The Road to Self-Transformation 
The inner journey of life

    Self-transformation is a very important topic, epecially to those who are traveling on the path to higher states of consciousness. A number of years ago, there was a book published called "The Handbook to Higher Consciousness" by Ken Keyes. I felt at that time that there must be more and more people in the world waking up to the idea that there is something greater to themselves than what they see, than what they understand, than what they recognize. If we know there are greater or higher states of consciousness, then we know there are lower. So the question is, how do we get from the lower to the higher? Can we automatically shift gears, or does a mechanism need to be built in order for us to be able to make that shift? Once we've connected with that higher level, is that it? Does this mean we are perfected? 

    Transformation means change, to change and improve the present form-for example, our physical, emotional and mental bodies. Self-transformation means that we are going to change ourselves by making contact with the mechanism called the Self, the Core of our being, and through that contact gradually synchronize all parts of our nature with that Self. The lower self is our personality, which is made up of our physical, emotional and mental bodies. These bodies are not yet "wholistic." They are not in harmony with one other. They are still separative, filled with such issues as jealousy, anger, and revenge. The reason for this is that we are focused on what is outside of ourselves. We are focused on the programming that has been given to us by the media, by well-meaning friends, and through well-meaning teachings. These are not a part of the fabric of that true mechanism called the Soul, the light of which the lower self uses to move to higher levels of consciousness. If we are not in contact with that Soul, then what we act upon is our programming. Perhaps we had a teacher or a parent who said "You can't do this," "You aren't that," or "You're no good." These negative experiences eventually make us immune to real guidance both from without and from within.

    Doesn't it make sense that if everyone has been born with a purpose, and that purpose is to progress, then the first challenge we have is to create harmony between ourselves and our life? No matter what life gives us, we need to find a way to synchronize ourselves with that life. The Soul is the mechanism which is the blueprint of the purpose of our life. When we contact the blueprint, something happens. That something is called the urge to change. Our relationships change, our attitude begins to change, our consciousness begins to change, but only after the light of our consciousness penetrates into the atoms of the physical, emotional and mental bodies. The inner light of the Self releases the hidden light in the atoms and cells of our being. When this light is released, our life will no longer be rooted in the domination of the will of our ornery small self.

    Every once in awhile, we'll have a lifetime where a Teacher will come to us and say "You need some help. You've forgotten your roots. You've forgotten the Self." This will be a lifetime of transformation. The Teacher is like an artist who chisels away bit by bit, even though we run after the pieces saying "No, no, no. Put them back." These pieces are usually rooted in jealousy, hatred, anger, revenge, disappointment, fear, ego and vanity. This lifetime of transformation will draw us into heavy issues in our life to the point where we throw up our hands in despair and begin a search. This search is where we begin to hear, or begin to respond to the Call from our Soul. The Soul is rooted in the greater whole, which is a part of higher levels of consciousness. Our consciousness at this stage is wrapped around our jealousies, our hurts, our disappointments, our unhappiness, our negative experiences, until we reach a point where we get so tired of it all that we finally hear the Call. Hearing this Call is the first step to connecting with higher levels of existence.

    Nicholas Roerich was not only a great artist, but a great statesman and spiritual human being. He said that when our attention is fixed upon our high vision, like a light that penetrates dark corners, more and more details are revealed. (A high vision would be thinking about your future.) The light as it shines upon the darkest parts of our being will reveal those things that need to be transformed; in other words, all that is working against the purpose of our life.

    The first stage of change is called Transmutation. Transmutation occurs as we begin to spiritually mature. It is the stage of transferring our focus from the lower centers to the higher. Each human being has seven main centers, and the centers are divided at the diaphragm. The centers are like wheels of energy within our etheric body, the body that feeds the physical body. If the lower centers (those below the diaphragm), are more active than the higher, we'll be functioning in the lower self. The centers below the diaphragm are less refined; they run on a lower grade of fuel. The higher centers, the ones above the diaphragm, are comparable to magnificent, fragrant flowers.

    When we are around aperson who functions through the centers above the diaphragm, their fragrance activates our nature by penetrating into our auric field.This is then transferred into the etheric body, which, in turn, begins to affect the glands, organs and cells of the physical body. This is why in some lifetimes we are drawn to a physical plane spiritual Teacher, because we're ready to make the shift from the lower centers to the higher ones. As the lower centers slowly experience the stage of Transmutation, the energy is transferred to higher centers and becomes more refined. We, in turn, become more creative. What kind of creativity are we referring to? Not creativity that is imitative, but creativity that is original. It is like a musician playing a composition by Debussy. Even though he is playing the works of another composer, he is interpreting it through his own creative fire. As he is playing, his performance affects the environment and begins to transform it. To become a true artist in any field of endeavor, we want to connect with the mechanism within ourselves that will begin the process of self-transformation.

    The key to self-transformation lies in changing our habits, beginning with physical habits. Physical habits are forms or patterns that are found in the etheric body. Once a habit is dropped, watch the transformation. On the emotional level, we have many habit patterns that prevent us from expressing pure feelings. Feelings are pure expressions. Emotions are distorted patterns made from anger, jealousy, greed, hatred, and revenge. Getting rid of mental habits means to change your self-image. When you have a successful day, say, "Hey, this is great. I want more experiences like this, so I can build more success in my life." And when you've had a bad day, say, "Thank goodness, I've worked off some of my karma. I've gotten that out of the way, and I won't have to experience it again." Change your habit of thinking. Whether it's a physical, emotional or mental habit, remember, just letting go of one habit at a time is the beginning of self-transformation.