Many people say to me, “I want to get on faster. I want more understanding.” And as a rule they go on to ask for a list of books to read or some “advanced course” that they can take.
This attitude is quite mistaken. It implies that spiritual advancement is a question of intellectual activity; of the mere accretion of knowledge. That is true in the study of mathematics, or of physics, or chemistry, but it is not true in metaphysics. Spiritual growth comes from putting into practice the knowledge we already possess. Instead of reading another book, read your favorite book once more and apply it more carefully than ever in your practical life.
Metaphysics, like music, is both a science and an art. In metaphysics it is absolutely true that you learn by doing.
“be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only”. (James 1:22).
Putting our spiritual knowledge to work in our lives may be more important than possessing spiritual knowledge itself. It is much easier to read and agree with “love thy neighbor as thyself”, than it is to show compassion to a grouchy person on your block. Or to paraphrase an old saying, turning the other cheek is much easier read than done.
It is in the doing, that the miracle of God’s grace becomes manifest in our physical world through us. We can empathize with the homeless person all we want. Until we pick up a hammer for a Habitat build, or a checkbook for their food, God’s work is not being done in the physical plane.
When our spirit guides us to act on our faith, then our metaphysical development grows and matures. One spiritual traveler said that is when we “build up our faith muscle”.
So, if we want a more aggressive spiritual path; we need simply to put our faith into practice more diligently. Then we will move to the graduate level studies of spirituality and metaphysics “the old fashioned way”… we will earn it.
Practicing the preaching,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
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