Obsession for God (Matthew Files)
Episode 140 of the Western Baul Podcast Series podcast, hosted by westernbaul.org, titled "Obsession for God (Matthew Files)" was published on November 6, 2025 and runs 55 minutes.
November 6, 2025 ·55m · Western Baul Podcast Series
Summary
We all have reference points for being obsessed with something or someone so that everything else is obscured. Obsession for God is an affair of the heart; it’s not about the intensity of practice. Obsession may be necessary at some point since only it will get us where the path leads. Coming to the point of not having anything else to live for is at the heart of being obsessed with God. The waking state may not be something permanent but something we move in and out of. Experiences we remember from childhood may have occurred when we were in the waking state. Obsession for God is an internal process. It can occur while being functional in the world and not stuck in a mad state of God consciousness. Everything starts with self-interest, including getting on the spiritual path. We can’t have obsession for God without obsession for life; maybe they are interchangeable. Obsession is more than dedication or commitment. A fire in us has to be carried in a vessel. Practice seals up the cracks and makes a useful vessel. Obsession can be cultivated by seeing what’s in the way of it becoming a blazing fire. Real teachers can provide a spark for practitioners to get a taste of how life is when we go beyond ourselves, but it’s not exclusively available through them. It can come from nature, a love affair, or in other ways unique to us. Some artists are obsessed. We can be attracted to being on fire and resistant at the same time since obsession for God means the obliteration of who I think I am. Engaging practices over and over may not produce what we are looking for. We can make everything practice. A shake-up provided by the universe can totally reorient us. With obsession for God, we may find that God actually is everywhere. Matthew Files facilitates groups that support people to look deeper into their process, formulate their own questions, and become responsible for their choices.
Episode Description
We all have reference points for being obsessed with something or someone so that everything else is obscured. Obsession for God is an affair of the heart; it’s not about the intensity of practice. Obsession may be necessary at some point since only it will get us where the path leads. Coming to the point of not having anything else to live for is at the heart of being obsessed with God. The waking state may not be something permanent but something we move in and out of. Experiences we remember from childhood may have occurred when we were in the waking state. Obsession for God is an internal process. It can occur while being functional in the world and not stuck in a mad state of God consciousness. Everything starts with self-interest, including getting on the spiritual path. We can’t have obsession for God without obsession for life; maybe they are interchangeable. Obsession is more than dedication or commitment. A fire in us has to be carried in a vessel. Practice seals up the cracks and makes a useful vessel. Obsession can be cultivated by seeing what’s in the way of it becoming a blazing fire. Real teachers can provide a spark for practitioners to get a taste of how life is when we go beyond ourselves, but it’s not exclusively available through them. It can come from nature, a love affair, or in other ways unique to us. Some artists are obsessed. We can be attracted to being on fire and resistant at the same time since obsession for God means the obliteration of who I think I am. Engaging practices over and over may not produce what we are looking for. We can make everything practice. A shake-up provided by the universe can totally reorient us. With obsession for God, we may find that God actually is everywhere. Matthew Files facilitates groups that support people to look deeper into their process, formulate their own questions, and become responsible for their choices.
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