The Journey Outward

Judging by how few even embark on it, let alone are successful on it, the journey outward is the most difficult - more difficult, even, than the journey downward.

The journey outward is the life of love, which is the outstanding feature of the teaching of the New Testament. We can journey inward, and downward, and upward, and this may be very well and fine, but if we do not journey outward we have served only ourselves, we have helped only ourselves, and our becoming will be swept away with our death and will have no further significance.

Most books on becoming are categorised as "self-help" or "self-development", and this indeed is an important part of the Journey in Four Directions. But if this is all we do, we have become idolators. We have become worse idolators than the man Isaiah the Prophet sneeringly describes in Chapter 44 of his prophecy, who makes an idol out of wood and bows down to it, saying "This is my god, who will save me" - and with the wood left over builds a fire and cooks his dinner. We have turned to worshiping and serving only ourselves.

This journey is neglected by many writers, partly because it is hard, and partly for philosophical reasons discussed in the digression on dualism. I have had some difficulty in finding material on it, other than in the New Testament and writers who draw on that source, so that is where most of this discussion will be centred.

Preparation for the Outward Journey

What attitudes and aptitudes do we need for this difficult journey?

Balance on the Outward Journey

So many people who embark on the Outward Journey end up in need of help themselves. How can we preserve our balance?

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