The Master Within

Some years ago, I had the opportunity to meet a long term mystic. During a lecture he was presenting on a mystic’s role in society, he uttered the words “inner warrior,” while looking directly at me. I had never met him and wondered if he knew I was the author of Mystic Warrior. His lecture was fascinating and I couldn’t wait for a chance to speak to him without distraction.

In accord with the universal law of attraction, my intense desire precipitated our meeting quickly. Less than an hour later, at the hotel lunch buffet, he was walking towards my table carrying a plate of food. I jumped up and invited him to join us, which he accepted.

I asked him whether he knew I had written Mystic Warrior. Calmly, he smiled and answered that he didn’t. He explained that when he lectures, “it’s not me that’s speaking, but rather, the ‘Master Within.’” He was referring to the divine aspect at the heart of every soul – the divine aspect that all mystics strive to tap into.

Then I asked him the question that his lecture had triggered. “Is it permissible, from a mystic perspective, to use your spiritual power to intervene and thwart the ‘evil intentions’ of someone that is ‘abusing an innocent?’”

Now you must understand the significance of this question from a mystic perspective. In the mystic’s view of the world all is one.  There is no good vs. evil. The cause of “evil” is ignorance.

What I was asking is, what is worse, using your power to control someone or allowing that someone to control another? This is the mystic equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster plot crisis. In the movie, Superman, for example, it’s when Superman has to decide between saving the world or Lois Lane. Either way, someone is going to lose. Philosophers describe it as “the lesser of two evils.”

First, he explained that I was assuming the act to be “evil,” and that was only my perception. Next, he explained that my perception of the “abuse” could also be mistaken. He went on to state that there could be a number of reasons why inaction might be better than action for all parties involved. Karma may be involved. The dispute may go back lifetimes. There was no possible way I could take into consideration all the factors that were governing the parties’ behavior. The best course of action would be for me to send unconditional love to both parties.

I held my tongue and told him I understood all that. Then I added, “What if you knew the person’s motivation was pure self interest?”

“How would you know?” he countered.

“What if the first party communicated that to you?”

He nodded, but repeated his assertion that the safest course of action was to send unconditional love.

Then I asked, “What if the abuse affected a large number of people?”

He paused and looked at me. He recognized that this was a topic I had pondered at great length. Every answer he had offered, I had already considered and came back with another question. That’s when he asked, “Who is directing you?”

He wasn’t referring to some external source. He was referring to one of the most fundamental teachings of mysticism, teachings that have been conveyed by numerous, great religions.

I smiled and he recognized that I understood him. I started to laugh.

I sat back in my chair, awed by the elegance of such a simple question and the thoughts it had spawned.  The kingdom of God lies within.  The goal of the evolving soul is to align his will with the will of God. If you want to know how to handle any situation, consult the Master Within.

Now it’s true that there are plenty of psychopaths that claim God told them to do some despicable act, and we can be confident they’re mistaken. And it’s also true that a person’s understanding of the Master Within will change over time, as the person’s wisdom increases and his or her ability to attune with the one source of all creation improves.

But as a fundamental guide to how you should act in every situation, there is no simpler and more elegant advice than to ask for direction from The Master Within.