The Brown Book Commentaries

―Do not follow where the path may lead;
Go instead where there is no path and blaze a trail.‖
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is not to say that we must leave the path we are already on to find an entirely ―new life‖ –
or that we must find new friends or move to a new city or choose a new career in order to lead a
meaning-filled life … Indeed, if a path is already bearing the Good Fruit of Peace &/or Joy for
those nearby, then that is precisely the ―unblazed trail‖ (or rarely blazed trail) mentioned by
Emerson here … And even if said Fruit is not
being fully reaped on the current path, we need
not leave it. For it is enough that we boldly
walk our same route in a new way – a way that
actually bears that Good Fruit – for that walking
to count as ―choosing the road less traveled.‖
―See the Teacher in every ‗enemy‘ and the Guide in every ‗wanderer‘.‖ ~ anonymous
Every enemy teaches us – at the very least teaching us what not to do, and at the most identifying the
personal failings our ego has been as of yet unwilling to recognize … This profound Truth is reflected in
the saying ―one finger out; three fingers back‖ – meaning that the judgments we make of others (both
complimentary & critical) pertain more to ourselves than them, and that the judgments others make of us
(both those positive as well as those negative) are more reflective of them than us … In addition, those
who are obviously ―wandering‖ through their lives are indeed our greatest Guides, for true wanderers are
not moving aimlessly as much as they are soaking fully into wherever they already are – what we all must
do if we too are ever to fully arrive Here: the only place worth going.
“And looking at those who sat around him, he said: Here are my mother & my brothers.
Whoever does the Will of God is my brother & my sister & my mother.” ~ Jesus (Mark 3:34-35)
Once the selfless Way is chosen, all sentient beings become full & literal members of one‘s intimate Greater
Family – and are ―automatically‖ treated as such … Just as importantly, it is our active treatment of others
(especially strangers & enemies) as family members that allows us to walk that same Way – that actually becomes
the essence of that greatest of Walks … Note that it is not enough to treat all those previously seen as ―less than‖
like Soulmates – we must also treat all those previously known as ―more than‖ as equals. Indeed, we cannot
immerse ourselves into the lives of associates or strangers or enemies or competitors (an immersion that – again –
is absolutely necessary to Walk the Way at all) until we consciously ―cut ties‖ with all friends and family members
who would hold us back from the same (a Truth that sheds light upon Jesus‘ ―Get behind me Satan‖ of Matthew
16:23) … We are not to cut off our Love for them, of course, but are rather to boldly & openly sever all previously
affirmed obligations & all previously made promises & all previously bound commitments, as well as to clearly &
unequivocally dismantle all the hopes and expectations and dreams related to us those folks might have developed
… Love must be free to be spontaneous & full, and Love must be spontaneous & full to Be at all … Past friends
and originating family members will not see this, of course – they will more likely than not try and keep the newly
Awakened Soul ―in their place‖; to keep them from Caring for the downtrodden, to keep them from befriending
mutual enemies; to keep them from treating others just as wonderfully as the special ways they were fond of being
exclusively treated before. They will rant and rail against the Greater Family, of course, because to accept the
same is not only to feel themselves ―lowered‖ (in actuality all others have simply been ―raised up‖), but also to be
Called to do the same – to be Called to live just as dangerously and stroll through crowds of foreigners just as
intimately. They will not wish to do this, of course, and so often must be hugged and then sent on their other, far
more limited ways … Note as well that there is indeed a special fondness that blossoms between those rare few
who also choose to Live the selfless life and walk the selfless Way and embody the selfless Truth. This doesn‘t
mean that we show them more frequent expressions of Love or that we spend more time with them than others –
for this is the trap of ease & comfort into which the unenlightened fall. No, while the bond between all ―fellow
Saints‖ will be knowing sand strong, and while they will on occasion enJoy the radiance of each other‘s company,
they will more readily send each other on their respective ways; knowing that theirs is primarily a Life tread most
potently when alone – knowing that there are 7+ billion Souls on the planet in need of Awakening, and that many
more can be reached if the few who have already Awoken disperse as widely as possible amongst them.
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