10. With profound symbolism, Christ pointed to the children. Just as simply let us approach the Gates of the Great Knowledge. True, We compose complicated and exact formulae, but the method of discovery lies in the spiritual consciousness. Precisely in this consciousness We find the means to add new spheres of the worlds accessible to thinking, extending the boundary of thinking. The consciousness thus merges into a bottomless ocean, as it were, embracing new spheres. Thus great and powerful is the creation of Cosmos.
11. Urusvati. It is time to say that this is the name We have given to the star which is irresistibly approaching the Earth. Since long ago it has been the symbol of the Mother of the World, and the Epoch of the Mother of the World must begin at the time of Her star's unprecedented approach to the Earth. The Great Epoch is beginning, because the spirit understanding is linked with the Mother of the World. Even to those who know the date it is marvelous to behold the physical approach of the predestined. The approach of this very great Epoch is important; it will substantially change the life of the Earth. A Great Epoch! I rejoice so much, seeing how the new rays are piercing the thickness of the Earth. Even though in the beginning they are hard to bear, yet their emanation induces new elements, so needed for the impetus. New rays are reaching the Earth for the first time since its formation.
Today is the beginning of the feminine awakening. A new wave has reached Earth today, and new hearths have become alight; for the substance of the rays penetrates deeply.
It is joyous to feel the approach of the New Epoch.
12. The necessity of deceit compels the priests of the old religions to push the people into the abyss of darkness. Yes, one may leave them at the foot of the mountain, as did Moses, but the tablets of the Commandments must be manifested.
How perishable everything once seemed! Our disciples, appearing for the last time on Earth, experience the feeling of loneliness and of estrangement. Only in consciousness do we understand the value of Earth, but nothing compels us to look back it the spirit has already filled its treasure chest. The chief requisite is the modification of the human feeling of joy. And what joy may there be, when one realizes the imperfection of life? But when the spirit faces the dimensions of Cosmos, then this joy is replaced by the realization of possibilities.
And when I whispered, "Thy joy will depart," I had in mind the transformation of human joy into the cosmically manifested conception as if by entering into a vacuum. The rays of the new life enwrap one better than mosquito netting, and one need not strain oneself toward the Earth. In this, when we are working for the Earth, there is harmony. For outsiders, this seems sheer nonsense, but you understand how one can grasp and develop each pure earthly thought beyond its contemporary import. And when one has traced the thread from Christ to the blade of grass, then only has the scope of work been covered.
Great is the knowledge of the absence of death. All has been forgotten — otherwise men would live differently.
13. This is the story of Mary Magdalene:
You know my way of life, how by night people knew us and by day shunned us. So with Christ. By night they came and by day they averted their faces. I thought: "Here am I, the lowest, and by sunlight people are ashamed of me. But He also, the most Exalted Prophet, is avoided by day. Thus, the lowest and the loftiest are equally avoided."
And so I decided to find Him by day, and to stretch out my hand to Him. I donned my best attire and my necklace from Smyrna, and perfumed my hair. And so I went, to say to people: "Here by daylight are met the lowest and the highest — equally avoided by you."
And when I saw Him, seated among the fishermen and covered with a sackcloth, I remained on the opposite side and could not approach. Between us people passed, equally avoiding us. Thus my life was determined. Because He said to His most beloved disciple:
"Take this pinch of dust and bring it to this woman, that she may exchange it for her necklace. Verily in these ashes is more life than in her stones; because from ashes I may create stones but from stones only dust."
The rest you already know. He did not condemn me. He but weighed my chains and the chains of shame crumbled as dust. He decided simply. Never did He hesitate to send the simplest object which determined one's entire life. He touched these sendings as though bathing them in spirit. His path was empty; because people, after receiving His gifts, hastily departed. And wishing to lay on His Hands, He found all empty. When He was already condemned, the furies of shame rushed behind Him and mockingly brandished their brandies. The price of the robber was worthy of the crowd.
Verily He cleft asunder the chains because He bestowed knowledge without accepting reward.
14. With what diversity do the plans of constructions proceed!
Time was when We said: "Give up everything." Now We go further and say: "Take everything but do not consider it your own."
Simple reasoning will show how impossible it is to take earthly things along with one. But they have been created with the participation of the spirit; hence, one should not despise them. How can one pass by the flowers of nature? But the creations of labor are also the flowers of humanity. If their scent and color are imperfect, one can but regret it.
15. Thus, each useful thought finds approval. A stroke upon the string calls forth a consonance. A clear and courageous formulation of thought is very useful.
We can appreciate a mediaeval lute as well as Wagner's "Walkure." Also fine is the ancient Chinese crystal instrument. The purity of its tone corresponds to the purity of flowers. It is called a rainbow harp. The rays produce excellent trumpet sounds, and the vortex rings are irreplacable, as in a string ensemble. Verily, it is worth-while living with such perspectives.
16. In conformity with the rhythm of World Motion, repetitive accrual of power is needed. The display of haste is adverse to the World's creation.
The way of formation of crystals and flowers indicates how perfection develops.
17. The link between Christ and Buddha glows dimly in people's understanding.
18. Regarding the application of My medicines, all the powers of the vegetable kingdom must be directed toward the one aim for which they exist — the increase of vitality. It is possible to cure all ailments by the counterpoising of vitality.
Certain plants exist as reservoirs of prana. The pine trees collect it as it in electric needles. And as a bond between heaven and the depths of earth, the earth is covered with living antennae which gather and preserve the true renewing element of the spiritual tissue.
Ignorance may conceal a malady, but it is better to consume it with the fire of life. Not by an artificial, depleting stimulant, but by using the life force to restore the balance.
One should not search among the minerals, because they have long ago become devoid of the effect of prana. Their destination is different. But the solar manifestation bestows life.
Truly, the mineral soil provides a seeming foothold on life; but this is only a pedal, which is useless without strings. And so. My pharmacy will be directed toward the essence which is common to mankind. It will affirm vitality without any slaughter, because the plants pass easily into the next state.
Inoculations are good if the vitality is equal to them, otherwise they are like a destructive plaster. A being who possesses full vitality is in no need of inoculations; he has the so-called solar immunity.
There is little vitality in the villages, because prana helps only when absorbed consciously. Nourishment of the spirit can proceed only consciously.
To the indications about medicines one should add that the skins of the musk animals were valued in Lemuria. Also, a chalice of cedar resin figured in the rituals of the consecration of the kings of the ancient Khorassan. Druids also called the chalice of cedar resin the chalice of life. And only later, with the loss of the realization of the spirit, was it replaced by blood.
The fire of Zoroaster was the result of burning of the cedar resin in the chalice.
19. Half of the sky is occupied with an unusual manifestation. Around an invisible luminary an immeasurable circle has begun to radiate, rays rushing along its brim. The furies of terror have concealed themselves within caves, suffocated by the radiance of this sign.
The best abilities have been borne by the people. The giving hand lives wisely. And let the old lands rest. To whom to give the new soil? To those who will bring a pinch of the old Knowledge. The knot of peoples is fastened upon an empty place. Let the departed ones return.
Since seas can cover the mountains, and deserts can replace the sea-bottoms, then is it impossible to visualize the miracle of populating the desert? A ploughman, a simple husbandman, gives rest to his field, permitting it to become covered with weeds. Likewise, in the Great Plan the places of harvest must be alternated. It is befitting for the new to be upon a new place.
I feel the human spirit will rise; but welcome the most unfortunate ones: "Come, ye naked, we will clothe thee; come, ye little ones, we will rear thee; come, ye dumb ones, we will give thee speech; come, ye blind ones, and see the predestined domain."
Whose hand is stretching forth to the bolt of My House? Travelers, thou art without belongings; therefore thou shalt enter.
Thus will we attain.
20. It is time to do away with the imperfection of matter. For this the people must become conscious of the spirit; otherwise the general condition tends to reduce the individual possibilities to its own level, as the waves of the ocean preserve a common rhythm.
Therefore, it is time to arouse the nations by sword or lightning, only to evoke the cry of the spirit.
21. Could you but see the cliches of the first creations, you would be horrified. The chief obstacle is that matter can be acted upon only by matter. To construct a bridge from the spirit to the Brotherhood was not so difficult, but to establish a normal link between the Brotherhood and the people is unspeakably difficult. Men, like parrots, repeat the remarkable formula, "Death conquers death" — but they do not consider its meaning.
It has been decided to safeguard the future destiny by placing it into vital practical conditions of the cooperation of the spirit. The difficulty lies in the new differentiation of humanity. The former primitive divisions into castes, classes and professions have been replaced by a complicated distinction according to light and shade. This manifestation, as a purified communism, will select the best groups of humanity. Without details, one must trace a general demarcation line of light and shade, as if recruiting a new army.
How difficult it is to select without having recourse to special measures!
V
1. The waves of the currents proceed spirally. The principle of the spiral whirl is found in everything.
2. The Mother of the World appears as a symbol of the feminine Origin in the new epoch, and the masculine Origin voluntarily returns the treasure of the World to the feminine Origin. Amazons were the embodiment of the strength of the feminine Principle, and now it is necessary to show the aspect of spiritual perfection of woman.
In the name of Christ great crimes have been committed. Therefore, Christ nowadays clothes Himself in other garments. One must discard all the exaggerations. We are not speaking of slightly embellished works only, as even through the volumes of Origen corrections were skipped in. Therefore, it is time to change conditions in the world.
The springs cannot act before the appointed date, and to hasten means to cut the wires.
3. We cannot know the limits of possibilities of conquests of the spirit. The seed of the spirit is self-containing, but according to the aura its striving can be judged.
There are thoughts directed inwardly and absorbed by the potentiality of the spirit. There are thoughts which are not manifested upon the earthly plane.
4. One may build a city, one may give the best knowledge, but most difficult of all is to reveal the true Image of Christ. Think, how to cleanse the Image of Christ.
Gathering the crumbs of the people's concept of the Savior and replacing the chiton by overalls, one can find illumination.
By human hands must the Temple be built.
5. The Star of Allahabad pointed out the way. And so We visited Sarnath and Gaya. Everywhere We found the desecration of religion. On the way back, under the full moon, occurred the memorable saying of Christ.
During the night-march the guide lost his way. After some seeking, I found Christ seated upon a sand mound looking at the sands flooded by moonlight. I said to Him, "We have lost the way. We must await the indication of the stars."
"Rossul M., what is a way to Us, when the whole world is awaiting Us?"
Then, taking His bamboo staff. He traced a square around the impression of His toot, saying, "Verily, I say, by human feet."
And, making the impression of His palm, He surrounded it also with a square. "Verily, by human hands."
Between the squares He drew the semblance of a pillar surmounted by an arc. He said: "0, how Aum shall penetrate into the human consciousness! Here I have drawn a pistil and above it an arc, and have set the foundation in four directions. When by human feet and human hands the Temple will be built wherein will blossom the pistil laid by Me, then let the Builders pass by My Way. Why should We await the way, when it is before Us?"
Then, rising. He effaced with His cane all that He had drawn.
"When the Name of the Temple will be pronounced, then shall the inscription emerge. In remembrance of My constellation, the square and nine stars shall glow over the Temple. The sign of the foot and the hand shall be inscribed above the Cornerstone."
Thus He Himself spoke on the eve of the new moon.
And the heat of the desert was great.
The Star of the Morning is the sign of the Great Epoch which will flash as the first ray from the Teaching of Christ. For who is to extol the Mother of the World if not Christ, the One so demeaned by the world.
Give Us the Arch of the Dome, wherein to enter.
6. The touch of the ray of the Brotherhood increases the sagacity of perceptions. Therefore, one must take into consideration every sensation.
Small as well as important events strike upon the aura, as upon musical strings. The growing aura has its advantages, and these Aeolian wings multifariously resound. The burden of the world plays its symphonies upon them. One cannot say that a man illumined by the aura is motionless. The outer shell of the aura is like a surging sea. What a task for the scientist — to trace the nourishment of the aura from within and the reflection from without! Verily a world battle!
The symbol of the burden of the world is a man carrying a sphere. All complex sensations are increased to the point of pain. An impression can be received as of being between the hammer and anvil. Therefore, the attainment of a rainbow aura is so practical, because it carries within itself the means of assimilation of all that exists. Even the best monochromatic auras must quench the conflagrations by themselves, drawing from their own ocean. Whereas a rainbow aura easily repels and takes in the rays. Therefore, achievement is a most practical action.
7. When in perplexity, sit together in silence and think one thought. Soon you will understand to what an extent such silent counsel is practical. We precipitate the force of the spirit along one channel. An unusual discharge results, reinforced by magnetism and harmonized by rhythm. The law is that two concordant thoughts increase the power seven times. This is not magic but a practical consideration.
8. Know how to meet the waves of life in beauty. It is not the receiving of sweet pastry but the forging of a sword; not sugared fingers but the strong hand of a warrior of spirit. To encounter the enemy without acknowledging him as such, and to reach the Gates without looking back — is Our way! We know the gait of the destined conquerors. Chiefly, do not jump along the way. The main thing is that We should rejoice at the steadiness of your pace. It is more fitting for the ray to illumine the walking ones than to leap after the jumping ones. People have been able to do much, but seldom did they know how to end in beauty. At dawn, at eventide, in advance and retreat, flying or diving, think about Us, the Watching Ones. The beautiful will be also the worthy. Must one open the pages of history to show giants at a loss how to step over a stream? Easiness was then obscured by unsightliness, and the mind faltered, losing appreciation of beauty. But the manifestation of complicated problems means to the mathematician only joy. And there remains the power of silence, which has already been spoken about.
9. Fire singes imperfect thoughts. How else to fill the cradle of authentic achievements? The experiment of filtering the thought through the ray is very important. Everyone expresses the essence of his aura, but single thoughts can be of different value according to their spiritual consistency. Then the substance of the thought can be tested by a special ray. The presence of inner spirituality illumines the thought by the color of the aura, but if the thought is a base one it bums under the ray. Thus, there results not only a testing of thought but also a disinfection of space.
One may imagine how a ray penetrates the space and finds wonderful treasures as well as little red and orange fires, which are like criminal poisoners. Why then not purify the layers above Earth, when even to the eye they are of a smoky orange color?
The best thing is to destroy the germs of base thoughts, which are more infectious than all diseases. One should be careful not so much about uttered words as about thoughts. During one word ten thoughts are born.
10. It is necessary to speak truthfully about the fundamentals. You noticed that We call the astral world a heaped-up pile. We emphasize how We avoid it. You know already that astral bodies have volume and weight and carry away with them many peculiarities of earthly life. The relativity of earthly knowledge is well-known. Of course, the astral bodies carry away with them not a small share of relativeness, but, being freed from the carnate shell, they acquire creativeness of the spirit. But you can picture to yourselves how the relativity of knowledge is reflected in these structures. Alongside an imagined Olympus, one may encounter a monstrous factory, unrealized during the earthly life. There exist harmonious oases, but in general there prevails a fantastic cemetery of human survivals. It is inadvisable to delve far into the astral cliches, because only an erroneous presentation will follow. In this the usual mediums are harmful.
Let us not enumerate the consequences of the fumes of the earthly kitchen, but it is quite important to understand how one may mitigate the consequences of relativity. They may be mitigated by the actual truth; but the truth may be realized only through spirituality, and therefore the awakening of spirituality becomes a cosmic condition.
11. Joy is a special wisdom, as Christ said. Nothing gathers the essence of prana as well as do plants. Even pranayama may be replaced by association with plants. And it should be understood how assiduously the eye must fathom the structure of the plants. The pores of the plants are enlarged not only by the advent of new leaves and flowers, but also by the removal of dead parts. The law of Earth's nurture affords, through the antennae of the plants, the possibility of drawing out of this reservoir by means of smell and sight the precious quality of vitality, the so-called Naturovaloris, which is acquired through conscious striving.
Valuable as are the living plants which have not lost their vitality, preparations from them dried in the sun may also be useful. But the stage of decomposition should be avoided, because decomposition is the same in everything and always attracts the most imperfect spirits. Therefore, one should watch the condition of cut flowers. The smell of decomposition must be sensed, as it is not the external appearance but the smell which manifests the symptom.
When it is not the season for flowers, it is useful to have small pine trees. Like a dynamo they accumulate vitality, and they are more effectual than right breathing. Instead of by ritual breathings one can thus receive a most condensed supply of prana. Of course, a state of rest also increases the action.
Vital understanding of the power of nature will provide without magic a renovation of possibilities.
12. It is impossible to separate the conditions of Earth from surrounding conditions, because the mental world has no narrow boundaries.
Again one must speak against the astral world, because it is desirable in future to shorten considerably this stage. Now it is unavoidable, but upon development of the spirit the manifestation of the mental body becomes more attainable.
Devachan is the place of pleasant realizations. But at the same time it is dangerous, because a weak spirit is reluctant to leave so pleasant a station. This station yields the greatest unwillingness to return for more labor. And when the time comes to leave this Valhalla, while the mental body impels one to achievement, the astral body finds the place most comfortable.
It is precisely the spirit which does not permit stopping, for the spirit in its innermost self remembers beautiful worlds. Beyond all the recollections abides an inexpressible, firm consciousness of the possibility of return to the Light whence the spark emanated.
How can a sensitive spirit avoid the onset of world anguish? There has never been a case of a man being able to detach himself in spirit from the earthly plane without contraction of his nerve centers, exactly like that of the daring aviator who feels a singular tremor in his heart upon detaching himself from the Earth.
The goal and the meaning of existence is to strive upward beyond the limits of the known, and to help one another.
If, without any mechanics, we recall the sensation of standing on a rock before a phenomenon of nature, does not the heart contract from rapture? After this stage, the sensation of embracing boundlessness will be realized.
Some people are easily reconciled to the sham and luxury of the astral plane, but you will not be attracted by it. Only the abodes of knowledge will outline the path.
13. You have noticed that each Great Teacher has spoken about the continuity of life. One may also notice that it is just this indication which is expurgated from each teaching, because materialism must defend itself. On Earth this condition is of special importance.
It must be known that the earthly matter is very dense. On the planets of lower level than Earth the matter is very coarse; upon those higher than Earth, matter harmonizes with the spirit. Hence, the Earth appears as a turning point.
There are imperfections upon higher planets, but there is not the resistance of matter. It is easier to search there without losing one's strength in needless struggle. There matter becomes inseparable from spirit, without any opposition between them.
No one denies the value of matter, but it is inconceivable that on a locomotive the wheels and the, boiler must quarrel. It seems that the better the boiler works the better it is for the wheels. But the one in charge of the wheels might think that they are the most important part of the organism and invite everyone to take a ride on the wheels, ignoring the fact that without the steam power the wheels can only roll downhill.
Fundamentally, the structure of matter and spirit contains no conflict. Why arrest the motion into the beautiful Infinite? And why pile up illusory dams near the Earth?
One may pity the retarded travelers, because these earthly stations will not serve them beyond a certain period.
Why are a hundred incarnations necessary, when with ten one may cross the threshold?
How vivid the recollection that the last Great Teacher suffered an outrageous death for what would seem to have been already long since known to humanity!
14. One should have in mind that refined matter has an absorptive quality. When someone approaches matter for the sake of its immediate condition, he does not receive immunity of the spirit and sinks into the so-called maya, because without the perfecting of the substance of things their shell becomes poisonous.
15. The growth of spiritual understanding attracts also the cooperation of the small entities which populate the air. This is why the hostility of matter is to be regretted. Conscious cooperation with matter could be reached far sooner.
It is tempting to receive immediate material advantages. Even intelligent men have no objection to receiving a title, not weighing its consequences. The cemetery is full of high titles; this is the memorial to that fence which is the insulation of matter.
Indeed matter is very important, but only with spirit does it attain its sacred significance. As the great admirer of matter without spirit is illiterate, so lacking would be an adept without intellect. Yet one can fly in spirit, while matter has no wings. Spirituality on Earth can open towering Gates.
When man is free from fear, he can know the origin of reality.