Contemplation Precipitates Presence – 12.06.28

Excerpt:  “I was reading ‘The Little Russian Philokalia’ today…  and this first volume is the teaching of Saint Seraphim of Sarov - a great Saint of Russia… and one of his core teachings is that the true aim of Christianity or of a “true Christian life” as he puts, is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God… I think that sums up authentic Christianity very well… and I think those who are true spiritual seekers in any path can agree that this is the aim, however different religions would alter the language very slightly and that slight alteration can have huge effects….  Now Saint Seraphim does go onto say the Holy Spirit of God is already within you – it is not somewhere else – you don’t have to buy it somewhere – you don’t have to acquire it in some external way… and so really they (religions) all will agree that it is simply a question of realizing your true nature and letting go of the false self… and in the Christian path Saint Seraphim and other Christian Saints and Mystics would say that you do that through contemplative prayer – you contemplate in your consciousness which is silenced, the presence of God – the meaning of God – the beauty of God – the power of God… and simply by doing that you enable the presence of God to emerge into your consciousness… the contemplation of God precipitates the presence of God.”  Recorded on the evening of Thursday, June 28, 2012.