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1922_02_24 The Two Paths


Jackline Spasova-Bobeva
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Беседата на български

 

from The Blossoming of the Human Soul

 

 

THE TWO PATHS

 

Year 1, Lecture 1 of the Youth Occult Class (Special Clas)

Given by the Master Beinsa Douno

on February 24, 1922, Sofia

 

 

 

What is the main intent of the students entering school? They want to become a learned scientist, to attain knowledge, cultivate what is invested in their souls, minds, and hearts. And after they attain knowledge and develop their talents and abilities, they should also preserve them. For this purpose, good soil is needed for every thought falling in it, so that it may bear fruit. Therefore, as disciples, you also want to study and engage with science. What is to be understood by the word “science”? If we consider the meaning of the letters used to write this word in Latin and some Slavic languages, we see two different concepts hidden behind it. From the combination of the Cyrillic letters in the word “science” it can be seen that the Slavic people search in science for some method of reconciliation of the contradictions in life.

 

Yet, the spelling of the Latin word scientia used by the Anglo-Saxon nations for the notion of knowledge and science, shows that they focus on studying the relationships between the various material forms and the eternal changes occurring in Living Nature. The first letter “s” in the word scientia means “infinity.” Therefore, from an esoteric point of view, science can be studied either in order discover a method of reconciling the contradictions in life, or in order to find out a way of using the forces of Nature.

 

However, someone who studies science only for the purpose of manipulating natural forces may encounter a big danger hidden in the possibility of a spiritual ego appearing in that person. If they begin to see themselves as superior to others and acquire an inflated image of themselves, they say, “I am in command of powers, which I can use at my will.” Therefore, there are two categories of people. In the first one, people have a sense of superiority and the belief that they can achieve anything, that they possess considerable knowledge, and so on. Others, like the Slavs for example, search methods for resolv- ing the conflicts in life, meanwhile healing the pain in their hearts. In this respect, the Slavs are closer to Truth. So, if you wish to study esoteric science, you should, first of all, come to know yourselves. Socrates said, “Know yourself!” What is the meaning of these words? What should you know about yourselves? Do you need to know the Sublime or the basic? “To know yourself” implies coming to know the Sublime or the Divine within you; in other words, coming to know God in your inner self. When you come to know God from within, you will be able to recognize the conditions which can contribute to your spiritual growth and development and you will make the right choices. These choices give direction to your growth and development on the one hand, and on the other hand bring balance to the forces acting and operating in you. Imagine an evolving person with a well-developed mind and heart - all expect him to realize his potential. But one day something unexpected happens to him and his physical form is destroyed; nothing remains of it. What is the cause of this misfortune? The cause is the Creator who has made this form. Many people would say it was his destiny. When a potter makes a warped or a poorly-fired pot, whose fault is it? The potter himself is at fault. What does he do with such a pot? He breaks it apart, mixes it into slurry and makes a new pot - better fired this time, more beautiful and solid. Therefore, the Sublime always shatters the form of what is lowly and remakes it, sculpting it so that a more beautiful and perfect form is made. What else could be done with the failure pots, but to shatter them in order to remake and transform them into new ones - more durable and perfected?

 

Often the young think of themselves as being smarter than the old people and say, “The old folks have outlived their time. We will show them how they should live.” And yet, these old people said exactly the same at one time. After them, come the young who do not approve of their lifestyle and think that they can set it right. They, too, will grow old without having set their own lives right. And so, one after the other, the young generations who desire to show the old people how to live, take their turn but do not succeed. Why? It is because they too, like the old people, use the same old methods. I say: Old methods cannot resolve the fundamental issues of Life. The young need to guard themselves against repeating the weaknesses of the old. May they learn from their experience and see what they missed so that their life has become unsuccessful. There are many serious reasons for the failure of the older generation. They represent an entire history that needs to be studied.

 

Now, I am going to give you a topic which all should think about. It is about the best method for work. I would like everyone to make a decision about what the most mindful method for work is. Esoteric science is based upon experience and for this reason, knowledge is valuable only when it can be applied in Life. It is exactly what determines your place as disciples. When a student wants to enter a school of music to study playing the violin, he is given an instrument to play and from the way he performs, it is determined which class to join. If the student proves to be mediocre, the professor advises him to apply to another school and not waste his time.

 

In one of my next lectures, I am going to speak about the conscious relationships between human beings and Living Nature. But first, you should make a presentation on the following topic: “The most efficient and mindful method of spiritual work.” It is a privilege for people to express opinion on a given topic: it is an extraordinary occasion. From an esoteric point of view, the best method is the one which can be applied in real life. If a given method is not applicable, it leads astray and diverts from the purpose of one’s work, not bringing any effective results. You are not all at the same level of development, so every one of you will propose their individual specific methods for work which are applicable to their life.

 

Some of you are materialistic idealists, giving preference to material achievements in life; while others are idealistic materialists, giving preference to ideas. This is the main difference between all people. Idealists state that ideas create everything. Which ideas do they mean? They are not speaking about their own ideas, of course. There are ideas higher than the human ones. These are the ideas coming from the Great Divine Source.

 

And so, in this School, you will learn how to use the methods applied by Nature. As flowers utilize the rays of the Sun, you too need to utilize the forces of Living Nature. Then you will be able to fulfill whatever purpose you were born for. This Law has an application in the human body as well. Each organ of the human organism has a specific service. For example: legs walk and also carry the whole body weight; arms work: they grip, lift, and move various loads; eyes see, ears hear, and so on. Therefore, every organ in the human body has a specific function. In this respect, every human being represents a special part of Nature’s all-inclusive organism and, as such, it needs to fulfill its function. Those who find their proper place in Nature and understand their purpose in life, will be able to perform their mission as part of the Great Divine Organ.

 

Now, as students in this School, you can raise some questions which are of interest for you. But you can also raise questions which are related to your needs. For example, what is the main concern of a hungry person? Bread! A hungry person wants to know what kind of bread will be given to him: warm or cold, fresh or moldy.

 

If you are determined to create something of enduring value within yourselves, you must apply the same Law with respect to knowledge. As young people, you should not re-peat the mistakes of that gypsy who ate some grape leaves as a first meal followed by some bread and cheese. He went to the vineyard to work and took with him a bag with some bread and cheese for breakfast. After working for a while, he felt great hunger. He looked at the bread and cheese and concluded that it would not be sufficient to satisfy his hunger. So he picked some grape leaves and started eating them. Finally he ate the bread and cheese and told himself, “This was an excellent lunch.” No, I do not advise you to gulp first some grape leaves and then to nibble a little on esoteric knowledge. Beware of this mistake! No mistakes are permitted in spiritual work. If you make a mistake - correct it. The crime lies not in you making a mistake, but in leaving your mistake uncorrected. As soon as you become aware of it, correct it. If a negative thought comes to your mind, there is nothing bad about it. Yet, this negative thought needs to be transformed. The striving of your mind, heart, and will should be directed toward the correction of your mistakes. In this way only you will build up a character that you can always rely on.

 

Now, you should keep in mind the following: when students enter school, the teacher is friendly and attentive to them at the beginning. The further they progress in their studies and the more difficult the material becomes, the more demanding the teacher becomes, especially toward those who do not study well. It means that the teacher changes his attitude toward the students who do not make efforts to study.

 

The first thing that is required of a student is to be capable of studying. Therefore, you too need to learn and study very seriously indeed. Each science has its principles, which must be learnt and observed. Self-control is required of the young: not superficial, external, but real self-control. There are two kinds of self-control. The first one is external and superficial - whereby one’s inner balance is always disrupted. The other one is inner and deep - whereby one’s inner balance is always preserved.

 

I will give you an example of external self-control. A young man became engaged to a beautiful young woman who seemed to have a good heart and a good deal of self-control in her actions. Often he boasted about his fiancée to friends. One day he brought a friend on a visit to his fiancée’s home and introduced her to him. They sat and conversed for a while. Then the fiancée brought a tray with glasses of water and jam as a treat. The young man purposely tripped his fiancée to see her reaction in this situation: she dropped the tray, everything fell down - the jam and the water spilled onto the floor. The fiancée kept total self-control and presence of mind saying, “It is okay.” Calmly, she bent down and collected the glasses, wiped up the water and went out of the room. The young man turned to his friend and said, “She is an example of self-control and a noble character. She is the ideal young woman.” Yet, after the marriage, things did not go as he had expected. Once he asked her, “Where has your self-control gone?” She replied, “You should have gone to the other room to see what was going on in there. Only the timber of the furniture could tell you how angry I was!”

 

I say: This is not true self-control. Someone wants to open the window. He pushes it, but it does not budge. He pushes it for a second and third time, but it still does not open. He begins to get agitated and angry, so he pushes it even harder, as if it is the window’s fault. First of all, the window is not conscious and cannot understand that someone is irritated with it. You can say the same about esoteric forces. Some of them are forces of awareness, of reason, and others are only partly so. Saying that certain forces are forces of awareness means that they move in the same direction as us. By contrast, forces lacking awareness move in a direction opposite to ours. Therefore, everyone needs to know if a given force is in accordance with their individual development. In the same way, you should observe whether your thoughts, feelings, and actions keep in accordance with your development. Whenever you are aware of a certain thought or feeling, immediately check it and decide where to place it: left or right. Disciples need to learn how to sort things out by knowing the exact place of each of their thoughts, feelings, and actions. In this respect, some will succeed 25, 50, 75 percent of the time, but the most successful will do it all the time. The spiritual student should work to gradually increase this percentage and not to fall into error and delusion.

 

And so, after each lesson, we will proceed with the experiments; that is to say, after each lesson you will be tested - not only theoretically but practically as well. All theoretical knowledge needs to be applied in life where it will be further developed and tested. Those who want to study esoteric sciences should know that they will be subjected to certain tests and trials, which they should pass well. You would say, “We have difficulties anyway.” Yes, but now you will understand their meaning and purpose. When you understand their meaning, you will be able to use them as methods of healing. For example, someone complains of pains in different parts of his body: his hands and feet hurt, his head and back hurt, his stomach is upset too. So, the Invisible World will create from all these smaller aches one bigger pain in order to direct his mind to it and make him start the healing process. Thus he will forget about the small pains and begin working intensely in one direction. This means that the greater hardship directs one’s energy toward one center. Otherwise, a dissipation or scattering of one’s energy and concentration occurs. Nature acts in the same way. She creates a great pain for someone, within which all is healed. But you have not yet come to the “great pains.”

 

When you reflect upon the topic that I have assigned to you, write as little as possible, only about the essence of the idea. Each one of you will decide for himself what the best method for work is. It is of no importance for you what scientists have said on this subject. Sometimes it will correspond to your understanding, to your nature; but  other times it won't. It is important to align your work not with the methods of ordinary scientists, but with the methods of Living Nature. Only in this manner will you work your way toward the essential principles of Life. Each one should apply these principles, each one should work with an individualized method. It depends on your conscientiousness, dedication to work, and your deep desire to achieve something valuable.

 

Many will say that they lack the favorable conditions for work. In this respect, the Americans set an example. In America, there are college and university students, who engage to work in kitchens, in various offices as servants in order to finish their college or university studies. It is good to have favorable conditions in life, but any conditions should be utilized mindfully. Even in the most difficult conditions, one can spend at least 10–15 minutes reading and studying. What hinders a housewife from focusing her mind on the Divine while she is chopping onions or cooking a meal? Both bad and good situations are set up for the purpose of placing the spiritual students in the position to cope with various difficulties. Only in this way they can grow and develop rightly.

Edited by Viktoriya
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  • 2 years later...

Беседата на български

 

Note 4 p

 

THE TWO PATHS

 

Lecture 1 of the Youth Occult Class

Given by the Master Beinsa Douno

February 24, 1922, Sofia

 

 

 

Secret Prayer

 

What is the main idea of students entering into school? – Students want to be educated, to acquire knowledge, to develop what is lodged into their souls, minds and hearts. And after they have acquired knowledge and have developed their talents and abilities, they are obliged to preserve them. Good soil is required for this, so that every thought falling into it, may bear fruit.

 

You also want to study like students and to deal with science, but do you know the meaning of the word “science”? If we consider the letters of this word, written in Latin and in some of the Slavic languages, we see two different notions hidden in the spelling. The letter combination of the word written in the Slavic languages indicates that in science the Slavs seek a method of balancing contradictions in Life. The Anglo-Saxon society, however, uses the Latin word “scientia” to mark the notion of “knowledge”, ”science” and [A1] the letter configuration indicates that it is interested in studying the relations between the different forms and the continuous changes taking place in the Living Nature. The first letter “s” in the word “scientia” designates infinity. Consequently, from an esoteric point of view, you can study science with the purpose either to find a method, assisting you in reconciling contradictions in Life or to find a way of using the forces of Nature. Those who deal with science in order to make use of the natural forces are submitted to a big danger. The danger is hidden in the appearance of the sacred egoism in them. They may place themselves higher than others by obtaining authority in their own eyes, so they will say, ‘We dispose with powers, which we can use as we wish.’

 

There are two categories of people: people who have strong personal feelings and self-confidence: they think that they can do everything, that they know many things, etc. However, the other category of people like the Slavs for example, seek a method of balancing the contradictions in their lives and of healing the pains of their hearts at the same time. The Slavs are closer to the Truth in this aspect.

 

If you want to deal with the spiritual science, you should study your inner self first. Socrates said: “Know yourself!” What does it mean? What should you know – the Higher or the lower self in you? To know yourself means to know the Higher Self or the Divine Source in you. In other words, to know God in you. Once you know God in you, you will be aware of the conditions, in which you can grow and develop properly; the conditions, which give direction to your growth and development and which also balance the forces operating in you. Take a person who is living well, whose mind and heart are developing properly, so everyone expects from him to become an important person. But all of a sudden an accident happens to him, completely destroying his form. What is the reason for this misfortune? The reason is in the artisan who made this form. Many will say that such was the fate of this person. If a potter has made a tilted, half-baked pot, who is to be blamed? – The potter alone. What could he do then? – He will break the pot into pieces, knead it in slurry and make a new pot, but this time the pot will be better, firmer and well-baked. Consequently, when the High Source smashes the low forms, remaking and remodeling them, it gets out of them more beautiful, more perfect forms. What else could be done with the pots, which are not well carved, except to destroy them, so that they could be remade and moulded into new, more resistant and perfect forms?

 

Young people often think that they are wiser than old people, so they say about them, ‘Their time is over, we will show them how to live now.’ However, the present-day old people said exactly the same in the past. And young people at that time did not approve of their way of living thinking that they could improve it. But they also grew old without correcting their ways. Thus young generations go one after another, trying without any success to show old people how to live properly. Why do they fail? - Because they use the same old methods like the old people. I say, the fundamental tasks in Life cannot be solved by means of using old methods. Young people should try not to repeat the errors of old people. They are to learn from their experience and see their omissions that hamper them in Life. The reasons for their failures are numerous and profound. They present an entire history that should be studied and researched.

 

I will give you a topic to think on. It is the following: "The Most Rational Method for Work" . Each one of you should reflect on the most rational method for oneself. The spiritual science is based on experience; knowledge is valuable only when it is applied in Life. It is the application that determines your position as disciples. When one wants to study violin at musical school, one is tested on violin playing and, depending on the results, one is put in a certain class. If that student turns out to be mediocre, the violin professor will advise him to enroll in another school, so that he may not waste his own time.

 

In one of my next lectures I will speak about the intelligent relationship between humanity and Living Nature. But before that you are supposed to state openly your opinion on the topic: “The Best Method or the Most Rational Method for Work.” It is a privilege, an extraordinary occasion for you to speak openly on a given topic. From an esoteric point of view, the best method is the one that is applicable in real Life. If a given method cannot be applied, it leads you astray from your goal; it brings you somewhere far away from your aim without any real results for you. Since you are not at one and the same level of development, each one will present a specific method for work, which is applicable in one’s own life. Some of you are first materialists, then idealists: they give priority to the material in Life; others are first idealists, then materialists: they give priority to ideas. This is the main difference between people. Idealists say that ideas create everything. What ideas do they have in consideration? Certainly, they do not consider their own ideas. There are ideas of a higher order than the human ones. These ideas come from the Infinite Divine Source.

 

So, you should learn in this School to apply the methods of Nature. You should use the forces of Living Nature in the same way as flowers use sunrays. Then you will be able to fulfil what you were born for. This law also has an application to the human body. Each organ of the human organism has a specific function. For example, legs walk and at the same time carry the total weight of the body; hands work catching, lifting and carrying different things; eyes see; ears hear, etc. Consequently, each organ executes a specific function in the human body. In this aspect, every human being presents a special organ in the common organism of Nature and has a specific function. Those who have found their place in Nature and have realized their destination can properly fulfil their function as organs of the great Divine organism.

 

You are disciples in this School and may raise questions that you consider important. You may raise for example some questions concerning your needs. What is a hungry person interested in? - Bread. A hungry person wants to know everything about the bread he will eat: whether it is warm or cold, fresh or mouldy. If you want to create a solid foundation in you, you should apply the same law to knowledge. You, who are young, should not repeat the mistake of that Gypsy man, who ate first vine leaves to his fill and then some bread and cheese. He went to the vineyard to work there and took some bread and a piece of cheese in his bag for breakfast. After some work he got very hungry. He looked at the bread and the cheese and saw that it would hardly satisfy his hunger. So he picked some vine leaves and started eating them. After that he also ate the bread and the cheese and said, ‘Excellent lunch!’ No, I do not advise you first to swallow the vine leaves and then to have a bite of esoteric knowledge. Be cautious to avoid this mistake! No mistakes are allowed in your work. If you make a mistake, correct it! It is not a crime that you have admitted some mistakes, but that you leave them uncorrected. When you realize a mistake of yours, correct it. There is nothing criminal in some bad thoughts passing through your mind, but each distorted thought of yours should be rectified. The efforts of your minds, hearts and wills should be directed to the correction of your mistakes. Only in this way you will create reliable characters.

 

You should also consider the following thing: when students enter the school, the teacher is kind and attentive to them in the beginning. The more they learn and the harder the material gets, the teacher’s requirements to them increases and especially to those ones who do not study enough. So, the teacher changes his attitude towards the students who do not make an effort. The first obligation of disciples is to study. So, you too must study and what is more, study seriously. Each science has its own rules that should be known and observed. Self-control is demanded from you as young people - not fictitious, external, but real self-control. There are two types of self-control: outside[A2] , fictitious self-control, when your inner balance is usually disturbed; and inner, profound self-control, when your balance has never been broken.

 

I will give you an example for outside[A3]  self-control. A young man got engaged to a beautiful, young woman who was noble and self-controlled. He often praised her to his friends. One day he invited a friend to her place to introduce her. They sat and talked for a while. Then the fiancée brought a tray with glasses of water and sweets to treat them. The young man tripped her on purpose in order to see her reaction. As she held the tray, everything fell on the ground, the sweets and the water scattered on the floor. The fiancée kept full self-control and said, ‘It is all right!’ She calmly bent down, gathered the glasses, wiped up the water and went into the other room. The young man turned to his friends and said, ‘This is self-control and nobleness of character! This is an ideal woman!’ However, when they got married, things did not go the way he thought. Once he asked her, ‘Where did your self-control go?’- ‘You had to enter the other room to see what happened there. Only the wood of the table could tell you how hard I had chewed it!’

 

I say, this is not real self-control. Someone wants to open the window: he pulls it, but it does not open; he pulls it a second, a third time - it does not open again. He gets nervous, angry and starts pulling it harder and harder, as if the window is guilty about something. First of all, the window is not conscious, it cannot understand if one is irritated. The same is true for the esoteric forces: some of them are conscious and intelligent, others are half-conscious and unreasonable. When I say that some forces are intelligent, it means that they have the same direction of movement as ours. The unconscious forces go in the opposite direction. Consequently, each one of you should know if a given force goes in compliance with one’s own development or in opposition. In the same way you should consider if your thoughts, feelings and actions go in line with your development or not. When you come across some thought or feeling, you should immediately look into it to decide where to put it - to the left or to the right. Disciples should know how to sort out and where to put each one of their thoughts, feelings and actions. Some disciples will succeed in this activity twenty-five percent, others - fifty percent, the third ones - seventy-five and the most capable – a hundred percent. Disciples should work to gradually increase this percentage, so that they can avoid mistakes and disappointments.

 

So, we will make experiences[A4]  after each lesson. This means that you will be put on an exam [A5] after each taught lesson: not only theoretical, but also practical exams. All theoretical knowledge is to be applied in Life, where it should be developed and tested. Whoever wants to deal with esotericism should know that he/she will be submitted to certain trials and tests, which should be solved successfully. You say, ‘We have difficulties anyway.’ Yes, but this time you will realize the meaning of these difficulties. And realizing it, you will be able to use them as healing methods. E.g., if you complain of pains all over your body: in your hands and legs, in your backbone, if you have a headache and your stomach is upset,. from all these pains the Invisible World will create just one pain, but a bigger one, so that you will direct your full attention to it. This big pain will make you heal yourself properly. You will forget about the small pains and will start working intensively in one direction. So, great difficulties unite the human forces into one focus. Otherwise, there is an energya dispersion of energy and the forces in man are scattered. Nature acts in the same way. She will create one big pain for you, and through it everything else will be healed. But you have not come to the big pains yet.

 

After a reflection on the topic, which I gave you, you should write as concisely as possible: only on the core of the idea. Each one of you is to write about his personal method for work. What have written scientists have written on this theme is not so important for you; it could correspond to your understanding or not. What is important for you is to tune your work to the methods of the Intelligent Nature, not to the methods of ordinary scientists. Only in this way you will get the common principles of Life. So, each one of you will work and apply the method which is the best known and is the most specific for him. It depends on your awareness, your sincerity in work and your deep striving for a valuable achievement. Many of you will say that they do not have good conditions for work. The Americans are leading in this aspect. In America you will meet students who work in kitchens and offices to afford pay their school or university studies. It is good when favourable conditions are available in Life, but all conditions could be reasonably used. Even in the hardest conditions, you may find ten or fifteen minutes for reading and self-education. What hampers a housewife to read something, while she is cutting onion and cooking? Both good and bad conditions have the purpose to put a disciple into position to overcome difficulties. Only thus you can grow up and develop in the right way.

 

 [A1]This seems a bit confusing, consider – “knowledge” and “science”, and the…

 [A2]outer

 [A3]outer

 [A4]experiments

 [A5]have an examination

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  • 4 weeks later...

Редакция на форматиране, термин 'ученик' и правописни грешки (излишни тирета появили се вероятно при прехвърляне от друга текстообработваща програма).

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