People seek God and enlightenment in many ways. There are a multitude of spiritual paths. Christians and Jews go to seminaries to study and become ministers, priests and rabbis. Buddhist monks study and meditate for years in order to become a part of the “Buddha Mind.” Hindus study for years under the guidance of a guru to attain enlightenment. Each religion or philosophy has its own spiritual path.

And each path has validity. For some, the path of Hinduism is the perfect path; for others, Christianity is the blessed road to God.

And there is a way for all of them to enter paradise. This is by entering into a State of Love. This State of Love is more than the love that exists when one person falls in love with another person. It is more than the physical act of sexual love; and more than the way we love our home, our dearest friends, or our pets.

This State of Love is capitalized here. When we enter this state, our love transcends the love we have for any particular person. It is love for all things: people, animals, plants, insects, and all the earth. It is love for our enemies as well as our friends. It reaches into the smallest atom and out into the vast reaches of the universe.

When we look at the world we see war, famine, anger, and cruelty. Six billion people are struggling for safety, shelter and food. This has been the way of the world for thousands of years. It has even affected the meaning of the words we use. We live in a place of anxiety and denseness.

Many disciplines seek to throw off this denseness. Yet the heaviness has become so pervasive that it takes a mighty effort to escape from it.

One of the ways to throw off this heaviness is called A Course in Miracles. It seeks not only to change our way of thinking, but to clarify the meaning of the words we use. The ways of the world have so engulfed us that this pathway to love takes a sustained effort. We have to retrain our mind.

The last 3 sentences of the introduction to A Course in Miracles are:

– Nothing real can be threatened.

– Nothing unreal exists.

– Herein lies the peace of God.

At first glance, these words are almost incomprehensible. Then, as we study the course, we realize they turn the world upside-down. The meaning of the words is so deep that it takes 1188 pages to explain them.

Atheists and agnostics may reject the course, for it assumes the existence of God. Yet the information in the course can be valid for them. All they have to do is to substitute their own word for God – such as “the source” or “the collective unconscious.”

In fact, to enter into a State of Love, it is not necessary to believe in any religion. Come as you are!

Young children are more likely to be able to ‘see’ that which is hidden to us, and to reach a condition of true compassion and caring, for they are less burdened by the harshness of the world.

It does not take long periods of formal scholarship, nor entry into any secret society to reach a State of Love. The state can be found suddenly as you stand at the bottom of a waterfall hearing the joy of falling water; – or while standing barefoot on the beach feeling the kiss of salt air in your face; – on a mountaintop where the air is pure; – or listening to great music; – or in a thousand other places.

The difficulty comes when we step away from the waterfall, or when we climb down the mountain. For then we meet the denseness of this world. Then the feeling of universal love dissipates.

How do we go into a State of Love? And once there, how do we stay there? I have written a book, A Simple Guide To Spiritual Healing. It shows a way to do this. (My book is only one of many other books that explain this.)

Here are some suggestions to help you on your path into a State of Love:

1. We start with thankfulness. Whatever troubles come our way, we are thankful for what we have. We are thankful when good things happen to others. And thankful even for the pain, illness and hard times that come our way.

2. The next step is to examine ourselves and see if we have real dedication. We must have a desire to reach enlightenment. Some of us want personal gain, power over others, fame, or the desire to be loved by others. The desire for the spiritual path must extinguish all these side roads. It takes courage to look at ourselves with straightforward honesty. We should embark on the journey with humility. We should desire to be a benefit to others without expecting any reward.

3. A State of Love is a place where we see goodness in the face of everyone we meet. We do not judge them; nor do we judge ourselves. We have universal love, love that surrounds and embraces all that is. What are your feelings when you see a cockroach? When we are in a State of Love, then our love does not go out to some things, yet feel repulsed by others. It cannot be turned off and on like a water spigot. It is like warmth from the Sun which shines upon all the earth.

We let go of our prejudices and greet the world with the openness of a child. We cast off our blinders and see the world with youthful freshness. Each day is an adventure! It is no accident that children are able to see things of the spirit that we cannot see. In 1858, St. Bernadette was able to see the Lady of Lourdes, yet none of the adults could see her.

4. We have to let go of drama. If someone curses us, we do not feel antagonism toward that person. Their words do not fluster us, and we return love to them. We see the good in the person even as he is cursing us. We are like an ocean liner sailing through the sea. We sail through thoughts of bitterness. We are undeterred. There is neither anger nor judgment; we simply sail ahead. The harsh words pass by us, just as the sea passes by the ocean liner.

5. We live in forgiveness. The Course in Miracles is based on this idea. Those taking the course find a new and powerful meaning of the word ‘forgiveness.’ This concept will not be explained here for this article is not long enough to give a full explanation. Suffice it to say that when we forgive others, two things happen: First, we find that we also forgive ourselves; and second, we cause a miracle to take place.

6. We live and breathe patience. We are patient with our friends and with those who are unkind to us. According to Edgar Cayce, when we are patient and calmly accept people with loving kindness, we actual enter into another dimension of existence.

Each of these six things are interwoven. Thankfulness melts into forgiveness; and forgiveness and patience magnify each other.

NOTE: There are hundreds of books that can help you enter into a State of Love. Many of them are far better than anything I have written. However, my booklet, “What I have Learned From Edgar Cayce” may be of help. It explains the attributes of Mr. Cayce. Reading it may help you raise your spiritual consciousness. The first issue is free, or, I will email it to you without charge.

To those of you that have not had a mountaintop experience, I hope the words written here will help you to enter into a State of Love. To those of you that have had a mountaintop experience, and already know what a State of Love is, I hope these words will help you to re-experience your mountaintop – and to expand the experience so that it will last for a lifetime.

It is not necessary for you to be a saint in order to enter into a State of Love. Spirit hath no limitations. You may have been acting in a thoughtless and harmful manner. You may have stolen money from someone. You may be in prison, convicted of a serious offense. None of these things will prevent you from entering into a State of Love. No matter what you do, the flame of light within you will never go out.

Enlightenment awaits us all. We may take this path today, in a month, in 10 years, or in 10,000 years. Sooner or later, we will take the path. It is our indwelling nature.

In the final analysis, we can prepare for this State of Love, and we can talk about it in endless detail. Yet we cannot find this State of Love through the intellect. It takes more than the written word alone. It comes from a place beyond logic and beyond words. It is, in fact, a place beyond time and space. We find it through the heart; through the application of the sublime and unblemished essence that lies within all of us.

We study, we think about these things, we open ourselves to new ways of perception. We spend time in quietness. Our thoughts become infinitely gentle.

And then one day, in our own time, we take a deep breath; and then in an act of total dedication and galvanic courage, WE LEAP UPWARD! And then, lo and behold! A miracle occurs! We find ourselves in a place where there is no fear. No fear. It is a place where we are safe, where we feel no menace. It is a place of true reality. We have let go of our illusions!

Beyond our world of illusions there is another place where there is total peace. Total peace. It is a place where we are surrounded by love; we bathe in love. Everything we see, touch, or experience is an aspect of love. When we go to this place, we change the universe.