Here is an ancient story that Joshua urged me to share as the Preface to The Seventh Major Understanding. One day four blind men encounter and then describe an elephant. One man feels the elephant’s trunk and says an elephant is like a snake. Another man feels the elephant’s leg. He tells the first man that he’s wrong, and then announces that an elephant is like a tree. The third blind man touches the elephant’s side and tells the other two that they are wrong. He asserts that the elephant is like a wall. The fourth blind man has the elephant by the tail and emphatically declares that an elephant is like a rope. Each of these men cannot understand how the others could be so wrong. Obviously, each blind man describes a part of the elephant truthfully, yet none of them have the whole picture.
Some spiritual seekers are looking for “the truth” without realizing that statements that seem like “the truth” to you may not sound like “the truth” to me or to others. On my spiritual journey, the ideas and beliefs that I hold as true have changed as I have gained life experience. If the much younger version of me told the Jordan I am today, what is true – we would disagree on a few matters. In our physical reality, there are some facts that can be spoken of as the truth, such as gravity works. When it comes to spiritual matters, no one owns “the truth.” We each have our own beliefs that we think are founded upon truth. Your spiritual truth is correct for you and my truth is right for me – even when we disagree completely. Neither of us is right or wrong.
It is my belief that the Source of All That Is exceeds definition and description. The Source exceeds the grasp of our knowledge. I am one blind man doing my best to describe All That Is. I humbly accept that I do not have the whole picture, nor does Joshua claim to be all-knowing. In my opinion, every spiritual teacher is sincere in doing his or her best to reveal a truth about All That Is. I hold a strong faith in the good intentions of all teachers. I advocate developing a personal relationship with the Source and trusting your own spiritual wisdom.
I honor the place within you where we are One. I love you.