When we embark on a journey in ECK, the God voice within, that natural connection with Divine Spirit, becomes heightened. This was so true for Kevin.

Kevin was addicted to smoking and gambling when he first became a member of Eckankar. He learnt from his reading of ECK books that the Mahanta will stay away from chelas who smoked. But try as he might, he could not stay away from cigarettes. However, that small voice within him, his personal barometer, now more distinct and unrelenting, urged him to persist in his quest.

With the help of the Spiritual Exercises of ECK and the great love of the Mahanta for Soul, Kevin finally succeeded in overcoming the temptation to light up a cigarette. But it was an uphill task when it came to gambling. Kevin was well aware of the negative consequences of gambling but he found it difficult to quell the impulse to join his friends for a game when invited. The invitations kept coming and Kevin kept yielding to this unhealthy desire.

Early one morning after a gambling session, Kevin drove home, parked his car and started walking back to his apartment. Hardly had he taken a few steps, than the light from the lamp-post above him flickered and went out. He thought it was just one of those things; light bulbs do get blown out you know.

About two weeks later, Kevin parked his car next to a lamp-post. He got out of the car and slammed the door shut. At that very instant, the light from the lamp-post above him went out. Not again! Kevin realised it was no longer ‘just a coincidence’. That night, Kevin contemplated the meaning of light bulbs being blown.

The insight he gained from Divine Spirit was that his spiritual life had dimmed as a result of gambling. This understanding helped him to let go of old patterns that no longer help him unite with Soul’s purpose. It was as if he had released a huge load, perhaps one that had been dragging him down for a very long time.

His dedication to the Spiritual Exercises of ECK and the love of the Mahanta helped him align to the Light and Sound. This Light and Sound is the divine life force which helped him disengage from his unhealthy addiction.

For Kevin this was a spiritual quantum leap which gave him the euphoric taste of spiritual liberation and his second initiation!

This conscious act of growing true to oneself is part of the sacred journey of becoming. All of this happens under the dynamic impulse of God’s love, empowering one from within, to heed the Spiritual Laws of life.