Planetary Citizens Can Become Living Bridges
Between the Present Moment and Eternal Time
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
There are earthly roads for the body, and celestial ones for the soul
* Spiritual evolution depends on a voluntary effort, and
it is also a natural process as inevitable as the sunrise. While seemingly paradoxical, these two
aspects of evolution correspond to the hemispheres of human brain. The
voluntary effort to attain truth is part of a wider and spontaneous awakening.
The intuitive, involuntary aspects of enlightenment are never separated from
the self-responsible journey to divine knowledge.
* Listening to the silence, reading from a blank page,
talking without the use of words, travelling while remaining motionless, and
staying still while in intense outward movement. The above are some important
activities to be developed along the path to self-knowledge; for human beings
have several levels of consciousness and must learn to use them by transcending
mere appearance.
* Self-control is not merely struggling against bad
habits. It means renouncing to the Causes of wrong actions. We must give up
attachment to outer objects and blind automatism.
* One of the first steps leading to self-control is
the practice of an impersonal self-observation, in which we avoid both
self-indulgence and self-condemnation, and focus instead on self-improvement.
One’s lower self must look at itself as an imperfect, yet loyal, disciple of
one’s spiritual soul.
* As we accept the limitations of life, we transcend
them by ceasing to waste energy. We get free to think beyond present obstacles,
once we acknowledge their existence. This is the first step in removing
limitations that can be removed. The
second step consists in searching for the way and the timing of their removal.
Once this is determined, we must act
accordingly. It is also important to preserve the ability to learn from new
facts, as we persevere along the road chosen.
* Each human life expresses the dynamics of our solar
system. There are three main lines in one’s individual evolution: they flow in
unity with the Sun, the Moon and the Earth, and correspond to the spiritual
soul, the animal soul and physical corporeality. From this perspective the
anatomy of one’s soul is threefold: as we take other planets into consideration
we see that we are septenary, just as the rays of light coming from the Sun. We
are seven, we are three, and we are one. In every case, we are a mirror
reflecting the solar system.
* By leaving aside terrestrial noises one discovers
the music of the spheres. Renouncing to the excess of irrelevant information,
one understands that which is essential. The fundamental tenets of esoteric
philosophy do not deny the lesser realities of life: they both include and
transform them. Universality gives a meaning and a purpose to the smaller
factors in one’s agenda.
* If we see decaying levels of ethics and sincerity in
the present civilization, we must not feel despondent nor lose confidence in
the future. The darkest hours of the night are often the ones immediately
before dawn. Time is not unilineal. After a long night, a new day emerges in a
few minutes. By being vigilant, one does not accelerate the dawn, and there is no
need for that. However, vigilant people are awaken and active in the early
morning. They can help others awaken from the dark nightmare of unnecessary
ignorance.
* It is not enough to automatically decide to do that
which is “desirable”. Wise decisions concern actions that are both correct and
feasible. Before making a decision one must realistically evaluate the means,
tools, effort, patience and willpower necessary to effectively fulfil the
decision, as much as its fulfilment depends on us. Then we can use the
opportunity to grow as human beings, while strengthening and purifying our
will.
* Humbleness and simplicity bring about happiness.
Ambition and sophistication are sources of suffering. Although the spiritual
pilgrim has to live and work in a complex world, his heart can remain simple or
pure due to natural concentration on a high goal. Simplicity contains and
transcends complexity. The changeful levels of consciousness must be
convertible into a silent, vigilant simplicity that is centered on a sacredness
beyond description.
* Perseverance and detachment are both necessary. One
must persevere in the essential aspects of one’s duty. We must be flexible and
have no attachment to outer circumstances or situations. As soon as one becomes
rigid regarding external factors, the inner connection to that which is
essential becomes harmed. Into the extent that we preserve and enhance the
contact with our own “essential nature” - to use the Taoist expression -, the
outward factors tend to take care of themselves and become easier to handle.
* No words can be stronger than the practice from
which they emerge. Such a practice can be individual or collective, objective
or subjective; or it can take place on every level at the same time. The basis
of one’s words, however, is what one lives. The strength of a theosophist can
only come from the daily life he leads. Words are extremely useful when they
emerge from life: they can only mislead if divorced from facts. [1]
* Truth-seekers must not delude themselves by thinking
that the more they make real progress along the road, the less necessary it is
for them to face surprising obstacles, or to learn hard lessons. The more we
learn, the more challenged we are to learn much further. Spiritual progress
ceases the day we believe we “know it all that matters”. Wisdom does not
consist so much in “having” knowledge as in “being able to obtain” it; and in
doing that in a quick and accurate way. Of course, humbleness and courage are
of the essence in the art of learning.
* For centuries, human and planetary history has been
undergoing a constant acceleration. As the wheel of life of a particular
civilization gains speed, its movement becomes rather feverish. Large amounts
of Karma are updated and have to be dealt with. The alchemical acceleration
takes place. Accumulated materials and substances of the past boil and burn. At
the same time, a certain number of citizens remain in direct contact with the
Center of the Wheel of Karma. While their “objective” levels of consciousness
exist in the outwardly agitated periphery of life, their inner sense of Self is
still in unity with the Center of Peace. The more agitated the Circle of Life
gets, the stronger the karmic invitation to improve one’s contact with the
Center.
* By feeling small, one is able to grow. In order to
improve his abilities, a chess-player must play with more advanced players than
himself, and carefully study the games between grand masters of this
thoughtful, strategic game. Likewise, in order to expand his understanding of
life a student of theosophy must observe, and interact with that which is
immensely bigger, and more meaningful, than his small individual life. The soul
of every being tends to acquire the same dimensions as the object of his
contemplation.
* The theosophical movement exists to preserve and
spread the original teachings of esoteric philosophy. Yet preservation and
promulgation are not enough. Theosophists must also look at everyday events and
challenges from the point of view of the original teachings. The duty of
theosophical associations is to stimulate every luminous point in the
present-day collective culture and “zeitgeist”. The law of analogy, which shows
similarity between different systems of thought, is the tool for that.
Planetary citizens can become living bridges between the present moment and
eternal time. For each instant exists in eternity, and eternity is hidden in
every fraction of a second.
* As time passes, old collective mechanisms of mind
control are abandoned and new ones emerge. As Christian churches and political
parties lose influence, “big” commercial media are paid to produce people’s
opinions, form their attitudes and define their worldviews. Ceremonialism and
blind faith in religiosity are still grave problems leading to war and
violence. At the same time, a vast number of propaganda tools aim at blocking
and impeding independent thought on the part of the citizens. Theosophy teaches
independence from so-called “public opinion” or sectarian religiosity, and
invites human being to self-responsibility. This is the true evolutionary path.
Now more than ever before, to be successful in any field is the same as
thinking by oneself, acting with creativity, and becoming a pioneer in higher
forms of cooperative intelligence.
* In the life of a human being, each day contains
blessings and probations. The relative weight and number of them will depend in
part on the speed with which we want to learn about wisdom: for probations are
lessons. On the other hand, it is wrong to think that life is “too painful”, or
probations are excessively numerous and blessings, scarce. Life is as hard with
us as necessary for us to learn the lessons required by the Law. If the number
of blessings one may see in life appears to be small, one has to re-examine his
attitude towards life. The sources of true happiness are hidden from the eyes
of those who obey to personal desire. For the blessings are inside the
probations. They are protected in their purity by suffering, just as the fruits
of Nature are protected by their peels. Thus, people who look for comfort and
run away from tests can’t be able to attain bliss. Blessings are everywhere,
anytime. They come with the karmic requirement according to which we must
deserve them, and be worthy of them. Otherwise they will remain dormant, until
we ourselves are ready and have eyes to see.
* In politics, as in organized religion, Journalism or
esoteric organizations, there is a time when high degrees of hypocrisy seem to
be politically elegant and even unavoidable. Then sincere words are immediately
denounced as unacceptable. They are said to express an arrogant, aggressive and
anti-social attitude. It is assumed to be a grave offense not to accept the
rules of social falsehood. As life never ceases to renew itself, there is also
a time when the whited sepulchres are seen as such, and people who work with
higher degrees of sincerity emerge as the game-changers, making new rules
according to which honesty is beautiful, and fraud, ugly.
NOTE:
[1] Translated from the opening lines in the article “70 Itens Para Uma Vida Natural”, by C.C. Aveline.
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The above article was published as an
independent text on 5 June 2018. An initial version of it, with no indication as to the name of the author,
is included in the February 2016 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”.
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