Here is a great secret about authentic prayer: When a man or a woman really prays, there must be some trembling behind it. If there is no trembling behind a prayer, then there is no implied sacrifice behind the words in the prayer. The authentic nature of all prayer is to establish a direct communion with conscious forces -- with God's life. We ought not pray with arrogance or with an attitud...

The only one way that any of us will ever know the real meaning of Christ's life is to share in His death. This means that we must give up what this man gave up if we want to know from ourselves what was gained through His deliberate sacrifice. If we want to know the truth behind Christ's act, then we must stop thinking about it and get down to the business of actually doing it ourselves. It...

The following five lessons are higher insights rarely discussed among the spiritually uninitiated because of the measurable effect that their strong medicine causes in the soul. But not only do these teachings help summarize the prescription for a free and happy life, they also present the case for why we need such a healing. Welcome these truths into your mind and watch how their refreshing v...

There is one essential ingredient missing in most of our relationships -- one that is definitely required if we wish to continue in our own development and help others to do the same. What is this powerful catalyst that only we can provide for each other? Room in which to grow. We can help others reach higher by simply agreeing, consciously, to give them space to go through their changes ev...

Whenever someone hurts us with a pointed remark, what we see isn't whether or not there's truth in their words; all we "see" is our wish they hadn't said anything at all! In such moments we are absorbed by a familiar negative reaction whose one desire is that the unwanted event just go away. This resistance acts within and upon our consciousness as a "blinding" and binding force, so all we can...

What do we have to do to change the balance sheet of our lives so that for every measure of impatience and intolerance there may be at least an equivalent sum of compassion and consideration? How do we learn to use our relationships with others to realize a new kind of relationship with ourselves wherein we are able to discover that who we really are is all we need to be? Your willingness...

Has there ever been a time in your life -- a period of real self-enriching growth -- that wasn't connected to a risk you either willingly undertook or -- to a time of inner trial where there was no other choice for you but to take a risk? Of course, there's only one answer to this question, and it's one recognized as being true wherever you may ask it in the world: The prize of greater wisdom...

Blaming conflict-filled feelings on any condition or person outside yourself is like getting angry at your shoes for being laced too tight. So here's an effective inner life step designed to help you grow and to develop greater spiritual strength: No matter what happens, never blame anyone -- or anything -- for the way you feel. Rising above the blame game is the same as learning how to be in...

• It is difficult to accept correction from other people. How do we judge the quality of correction when someone offers advice or criticism? I look at the unhappy lives of many of the people giving input, and think that their advice isn't worth much if they have such difficulties. On the other hand, I might be missing some valuable correction. Any advice?

I know someone who drives me crazy, and I want to help him by sharing the truths I am learning. Without using interfering tactics, how can we help others to come awake to themselves? One of the most difficult aspects of our work is learning to bear the unpleasant manifestations of people around us. But this can also help us grow quickly. If by interfering tactics you mean, "make someone s...

These five special insights present the case for -- as well as the cost of -- true Spiritual Independence. Welcome them into your mind and watch how their secret instructions lead you to the unconditional freedom that your heart longs for. To weigh the value of what this world can reward you with -- you need only to remove the scales from your eyes; for were you willing to measure how many t...

I do not have to be better than you have made me, For you have created me in your image And there is perfection in this promise. But I do have to bear what you would make of me, If I wish to know my maker. Perhaps the greatest, yet least understood spiritual secret in the World is that being what I am is what it takes to make me better; Because only within what I am Is what **...