Reality Check
One day I was standing at the desk at Overtones Gift Shop not minding my own business when a lady turned to me and asked me how I was able to take money for my readings and services. I smiled at her, considered her question then answered politely "I just ask for it at the end of the reading, why do you ask?" I watched with great amusement (I have a warped sense of humor by some peoples standards) as contempt took over her expression. She looked at me as if I had spinach in my teeth and with a slight snarl asked me how long I had been in the metaphysical field and how many books have I read. I thought for a moment trying my best to give her as honest of an answer as I could. I got the impression that she didn’t mean the random novel or the scores of penthouse magazines I read during puberty I decided that she meant metaphysical type books. Taking note of her less then friendly demeanor I made a feeble attempt to make her smile by answering simply "I think three if you count Stephen Kings "Pet Semetary"
She didn’t smile but obviously began to feel her spiritual superiority as she went on to say that she had read at least one hundred metaphysical books over the years. I commended her for her obvious dedication to literature and went on to say it must be nice to have that much time on your hands. As you probably can guess the look of contempt was back accompanied by an icy stare. It was at this point it became apparent that she was running on almost pure ego and anything I said would just make things worse. So I was left with two choices 1. Walk Away or 2. Just have fun with her.
Now anyone that knows me knows that the second option was my only option. So I looked at her trying my best to look mesmerized by her insight. I began by saying "You have read a lot of books I bet you know a lot about things like the hermits in the Andes". She smiled and said ‘ "yes, they are some of the most spiritual people on Earth and we should all aspire to be as spiritual as they are." She went on to say that she knew of one in particular I looked at her and with a smile asked, "How many books you think he read to get that spiritual". Although it took several seconds I could tell she got my meaning by her flushed complexion and the return of the previously mentioned icy stare. Not wanting to acknowledge my point she just went on to say that the spirituality of this man was apparent because although people like me charged for readings and services he did not.
I thought this over since I am constantly on the look out for signs of the many flaws in my own character. Then it came to me like a wave from the universal mind ( or maybe from an old Siegnfeld episode) either way I had the answer I asked her simply if he didn’t charge how did he get food. She began to describe how people would come to him for readings and insight and leave vegetables, breads and an occasional duck or chicken for him in gratitude. I looked into her eyes smiled a big smile and said " my cave costs me several hundred dollars a month but as soon as the bank starts taking checks wrote on a Ducks ass I’ll take ducks too. She turned and stomped away muttering something about my being materialistic and I never saw her again.
We all know there are countless stories about people that know all and see all. How we should strive to be more spiritual and that being human with human desires makes us less spiritual. It is easy to be totally spiritual if you isolate yourself from life. How would that hermit change if he was plying his beliefs in the middle of New York City or in East L.A. I totally agree that we should be as spiritual as we can but it is also apparent to me that we need to balance these beliefs with real life and avoid running from the reality of the human condition. I think reading books is a good thing but it is also possible to get the information you need for your spiritual growth from within, through meditation and introspect. It is the art of balancing the physical with the spiritual that gives us the insight and experience we need to define ourselves and reach an understanding of our own power. We are all powerful and constantly evolving spirits learning about ourselves through the human experience. It is here that we are to explore our humanity and learn to shake off rampant egos and beliefs in stereotypes and programmed responses.
When we can be exactly who we are without giving into societies pressure to fit a category or stereotype we will have found what we came here to find. Ourselves.
