In this meditation theme—The Abyss, which results in desolation—we learn to compare and contrast our state of ignorance with the spiritual ideal we have begun to glimpse. It is a symbolic moment of being alone with ourselves, silencing self-justification, self-pity, and self-complacency. Patience, faith, and hope bring us serenity amidst this desolation.
Drawing upon the new description of reality provided by the meditation on "The Lady of the Black Veil," we are able to situate ourselves within a context far broader than that defined by our individual problems. We come to understand that everything we once believed we knew about ourselves and our reality must be re-examined. In this way, we prepare to explore the depths of our own souls, seeking to untie the bonds of instinct and dispel the darkness of ignorance.
The Abyss is a symbol of both the depths and the heights; one cannot discern depth without the heights as a point of reference. It is precisely this discernment that gives rise to desolation.
It is through the tension between the depths of instinct and the possibilities for spiritual liberation that we generate the understanding and strength needed to begin the long descent into the unknown within us. The power of this desolation—a longing for what we intuit to be our true destiny—compels us to fix our gaze upon the potential for our own liberation. It grants us the courage to remain immersed in the abyss of "not-knowing," and to sever the instinctual ties that bind us to the endless repetition of the same experiences.
Desolation encompasses both the sense of abandonment and loss regarding who we believed ourselves to be, and the yearning for what we know we could attain but do not yet possess. In one sense, everything we once thought we were—and everything we believed we owned—reveals itself to be nothing more than the tumultuous, abyssal play of our own illusions. On the other hand, the divine promise of union is but a luminous trail that fades into the distance.
This is a very delicate moment on our path, for it is all too easy to lose ourselves in the darkness and forget the light we once glimpsed. That is why spiritual guides advise us to cultivate patience and resignation—patience, so as not to fall into despair amidst the pain; resignation, to accept our reality and to acknowledge the demands of our instinctive nature, which is loath to relinquish its reign. Resignation also helps us to refrain from looking back or seeking an escape from desolation; it encourages us to focus on experiencing the bleak abyss of our own ignorance in all its profound depth.
Faith, Hope, and Love are our bulwark. No matter how deep the abyss, the light from above can always be discerned. Desolation is not the same as despair. Faith in the infinite grace of the Divine Mother, the hope for liberation, and the compassionate love that arises from the experience of pain—all these provide the certainty that the path continues toward the summit. And though the way may be steep, if we keep our gaze fixed upon that luminous trail, we shall reach the heights of beatitude and Love.
Drawing upon the new description of reality provided by the meditation on "The Lady of the Black Veil," we are able to situate ourselves within a context far broader than that defined by our individual problems. We come to understand that everything we once believed we knew about ourselves and our reality must be re-examined. In this way, we prepare to explore the depths of our own souls, seeking to untie the bonds of instinct and dispel the darkness of ignorance.
The Abyss is a symbol of both the depths and the heights; one cannot discern depth without the heights as a point of reference. It is precisely this discernment that gives rise to desolation.
It is through the tension between the depths of instinct and the possibilities for spiritual liberation that we generate the understanding and strength needed to begin the long descent into the unknown within us. The power of this desolation—a longing for what we intuit to be our true destiny—compels us to fix our gaze upon the potential for our own liberation. It grants us the courage to remain immersed in the abyss of "not-knowing," and to sever the instinctual ties that bind us to the endless repetition of the same experiences.
Desolation encompasses both the sense of abandonment and loss regarding who we believed ourselves to be, and the yearning for what we know we could attain but do not yet possess. In one sense, everything we once thought we were—and everything we believed we owned—reveals itself to be nothing more than the tumultuous, abyssal play of our own illusions. On the other hand, the divine promise of union is but a luminous trail that fades into the distance.
This is a very delicate moment on our path, for it is all too easy to lose ourselves in the darkness and forget the light we once glimpsed. That is why spiritual guides advise us to cultivate patience and resignation—patience, so as not to fall into despair amidst the pain; resignation, to accept our reality and to acknowledge the demands of our instinctive nature, which is loath to relinquish its reign. Resignation also helps us to refrain from looking back or seeking an escape from desolation; it encourages us to focus on experiencing the bleak abyss of our own ignorance in all its profound depth.
Faith, Hope, and Love are our bulwark. No matter how deep the abyss, the light from above can always be discerned. Desolation is not the same as despair. Faith in the infinite grace of the Divine Mother, the hope for liberation, and the compassionate love that arises from the experience of pain—all these provide the certainty that the path continues toward the summit. And though the way may be steep, if we keep our gaze fixed upon that luminous trail, we shall reach the heights of beatitude and Love.