1924_03_02 Moral Aspirations and Moral Principles. The Significance of Fractions

[Ani]

Note 2p 

Moral Aspirations and Moral Principles

 

The Significance of Fractions

 

 

 

20^th lecture given by the Master to the Youth Occult Class

 

2^nd, March, 1924, Sofia

 

 

A secret prayer

 

- Only the light way to Wisdom leads to Truth.

 

- It can give us constant Mirth and Joy.

 

 

A summary on the topic: “The distinctive features of the moral person” was read.

 

There is another drawing of the moral person on the blackboard.

 

Do you have a clear notion of at least one distinctive feature of the moral person? (- He should have a clear fixed look.) The one in the drawing has the look of a dreamer. Does this type appeal to you all? What impression does he make on you? What look can you define as steady and fixed? – A look that bears in itself just one thought, namely the Divine one. Can the look be established from the outside? The gaze may be steady, but you cannot see whether the mind is divided or not. These are subjective, abstract concepts. You cannot see this; it is based on assumption. (- Isn’t it true that the way we look expresses everything?) Yet there are people who are so subtle that they can deceive you without raising the slightest doubt in you. For instance, an actor, who wants to present the moral type to you, studies the type for a long time, until finally he is capable of passing himself off as the moral type, while he is far from being such. All types have a certain expression and movement of the eyes, so actors in order to present them on the stage, study the minutest details. If an actor wants to act out a dying man, he studies the part as it is in real life. If he wants to present a miser or some other dishonest fellow, he studies the subtleties.

 

Studying the human character presents the same danger as studying the organic and pathological cases round the physiognomy. When one is in touch with something contagious, he might get infected, so one needs to take all safety precautions. You are studying a moral type and you say, “Let me see whether I have these features.” You search and search until you say, “Well I don’t have such.” This is how infection comes along the opposite way and you say, “I’m not a moral person.” It does not mean that you are not a moral person. The point is that you haven’t cultivated these features yet. There are complete types and such that are still projected.

 

It is essential for you to differentiate between moral aspiration and a moral principle. For instance, if we look at the drawing, another element prevails, namely the mental one. By the way the forehead is drawn we can recognise a person who is highly imaginative; the pointed chin suggests a perceptive mind. The eyes are suggestive of a sensual person, who needs all his will to keep his temper. I can see the efforts he is making to restrain himself. The way you have drawn him speaks of great ambition and touchiness hidden behind the moral sense. Also, this is the image of a young person in his early twenties; a moral type needs to be at least in his early thirties. From a purely Occult perspective, the bodies through which he functions should already be formed. This person here is only in his Mental body and the Causal body is not touched yet.

 

 

Fig. 1

 

Imagine that the only supporting point of the triangle is point Д. Is there a moral principle in it? (– No, there isn’t.) Under what conditions can it stand? (- If some weights are suspended on its sides.) Yes, it will be able to withstand if the weights a and b are suspended. The same law can be applied to one’s chin. If the chin is excessively pointed, the nose is doomed to overcome heaps of difficulties. Let us assume that the triangle is alive and is poised – it does not fall; does this balance present any stability? The two weights help the triangle stand. These two weights can stand for his strength and his wealth, which make him stable, but there comes a day when he grows old and loses his strength and wealth. What then? Will the triangle stand? (-No) Then the will shall be unstable.

 

Furthermore, the dent under the lower lip is too big. The nose, too, the way it is drawn is pertaining of a biting horse. These two features are typical of a quarrelsome personality – horses that tend to bite have similar features. People who tend to make caustic, ribald remarks form such features. The eyebrows of the moral type cannot be so long and arched downward – the eyebrows should not go lower than the ear. In addition, the forehead is drawn too wide and clear, which corresponds to the honest, straightforward type. Such a forehead can belong to a just and fair person, but it does not mean that the person possesses moral principles. That is not the type that can withstand all possible difficulties unwaveringly – he might be able to do that up to a point, but not to the end. These are the impressions from the geometric lines. The results will be in accordance with their calculations. The ears of the moral type should be of the same length as the eyebrows and the nose. Generally, the way the eyebrows are structured in this case shows that this type will advance up to a point in his life, but then the energies will descend. The eyebrows, arching downward, are a sign of ageing. It means that with such a person there comes an abrupt change in his thoughts and aspirations after his late thirties and early forties. All these changes won’t come about willingly. What do slanting eyebrows suggest?

 

How do you find the lips – are they equally full? The lower lip is thicker, which indicates that in some cases the person tends to be more passive than active. While in the moral, or rather the ideal type, we expect the energies to be equally balanced, acting evenly – uniformly switching from passivity to activity. In our case here, the person will tend to be more passive. All centres in the brain participate in structuring the nose. The lungs participate, too – when breathing is correct, the nose is well structured. If hope is not properly cultivated, one starts developing a pessimistic attitude, which affects the nose – it becomes pointed, as a result senses are altered. Such a person develops a rapacious attitude towards himself; he becomes self-deprecating and self-erasing. Such an attitude can be aimed at the self at first, but then it can be transferred towards others, irrespective of the reasons. This image here does not have the two lines around the nose. The lines on the forehead are missing, too. It is a different matter if we examined the skull of a deceased man, but even then there would be some lines on the skull.

 

The skull and the bones of the intellectual type differ from those of the non-intellectual one. Similarly, the skull of the moral type differs from the skull of the immoral one. If studied through a magnifying glass, they differ. That is because certain features leave their imprint on the skull. The skull is constantly changing throughout one’s development. This happens at an advanced age, too. At an old age the upper part of the head changes more: the forehead develops in one’s thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties; from then on the moral senses grow, but only if one develops properly. If one does not develop properly, he might start behaving childishly and whimsically. He might start repeating everything he used to like and know without learning anything new.

 

If you intend to make the lofty type, you should take care that your nose will not become too pointed at the top or too narrow. Mind that ideas exert influence on the whole organism. Each idea has a particular influence not only on the consciousness of the spiritual person, but also on the various organs. If you grow extremely pessimistic and displeased with life, when you reach the utmost limit, your nose will become as narrow and pointed as a beak. A wide nose is far more preferable. Do you know why? A wide, floatable river is far better than a small puddle, which even ants can cross. Then, if feelings get distorted, one’s eyes start sinking; if one gets rougher, the eyes start bulging – it happens when one tends to become aggressive. Goggle eyes can be indicative of positive features as well – such people are extremely talkative. The frog has such eyes, that’s why it keeps chatting in the marsh for four months – it does not remain silent day or night – that is a talk[A1] . From a purely phrenological point of view the speech centre with frogs is well developed. So their eyes are bulging out.

 

You all have an idea of the lofty type to aspire after. Your ideas may differ, but you should all start working for its fulfillment. If asked what your most important job in this life is, what would you answer? – The task of prime importance is the highest summit in your life, while everything else should be centred round it. What is this job? (-To study)

 

Let us assume that there is a tree, tall and spindly like a poplar. If asked why the tree is so tall, what would you answer? If you go to a pinewood, or a beech wood, you will notice that trees compete to grow high. Why? The surrounding conditions are limiting, which breeds the ambition to compete. When they grow high, they can enjoy the sunlight freely, which already encourages them to extend. Therefore, if a tree is spindly, it shows that the environment was rather restraining, while if a tree is thick, we can draw the conclusion that the tree has grown alone for generations on end. It never aspired to grow in height, because there was nothing to stop the sunrays. On the other hand, as there was nothing to protect it from stormy winds, it had to grow thick enough to withstand them. Sometimes the human mind is perfect – it soars like а poplar, but if left alone, it can be snapped in the gales. Then it needs to build up a moral principle. Some people acting on their own, without any outside support, have developed a sturdiness of the character such as the sturdiness of the oak.

 

You studied fractions at high school, didn’t you? I am going to examine the fractions 1/5, 2/5, 3/5 and 4/5. What does the fraction 1/5 show? (- It shows that an integer is divided into five equal parts and just one part is taken from these five parts.) Imagine now that 5 is a living number. Imagine that the five parts are the five senses. So, I take one fifth of the senses. Which is this sense? Which is the primary sense? (- Touch). Then what will one’s life be? - It will be like the life of a microbe, moving in water only and having a very simple life. Which sense does the fraction 2/5 stand for? (-Taste, then comes smell, and finally hearing and sight)

 

Then 2/5 stands for taste, 3/5 for smell, 4/5 for hearing, and 5/5 for sight. The numerator 4 in the fraction 4/5 indicates only the conditions under which a creature can exist independently, or 4/5 shows that this creature can utilise only 4/5 of the conditions, the other 1/5 remaining unutilised. Finally, we could consider 5/5 = 1, couldn’t we? Yet you should remember that a human being cannot make full use of the conditions under the present circumstances here on Earth. The whole cannot be completed, i.e. one cannot achieve his ideal. The ideal is the entity. However, it cannot be achieved; therefore we deal with fractions in our lifetime. Mentally and morally, our aspirations are always common fractions; our achievements are common fractions as well. Let us assume that with all your knowledge you have achieved a result of only 1/5. What do you make out of it? A person with a score of 1/5 has a merely materialistic way of life. What does a result of 2/5 mean? – Some social awareness has been raised in such a person - he is able to communicate with some people. A person with a score of 4/5 can be a priest, but that is the most he will have made of it. Modern people who have reached a score of 4/5 say, “Nothing more can be accomplished under the present conditions.” Imagine now that these fractions had different numerators and denominators – for instance, 1/5, 2/6, 3/7, 4/8, etc. What do these fractions mean? These are your living conditions.

 

Now you are acquainted with the rule you should apply when adding and subtracting fractions. (- We should reduce them to a common denominator.) What can reducing to a common denominator be compared with? - Simplifying Life. Simplifying Life can be recognised by receiving a common blessing. In living mathematics, when you reduce all factors to the same denominator, you feel a kind of inner balance and the comforting thought of a job well done. Assume that you want to finish high school; you believe you will achieve your objective in your first, second and third year, but in your last year you say, “I have had enough knowledge.” You lose motivation, then you find it again – you undergo some inner conflict. Do you think that you have a common denominator? – No, you haven’t. So, the idea of finishing school should be overmastering, despite all circumstances. The same refers to the moral aspect: if you want to acquire a moral feature, you should be committed to it. If you make a promise, you shouldn’t break it. By giving a word I do not mean ordinary words, but such that bear some moral validity.

 

Tell me now, what is the common denominator of the fractions: 1/5, 2/6, 3/7 and 4/8. It is 840. If we add the numbers 8 and 4, it makes 12. The number 12 indicates that the conditions are improving. However, if the denominator is 15, it presents a danger – it is the number of illusions. Then we will have the fraction 12/15. Living Nature always helps reasonable creatures by using numbers. For example, you might decide to do some work on Monday or Tuesday. Nature, however, will put some obstacle in the way so that you cannot start your work on Monday. A few days ago someone came to me and asked me whether he should set off on a trip on Monday. I told him, “Don’t!” I did not explain why he shouldn’t. I just told him, “Don’t leave on Monday! Leave on Tuesday!” Later he understood why it was crucial for him to put off his journey – the train he was going to take had an accident. One who understands the law will make some calculations and say, “Today, I am not going to make a step, not even if I am expected in ten different places.” A day more will not make you fall behind schedule. You’d better set off when you are destined to. You say, “I am coming to your place tomorrow.” Did you estimate this? – No you didn’t. How do you know then? You might not come tomorrow. Don’t make a promise, because you might have to apologise later. Slow down, do not rush – see whether you will really be able to do something tomorrow; it might not be a good day for you to go anywhere.

 

You should be extremely careful when dealing with Nature. It likes it when its children are sensible enough to listen to it. If you fail to listen, it will tell you off. You might take the train, but there will be an accident – it will throw you off a carriage and you may get away with a broken rib or with a few bruises and scratches. Yet if you listen to Nature you won’t be thrown out of the window. So, when we speak of Reasonable Life, we mean that everything is prearranged. The days on which we are supposed to work are set, some of them being well matched. The same refers to school. Most of you cannot finish it on time. Some have started too early, others too late, as a result some difficulties arise. You should be very sensible to overcome difficulties. The solutions can come ready for you, but, generally, it takes long to study things, as well as unconditional faith is required. Are you clear about what unconditional faith is?

 

I would like to make a small observation: you may combine the numbers 9 and 4 in the material world, but it is impossible to do this in the Spiritual world. The combination is practically non-existent there – such is the law. Why? I will tell you: can the son be elder than the father? No, he cannot. The number 9 is the son, and the number 4 is the father. Consequently, the number 94 is for the material world, and the number 49 is for the Spiritual world. The sum of both figures makes 13. Of course would it be the same if you had 49 and 94 levs? – No, it wouldn’t. Yet I tell you that the number 49 is bigger than 94. You will say, “How can it be so?” Well, the answer is very simple - 94 is in notes, while 49 is in gold. Each number hides an inner possibility. The external aspect of the number 94 shows that it is bigger than 49. Indeed, its amount is greater, but the content of 49 is nicer. Some might say, “Well, yes, but can’t 94 be in gold as well?” No, it cannot be in gold, because 9 is a final result. It indicates that no activity is possible in Nature any longer; it is a process of liquidation. Therefore, the figure 9 in the number 49 shows that this number cannot grow, i.e. in the physical world it can grow, but only provisionally.

 

A secret prayer

 

- Only the light way to Wisdom leads to Truth.

 

- It can give us constant Mirth and Joy.

 

 

 

 [A1][that is a conversation]