"A Parenthesis in Eternity" by Joel S. Goldsmith

"A Parenthesis in Eternity" pdf file

Chapter 28 - The Tree of Life

To understand the nature of the mystical way of life, and to understand it fully, we must fust of all understand the underlying conflict that exists among human beings, the struggle between all men on the face of the earth. Even between husbands and wives, parents and children, there is conflict, and the conflict is always a battle for the supremacy of the ego. Each one wants to be something of himself, and that something enters into conflict with the something of the other self.

So it is that throughout the human scene there has always been conflict. True, there is an appearance of peace, but as long as each one has a self of his own, he will be catering to that ego, trying to manifest, express, or benefit it.

This poses the question: Is it possible for human beings to live together harmoniously, or must they live in constant warfare of one nature or another? None of the efforts made to bring about peace on earth and good will among men has ever been successful for any length of time, largely because these efforts have been based on attempting to unite people humanly, when for the most part they have no common interest.

Some contend that in union there is strength, but this is a fallacy. Ever since time began, tribes have been uniting, countries have been uniting, and churches have been uniting, but so far no such union has brought about permanent strength. It lasts for a while, then some other combination arises and falls to make way for still another combination. There is no strength in any union founded by human beings, nor has one ever proved to be enduring.

The only strength there is, is in spiritual union, but that in itself is a paradox. There cannot really be a spiritual union because there are not two to unite. There is only one Self, and as long as I recognize that the Selfhood of me is the Selfhood of you, I cannot be antagonistic toward you, but neither can I unite with you because there are not two of us: there is only One. There may be many forms, but back of the forms there is the One.

True peace can be established between us only when there is a subjugating of the ego in the realization that there is but one Ego, but one Self, and God is that Ego, that Self, and God constitutes the Self of every individual. Now instead of being in conflict with one another, we are united.

There may be a hundred papayas on one tree, but there is only one life, one tree, and anything that injures the tree ultimately injures all parts of the tree. The life of the tree constitutes the life of every branch, and of every piece of fruit on it. If each papaya felt that it had a life, a dignity, and an identity of its own, there would soon be a struggle. Only because of the oneness of the fruit with the tTee can the tree, branches, and fruit all abide together harmoniously.

Now for a moment try to visualize a branch of a tree that is cut off, set off by itself, having no relationship with the tree whatsoever, and you will understand what is meant by twoness. Moreover, were it possible for any one part of the tree to have an ego, it would also be possible for a branch to become envious of all the good that is on the tree and want some of it, or the tree, seeing the glory of the branch, might want to subdue or possess it.

But look again and see that branch back on its tree: now there is one tree and one life, and the life of the tree is the life of every branch of the tree. There is no union there because there are not two: there is just one. There can be dozens of branches, but there is only one life, one intelligence, one source of supply—just one—and therefore, no single branch of a tree could ever be in conflict with any other branch of that tree.

As we understand this about a tree, soon we shall also be able to understand and realize that there is a Tree of Life, a central source of Life, and that we are all parts of that Life. We are not separate branches, as we appear to be, but we are bound together by an invisible tie, which is Life Itself, the central theme of being. Life is the Tree of which we are all branches, and we all derive our life, intelligence, love, care, and protection from the same Source.

Let us return once more to the branch that has been cut off from the tree, a branch that at this moment is laden with fruit. Imagine how proud that branch of the tree might be of its wonderful fruit, and how it might think, "What a glorious thing I am! I am so beautiful! I have such exquisite flowers! I can bear such luscious fruit!" Then imagine what might happen to all this fruitage in just a few days when, because the branch has been severed from the tree, life is no longer feeding that branch, and when life no longer feeds it there is nothing left for it to do but to wither, and naturally there will be no more flowers and no more fruit of which to be proud.

This is similar to what happens to a person when he believes that he is intelligent, good, strong, wealthy, healthy, or moral. Think what happens to this person when one of these days, wandering around as a separate branch, he begins to feel himself withering up inside, and hears his friends say, "Oh, that's natural! You're getting old." But it is not natural at all from the spiritual standpoint. It is natural only because he has been feeding his ego, and believing that he, of himself, is something, when the truth is that he is something only because he is one with the Tree of Life.

Those who are living the ego-life are fighting or competing with one another, trying to supersede or be better than another, richer or more beautiful, living a life of friction because there is always a sense of twoness. Wherever and whenever there is twoness, there is bound to be friction because one person is always hitting up against the other. But all this friction disappears, all competition and all opposition disappear, in the realization of oneness.

When the conviction of oneness is realized, we perceive that each branch derives its good from its Source, and therefore there is no need for one branch to compete or fight with another branch, to try to get the better of, or overcome, another, because each branch then realizes what John Burroughs so beautifully expresses in his poem "Waiting": "My own shall come to me." Why will it come? Because it is coming to us from our Source, not from another branch, not from somebody else, and not from going out into the world trying to get it. This removes any desire or compulsion to take anything away from anyone else, or to draw anything to us from any outside source. "My own shall come to me" — mine, not yours.

Our own will come to us from the Source because we are branches of the Tree of Life, and we are fed by the life of that Tree, which Ends a way to draw to us out of the Ground whatever our particular nature requires. The function of a branch is to be still and know that it is not merely a branch but part of a tree. When we look at a tree from afar, we do not dissect it and point out that here is the trunk of a tree, and there is a leaf. No, we see the tree as a whole, constituted of trunk, branches, leaves, and fruit. So is the Tree of Life constituted of you and me, and all the other you's and me's in the world, and even though our particular function may be that of a branch, a part of the tree, nevertheless, we are the Tree, Itself.

As long as we are united with the Tree, whatever it is that is functioning the life of the Tree is supplying us with our wisdom, love, guidance, direction, activity, remuneration, recognition, and reward, with whatever it is that is to become a part of our life.

The ego-man, the man of earth, is always asserting himself in the world: discussing, arguing, striving, competing, fighting. The contemplative, the man of God, may be out in the world doing whatever his work may be, but mentally and spiritually he is at home within his own being.

The contemplative does not withdraw from an active life; in fact, he may become increasingly active. He would undoubtedly be better qualified to be the president of a corporation than an ego-man, because the ego-man could accomplish only what his own mental power could encompass, but the contemplative would draw his wisdom from an inner Source to which the ego-man would have no access.

The contemplative knows that the branch cannot dictate to the tree, and that the branch need not tell the tree what it needs, 01 when it needs it. The branch knows that it has to be still and let the tree manifest its own glory, and any glory the tree manifests will be showered upon, and shared with, the branches, and that will include all that the branch may need. The only function of a branch is to be still and let, and in due time the life of the tree will provide the branch with all that it needs; and then when the branch is full of flowers and fruit, instead of taking pride in it, the branch will be humble and remember that it is but showing forth the glory of the tree, and that of its own self it did not, and could not, create this beauty, this fruit, or this wealth.

As good begins to unfold in our experience, whether it is peace, harmony, health, or abundance — whatever it may be—we have to develop that deep humility which enables us to recognize that this is the showing forth of God's glory, God showing Himself forth as our health, our life, and our supply; and in the recognition of this, we are contemplating God's grace, His love, omnipresence, and omnipotence. In dwelling in that contemplative state we are permitting the law of life to function in our mind, being, body, and business. Furthermore, the flow is normal because it is not cluttered up or cut off by an ego trying to boast or preen itself, and give credit to itself.

It is so easy to think that we can be of benefit to one another. This is the natural belief of the natural man, the ego-man. One branch cannot really benefit another branch, however, because whatever benefit may come to you or to me through each other is really only the Life Itself using us as Its instrument. The blessings that come into our experience from any direction are really God Itself flowing to us. It is true, of course, that as servants of the most High we also serve each other, but we serve only as instruments of God.

The truth that enables us to serve each other is knowing that I have nothing of my own to give you, and you have nothing of your own to give me: we derive our good from the same Source because we are one — one Tree. We are the manifestation of one Tree of Life and, by an invisible bond, we are all branches of that one Tree.

The person who knows this is beginning to purge himself of ego because he does not see himself as the source of someone else's good: he is thinking only in terms of one, not of two. Where there are two, there will eventually be friction, even when temporarily one is doing good for another.

The antidote for all friction is a realization of oneness. We must keep consciously before us a picture of the Tree of Life, and we must see ourselves as branches of that Tree, each growing from the center to the circumference, with no dependence upon one another, yet with a co-operativeness because we are parts of one complete whole.

In the mystical life, a person lives constantly and consciously as out from the Center, in the realization of oneness, and with every temptation to see twoness, opposition, or competition, he inwardly smiles in the realization: "Be not afraid, it is I. There is only one of us here, not two. There is not a 'me' and danger, there is not a 'me' and competition, there is not a 'me' and an enemy — that is twoness."

The way of the mystic is not a struggling to overcome enemies and a striving to make friends. The mystic knows, "It is I; It is I— this Tree is all there is. Even if I am seeing a thousand different branches, it is one Tree. 'It is I; be not afraid.' There is one Tree of Life, and we are all one in that Tree, and of that Tree."

The mystic has had long months, and sometimes even years, of being faced with outward temptations to believe in twoness, to believe that there is a "me" and another, and he has overcome such temptations by the ability to look around and realize that, while there may seem to be a dozen different persons, actually they are all one Tree, all parts of the Tree of Life, and therefore, whatever is good for one is good for the others. This is the Master's teaching of "Love thy neighbor as thyself," and it is only when we are seeing our neighbor as a part of this Tree of Life that we are loving him as ourselves: we are seeing him fed from within, sustained, strengthened, healed, and resurrected from within, needing no outside aid.

In living this life the mystic becomes a blessing without consciously desiring or attempting to be. All those who come into his presence feel something emanating from his consciousness. And what is it that they feel? Not any desire to do good: just the ability to live at the Center in this contemplation of oneness.

The ego-man is always desiring something out here; he is always getting something, doing something, achieving something, and that inner and outer resultant turmoil can be felt. The mystic is always living at the center of his being. Regardless of what work he is performing, he is not reaching out to attain or to compete, he is not striving to get anything from anyone: he is at rest, and that rest is felt by everyone who touches his consciousness, that is, everyone of a sensitive nature.

Whenever competition, opposition, or friction of any kind comes into our experience, we retire to that center of OUT being and by realizing that we are not two, but one, we again establish the order of divine harmony. As long as we can translate an appearance of twoness into the picture of the Tree of Life, we are the light of the world, and a blessing to it.

The principle which would unite people and ensure harmonious and fruitful relationships in the family, the community, and eventually the state, the nation, and all the nations of the world is conscious oneness with God.

When a person carries this relationship of oneness with God into his business or professional life, he increasingly draws unto himself those who more nearly represent his state of consciousness. The key to a fulfilled life, as well as the key to success, is in oneness with God. Only in our relationship of oneness with the Father can we have a permanent bond at any and every level of human existence—on the level of friendship, the marital, the social, and business levels. We can be one through our oneness with God, and in that oneness joy flows, a joy at every level.

It is only in oneness with God that peoples of all the world are united in the household of God: Americans, English, Chinese, Japanese, Africans. In that oneness we are of the same household: our relationship with God, our fellowship in the spirit, and our communion with God unite us in communion with one another.

One day we shall be able to prove that when a person makes Godcontact the first order of business on his agenda, he will draw to himself in marriage someone interested in the spiritual way of life, someone searching for God, someone who is also seeking to attain conscious union with God, and that common interest will be the bond that will enable them to enjoy a marriage, fruitful in every respect. There are so many factors involved in marriage: companionship, parenthood, social and community responsibilities, and financial arrangements; but when there is this spiritual rapport, all phases of the relationship fall into their proper place. Without this spiritual bond even the best of marriages has little or nothing in it but a human relationship which is sometimes pleasant, and oftentimes very unpleasant.

It is not possible for two or more people to live together in God and lie to one another, cheat or defraud one another—it cannot be done. A person would wreck his mind and body who attempted thus to live contrary to the way of God or the will of God, trying to bring his human will, human desires, and human tricks into a spiritual way of life. Whoever attempted to deviate from spiritual integrity would soon be uncovered and be removed. No treachery or devious practices can remain covered up. Nothing is hidden from God. There is only one reason that dishonesty in human relations continues, only one reason: human beings do not knowingly or willingly expose their conduct to the light of God. They are clever enough to stay away from God, and for a time they may succeed in their wickedness, but when they bring themselves close to God, they find that they cannot deviate from spiritual integrity.

Nothing "that defileth . . . or maketh a lie" can enter the consciousness of those who are united in the family and household of God. When we understand that we are one with the Father and that wc are the temple of God, is it not clear that sooner or later we will be compelled to live up to that estimate of ourselves? The moment that we can begin to catch that vision, we cannot then violate our integrity, nor can we violate our relationships with others, especially when we realize that inasmuch as we are the temple of God, so is everyone else.

To recognize others as well as ourselves as the very temple of God is a step toward the fulfilling of the Commandments to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. The truth is that humanly nobody can do that. We can try, but we are on the Way only when the first instinct to want to know God aright comes to us, an inner desire to discover the nature of "My kingdom" and "My peace." Then our relationship to God and man changes: love enters in, not your love or mine: it is the love of God that has entered into whatever part of our consciousness we have opened to its flow, and that love of God becomes the love for God and for man.

We give evidence of our love for God in our love for our neighbor. There is no God hanging up in space—not in the space in this room or above the room, and not in the space above the ground, or the space above the sky. The only God there is, is incarnated in our Soul, and in the Soul of every individual.

The only way to love God is to love one another, but not just those others in our immediate environment. That would be such a restrictive sense of love that it would be selfishness rather than love. If this love that we feel for one another is true love, it makes us also want to help people who are in distress, people of any nation, any color, or any creed.

If this love that has entered our heart does not give us an interest in all of the unfortunates of the world, we can be assured that it is not the love of God, and we have deceived ourselves. We love one another only because we have opened ourselves to God and have thereby discovered the God in me and the God in you, and found It to be the same God, the same Life, and the same Love. Even though depressed and despised peoples of the world may not yet know their identity, we do; and moreover, we know that one of these days they will awaken to their true identity, just as those persons whose material needs are being met so abundantly that they feel no need of God will someday awaken to their spiritual identity.

There can be peace on earth, peace between nations and races, peace in our communities, peace in our homes, but this peace will come on a permanent basis only when it comes because of some measure of realization of our relationship to God. We ourselves must first attain that realization.

As we attain even a degree of realization that God has incarnated Himself as our very being, that we are the temple of God and God dwells in us, we begin to draw unto ourselves from out of the world those who are traveling in the same direction, those whose goal is to dwell in the household of God, the Temple not made with hands. The invisible bond with which we are bound together is our conscious union with God, and because of our realized oneness, we draw to ourselves out of the world all those with any measure of love for God.

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