Service

Rich wrote:
> Rich wrote:
>
>> I just got this quote of Sri Harold Klemp's this morning.
>> The "Mahanta Transcripts Book 10, The Drumbeat of Time" P.211
>>
>> "When you can come to the spiritual agreement within yourself that
>> it doesn't matter where you serve God, then you will have reached
>> the highest degree of truth and wisdom that is possible anywhere.
>
> "If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at
> correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are
> rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it."
>
> - Roger Babson
>   1875-1967, Statistician and Columnist

Theory is only the initial step towards reaching the God state. Yet all 
together there are three im****tant aspects in ECK. First, we must study
the 
books, literature and dis­courses in order to learn the theory of
ECKANKAR. 
Second, we must put into practice the spiritual exercises laid down in the

discourses. This practice must be continued over a long period of time, 
perhaps over years. It must be done, though, for we cannot learn to 
discipline ourselves without practice. Third, we must pass through the
books 
and dis­courses to become initiates. On this level we find that the secret

knowledge begins to enter into the consciousness of the initiate without
as 
great an effort as was formerly required. He no longer seeks but just IS!

A strange phenomenon exists, however, during the first two stages of the 
neophyte. He must pay for everything he receives, either in the form of 
money or some other kind of exchange. This is something that must be done,

for the seeker is on the lower levels and cannot thrust himself into the 
highest realms until he has unfolded properly. Once the seeker has passed 
these first two stages and has entered into the third aspect he no longer 
leans upon books, discourses, and other writings. But he does have to
serve 
as a channel for the divine ECK to pour down through him into the outer 
worlds. In this way he is never charged for any knowledge received, be it 
from books or via a higher state of conscious­ness. He has now become the 
ECK, of Itself.

 - Paul Twitchell  "The Spiritual Notebook"  Chapter 2