We part with first one thing and then another, of the old animal nature, with pain and suffering, and our spiritual feet become literally washed in the blood of the heart. Appetites – cravings of the lower nature – desires of the animal part of us – old habits – conventionalities – inherited thought – racial delusions – things in the blood and bone of our nature, must be thrown off, one by one, with much misgivings and doubt at first – and with much pain and heart-bleeding until we reach a position from which we can see what it all means. Not only the desires of the lower self are to be torn out, but we must, of necessity, part with many things which have always seemed dear and sacred to us, but which appear as but childish imaginings in the pure light which is beginning to be poured out from our Spiritual Mind. But even though we see these things for what they are, still it pains us to part from them, and we cry aloud, and our heart bleeds.
Then we often come to a parting of ways – a place where we are forced to part mental company with those who are dear to us, leaving them to travel their own road while we take step upon a new and (to us) an untried path of thought. All this means pain. And then the horror of mental and spiritual loneliness which comes over one soon after he has taken the first steps on The Path – that first initiation which has tried the souls of many who read these words – that frightful feeling of being alone – with no one near who can understand and appreciate your feelings. And then the sense of seeing the great problems of life, while others do not recognize the existence of any unsolved problem, and who accordingly go on their way, dancing, fighting, quarrelling, and showing all the signs of spiritual blindness, while you were compelled to stand alone and bear the awful sight. Then, indeed does the blood of your heart gush forth. And then, the consciousness of the world’s pain and your failure to understand its meaning – your feeling of impotence when you tried to find a remedy for it. All this causes your heart to bleed.
And all these things come from your spiritual awakening – the man of the material plane has felt none of these things – has seen them not. Then when the feet of the soul have been bathed in the blood of the heart, the eye begins to see the spiritual truths – the ear begins to hear them – the tongue begins to be able to speak them to others, and to converse with those who have advanced along The Path. And the soul is able to stand erect and gaze into the face of other advanced souls, for it has begun to understand the mysteries of life – the meaning of it all – has been able to grasp something of the Great Plan – has been able to feel the consciousness of its own existence - has been able to say ‘I AM’ with meaning – has found itself – has conquered pain by rising above it.
Take these thoughts with you into the Silence, and let the truth sink into your mind, that it may take root, grow, blossom and bear fruit.
Excerpt from – Advanced Course in Yoga Philosophy and Oriental Occultism – Yogi Ramacharaka – October 1904
*Occultism is a relatively recent word used to describe the Sacred Sciences after they were driven underground by the inquisition, whose aim was to eliminate self-mastery.