Pitfalls and Errors on the Path

Because we are born into the dimension of forgetfulness, we are constantly being diverted as we move towards truth, pulled by forces of unconsciousness that would hamper our evolution or even jeopardize our awakening. Whenever there is progression towards light and truth, opposing forces and energies are present as well. A seeker should be aware of numerous pitfalls awaiting him along the path. Although they can indeed threaten our progress, the obstacles we are likely to encounter on our journey are not inherently negative, for moving through and beyond them is a natural, and therefore positive part of the maturation of our intelligence and consciousness. There are countless types of pitfalls, but we can regard them as falling into three primary domains - understanding, practice and ego - as explored below.

Understanding in Action

Sadly, the vast majority of seekers get spiritually stuck the moment they step onto the inner path. This is due to their ignorance, or to the fact that they follow teachings that present a shallow vision of spirituality and enlightenment. They perform all sorts of practices in the name of self-realization, but get no closer to truth; lost in the dark, they remain unable to move any further out of unconsciousness. To avoid such stagnation, one has to enquire into the essence of spirituality as well as investigate the complex science of spiritual evolution as embodied in high teachings. Only in this way can a seeker discover the true purpose and significance of the path. True understanding of the inner dimension is a flowering of our intelligence and spiritual intuition and reflects our maturity and sensitivity to the inner realm. It is absolutely essential for our evolutionary advancement.

Spiritual practice is understanding in action based on the science of the inner states that aims at the transformation of our consciousness and being. At the heart of true practice lies insight into the nature of pure subjectivity - awakening to I am - the primary means through which a seeker cultivates the subtle art of becoming increasingly established in the realm of the self.

In order to experience clear progress, one has to focus in a precise manner on the particular dimension of expansion that corresponds to one's present level of evolutionary development. Unless we have a clear understanding of the state we are in, there is a danger that we will miss the intermediate steps of awakening necessary to bridge us with far deeper levels of realization. In trying to get ahead of ourselves we make a fruitless effort to reach depths that we have no means to access. For instance, to aim at the dissolution of self or the actualization of oneness prior to first establishing the state of presence would be a misguided effort, for without continuity of pure awareness, a practice of surrender may result in even deeper unconsciousness. The inner work is progressive in nature; each phase of expansion must become stable and permanent so that it can serve as a solid foundation for the ensuing awakening. It is inappropriate to pursue advanced goals before first being energetically and existentially grounded in the fundamentals.

Errors in the Verification of Awakening

There are three common problems in the evaluation of one's inner realization: first, one may mistakenly believe that one has arrived at an awakened state when none whatsoever has been reached; second, one may have arrived at an awakened state, yet due to a lack of sensitivity, be unable to register it; and third, having experienced a real awakening, one may not grasp its true nature and significance due to the fact that intelligence has not yet integrated with the newly awakened state. We find the first problem to be the most common.

Many seekers abandon the inner work altogether having arrived at only a superficial spiritual realization. This is especially true in cases of those who follow the simplistic paradigm of sudden awakening or believe that in order to reach enlightenment it is sufficient to have a purely intellectual insight into the nature of reality. Premature claims of enlightenment often lead to false spiritual confidence, even arrogance. To be caught in the delusion that one has reached enlightenment when one has not, is not only a waste of the evolutionary energy previously accumulated, but can easily block one's further evolution.

Attachment to Conceptual Understanding

In spite of the fact that the spiritual dimension exists beyond the boundaries of the mind, understanding plays an essential role in our awakening process. Right understanding can in fact be seen as a bridge between the plane of unconsciousness and true reality. Superior concepts are not merely intellectual metaphors - they resonate with the energy of the truth they represent. Conceptual understanding of ideals such as the self, oneness or enlightenment can even inspire us to initiate the spiritual quest in order to realize them. Still, concepts are only representations of reality in the mind; reality itself is non-conceptual in essence. There is always the danger that by becoming overly attached to intellectual ideas we might find ourselves living in a virtual reality of mental constructs that actually separates us from reality as it is. For instance, concepts like 'everything is consciousness' or 'there is no self', though they hold relative truth, are still of the mind, not reality. Reality as it is cannot be captured by such notions, as it is neither consciousness nor no-self, nor both, nor neither. Reality is nameless, unfathomable by the limited mind.

A dangerous spiritual delusion tied to the realm of understanding is the mistaking of conceptual insight for actual realization. This is the case of a false, intellectual 'enlightenment', in which one becomes programmed to perceive reality in an 'enlightened' way through pseudo-sophisticated ideas and spiritual slogans. One can be convinced that 'all is empty' or 'there is only the self' and actually mentally experience existence as such, yet still not be established in any state beyond the mind, as ignorant to one's true self as ever. Indeed, there are seekers, even teachers, who fool around with concepts, display fake cleverness, and deceive themselves and others into believing that intellectual insights actually constitute real spiritual attainments.

Even though conceptual understanding is essential in our spiritual quest, attachment to a vision of reality based on the mind can obstruct our expansion into non-conceptual existence. True understanding is a direct and pure knowing of reality that reflects the soul's blueprint and unique angle of perception. It is not a product of personal knowledge, ideas or philosophies, but an expression of the wisdom of universal intelligence beholding the truth of creation and evolution through the eyes of an awakened soul.

Evolutionary Imbalance

One of the most serious pitfalls on the path is an imbalance between one's inner and outer evolution. Some misguided seekers suppress their psychological issues, fears and natural desires in the name of the quest for enlightenment. They see their outer reality as the 'enemy' of inner peace and stillness, and neglect their emotional development by spending all of their time in meditation and solitude. By becoming attached to the peace and calm of meditation, or spending excessive time alone, one tends to develop an unhealthy fear of the world, with its many challenges and distractions. The completion of the human personality requires that we engage in a well-balanced relationship with the world, for one can never be truly whole without psychological balance and emotional maturity.

In addition to becoming imbalanced in our relationship with the world and our human existence, we can also develop an imbalance in our internal growth towards the self by becoming too extreme or one-sided in our practice. For instance, some over-crystallize awareness, neglecting the expansion into being or the awakening of the heart; others deepen being or awaken the heart, but fail to address the work with awareness. Perhaps the most common imbalance we come across is a disproportionate development between the mind and the heart. Many on path of love disregard the evolution of their intelligence and awareness and become trapped in emotional states devoid of clarity and inner stability, while those who strictly follow the path of awareness and understanding tend to repress their sensitivity, and remain alienated from their divine essence as a result. To become integrated and whole, one has to follow the principle of harmonious evolution and possess a complete and holistic vision of oneself.

The Snare of Ego

Due to their simplistic nature, traditional models of enlightenment do not offer sufficient conceptual protection against the menace of ego. Because enlightenment is commonly misunderstood as occurring through the annihilation of the ego, it is assumed that after awakening, no challenges on the level of our ego-identity remain. However, even though the supreme goal of our evolution is transcendence of the mind and personality, the ego cannot be entirely dropped before our final liberation. Enlightenment is not a static condition that represents the absence of individuality, but a continuous process of arriving at increasingly higher levels of being, consciousness and understanding. Prior to transcendence, the ego, as the intelligence of our relative consciousness, naturally accompanies us through each stage of our growth, witnessing the awakening of the inner states, consciousness, intelligence and the heart. It is not the ego's absence, but its purified presence that supports our internal awakening.

In actuality, the nature of ego is twofold. The aspect of ego that surrenders to the soul's intent is the very energy the soul uses for her evolution towards light. However, as long as the ego is lost in the past and holds on to its ignorance, it inevitably hinders our evolution by continuing to rule our consciousness as host.

Irrespective of their relative awakening, the ego remains the center of identity for most seekers as their false me. They are egos in their essence, not yet souls. Prior to soul-realization, the ego claims awakening, believing that it owns the inner state and the knowledge I am. As it matures in its evolution, however, it begins to recognize that it was originally created to serve our awakening, and that its final destiny is to surrender itself to the soul as the reigning I am. But until the ego has been sufficiently cleansed with the light of higher intelligence, it will resist its own dissolution; even if it realizes its own unreality, it will continue to return through the back door to assert its supremacy. Not only will the ego refuse to surrender, but it will insist on taking complete control of our inner reality. This is the point where one usually proclaims: "I am enlightened!", "I am a master!", "I have reached.", "I. I. I."

Until the mind surrenders, we remain vulnerable to the ego's impure tendencies. In the initial stages of its spiritual endeavor, the ego's immaturity leads it to treat spirituality as a playground for its basic emotions. It uses spirituality to wallow in self pity, lack of self-worth, a guilty conscience, or any other number of defilements, or alternately, to display its pride, arrogance and competitiveness. The spiritual ego is in fact quite worldly. Entering the path has not changed its basic neurotic nature, only the sphere of its activities. Now, instead of wanting fame or fortune, it wants to reach god or attain enlightenment. In both cases we encounter the same bogus ego displaying its vanity.

In its madness, the ego constantly seeks ways to sneak into spiritual territory. It tries to make itself special in one way or another by taking on any number of roles - holy man, rebel, eccentric, even redeemer. The idea of being holy appeals to the ego because it craves respect, if not from others, at least from itself. Or perhaps it is more attracted to rebelliousness and chooses to perform the role of an unholy character, enjoying the chance to show off how original it is. Maybe it wishes to become a healer or a great master, for it finds the idea of helping others exciting. It may even believe that it has a unique role to play on earth and has been chosen for great things. But perhaps the most insidious way that the ego can assert its self-worth is by assuming a stance of humility and devotion to inflate its false sense of piety. No matter what role the ego chooses to play, its performances are no more than pitiful attempts to maintain its fundamentally empty identity.