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Four Rivers of Paradise
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The Four Levels of Exegesis of the Holy Scriptures
The parables and metaphors in the Holy Scriptures and the stories of the Prophets are a fountain of knowledge that contain many levels of meaning and interpretation. The Holy Quran says that there are Four Rivers of Paradise. A seeking soul can drink the knowledge from the River of Water, River of Milk, River of Wine or from the River of Honey.These Springs of Knowledge allow for plurality of interpretations and thought.
To drink from the River of Water to drinking from the River of Honey is the journey from zahir to batin, from literal to allegorical, from shariat to marifat, from via purgativa to via illuminativa, from apara vidya to para vidya and from peshat to sod.
Every searching soul is allowed to bathe in the pool of knowledge in accordance to its spirituality and level of understanding. Each seeker can enjoy the joy of worship at his/her level of devotion.
Having said that, it would be helpful to know that this precious human birth is but a brief passing moment in eternity. The vaanajaara - spiritual traveler, can either squander away this opportunity or longingly thirst to move forward from one watering hole to another, seeking to rise higher and find its way Home.
With strong faith / sincere heart, deeds of goodness and the descent of grace, the soul can experience deeper levels of her consciousness and can journey from one maqam - spiritual station ,to the next.
Light upon Light
Any man or woman, who can try to wear these Seven Robes of Honor, will arrive at the Mansion of the Lords Presence with their faces radiant with Light :
Balance material responsibilities with spiritual responsibilities without forsaking one for the other.
Live Righteously - in harmony with the Universal Laws of Nature and Human Dignity.
Search / Seek knowledge / Universal wisdom
Say your prayers / reflection / supplication / remembrance / contemplation
Give charity / philanthropy
Perform selfless service and
Perform inner meditation in the hours of early dawn.
Esoteric i.e. spirituality, is about searching for the Truth by piercing the parables and unfoldment and enlightenment from within.
Jesus, may peace be upon him, said that without understanding the Mystery of Light no one can enter the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is within us.
Surrender yourself to your Inner Light so that it can lead you to the Universal Light .
The truest guru is your own noor - Inner Light.
Stay within your faith , but remove the barriers that are creating a Fire of Separation between you - the lover, and God - the Beloved.
Seek out the esoteric and intellectual principles of your faith and you will find your path towards enlightenment.
Spiritual Unfoldment will free you from the Veils of Duality as promoted through dogma and divisive theology. Self-Realization will bring the awareness of Unity of Everything and faithfulness to the One, True, Unseen, Supreme Reality which is the essence of all religion and science.
May the arrow of universal wisdom pierce our hearts.
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