If you have explored many spiritual paths and are purely motivated and open-minded in your quest, you will eventually penetrate behind the veil of any conventional religious tradition to the inner, esoteric core at its heart. There you will discover the deeper teachings of the Ageless Wisdom.

The Ageless Wisdom is called the “Golden Thread” that connects the inner, hidden teachings at the heart of the world’s religions, East and West. It’s often referred to as the “Perennial Philosophy” because it’s been present on earth in some form since the beginning of recorded history.

In ancient Greece, for example, behind the popular religion of gods and goddesses with human foibles, there were the deeper mysteries of Eleusis.  In Buddhism, there are the Vajrayana and Kalachakra teachings; in Judaism, the Kabbalah; in Christianity, the Gnostic Gospels and the Essenes; in Hinduism, Advaita; in Islam, Sufism, etc.  As you penetrate to the core of any of these, you'll find remarkable similarities- all emphasize the inner light within each human being and teach the qualities of compassion, justice and service. This core is the Ageless Wisdom, and it has profound insights about the inner Self and the true nature of the universe.  Over entrance to the temple of Delphi in ancient Greece were the words: "Man, know thyself and thou will know the universe and the Gods."

Rather than demanding belief in dogma, the Ageless Wisdom takes a more scientific approach.  It presents hypotheses to apply in your daily life and test for their truth, as only those truths tested and applied in your own experience have meaning and bear fruit.

In this Wisdom tradition, you study the science of energies--the hidden, inner life and the soul within all things, behind the outer physical forms. Everything is energy, moving at different rates of vibration. God or Spirit is the highest frequency of energy and includes everything. There is One Life, and everything is interconnected.  When you examine the microcosm (your own human nature), you can begin to understand the macrocosm (the cosmos), and vice versa. “As above, so below; as below, so above,” as Hermes said thousands of years ago in ancient Greece. The interplay of human and Divine thought creates the world we experience.  Our purpose as humanity is to learn to create and express the Good, the True and the Beautiful.

Here are some key principles of the Ageless Wisdom which can provide guideposts to help you create a better life for yourself and for humanity in the new cycle. They are truths to which your soul responds, giving a clear, inspiring direction to your life:

Essential Divinity is the principle that recognizes the Divine Presence in every person, regardless of race, age, gender, culture or religion.  Awareness of this Presence opens you to participation in a Life greater than your own. Inner Divinity is the fundamental, universal energy or life underlying all forms on earth--the omnipresence of God/Spirit—God Immanent.  The inner revelation of this principle illuminates your relationship to the One Life and your interdependence with all parts of that greater Whole.

Over the temple of Delphi in ancient Greece was written, “Man, know thyself and thou shall know the universe and the gods.”  In the ancient Hindu scripture, The Bhagavad Gita, Krishna said, “Having pervaded the universe with a fragment of Myself, I remain.”  Buddha proclaimed, “Look within: thou art the Buddha” and St. Paul wrote in the Bible about “Christ in you the hope and glory.” Although revealed in all the world’s scriptures, today there is a far more widespread recognition of this inner Divine Presence in all life, whispering in your ear: Be still and know that I am God.

Spiritual Approach is the law that governs everything that is your next, rightful, evolutionary step.  It’s motivated by a sense of “Divine discontent”—wanting something beyond your current experience. A spiritual approach is based on your relationship to “the One in Whom we live and move and have our being.” It brings  spiritual values into your daily life and work.  As you celebrate the sacred in everyday life, your life becomes uplifting and you bring greater light into your daily environment.

A true spiritual approach maintains a balance of vertical and horizontal alignments: on the vertical axis, you align to your soul, to God Immanent (within you) as well as to God Transcendent (beyond you) and the Higher Evolutionary Plan. You feel a flow of energy connecting you to these higher states of awareness. But you also align to the kingdoms of nature below, feeling connected to the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, as we are all part of the One Life.  On the horizontal axis, you reach out and connect with other individuals and groups and with humanity as a whole.

Too much of a vertical approach can lead to neglect of relationships and to separatism, isolation or arrogance. Too much of a horizontal approach can lead to being absorbed into conventional thoughtforms or habits, and too easily impacted by others’ thoughts and actions.

Goodwill is the principle which expresses a benevolent disposition towards others and the good of all life. It creates civility and a positive regard for other people.  It nourishes the spirit of understanding which fosters cooperation. Compassion, generosity and forgiveness are expressions of goodwill.  Identifying yourself with the good of another person or with a purpose greater than yourself develops goodwill.

Goodwill can function as a harmonizing energy and a saving force.  It is an atmospheric conditioner, setting a positive vibrational field for accomplishing constructive goals. Goodwill creates a loving environment of respectful relationships that can transform difficult situations.  Goodwill provides a guide for conduct in a wide variety of situations, eventually evolving into the active will-to-good and alignment with God’s will.

Right Human Relations is the law which recognizes others as unique human beings who share a fundamental human identity with you and so need to be treated with respect and dignity. This is the Golden Rule, honored in every religion: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Good relationships with others, however, begin with a good relationship with yourself.  If you harbor hidden self-criticism or self-hate, you will bring this same critical or hateful energy into your relationships with others. As you transform yourself and no longer project your own internal issues onto others, you can create good relationships and draw forth the highest in others. The quality of the inner note you sound-- what you actually embody in your inner being-- is what determines whom you attract into your life.  Like attracts like. 

Unanimity is the principle of identity with others.  It is a subjective union of purpose with others which is recognized in your heart.  It is a cohering force that can be verified by the illumination of your higher mind.  Groups in the future will be increasingly held together by an inner, united purpose and aspiration rather than by outer, enforced rules.

The word “unanimity” comes from “uni”—meaning “one” and  “anima” meaning “soul”—so it refers to “oneness of soul.”  Unanimity is distinct from “uniformity” which means oneness of form-- having the same form or an imposed outer unity. Unanimity is freely chosen and never imposed, as it is experienced on an inner, soul level.  Groups and organizations with this approach today are very effective in achieving their mission and higher purpose.

Group Endeavor is the law of the group-conscious, collaborative approach that  moves beyond the emphasis on individual spiritual development. Instead, this new approach emphasizes the spiritual development of individuals within groups. Group work is primarily energy work--learning to absorb, share, circulate and then distribute energy from higher spiritual levels through the group and out to the world through some form of service.

Groups in the new cycle will be gathered around an idea, rather than around a charismatic person. Top-down organizational approaches and authoritarian methods are becoming increasingly dysfunctional today. To transform these old patterns, training and practice in the new methods of group consciousness and collaborative work is underway in many organizations around the world.

These principles are both the ancient landmarks of the spiritual path and also seeds from which a new culture and civilization can truly be built. May they light your way and fill your heart with blessings.

 

Corinne McLaughlin is Executive Director of The Center for Visionary Leadership in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. and co-author of Spiritual Politics and  Builders of the Dawn.  She is co-founder of Sirius, an ecological village and educational community in Massachusetts, and is a Fellow of the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland. Corinne formerly coordinated a national task force for President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development and taught politics at American University. She can be reached at:  The Center for Visionary Leadership (www.visionarylead.org) corinnemc@visionarylead.org; 415-472-2540.