The journey so far - part 1

So where I am coming from basically is that after having completed several forty day 'thoughtfulness' and 'mindfulness' chillahs ( well not really) I came to some very interesting clarity in my way of thinking.

To begin with the first forty day session made me think about the origin of Islam. Where did it spring forth from all of a sudden ? 

Why Mohammed? Does sitting in a mountain top cave make one super human? 

Will Jibraeel  visit anyone who does so?  Is this blasphemy? 

The first thing that was different between us and M was that he had a lifetime of 'clean living'. Ie he was a good person , and this is specially relevant in a time when things were not so good morally speaking. So the difference is more apparent and the effort that it took him to be that way stronger than for us who are living in more civilized times or at least so we think. So the strength of character it took to be true to his ideal and his sense of right made him a better or stronger character. 

He had also been an orphan all his life I think this also inculcated in him a  spirit of survival, in that he knew he could count on anyone to help just because he was their son. He had to prove his worth, he had to earn the love and respect from other family that he had. This made him mature and perceptive beyond his years. 

Thus when he went up for his nightly sessions on  Ghar- e-Hira he was in a way 'purified' by the ultimate test: the test of living on your principles, and of understanding that you are ultimately judged for your self alone. His good principles had already attracted good people to him most notably his wife. 

It helped that she was rich because it is hard to be spiritual if you have to scrounge around to eat and for other basics. But it was at the same time a good relationship in a time when this was a rarity. This tells us that M was essentially a Man in the prime of his intellectual and  spiritual ability , and largely at peace with himself, a happy home life and good friends, business was probably looking good, and he felt safe in questioning the universe for more answers. My way of thinking is that he probably had ben wondering about this all along but it was only now that he could afford to let go of the mundane and focus on the esoteric.

Why am i writing all this: just thinking aloud and trying to understand that M was a man, just like us, and what sort of state of mind he prob was in when he experienced the revelations.

What would be the point of that? To understand where we might possibly need to be , or should try to be  before we venture looking for spiritual insight.

So it seems that for him what worked was essentially getting all his 'practical' or 'this worldly' ducks in a row, to have lived a moral and upright life, to enjoy a good equal relationship with an intelligent wife. It is often in this place of apparent fulfillment that sometimes one begins to feel that  one has achieved all the worldly blessings that one desires, and one begins to get antsy for what's next. One questions, one is frustrated and one asks A what's is in this life for me now?I believe at such a time as this M was driven to be with himself and because of the sincerety of his asking A gave him revelations.

ergo: 

1. clean living
   
2. getting the dunya out of the way early
   
3. good relationships all around
4. a sense of yearning and desire to know

This is what one needs to have in the beginning of spiritual discipline. What does this mean to me? When we are told to do and be as M was , in real terms what does this mean to us in the 21st century?

1. Be as an orphan in this world: self sufficient, people should know you for you, your character, your morals, your good nature and not for your 'things', your 'connections'  etc.
2. Practice a lifetime of truthfulness, clean living, simple tastes etc.
3. work hard and comply with the rules of the dunya to get your ducks in a row, have enough to live on, and thus free yourself from the rat race. when you work hard and for the money, do not run after excessive money for you will never have enough, rather do it so you can live undisturbed and move on to higher things
4. establish and invest the time and effort it takes to create and maintain good relationships. The peace of mind this brings allows one to move onto higher things, and provides the support system all of us need in this lifetime. Be prepared to give a lot to your close relationships and spend time and care and mindfulness on them. Family first, the rest of the world later.
5. establish a lifetime in contemplation away from the madding crowd. Write your thoughts, blog if you have to, preserve the thoughts of others that resonate with you, try to dream at night, and keep a record of that as well, understand plants, animals, children: they are yet in great contact with our origins.
6. do not get too much in your head: stay grounded. Work in your home, garden,office with clear neeyat, intention and happiness, knowing that everything you do is spiritual and full of energy and intention. If you dust your home make neeyat for it, if you water your plants, talks to them too. When you start something see the end result with happiness, if you sit with your loved ones hold their hand , soothe their  worries away. if you are a mother or father there is no greater blessing: A has given you one of his own to nurture and comfort.
7. do not think of your self as being better than others becasue you think deeply or more sincerely than them. this is the ultimate pride trap.

That in itself should be enough to keep us busy!