Each Pilgrim Must Free Himself From
The Ignorance of His Own Lower Self
* Ethan Hawke writes in a thoughtful little book on knighthood:
* “There is only one thing for which a knight has no patience: injustice. Every true knight fights for human dignity at all times.”
* A few paragraphs later, Ethan adds:
* “A knight sets out to illuminate the darkness in society, not from its leaves but from its roots. This is how justice will be realized. Find the source.” [1]
* In other words, one’s energies must not be misused. And a Master of the Wisdom writes in one of his Letters:
* “Courage then, you all, who would be warriors of the one divine Verity; keep on boldly and confidently; husband your moral strength not wasting it upon trifles but keeping it against great occasions…”. [2]
* The adversaries are mainly within. Each pilgrim must free himself from the ignorance of his own lower self. He has to transcend the power of his outward personality, at least in the significant aspects and moments of his life, thus getting fundamentally free from blind automatisms. Classic Stoicism has something to say about the training of one’s lower self and its habits.
A Few Words From Epictetus
* “Freedom”, says Epictetus, “is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control. We cannot have a light heart if our minds are a woeful cauldron of fear and ambition.” And he proceeds:
* “Do you wish to be invincible? Then don’t enter into combat with what you have no real control over. Your happiness depends on three things, all of which are within your power: your will, your ideas concerning the events in which you are involved, and the use you make of your ideas. Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions. Vigilantly practice indifference to external conditions. Your happiness can only be found within.” [3]
* On the same page, the philosopher invites us to look at life from a realistic point of view:
* “How easily dazzled and deceived we are by eloquence, job title, degrees, high honors, fancy possessions, expensive clothing, or a suave demeanor. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that celebrities, public figures, political leaders, the wealthy, or people with great intellectual or artistic gifts are necessarily happy. To do so is to be bewildered by appearances and will only make you doubt yourself. Remember: The real essence of good is found only within things under your own control. If you keep this in mind, you won’t find yourself feeling falsely envious or forlorn, pitifully comparing yourself and your accomplishments to others. Stop aspiring to be anyone other than your own best self: for that does fall within your control.”
NOTES:
[1] “Rules for a Knight”, by Ethan Hawke, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, U.S.A., thirteenth printing, June 2024, 177 pages, see p. 83 (first quotation) and p. 85.
[2] “The Mahatma Letters”, Letter LV (55), page 322.
[3] “The Art of Living”, by Epictetus, a new interpretation by Sharon Lebell, the classic manual on virtue, happiness and effectiveness. HarperSanFrancisco, HarperCollinsPublishers, 1995, 114 pp., see p. 26.
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The article “Thoughts Along the Road - 84” was published on the websites of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists on 14 May 2025. An initial version of it is part of the July 2022 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, pp. 16-17.
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Print the texts you study from the websites of the Independent Lodge. Reading on paper helps us attain a deeper view of philosophical texts. When studying a printed text, the reader can underline sentences and make handwritten comments in the margins that link the ideas to his personal reality.
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Helena Blavatsky (photo) wrote these words: “Deserve, then desire”.
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