“And all the people said, Teach us to know the Holy One who speaks within the heart, God of the still small voice” (Aquarian Gospel 26:8).
They may have been asking to know about God, but see how much the inquirers know already! This is a hint: those who consciously inquire about the Way already know a goodly bit about it, even if only subliminally, otherwise they would not inquire.
What do they know? That God speaks within the heart as a still small voice.
Speaking within the heart
Although we can cite a number of evils that seem inherent in externalized religion, its basic defect is just that: it is externalized. And spirit is internal.
“And when he [Jesus] was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20,21).
Those words were spoken two thousand years ago, and were but an echo of the same spoken many more thousands of years before in India–but who is listening? Still we insist that the divine kingdom must be outside. We drag around to “holy” spots, run in and out of temples, keep material objects as though they were divine epiphanies, enslaving ourselves to innumerable outside things that will supposedly put us in contact with Spirit. If we get really crazy we decide to create an external kingdom of God on earth–either through a political or religious hierarchy–and attempt to herd others into it “for the greater glory of God.” It will not work. History proves it.
A man once came to Sri Ramana Maharshi bubbling over with enthusiasm and joy: The avatar Sri Rama had come to him and even spoken with him! “Did he leave?” was the laconic inquiry made by Ramana. “Why, yes,” replied the puzzled man. Some time later he expressed to Bhagavan the desire to see Lord Krishna. In response Bhagavan gave him a meditation practice that would enable him to see Krishna. After some time it was so–Krishna came and, like Rama, spoke with him! Rushing to Arunachala, he exuberantly told him: “Krishna came to me!” Again the question: “Did he leave?” Again the reply: “Yes.” Ramana then asked him very forcefully: “When are you going to leave aside these ‘gods’ that come and go and seek for the Ever-present One that can neither come nor go?” Jolted awake, the man saw the truth of this and did begin earnestly to seek that One. And he sought Him within only. And found Him there.
God is everywhere, but He speaks from within the heart–and not from someone else’s heart to us, but from within our own heart.
The still small voice
The speaking of God in our heart is very subtle. To hear it the mind must be refined and honed by purification and meditation. Some systems of meditation can produce a great deal of noise–psychic thunder and lightning. But the voice of God will not heard in that din.
“And he [Elijah] came thither unto a cave, and lodged there…And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (I Kings 19:9,11,12). Wind, quake, and fire; yet in all that noise there was nothing. But in the silence God spoke. “While all things were in quiet silence,…Thine Almighty word leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne” (Wisdom 18:14,15).
Those who look within and enter their heart will in the Silence find The Word That Is God.
Read the next section in the Aquarian Gospel for Yogis: Seeing the Unseeable