My Journey from Bondage to Freedom

The essay below is part of Unity Urban Ministerial School – Foundation Course – Week 5 Assignment. Task:  In your paper, document what you learned and how you are applying what you have learned in this class that is applicable to your topic.

I found H.E. Cady’s book very supportive, particularly, in a way that it puts words on some of my feelings and understanding that I have had but was not able to verbalize before because of the lack of appropriate vocabulary. In preparing for this assignment, I decided to write my essay around some quotes from Cady’s book.

About 25 years ago, my grandmother died and my whole world collapsed. I fell into a deep, dark whole and could not find the way out. I grew up without any religious or spiritual education in a socialistic regime that allowed no other idol but the ‘big brother’, ‘the great leader of the communist party’ to worship. I had nowhere to turn when in despair. I left my birthplace and moved to another country where I met people who kindly cared enough to show me where to find solace. At first, I attended different ‘personal development’ kind of seminars then I turned more and more towards different meditation and spiritual practices. As Cady puts it so beautifully, “8:32 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and the healing shall spring forth speedily.”, day by day, I felt stronger and felt that there was some light in my life. Eventually, I settled with a meditation practice that combined both the ‘understanding’ of my spiritual journey and a meditation practice I perceive as ‘waiting on God’.

At the beginning of my journey, I was very impatient and wanted to experience enlightenment and freedom in a matter of seconds. However, as I progressed on my journey towards my freedom, I realized more and more that “8:36 We expand as we go on step by step in spiritual insight. … Invitation happens when we can bear the understanding to spiritual life”. As I progressed, I became more and more observant and committed to both my meditation practice and to walk my life in a conscious manner. I also acquired different techniques such as affirmations to support myself on my journey.

Recently, I have gone through a lot of challenges. At first I always think that it must be a punishment because I have done something wrong. Then I need to find a quiet place inside of me so I can hear. This is when I remind myself that “11:10 the seeming failure does not mean loss of power. It means that you are to let go of the lesser, in order that you may grasp the whole, …” When I cannot get what I seemingly want and I strongly believe that this is the very thing that I must have or do, I fall into a pit of despair of lose hope. I often think that God does not love me and so does not give me what I ask for. But then I remind myself of what Cady so beautifully puts by saying “11:11 You are a vessel for some purpose.” “11:24 Spirit wants to teach you something; to open a bigger, brighter way to you … Failure is his call to you to arrest your attention and turn you to Him.” This is probably the most important lesson for me to learn that it is not meeting the desires of my limited self but the will of God for me, I am here to live.

.” As I am becoming more and more observant, I ask the question ‘why’ less and less. I feel “8:13 Understanding and realization of the presence of God within us is the gift of God; and 8:28 Spiritual understanding which is the gift of God comes in proportion s we use the light we already have” to be true. I also understand now that my life is a constant unfolding into the living God inside of me. I am to live the ‘being’ God made me in His likeness. Cady puts it much more eloquently by saying that “11:9 What God wants is that we shall grow into such conscious oneness with Him, such realization that He who is the substance of all good really abides in us.”