Examining
the Need to
Practice
Self-Discipline in Daily Life
Carlos Cardoso
Aveline
Once a pilgrim
adopts some rules of self-discipline in his life, mystic tradition commands him
to follow “without cavil or delay” the principles of behaviour that are part of
the road to wisdom.
Vigilance is necessary, for the accidental delay and a
relaxation in discipline easily become habits.
As an individual underestimates the importance of the
constant practice of right action, he starts to consider the effort as
“unnecessary”, and even as silly. Any demands from his conscience that he must
keep the sacred discipline would then be easily explained away as something
“too rigid” which really “makes no sense”.
It is precisely because many aspects of daily
discipline seem boring and unimportant, if not ridiculous, that their
thoughtful and careful practice generates a higher magnetism, and produces true
self-discipline.
Pessimism and laziness are different faces of the same
ignorance.
On the other hand, self-respect, self-knowledge and a
call to victory give the pilgrim strength and the resolution necessary to be
severe regarding himself, and to make true progress.
The truth-seeker ought to remember these words written
by a Master of the Wisdom:
“You were told […..] that the path to Occult Sciences
has to be trodden laboriously and crossed at the danger of life; that every new
step in it leading to the final goal, is surrounded by pit-falls and cruel
thorns; that the pilgrim who ventures upon it is made first to confront and conquer the thousand and one furies [1] who keep watch over its adamantine [2] gates and entrance - furies called Doubt, Skepticism,
Scorn, Ridicule, Envy and finally Temptation - especially the latter; and that
he, who would see beyond had to first
destroy this living wall; that he must be possessed of a heart and soul clad in
steel, and of an iron, never failing determination and yet be meek and gentle,
humble and have shut out from his heart every human passion, that leads to
evil.” [3]
It is easy to criticize and ridicule the regular
practice of small acts of self-control and self- discipline. Seemingly negligible
as it is, such a humble effort constitutes a central, decisive factor in the
search of sacred wisdom. The modest discipline may challenge and dismantle vast
amounts of accumulated ignorance.
“The last will be first, and the first will be last”,
says the New Testament in Matthew 20: 16.
And chapter 41 of the Tao Teh
Ching clarifies:
“Superior virtue appears like a hollow (valley);
Sheer white appears like tarnished;
Great character appears like insufficient;
Solid character appears like infirm;
Pure worth appears like contaminated.” [4]
Accepting the appearance of a fool is an effective
defense for the well-informed learner. The wisest actions may seem to be sheer
idiocies.
Foolish people try to look like wise by developing the
ability to say and to do whatever others think is wise. Friends of truth, on
their turn, leave aside artificial consensus and mere habit. Abandoning the
short term average of superficial opinions, they find a first-hand knowledge of
truth, which the power of constant sincerity will expand.
NOTES:
[1] Furies - in
classical Mythology, feminine deities who punished crimes, stimulated by the
victims, and who made the revenge of the gods. (Note of the Brazilian edition
of “The Mahatma Letters”)
[2] Adamantine - made
with diamonds, unbreakable as diamonds. (Note of the Brazilian edition of “The
Mahatma Letters”)
[3] “The Mahatma Letters”, edited by A. Trevor Barker,
1926 edition, published by T. Fisher Unwin Ltd., in London, UK, 493 pages, see
pp. 351-352. The whole book “The Mahatma
Letters” is available in PDF at our websites. The pages are
the same in the TUP edition.
[4] See chapter 41 at “The Tao Teh Ching”, translated
by Lin Yutang and published in the associated websites.
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The text “The Mystery of Self-Training” was
published in the associated websites on 04 August 2019. An initial version of
it was published as part of the June 2018 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, pp. 10-11. It has no indication as to
the name of the author.
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Read the texts “Self-Discipline in Daily Life”,
“Experiencing the Yoga Aphorisms”,
“Freedom From Mind Manipulation”,
“The World War in Our Minds”, “From Ritualism to Raja Yoga”, “The Yoga-Sutra in Dvivedi’s Version”,
and “Good Sense in Approaching Raja Yoga”.
See the books “Raja Yoga or Mental Development”,
“The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali” and
“The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali”.
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