How do we know if we have what it takes to pursue the spiritual path?

What is needed to establish a meditation practice and embark on the spiritual path? Of course there are the techniques, the information, the books, and possibly a teacher and a community of practitioners. But what is it that will ultimately determine whether an individual will have the strength, courage and discipline to stick to there path once it has been chosen? If you had to choose one thing, what would that be?

There are many technical details and a wealth of knowledge out there to support your meditation practice, and you can explore these using this website, other publications, or a meditation community in your area. But what else is needed on the spiritual path? Surely if that was all that was required, we would all be enlightened simply by reading the latest books and magazines, discussing the guru of the month, and having the right meditation pillow at home.

When we look to the great spiritual traditions and their comment on the spiritual path and if we examine the characteristic that is a fundamental to all great teachers, sages, and masters, what do we find? If I were to use a single word, it would have to be Faith. In order to develop the drive and determination to meditate with vigor, pour yourself into study and put all our efforts into our practice, you will need a deep conviction in what you are doing. We are used to hearing about faith as it is discussed and described in the context of the Bible, but looking across the spectrum of religious and spiritual practices, we see that it is a basic and fundamental element of the path to realization, no matter whether we practice Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism or another religious tradition.

In its essence, faith is trusting that even though we do cannot see the whole picture in our present state of mind, we nonetheless believe it to be there. This is intricately linked to our faith in those who have come before us in history’s great chain of meditation practitioners and spiritual teachers that have provided guidance for centuries. Even though we cannot climb into the mind of Jesus Buddha, we still have the ability understand the importance and truth of their teachings in our life. We have faith that they can help us release ourselves from the barriers and obstacles of our “small” everyday mind. This belief can not be calculated or reasoned by our rational mind, but must be based on a deeper understanding of the teachings and our teachers.

In western culture, people are continuing the trend of looking for new interpretations of our religious teachings and texts. Long held dogmatic beliefs do not hold the same traction with us any more because we are now part of the “global village” where people of all faiths mix on a daily basis and different socio-cultural norms are evident everywhere we look.

These new interpretations have led us back to the common themes and core elements of these practices. Meditation is one of these themes, as is the awakening or enlightenment that may flow from meditation. To commit ourselves to these core practices, we need faith as the constant driving force that prompts the questions that drive us forward without looking back! While we may not fully understand our true nature at this point in our lives, we can be certain that it exists and that we can see it for ourselves. Faith drives the deep questioning that alone can lead to great breakthroughs.

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