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Chapter 31: The Gnostic Esoteric WorkIt is urgent to study Gnosis, and to utilize the practical ideas we give in this book, in order to work seriously on ourselves.
Nonetheless, we could not work on ourselves with the intention of dissolving this or that “I” without having previously observed it. The observation of oneself permits a ray of light to penetrate into our interior. Any “I” expresses itself in the head in one way, in the heart in another, and in the sexual center in yet another way. |
We need to observe the “I” that we have caught in a given moment, and it is urgent to see it in each of these three centers of our organism.
In relations with other people, if we are alert and vigilant, as a sentry in wartime, we discover ourselves.
Do you recall at what time your vanity was hurt? Your pride? What was it that annoyed you most during the day?
Why did you get into that trouble? What was its secret cause? Study this, observe your head, heart, and sexual center.
Practical life is a marvelous school; in our interrelations, we can discover those “I’s” that we carry within.
Any annoyance or incident can lead us, via the intimate self-observation, to the discovery of an “I” whether it be self-love, envy, jealousy, anger, greed, suspicion, calumny, lust, etc., etc.
Before we are able to know others, we need to know ourselves. It is urgent to learn to see others’ points of view.
If we put ourselves in the place of another, we discover that the psychological defects we attribute to others, we have in abundance within us.
To love our fellow man is indispensable, but one could not love another without first learning, in the esoteric work, to put oneself in the place of another person.
Cruelty will continue to exist on the face of the Earth, while we have not learnt to put ourselves in the place of others.
But, if one has not the courage to see oneself, how could one put oneself in another’s place?
Why should we only see exclusively the bad side of other people?
The mechanical antipathy towards a person that we meet for the first time, indicates that we do not know how to put ourselves in the place of our fellow man, that we do not love our fellow man, that our Consciousness is profoundly asleep.
Do we find a particular person disagreeable? For what reason? Maybe he drinks? Let’s observe ourselves. Are we so sure of our virtue? Are we certain that we do not have within an “I” of drunkenness?
It would be better, on seeing a drunkard acting ridiculously, to say, “That is me. What stupid things I’m doing.”
Are you an honest and virtuous woman, and because of this you don’t get on with a certain lady? Do you feel dislike towards her? Why? Do you feel very sure of yourself? Do you believe that within, you do not have the “I” of lust?
Do you think this woman, discredited by her scandals and lewdness, is perverse? Are you sure the lasciviousness and perversity you see in that woman does not exist within you?
It would be better to intimately observe yourself, and in profound meditation, take the place of that woman you despise.
It is urgent to evaluate the Gnostic Esoteric Work. It is indispensable to comprehend and appreciate it if in reality, we long for a radical change.
It becomes indispensable to know how to love our fellow man, to study Gnosis, and to bring this teaching to all people.
Otherwise, we will fall into egoism. If one is dedicated to the esoteric work on oneself, but does not give the teaching to others, his inner progress becomes very difficult due to lack of love for his fellow man.
“He who gives receives, and the more he gives, the more he will receive. But he who gives nothing, even what he has shall be taken from him.” (Luke 19:26) This is the law.
In relations with other people, if we are alert and vigilant, as a sentry in wartime, we discover ourselves.
Do you recall at what time your vanity was hurt? Your pride? What was it that annoyed you most during the day?
Why did you get into that trouble? What was its secret cause? Study this, observe your head, heart, and sexual center.
Practical life is a marvelous school; in our interrelations, we can discover those “I’s” that we carry within.
Any annoyance or incident can lead us, via the intimate self-observation, to the discovery of an “I” whether it be self-love, envy, jealousy, anger, greed, suspicion, calumny, lust, etc., etc.
Before we are able to know others, we need to know ourselves. It is urgent to learn to see others’ points of view.
If we put ourselves in the place of another, we discover that the psychological defects we attribute to others, we have in abundance within us.
To love our fellow man is indispensable, but one could not love another without first learning, in the esoteric work, to put oneself in the place of another person.
Cruelty will continue to exist on the face of the Earth, while we have not learnt to put ourselves in the place of others.
But, if one has not the courage to see oneself, how could one put oneself in another’s place?
Why should we only see exclusively the bad side of other people?
The mechanical antipathy towards a person that we meet for the first time, indicates that we do not know how to put ourselves in the place of our fellow man, that we do not love our fellow man, that our Consciousness is profoundly asleep.
Do we find a particular person disagreeable? For what reason? Maybe he drinks? Let’s observe ourselves. Are we so sure of our virtue? Are we certain that we do not have within an “I” of drunkenness?
It would be better, on seeing a drunkard acting ridiculously, to say, “That is me. What stupid things I’m doing.”
Are you an honest and virtuous woman, and because of this you don’t get on with a certain lady? Do you feel dislike towards her? Why? Do you feel very sure of yourself? Do you believe that within, you do not have the “I” of lust?
Do you think this woman, discredited by her scandals and lewdness, is perverse? Are you sure the lasciviousness and perversity you see in that woman does not exist within you?
It would be better to intimately observe yourself, and in profound meditation, take the place of that woman you despise.
It is urgent to evaluate the Gnostic Esoteric Work. It is indispensable to comprehend and appreciate it if in reality, we long for a radical change.
It becomes indispensable to know how to love our fellow man, to study Gnosis, and to bring this teaching to all people.
Otherwise, we will fall into egoism. If one is dedicated to the esoteric work on oneself, but does not give the teaching to others, his inner progress becomes very difficult due to lack of love for his fellow man.
“He who gives receives, and the more he gives, the more he will receive. But he who gives nothing, even what he has shall be taken from him.” (Luke 19:26) This is the law.
