How Do We Find It?

What is a pearl of great price?  Of equal importance, how do we identify it given the myriad of spiritual avenues available?

Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV), says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

We are the Merchant

Just as with the merchant, when we find our pearl of great price, all lesser things in life fall away, and we pursue it with single-minded focus, with our heart wide open, filled with love and joy.

Things, Feelings & Emotions

When I was in sales years ago, the first thing we learned is that we were not selling the thing we were selling.  Outside of something’s normal usefulness, we were selling a state of being, a feeling, a connection to joy, love, excitement, an elevated self-image that our customers believed would be attained by purchasing a particular product, signing up for a course, or even joining the service, etc.

The thing being sold wasn’t as important as the wonderful feelings attained by having it, or our being associated with it.

Our instructor said, “No one buys a Corvette because it’s cost effective and fuel efficient.  They buy it because it makes them feel good, youthful and possibly powerful.”  It fills their emotional fuel tank with good feelings and elevated self-esteem.  They feel important and validated in their self, and in life.

Things = Good Feelings

We associate feelings and states of being with things, organizations, people, and so on.  We are actually seeking those uplifting feelings, elevated self-esteem and even a superior state-of-being, not so much the thing itself.

Short-Lived Euphoria

As many have learned, the main shortcoming of gaining an elevated emotional state-of-being through material gain is that the euphoric feelings are almost always short-lived.  This, in turn, requires the person to find more “things” to obtain to fill their emotional fuel tank once again.

And the cycle repeats…

Heaven and Nirvana

Now, for most Christians, heaven is a place of joy, peace and heartfelt blissful ecstasy.  It is as much a state-of-being as it is a place.

For those in the eastern religions, there is nirvana (sometimes called nibbana).  That psychological state where we are neither driven by fear nor desire, free from the cycle of karma.  We are centered in our being, ideally living from our spiritual connection with the Transcendent Being, or Brahman.

In this respect, heaven and nirvana are kind of the same thing when viewed from the perspective of our spiritual connection.  Both bring about a state of love and bliss, where fear and desire are not in play.

Living Relationship

For those seeking their spiritual path, the pearl of great price is that special living-relationship experienced in that sacred bond with their conception of God and the feeling of connectedness, guidance, fulfilment, love and joy that come with it. 

In short, we no longer need things because we have gained our own inner connection and bliss without them.

From One Path, Many

Once we find and experience that Divine connection for our self, all other paths taken in life are a natural outpouring from that living relationship.

Our Compass and North Star

When this happens, we know we have found our true compass and north star.  Nothing anyone else has to say will have meaning for us, because we found our unique connection that guides us on our Soul’s High Path – the path that awaits each of us to discover.

How to Find “It”

For those who are just starting on their spiritual journey, the ability to exercise adequate discernment about which path to take can be challenging, to say the least.

Those who have already found their ideal spiritual path can offer others insights on how they were able to recognize their mystical route.  However, that advice may lean heavily toward the choice they made, and may not be the right one for us.

For better or worse, some people have very strong viewpoints on this subject, which can unduly influence us to make choices that are not part of our spiritual path.

Again, how do we find it for our self?

Each Has a Unique Path

No two people in Creation have the same connection to the Divine, even when members are of the same religious order.  I have known many spiritual friends (in the same church) who had heated spiritual conversations with others over the nature of a particular spiritual principle or the meaning of a scriptural passage.

In the end, no one’s mind or spiritual-heart was changed because each was speaking from their own deepest spiritual connection they had with the Divine (God).

They were stating their truth as they knew it at the time.

We Know Our Truth

Once we come to know that what is true and valid for someone else may not be exactly true and correct for us, we can let go of what others think and say, and focus upon what speaks to our spiritual heart.

Methods of Discerning a Higher Choice

Each of us is naturally led throughout our lives by our higher guidance.  Sometimes that still leaves us with many choices.  Although each alternative option can lead us to our ultimate destination, some paths offer greater spiritual quickening. 

How can we trim down the number of options in this type of situation?

When Things Are Still Not Clear

We believe that our best source is the one that comes directly from our higher guidance, our inner knowing. 

When that is not clear, here is one additional way to help things become less foggy.

Kinesiology

Kinesiology is often used to figure out if we should take a particular nutritional supplement, such as a multi-vitamin, mineral, herb, healing oil, etc.  What’s wonderful is that we can also use it to discern what spiritual choice to make.  Here’s how to do it.

Let’s say we are contemplating taking a spiritual course, attending a seminar or meditation group, or trying out a new religious center.

Kinesiology “How-to”

First, write down the name of the spiritual offering on a piece of paper or use the flyer associated with it.  It will be linked to the energies associated with the choice.  Now, we’ll go over how to do this.

• If possible, be in a quiet environment free from distractions, such as a television, radio, computer, phone, other family members, etc.
• You will need two people to do the test. The tester and the questioner.
• Whoever is asking the question for them self, will be the test subject (questioner).
• Using either arm, the questioner puts their arm out parallel with the floor, then exert a certain upward muscular force that they can consistently repeat when the tester pushes downward.  (For ease of testing, the arm can also be in V-shape (parallel to the floor), with the elbow being the testing point).
• The tester will then push down on the subject’s (questioner’s) arm two or three times until the same tension is repeated at least twice in a row.
• The tester should remember the level of tension felt.
• Place the piece of paper (or flyer) with the spiritual offering written on it in the subject’s (questioners) other hand.
• Count to five – one, one-thousand… two, one thousand, …
• The tester should then push down on the outstretched arm to see if the upward muscle tension has remained the same, increased, or became weaker.
• When finished, remove the paper from the subject’s (questioners) other hand. 
• Repeat, as desired for more questions…

Stronger, Same, or Weaker

If the arm’s upward muscle tension is weaker, then that spiritual choice is not for the betterment of the questioner.

If it is the same, then it’s an option of whether they want to go as a matter of personal choice.

If it is stronger, then the spiritual choice is a positive benefit of the questioner.  Although, the spiritual choice may not be the pearl of great price that they seek, it is definitely for their higher good.  They are going in the right direction.

Use This in a Pinch

This method can also assist the spiritually experienced person in situations where they become overwhelmed, are in a time pinch, or are unable to use their normal communication methods with their higher guidance to get a clear direction to take.

Spiritual Connections

Let us share how we (Debra and I) found our pearl of great price.

I (David) attended my first Illuminated Mind seminar when I was 16 years old, Debra years later after we were married.  The seminar series continues to evolve with the energies of the times, enhancing the intimate spiritual connection created by the archetypal creative energies of the Divine.  It transformed our lives.  For us, we knew that the spiritual connection established during the seminar, was our pearl of great price.

The Illuminated Mind Seminars present practical guidance on addressing life issues that arise, releasing old energies and patterns, helping you to focus upon your true identity, so you may achieve your spirituals goals to illuminate your life path — the path set for you before this life began.

That is why we facilitate the Illuminated Mind Seminars, because they can lead you to the connection that will change your life.

No Longer Seeking, We’re Exploring

As Debra tells others, “I’m not seeking anymore.  I am exploring what I have already found.”  For us, these seminars established the central spiritual connection that leads us to all other connections. 

Life Smooth and Calm

Our connection with our High Self, guides, angels, light beings, and the Divine, direct all of our choices — leaving our life path smoother and more calm, free from the chatter of the world.

We know that we will be led (guided) by our Higher Guidance to find the appropriate person or organization to teach us what the Divine (God) has for each of us in our unique spiritual path.

We no longer wonder if we should attend this seminar, go to this church, listen to a particular spiritual lecture, and so on.

One of the Ways to Find Our Pearl of Great Price

For those seeking their unique spiritual path, the seminars are one way of finding their pearl of great price (spiritual gold), which will then lead them to their Soul’s High Path; Joseph Campbell called it The Soul’s High Adventure.

It may be the pearl of great price or spiritual gold for you, as well. 

You may wish to test to see for yourself!