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THE CASTLE A SPIRITUAL
ANALOGY Imagine
yourself to be a castle.
And you are the KING or QUEEN.
And outside your castle you would be vulnerable.
Inside your castle you would be safe.
Next imagine your castle has a secret place where only you can get to
for
refuge.Call this the "secret place" where you
"dwell
under the shadow of the Almighty" Psalm 91.
Inside your Kingdom you find everything you need. Happiness,
security, assistance, knowledge, shelter, peace. loyalty, holiness,
truth, goodness,
advisors...and so on. It's home, it's happiness,
it's security, it's everything
you need! Outside your kingdom are Unknown forces, unknown territories, trickery,
illusion, pain and suffering, famine, poverty, danger, many things you don't
know about. And at the same time there are many things that are good for
you and would be nice to add to your kingdom.
Desire lures us outside the castle. "the serpent"
is desire! And lures with curiosity, power, fear, lust, greed,
delusion, insecurity are all motivators for us to leave ourselves or our kingdom
and search for things and people outside of ourselves for solace and
satisfaction and the answers. Many times we are convinced that we have to have
things outside of ourselves to be happy. In actuality we are vulnerable every
time we venture outside our castle. After all we are the king or queen. And we
could get tricked into leaving our castle gates open and for foreign enemies to
enter. "Control yourselves, be careful. The devil
(evil), your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat.
Refuse to give in to evil (illusion, fantasy, false power) by standing strong
inside with God." 1 Peter 5: 8
See "From the Dhamaphada" at the end of this article describes the devil or Mara
as the evil which is lured by desire) So here's the picture.
OUTSIDE OURSELVES: unknown, lies, trickery, material,
wealth, treasures, food, nourishment, pleasures, hate, dependencies, suffering,
sorrow, evil, help, nature, power, sickness and disease, poverty, addictive
pleasures and so forth.
INSIDE OURSELVES: Heaven, Peace, Love, Health, Happiness, Security, Wisdom, Truth,
Independence, Divine Power or GOD, Healing, Goodness, Paradise, and so
forth.
Now when we go out and come back with things, we change the complexion of our
Kingdom. And what motivates us to leave our Kingdom is our condition at
home in our Kingdom. That is what determines whether we leave it or stay. Peace
inside, then we are likely to stay or go out for good things to add to that
Peace. If it's confusing and fearful inside our Kingdom, we will look
outside ourselves in panic hoping to find a fix. We may find someone helpful or
we may stumble upon someone or something not good for us like addictive
pleasures. If we leave our Kingdom in a state of weakness, we are likely
to be seduced by false powers, greed, materialism, and other temporary elusive
powers which empower us.
The Garden of Eden or the Kingdom of Heaven or the City of Brahman exists inside
of us. We can return to it if we have left it. We can clean it out and make room for the
things which are already there: Peace, Happiness, Divine Power or GOD, Love,
Security, etc... by ridding the false and the guilt and sorrowful memories by
confessing, making restitution and then praying to the Power within us to help
clean out the Kingdom.
Signs of disease, addictions, manic/depression, panic disorder, fear, aging,
frequent illness, etc... are signs that something is inside our Kingdom which is
disturbing us. The spiritual rule is NOT to go out and find more witch
doctors with better and newer remedies and to open up the Kingdom to more
charlatans and rescuers who are taking advantage of the Kingdom...It's a clear
signal to us that our Kingdom is being robbed of its wealth. Numbing ourselves
only makes us further unaware. Imagine a drugged and zoned out King or Queen!
And having an advisor who is like an Iago or the Fool himself dressed up. So, go
back in and identify what's inside. See the article:
You Are What You Think
Then you will see. Then it is up to you whether or not you want to get
rid of these things or people.
It's your Kingdom.
Wise spiritual advice pass it
along. Trust yourself and your conscience meaning
"seek you first the Kingdom of Heaven (which is inside
us). And all things we need will be provided for us." Mathew 6:33 (meditate and
pray FIRST!)
"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the kingdom, and verily
thou shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of your
heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to
pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as
the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of
him who prosper in his way, because of the man who bring wicked devices to pass.
" Psalm 37
FROM THE DHAMAPHADA (path of God ~truth, mercy, justice, wisdom, joy, freedom)
The pleasure-seeker who finds delight in physical objects,
whose senses are unsubdued,
who is immoderate in eating, indolent and
listless, him Mara (the Evil One) prevails against,
as does the monsoon wind
against a weak-rooted tree.
He who perceives no pleasure in physical objects, who has perfect control
of his senses,
is moderate in eating, who is unflinching in faith, energetic,
him Mara does not prevail against any more than does the wind against a rocky
mountain.
As the monsoon rain pierces through the roof of an ill-thatched house, so lust enters the undisciplined mind.
As the monsoon rain does not enter a well-thatched house, so lust does not enter a well-disciplined mind.
Follow not after vanity, nor after the enjoyment of love and lust!
He who is earnest and meditative, obtains ample joy.
If a traveler does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey;
there is no companionship with a fool.
the doer of wholesome deeds rejoices in both worlds.
"Good has been committed by me," thinking thus he rejoices.
Having taken the celestial path, he rejoices exceedingly.
The mind is unstable and flighty. It wanders wherever it desires.
Therefore
it is good to control the mind. A disciplined mind brings happiness.
The mind is incomprehensible and exceedingly subtle. It wanders wherever it
desires.
Therefore, let the wise aspirant watch over the mind. A well-guarded
mind brings happiness.
Those who control the mind which wanders afar,
solitary, incorporeal, and which resides in the inner cavern (of the heart),
will liberate themselves from the shackles of Mara.
-
- To further illustrate that we are like a castle or have refuge is Psalm 91
mentioned above (THE SECRET PLACE)
-
- He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.
(meditation and trusting our conscience)
- I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress (castle): my God; in
him will I trust.
- Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the
noisome pestilence.
- He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shall thou trust:
his truth shall be thy
shield and buckler.
- Thou shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that
flies by day;
- Nor for the pestilence that walk in darkness; nor for the destruction at
day.
- A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but
it shall not come nigh thee.
- Only with your eyes shall thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
- Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy
habitation;
- There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling. Psalm 91
- A QUESTION FOR YOU!: IS IT our minds, our
conscience, our body, our spirit are they our castle?
Or is it our hearts?
Therefore, let the wise aspirant watch over the mind. A well-guarded mind brings
happiness.
Those who control the mind which wanders afar, solitary, incorporeal,
and which resides in the inner cavern
(of the heart), 
will liberate themselves from the shackles of the Evil One (MARA).
"GOD IS LOVE AND HE WHO DWELLS IN LOVE DWELLS IN GOD AND
GOD IN HIM" 1 John
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