Growing Within

Part I: The Initial State and the Call to Growth

This part outlines the starting point of the spiritual journey: the ordinary human condition of relative unconsciousness and the nature of the subsequent awakening that initiates the process of inner development.

Section A: The State of Normal Unconsciousness

1. Evolutionary Context: The Emergence from Inconscience

   • The fundamental process in nature is an evolution of consciousness, moving from the apparent inconscience of Matter towards a full self-awareness.
   • The arrival of the human mind marks a crucial evolutionary shift, enabling a transition from a slow, subconscious evolution managed by Nature to a rapid, conscious evolution guided by individual will and aspiration (Yoga).

2. The Nature of Ordinary Human Consciousness

   • The normal state of human existence is characterized by a lack of self-awareness. Actions, thoughts, and feelings are largely automatic, governed by habit, social conditioning, and unexamined impulses.
   • This state is one of semi-consciousness, where the individual is moved by various forces without a clear understanding of their origin or mechanics. This lack of awareness precludes self-mastery.
   • This state of unconsciousness is the primary source of human suffering, arising from the separation of the individual consciousness from its divine source.

3. The Formation of Individuality through the Ego

   • The first step out of the amorphous, unconscious mass is the development of a distinct and separate ego, which creates a sense of individuality.
   • The ego serves as a necessary developmental tool, allowing the individual to disengage from the collective subconscience and form an independent center of mind, life, and will. Tools like desire and animal vitality were indispensable helpers in this initial stage of emergence.

Section B: The Awakening of Consciousness

1. The Essence of Spirituality

   • Spirituality is fundamentally an awakening to the inner reality of one's being—a spirit, soul, or self that is distinct from the outer mind, life, and body.
   • It transcends intellectuality, morality, or religiosity, which are preparatory mental movements. True spirituality involves a direct aspiration, contact, and eventual union with this inner reality and the greater Reality it represents, leading to a profound transformation of one's entire nature.

2. The Call to the Path

   • The initiation of spiritual life, or "new birth," begins with a strong awakening to the necessity of this larger existence.
   • This call can manifest in numerous ways: through natural development, philosophical attraction, sudden shock or illumination, or the influence of a teacher or example.
   • Regardless of its form, the call must be met with a decisive self-consecration, a turning of the will and heart towards the spiritual aim, which then becomes the central purpose of life, not merely one of its pursuits.

3. Catalysts and Signs of Awakening

   • The awakening is often catalyzed by moments that disrupt the routine of ordinary life: a great danger, a deep sorrow or enthusiasm, an encounter with beauty or greatness, or a persistent questioning of life's purpose.
   • A primary sign of having entered the spiritual path is a fundamental shift in values, wherein the preoccupations of the ordinary world lose their ultimate importance, appearing secondary to the central spiritual quest.
   • This often begins with a subtle, inner seeking, an unconscious aspiration from the soul (the psychic being) that pushes the being toward fulfillment, often in response to life's difficulties, which serve to make consciousness emerge from inertia.