The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson
Читать онлайн книгу.
you will look within for it, confidently, hopefully, and lovingly. Oh, listen to the voice of the soul—look for the light of the Spirit. have them both within you—why seek further for that which can never reach you from the outside.
"Desire only that which is beyond you." "It is beyond you; because when you reach it, you have lost yourself." It is always just beyond you, and when you become one with it, the old relative self has faded away. and a greater, grander YOU has replaced it. Man must lose himself to find Himself. In this sense, the great thing to be desired is beyond the today "you," although it is within you—it is really Yourself, as you will be. Can we make this plainer? The child longs for manhood—it is beyond him, and yet the child is the embryo man, and the elements of man hood are within him, awaiting the hour of development. But when that child attains manhood, the child is gone—he has lost himself, and a larger self has taken its place. So that the thing for which the child longs, really causes him to lose his (child) self in its attainment. The butterfly is within the caterpillar—but it is also beyond him—and when he gains it he is no longer a caterpillar but a butterfly. These are crude illustrations, but perhaps they may help you to understand the matter more clearly,
"Desire only that which is unattainable." This sounds discouraging, but, when understood, it really gives renewed energy. The text goes on: "It is unattainable, because it forever recedes. You may enter the light, but you will never touch the flame." As the soul gains in spiritual consciousness, it becomes greater and grander, but it is traveling but the first steps in the real journey—but that journey is becoming more and more pleasant. As we climb the mountain side of Attainment, the view becomes grander at each step. But the mountain top, which seemed so near at the beginning of the journey, seems constantly to recede as one climbs. And yet there is no disappointment, for every step of the way is now accompanied with the keenest pleasure. It is ever so in soul-unfoldment. As step after step is taken, greater heights appear to the view, emerging from the clouds which have surrounded them. There are undreamt of heights. You may, and will, gain the highest point now visible to you (be your attainment ever so great at this moment) but when you get there you will find that there is as much before you as you have left behind—far more in fact. But all this does not disappoint you, when you once grasp its significance. As you enter the great light you become conscious of gradually nearing the great center of Light—but although you are fairly bathed in the glorious effulgence, you have not touched the flame—and never will, as Man. But what of that—why fret because you cannot see the end—if end there be. You are destined to become something so much greater and grander than you are today, that your wildest imaginings cannot give you the faintest idea of it. And, still beyond that state, there are other states, and others, and others and others. Rejoice in the light, but sigh not because you are told that you will never touch the flame—you do not begin to realize what the bright light is—the flame is beyond your comprehension.
13. “Desire power ardently.”
14. “Desire peace fervently.”
15. “Desire possession above all.”
16. “But those possessions must belong to the pure soul only, and be possessed therefore by all pure souls equally, and thus be the especial property of the whole only when united. Hunger for such possessions can be held by the pure soul, that you may accumulate wealth for that united spirit of life which is your only true self. The peace you shall desire is that sacred peace which nothing can disturb, and in which the soul grows as does the holy flower upon the still lagoons. And that power which the disciple shall covet is that which shall make him appear as nothing in the eyes of men.”
17. “Seek out the way.”
18. “Seek the way by retreating within.”
19. “Seek the way by advancing boldly without.”
Here is another example of the relative and the absolute. "Desire power ardently." And yet power, selfish power, is the greatest curse of the man who possess it. The power of the Spirit, which is "the power which the disciples shall covet," may indeed make him "appear as nothing in the eyes of men" who are striving after material power. For it is the conscious power of which the average man knows nothing—of which he is unable to form a mental image. And he is very apt to regard as a fool the man who possesses it, or who is reaching out for it. The power which is applied to unselfish uses is incomprehensible to the average man who seeks for worldly power
—and yet that worldly power, and all that it is capable of accomplishing, will crumble before the flame of time, as a sheet of tissue before the match, and will he in ashes in the twinkling of an eye, while the real power of spiritual attainment grows stronger and mightier as the ages roll by. The one is the substance—the other the shadow—and yet the world reverses their position because of its imperfect vision, Do not make the mistake of translating this sixteenth precept as meaning that the student should seek to "appear as nothing in the eyes of men." This is not the meaning—the student should avoid seeking to "appear" as anything in the eyes of man, whether that anything be everything or nothing. Let the appearances go—they belong to the world of shadows and the true student has naught to do with them. Let the world attend to its own "appearances"—let it amuse itself with its childish toys and soap bubbles. Do not seek to "appear"—let the world attend to that, it will amuse the world, and will not hurt you. We say this because some have translated this precept as if it were an incentive to assumed humility which is akin to the "humbleness" of Uriah Heep. As if to "appear" as nothing were some particular virtue! The precept really means to point out the only power worth seeking, and at the same time to show the student how lightly the world is apt to regard such power as compared to what it calls "power," but which worldly power is but as the power of the lunatic who, sitting on a soapbox throne, with a pasteboard crown and a toy sceptre, imagines that he is Lord of All. Let the world amuse itself—it concerns you not—seek ye the reai power of the Spirit, no matter how you "appear" to men.
"Desire peace fervently." But that peace is the peace which comes from within, and which you may enjoy even though you be in the midst of the battle of life—though you be commander-in-chief of the worldly army, or its humblest soldier (all one, at the last). This peace of the awakened and conscious soul is indeed "that sacred peace which nothing can disturb, and in which the soul grows as does the holy flower upon the still lagoons." This peace comes only to one who has awakened to the consciousness of his real spiritual existence. This state once attained enables a man to set aside a part of his nature into which he may retire when the troubles and strife of the outer life disturb him, and which immediately surrounds him with a peace "that passeth understanding," because it is beyond the realms of the understanding of the intellect. Such a sanctuary of the soul is a "haven of rest," for the troubled mind, and in which it may seek shelter from the storms which are howling without. When one becomes conscious of what he really is, and is able to see the world of illusions for what they are, he finds this place of peace. And, although, the necessities of his life have placed him in a position in which he must be in the thick of the fight, he really is merely in it, and not of it. For while one part of his nature plays out the part allotted to him, his higher self rises above the tumult, and serenely smi1es at it all. Establish for yourself a sanctuary of the soul, in which Silence reigns, and into which your tired soul may creep to rest, and recuperate. It is this peace to which the Yogis refer, when they say: "Peace be with Thee." And may it be with you all! And abide with you.
"Desire possessions above all." This sounds like queer teaching along spiritual lines, but read on. "But those possessions must belong to the pure soul only, and be possessed therefore by all pure souls equally, and thus be the especial property of the whole only when united. Hunger for such possessions as can be held by the pure soul, that you may accumulate wealth for that united spirit of life which is your true self." These possessions, obviously, are not material possessions, but the possessions of the soul. And what is a soul able to possess. Knowledge only, for all else is unreal, and passeth away, Therefore let the soul desire the possession and attainment of the knowledge which it needs—the knowledge of the Spirit. And this best knowledge may be possessed by the pure soul only—the other kind of souls do not care for it. And the pure soul is willing to hold such possessions in common for all other souls who are able to accept a share in it, or to make use of it, and no attempt is made to claim especial property rights in such possessions, and it is recognized as the property