Character transformation
One main goal in the spiritual training is the improvement of the own character. Refinement comes along with cleaning, healing, empowerment and balancing of the four elements in the soul.
The traditional approach is basically to tell the student to follow certain morals or in a better approach to follow ethic rules. This causes normally a problem as a human being is not perfect and does not fit into morals or higher ethics. So there is a certain need for forcing oneself to behave in the desired way respectively to suppress negative traits, needs and desires. This includes also the need for cheating yourself and others with artificial behavior covering your true nature. So it is no wonder that even in high and highest positions in religious hierarchies we find persons with a dark nature and negative behavior in opposite to the official standard of morals.
When we take a look on the approach of spiritual students then it might be better as here is more knowledge available about the soul, the character, the dealing with negative behavior or traits, etc. But from my point of view and my observations, most students lack of the key understanding how to make real progress in the refinement of the soul.
For a better understanding: Imagine that you live in the upper flat of a big and very, very old house. Your flat might be more or less tidied up. The rest of the house is in a state which are not really aware of as you use only the staircase. And now one day you get the message that the whole house is yours and that it is your job to inspect it, to clean it completely and to refurbish it. Further on, the very, very old house needs to look fresh and wonderful. Obviously, this is a very big task, a true challenge. But at the moment you just think that your flat is okay and so all other rooms in the big house will be okay too. Certainly, this is a big error. Maybe you also think that some nice, fresh painting on the façade will be sufficient. But this is another big error. And when you think that it is all done easily and in shortest time, then this is your third big error. Actually, you start with the introspection, the inspection of your whole house with all flats and rooms and the big cellar. And for sure you find a lot of old and oldest stuff which needs to be released, thrown away, put into the garbage as it blocks the space. Then you see that a lot of dirt has gathered everywhere which needs to be cleaned. The substance of the house needs to be refurbished. And yes, new painting for the façade is important. And much more. It seems that this project takes forever. But in the end, after a long time of effort and investments, your very, very old house looks vitalized, fresh and inviting and new tenants join to give life to the house.
This is what is waiting for all students on the path. A major cleanup. A lot of work. And the need to face old and oldest stuff, dirt, problems, injuries of your soul, old patterns of behavior. All the stuff which needs to be released and healed to make you free for a happy and balanced life, for a high degree of real vitality.
Now, the point is that it is very demanding to do it all by yourself, that professional approaches from coaching, psychotherapy and spiritual techniques should be applied. And when you have accomplished this level, then it is still “only” the basis for the higher work.
By the way, here we see that it can make a lot of sense to consult professional experts to help you in healing your soul and in getting aware of who you are.
Now, regarding the higher work: The aim here is to achieve a maximum of refinement on the human level to become able to refine yourself to divine degrees afterwards. So, how can this be done? You can work on each single virtue which you want to integrate, strengthen and refine with your will power, your higher awareness and attention, with meditation and attempts to transform the negative into the positive quality, etc. Certainly, you can do this but you will make the experience that it takes a lot of time and effort. Indeed, you can do this for decades and probably you won´t be happy about your results.
So, where is the problem with this approach? We see that the student has good intentions and some nice techniques but the quantity key is not regarded. This means, the techniques lack of power for efficient realization.
The key is simple: There is no other way than to do a comprehensive training with the four elements with whole body breathing and accumulation. Only in this way, you achieve the empowerment and refinement of the elements in your soul and only then all kinds of virtues and skills can unfold in you. The aim is the balance in power and quality of all four elements in you. Only then you accomplish the fifth element, Akasha, in your soul, the state of divine perfection, balance and centeredness.
This must be understood. If you do not work with the elements as soon as possible in your training, you waste precious time without any real progress. See this as a well-meant reminder. Writing thousand updates of your soul mirrors does not help. Time is precious and it is all about progress as progress means in the end freedom, happiness and abundance.