“It is more disgraceful to suspect a friend than to be deceived by him.”—ROCHEFOUCAULD.
“If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it.”—EPICTETUS.
The following extracts are from the letters of one whose good Karma bids fair to enroll him on the list of the world’s great “frauds.” The name of the first on that list is unknown. He was perhaps a good man of whom the Atlanteans did not approve. In the historical period we have Jesus, Apollonius, Paracelsus, many Alchemists, Saint Germain, Cagliostro, H.P. Blavatsky and others of varying degree.
These brief extracts are taken from letters which were written to friends over a period of years. They were written on a basis of some intimacy, during times of storm and difficulty for the most part, and when the writer was nearly always being attacked either openly or privately. They are peculiar, inasmuch as from first to last they do not contain an uncharitable remark about any person, dead or living.
These extracts will, perhaps, furnish additional evidence—for some people—of the writers immorality, unscrupulousness and deceit. It is possible to extract such evidence from the cut of a man’s clothes—when looked at from the standpoint of enlightenment. With such people we have nothing to do, so far as these letters are concerned. Theosophists will find them of interest, we believe.
THE RECIPIENTS.
[Part I.]
“For the love of heaven do not take any tales or informations from any person to any other. The man who brought news to the king was sometimes killed. The surest way to make trouble out of nothing is to tell about it from one to another. Construe the words of the Gita about one’s own duty to mean that you have nothing to do in the smallest particular with another person’s fancies, tale, facts or other matters, as you will have enough to do to look out for your own duty. . . . Too much, too much, trying to force harmony. Harmony comes from a balancing of diversities, and discord from any effort to make harmony by force. . . . In all such things I never meddle, but say to myself it is none of my affair at all, and wait till it comes to me—and thank God if it never arrives! And that is a good rule for you.”
“We all differ and must agree to disagree, for it is only by balancing contrary things that equilibrium (harmony) is obtained. Harmony does not come through likeness. If people will only let each other alone and go about their own business quietly all will be well. . . . It is one’s duty to try and find one’s own duty and not to get into the duty of another. And in this it is of the highest importance that we should detach our minds (as well as our tongues) from the duties and acts of others whenever those are outside of out own. If you can find this fine line of action and inaction you will have made great progress.”
“Think of these points:
“(a) Critcism should be abandoned. It is no good. Cooperation is better than criticism. The duty of another is dangerous for one whose duty it is not. The insidious coming of unbrotherly criticism should be warned against, prevented, stopped. By example you can do much, as also by word in due season.
“(b) Calmness is now a thing to be had, to be preserved. No irritation should be let dwell inside. It is a deadly foe. Sit on all the small occasions that evoke it and the greater ones will never rise to trouble you.
“(c) Solidarity.
“(d) Acceptation of others.”
“Yes, that business is already a ‘black number,’ stale and unprofitable. I have found that work tells. While others fume and fret and sleep, and now and then start up to criticize, if you go right on and work, and let time, the great devourer, do the other work, you will see that in a little while the others will wake up once more to find themselves ‘left,’ as they say in the land of slang. Do, then, that way. Your own duty is hard enough to find out, and by attending to that you gain, no matter how small the duty may be. The duty fo another is full of danger. May you have the light to see and to do! Tell ——— to remember to work to the end to make himself an instrument for good work. Times change, men go here and there, and places need to be filled by those who can do the best sort of work and who are full of the fire of devotion and who have the right basis and a sure and solid one for themselves. My love to all.”
“Well, now, just at this minute I do not know exactly what to say. Why not take up an easy and fluidic position in the matter? An occultist is never fixed on any mortal particular plan. So do not fix you mind as yet on a plan. Wait. All things come to him who waits in the right way. Make yourself in every way as good an instrument for any sort of work as you can. Every little thing I ever learned I have now found out to be of use to me in this work of ours. Ease of manner and speech are of the best to have. Ease of mind and confidence are better than all in this work of dealing with other men—that is with the human heart. The more wise one is the better he can help his fellows, and the more cosmopolitan he is the better too. . . . When the hour strikes it will then find you ready; no man knows when the hour will strike. But he has to be ready. You see Jesus was, in fact, an occultist, and in the parable of the foolish virgins gave a real occult ordinance. It is a good one to follow. Nothing is gained, but a good deal lost by impatience—not only strength, but also sight and intuition. So decide nothing hastily. Wait; make no set plan. Wait for the hour to make the decision, for if you decide in advance of the time you tend to raise a confusion. So have patience, courage, hope, faith and cheerfulness.”
“Silentio, my dear, is almost as good as patience. He laughs best who does it last, and time is a devil for grinding things. . . . Use the time in getting calmness and solid strength, for a big rive is not so because it has a deep bed, but because it has VOLUME.”
“Let them croak, and if we keep silent it will have no effect, and as there has been trouble enough it is better not to make it any worse by referring to it. The only strength it has is when we take notice. It is better policy for all of us who are in earnest and united to keep still in every matter that has any personal bearing.”
“Say, look here, never growl at anything you have to do. If you have to go, just take it as a good thing you have to do, and then it will redound to the good of them and yourself, but if it is a constant cross then it does no good and you get nothing. Apply your theories thus . . . It is a contest of smiled if we really know our business. . . . Never be afraid, never be sorry, and cut all doubts with the sword of knowledge.”
“Anyway you are right that struggling is wrong. Do it quietly, that is the way the Masters do it. The reaction the other way is just as you say, but the Master has so much wisdom he is seldom if ever, the prey of reactions. That is why he goes slowly. But it is sure. . . . I know how the cloud comes and goes. That is all right; just wait, as the song says, till they roll by.
“Arouse, arouse in you the meaning of ‘thou art that.’ Thou are the self. This is the thing to think of in meditation, and if you believe it then tell some others the same. You have read it before, but now try to realize it more and more each day and you will have the light you want . . . If you will look for wisdom you will get it sure, and that is all you want or need. Am glad all looks well. It would always look well if each and all minded their own things and kept the mind free from all else.”
“Now this is, as I said, an era. I called it that of western Occultism, but you may give it any name you like. But it is western. The symbol is the well-intentioned American Republic, which was seen by Tom Paine beforehand ‘as a new era in the affairs of the world.’ It was meant as near as possible to be a brotherhood of nations, and that is the drift of its declaration and constitution. The T.S. Is meant to be the same, but has for many years been in a state of friction. It has now, if possible, to come out of that. It cannot be a brotherhood unless each, or some, of its units become a brother in truth. And brother was the noble name given in 1875 to the Masters. Hence you and I and all of us must cultivate that. We must forgive our enemies and those who assail us, for only thus can the great brothers properly help by working through us. There seems to be a good deal to forgive, but it is easily done inasmuch as in fifty years we’ll all be gone and forgot.
“Cut off, then, thoughts about those ‘foolish children’ until harmonious vibrations ensue to some extent. That absurdity . . . let go. I have deliberately refrained from jumping at such a grand change. So you see forgive, forgive, and Largely forget. Come along then and with me get up as fast as possible the feeling of brotherhood.
“Now, then, you want more light, and this is what you must do. You will have to ‘give up’ something. To wit: have yourself called half an hour earlier than is usual and devote it before breakfast to silent meditation, in which brood upon all great and high ideas. Half an hour! Surely that you can spare. And don’t eat first. If you can take another half before you go to bed and without any preliminaries of undressing or making things agreeable or more comfortable, meditate again. Now don’t fail me in this. This is much to give up, but give it up recollecting that you are not to make all those preparations so often indulged in by people. . . . ‘The best and more important teacher is one’s seventh principle centered in the sixth. The more you divest yourself of the illusionary sense of personal isolation, and the more you are devoted to the service of others, the more Maya disappears and the nearer you approach to Divinity.’ Good-by, then, and may you find that peace which comes from the Self.”
Part II.
“There is no need for you to be a despairer. Reflect on that old verse, ‘What room is there for sorrow and what room for doubt in him who knows that the self is one, and that all things are the self, only differing in degree?’ This is a free rendering, but is what it means. Now, it is true a man cannot force himself at once into a new will and into a new belief but by thinking much on the same thing—such as this—he soon gets a new will and a new belief, and from it will come strength and also light. Try this plan. It is purely occult, simple, and powerful. I hope all will be well, and that as we are shaken up from time to time we shall grow strong.”
“Let us all be as silent as we may be, and work, work; for as the enemy rages, they waste time, while work shines forth after all is over, and we will see that as they fought we were building. Let that be our watchword. . . . I hope no weak souls will be shaken off their base. If they get on their own base they will not be shaken off.”
“Every Chela (and we are all that once we determine to be) has these same difficulties. Patience and fortitude! For an easy birth is not always a good one. The kingdom of heaven is only taken by violence, and not by weakness of attack. Your constant aspiration preserved in secret had led you to that point where just these troubles come to all. Console yourself with the thought that others have been in the same place and have lived through it by patience and fortitude. . . . Fix your thoughts again on Those Elder Brothers, work for Them, serve Them, and They will help through the right appropriate means and no other. To meditate on the Higher Self is difficult. Seek, then, the bridge, the Masters. ‘Seek the truth by strong search,’ by doing service, and by enquiry, and Those who know the Truth will teach it. Give up doubt, and arise in your place with patience and fortitude. Let the warrior fight, the gentle yet fierce Krishna, who, when he finds thee as his disciple and his friend, will tell thee the truth and lighten up the darkness with the lamp of spiritual knowledge.”
“. . . We are all human, and thus weak and sinful. In that respect in which we are better than others they are better than we are in some other way. We would be self-righteous to judge others by our own standard. . . . Are we so wise as never to act foolishly? Not at all. . . . Indeed I have come to the conclusion that in this nineteenth century a pledge is no good, because everyone reserves to himself the right to break it if he finds after a while that it is galling, or that it puts him in some inconsistent attitude with something he may have said or done at some other time. . . . in ———’s case. . . . Everyone should never think but the very best, no matter what the evidences are. Why, if the Masters were to judge us exactly as they must know we are, then good-bye at once. We would all be sent packing. But Masters deal kindly in the face of greater knowledge of our faults and evil thoughts from which none are yet exempt. This is my view, and you will please me much if you will be able to turn into the same, and to spread it among those on the inside who have it not. It is easy to do well by those we like, it is our duty to make ourselves do and think well by those we do not like. Master say we think in grooves, and but a few have the courage to fill those up and go on other lines. Let us who are willing to make the attempt try to fill up these grooves, and make new and better ones.”
“What a petty lot of matter we spend time on, when so much is transitory. After a hundred years what will be the use of all this? Better that a hundred years hence a principle of freedom and an impulse of work should have been established. The small errors of a life are nothing, but the general sum of thought is much. . . . I care . . . everything for the unsectarianism H.P.B. died to start, and now threatened in its own house. . . . Is it not true that Masters have forbidden their Chelas to tell under what orders they act for fear of the black shadow that follows innovations? Yes. . . .”
“. . . Keep your courage, faith and charity. Those who can to any extent assimilate the Master, to that extent they are the representatives of the Master, and have the help of the Lodge in its work. . . . Bear up firm heart, be strong, be bold and kind, and spread your strength and boldness.”
Part III.
“. . . If we can all accumulate a fund of good for all the others we will thus dissipate many clouds. The follies and the so-called sins of people are really things that are sure to come to nothing if we treat them right. We must not be so prone as the people of the day are, of whom we are some, to criticize others and forget the beam in our own eye. The Bhagavad Gita and Jesus are right in that they both show us how to do our own duty and not go into that of others. Every time we think someone else has done wrong we should ask ourselves two questions:
“(1) Am I the judge in this matter who is entitled to try this person?
“(2) Am I any better in my way, do I or do I not offend in some other way just as much as they do in this?
“This will settle the matter, I think. And in . . . there ought to be no judgments and no criticism. If some offend then let us ask what is to be done, but only when the offence is against the whole. When an offence is against us, then let it go. This is thoguht by some to be “goody-goody”, but I tell you the heart, the soul, and the bowels of compassion are of more consequence than intellectuality. The latter will take us all sure to hell if we let it govern only. Be sure of this, and try as much as you can to spread the true spirit in all directions, or else not only will there be individual failure, but also the circle H.P.B. made as a nucleus for possible growth will die, rot, fail, and come to nothing.”
“As before so now I will do all I can for you, which is not much, as each must do for himself. Just stay loyal and true, and look for the indications of your own duty from day to day, not meddling with others, and you will find the road easier. It is better to die in one’s own duty than to do that of another, no matter how well you do it. Look for peace that comes from a realization of the true unity of all and the littleness of oneself. Give up in mind and heart all to the Self and you will find peace.”
“Troubled are ahead, of course, but I rather think the old war-horse of the past will not be easily frightened nor prevented from the road. Do your best to make and keep good thoughts and feelings of solidarity. . . . Our old lion of the Punjab is not so far off, but all the same is not in the place some think or in the condition either.”
“Let me say one thing I KNOW: only the feeling of true brotherhood, of true love towards humanity aroused in the soul of someone strong enough to stem this tide can carry us through to the close of next century and onward. For Love and Trust are the only weapons that can overcome the REAL enemies against which the true Theosophist must fight. If I or you go into this battle from pride, from self-will, from desire to hold our position in the face of the world, from anything but he purest motives, we will fail. Let us search our souls well and look at it as we never looked before. See if in us is the reality of the brotherhood which we preach, and which we are supposed to represent. Let us remember those famous words: ‘Be ye wise as serpents but harmless as doves.’ Let us remember the teaching of the Sages—that death in the performance of our own duty is preferable to the doing by us of the duty of another, however well we may do the latter; the duty of another is full of danger. Let us be of and for peace, and not for war alone.”
Part IV.
“DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS,—I do not think that you will take it amiss that I again intrude myself before you. I am so far off, and the place where my old friend and teacher—the one who pointed out to me the way that must bring us, if followed, to the light and peace and power of truth—is so dear to me, I fain would speak with those my fellow-workers who now live where she worked and where her mighty soul left the body it used for our advantage. This is surely sufficient reason.
“Refer to the Master’s letter in The Occult World and you will find him saying that the Masters are philanthropists and care only for that. Hence, the very oldest F.T.S. Who has been selfish and not philanthropic, has never come under the notice of the Masters, has never done anything, in fact, toward the development of the soul in his possession, nothing for the race of man. It is not membership in the T.S., or any other mystical body, that brings us near the Masters, but just such philanthropic work with just the pure motive.
“Then I know, and say plainly—for as so close to each other we should plainly speak—that some of us, maybe all, have waited and wondered and wished and hoped, for what? Variously expressed thus: one wants to go to the Masters, no knowing even if it be fitting; another wants to know what is the vague longing inside; another says that if the inner senses were but developed and hopes the Master would develop them, and so on; all, however, expressed by what the Master himself has written, ‘You want to find out about us, of our methods of work, and for that you seek along the line of occultism.’ Well, it is right for us to seek and to try and to want to reach to Them, for otherwise we never will in any age get where such Beings are. But as wise thinkers we should act and think wisely. I know many of you, and what I am saying should help some as it does me also.
“You are all on the road to Master, but as we are now, with the weak and hereditarily diseased bodies we have, we could not live an hour with Masters did we suddenly jump past space to Them. Some, too, have doubt and darkness; the doubt mostly as to themselves. This should not be harboured, for it is a while of the lower man striving to keep you back among the mediocre of the race. When you have lifted yourself up over that level of the race, the enemy of man strikes and strikes at all times to bring clouds of doubt and despair. You should know that all, everyone down to the most obscure, who are working steadily are as steadily creeping on to a change, and yet on and to other changes, and all steps to the Master. Do not allow discouragement to come in. Time is needed for all growth, and all change, and all development. Let time have her perfect work and do not stop it.
“How may it be stopped? How many have thought of this I do not know, but here is a fact. As a sincere student works on, his work makes him come every day near to a step, and if it be an advance then it is certain there is a sort of silence of loneliness all around in the forest of his nature. Then he may stop all by allowing despair to come in with various reasons and pretexts; he may thus throw himself back to where he began. This is not arbitrary law but nature’s. It is a law of mind, and the enemies of man take advantage of it for the undoing of the unwary disciple. I would never let eh least fear or despair come before me, but if I cannot see the road nor toe goal for the fog, I would simply sit down and wait; I would not allow the fog to make me think no road was there and that I was not to pass it. The fogs much lift.
“What then is the panacea finally, the royal talisman? It is DUTY, Selflessness. Duty persistently followed if the highest yoga, and is better than mantrams or any posture or any other thing. If you can do no more than duty it will bring you to the goal. And, my dear friends, I can swear it that the Masters are watching us all, and that without fail when we come to the right point and really deserve, Thy manifest to us. At all times I know that They help and try to aid as far as we will let Them.
“Why, the Masters are anxious (to use a word of our own) that as many as possible may reach tot he state of power and love They are in. Why, then, suppose They help not? As They are Atman and therefore the very law of Karma itself, They are in everything in life, and every phase of our changing days and years. If you will arouse your faith on this line you will come nearer to help from Them that you will recognize.
“I send you my love and hope and best thoughts that you may all find the great light shining round you every day. It is there.
“Your brother,
“WILLIAM Q. JUDGE.”
Part V.
“Now as to The Voice of the Silence and the cycles of woe (undergone by the Arhan who remains to help mankind) it is easy to understand. You must always remember, when reading such things, that terms must be used that the reader will understand. Hence, speaking thus, it must be said that there are such cycles of woe—from our standpoint—just as the fact that I have no amusements and nothing but work in the T.S. seems a great penance to those who like their pleasures. I, on the contrary, take pleasure and peace in the ‘self-denial,’ as they call it. Therefore it must follow that he who enters the secret Path finds his peace and pleasures in endless work for ages for Humanity. But, of course, with his added sight and knowledge, he must always be seeing the miseries of men self-inflicted. The mistake you make is to give the person thus ‘sacrificed’ the same small qualities and longings as we now have, whereas the wider sweep and power of soul make what we call sacrifice and woe seem something different. Is not this clear, then? If it were stated otherwise than as the Voice has it, you would find many making the vow and then breaking it; but he who makes the vow with the full idea of its misery will keep it.”
“Be true lovers, but of God and not of each other. Love each the other in that to one another ye mirror God, or that God is in you each.”
“There are valleys in which the greatest shadows are due to old lives in other bodies, and yet intensity of universal love and aspiration will dissipate those in an instant of time.”
“The question of sex is not the most difficult. The personal one is still harder. I mean the purely personal, that relating to ‘me’. The sexual relates really only to a low plane of gratification. If Nature can beat you there, then she need not try the other, and vice versa; if she fails on the personal she may attempt the other, but with then small chance of success.”
“We all err; I too. We never were anything but only continually are. What we are now determines what we will be.”
“This is the right conclusion, to let all talk and other people’s concerns slip by and not to meddle. No one should be taking information to another, for it fans a flame, and now we have to ignore everything and just work on, be good and kind and, like St. Paul’s charity, overlook all things. Retire into your own silence and let all others be in the hands of Karma, as we all are. ‘Karma tales care of its own.’ It is better to have no side, for it is all for the Master and He will look out for all if each does just right, even if, to their view, another one seems not to do so. By our not looking at their errors too closely the Master will be able to clear it all off and make it work well. The plan of quiet passive resistance, or rather, laying under the wind, if good and ought to work in all attacks. Retreat within your own heart and there keep firmly still. Resist without resisting. It is possible and should be attained. Once more, au revoir only, no matter what may happen, even irresistible Death itself. Earthquakes here yesterday; they signify some souls of use have come into the world somewhere; but where?”
“woe is set apart—not by Masters but by Nature’s laws—for those who, having started in the path with the aid of H.P.B. shall in any way try to belittle her and her work, still as yet not understood and by many misunderstood. This does not mean that a mere person is to be slavishly followed. But to explain her away, to belittle her, to imagine vain explanations with which to do away with what is not liked in that which she said, is to violate the ideal, to spit back in the face of the teacher through whom the knowledge and the opportunity came, to befoul the river which brought you sweet waters. She was an is one of those brave servants of the universal Lodge sent to the West to take up the work, well knowing of the pain and obloquy and the insult to the very soul—worst of all insults—which we certain from the first to be hers. ‘Those who cannot understand her had best not try to explain her; those who do not find themselves strong enough for the task she plainly outlined from the beginning had best not attempt it.’ She knew, and you have been told before, that high and wise servants of the Lodge have remained with the West since many centuries for the purpose of helping it on to its mission and destiny. That work it would be well for the members of the Theosophical movement to continue without deviating, without excitement, without running to extremes, without imagining that Truth is a matter of either longitude or latitude; the truth of the soul’s life is in no special quarter of the compass, ti is everywhere round the whole circle; and those who look in one quarter will not find it. . . . Push forward and raise high on the circular path of evolution, now rolling West, the light that lighteth every man who cometh into the world—the light of the true Self who is the true Master for every human being; all other Masters are but servants of that true ONE; in it all real Lodges have their union. . . . Organizations, like men, may fall into ruts or grooves of mental and psychic action which, once established, are difficult to obliterate. To prevent those ruts or grooves in the Theosophical movement its guardians provided that necessary shocks should now and then interpose, so as to conduce to solidarity, to give strength such as the oak obtains from buffeting the storm, and in order that all grooves of mind, act of thought might be filled up.”
Part VI.
“Rely within yourself on your Higher Self always, and that gives strength, as the Self uses whom it will. Persevere and little by little new ideals and thought-forms will drive our of you the old ones. This is the eternal process.”
“A college course is not necessary for occultism. One of the best occultists I know was never in college. But if a man adds good learning to intuition and high aspirations he is naturally better off than another. I am constantly in the habit of consulting the dictionary and of thinking out the meanings and correlations of words. Do the same. It is good.
“You cannot develop the third eye. It is too difficult, and until you have cleared up a good deal more on philosophy it would be useless, and a useless sacrifice is a crime of folly. But here is advice given by many Adepts: every day and as often as you can, and on going to sleep and as you wake, think, think, think on the truth that you are not body, brain nor astral man, but that you are THAT, and “THAT” is the Supreme Soul. For by this practice you will gradually kill the false notion which lurks inside that the false is the true, and the true the false. By persistence in this, by submitting your daily thoughts each night to the judgment of your Higher Self, you will at last gain light.”
“. . . H.P.B. then said it is by falling and failing that we learn, and we cannot hope at once to be great and wise and wholly strong. She and the Masters behind expected this from all of us: she and they never desired any of us to work blindly, but only desired that we work unitedly.”
“In answer to your questions:
“(1) Clothes and astral form,
“Ans,—You are incorrect in assuming that clothes have no astral form. Everything in nature has its double on the other planes, the facts being that nothing visible in matter or space could be produced without such for basis. The clothes are seen as well as the person because they exist on the astral plane as well as he. Besides this, the reason why people are seen on the astral plane with clothes of various cut and color is because of the thought and desire of the person, which clothes him thus. Hence a person may be seen in the astral light wearing there a suit of clothes utterly unlike what he has on, because his thought and desire were on another suit, more comfortable, more appropriate, or what not.
“(2) What can true and earnest Theosophists do against the Black Age or Kali Yuga?
“Ans.—Nothing against it but a great deal in it; for it is to be remembered that the very fact of its being the iron or foundation age, gives opportunities obtained in no other. It is only a quarter as long as the longest of the other ages, and it is therefore crammed four times as full of life and activity. Hence the rapidity with which all things come to pass in it. A very slight cause produces gigantic effects. To aspire ever so little now will bring about greater and more lasting effects for good than at any other time. And similarly evil intent has greater power for evil. These great forces are visibly increased at the close of certain cycles in the Kali Yuga. The present cycle, which closes Nov 17th, 1897—Feb 18th, 1898, is one of the most important of any that have been. Opportunities for producing permanent effects for good in themselves and in the world as a whole, are given to Theosophists at the present time, which they may never have again if these are scattered.”
“If you will rely upon the truth that your inner self is part of the great Spirit, you will be able to conquer these things that annoy, and if you will add to that a proper care of your bodily health, you will get strength in every department. Do not look at things as failures, but regard every apparent failure after real effort as a success for the real test is in the effort and motive, and not in the result. If you will think over this idea on the lines of The Bhagavad Gita you will gain strength from it.”
“As to the question about the disintegration of the astral body and the length of time beforehand when it could be seen. My answer was not meant to be definite as to years, except that I gave a period of two years as a long one before death of the physical body. There are cases—perhaps rare—in which, five years before the death of the physical, a clairvoyant has seen the disintegration of the astral beginning. The idea intended to be conveyed is, that regardless of periods of time if the man is going to die naturally (and that includes by disease), the corruption, disintegrating or breaking up of the astral body may be perceived by those who can see in that way. Hence the question of years is not involved. Violent deaths are not included in this, because the astral in such cases does not disintegrate beforehand. And the way of seeing such a death in advance is by another method altogether. Death from old age—which is the natural close of a cycle—is included in the answer as to death by disease, which might be called the disease of inability to fight off the ordinary breaking-up of the cohesive forces.”
Part VII.
“The Masters have written that we are all bound together in one living whole. Hence the thoughts and acts of one react upon all.
“Experience has shown that it is true, as said by Masters, that any sincere member in any town can help the T.S. and benefit his fellow townsmen. It is not high learning that is needed, but solely devotion to humanity, faith in Masters, in the Higher Self, a comprehension of the fundamental truths of Theosophy and a little, only a littler sincere attempt to present those fundamental truths to a people who are in desperate need of them. That attempt should be continuous. No vain striving to preach or prove phenomena will be of any value, for, as again Masters have written, one phenomenon demands another and another.
“What the people want is a practical solution of the troubles besetting us, and that solution you have in Theosophy. Will you not try to give it to them more and more and save —— from the slough it is in?
“I would distinctly draw your attention to Brother ———. There is not that complete sympathy and toleration between him and you there ought to be, and for the sake of the work it should be otherwise. You may say that it is his fault. It is not wholly, for you must also be somewhat to blame, if not in this life then from another past one. Can you deny that for a long period he has held up the Branch there? For if he had not it would have died out, even though you also were necessary agents.
“Have any of you had unkind or revengeful feelings to him? If so, ought you not to at once drive them out of your hearts. For I swear to you on my life that if you have been troubled or unfortunate it is by the reaction from such or similar thoughts about him or others. Drive them all out of your hearts, and present such kindliness and brotherliness to him that he shall, by the force of your living kindness, be drawn into full unity and cooperation with you.
“Discussion or proofs to shew that you are all right and he wrong avail nothing. We are none of us ever in the right, there is always that in us that causes another to offend. The only discussion should be to the end that you may find out how to present to the world in your district, one simple, solid, united front.
“As to the expression “seeing sounds,” this you understand, of course, so far as the statement goes. It records the fact that at one time the vibrations which cause a sound now were then capable of making a picture, and this they do yet on the astral plane.”
“I am sorry to hear that you are passing through what you mention. Yet you knew that it would have to come, and one learns, and the purpose of life is to learn. It is all made up of learning. So though it is hard it is well to accept it, as you say.
“Do you know what it is to resist without resistance?
“That means, among many other things, that too great an expenditure of strength, of ‘fortitude,’ is not wise. If one fights one is drawn into the swirl of events and thoughts, instead of leaning back on the great ocean of the Self which is never moved. Now you see that, so lean back and look on at the ebb and flow of life that washed to our feet and away again many things that are not easy to lose or pleasant to welcome. Yet they all belong to Life, to the Self. The wise man has no personal possessions.”
“In reply to your question—Neither the general law nor the Lodge interferes to neutralize the effect of strain upon the disciple’s physical energies when caused by undue exertion of want of regularity, except in certain cases. Hence the Theosophist is bound to see that his arrangements of hours for sleep, work and recreation, are properly arranged and adjusted, as he has no right to so live as to break himself down, and thus deprive the cause he works for of a useful and necessary instrument.
“Your friend’s energies have been disarranged and somewhat exhausted by irregularities as to rest and recreation, since work has been hard and the required rest—whether asleep or awake—has not been had. This causes excitement which will (or has) react in many different ways in the system and upon the organs. It causes mental excitement which again raises other disturbances. He, like anyone else, should take measures so as to insure regularity as to rest, so that what work he does shall be better and the present excitement subside in the system. It is not wise to remain up late unless for good purposes, and it is not that to merely remain with others to late hours when nothing good or necessary can be accomplished. Besides other reasons, that is a good one.
“Excitement is heat; if heat be applied to heat, more is produced. Coolness must be applied so as to create an equilibrium. This applies in that case, and the establishment of regularity in the matter of rest is the application of coolness. Second, the various exciting and ‘wrongful’ acts or thoughts of others are heat; coolness is to be produced by discharging the mind of those and ceasing to refer to them in words, otherwise the engendered heat will continue. It is needless to refer to reasons resting on the points of conduct and example, for those anyone is capable of finding and applying.
“As there is no hurry, it is easy to divest the mind of anxiety and the irritation arising from hurry. Again, comparison of one’s own work or ways of doing thing better than others is wrong and also productive of the heat above spoken of.”
“I know that his absence is a loss to you, but I think if you will regard all things and events as being in the Self and It in them, making yourself a part of the whole, you will see there is no real cause for sorrow or fear. Try to realize this and thus gain confidence and even joy.”
“It is true that day by day the effect of my philosophy is more apparent on me, as yours is and will be on you, and so with us all. I see it myself, let alone all I hear of it from others. What a world and what a life! Yet we are born alone and must die alone, except that in the Eternal Space all are one, and the One Reality never dies.
“If ambition slowly creeps up higher and higher it will destroy all things for the foundations will be weak. In the end the Master will win, so let us breathe deep and hold fast there, as we are. And let us hurry nothing. Eternity is here all the time. I cannot tell you how my heart turns to you all. You know this, but a single word will do it: Trust. That was what H.P.B. said. Did she not know? Who is greater than our old and vigilant ‘old lady’? Ah, were she here, what a carnage! Wonder, anyhow, how he, or she, or it looks at the matter? Smiling, I suppose, at all our struggles. Again, in storm and shine, in heat and cold, near or afar, among friends or foes, the same in One Work.”
“Am very sorry to hear that your health is not good. In reply to your question: A sound body is not expected, because our race is unsound everywhere. It is Karma. Of course a correct mental and moral position will at last bring a sound body, but the process may, and often does, involve sickness. Hence sickness may be a blessing on two planes: (1) the mental and moral by opening the nature, and (2) on the physical as being the discharge into this plane of an inner sickness of the inner being.”
Part VII.
“MY DEAR ———,
“You did right to send me that letter. Of course I am sorry to hear from you in that way, but am glad that you wrote. Let me tell you something—will you believe it? You are not in nearly such a bad way as you think, and your letter which you sent me unreservedly shows it. Can you not, from the ordinary standpoint of worldly wisdom, see it so? For your letter shows this: a mind and lower nature in a while, not in the ordinary sense, but as though, figuratively speaking, it were whirling in a narrow circle, seemingly dead, kept alive by its own motion. And above it a human soul, not in any hurry but waiting for its hour to strike. And I tell you that I know that it will strike.
“If so far as your personal consciousness goes you have lost all desire for progress, for service, for the inner life—what has that to do with it? Do you not think that others have had to go through with all of that and worse; a positive aversion, maybe, to everything connected with Theosophy? Do you not know that it takes a nature with some strength in it to sink very low, and that the mere fact of having the power to sink low may mean that the same person in time may rise to a proportionately greater height? That is not the highest path to go, but it is one path which many have to tread. The highest is that which goes with little variation, but few are strong enough to keep up the never-ceasing strain. Time alone can give them that strength and many ages of service. But meanwhile there is that other to be travelled. Travel it bravely.
“You have got the ——, which of the hells do you think you are in? Try to find out and look at the corresponding heaven. It is very near. And I do not day this to try to bolster you up artificially, for that would be of no use and would not last, even if I were to succeed in doing it. I write of facts and I think that somewhere in your nature you are quite well aware that I do so.
“Now what is to be done: should you resign from the E.S.T. or what? In my opinion you should deliberately give yourself a year’s trial. Write and tell me at the end of that year (and meantime as often as you feel called upon to do so, which will not be very often) how you then feel, and if you do not feel inclined to go on and stick to it I will help you all I can. But you must do it yourself, in spite of not wanting to do it. You can.
“Make up your mind that in some part of your nature somewhere there is that which desires to be of use to the world. Intellectually realize that that world is not too well off and probably wants a helping hand. Recognize mentally that you should try to work for it sooner or later. Admit to yourself that another part of your nature—and if possible see that is it the lower part—does not care in the least about the world or its future, but that such care and interest should be cultivated. This cultivation will of course take time; all cultivation does. Begin by degrees. Assert constantly to yourself that you intend to work and will do so. Keep that up all the time. Do not put any time limit to it, but take up the attitude that you are working towards that end. Begin by doing ten minutes’ work every day of any sort, study of the addressing of envelopes or anything, so long as it be done deliberately and with that object in view. Give yourself three of four days’ rest and do it deliberately. Then go back to your ten minutes’ work. At the end of six or seven weeks you will know what to add to that practice; but go slow, do nothing in a hurry, be deliberate.
“Don’t try to feel more friendly to this or that person—more actively friendly. I should have said. Such things much spring up of their own accord and will do so in time. But do not be surprised that you feel all compassion die out of you in some ways. That too is an old story. It is all right because it does not last. Do not be too anxious to get results from the practice I have outlined above. Do not look for any; you have no concern with them if you do all that as a duty. And finally do not forget, my dear fellow, that the dead do come to life and that the coldest thing in the world may be made hot by gentle friction. So I wish you luck and wish I could do more for you. But I will do what I can.”