This process of spiritual exercises (s.e.s) is much like going into a gas station to put gasoline in the car: while you are chanting your tone, in essence, you are filling up the gas tank, adding oil, checking the battery, washing the windows, seeing that there is air in the tires. All of these necessities are being taken care of. So there is a lot of activity going on during s.e.’s. The mind often goes here and goes there, the emotions are out there, and you may think, “I’m not getting anywhere.” You are filling up the gas tank, cleaning the windows, checking the battery, and so on. It’s not very often that in the process of doing spiritual exercises you will consciously Soul travel. It’s rare. But at night when you go to sleep, we kick over the motor, and away we travel. Then you may wake up in the morning and find you are almost out of gas. You think, “What happened?”
What happened is that we were using your energy, your “gasoline,” to get going and travel. You may think, “I can hardly get out of bed.” Fill up the gas tank. “What do I do?” Start chanting again. You say, “Was I clear full of gas before I went to bed last night?” No, you were about three-eights full, so we could only take you so far because we had to leave enough so you could get out of bed in the morning.
“How do I get full?” Chant twenty-four hours a day. Continually be chanting. Continually be filling up with gas. Isn’t that the smartest thing to do?
– John-Roger (From: Walking with the Lord, p. 67-68)
Sometimes you don’t have to sit for two hours and do s.e.’s. If you do fifteen minutes really well, that may be enough why spiritual exercises ? for one week. But you’ve got to be up there pretty high.
Some people are uncomfortable with the thought of doing two hours of s.e.’s. You can start with about ten minutes a day and gradually increase the time in a way that is comfortable for you until you get up to two hours. When that happens is up to you, and there is no judgment involved.
The only thing of true value is that you make the effort to say your tone from the loving consciousness.
Love is the key. Loving is the answer.
