The outward and the inward

There are a lot of outward practices in all religion or faith system.

But the Mystics or the Sufis say, every outward form has a meaning that runs deep. This is because everything is from the One and the underlying Unity runs through everything. (may be that is the secret of the Theory of Everything, which physicists & scientists are looking desperately)

Sometime with our pseudo-intellect we condemn some of the outward practices in conventional religions. But we often do that without understanding the inner teachings, meaning or importance. It will be a big mistake if we neglect the outward all together. After all we are formless souls manifested in outward forms. As long as we are in this world we can not ignore outwards.

I have seen many people at one point of time start to 'think' they know enough and they all together start to condemn the outwards practices and forms. Examples can be given of many islamic practices which pseudo-intellects start to think 'only outward' and disregard them. This mentality comes from our ego to prove (and make blind) ourselves superior than ordinary faithful. And it should be carefully looked into whenever that tendency grows in us.

There is no doubt that every outward practices in all religion or faiths have its enlightening effect on the practioner. And The One knows the best.