* Periods of spiritual obscuration and misguided materialism - such as the one the Western countries have experienced during the first quarter of the 21st century - are part of the long-term evolution of souls and nations.
* Night prepares the day. Conscious suffering constitutes a significant step in the process of healing.
* Whenever materialism and spiritual ignorance dominate the scene, there is anxiety, because the time has come for moral blindness to experience its inner failure and complete inability to guide the human experience.
* When cut off from the life of the spiritual souls, a civilization becomes blind and quickly finds ways to destroy itself. Thus it paves the way for the resumption of spiritual evolution on renewed grounds.
* Throughout history, decades of materialistic domination are necessary preparations for more advanced cycles. These are periods of emptying, of transition. They make it possible to recover in a deeper way the experience of springtime, in the learning of the soul.
* Thus, the Western civilization loses nothing of great importance during its periods of collective madness, when it forgets the notion of sacredness, obeys to a feeling of disrespect for the past, abandons its own altruistic ideals and expresses a deep contempt for the nations and the wisdom of the East.
* Human history and the history of our planet are cyclic. No beautiful period of sunrise would be possible if there were not a dark and cold period in the hours previous to it. Perhaps the most inspiring point of the cycle is the one in which the first signs of dawn can be dimly perceived by those who have their eyes open, and pay due attention to the eternal renewal of all things.
A Celebration on the Plane of the Soul
* For various reasons, traditional yearly celebrations bring emotional challenges to many people. Old pains from the past may emerge on the table. The absence of loved ones gets painfully unpleasant. Misunderstandings breed impatience. Subconscious expectations are not confirmed, and disappointments happen.
* The lesson is unavoidable: the substance of parties and celebrations should be more spiritual than physical.
* Whenever a celebration takes place on the plane of the soul, it is outwardly modest; it does not make too much noise, it is not linked to the exercise of gluttony, it does not feed on agitation; it generates peace instead of anxiety.
* The best gifts are good feelings and fraternal thoughts, which flow beyond words and do not need external manifestations.
* In a society largely governed by voracity, not everyone is qualified to look at suffering in a serene and lucid way. But empowering ourselves for this is possible, and the task is not difficult.
* The following prayer might help pilgrims to dismantle the attachment to emotional suffering, whether during periods of yearly celebrations or not.
Finding Bliss in Due Time
* Om.
* I send peace to all souls who have ceased to live on the physical plane and were not reborn yet.
* May each one of them find bliss in due time. I wish them harmony according to their merit, and a lasting contentment in the law of eternal justice.
* The same to all living souls in the different realms of nature.
* I say “thank you” to my ancestors.
* I wish good to those who suffer.
* I have no attachment to pain. May we all accept inner happiness and the narrow path to contentment.
* I forget any injustice my lower self may have seemed to suffer: I have no interest in illusions. But I ask forgiveness for the pain I caused to others.
* In any celebration, I want to wish something for people around the world. I hope everyone has the correct degree of health, discernment, well-being and confidence.
* I wish everyone fulfills his and her duty according to their possibilities. I hope the same will be accomplished by those closest to my own spiritual soul.
* I say “thank you” to the great sages and spiritual teachers of our mankind.
* Om, shanti.
An Imperfect Formula for Learning Better
* The progress of students of theosophy depends on these factors among others, not necessarily in this order:
* Devotion to an ideal;
* A decision to learn about the art of living;
* Self-forgetfulness combined with self-knowledge;
* A rigorous selflessness in self-observation;
* A willingness to cooperate, a basic goodwill to all beings;
* A consistent attempt to improve oneself;
* Persistence in correct action, renunciation of mistakes;
* An inner affinity with victory;
* A long-term view of things, encompassing several incarnations;
* The yoga of duty fulfilled here and now; and
* A daily period of study and silence.
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The article “Thoughts Along the Road - 90” was published on the websites of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists on 27 October 2025. An initial version of it is part of the January 2023 December 2022 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, pp. 11-13.
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Print the texts you study from the websites of the Independent Lodge. Reading on paper helps us attain a deeper view of philosophical texts. When studying a printed text, the reader can underline sentences and make handwritten comments in the margins that link the ideas to his personal reality.
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Helena Blavatsky (photo) wrote these words: “Deserve, then desire”.
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