Whether
a Daily Self-Discipline
is
Necessary in Theosophy - and Why
Carlos Cardoso
Aveline
The will and the
purpose of every truth-seeker are subject to a varying amount of pressure from
the outside world.
The resistance exerted by circumstances will be
proportional to one’s karma and to one’s goals. Obstacles depend on the
landscape of individual and collective life.
If you wish to take a simple walk around the block, a
certain level of effort is required. Obtaining a significant level of universal
wisdom is an entirely different thing and requires a persistent and organized
effort for a long time to come.
Even from an immediate point of view, if one decides to
resist the debasing pressures coming from the outside world in a materialistic
society, one must develop a certain degree of effort and self-discipline while
aiming at the highest consciousness possible.
This will be the first step to grant oneself the basic
conditions necessary to tread the path to an accurate view of life. A daily
discipline is necessary which is firm enough; and yet it must exclude blind
obedience.
The everyday discipline of the pilgrim should be based
on an attitude of humble loyalty to the voice of his own conscience. Once we know
that there are more chances of obtaining real spiritual progress in the
presence of a stable self-discipline every day, it is up to oneself to
establish how exactly it will take place.
The daily effort has some firm and fixed elements,
while other factors in it can be adapted to changing circumstances.
In restraining the desire for unnecessary things, we
gather energy and learn about detachment and independence. Renunciation paves
the way to unconditional contentment, to which one is guided by the quiet small
voice of one’s own conscience.
The living yet wordless presence of the voice of the
heart is too subtle to be clearly seen or heard. It silently brings us fresh
inspiration at any moment and circumstance.
However, while the pilgrim aims at building himself and
forming his own lower self as an aspirant to universal wisdom, he can easily
listen to a much louder voice, the voice of indulgence and laziness, which
often disguises itself as “an advocate of common sense”.[1]
Sometimes the voice of resistance and routine will
bring true facts and force us to ponder. Thanks to such an inner debate a
deeper view of life emerges. Moderation results from seeing the fact that
enthusiasm must be lived with equilibrium. Little by little progress is made.
By calmly examining the voice of resistance we can see
the dynamics of ignorance and self-defeat in our lives. We detect false
Negative Prophecies flowing in our unguarded subconscious.[2] As lower feelings of various origins are seen by a vigilant
mind, they can be replaced by correct ones. As long as we are able to observe the
difference, we can reform our selves by a continuous act of independence and
self-determination.
Thoughts and Deeds
The structure of daily discipline depends on one’s
personal relation with the teaching.
If the theory is correct and correctly understood,
there must be an adequate interaction between thoughts and deeds. There will be
many a failure in this department, of course - yet progress will be obtained as
time passes if a sincere effort is made.
Esoteric philosophy teaches a universal view of
things. An impersonal love of truth is necessary. The pilgrim must look with
detachment at his own personal behaviour. Habits have a decisive role in
everyone’s daily life. He learns to preserve his independence regarding his own
attachments and rejections. This makes it possible for him to reform his habits,
to control his impulses and to be responsible for the way he plants new karma, thus
changing his course in life for the better.
As the pilgrim does the best he can, “resistance” will
perhaps laugh at him and show self-discipline as “unnecessary”, as imperfect, as
superficial, wrong, ridiculous - and clumsy.
And the pilgrim may laugh back at “resistance” and answer
to it that a daily form of self-discipline is imperfect, yes. That it may seem
ridicule, no doubt, due to its human lack of perfection. That it is probably
clumsy, and he has no problem with that, for its fruits are not easy to see,
except when one is able to use his discernment.
If one’s daily exercise of self-discipline has an
outward layer or two of flexibility, so as to adapt itself to changing
circumstances when necessary, the inner resolution and vigilance will have to
be especially strong.
In spite of its limitations, the daily practice of
self-discipline is a central, indispensable factor in learning about the
science of life.
Students must never expect from themselves too much
elegance or perfection in their spiritual efforts. The same is valid for all
aspects of philosophical learning.
Ridicule and disqualification, among other forms of
negative energy, may come every day to a truth-seeker, sent from the blind and
ignorant outside world.
A Lasting Contentment
The obstacles that seem to render progress difficult
should be calmly examined. They contain information. They are hints that help
us understand the invisible causes of blockage in our tendency to win.
Pain helps the pilgrim go beyond routine and forces
him to open his eyes. Truth liberates us.
Deep understanding produces happiness. Impersonal
realism in looking at life paves the way to bliss, and only a clear vision
produces a lasting contentment.
In the right moment and rhythm victories will come to
the pilgrim from higher planes of reality. There is no need to speculate about
that, as it may take more than one incarnation.
A small progress every day - which looks like nothing,
but is made in the right direction -, this is what entirely depends on him. A
calm, essentially anonymous and unseen effort with unselfish intention is his
victory. And such a progress - entirely meaningless to the world and to most
people - is as decisive as it is secret. It is as powerful as it is unseen. It
is immediate, and yet, it belongs to eternal time.
NOTES:
[1] See the article “Resistance to Change in Theosophy”.
[2] Click to read “Overcoming Subconscious Negativity”.
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The above article
was published on the associated websites on 16 July 2020. An initial version of
it, with no indication as to the name of the author, is part of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, May 2019,
pp. 6 to 8.
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