Self-knowledge,
Discipline and a Sense
of
Justice Are Central in the Art of Living
Carlos Cardoso
Aveline
* Good books on eternal topics make a nice ladder to
heaven. The substance of the highest sky, as theosophy clarifies, is in one’s
own soul.
* We live according to what we thought in the past and
also follow the lines of our present views of reality, as the Dhammapada says in
its first chapter. Life results from ideas, images and intention. The same
factors determine action. Even the way we look at the past and the future is
decided by the nature of our main goal.
* Undue accumulation of lower impressions paves the
way to paralysis, while understanding and detachment liberate one’s mind. By
renouncing to topics, worries, desires, fears and ambition, we open room in our
lives to better events and serendipity. We thus welcome clearer thoughts and
more enlightened views of the world.
* You need to get relatively far from something, to
better know it. When you live for some time abroad, you get to know your native
country in deeper ways. As you transcend your physical body, you can understand
with more accuracy the way it works; and you can educate and train it with more
effectiveness.
* The object of the effort, in esoteric philosophy, is
not to obtain verbal knowledge of sacred topics and show to others how wise and
clever one can pretend to be. The real object is to actually expand the contact
with one’s higher soul or immortal self. However, once this contact is expanded,
one rarely is seen as a sage by others. Sages are usually unseen in a
materialistic society. They are “invisible” and often become the objects of
hostility, while vain people and superficial minds can easily pose as sages.
The legend of Jesus and the lives of Blavatsky, Cagliostro, and Paracelsus
among others, give us strong lessons about that.
* For him who is free from blind impulses and
thoughtless action, wisdom is possible. There must be moderation, in order for
the pilgrim to keep due balance and perspective. Inner strength has to be
greater than the outward show of it. Peace occurs when there is order in one’s
soul, and good will to all, and a stable self-discipline.
* For self-responsible pilgrims, there is no authority
above the voice of their conscience. Leadership in theosophy is a matter of
affinity, much more than “social position”. The influence of legitimate
authority preserves and improves one’s independence and sense of duty.
* The truth-seeker fulfils his personal obligations. He
obeys to the laws of the country where he lives. He is as harmless as possible
to all. He follows his own heart and learns from his mistakes. He thinks of the
highest and the supreme. His universal view of life protects him at every step.
* The force of habit is part of the law of cycles, and
its work becomes easier to see in the realm of personal existence. The tendency
to repeat pleasing actions and not to repeat unpleasing ones soon gets strong,
especially in the lower levels of consciousness.
* As time passes, even unpleasing situations may
generate attachment. Discernment is necessary to get rid of the Causes of suffering.
* In theosophy, experiencing pleasure or pain is not
the central priority: the main point consists in choosing right action and
abandoning wrong deeds.
* The force of habit is more flexible and open to
change on higher levels of perception, due to their altruistic substance. As a
result, there is in appearance an imbalance in human constitution. Higher
energies are open to yield, while the lower ones want to prevail at any cost.
The balance of power seems to incline in favour of egocentrism. However, such
appearance of a “deficit in outward strength” on the part of generous impulses can
only deceive he who is naïve. Regardless of short term events, the only
enduring power is that of the law of justice to all, and goodness is the way to
such justice.
* Good will is not the same as a friendly passivity.
An active good will is most necessary
for the power of habit to be correctly
used.
* Self-knowledge, self-discipline and a sense of
justice are central in the art of living. Right action is like a mantra, in the
sense that it is cyclic, and it depends on a correct view of reality.
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“Thoughts Along the Road - 43” was
published as an independent text on 04 February 2020. An initial version of it, with no indication as to the
name of the author, is included in “The Aquarian Theosophist”, October 2018
edition, pp. 06-07. It must be said that
there was no “Thoughts Along the Road” in the “Aquarian” edition of September 2018.
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See other writings by Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
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