In Search of Self
by
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This is a collection of verse written over many years. It was for the pure enjoyment of putting my thoughts in verse that I first began to write them. It has been something of a hobby to write little ditties for friends in a humorous vein. Many of these have been lost and would not pertain to the subject matter anyway. A few have survived such as, "The Falcon And The Frog". As noted, this piece is a summation of my Middle East experience. It records allegorically a learning experience involving personalities in business. It was interaction between men of five different nationalities. One of the poems contains a ditty I wrote in Cyprus. Originally, it went like this, (‘No problem’ is no problem as long as there is no problem, but if there is a problem, ‘no problem’ is a bigger problem than the problem.) It came to me after an appointment on board a ship anchored in Larnaka, Cyprus. The captain was a former SAS (Special Air Services) who had taken his ship into Lebanon to bring out children when that country blew apart. The man who took me to meet the captain was given to saying, "no problem" whatever and whenever someone related a problem he was facing. During the meeting, the captain frankly talked of the difficulties he was having with revenue and funding for another ship. My friend, as usual, was exuberant about our ability to help him. After the captain related each of his problems my friend would say, "no problem", meaning that it would be no problem for us to handle them. The captain, a big man, slammed both of his fists on the table. Fortunately, it was bolted to the deck. He said, "All I have is problems and you keep saying "no problem"! Some of the verses are metaphysical renditions of biblical passages. Many of these can also be found in The Metaphysical Bible. In each of these, I am revealing my understanding of the passages in a metaphysical light. For the seeker, unfoldment is continuous, so I have made no attempt to go back and change those poems of which I have since developed possibly a deeper understanding. Like The House That Namuh Built and The Laws of Material Wealth, this book, it is expected, will allow you the opportunity to read material that may stir your heart and probe your memory. I believe you will be able to identify experiences that show your existing understanding of one or more of the Universal Laws on some level. There is a key to understanding the poems and prose in this book. Each chapter is centered around one or more of the Universal Laws. It may require a study of the book, The Universal Laws, for more details, but for the most part, each piece speaks to the eternal Laws in place before time began and before there was a world of matter. They had to exist for there to be such worlds. The Universal Laws have been known or referred to by many names. They were called the First Philosophy by Aristotle, the Perennial Philosophy by Huxley and the Ancient Wisdom by the Theosophical Society. Whatever we want to call them, they remain the invariant facts of life, the basis of the Divine Self-Expression. Aristotle, the father of modern science found it necessary to write his First Philosophy that we know today as the book, Metaphysica because all of his writings on physics were insufficient to explain the power behind physical manifestations. Another great scientists had this to say, "The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive forms – this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religion." Albert Einstein
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About the Book
This book of verse by Renford parallels his books on the study of the Universal Laws. These truths are those that were taught by the Great Masters and the same that were revealed by Jesus in his parables. Most of the poems are included under the heading of one of these principles. In Search of Self is the rendering of the Laws in a manner that helps us understand how they affect our lives. Although the author’s purpose is to help us draw upon our experiences in life to gain understanding of these invariant principles, the reader does not have to draw the same conclusions. Whatever level of understanding we bring to the reading is sufficient to help begin our search for knowledge of Self.
About the Author
Renford has been a lifelong student of the Bible. The eldest son of a Christian minister, he trained for the ministry and served as a missionary teacher in South Vietnam during the war. In his search for common ground with his students, he became a student of Eastern religions and philosophy. Where he had been taught to look for the differences and evangelize lost souls, his studies led him to the conclusion that there were certain principles common to all religions. This book and all of his works pertain to the Universal Laws which have been in existence since before matter and time began. Renford remained abroad for 20 years, living and working in the Far East, the Middle East and Europe. His books strike to the heart of religion and philosophy – the original principles taught by all the Great Masters. Each book deals with how they are alike as opposed to how they are different. He maintains that the differences came about due to the organization builders who came after the Great Masters. Using a sports analogy, he says, "One can be taught to tackle, run with the ball, block, and in general, perform the functions required to play the game, but the game cannot exist without the rules. Such a game would not be football. Without first the Laws, there could have been no creation and life could not be sustained. The Laws of Life had to exist first because without them, no life would be possible. They are the Divine Self-Expression." He goes on to say, "Understand the rules of the game of life and it is possible to be in harmony and find purpose in it."