The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson
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of the word "heart—they think it means the love nature. But this is not the meaning—occultism does not teach killing out true love—teaches that love is one of the greatest privileges of man, and that as he advances his love nature grows until, finally, it includes all life. The "heart" referred to is the emotional nature and the instincts of the lower and more animal mind. These things seem to be such a part of us, before we develop, that to get rid of them we seem to be literally tearing out our hearts. We part with the first one thing and then another, of the old animal nature, with pain and suffering, and our spiritual fee become literally washed in the blood of the heart. Appetite—cravings of the lower nature—desires of the animal part of us—old habits—conventionalities—inherited thought—racial delusions—things in the blood and bone of our nature, must be thrown off, one by one, with much misgivings and doubts at first—and with much pain and heart-bleeding until we reach a position from which we can see what it all means. Not only the desires of the lower self are to be torn out, but we must, of necessity, part with many things which have always seemed dear and sacred to us, but which appear as but childish imaginings in the pure light which is beginning to be poured out from our Spiritual Mind. But even though we see these things for what they are, still it pains us to part from them, and we cry aloud, and our heart bleeds. Then we often come to a parting of the ways—place where we are forced to part mental company with those who are dear to us, leaving them to travel their own road while we take step upon a new an d(to us) an untried path of thought. All this means pain. And then the horror of mental and spiritual loneliness which comes over one soon after he has taken the first few steps on The Path—that first initiation which has tried the souls of many who read these words—that frightful feeling of being alone—with no one near who can understand and appreciate your feelings. And then, the sense of seeing the great problem of life, which others do not recognize the existence of any unsolved problem, and who accordingly go on their way, dancing, fighting, quarreling, and showing all the signs of spiritual blindness, while you were compelled to stand alone and bear the awful sight. Then, indeed, does the blood of your heart gush forth. And then, the consciousness of the world's pain and your failure to understand its meaning—your feeling of impotence when you tried to find a remedy for it. all this causes your heart to bleed. And all these things come from your spiritual awakening—the man of the material plane has felt some of these things—has seen them not. Then when the feet of the soul have been bathed in the blood of the heart, the eye begins to see the spiritual truths—the ear begins to hear them—the tongue begins to be able to speak them to others, and to converse with those who have advanced along The Path. And the soul is able to stand erect and gaze into the face of other advanced souls, for it has begun to understand the mysteries of life—the meaning of it all—has been able to grasp something of the Great Plan—has been able to feel the consciousness of its own existence—has been able to say: "I AM" with meaning—has found itself—has conquered pain by rising above it. Take these thoughts with you into the Silence, and let the truth sink into your mind, that it may take root, grow, blossom, and bear fruit.
1. "Kill out ambition."
2. "Kill out desire of life."
3. "Kill out desire of comfort."
4. "Work as those work who are ambitious. Respect life as those who desire it. Be
happy as those are who live for happiness."
Much of the occult truth is written in the form of paradox—showing both sides of the shield. This is in according with nature's plan. All statements of truth are but partial statements—there are two good sides of every argument—any bit of truth is but a half-truth, hunt diligently enough and you will find the opposite half-everything "is and it isn't"—any full statement of truth must of necessity be paradoxical. This because our finite point-of-view enables us to see but one side of a subject at a time. From the point of view of the infinite, all sides are seen at the same time—all points of a globe being visible to the infinite seer, who is also able to see through the globe as well as around it.
The above mentioned four precepts are illustrations of this law of paradox. They are generally dismissed as non-understandable by the average person who reads them. And yet they are quite reasonable and absolutely true.
The key to the understanding of these (and all) truths lies in the ability to distinguish between the "relative" or lower, point of view, and the "absolute" or higher one. Remember this well, for it will help you to see into many a dark corner—to make easy many a hard saying. Let us apply the test to these four precepts.
We are told to: "Kill out ambition." The average man recoils from this statement, and cries out that such a course would render a man a spiritless and worthless creature, for ambition seems to be at the bottom of all of man's accomplishments. Then, as he throws down the book, he sees, in the fourth precept: "Work as those who are ambitious"—and, unless he sees with the eyes of the Spiritual Mind, he becomes more confused than ever. But the two things are possible—yes, are absolutely feasible as well as proper. The "ambition" alluded to is that emotion which urges a man to attain from vainglorious, selfish motives, and which impels him to crush all in his path, and to drive to the wall all with whom he comes into contact. Such ambition is but the counterfeit of real ambition, and is as abnormal as is the morbid appetites which counterfeit and assume the guise of hunger and thirst—the ridiculous customs of decorating the persons with barbarous ornamentations, which counterfeits the natural instinct of putting on some slight covering as protection from the weather—the absurd custom of burdening oneself and others with the maintenance of palatial mansions, which counterfeits man's natural desire for a home-spot and shelter—the licentious and erotic practices of many men and women, which are but counterfeits of the natural sexual instincts of normal man and woman, the object of which is, primarily, the preservation of the race. The "ambitious" man becomes insane for success, because the instinct has become perverted and abnormal. He imagines that the things for which he is striving will bring him happiness, but he is disappointed—they turn to ashes like Dead Sea fruit-because they are not the source of permanent happiness. He ties himself to the things he creates, and becomes their slave rather than their master. He regards money not as a means of securing necessities and nourishment (mental and physical) for himself and others, but as a thing valuable of itself—he has the spirit of the miser. Or, he may seek power for selfish reasons—to gratify his vanity—to show the world that he is mightier than his fellow men—to stand above the crowd. All poor, petty, childish ambitions, unworthy of a real Man, and which must be outgrown before the man may progress-but perhaps the very lessons he is receiving are just the ones needed for his awakening. In short, the man of the abnormal ambition works for things for the sake of selfish reward, and is inevitabley disappointed, for he is pinning his hopes on things which fail him in the hour of need—is leaning on a broken reed.
Now let us look upon the other side of the shield. The fourth precept contains these words: "Work as those work who are ambitious." There it is. One who works this way may appear to the world as the typical ambitious man, but the resemblance is merely outward. The "ambitious" man is the abnormal thing. The Man who works for work's sake-in obedience to the desire to work—the craving to create—because he gives full expression to the creative part of his nature-is the real thing. And the latter is able to do better work—more lasting work—than the first mentioned man. And then, besides, he gains happiness from his work—he feels the joy which comes from doing—he lets the creative impulse of the All Life flow through him, and he does great things—he accomplishes, and is happy in his work and through his work. And so long as he keeps true to his ideals he will be safe and secure in that joy, and will be doing well his share of the world's work. But, as he mounts the ladder of Success, he is subjected to terrible temptations, and often allows the abnormal ambition to take possession of him, the result being that in his next incarnation he will have to learn his lesson all over again, and again until he has mastered it.
Every man has his work in the world to do, and he should do it the best he knows how—should do it cheerfully—should do it intelligently. And he should let have full expression that instinct which impels him to do things right—better than they have been done before (not that he may triumph over others, but because the world needs things done better).
True occultism does not teach that man should sit around doing nothing