Soul's Reflections - Consumed By the Self

By: Shazia Yousuf

from: http://soulsreflections.wordpress.com/

When the hearts turn that of stone, frozen, solid, nothing seems to be able to penetrate into it or even out of it. What remains inside sinks deep within, trapped, concealed, secluded, excommunicate – “Consumed by the self”!

This is the ailment that appalls the heart and devours the entire soul slowly and passively, leaving it in a solitude, surrounded by the mound of distress seemingly so enormous, more towering than the small heaps of problems of all the others! And apparently you are alone, left to cross over the mound all by yourself. The ailment of not being able to see beyond your own self leaves you in a solitary distress, anticipating support from those around, but unable to actually feel the presence of all the love that surrounds; the arms that are stretched out, awaiting to be held, but all in vain. The soul is blinded, trapped within the frozen heart, sealed and bolted in the locks of the self!

If only a small spark could kindle that flame, which would melt the heart, to be able to feel that which lies outside it, to be able to feel the warmth that surrounds, to be able to see the hands that are stretched out awaiting to be held firmly through the deluge, but only before it is too late.

Alas, this plague which is devouring the soul can only be cured by the spark that is kindled from within. Only the flame that burns from within can melt the heart, to be able to see and feel that which is obscure.

This spark can only be kindled to let the flame burn, by burying the ego and annihilating the self. And this is achieved by drowning in the Divine Ocean of love and spreading His love to all who are around. By being the cure to someone else’s ailment, the Divine being automatically cures you. Even bringing out a bright smile or just sharing the weight of the burden buried within an aching heart cures all ailments that lie within; the rest is taken care of by the Deity! 

But only if that spark is kindled from within so that

“…He cleanses them from all defilement that nothing may remain in them except Himself…that they may adore none beside Him.” (Al Ghazali)