First, we believe that there is a force that creates and drives us. As we walk the spiritual journey we gain faith in him. Then devotion grows in us. Compassion comes along to accompany us. These have a lasting effect on us, bringing tremendous change in us. With his grace, he makes us complete. The journey ends in peace and calm prevails. We settle within and watch the world go by. We watch his play go by. For some, they come back into society to share their experience with God.
In the "Pilgrim's Progress"", a trip of discovery and learning new things by a fictional character Christian who was "tormented by spiritual anguish", we get to meet all that one shall meet on such a similar journey. The author John Bunyan who was in jail at the time of writing, "imprisoned for offenses against the Conventicle Act of 1593 which prohibited the conducting of religious services outside the bailiwick of the Church of England" (https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Pilgrims-Progress), writes about all that one encounters within, portrayed as characters met as Christian journeys on an external journey, appearing to him either to discourage or encourage him further. Evangelist, a spiritual guide; Obstinate and Pliable; Help; Worldly Wiseman; Goodwill; the Interpreter who shows him many helpful things; the three Shining Ones; Simple, Sloth, and Presumption; Formalist and Hypocrisy; Discretion; Piety, Prudence, and Charity; Faithful; the monster’s name is Apollyon; two giants, and Pope and Pagan. They are all given a face. He encounters many dangers that he has to free himself from: the Slough of Despond; a Wicket Gate; the City of Destruction; the Significant Rooms; Salvation; Vain-Glory; Difficulty; the Palace Beautiful; Valley of Humiliation; the Valley of the Shadow of Death; before reaching Mount Zion, also known as the Celestial City.
This story although fictional carries a lot of weight in any person's spiritual journey or conquest. The characters could be the wife, the neighbor, friends, enemies, the township, the law, strangers, holy and saintly men, etc. Seeing through them shall save the Pilgrim from deviating, stalling, or losing sight of the journey he once started as we believe many births ago.
John Bunyan who framed the story as a dream, also states that he wrote his work mainly for himself, to further his own spiritual development. Here we are told that "that salvation comes not through church attendance and group ritual but through private prayer and introspection. Bunyan shows the reader that faith is individual, so Christian must be alone to practice it." On the burden that we all carry, we are told, "Christian does not even have to remove the burden since it removes itself", once he enters God's presence. "In Christian doctrine, these two parts of the pilgrim’s experience are known as will and grace. Will is the exertion required to find faith and master oneself. Grace is what comes without trying to get it, a pure gift from heaven. Christian experiences both will and grace when passing the cross, and he is rewarded for his strong individual faith when the burden falls."
(Source: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pilgrims/summary/)
Similarly, the burden of karma we carry shall be translated into deeds and work that if carried out shall relieve the load we carry. Hence the reason for engaging us in Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam to attain Gnanam whence experience both eternal and within shall tear asunder the veil of maya or illusion redundant. The battle is then won. We are one with them, the saintly ones.
In the "Pilgrim's Progress"", a trip of discovery and learning new things by a fictional character Christian who was "tormented by spiritual anguish", we get to meet all that one shall meet on such a similar journey. The author John Bunyan who was in jail at the time of writing, "imprisoned for offenses against the Conventicle Act of 1593 which prohibited the conducting of religious services outside the bailiwick of the Church of England" (https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Pilgrims-Progress), writes about all that one encounters within, portrayed as characters met as Christian journeys on an external journey, appearing to him either to discourage or encourage him further. Evangelist, a spiritual guide; Obstinate and Pliable; Help; Worldly Wiseman; Goodwill; the Interpreter who shows him many helpful things; the three Shining Ones; Simple, Sloth, and Presumption; Formalist and Hypocrisy; Discretion; Piety, Prudence, and Charity; Faithful; the monster’s name is Apollyon; two giants, and Pope and Pagan. They are all given a face. He encounters many dangers that he has to free himself from: the Slough of Despond; a Wicket Gate; the City of Destruction; the Significant Rooms; Salvation; Vain-Glory; Difficulty; the Palace Beautiful; Valley of Humiliation; the Valley of the Shadow of Death; before reaching Mount Zion, also known as the Celestial City.
This story although fictional carries a lot of weight in any person's spiritual journey or conquest. The characters could be the wife, the neighbor, friends, enemies, the township, the law, strangers, holy and saintly men, etc. Seeing through them shall save the Pilgrim from deviating, stalling, or losing sight of the journey he once started as we believe many births ago.
John Bunyan who framed the story as a dream, also states that he wrote his work mainly for himself, to further his own spiritual development. Here we are told that "that salvation comes not through church attendance and group ritual but through private prayer and introspection. Bunyan shows the reader that faith is individual, so Christian must be alone to practice it." On the burden that we all carry, we are told, "Christian does not even have to remove the burden since it removes itself", once he enters God's presence. "In Christian doctrine, these two parts of the pilgrim’s experience are known as will and grace. Will is the exertion required to find faith and master oneself. Grace is what comes without trying to get it, a pure gift from heaven. Christian experiences both will and grace when passing the cross, and he is rewarded for his strong individual faith when the burden falls."
(Source: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pilgrims/summary/)
Similarly, the burden of karma we carry shall be translated into deeds and work that if carried out shall relieve the load we carry. Hence the reason for engaging us in Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam to attain Gnanam whence experience both eternal and within shall tear asunder the veil of maya or illusion redundant. The battle is then won. We are one with them, the saintly ones.