Eckankar, I followed my own path believing that the Higher Self was in communion with me, guiding my steps. What Eckankar offered

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  • My Truth vs. Your Truth

    My Truth vs. Your Truth

    I had a waking dream today. I had seen an online post from someone asking about religion. They were thinking of moving away from Christian faith, as they no longer felt connected to it. They wanted to know about another faith, or any faith really, that had meetings in their neighborhood. Of course their question

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  • Disappointment in Others on the Path

    Today I feel discouraged. While browsing a spiritual forum online, from members of the Eckankar faith, I came across a comment. The comment from an Eckankar member blasted the new Mahanta. It was trivial frustrations. This person felt that the leader of Eckankar took his time to get on stage when he was introduced, hasn’t

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  • I love you for who you used to be

    I love you for who you used to be

    When I was a Buddhist, I adored the way they found compassion for all sentient life. Let’s face it, it isn’t easy. While it’s easy to love your children, your siblings, your best friend, it is quite another thing to love your enemies, or those people diametrically opposed to what you consider “right” or “ethical.”

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  • Dream: The game

    I had a dream last night. Much of it is forgotten. But what I do recall I was participating in a challenge, a game if you will. There were teams and many contestants. Unknown to us at the time, the game was life or death. In the dream I saw other teams fail, and they

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  • “The wise never give thought for the dead…”

    From the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad is a passage (on page 135 in the leather bound version), that states the following: The wise never give thought for the dead, nor for the living, in sentimental emotions. that which belongs to matter, heat and cold, pain and pleasure, and the values of beauty and ugliness, is impermanent. They come

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