Our journey begins with dissatisfaction. Every movement begins with desire to be somewhere else. We may have wrong ideas about the chosen point of our destination, or even take a wrong path - but it is still better than being motionless. Lack of motion equals to death. Paraphrasing famous words we may say that if we live we move, and therefore we have our being.

"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find", says Jesus in the gospel of Thomas. If we are always on the move, sooner or later we will stumble across the right path. Glimpses of truth are everywhere. All the things in the universe witness of the one universal truth - for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Nobody will stay ignorant or deceived forever; but by taking necessary steps we can make our transition from error to truth faster and easier. In such a way, we will save ourselves from unnecessary sufferings.

Bible often calls the point of our destination and the goal of our existence "the kingdom of God". But to repeat these words without explaining their meaning even in part - would mean nothing. What is this kingdom, and where it is located?

Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the Father's kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you.

According to the Master, the kingdom is not located in a particular spot somewhere in the universe. All the ideas about "going to the kingdom of God" after death are wrong. The kingdom is present here and now. It is within us and outside of us. It is the realm of divine ideas and their manifestations.

Both of these aspects are important. In our days there are those who emphasise "Cosmic Christ", being eager to find God in all the creation. Yes, it is important to recognize that the kingdom of God is all around us. But as we contemplate the magnificent universe, we should not lose ourselves in its greatness. Let us never forget that the kingdom of God is within us as well. It is the focal point of our own world. Within us, not outside of us, lies the power of our transformation and unfoldment.

Our life is lived from within out. Following a spiritual path is an inner work. Circumstances in which we find ourselves reflect our states of consciousness, and to change them we need to changed from within. This doesn't mean, or course, that we have the right despise the world or consider it evil. But the world should be seen in proper perspective.

Once we find God within ourselves, we begin to express God in our manifold activities, growing more and more in understanding and usage of divine powers. To what extent? I assume that this is going to be a never-ending process, thrilling and exciting one.

In the beginning, we moved forward because we felt dissatisfaction. It is possible that we didn't like ourselves and our conditions. Some people interpreted such feelings as a need for salvation and redemption. But there comes a time to understand that there is nothing to be saved from, except our shallow and limited concepts of ourselves. Now we continue to move, being divinely guided to greatness.

Movement doesn't mean that there is something wrong with us, or that we haven't arrived yet. Both movement and rest are qualities of the Father within us. There are no valid reasons to think that perfection should be static.

But what about small Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz"? How does her story relates to us? In one of the final chapters she discovered that she had the power to return to Kansas at any time because of her Silver Shoes. She had to go a long way, along with her friends, to find the treasure she already possessed.

We will never find the kingdom of God, or the truth, by searching outside of ourselves. And yet, our efforts won't be in vain. Challenges we'll deal with will prove to ourselves that we are creators of our lives and experiences. Outward activity will bring us closer to the understanding of our divine nature.

"When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."