Mystics have long held there are three spiritual paths in life, alchemical, service and suffering.  Obviously, most lives are a mixture of these ideas.  All of the paths are honorable and have their place.  However, you can choose
to improve your condition by knowingly moving to a better path.  

The path of suffering is the slowest and hardest of the paths.  It is easy to see and may well be an indicator of personal development or a lack of understanding.  Most people on this path put themselves first and the Universe then puts them back into the order of things often worse then they were before. This is the hardest path to walk.  It is marked by constantly repeating conditions that never seem to change.  It is as though some hidden force keeps playing out the same old script time after time.

The path of service is seen by all those who serve others in all the legal, medical, religious and personal support areas.  It is faster than the path of suffering and requires less sacrifice.  For most it is the best path they can
imagine.  

The alchemical path is the least travelled but clearly the fastest way. Those who tread this path do all they can to absorb their lessons from everything they hear, read or observe.  Unlike the other paths these people work consciously to learn without the need to experience the pain or reward which normally follows a life choice.  They pay attention to their experiences, as well as, the experiences of others and integrate all they can learn into their being quickly. Their goal is to transmute the conditions in and around them to a higher spiritual state of awareness.   You can often tell them by the way they interpret life's experiences in spiritual terms and concepts.  This path requires the greatest discipline but offers the greatest rewards.

All Rights Reserved Bill Gustafson 2007