05 - The Fifth Keystone
Seek and follow your calling in life.
The Fifth Keystone – handed down to us by the Paraclete, speaks to the innate feelings we all hold about our place and goals in life, to feel what is right, and what must be done to summit the pyramid of human need.
Life, Paraclism, everything around us – all of these things are hollow and lack meaning if we are living our lives without a goal; without a dream, without a calling. This is why the Paraclete tells us to find our calling, and upon hearing it, to follow it with all our heart. This can be a tall order for a lot of us, but rest assured, you have already answered the call to community, and are well on your way to a brighter future!
Discovering your calling is hard. How can you even be sure what a calling is, let alone your calling? So often, our jobs become our identity. This has the sad effect of rebranding your calling into simply what you do to earn a living, your nine to five job. If you are passionate about the daily routine, then your calling may well be finding the perfect position where your talents, values and desires all intersect – anything less than that… well, your calling must be in another castle.
What about when you, your job, or your life suddenly changes? Is this the time to restart the search for your calling? That mindset can set you up for one disappointment after another – not something the Paraclete wants for you. The Paraclete tells us that our purpose starts with pursuing Paraclism: doing good, improving yourself, and improving your community – only through these can you find your calling – and these remain a constant in all our lives, regardless of sudden or unexpected changes. These will not throw you off course, but rather they will ground you in those things that feel real, that connect you to Paraclism and to your own core.
It can be difficult to trust that only good is in store for us, as the Paraclete intends. What if your desires do not match the path set out for you? This can feel painful, as if a part of you is lost – but this is precisely where the Paraclete shines – in helping you find yourself, and find the right path. Spend time reading the Five Keystones, and choose to trust that you are at home in our community, and are loved; even when it feels like you are a ship lost in an endless sea. Pray, and ask Her to align your sails to the winds and bring you home.
In addition to prayer and reading of the holy texts of Paraclism, another way to receive wisdom is through friends, family and other members of the Temple. Because self assessment is so inherently challenging, those who know you can shed light on who you are, where your strengths lie and how your passions might manifest. To make this easier, honest and authentic relationships are essential. If you don’t feel like you have these in your life, reach out to your fellow Temple members and open up – this is the easiest, lowest risk chance for improvement.
What if you make the wrong choice, or pick the wrong path? In truth, the idea that there is simply one correct choice is paralyzing and adds unnecessary pressure to something that ought to be a joyous introspective search.
We all have a path laid out for us, one that the Paraclete helps us reach, and a path that takes us closer to knowing her. What that path looks like and how it unfolds is more flexible than you might expect.
There are multiple pathways, rather than trying to find your way through a labirynth with a single exit, there are multiple passages and doors to choose from. Even occupations and locales that are imperfect at first can increase your experience, character, and be an excellent (if temporary) use of your time. Their strength can manifest in how well they reveal our weaknesses and spiritual maturity.
Ask yourself whether any of the options fly in the face of the Five Keystones – and if you are internatly contented with them, enjoy the freedom of deciding bestowed upon you. Trust yourself – you will either choose the right path, or learn about yourself – there is no bad outcome.
