A New Way of Life

Extracted from the article A New Way of Life By Robert Daniels

The cause of the suffering and pain pervading human life today is its total absorption in the material way of life. The soul of man is pushed into the background as if it did not exist.

This absorption with life as it is today has brought nothing but despair and disappointment. Those who have pursued the material way of life to its highest point have found it empty and wanting. They have come to realize that life has a deeper meaning, and the spirits and hearts of men have cried out for a release from the burden which they have place upon themselves.

What the world needs now is a new way of life which will lead to a deeper and more meaningful understanding of all that life is and can be. The spiritual nature of man must be released from within and allowed a free and natural expression of its being.

The burden of life which millions have to bear is one of the absence of spiritual awareness – the absence of the deeper and real meaning of what life really is.

Every individual should seek the real self within, the discovery of which would set men and women free of their addiction to the materialistic way of life.

Life, which can be so beautiful, is often a burden difficult to bear because our thoughts are turning on a spiral of self-interest. We think of our own needs, our own feelings, and our own desires. Such thoughts bring little, if any, comfort. Yet when we turn our thoughts within, and express our love for family and friends, we will find that suddenly our thoughts are uplifted and a new awareness has begun to awaken in our heart and mind. We will no longer be so concerned about our own desires and our problems; rather we will find satisfaction in sending and thinking good thoughts about others.

When we look at the quality of life today, we see that the majority of people are seeking to improve their material welfare. However, this is a never-ending chain of disappointment, for only when we look at life and our daily circumstances from the point of view of man’s spiritual self, do we begin to realize man’s great possibilities and where his true happiness lies. There are so many opportunities for man when he begins to see things from the higher view of the spirit. The limitations of the materialistic ideals are soon realized when we see things in comparison with the infinite possibilities of the spiritual self.

The time has come for man to seek a new and better way of life, one that will bring real satisfaction and peace of mind. It has always been close at hand and readily available to seek all who would within. But only the few have chosen to travel this path to a greater realization of the meaning of life. The fascination of the pursuit of pleasure has been the tempter which kept the masses of people from ever seeking that which was their natural birthright. However, there is a new trend to be seen throughout the world today, a new rhythm and change of emphasis in the minds of many people. On the one hand, the decadence of materialism has reached a high point, bringing despair and an empty heart for many, and on the other hand, we can see a new interest of the part of many young people who are not in sympathy with the traditional search for wealth and fame. They are seeking more meaningful values and share a concern for the welfare of their fellow men and the environment in which they live. The traditional values of wealth, position, and property are no longer given first priority, as in the past.

Their realization of a greater and more significant meaning of life’s values is a refreshing change on the world scene. It reveals a growth of spiritual consciousness in the lives of increasing numbers of people who have come to see the fallacy and limitations of the pursuit of materialism. Organizations devoted to self-improvement and the search for a meaning to life are to be found everywhere, and while many only cater to the casual seeker, others help the sincere student to set his feet on the path of self-discovery.

We are now witnessing a change of values in the lives of many people and it is significant that this change is happening throughout the world. The important and interesting point to notice is that many who are changing their outlook are more mature people as well as those young in years. There is a growing realization that life’s great values must be more enduring than the empty satisfaction which the material life brings.

This change in the emphasis on more enduring values will grow stronger and become more important in the lives of many people. Once the trend becomes an accepted way of life, it will strongly influence the rest of humanity. This is what is needed today. Our interest in the mystical life can have an influence in the lives of others if we learn to radiate love, harmony, and peace of mind in our thinking. And if we set a high standard for our own behaviour at all times, it will prove to be a great blessing to all those with whom we come in contact.

Let it be our task that in the months and years to come we will make the greatest effort to set our feet firmly on the path to a new and better way of life, and that we will resolve to have harmony and peace radiate from our consciousness at all times. May we always endeavour to seek a deeper understanding of life and of our fellow human beings to the end that we may truly reflect the wisdom and love, the idealism and the practical knowledge of the Cosmic.

With this resolve our lives will become richer and more successful, and our influence for good in the lives of others will bring real satisfaction and the knowledge that we are all growing to ward a true brotherhood of man.