Reflections and quotes from those whose lives have been shaped by the Teaching of the Ageless Wisdom.
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Source: Battling Dark Forces, pp. 266–267
“Often those who gracefully depart become subjective friends of the group and occasionally show their gratitude in various ways. They understand how hard it is to keep the integrity of the group and how much suffering and sacrifice is needed to create a unity through which spiritual forces can have an anchorage in the three worlds of human endeavor. Leaders in esoteric groups must put their faith in those who are subjectively watching the group. We are told that any group which is formed to help humanity in various fields are very dear to the Hierarchy, because through such groups the liberation of humanity will be achieved. This is why special observers are appointed to watch the groups and protect and help them to grow in Beauty, Goodness, Righteousness, Joy, and Freedom.”
Why This Inspires:
This quote reminds me that our dedicated group members still help us in the subjective world and that inspiration and protection surround us.
Source: Challenge for Discipleship, p. 379
“Meditation proceeds in stages
In the first stage, you repeat or remember things you read or heard.
In the second stage, you try to remember real experiences.
In the third stage, you realize your ignorance.
In the fourth stage, new ideas are dropped into your mental body from your soul.
In the fifth stage, you try to analyze these ideas and build thought-currents.
In the sixth stage, you learn how to synthesize them and build thought forms for special purposes.
In the seventh stage, you create a new consciousness, a new outlook on life. You change your personality and dedicate yourself to beauty, goodness, justice, joy and freedom, for the service of humanity.”
Why This Inspires:
Gradient meditation is organic meditation. These are the steps every being experience with regular meditation.
Source: Discipleship in Action, p. 7
“Many people think that the Teaching is useful only to pass the time by listening to nice ideas and visions, by talking about the future, and how beautiful and excellent we are.
The Teaching is very deep, practical, objective, and factual. Sometimes it is very difficult to expose ourselves to the Teaching. Sometimes it is very painful.
The Teaching does not always send you to paradise. Sometimes it sends you to ‘hell’ due to your constitution, karma, and motives.”
Why This Inspires:
These are very first lines which I have read from one of a Torkom Saraydarian books which has changed my entire perception on spirituality. After reading these lines I felt that my life has started to change.
Source: Happiness, Joy & Bliss, p. 140
“The principle of joy is coming. Instead of learning through pain and suffering, we are going to learn through joy, happiness, and bliss. Those who have started studying these concepts will be the seeds of the future development of this principle in their personal life, in their families, their nations, and eventually in humanity. It is wonderful to be occupied and fused with joy so that eventually you become the distributors of this principle and change the principle of pain and suffering. This is the greatest service we can do.”
Source: New Dimensions in Healing, p.918 (2024 Edition), pp.813-814 (1st Printing)
“The spiritual path is a path full of surprises. As one tries to raise his spirit toward Beauty, Goodness, Truth, Freedom, and Joy, he notices the mobilization of a different army within himself.
Every step toward Beauty calls out from the dark caves of our being an ugly act, event, thought, or motive.
Every step toward Goodness calls out from the dark, inner corners of our being thoughts of malice and memories of harmful emotions, acts, and motives.
Every step toward Truth awakens in us seeds of lies, hypocrisy, bribery, flattery, and untruth that a long time ago were buried within us.
Every step toward Freedom evokes those impressions within us when we enjoyed the slavery of body, emotion, and thought.
Every step toward Joy restimulates hidden impressions and memories of pain, suffering, and failure.
This stage on the path of our evolution is called the “battlefield experience” in which the two armies of our nature fight. There is the army of the vision and the future, and there is the army of the past, of involution. And the human soul feels like a pendulum which goes from right to left, from left to right. As he goes to the left, he denies all the precious virtues toward which he was striving. As he goes toward the right, the forces of resurrection rejoice and his flowers unfold and bloom.”
Why This Inspires:
This quote reminds me that striving reveals our true condition and creates opportunities to heal and change.
Source: Symphony of the Zodiac, p.162
“One who loves cannot be hurt and is not touchy. Any time someone is touchy or hurt, you know that he is not perfect in his love. When one is perfect in love, no one can hurt him. He radiates love and accepts you as you are. He loves and contacts the Divinity in you. Even if a person gives you trouble, you see the positive results of what he created within you and you are thankful.”
Source: Talks on Agni, Volume 1, p.262
“The ultimate goal of the Teaching is complete self-denial. Never forget this. Complete self-denial is the aim for which you are striving.”
Source: Virtues & Values, Volume 1, p.113
“Count your blessings. When you go outside, be grateful for the fresh air, and say thank you from your heart. When I drive back here from California, and I am tired after driving like crazy for ten hours, I open the car door, and everything here is peaceful and quiet. “Wow,” I say, “how beautiful it is!” In the early morning the birds start singing in my window. I might be tired but when they come in the early morning to say hello to me, I feel so grateful.
This is what we can do. We can understand what our blessings are before it is too late, because our blessings are equal to the degree of our gratitude. This is a law. People do not know that yet.
Just count your blessings. Can you walk? Can you go to the bathroom? You know, it is a great blessing to be able to go to the bathroom. There are people who cannot go to the bathroom, cannot walk, cannot move or breathe. Go to the hospital one day and visit their rooms if you do not know what I mean.
The formula is this: The more gratitude you have toward your blessings, the more blessings will be given to you.”
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