Gradations of Character

Color and light filter through our gaze in gradations. White becomes gray and gradually black. A bright sun becomes dimmer and dimmer. Or alternately the sky, on a dark moonless night, becomes lighter and lighter as the sun rises at dawn. Our character also exists on a scale of gradation. No one is defined by a single act--whether that act is noble or ignoble. All of us, as human beings, are blessed with divine propensities. Our divinity is made manifest more brilliantly depending on our soul's stage of development. Some people spend no time whatever focusing on their soul; hence, they are not manifesting their highest potential divinity. Others are focused constantly on their soul's education, and their divinity shines out like a brilliant golden light.

We all have moments of grandeur and moments of horror in our lives. It is important to remember that no single moment makes an entire life. If we build upon the past, learn from our errors, and attempt to make ourselves better human beings, then no matter what we have done in the past, we can rise above it. As the Buddha tells us, 'we create our own future every moment.' I believe in the truth of Buddha's words because I began rebuilding my life one step at a time some years back.

In 2006, I had a very unfortunate moment in my life when a felony and an arrest ended most of my dreams. Since that time, however, I have dedicated myself body and soul, to overcoming the past. I like to think that since that mistake, I have grown, that I have gone through gradations which have now brought me to a higher plane in terms of spiritual consciousness.

If you have made mistakes, remember that if you acknowledge those errors and move forward without repeating them, you can find yourself in a far happier state of existence than ever before. As Jesus taught, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." I believe in this fully. If you devote your soul to good deeds--thoughts and actions--you will see good fruits--good karmic results. If you devote yourself to ignoble deeds, you will bear rotten fruit.

You don't even have to believe in God to know this is the truth. Physics and science teach the same thing: Every cause will have its effect. If you set out to hurt another person, you will see a very negative effect for yourself. It's the law of the universe. The negative effect may come later than you think, but it will arrive, I assure you.

I have reaped what I sowed with respect to the past. But, now I am happy to say that I have found good fruit begin to ripen in the garden of my life. It is only because of the gradations--the gradual shifts toward nobler choices in my life--that I have found such good fruit.

Plant a good seed today, my friends. Let go of the bad seeds you want to plant--to hurt others, to rob them, to take pleasure from them--and instead plant a noble seed of love. Watch it grow as you yourself will grow in goodness and love.