A Higher Point of View...

The more elevated the soul, the broader the outlook.

Bowl of Saki, June 3, by Hazrat Inayat Khan




Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

Attitude is the principle thing in life. It is not the conditions in life which
change life for us, but mostly it is our attitude toward life and its conditions
upon which depends our happiness or unhappiness. ... The attitude becomes high
and broad when one looks at life from a higher point of view. When the point of
view is not high, the range of man's sight becomes limited; man becomes narrow
in his outlook on life, and in his feelings, thought, speech and action the same
is expressed. Why is God pointed out on high, toward the sky? Why not toward the
earth, for God is everywhere? The reason is that within the range of God's sight
the whole universe stands as a little grain of corn, as to one that flies in the
balloon and looks down from high the whole city comes within the range of his
sight, when he stands on earth he sees no further than the four walls which keep
the whole world covered from his sight.

What does it mean to become spiritual, or godly? It means to have a higher view
of life, to look at life from a higher point of view. It is the high point of
view in life which ennobles the soul.

The eyes of the man who neglects his duty to his fellow men, absorbed in life's
intoxication, will certainly become dazzled and his mind exhausted before the
presence of God. It does not mean that any soul will be deprived of the divine
vision, it only means that the soul who has not learned to open his eyes wide
enough will have his eyes closed before the vision of God. All virtues come from
a wide outlook on life, all understanding comes from the keen observation of
life. Nobility of soul, therefore, is signified in the broad attitude that man
takes in life.

The process of spiritual development is an expansion, and this expansion is
brought about by the widening of the outlook. The outlook depends upon the
attitude of mind. If a mind is focused to thinking of small things, then this
process of widening the outlook will not be completed. ... Spiritual progress is
the lifting of the consciousness in order that the consciousness may expand to
perfection. Therefore it is a continual work of trying to look into a wider
sphere. By this attitude a person, without learning to be spiritual, will
naturally become spiritual; his outlook on life will become different. Little
things that people take to heart will seem to him of little importance; things
that people become confused with will become clear to him; things that matter so
much to everyone will not matter to him. Many things that frighten and horrify
people will not have the same effect upon him; disappointments and failures will
not take away his hope and courage. His thought, speech and action, as his