Now that the world has entered into 2025, I may take a little time to share a few words. This year I decided to be quiet over the festive period and to take a step back instead of making efforts to bring out social media posts giving wishes for the end of another year. I wanted a break. I closed down the computer, stopped checking my phone so regularly for messages, and played a lot of music that I like. I have a pile of books that I wish to get through also. On New Year’s Day, the 1st of January, I opened the first of the new books and started reading. The book is a biographical exploration of the life and work of Rodney Collin-Smith, who was a pupil of the teacher P.D. Ouspensky and who was involved in propagating ideas based on the Fourth Way work of G.I. Gurdjieff. The book is titled: Rodney Collin: a man who wished to do something with his life (by Terje Tonne). Rodney Collin died at the young age of 47, in Cuzco, Peru, whilst leading student groups in inner development work. Yet what struck me was the subtitle - a man who wished to do something with his life. To me, this identifies an inner longing that we all share (or at least can empathize with), and yet is a trait or feature which is more recognized in modern life by its absence. Modern life is now characterized more by its busyness, and by its absorption of our time and energy rather than our meaningful contribution or service. We may wish to ‘do’ something with our lives, yet doing without ‘being’ more often becomes a lacklustre gesture.
Very few people know much about Rodney Collin, or are even aware of him, and yet he did so much in his lifetime. As an individual person, he achieved a lot. Although he wrote and published a few books, he was neither well known nor widely recognized by the external world, either during his time or now. But that doesn’t really matter – does it? – as each person cannot (or should not) be measured by recognition from the external world. Why not? Simply because, in my opinion, the external world operates along a different mode of consciousness and awareness in regard to the path of inner growth. And to a large degree, the external world is toxic. So why would we want to be recognized, or strive for recognition, from a realm where values, norms, and moralities are conditioned by a consensus thinking that has no spiritual or metaphysical foundation?
If there ever was a time for discernment between the corrupted realms of toxic materialism and mind-washing (quite literally), and the path of human authenticity, then that time is most definitely upon us. It seems to me that there is a feeding frenzy going on in the world right now. And I am not only talking about the global players (and let us remember that anyone who has high-profile visibility is most likely to be a puppet-player, for real players are rarely seen on the chessboard). This is not ‘conspiracy thinking,’ it is the way things are, and have been. Only that most people, most of the time, live upon the surface of reality, and perceive only through surface events. This is not an accusation, it’s just the way things are, and have been. If you cannot play the Game well, then it’s probably best not to play at all (on their playground). And if you know the Game well, then you are most likely not wishing to play it by their rules for you know better. People who talk a lot don’t know secrets. Those that know most, say the least. That’s just the way things are, and have been. And so, discernment is key now, only that it requires a little distance from events. That’s why I personally feel that one of the best strategies for moving forward – into 2025 and beyond – is to create a healthy distinction between what is allegedly going on in the world, and one’s own human condition (authentic self) and sense of groundedness.
Whilst it is important to know, to some degree, what is going on in the world, it is equally (if not more) important to not become energetically and emotionally entangled in these events. Those of us concerned with the development of the human condition realize that we are simultaneously travelling a parallel path, where we can establish a space for the human being (and our ‘Beingness’) that is not affected by the increasing toxicity of a low vibrational environment. It is our responsibility to focus, and place our attention, onto the constructive aspects of the human path forward. And to do this with grace and charm. It is as simple and as hard as that. As I once wrote: ‘To work harmoniously with people, with courtesy, respect, and correct manners, is a prerequisite for any achievement in human development. It is as simple and as hard as that.’
This is similar to a quote I am fond of, which may also be appropriate to share here:
‘A number of people working, thinking, feeling and offering themselves together with each one consciously involving his or her essential being, are capable of producing a thing of amazing beauty.’
Omar Ali-Shah
And so, the question comes down to each person engaging with ‘his or her essential being.’ What we need right now is not another styled New Age, or new world order, or anything else along those lines. What we are really in need of is an age of authenticity. With so much fakery, pseudo-truths, and simulation going on around us, we are falling further away from the authentic and the genuine. So maybe, I suggest, we should each reflect on where we are standing right now (or where we are sitting right now), and the relationship to our essential self. Too much of the time we are being pulled away from ourselves and into the maelstrom of commenting, debating, and arguing about life events. Yet the more we are engaged in discussing, or following, these events, then the more we are carrying their energy. And the more we carry this contaminated energy, the more we exist under a spell. There is a spell upon us, and we are being distracted from the essential. We are being lulled away from recognizing the innate noble condition of the human spirit (or soul). And the last thing we really want is to lead soulless lives.
So – what is the ‘essential’?
I shall leave you here with a tale that I have shared several times over the years, and which is a favourite of mine. I call this tale ‘The Essential.’ Enjoy – and peace be with you:
A lion was captured and imprisoned in a reserve where, to his surprise, he found other lions that had been there for many years, some even their whole life having been born in captivity. The newcomer soon became familiar with the activities of the other lions and observed how they were arranged in different groups.
One group was dedicated to socializing, another to show business, whilst yet another group was focused on preserving the customs, culture and history from the time the lions were free. There were church groups and others that had attracted the literary or artistic talent. There were also revolutionaries who devoted themselves to plot against their captors and against other revolutionary groups. Occasionally, a riot broke out and one group was removed or killed all the camp guards and so that they had to be replaced by another set of guards. However, the newcomer also noticed the presence of a lion that always seemed to be asleep. He did not belong to any group and was oblivious to them all. This lion appeared to arouse both admiration and hostility from the others. One day the newcomer approached this solitary lion and asked him which group he belonged to.
‘Do not join any group,’ said the lion. ‘Those poor ones deal with everything but the essential.’
‘And what is essential?’ asked the newcomer.
‘It is essential to study the nature of the fence’
P.S. As an offering, I made my book ‘The Modern Seeker: A Perennial Psychology for Contemporary Times’ freely available in 2024 through publication of each of its thirteen chapters. These can be found linked below for anyone interested in reading:
INTRO: THE ACORN & THE CATERPILLAR
1. SOUL-MAKING
7. WISE CRACKS
9. GIVING UP THE GHOST (A GNOSTIC VISION)
10. PLAYING THE GAME
11. A MODERN AGE
12. NEW CURRENTS
13. THE LIVING WORK
“Too much of the time we are being pulled away from ourselves and into the maelstrom of commenting, debating, and arguing about life events. Yet the more we are engaged in discussing, or following, these events, then the more we are carrying their energy. And the more we carry this contaminated energy, the more we exist under a spell. There is a spell upon us, and we are being distracted from the essential. We are being lulled away from recognizing the innate noble condition of the human spirit (or soul). And the last thing we really want is to lead soulless lives.” - What a perfect way of helping folks to see how best to navigate events this coming year. Thank you so much for that beautiful wisdom Kingsley.
Whoa, thank you for being here! Just discovered you a few minutes ago. Blessings, Tim