August 2001
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LIVING
IN THE SPIRIT
The Trouble With Trouble
ALAN L. PRITZ
I RECENTLY CAME under attack. It wasn’t
from a crook or mugger. Rather, it was from my own inner demons and temptations.
In and of itself this isn’t surprising. Each of us has character flaws and it’s no
crime to be tempted. Christ was. Buddha was. Paramahansa Yogananda was. Mahatma Gandhi,
Sri Ramakrishna, and St. Francis were. So, we’re all in good company! Temptations
surround us like bacteria. In fact, they are part of the nature of life to test and
strengthen us. The problem comes if one gives in to them.
The nature of temptation is appearance. It imitates celestial bliss via intoxicatingly
sweet yet poisonous sense lures. If seduced by the sweetness, a fall usually lies
close behind. In Homer’s classic, The Odyssey, Odysseus purposely confronted temptation
via the Sirens. What did they appeal to? The senses! He knew their power and was
lashed to a ship mast to avoid leaping to his doom. This was wise because unless
anchored in wisdom, feelings often overcome reason and cause people to plunge into
error. This may sound melodramatic, but it’s true. How many divorces have been spawned
by quick, seemingly irresistible trysts with passion? How many crooked deals have
been made from easy but illegal financial opportunities? ‘Nuff said.
Suffice it to say there are times when each of us may be confronted by unique tests
or temptation. My own episode was intense. I found that for a period my mind was
in a fog and things I’d taken for granted seemed mutable. It was as though a blanket
had been thrown over my head and the ability to see clearly was dimmed by the opaque
nature of delusion. Fortunately, I realized it was important to openly discuss my
crisis with trusted people. Though not always the way to go, in this instance I felt
that being mute was the last thing I needed—“…every one that doeth evil hateth the
light...but he that doeth truth cometh to the light…” John 3:20, 21.
Recognizing the weave in our own tapestries
Secondly, I recognized that current life interactions are a complex tapestry
of past-life relations variously decorated with pre-natal and post-natal tendencies.
In other words, we all come with “stuff.” It is the nature of conscious living to
purify our weaknesses in the furnace of Truth. As long as we continue to seek lasting
joy in things of the world, so long must we re-incarnate until the lesson of Spirit-fulfillment
is gained. But this ain’t always easy!
It was during this episode that I began to appreciate Jesus’ comments to John the
Baptist about His imminent baptism. He said, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness”. (Matthew 3:15). Though not a New Testament
scholar, what struck me about this passage was the adjoining of the term “suffer”
with “righteousness”. Given my struggle, I could feel a palpable tension between
pursuing my temptation with what I knew to be correct. There truly was a degree of
suffering involved. Yet the end product, righteousness, was the only course of action
I could truly get behind. And to a real degree it hurt to do so. However, once decided
upon, the fogginess that beset me cleared up as did my perspective.
Retrospectively I could see that rightness shone throughout the trial like the Polestar
for lost sailors. But, it could have easily been overlooked if too drunk on ignorance
or blinded by desire. Now, lest pride set in, I did suffer inner bruises from unsettling
revelations gained along the way. I also became aware of other individuals who weren’t
as fortunate. Apparently simultaneously tested in their own weak areas, these persons
succumbed. So, but for the Grace of God, there go I!
Grow in the Light
That said, how should one handle a fall? Well, get back up! As the saint Sri
Yukteswar remarked, “Forget the past. The vanished lives of all men are dark with
many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until man is anchored in the Divine.
Everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.” It isn’t
error that should overly concern us, but growing in the Light. To label oneself a
sinner and sink into self-pity serves no one, most especially oneself. Learn from
mistakes and move forward. As Paramahansa Yogananda said, “A saint is a sinner that
didn’t give up!” The real Self is taintless and pure. Once we experience this Self
and become fully identified with it, our past errors are erased in the flame of wisdom.
Just as darkness vanishes once a light is turned on, so too does the darkness of
ignorance vanish once the Light of Illumination is attained.
What is the take-away from this article—to not mind falling into temptation? No.
That is a reality that can happen, but not one to be sought after. Rather, learn
to be vigilant and strong. Recognize that desire and temptation have their power.
Part of it is appeal. What do you really want? Part of it is weakness. Where can
you stand some character shaping? Recognize that caving in to temptation will not
really provide satisfaction. Only by taking the high road, by suffering to fulfill
righteousness in such circumstances can one truly feel good about oneself and at
peace. Although painful at the time, the lasting gain is worth the sometimes-searing
effort.
Alan L. Pritz, founder of Inner Resource Enhancement, began consulting in 1988
to offer innovative lifestyle management, inner-resource development, and performance
enhancement seminars. Alan has taught “Spirituality in the Workplace” at the University
of St. Thomas Management Center, wrote Pocket Guide To Meditation (Crossing Press:
1997), co-authored A Trainer’s Guide To Training for Tough Topics, (AMACOM, 9/2000),
and is currently writing a third book, As I Awaken: Crafting A Spiritual Life. Pritz
can be contacted at 612-721-4100.
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2001 Twin Cities WELLNESS newspaper.
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