Spiritual Growth

09 Jan 2002

A foreign student wrote to me: Just what is spiritual growth, that is discussed so much in this group? Is it different from the growth of maturing, like from childhood to adulthood? Can one speed it up or slow it down? Is it a general, over all growth or can it be narrowed to a specific area. Need answers. GW, Belgium

Thanks for your good questions, GW. Will forward the answers to you. Joseph

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___L___
Dear Frater Joseph, Spiritual growth is the natural outcome - measured in relative yesterday-today-tomorrow time - of the desire of the One to inhabit fully it's Vehicles of Life.

___JOSEPH___
Can you clarify this, L? What is the difference between spiritual growth and regular growth? Different set of glands? What about the other questions GW asked? Can you come down to earth a little? Lofty may be profound but it's hard to decipher. Joseph

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Dear Joseph, One cannot come "down to Earth" because this, paradoxically is the truth of it. Earth is a very lofty place.

Spiritual Growth is what the "aspirant" feels in the journey of being reeled in. What they feel - the experience or more and more awareness of the "process" rather than the content - like realizing the idea of a train moving, rather than just seeing the fleeing scenery through the window as one travels speeding along. The individual personality becomes identified with the process, as well as the "content". (The "job" of the personality is to "make sense of experience" and "establish a sense of identification and continuity across time".)

L.
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>Just what is spiritual growth, that is discussed so much in this group? Is it different from the growth of maturing, like from childhood to adulthood? Can one speed it up or slow it down? Is it a general, over all growth or can it be narrowed to a specific area.

Joseph, 

Trick question.

Name one thing that is NOT spiritual growth and you lie.

It is Life.

Is it different from the growth of maturing, like from childhood to adulthood?

Yes and No. It's name is Legion.

Can one speed it up or slow it down?

YES and NO. You can do what you want. You have no choice.

Is it a general, over all growth or can it be narrowed to a specific area?

YES.

RL (The Fool)

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RL, you must have boiled L's answers down to arrive at yours. The very diversity of this group is a major part of its growth value. If you observe "in" things---Irreverence is in, Holiness is out except for private consumption. Being Holy in public is very nearly obscene. Every one should have a Holiness closet at home. Keep it up, RL. Joseph

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Joseph,

I'll throw in my two cents here.

Spiritual growth is not any different than maturing. We all under go spiritual growth as long we are alive and breathing. From the guru on the top of a mountain to Bill Gates to our latest villain of the decade. All are undergoing spiritual growth.

Speed up or slow down? Speeding up this growth requires a few additional elements. Awareness of your desires and the will and some action to pursue them. Awareness of your relationships to others adds the spice.

Also fresh air, drinking fresh water and eating your broccoli helps.

Slow down? Hibernate?

-- Regards,

Bill