How
the Energy of Human Mind
Creates
a Civilization of Brotherhood
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
The Moriah Mount or Temple Mount, in
the eternal capital of Israel
“All that we are is the result of what we
have thought: all that we are is founded on
our thoughts and formed of our thoughts. If a
man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness
pursues him like his own shadow that never leaves
him.”
(“The Dhammapada”,
Theosophy Co., Chapter 1, Verse 2)
“Repel evil with what is better: then will he between
whom
and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and
intimate!”
(Qur’an, 41: 34)
“Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said: By three things
does the world endure; by truth, justice,
and peace.”
(Pirke Avoth, Perek 1,
Mishnah 18)
The following visualization is an
instrument to develop higher potentialities of human mind, while building the
subtle foundations of a lasting intercultural peace. It challenges and destroys
old closed circuits of negative emotions and destructive thinking, and helps
make room for a multi-religious, worldwide rebirth and regeneration.
Being a practical
exercise, it enables citizens to become conscious of the fact that their average
thoughts co-create the future, individual and collective. As a meditation, it
is based on a perfectly natural law which Helena P. Blavatsky examined at
length in her 1877 masterpiece “Isis Unveiled”. She wrote:
“Given a certain intensity of will, and
the shapes created by the mind become subjective. Hallucinations, they are
called, although to their creator they are real as any visible object is to
anyone else. Given a more intense and intelligent concentration of this will,
and the form becomes concrete, visible, objective; the man has learned the
secret of secrets; he is a MAGICIAN.” [1]
In the same book, the Russian theosophist added:
“When psychology and physiology become
worthy of the name of sciences, Europeans will be convinced of the weird and
formidable potency existing in the human will and imagination, whether
exercised consciously or otherwise. And yet, how easy to realize such power in spirit, if we only think of that grand
truism in nature that every most insignificant atom in it is moved by spirit, which is one in its essence, for the least particle of it represents the whole; and that matter is but the
concrete copy of the abstract idea, after all.” [2]
In “The Secret Doctrine”, H. P. Blavatsky
wrote about the - “mysterious power of thought which enables it to produce
external, perceptible, phenomenal results by its own inherent energy. The
ancients held that any idea will manifest
itself externally if one’s attention is deeply concentrated upon it. Similarly
an intense volition will be followed by the desired result.” [3]
The modern theosophical movement was founded
with a long term purpose. Its aim is to “evoke” and make active in our mankind
the higher potentialities of human nature so that new and better civilizations can
at last emerge. In the closing sentence of her book “The Key to Theosophy”, H. P.
Blavatsky foresaw that if the theosophical movement correctly discharges its
duty - “earth will be a heaven in the twenty-first century”.
The next step in human evolution is the efficient use
of one’s mind energy so as to attain noble and correct goals and to benefit all
beings. This is no vague dream. It constitutes
a historical need to be fulfilled in due time according to the Karmic Law of
Justice. Each citizen can choose to be
an active center of such a silent revolution. The Jewish Torah, the Islamic Qur’an
and the sacred scriptures of every other religion must be read from the point of
view of peace and with a feeling of unconditional respect for all. “Repel evil with what is better: then will he between
whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!”, says the
Qur’an (41: 34). And the Jewish Pirke
Avoth adds that -“Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said: By three things does the
world endure; by truth, justice, and peace.” [4]
If anything that
is sacred is used as an excuse for stimulating hatred or violence, it instantly
ceases to be sacred. Since Life is
sacred in itself, every correct religious feeling must lead to an unconditional
respect for Life.
The
following meditation should be made regardless of short term events. It aims at
sowing for the future. It can be
practiced individually or collectively. It is a good idea to make it happen in
community associations. It is of course better
to meditate in a place where there is silence, and clean air. While its regular practice produces better effects
than doing it just once, it is truly beneficial even as an isolated event.
Building Peace in the Middle East
1) Sit in an upright posture.
2) Adopt a calmer and deeper
breathing. Leave aside any thoughts about short term matters.
3) Relax feet, then legs, hands,
arms. Relax the muscles of your face. Feel the contrast between the freed muscles
and the firm vertebral column. This is an image of how we must face life: being
firm in that which is essential, and flexible in matters of secondary
importance.
4) Slowly think
of the suffering of Jewish and Muslim nations in the last few millennia. Calculate
the present levels of pain, from various causes, in the different communities
of the Middle East and around the world. Look at your own suffering: even hopes and
aspirations are often forms of pain. Reflect upon the fact that it is possible
to change afflictions into wisdom, and hatred into respect and appreciation of
other people’s lives. Remember that no
attachment is necessary to suffering, to hatred, or fear. Calmly consider the task
now waiting for human beings: to learn in one’s own soul the art of living with
impersonal altruism and respect for all.
This task slowly produces an enduring happiness.
5) Visualize humans in every part of
the world consciously learning lessons from the obstacles they face, and from
each other. See wisdom and solidarity
permeating relations between Muslims, Jews, Druses, Christians and individuals
of other religions present in the Middle East, and among all nations in every continent.
Imagine humanity free from the disease of anti-Semitism. See it awakening now to
the unlimited power of mutual help. Keep before your mind’s eye, for an
instant, the image of the Land of Israel and Islamic nations practicing mutual
help and unconditional respect for the lives of all beings. Imagine the Temple
Mount, in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, as an inter-religious center for
world peace and harmony where people of every religion is allowed to pray in
liberty and in safety. Visualize each individual as part of a global
civilization based on the principles of self-responsibility and mutual help. See
the Middle East free from nuclear proliferation, free from all acts of terror,
and adopting the practice of universal respect for life.
6) Imagine the radio, television,
paper media and Internet websites actively promoting peaceful community goals
in the Middle East and around the world. Take a calm look at the present
civilization as it expands its loving respect for all life in the vast world of
your own creative mind. Strengthen your personal commitment with this vision. The
world of inter-religious relations in Israel and around it is the Pascal’s
circle, whose center is everywhere. You are certainly no exception: you are its
centre, too.
7) Visualize for a few moments sincere public leaders
in the Middle East promoting and sharing the process of Jewish-Muslim awakening
to true friendship and long-term cooperation. Remember this old axiom, that
“there must be more merit in attaining a goal which is difficult, as long as it
is noble”.
Imagine
your local community and country as lands of universal peace. See them as ready
to a new era of unconditional fraternity.
Keep this image with yourself.
Preserve it in your mind and heart.
Every new
phase in mankind’s evolution needs its own pioneers. If you can realize you are
co-responsible for the collective awakening, consider taking the necessary
steps for these visions and glimpses of the future to remain strong and to
gradually expand their influence.
One of
the best ways to develop your power of good-will is by helping accelerate the on-going,
largely unconscious dawning of the next civilization, which will be based on
the law of universal brotherhood.
NOTES:
[1]
Helena P. Blavatsky, in “Isis Unveiled”, Theosophy Company, Los Angeles, Vol.
I, p. 62.
[2] “Isis
Unveiled”, vol. I, p. 384. From this
page on, H.P.B. continues to discuss this topic for dozens of pages.
[3] “The
Secret Doctrine”, Theosophy Co., Vol. I,
p. 293.
[4] Pirke Avoth, Perek 1, Mishnah 18, in “Ethics from
Sinai”, by Irving M. Bunim, Philipp Feldheim, Inc., N.Y., vol. I, p. 106.
000
The
above article can also be seen in our blog at “The Times of Israel”.
Read the longer text “Meditation
on the Awakening of Mankind”, by Carlos Cardoso Aveline, which is
available in our associated websites.
000
On the role of the esoteric movement in the
ethical awakening of mankind during the 21st century, see the book “The Fire and Light of Theosophical Literature”, by
Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
Published in
2013 by The Aquarian Theosophist,
the volume has 255 pages and can be obtained through Amazon Books.
000
