Many Mystery Schools talk about the Great Work without much definition or guidance. It alludes to doing good deeds, and generally being nice, with the aim of bringing more Light to humanity. All true, but I love directness. We simply aren’t in a situation to wonder around the edges, so let’s get right down to it.
**SPOILER WARNING** Stop reading if you really want to figure this out on your own!
The Great Work is… (drum roll)… you. Ego work, shadow work, fighting your personal demons, however you put it, it’s all about self-mastery. Your spiritual spark has already reached (or was created from) the level of immortality through unconditional love, but the human ego is what keeps us from having that experience in body, both individually and collectively.
As you unravel the layers of your psyche, you begin to understand how truly fluid they are. You can completely remake yourself, if you are willing to do so. This is where the work part comes in – training your ego to be willing to change. We get so very attached to our stories, that we soon forget they are only stories, and that we can swap them out like changing clothes. Of course, you may need to reevaluate your whole wardrobe (friends, work, lifestyle choices) to make a lasting change, but things are actually meant to change. Everything is either in a state of growth or decay at all times.
The ego provides the illusion of separation on a personal level, just as time and space do on a dimensional level. That’s its job. Seeing beyond that veil is our job. The difference is in seeing the world as your ego, or as an observer of your ego. Living as an observer is always a dance, because being pulled back into ego drama is just part of life, but pulling yourself back out is the Great Work, and it lasts a lifetime (or a few).
A note of caution on spiritual bypassing – constantly engaging in your own growth is the goal here, not detachment. Pretending nothing gets under your skin, constantly kicking people out of your life to avoid conflict, or assuming it is always someone else’s issue, are all forms of spiritual bypassing – avoidance and detachment. The Great Work requires such a deep level of honesty and openness, with yourself first, that most people simply can’t manage it. That is why it is set aside for Initiates… it is a great amount of work.
And why would we come to this beautiful planet just to work the whole time? Divine Union. True love. And here’s the catch – it doesn’t involve anyone else. True Divine Union happens when your very own Spirit descends fully into your body (and consciousness). I can already hear the questions… Why isn’t it here now? How can I be alive without my Spirit in my body? Think of it this way… your Spirit is so big and amazing, it can animate your body by only putting in its pinky toe, and that’s all most people will ever experience. Why? There just isn’t room with all that ego is the way. The Great Work is making room for your Spirit. YOU are the Great Work. YOU can bring the full Light of your Spirit into manifestation. The work is truly Great.
As above, so below; as within, so without. As each of us engage in this Great Work, the world changes around us. Not only do our perceptions change, but the people we talk to change. Energy flows, and when you are filled with Light, is seeps from every cell. Change yourself, and change the world, literally. Bless you on your path, and may your work be constant.
Walking In Both Worlds 