We all have relationships in our life. We have relationships with people, animals, places, circumstances, objects, possessions, activities, beliefs, ideologies, etc. We even have relationships with emotions, pleasure, and pain. A typical human life is a vast network of relationships. The quality of our relationships, the importance we give them, and how we prioritise them determines everything about us, in this world and beyond.
Do we have a relationship with God? With Truth? With our own Self? If so, what is the quality of our relationship? How important is it? How do we prioritise it amongst all the other relationships? One of the most fundamental indicators of spiritual growth is the change that occur in our relationships. As our inner being grows stronger, wiser, and purer, our relationships with people and things also grow stronger, wiser, and purer. They are profoundly transformed.
Why does this happen? Because life is a process of evolving from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from the temporary to the eternal. There are some people who fully align themselves with this truth, there are others who do so partially, and some dismiss it entirely. Nonetheless, this process of evolving pervades Creation.
During the beginning stages of this evolution we tend to have many relationships that are not important. Some are unnecessary and burdensome, some are entangled in conditioning and emotions, some are debilitating, and some are simply the product of poor understanding and delusion. In the beginning stages, that which is worldly and temporary is most important to us. In the later stages, that which is spiritual and eternal is most important.
As time goes on — whether this is in terms of months, years, or lifetimes — a spiritually-minded person gradually matures resulting in comprehensive and profound changes to their relationships. Their relationships are purified and prioritised by the subtle workings of Grace, by the inner Companion of our own heart.
A new year is before us:
Let’s stop putting off what needs to be done now.
Let’s stop relying on outer pleasures and comforts.
Let’s rely on what’s inside us.
Let’s follow the will of our inner Companion, not the will of our mind.
Let’s stop being afraid of Truth.
Let’s stop making excuses.
Let’s be honest with ourselves and each other.
Let’s make this new year a year of spiritual maturity such that all of our relationships are purified and prioritised.
And then let us live by this… this year and the year after.