The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant

The Doctrine of the Heart

by Annie Besant
Extracts from Hindu Letters with a foreword by ANNIE BESANT
AS PUBLISHED B THE THE!S!PHI"AL PUBLISHIN# H!USE IN ADA$% &AD$AS in '()*
Learn to discern the rea+ from the fa+se% the e,er-f+eetin. from the e,er+astin./ Learn% abo,e a++% to
se0arate Head-+earnin. from Sou+-wisdom% the 1Eye1 from the 1Heart1 Doctrine - 1Voice of the Silence1
FOREWORD
Under the tit+e of THE D!"T$INE !2 THE HEA$T are here 0rinted a series of 0a0ers% consistin. chief+y
of extracts of +etters recei,ed from Indian friends/ They are not .i,en as bein. of any 1authority1% but
mere+y as containin. thou.hts that some of us ha,e found he+0fu+ and that we wish to share with others/
They are intended on+y for those who are reso+ute+y see3in. to +i,e the Hi.her Life% and are addressed to
those es0ecia++y who 3now that this +ife +eads to a definite enterin. on the Path of Disci0+eshi0 under the
#reat !nes who trod it in the 0ast% and who remain on earth to he+0 others to tread it in their turn/ The
thou.hts in these +etters are thou.hts that be+on. to a++ re+i.ions % but the 0hrases and the sentiment are
Indian/ The de,otion is of that nob+e and intense 3ind 3nown in the East as Bah3ti- the de,otion that
surrenders itse+f who++y and unreser,ed+y to #od and to the Di,ine &an throu.h whom #od is manifest in
the f+esh to the de,otee/ This Bha3ti has nowhere found more 0erfect ex0ression than in Hinduism% and
the writers of these +etters are Hindus% accustomed to the +uxuriant richness of the Sans3rit%and tunin.
the harsher En.+ish into some faint harmony with the 0oetica+ sweetness of their mother-ton.ue/ The chi++
and reser,ed di.nity of the An.+o-Saxon and his emotiona+ reticence are who++y a+ien from the outf+owin.
of re+i.ious fee+in. that we++s u0 from the Eastern heart as natura++y as son. from the +ar3/ Here and there
in the 4est we find a true Bha3ta 5de,otee6% such as S/Thomas 7 8em0is% S/Theresa% S/ 9ohn of the
"ross% S/2rancis of Assisi% S/E+i:abeth of Hun.ary/ But for the most 0art% re+i.ious fee+in. in the 4est%
howe,er dee0 and true% tends to si+ence and see3s to hide itse+f/ To those who shrin3 from the
ex0ression of re+i.ious fee+in. these +etters wi++ not be he+0fu+% and for them they are not intended/
Let us now turn to the consideration of one of the mar3ed contrasts of the Hi.her Life/ 4e ha,e a++ of us
reco.nised the fact that !ccu+tism ma3es on us demands of a character which necessitates a certain
iso+ation and a ri.id se+f-disci0+ine/ Both from our much-+o,ed and re,ered Teacher% H/P/B+a,ats3y% and
from the traditions of the !ccu+t Life% we ha,e +earned that renunciation and stern se+f-contro+ are
re;uired from him who wou+d 0ass throu.h the .ateway of the Tem0+e/ The Bhagavad-Git constant+y
reiterates the teachin. of indifference to 0ain and 0+easure%of the 0erfect ba+ance under a++ circumstances
without which no true o.a is 0ossib+e/ This side of the !ccu+t Life is reco.nised in theory by a++% and
some are obedient+y stri,in. to mou+d themse+,es into its +i3eness/ The other side of the !ccu+t Life is
dwe+t u0on in The Voice of the Silence% and consists of that sym0athy with a++ that fe++s% that swift
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
res0onse to e,ery human need% the 0erfect ex0ression of which in Those we ser,e has .i,en Them as
tit+e 1The &asters of "om0assion1/ It is this% in its 0ractica+% e,eryday as0ect% to which these +etters direct
our thou.hts% and it is this which we o,er+oo3 most in our +i,es% howe,er much the beauty of it% in its
0erfection% may touch our hearts/
The true !ccu+tist% whi+e he is to himse+f the sternest of <ud.es% the most ri.id of tas3masters% is to a++
around him the most sym0athisin. of friends% the .ent+est of he+0ers/ To reach this .ent+eness and 0ower
of sym0athy shou+d% then% be the aim of each of us% and it can on+y be .ained by unremittin. 0ractice of
such .ent+eness and sym0athy towards a++% without exce0tion% who surround us/ E,ery wou+d-be
!ccu+tist shou+d be the one 0erson% in his own home and circ+e% to whom e,ery one most readi+y turns in
sorrow% in anxiety%in sin- sure of sym0athy% sure of he+0/ The most unattracti,e% the most du++% the most
stu0id%the most re0e++ent shou+d fee+ that in him% at +east% they ha,e a friend/ E,ery yearnin. towards a
better +ife% e,ery buddin. desire towards unse+fish ser,ice% e,ery ha+f-formed wish to +i,e more nob+y%
shou+d find in him one ready to encoura.e and stren.then%so that e,ery .erm of .ood may be.in to .row
under the warmin. and stimu+atin. 0resence of his +o,in. nature/
To reach this 0ower of ser,ice is a matter of se+f-trainin. in dai+y +ife/ 2irst we need to reco.nise that the
SEL2 in a++ is one= so that in each 0erson with whom we come into contact% we sha++ i.nore a++ that is
un+o,e+y in the outer casin.% and reco.nise the SEL2 seated in the heart/ The next thin. is to rea+ise- in
feeling % not on+y in theory- that the SEL2 is endea,ourin. to ex0ress itse+f throu.h the casin.s that
obstruct it% and that the inner nature is a+to.ether +o,e+y% and is distorted to us by the en,e+o0es that
surround it/ Then we shou+d identify ourse+,es with that SEL2% which is indeed ourse+f in its essence%and
co-o0erate with it in its warfare a.ainst the +ower e+ements that stif+e its ex0ression/ And since we ha,e to
wor3 throu.h our own +ower nature on our brother% the on+y way to effectua++y he+0 is to see thin.s as that
brother sees them% with his +imitations%his 0re<udices%his distorted ,ision= and thus seein. them% and
bein. affected by them in our +ower nature% he+0 him in his way and not in ours% for thus on+y can rea+
he+0 be .i,en/ Here comes in the !ccu+t trainin./ 4e +earn to withdraw ourse+,es from our +ower
nature%to study it% to fee+ its fee+in.s without bein. thereby affected% and so% whi+e emotiona++y we
ex0erience%inte++ectua++y we <ud.e/
4e must uti+ise this method for our brother>s he+0% and whi+e we fee+ as he fee+s% as the synchronised
strin. .i,es out the note of its fe++ow% we must use our disen.a.ed 1I1 to <ud.e% to ad,ise% to raise% but
a+ways so usin. it that our brother sha++ be conscious that it is his better nature that is utterin. itse+f by
our +i0s/ 4e must desire to share our best= not to 3ee0% but to .i,e% is the +ife of the S0irit/ !ften our
1best1 wou+d be unattracti,e to the one we are tryin. to he+0% as nob+e 0oetry to a +itt+e chi+d= then we
must .i,e the best he can assimi+ate% withho+din. the other% not because we .rud.e it% but because he
does not yet want it/ Thus do the &asters of "om0assion he+0 us who are as chi+dren to Them% and in
+i3e fashion must we see3 to he+0 those who are youn.er than we are in the +ife of the S0irit/ Nor +et us
for.et that the 0erson who ha00ens to be with us at any moment is the 0erson .i,en to us by the &aster
to ser,e at that moment/ If by care+essness% by im0atience% by indifference% we fai+ to he+0 him% we ha,e
fai+ed in our &aster>s wor3/ 4e often miss this immediate duty by absor0tion in other wor3% fai+in. to
understand that the he+0in. of the human sou+ sent to us is our wor3 of the moment= and we need to
remind ourse+,es of this dan.er% the subt+er because duty is used to mas3 duty% and fai+ure of insi.ht is
fai+ure in accom0+ishment/ 4e must not be attached e,en to wor3 of any 0articu+ar descri0tion= a+ways at
wor3 indeed% but with the sou+ free and 1at attention1% ready to catch the s+i.htest whis0er from Him% who
may need from us ser,ice of some he+0+ess one whom% throu.h us% He wi++s to he+0/ The sternness to the
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
+ower se+f% s0o3en of abo,e%is a condition of this he+0fu+ ser,ice= for on+y the one who has no cares of his
own% who is for himse+f indifferent to 0+easure and 0ain% is sufficient+y free to .i,e 0erfect sym0athy to
others/ Needin. nothin. he can .i,e e,erythin./ 4ith no +o,e for himse+f% be becomes +o,e incarnate to
others/ In !ccu+tism the boo3 of +ife is the one to which we turn our chief attention/ 4e study other boo3s
mere+y in order that we may +i,e/ 2or study% e,en of !ccu+t wor3s% is on+y a means to s0iritua+ity if we are
stri,in. to +i,e the !ccu+t Life= it is the +ife and not the 3now+ed.e% the 0urified heart% not the we++-fi+ed
head% that +eads us to our &aster>s 2eet/ The word 1de,otion1 is the 3ey to a++ true 0ro.ress in the
s0iritua+ +ife/ If in wor3in. we see3 the .rowth of the s0iritua+ mo,ement and not .ratifyin. success% the
ser,ice of the &aster>s and not our own Se+f-.ratu+ation% we cannot be discoura.ed by tem0orary fai+ures%
nor by the c+ouds and deadness that we may ex0erience in our own inner +ife/ To ser,e for the sa3e of
ser,ice% and not for the 0+easure we ta3e in ser,in.% is to ma3e a distinct ste0 forward% for we then be.in
to .ain that ba+ance% that e;ui+ibrium% which enab+es us to ser,e as contented+y in fai+ure as in success% in
inner dar3ness as in inner +i.ht/ 4hen we ha,e succeeded in dominatin. the 0ersona+ity so far as to fee+
rea+ pleasure in doin. wor3 for the &aster which is 0ainfu+ to the +ower nature% the next ste0 is to do it as
hearti+y and fu++y when this 0+easure disa00ears and a++ the <oy and +i.ht are c+ouded o,er/ !therwise in
ser,in. the Ho+y !nes we may be ser,in. se+f- ser,in. for what we .et from Them % instead of for 0ure
+o,e>s sa3e/ So +on. as this subt+e form of se+f-see3in. 0re,ai+s% we are in dan.er of fa++in. away from
ser,ice if dar3ness remain +on. around us% and if we fee+ dead inside and ho0e+ess/ It is in this ni.ht of
the s0irit that the nob+est ser,ice is rendered% and the +ast snares of the +ower se+f are bro3en throu.h/
4e +ay this stress on de,otion% because e,erywhere we find that as0irants are endan.ered% and the
0ro.ress of the &aster>s wor3 is hindered% by the 0redominance of the 0ersona+ se+f/ Here is our enemy%
here our batt+e.round/ !nce seein. this% the as0irant shou+d we+come e,erythin. in his dai+y +ife that
chi0s a bit off the 0ersona+ity%and shou+d be .ratefu+ to a++ the 1un0+easant 0ersons1 who tread on his toes
and <ar his sensibi+ities and ruff+e his se+f-+o,e/ They are his best friends% his most usefu+ he+0ers% and
shou+d ne,er be re.arded with anythin. but .ratitude for the ser,ices they render in bruisin. our most
dan.erous enemy/ Loo3in. thus on dai+y +ife%it becomes a schoo+ of !ccu+tism% and we be.in to +earn that
0erfect ba+ance which is re;uired in the hi.her wa+3s of disci0+eshi0% ere dee0er 3now+ed.e %and
therefore 0ower% can be 0+aced in our hands/ 4here there is not ca+m se+f-mastery% indifference to
0ersona+ matters% serene de,otion to wor3 for others% there is no true !ccu+tism% no rea++y s0iritua+ +ife/
The +ower 0sychism demands none of these ;ua+ities% and is% therefore% ea.er+y .ras0ed at by 0seudo-
!ccu+tists= but the 4hite Lod.e demands these of its 0ostu+ants% and ma3es their ac;uirement the
condition of entrance into the Neo0hytes> "ourt/ Let the aim of e,ery as0irant be% therefore% to train
himse+f that he may ser,e% to 0ractice stern se+f-disci0+ine that when the &aster +oo3s into the heart He
may see no stain therein1/ Then wi++ He ta3e him by the hand and +ead him onward/
Annie Besant
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HEART
DISASTE$ han.s o,er the head of the man who 0ins his faith on externa+ 0ara0herna+ia rather than on
the 0eace of the inner +ife% which de0ends not on the mode of the outer +ife/ In fact% the more untoward
the circumstances% and the .reater the sacrifice in,o+,ed by +i,in. amon. them% the nearer does one
come to the fina+ .oa+ from the ,ery nature of the tria+s one has to o,ercome/ It is unwise% therefore% to be
attracted too much by any outward manifestation of re+i.ious +ife% for anythin. that is on the 0+ane of
matter is e0hemera+ and i++usi,e% and must +ead to disa00ointment/ Anyone who is drawn 0owerfu++y to
any externa+ modes of +i,in. has to +earn sooner or +ater the com0arati,e insi.nificance of a++ outer thin.s/
And the sooner one 0asses throu.h ex0eriences necessitated by 0ast 8arma% the better it is for the
indi,idua+/ It is unwe+come indeed to be sudden+y thrown off one>s .round% but the cu0 which cures fo++y is
e,ery bitter% and must be tasted if the disease is to be eradicated/ 4hen the .ent+e bree:e comin. from
Their Lotus 2eet b+ows o,er the sou+% then you 3now that the worst externa+ surroundin.s are not
0owerfu+ enou.h to mar the music that charms within/
9ust as a Euro0ean who is drawn to !ccu+tism fee+s nearer to the #reat !nes when he +ands in India% so
does an Indian fee+ when he ascends the hei.hts of his snowy Hima,at/ And yet it is ;uite an i++usion% for
one a00roaches not the Lords of Purity by 0hysica+ +ocomotion% but by ma3in. onese+f 0urer and stron.er
throu.h constant sufferin. for the we+fare of the wor+d/ As for the i.norance of the 0oor de+uded wor+d
re.ardin. our re,ered Lords% I am reminded of the words@ 1The hissin. of the ser0ent does more harm to
the sub+ime Hima,at% than the s+ander and abuse of the wor+d to any of us1/
If it be once admitted% as it must be by a++ who ha,e any 3now+ed.e of !ccu+tism% that there are hosts of
in,isib+e a.encies constant+y ta3in. 0art in human affairs%E+ementa+s and E+ementaries of a++ .rades
breedin. a++ sorts of i++usion and mas;ueradin. in a++ .arbs% as we++ as members of the B+ac3 Lod.e who
de+i.ht in .u++in. and de+udin. the ,otaries of true wisdom- one must a+so reco.nise that Nature% in her
.reat mercy and abso+ute <ustice% must ha,e endowed man with some facu+ty to discriminate between the
,oices of these aeria+ deni:ens and that of the &asters/ And I fancy that it wi++ be a.reed on a++ hands that
reason%intuition and conscience are our hi.hest facu+ties% the on+y means by which we can 3now the true
from the fa+se% .ood from e,i+% ri.ht from wron./ That bein. so% it fo++ows that nothin. which fai+s to
i++umine the reason and satisfy the most scru0u+ous c+aims of the mora+ nature shou+d e,er be re.arded
as a communication from the &asters/
It must a+so be remembered that the &asters are the &asters of 4isdom and "om0assion%that Their
words i++umine and ex0and%ne,er confound and harass the mind= they soothe%not disturb= they e+e,ate%
not de.rade/ Ne,er to They use methods which wither and 0ara+yse reason and intuition a+i3e/ 4hat
wou+d be the ine,itab+e resu+t if these Lords of Lo,e and Li.ht were to force on Their disci0+es
communications re,o+tin. e;ua++y to the reason and the ethica+ senseA B+ind credu+ity wou+d ta3e the
0+ace of inte++i.ent faith% mora+ 0a+sy instead of s0iritua+ .rowth wou+d ensure%and the Neo0hytes wou+d
be +eft ;uite he+0+ess% with nothin. to .uide them% constant+y at the mercy of e,ery fro+icsome nym0h% and
worse sti++% of e,ery ,icious Du.0a/
Is this the fate of disci0+eshi0A "an such be the way of Lo,e and 4isdomA I do not thin3 that any
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
reasonab+e man can be+ie,e it for any +en.th of time% a+thou.h for a moment a .+amour may be thrown
u0on him and he may be made to swa++ow the ,eriest absurdities/
Amon. the many doubts thrown into the mind of the disci0+e to cause him distress% is the doubt whether
0hysica+ wea3ness may be a bar to s0iritua+ 0ro.ress/ The 0rocess of assimi+ation of s0iritua+
nourishment in,o+,es no drain u0on 0hysica+ ener.ies% and s0iritua+ 0ro.ress can .o on whi+e the body
suffers/ It is an entire fa++acy%due to +ac3 of 3now+ed.e and of ba+ance% to su00ose that the torture and
star,ation of the body ma3e it res0onsi,e to spiritual ex0eriences/ It is by doin. that which best ser,es
the 0ur0ose of the Ho+y !nes that steady and rea+ 0ro.ress is made/ 4hen the ri.ht time comes for
s0iritua+ ex0eriences to be im0ressed on the brain-consciousness% the body cannot stand in the way/ The
+itt+e difficu+ty that can be raised by the body can be swe0t away in a second/ It is a de+usion that any
0hysica+ effort can ad,ance s0iritua+ 0ro.ress by a sin.+e ste0/ The way to a00roach Them is to do that
which best furthers Their wish% and this done% nothin. e+se needs to be done/
It seems to me that there is a 0ecu+iar sweetness in bein. resi.ned+y 0atient% in .+ad+y sacrificin. one>s
own wi++ to the wi++ of Those who 3now better and a+ways .uide ari.ht/ There is no such thin. as 0ersona+
wish in the +ife of the S0irit/ So the disci0+e may .+ad+y sacrifice his own 0ersona+ b+iss% whi+e They find
occasion to wor3 throu.h him for others/ He may sometimes fee+ as thou.h forsa3en when he is a+one%
but he wi++ a+ways find Them at his side when wor3 has to be done/ Periods of ni.ht must a+ternate with
those of day% and it is sure+y we++ that dar3ness shou+d come at a time when it affects ourse+,es
a+one%e,en thou.h our 0ersona+ 0ain shou+d be thereby intensified/ To fee+ Their 0resence and inf+uence
is indeed the di,inest .ift ima.inab+e% but e,en that we shou+d be wi++in. to sacrifice% if by renouncin.
what we deem the hi.hest and best% the fina+ .ood of the wor+d be made easier of attainment/
Try and rea+ise the beauty of sufferin.% when sufferin. on+y ma3es one better fitted for wor3/ Sure+y we
can ne,er cra,e for 0eace if in strife the wor+d must be he+0ed/ Try and fee+ that thou.h dar3ness seems
to be a++ round you% yet it is not rea+/ If They sometimes ,ei+ Themse+,es in an outer &aya of indifference%
it is but to shed Their b+essin.s with .reater +uxuriance when the season is ri0e/ 4ords a,ai+ not much
when the dar3ness is o,ershadowin.% yet the disci0+e shou+d try to 3ee0 unsha3en his faith in the
nearness of the #reat !nes% and to fee+ that thou.h the +i.ht is tem0orari+y withdrawn from the mind-
consciousness% yet%under Their wise and mercifu+ dis0ensation% it is .rowin. dai+y within/ 4hen the mind
a.ain becomes sensiti,e%it reco.nises with sur0rise and <oy how the s0iritua+ wor3 has .one on without
its ha,in. had any consciousness of the detai+s/ 4e 3now the Law/ In the s0iritua+ wor+d ni.hts of .reater
or +ess horror in,ariab+y fo++ow the day% and the wise one% reco.nisin. the dar3ness to be the outcome of
a natura+ +aw % ceases to fret/ 4e can rest assured that the dar3ness% in its turn% wi++ +ift/ $emember
a+ways that behind the thic3est smo3e is e,er the +i.ht from the Lotus 2eet of the #reat Lords of the
earth/ Stand firm and ne,er +ose faith in Them% and there is then nothin. to fear/ Tria+s you may% and
indeed must ha,e% but you wi++ be sure to withstand them/ 4hen the dar3ness that han.s +i3e a 0a++ o,er
the Sou+>s +ifts% then we are ab+e to see how rea++y shadowy and i++usi,e it was/ et this dar3ness% as +on.
as it +asts% is rea+ enou.h to brin. ruin to many a nob+e sou+ that has not yet ac;uired stren.th enou.h to
endure/
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
S0iritua+ +ife and +o,e are not exhausted by bein. s0ent/ Ex0enditure on+y adds to the store and ma3es it
richer and intenser/ Try and be as ha00y and contented as you can% because in <oy is the rea+ s0iritua+
+ife% and sorrow is but the resu+t of our i.norance and absence of c+ear ,ision/ So you shou+d resist% as
much as you can% the fee+in. of sadness@ it c+ouds the s0iritua+ atmos0here/ And thou.h you cannot
entire+y sto0 its comin.% yet you shou+d not a+to.ether yie+d to it/ 2or remember that at the ,ery heart of
the uni,erse is Beatitude/
Des0air shou+d find no room in the heart of the de,oted disci0+e% for it wea3ens faith and de,otion% and
thus furnishes an arena for the Dar3 Powers to wrest+e in/ The fee+in. is a .+amour cast by them to
torture the disci0+e% and if 0ossib+e to rea0 some ad,anta.e for themse+,es out of the i++usion/ I ha,e
+earned form the bitterest ex0erience that se+f-re+iance is ;uite una,ai+in. and e,en dece0ti,e under tria+s
of this nature% and the on+y way to esca0e unscathed from these i++usions is to de,ote onese+f com0+ete+y
to Them/ The reason of this% too% is 0+ain enou.h/ The force% in order to be effecti,e in its o00osition% must
be on the same 0+ane as that on which the 0ower to be counteracted 0+ays/ Now as these troub+es and
i++usions come not from the se+f% the se+f is 0ower+ess a.ainst them/ Proceedin. as they do from the Dar3
!nes%they can on+y be neutra+ised by the 4hite Brothers/ Therefore it is necessary for safety to
surrender ourse+,es- our se0arated se+,es- and to be freed from A++ Aham3ara/
8nowin. as we do that the The Theoso0hica+ Society- or% for the matter of that% e,ery mo,ement of any
conse;uence - is under the watch and ward of ,ast+y wiser and hi.her Powers than our +itt+e se+,es% we
need not concern ourse+,es much about the u+timate destiny of the Society% but rest content with doin.
our duty by it conscientious+y and di+i.ent+y% 0+ayin. the 0art assi.ned to us accordin. to our best +i.ht
and abi+ities/ "are and so+itude ha,e% no doubt%their own functions in the economy of Nature/ In ordinary
men they set the brains to wor3% and e,en the musc+es to motion% and were it not for these the wor+d
wou+d not ma3e ha+f the 0ro.ress is has done in the 0hysica+ and inte++ectua+ 0+anes/ But at a certain
sta.e of human e,o+ution these are re0+aced by a sense of duty and a +o,e of Truth% and the c+earness of
,ision and im0etus to wor3 thus attained can ne,er be furnished by any amount of mo+ecu+ar ener.y and
ner,ous ,i.our/ Therefore sha3e off a++ des0ondency% and with your Sou+ turned towards the 2ountain of
Li.ht wor3 on to that .reat end for which you are here% your heart embracin. a++ man3ind% but 0erfect+y
resi.ned as to the resu+t of your +abours/ Thus ha,e our Sa.es tau.ht% thus did Shri 8rshna exhort Ar<una
on the batt+efie+d% and thus sha++ we direct our ener.ies/
&y own fee+in.s with re.ard to the sufferin.s of the wor+d are 0recise+y the same as yours/ There is
nothin. which 0ains me more than the b+ind and frantic manner in which a ,ast ma<ority of our fe++ow
bein.s 0ursue the 0+easures of the senses% and the utter+y b+an3 and erroneous ,iew they ta3e of +ife/
The si.ht of this i.norance and madness touches my heart much more tender+y than the 0hysica+
hardshi0s that 0eo0+e under.o/ And a+thou.h $antide,a>s nob+e 0rayer mo,ed me dee0+y years a.o% with
the .+im0se that I ha,e since been a++owed into the nature of thin.s% I re.ard the Buddha>s sentiments as
wiser and more transcendenta+/ And thou.h I wou+d .+ad+y suffer a.ony to re+ie,e a disci0+e of the torture
to which he is sub<ected%yet ha,in. re.ard to the causes as we++ as the intimate conse;uences of a
disci0+e>s sufferin.% my .rief for them is not ha+f so intense as it is for the misery of those i.norant
wretches who unintelligently 0ay the mere 0ena+ty of their 0ast misdeeds/
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The functions of inte++ect are mere+y com0arison and ratiocination= s0iritua+ 3now+ed.e is far beyond its
sco0e/ ou are 0robab+y ;uite surfeited with inte++ectua+ subt+eties in your 0resent surroundin.s= but the
wor+d is% after a++% on+y a schoo+% a trainin. academy% and no ex0erience% howe,er 0ainfu+ or ridicu+ous% is
without its uses and ,a+ue to the thou.htfu+ man/ The e,i+s that we come across on+y ma3e us wiser% and
the ,ery b+unders we ma3e ser,e us in .ood stead for the future/ So we need not .rumb+e at any +ot%
howe,er outward+y unen,iab+e/
8arma% as tau.ht in the Gita and Yoga Vasishta% means acts and ,o+itions 0roceedin. from Easana% or
desire/ It is distinct+y +aid down in those ethica+ codes that nothin. done from a 0ure sense of duty%
nothin. 0rom0ted by a fee+in. of 1ou.htness1% so to say% can taint the moral nature of the doer% e,en if he
be mista3en in his conce0tion of duty and 0ro0riety/ The mista3e% of course% has to be ex0iated by
sufferin.% which must be 0ro0ortionate to the conse;uences of the error= but certain+y it cannot de.rade
the character or tarnish the 9i,atma 5The Indi,idua+ised Se+f/6
It is we++ to use a++ the e,ents of +ife as +essons to be turned to ad,anta.e% and the 0ain caused by
se0aration from friends we +o,e may thus be used/ 4hat are s0ace and time on the 0+ane of the S0iritA
I++usions of the brain% nonentities mere+y% ac;uirin. a semb+ance of rea+ity from the im0otency of the mind%
the in,o+ucra which im0risons the 9i,atma/ The sufferin. mere+y .i,es a fresh and more 0otent im0u+se to
+i,e a+to.ether in the S0irit/ #ood wi++ come in the end to e,ery one of us out of the 0ain% and so we must
not murmur/ Nay% 3nowin. that to disci0+es nothin. of any conse;uence can ha00en which is not the wi++
of their Lords% we must +oo3 u0on e,ery 0ainfu+ incident as a ste0 towards s0iritua+ 0ro.ress% as a means
to that inner de,e+o0ment% which wi++ enab+e us to ser,e Them% and hence Humanity% better/
If we can but ser,e Them% if throu.h a++ storms and conf+a.rations our Sou+s turn to their Lotus 2eet% what
matter the 0ain and the sufferin.s that these inf+ict on our transitory wra00in.sA Let us understand a +itt+e
of the inner meanin.s of these sufferin.s%these ,icissitudes of outer circumstances- how so much 0ain
endured means so much bad 8arma wor3ed out% so much 0ower of ser,ice .ained% such a .ood +esson
+earned - are not these thou.hts sufficient to su00ort us throu.h any amount of these i++usory miseriesA
How sweet it is to suffer when one 3nows and has faith= how different from the wretchedness of the
i.norant% and the sce0tic% and the unbe+ie,er/ !ne cou+d a+most wish that a++ the sufferin. and misery of
the wor+d were ours in order that the rest of our 3ind mi.ht be +iberated and be ha00y/ The crucifixion of
9esus symbo+ises this 0hase of the disci0+e>s mind/ Do you not thin3 soA !n+y be a+ways firm in faith and
de,otion%and swer,e not from the sacred 0ath of Lo,e and Truth/ This is your 0art - the rest sha++ be done
for you by the &ercifu+ Lords you ser,e/ ou 3now a++ this% and if I s0ea3 of it% it is on+y to stren.then you
in your 3now+ed.e= for we often for.et some of our best +essons% and in times of troub+e the duty of a
friend is more to remind you of your own sayin.s than to incu+cate new truths/ Thus it is that Drau0adi
often conso+ed her sa.e husband udhisthira% when dire misfortune wou+d for a moment o,erthrow his
usua+ serenity% and thus Easishtha himse+f had to be smoothed and comforted when torn with the 0an.s
of his chi+dren>s death/ Tru+y uns0ea3ab+e is the &aya side of this wor+dA How beautifu+ and romantic on
the one hand% and yet how terrib+e and wretched on the otherF es% &aya is the mystery of a++ mysteries%
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and one who has understood &aya has found his own unity with B$AH&AN- the Su0reme B+iss and the
Su0reme Li.ht/
The start+in. 0icture of 8a+i standin. on the 0rostrate SHIEA is an i++ustration of the uti+ity - the hi.her use
- of An.er and Hatred/ The b+ac3 com0+exion re0resents An.er= with the sword it a+so means 0hysica+
0rowess= and the who+e fi.ure means that so +on. as a man has an.er and hatred and 0hysica+ stren.th%
he shou+d use them for the su00ression of the other 0assions%the massacre of the desires of the f+esh/ It
a+so re0resents what rea++y ha00ens when first the mind turns towards the hi.her +ife/ As yet we are
wantin. in wisdom and in menta+ e;ui+ibrium% and so we crush our desires with our 0assions= our an.er
we direct a.ainst our own ,ices% and thus su00ress them = our 0ride a+so we em0+oy a.ainst the
unworthy tendencies of the body and mind a+i3e%and thus .ain the first run. of the +adder/ The 0rostrate
SHIEA shows that when one is en.a.ed in a warfare +i3e this%he 0ays no heed to his hi.hest 0rinci0+e%
the Atma - nay% he actua++y tram0+es u0on it% and not unti+ he has s+ain the +ast enemy of his Se+f does he
come to reco.nise his actua+ 0osition durin. the fi.ht with re.ard to the Atma/ Thus% 8a+i finds SHIEA at
her feet on+y when she has 3i++ed the +ast Daitya% the 0ersonification of Aham3ara% and then she b+ues at
her insane fury/ So +on. as the 0assions ha,e not a++ been subdued% we must use them for their own
su00ression%neutra+isin. the force of one with that of another%and thus a+one can we at first succeed in
3i++in. out se+fishness%and in catchin. the first .+im0se of our true Atma - the Shi,a within us - which we
i.nore whi+e desires ra.e in the heart/
4e++ may we a+ways +ay aside our own short-si.hted 0ersona+ wish in order to ser,e Them faithfu++y= it is
my ex0erience that in thus fo++owin. Their .uidance a+one% one a+ways a,oids some dan.erous 0reci0ice
towards which one was unconscious+y runnin./ 2or the moment it seems hard to brea3 away from one>s
+i3in.s% but in the end nothin. but <oy resu+ts from such sacrifice/ There is no trainin. better than the few
brief years of one>s +ife when one is dri,en by sheer disa00ointment to see3 she+ter under the b+essed
2eet of the Lords% for nowhere e+se is there room for rest/ And then there .rows in the disci0+e a habit of
thin3in. a+ways that his on+y refu.e is in Them% and whene,er the thin3s not of Them he fee+s miserab+e
and for+orn/ Thus from the ,ery dar3ness of des0air burns out for him a +i.ht that ne,er afterwards .rows
dim/ Those whose eyes 0enetrate the stretches of the far-off future%which are ,ei+ed from our morta+
eyes% ha,e done and wi++ do what is best for the wor+d/ Immediate resu+ts and tem0orary satisfactions
must be sacrificed% if the end is to be secured without a chance of fai+ure/ The stron.er we desire to
ma3e the chances of intimate success% the +ess shou+d we cra,e for the rea0in.s of the day/ !n+y by 0ain
can we attain to 0erfection and 0urity= on+y by 0ain can we ma3e ourse+,es fit ser,ants of the !r0han that
cries incessant+y for food s0iritua+/ Life is on+y worth ha,in. as it is sacrificed at Their 2eet/
Let us re<oice that we ha,e o00ortunities of ser,in. the .reat "ause by 0ersona+ sacrifices% for such
sufferin. can be used by Them to draw the 0oor% errin. Humanity a +itt+e ste0 hi.her/ Any 0ain that a
disci0+e may suffer is an earnest for a corres0ondin. .ain that comes to the wor+d/ He shou+d%
therefore%suffer un.rud.in.+y and .+ad+y% since he sees a +itt+e more c+ear+y than the b+ind morta+ity for
which he suffers/ In the who+e course of e,o+ution there is one +aw that is on+y too 0ainfu++y e,ident% e,en
to the eyes of the merest tyro%that nothin. that is rea++y worth ha,in. can be obtained without a
corres0ondin. sacrifice/
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
He who resi.neth a++ sense of se+f% and ma3eth himse+f an instrument for the Di,ine Hands to wor3 with%
need ha,e no fear about the tria+s and difficu+ties of the hard wor+d/ 1As Thou directest% so I wor31/ This is
the easiest way of 0assin. outside the s0here of indi,idua+ 8arma% for one who +ayeth down a++ his
ca0acities at the 2eet of the Lords creates no 8arma for himse+f= and then% as S$I 8$SHNA 0romises@ 1I
ta3e u0on &yse+f his ba+ance of accounts1/ The disci0+e need ta3e no thou.ht for the fruits of his actions/
So tau.ht the .reat "hristian &aster@ 1Ta3e no thou.ht for the morrow1/
Do not a++ow im0u+ses to .uide conduct/ Enthusiasm be+on.s to fee+in.% not to conduct/ Enthusiasm in
conduct has no 0+ace in rea+ !ccu+tism% for the !ccu+tist must be a+ways se+f-contained/ !ne of the most
difficu+t thin.s in the +ife of the !ccu+tist is to ho+d the ba+ance e,en+y% and this 0ower comes from rea+
s0iritua+ insi.ht/ The !ccu+tist has to +i,e more an inner than an outer +ife/ He fee+s% rea+ises% 3nows%more
and more% but shows +ess and +ess/ E,en the sacrifices he has to ma3e be+on. more to the inner wor+d
than to the outer/ In ordinary re+i.ious de,otion a++ the sacrifice and stren.th one>s nature is ca0ab+e of
are used in adherin. to externa+s% and in o,ercomin. ridicu+e and tem0tations on the 0hysica+ 0+ane/ But
these ha,e to be used for .rander ob<ects in the +ife of the !ccu+tist/ Pro0ortion must be considered % and
the externa+ subordinated/ In a word% ne,er be 0ecu+iar/ As the Hamsa ta3es the mi+3 a+one and +ea,es
the water behind from a mixture of both%so doth the !ccu+tist extract and retain the +ife and ;uintessence
of a++ the ,arious ;ua+ities% whi+e re<ectin. the hus3s in which these were concea+ed/
How can 0eo0+e su00ose that the &asters ou.ht to interfere with the +ife and actions of 0eo0+e% and
ar.ue for Their non-existence% or for Their mora+ indifference% because They do not interfereA 2o+3 mi.ht
with e;ua+ reason ;uestion the existence of any mora+ Law in this Uni,erse% and ar.ue that the existence
of ini;uities and infamous 0ractices amon. man3ind is a.ainst the su00osition of such a Law/ 4hy do
they for.et that the &asters are 9i,anmu3tas and wor3 with the Law% identify themse+,es with the Law%
are in fact the ,ery s0irit of the LawA But there is no need to be distressed o,er this% for the tribuna+ to
which we submit in matters of conscience is not 0ub+ic o0inion but our own Hi.h Se+f/ It is batt+e such as
this that 0urifies the heart and e+e,ates the sou+% and not the furious fi.ht to which our 0assions% or e,en
1<ust indi.nation1% and what is termed 1ri.hteous resentment1% im0e+ us/
4hat are troub+es and difficu+ties to usA Are they not as we+come as 0+easures and faci+itiesA 2or are
they not our best trainers and educators% and re0+ete with sa+utary +essonsA Does it not then beho,e us
to mo,e more e,en+y throu.h a++ chan.es of +ife and ,icissitudes of fortuneA And wou+d it not be much to
our discredit if we fai+ed in 0reser,in. the tran;ui+ity of mind and e;ui+ibrium of tem0er which ou.ht
a+ways to mar3 the dis0osition of the disci0+eA Sure+y he shou+d remain serene amid a++ externa+ storms
and tem0ests/ It is a mad wor+d this% a+to.ether%if one +oo3s at the mere outside of it% and yet who
dece0ti,e in its madnessF It is the true insanity of +unacy where the sub<ect of the disease is i.norant of
his condition - nay% be+ie,es himse+f 0erfect+y sound/ !hF if the harmony and the music which rei.n within
the Sou+ of thin.s were not 0erce0tib+e to us% whose eyes ha,e been o0ened to this utter madness that
0er,ades the outer she++% how into+erab+e +ife wou+d be to us/
Do you not thin3 that it is not ;uite .ratefu+ to be cheer+ess% when we are obeyin. the wishes of our Lords
Pa.e (
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
and are out on our dutyA ou shou+d not on+y ha,e 0eace and contentment%but a+so <oy and
+i,e+iness%whi+e you are ser,in. Those whose ser,ice is our hi.hest 0ri,i+e.e and the memory of whom is
our truest de+i.ht/ IPa.e)(J
That They wi++ ne,er desert us is as certain as Death/ But it is for us to c+in. to Them with rea+ and dee0
de,otion/ If our de,otion be rea+ and dee0% there is not the remotest chance of our fa++in. away from Their
ho+y 2eet/ But you 3now what rea+ and dee0 de,otion means/ ou 3now <ust as we++ as I do that nothin.
short of com0+ete renunciation of the 0ersona+ wi++% the abso+ute annihi+ation of the 0ersona+ e+ement in
man % can constitute Bha3ti 0ro0er and .enuine/ It is on+y when the whole human nature is in 0erfect
harmony with the Di,ine Law% when there is not one discordant note in any 0art of the system% when a++
one>s thou.hts% ideas% fancies%desires% emotions% ,o+untary or in,o+untary% ,ibrate in res0onse to and in
com0+ete concord with the 1#reat Breath1% that the true idea+ of de,otion is attained%and not ti++ then/ 4e
on+y rise beyond the chance of fai+ure when this sta.e of Bha3ti is reached% which a+one ensures
0er0etua+ 0ro.ress and undoubted success/ The disci0+e does not fai+ throu.h +ac3 of care and +o,e on
the 0art of the #reat &asters% but in s0ite of these% and throu.h his own 0er,erseness and inborn
wea3ness/ And we cannot say that 0er,erseness is im0ossib+e in one who has yet +in.erin. in him the
idea of se0arateness- in.rained throu.h aeons of i++usi,e thou.ht and corru0tion% and not yet com0+ete+y
rooted out/
4e must not de+ude ourse+,es in any way/ Some truths are indeed bitter% but the wisest course is to 3now
them and face them/ To dwe++ in a fancied 0aradise is on+y to shut off the rea+ E+ysium/ It is true that if we
sit down de+iberate+y to find out whether or not we ha,e sti++ any trace of se0arateness or 0ersona+ity +eft
in us% any wish to counteract the natura+ course of e,ents% we may fai+ to find any moti,e% any reason% for
such se+f-assertion or wish/ 8nowin. and be+ie,in. as we do that the idea of iso+ation is a mere 0roduct
of &aya% that i.norance and a++ 0ersona+ desires f+ow on+y from this fee+in. of iso+ation and are the root of
a++ our misery% we cannot but scout these fa+se and i++usory notions when reasonin. u0on or about them/
But if we ana+yse the actua+ facts% and watch ourse+,es a++ the day% and obser,e the ,arious modes of our
bein.% ,aryin. with the different circumstances% a ,ery different conc+usion wi++ 0ress itse+f u0on us% and
we sha++ find that the actua+ rea+isation in our own +ife of our 3now+ed.e and be+ief is yet a far-off incident
and comes on+y for a brief moment now and a.ain% when we are entire+y for.etfu+ of the body or any
other materia+ en,ironment% and are com0+ete+y wra00ed in the contem0+ation of the Di,ine- nay% are
mer.ed in the Deity Himse+f/
To us% throu.h the su0reme mercy of our Lords%thin.s one earth are a +itt+e 0+ainer and more inte++i.ib+e
than to the man of the wor+d% and that is why we are so ea.er to de,ote a++ our +ife>s ener.y to Their
ser,ice/ A++ acti,ity- charity% bene,o+ence%0atriotism% etc/- a cynic wi++ say with <ubi+ant sneer% is mere
barter% is a 0ure ;uestion of .i,e and ta3e/ But the nob+er as0ect which e,en this <eered-at% mercanti+e
honesty - strict+y construed and a00+ied to hi.her wa+3s of +ife - 0resents to the hi.her eye% is beyond the
3en of the su0erci+ious moc3er= and so he +au.hs at and scouts honesty% ca++in. it mercanti+e% and the
foo+ish and +i.ht-hearted wor+d% thirstin. for a +itt+e mirth% +au.hs with him and ca++s him a shrewd and witty
fe++ow/ It we +oo3 at the surface of this wonderfu+ s0here of ours%nothin. but sadness and .+oom wi++
o,ers0read our sou+s% and des0air wi++ 0ara+yse a++ efforts at betterin. its condition/ But% +oo3in. beneath%
Pa.e '*
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
how a++ inconsistencies me+t away% and e,erythin. a00ears beautifu+ and harmonious%and the heart
b+ooms and is .+addened% and +ibera++y o0ens its treasures to the surroundin. uni,erse/ So we need not
fee+ disheartened at any fri.htfu+ si.ht we see% nor mourn o,er the madness and the b+indness of the men
amidst whom we are born/
There are fixed mora+ +aws%<ust as there are uniform 0hysica+ +aws These mora+ +aws may be ,io+ated by
man% endowed as he is with indi,idua+ity and the freedom which that in,o+,es/ Each such ,io+ation
becomes a mora+ force in the direction o00osite to that towards which e,o+ution is driftin.%and inheres in
the mora+ 0+ane/ And by the +aw of reaction each has a tendency to e,o3e the o0eration of the ri.ht +aw/
Now% when these o00osin. forces accumu+ate and ac;uire a .i.antic form% the reactionary force
necessari+y becomes ,io+ent and resu+ts in mora+ and s0iritua+ re,o+utions% 0ious wars% re+i.ious crusades%
and the +i3e/ Ex0and this theory% and you understand the necessity for the a00earance of A,ataras on
earth/ How easy thin.s become when one>s eyes are o0ened= but how incom0rehensib+e they +oo3 when
the s0iritua+ ,ision is b+ind% or e,en dim and du++/ Nature in her infinite bounty has 0ro,ided man on the
outer 0+anes with exact facsimi+es of her inner wor3in.s% and ,eri+y those who ha,e eyes to see may see%
and those who ha,e ears to hear may hear/
How intense is the +on.in. to carry aid to the sufferin. Sou+% in its hours of dire tria+ and of dreary
dar3ness/ But ex0erience shows those who ha,e 0assed throu.h simi+ar ordea+s% that it is we++ that they
did not at such times 0ercei,e the aid that yet is a+ways .i,en% and that they were wei.hed down with a
sad sense of +one+iness and of bein. tota++y for+orn/ 4ere it otherwise%ha+f the effect of the tria+ were +ost%
and the stren.th and 3now+ed.e which fo++ow e,ery such ordea+ wou+d ha,e to be ac;uired by years of
.ro0in. and totterin./ The +aw of Action and $eaction is e,erywhere o0erati,e/// !ne whose de,otion is
com0+ete% i.e. one who in deed as we++ as in thou.ht consecrates a++ his ener.ies and a++ his 0ossessions
to the Su0reme Deity% and rea+ises his own nothin.ness as we++ as the fa+sity of the idea of se0arateness
- such a one a+one is not a++owed to be a00roached by the 0owers of dar3ness%and is 0rotected from
e,ery dan.er to his Sou+/ The 0assa.e in the Gita you are thin3in. of% must be inter0reted to mean that
no one who has the fee+in. of de,otion once awa3ened in him can fa++ away for ever. But there is no
.uarantee for him a.ainst tem0orary aberrations/ 4hy% in one sense% e,ery +i,in. bein.% from the hi.hest
An.e+ to the meanest 0roto:oon% is under the 0rotection of the Lo.os of his or its system% and is carried
throu.h ,arious sta.es and modes of existence bac3 to His bosom% there to en<oy the b+essedness of
&o3sha for an eternity/
The without a+ways re,ea+s the within to the seein. eye%and 0+aces and 0eo0+e are therefore a+ways
interestin./ A.ain% the without is not such a des0icab+e thin.s as one may fancy in the first intensity and
acuteness of his Eaira.ya% or dis.ust with shows/ 2or if it were so% a++ creation wou+d be a fo++y and
0ur0ose+ess ex0enditure of ener.y/ But you 3now that it is not so in fact= that on the other hand there is a
dee0 and sound 0hi+oso0hy e,en in these i++usory manifestations and outward ,estures% and that "ar+y+e
in his Sartor !esartus has shadowed forth a 0ortion of this 0hi+oso0hy/ 4hy then turn with sic3ness and
horror from e,en the outermost .arba.eA Are not e,en the robes in which the Su0reme Deity
mas;uerades ho+y to us and fu++ of wise +essonsA ou say ri.ht+y that a++ thin.s% fair and fou+% ha,e their
suitab+e 0+aces in Nature% and constitute by their ,ery difference and ,ariety the 0erfection of the
Su0reme L!#!S/
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
4hy shou+d communication with the inside wor+d be cut off% causin. sadness and hea,iness of heartA
Because the outside has sti++ some +essons to teach% and one of these +essons is that it is a+so di,ine in
its essence% di,ine in its substance% and di,ine in its methods% and that therefore you shou+d ta3e more
3ind+y to it/ !n the other hand%sadness and me+ancho+y ha,e their use and 0hi+oso0hy/ They are as much
needed for the e,o+ution and buddin. out of the human Sou+ as <oy and +i,e+iness/ They are% howe,er%
needed on+y at the ear+ier sta.es of our .rowth% and are dis0enses with when the Se+f has b+ossomed out
and has o0ened its heart to the Di,ine Sun/
ou 3now how e,o+ution wor3s/ 4e be.in with no sensation at a++/ #radua++y we de,e+o0 it% and at one
0oint of our 0i+.rima.e we ha,e it in the intensest de.ree/ Then comes a 0eriod in which sensation is
+oo3ed u0on as &aya% and thus it be.ins to diminish and 3now+ed.e 0redominates%unti+ in the end a++
sensation is burned u0 by 3now+ed.e% and we ha,e abso+ute 0eace/ But not 0eace in nescience% as at
the commencement of our +ife in the minera+ 3in.dom% but 0eace in omniscience= 0eace% not in com0+ete
a0athy and as it were death%such as we see in stones% but in abso+ute +ife and abso+ute +o,e/ This finds
rest% because it en+i,ens a++ that is% and 0ours its b+essin.s u0on the who+e Uni,erse/ But extremes meet%
and so in one of the as0ects the be.innin. and the end coincide/
Two 0oints I want to ma3e c+ear@ 5'6 that untrained 0sychics a+ways run the ris3 of 0uttin. forward thin.s
rea++y said by the enemy as in<unctions from the &aster= and 5)6 that the &aster says nothin. that the
inte++ect of His audience cannot .ras0% and a.ainst which their mora+ sense re,o+ts/ &aster>s words%
howe,er much they may be o00osed to one>s 0re,ious thou.hts% ne,er fai+ to brin. the most abso+ute
con,iction% a+i3e to the inte++ect and to the mora+ sense of the 0erson addressed/ They come +i3e a
re,e+ation% rectifyin. an error which becomes at once a00arent= they stream down +i3e a co+umn of +i.ht
dis0e++in. the .+oom= they ma3e no c+aim on credu+ity or b+ind faith/
ou 3now how the enemy has been wor3in. a.ainst us% and if we fai+ in our de,otion to the &asters% or in
the dischar.e of the duties with which They ha,e been 0+eased to entrust us% he wi++ .i,e us no end of
troub+e/ But these troub+es we do not mind much= we can endure them ;uite 0atient+y and without a ruff+e/
4hat does torture us and disturb the 0eace of our mind% is the tearin. away from our Lords with which
we are now and a.ain threatened/ Nothin. e+se can torment us - no 0ersona+ 0ain % no 0hysica+ +oss%
howe,er .reat their amount/ 2or we 3now beyond a++ doubt that a++ that is 0ersona+ is transitory and
f+eetin.% and a++ that is 0hysica+ is i++usory and fa+se% and that nothin. but fo++y and i.norance mourn o,er
thin.s be+on.in. to the wor+d of shadows/
2or the disci0+e +itt+e is .ained from teachin. on the inte++ectua+ 0+ane/ The 3now+ed.e that infi+trates from
the Sou+ down into the inte++ect is the on+y 3now+ed.e worth ha,in.% and sure+y as the days ro++ by% the
disci0+e>s store of such 3now+ed.e increases/ And with the increase of such 3now+ed.e comes about the
e+imination of a++ that hinders him on the Path/
Pa.e ')
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
The fee+in. of 0ain is one to which any 0erson who +eads the +ife of the S0irit becomes accustomed/ 4e
3now that 0ain cannot +ast for e,er% and e,en if it did% it wou+d not matter ,ery much 4e cannot ho0e to
be of any ser,ice to Them or to Humanity without ta3in. our fu++ measure of sufferin. from the enemies/
But the ire of these &onarchs of Dar3ness is sometimes terrib+e to face% and they 0erfect+y start+e one by
the &aya they sometimes create/ But a 0ure heart has nothin. to fear and is sure to trium0h/ The disci0+e
must not distress himse+f o,er the tem0orary 0ain and i++usion they try to create/ Sometimes they may
seem to wor3 a re.u+ar ha,oc inside%and then he has to sit u0on the ruins himse+f% ;uiet+y waitin. for the
time when the asuric &aya sha++ 0ass away/ A+ways he shou+d a++ow the wa,e of doubt and unrest to
swee0 o,er him% ho+din. firm+y to the anchor he has found/ The enemy can do him no rea+ or substantia+
harm%so +on. as he remains de,oted to Them with a++ his Sou+ and with a++ his mi.ht/ 1He who c+in.eth to
&e% easi+y crosseth the ocean of death and of the wor+d%by &y he+0/1
Nothin. can ha00en to the disci0+e but that which is best for him/ !nce a 0erson de+iberate+y 0uts himse+f
into the Hands of the .racious &asters% They see that e,erythin. ha00ens at the 0ro0er time- the time at
which the .reatest ad,anta.e is rea0ed% a+i3e for the disci0+e and for the wor+d/ He shou+d therefore ta3e
a++ that comes in his way with a contented and cheerfu+ s0irit% and 1ta3e no thou.ht for the morrow1/// The
storm-tossed bar3 on a ra.in. sea is more 0eacefu+ than the +ife of the 0i+.rim to the shrine of S0irit/ A
0eacefu+ +ife wou+d mean sta.nation and death in the case of one who has not ac;uired the ri.ht to
0eace by com0+ete+y destroyin. the enemy - 0ersona+ity/
ou shou+d not fa++ into fa++acies% that are committed by the i.norant/ A++ rea+ Lo,e is an attribute of the
S0irit% and Prana and Bha3ti are the two as0ects of the Di,ine Pra3riti 5Nature6 which .o to ma3e worth
+i,in. the +ife of an as0irant after the waters of immorta+ity/ In the stormy dar3ness of the disci0+e>s +ife the
so+e +i.ht comes from Lo,e% for Lo,e and Ananda 5B+iss6 are in the hi.hest sense identica+%and the 0urer
and the more s0iritua+ the Lo,e the more does it 0arta3e of the nature of Ananda % and the +ess is it mixed
with incon.ruous e+ements/ !n+y the &aster>s ho+y +o,e is so ma<estica++y serene as to ha,e nothin. in it
that does not 0arta3e of the Di,ine/
Discretion and economy are ;uite as necessary in !ccu+tism as anywhere e+se/ In fact% in the +ife of the
!ccu+tist a++ the facu+ties of the human mind that are re.arded as ,irtues in the ordinary sense are 0ut to
the .reatest use and exercise% and are necessary ad<uncts to the rea+ +ife which a+one ma3es a disci0+e/
The wor+d cannot be he+0ed so easi+y as many ima.ine%e,en if there were more a.ents a,ai+ab+e for the
wor3/ 8now+ed.e on the 0art of the disci0+e is not the on+y thin. needed/ Loo3 out and 0onder%ere
decidin. that the 3now+ed.e and de,otion of the few can 0ush on the hands of the c+oc3/ Not a sin.+e
attem0t can be made without 0ro,o3in. fierce hosti+ity from the other side%and is the wor+d 0re0ared to
sur,i,e the reactionA ou wi++ understand how wise are our Lords in not .oin. further than They do% if you
on+y +earn from a++ you ha,e seen/
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
4hat wou+d +ife be worth if we did not suffer - suffer to render the wor+d .roanin. under our eyes a +itt+e
0urer% suffer to win a +itt+e more of the waters of +ife that wi++ ;uench the thirst of some 0arched +i0sA In
fact% but for the sufferin. that is the fate of the disci0+e who wa+3s with b+eedin. feet on the Path%he mi.ht
stray away and +ose si.ht of the .oa+ on which his .a:e must e,er be fixed/ The &aya of the 0henomena+
wor+d is so confusin.% so bewitchin.% that it seems to me that the e+imination of the 0ain a must ine,itab+y
be fo++owed by ob+i,ion of the rea+ities of existence% and with the disa00earance of the shadow of s0iritua+
+ife its +i.ht wou+d ,anish too/ So +on. as man has not been transformed into #od% it is ,ain to ex0ect to
be in uninterru0ted en<oyment of s0iritua+ b+iss% and in 0eriods of its absence sufferin. a+one 3ee0s the
feet of the disci0+e steady% and sa,es him from the death which wou+d sure+y o,erta3e him in the
for.etfu+ness of the ,erities of the s0iritua+ wor+d/
The disci0+e shou+d not be disturbed nor sur0rised when the s0iritua+ forces turned a.ainst him by the
other side find their 0+ay.round on a 0+ane hi.her than that of the 0hysica+ inte++ect/ It is true that the
dyin. embers in some unseen and unnoticed cranny of his own nature may be fanned thereby into f+ame=
but the f+ame is one that forms the si.na+ of the fina+ destruction of some wea3ness that must be burned
away/ So +on. as the taint of 0ersona+ity has not been c+ean washed out% ,ice in its manifo+d forms may
find she+ter in some ne.+ected chamber of the heart% thou.h it may not find ex0ression in menta+ +ife/ And
the on+y way to render the sanctuary of the heart immacu+ate is to +et the search+i.ht 0ierce into dar3
crannies% and ca+m+y witness the wor3 of their destruction/ The disci0+e must ne,er +et this 0urificatory
0rocess fi++ him with dismay%whate,er monstrosities he may be ca++ed u0on to witness/ He must ho+d fast
to the 2eet of Him who dwe++s in the .+orious burnin.-.round of a++ that is materia+= then he has nothin. to
fear or to be anxious about/ He has faith in Those who 0rotect and he+0% and may we++ +ea,e the wor3in.s
on the s0iritua+ 0+ane to be watched and directed by Them/ 4hen the dar3 cyc+e is o,er% he wi++ a.ain
reco.nise how the .o+d shines when the dross has been burned away/
In this mundane s0here of ours% as on a++ 0+anes of existence% ni.ht a+ternates with day - there is shadow
beneath the +am0 itse+f/ And yet how stran.e that men of cu+ture and erudition shou+d fancy that with the
ad,ancement of Science% of .ross materia+istic Science% a++ misery- indi,idua+% racia+% and nationa+ - wi++
cease for e,er and e,er= diseases% drou.hts% 0+a.ues%wars% inundations % nay% catac+ysms themse+,es%
wi++ a++ be thin.s of the remote 0astF
The interest that we ha,e in a++ the affairs of this e+usi,e s0here be+on.s on+y to the emotions and the
inte++ect% and cannot touch the Sou+/ So +on. as we identify ourse+,es with the body and the mind% the
,icissitudes which o,ercome the Theoso0hica+ Society% the dan.ers which threaten its +ife or
so+idarity%must ha,e a de0ressin.% nay% sometimes a+most a fren:ied% inf+uence u0on our s0irits/ But as
soon as we come to +i,e in the S0irit% to realise the i++usory nature of a++ eterna+ existence% the chan.efu+
character of e,ery human or.anisation% and the immutabi+ity of the Life within% we must% whether the
brain-consciousness ref+ect the 3now+ed.e or not% fee+ an inward ca+m% an unconcernedness% as it were%
with this wor+d of shadows% and remain unaffected by the re,o+utions and eru0tions of the wor+d/ !nce
the Hi.her E.o is reached% the 3now+ed.e that the Laws and Powers which .o,ern the uni,erse are
infinite+y wise becomes instincti,e% and 0eace in the midst of outward throes is ine,itab+e/
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
$ou.h+y and broad+y s0ea3in.% on the 0+ane we +i,e u0on there are three stand0oints of +oo3in. at
human misery in .enera+/ 4e may re.ard it% for instance@ 5'6 as a test of character= 5)6 as a retributi,e
a.ency= and 5?6 as a means of education in the +ar.est si.nification of the word/ 2rom a++ these 0oints of
,iew% I fancy the 1deadness1 5ex0erienced by a++ as0irants at times6 stands to acute 0ain in ,ery much the
same re+ation as so+itary confinement to im0risonment with hard +abour/ The i++ustration is% no doubt% a
,ery crude one% but it seems to me ,ery su..esti,e% and I ha,e in,ariab+y found ana+o.y to be of .reat
he+0 in the com0rehension of abstract and subt+e 0ro0ositions= hence this 0+an of ex0+ainin. thin.s/
A.ain% a++ the forces here are wor3in. towards the e,o+ution of 0erfected humanity% and it is on+y by the
harmonious de,e+o0ment of a++ our hi.her facu+ties and nob+er ,irtues that we can attain 0erfection/ And
this harmonious de,e+o0ment is 0ossib+e on+y by the 0ro0er exercise of those facu+ties and ,irtues% whi+e
this exercise in its turn re;uires particular conditions for each distinct attribute/ "ositive intense sufferin.
does not either test or re0ay or brin. into 0+ay the same ca0acities and merits of man3ind as a du++%
dreary ,oid within/ Patience% 0assi,e endurance%faith% de,otion% are far better de,e+o0ed under a menta+
.+oom than durin. an acti,e hard stru..+e/ The +aw of action and reaction ho+ds .ood on the mora+
0+ane%and the ,irtues e,o3ed by this menta+ 1numbness1 are those best fitted to combat and o,ercome it=
and these are certain+y not the same with which you confront actua+ 0ain% howe,er excruciatin./ !ne
word more on this 0oint% and I sha++ 0ass on/ This state of mind indicates that the 0i+.rim is on the
border+and between the 3nown and the un3nown% with a distinct tendency towards the +atter/ It mar3s a
definite de.ree of s0iritua+ .rowth% and 0oints to that sta.e where the Sou+ in its onward march has
,a.ue+y% yet unmista3ab+y% rea+ised the i++usi,e character of the materia+ wor+d% is dissatisfied and
dis.usted with the .ross thin.s it sees and 3nows% and han3ers after thin.s more rea+% 3now+ed.e more
substantia+/
The abo,e ex0+anation% thou.h ,ery succinct and desu+tory% wi++% I ho0e% satisfy you as to the uti+ity of
,aira.ya - of the fee+in. of the absence of a++ +ife and rea+ity in both yourse+f and the wor+d around you - in
the economy of Nature% and show how it ser,es as a touchstone for firmness of mind and sin.+eness of
heart% how as a 0uniti,e measure it antidotes inte++ectua+ e.oism- the 0hi+oso0hica+ b+under of identifyin.
the Se+f with the 0ersona+ity - the fo++y of see3in. to nourish the Sou+ with .ross materia+ food= and how%
moreo,er% it de,e+o0s% or rather tends to de,e+o0% true faith and de,otion% and awa3ens the hi.her
$eason and the Lo,e of the Di,ine/
2rom the hi.hest to the +owest% +ife is an a+ternation between rest and motion% between +i.ht and
dar3ness% between 0+easure and 0ain/ So ne,er a++ow your heart to sin3 into des0air or to be carried
away by any ad,erse current of thou.ht/ ou ha,e 0ro,ed to yourse+f inte++ectua++y% and are now actua++y
ex0eriencin.% the shadowy% unrea+ character of thin.s 0erce0tib+e by the or.ans of sense or e,en by the
mind% and the e0hemera+ nature of a++ 0hysica+ and emotiona+ en<oyments/ Ho+d fast% therefore% to the
0ath which wi++ brin. you to a ,iew of the rea+ +ife% howe,er ru..ed the re.ions throu.h which it
+eads%howe,er destitute of <oy the deserts across which it now and then winds/ Abo,e a++% ha,e faith in
the &ercifu+ !nes% our 4ise &asters%and de,ote yourse+f heart and sou+ to Their ser,ice% and a++ wi++
come out we++/
A++ that is needed for the weedin. out of any ,ice@
5'6 An accurate 3now+ed.e of the ,ice itse+f= 5)6 A reco.nition - a 3een fee+in.% that is a ,ice% that it is
Pa.e 'C
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
foo+ish to entertain it% and that it is worth+ess= and% +ast+y% 5?6 The wi++ to 13i++ it out1/
This will wi++ 0enetrate into the subconscious s0here where the ,ice dwe++s% and s+ow+y but sure+y erase it/
$ea+ tran;ui+ity of mind is ne,er the 0roduct of indifference and noncha+ance% but can on+y 0roceed from
an insi.ht into hi.her and dee0er wisdom/
A disci0+e% howe,er humb+e% of Their Hi.h Lod.e% has to +i,e in the Eterna+% and his +ife must be a +ife of
Uni,ersa+ Lo,e% or e+se he must abandon his hi.her as0irations/ The acti,e ser,ice which e,ery disci0+e
has to do to the wor+d is different for different c+asses of students% and is determined by the 0ecu+iar
nature% dis0osition% and ca0acity of the indi,idua+/ ou of course 3nown that% so +on. as 0erfection is not
achie,ed% ,ariety has to be maintained% e,en in the mode of ser,ice a che+a must render/
It is sim0+y im0ossib+e to o,erestimate the efficacy of Truth in a++ its 0hases and bearin.s%in he+0in. the
onward e,o+ution of the human Sou+/ 4e must +o,e Truth% see3 Truth% and +i,e Truth= and thus a+one can
the Di,ine Li.ht% which is Truth Sub+ime% be seen by the student of !ccu+tism/ 4here there is the
s+i.htest +eanin. towards fa+sehood in any sha0e% there is shadow and i.norance% and their chi+d% 0ain/
And this +eanin. towards fa+sehood be+on.s to the +ower 0ersona+ity without doubt/ It is here that our
interests c+ash% it is here that the stru..+e for existence is in fu++ sway % and it is therefore here that
cowardice and dishonesty and fraud find any sco0e/
The 1si.ns and sym0toms1 of the o0eration of this +ower se+f can ne,er remain concea+ed form one who
sincere+y +o,es Truth and see3s Truth and has de,otion to the #reat !nes at the foundation of his
conduct/ Un+ess the heart be 0er,erse% doubts as to the ri.hteousness of any 0articu+ar act wi++ ne,er fai+
to find articu+ation% and then the true disci0+e wi++ as3 himse+f@ 14i++ my &aster be 0+eased if I do such and
such a thin.A1 or@ 14as it His biddin. that I mo,ed in this wayA1 And the true answer wi++ soon come u0%
and then he wi++ +earn to mend his ways and harmonise his wishes with the Di,ine 4i++ and thereafter
attain to wisdom and 0eace/
Theoso0hy is not a thin. which can be thrust and hammered nolens volens into anybody>s head or heart/
It must be assimi+ated with ease in the natura+ course of e,o+ution% and inha+ed +i3e the air around us/
!therwise it wi++ cause indi.estion% to use a ,u+.ar ex0ression/
Be.innin. to fee+ the .rowth of one>s Sou+% one rea+ises the ca+m that no outward e,ents seem to touch/
This% a.ain% is the best 0roof of s0iritua+ de,e+o0ment% and one who fee+s this%howe,er s+i.ht+y and
,a.ue+y% need not care for any !ccu+t 0henomena/ 2rom the ,ery be.innin. of my no,iciate I ha,e been
Pa.e 'D
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
tau.ht to re+y more u0on the ca+m within than u0on any 0henomena on the 0hysica+% astra+% or s0iritua+
0+anes/ And% .i,en fa,ourab+e conditions and stren.th in onese+f% the +ess one sees of 0henomena% the
easier it is to ma3e rea+ and substantia+ s0iritua+ 0ro.ress/ So my humb+e ad,ice to you is to de,ote your
attention e,er to .rowin. ca+m within% and not to wish to 3now in detai+ the 0rocess by which the .rowth is
effected/ It you are 0atient% 0ure and de,oted% you wi++ 3now a++ in time% but remember a+ways that 0erfect
and resi.ned contentment is the sou+ of s0iritua+ +ife/
S0iritua+ 0ro.ress is not a+ways the same as .oodness and se+f-sacrifice% a+thou.h these must in due
season brin. about the former/
It is true that there is in the desire to win the affection of 0eo0+e around one% a tin.e of 0ersona+ity which%
if e+iminated% wou+d ma3e one an an.e+= but one has to remember that for a +on.% +on. time to come our
actions wi++ continue to be tin.ed s+i.ht+y with a fee+in. of 1se+f1/ It must be our constant endea,our to 3i++
this fee+in. as far as 0ossib+e% but so +on. as 1se+f1 must show itse+f in some way% it is much better that it
shou+d exist as an ina00reciab+e factor in conduct which is .ent+e% affectionate and conduci,e to .enera+
we+fare % than that the heart shou+d be hardened% the .enera+ character rendered an.u+ar% the 1se+f1
manifestin. itse+f in far +ess attracti,e and +o,e+y co+ours/ By this I do not for a moment su..est that
efforts shou+d not be made in washin. out this faint stain% but what I mean to con,ey is that the soft and
+o,e+y dra0ery in which the mind c+othes itse+f shou+d not be cast into the fire% sim0+y because it is not one
of immacu+ate whiteness/ 4e ha,e to bear in mind that a++ our actions are more or +ess the resu+t of two
factors%a desire for se+f-.ratification% and a wish to benefit the wor+d - and our constant effort shou+d be to
attenuate as far as is 0ossib+e the former e+ement% since it may not% ti++ the .erm of 0ersona+ity ceases to
exist% be com0+ete+y e+iminated/ That .erm can be 3i++ed by 0rocesses which the disci0+e +earns as he
0ro.resses% by de,otion and .ood actions/
The &asters are a+ways near those of Their ser,ants who by com0+ete se+f-abne.ation ha,e de,oted
themse+,es% body% mind% and sou+% to Their ser,ice/ And e,en a 3ind word to these does not .o
unre;uited/ In times of se,ere tria+ They% in accordance with a beneficent +aw% +et the disci0+e fi.ht his or
her own batt+e without he+0 from Them= but anyone who encoura.es Their ser,ant to stand firm has his
reward without a doubt/
8ee0in. serene and 0assion+ess% there is no doubt that% as the days 0ass by% one is comin. more and
more within that inf+uence which is the essence of +ife% and some day the disci0+e wi++ be sur0rised to find
he has .rown wonderfu++y without 3nowin. and 0ercei,in. the 0rocess of .rowth/ 2or tru+y the Sou+% in its
true b+oomin.% 1.rows +i3e the f+ower%unconscious+y1% but .ainin. in sweetness and beauty by imbibin.
the sunshine of S0irit/
A combati,e +oya+ty to any 0erson or cause is hard+y commendab+e in a disci0+e% and is certain+y no
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The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
indication of s0iritua+ 0ro.ress/
The first ste0% in a+most e,ery case% has the effect of disturbin. a nest of hornets/ A++ the odd items of
your e,i+ 8arma crowd around you thic3 and fast% and wou+d ma3e one with +ess steady feet fee+ .iddy
and sha3y/ But one whose who+e ob<ect is to +ay down% if it need be% his +ife for the sa3e of others% without
carin. for se+f%has nothin. to fear/ The ,ery <o+tin. in the u0s and downs of this ,ortex of miseries and
tria+s .i,es one stren.th and confidence%and forces the .rowth of the Sou+/
$emember that the sufferin. a disci0+e has to under.o is an inte.ra+ 0ortion of his trainin.% and f+ows out
of his desire to crush the 0ersona+ity in him/ And% at the end% he wi++ find the f+ower of his Sou+ b+oomin.
the more charmin.+y for the storm it has bra,ed% and the +o,e and mercy of the &aster more than
com0ensatin. for a++ he has suffered and sacrificed/ It is on+y a tria+ for the moment% because at the end
he wi++ find he has sacrificed nothin. and .ained a++/
Lo,e on the hi.hest 0+ane re0oses on the serene hei.hts of <oy a+one%and nothin. can cast a shadow on
its snowy eminence/
Pity and com0assion are the 0ro0er fee+in.s to cherish in res0ect to a++ errin. humanity% and we must not
.i,e 0+ace to any other emotion% such as resentment% annoyance% or ,exation/ These +atter may not on+y
in<ure ourse+,es% but a+so those a.ainst whom we may chance to entertain them % but whom we wou+d
fain see bettered and freed from a++ b+unders/ As we .row s0iritua++y%our thou.hts .row incredib+y stron.er
in dynamic 0ower% and none but those who ha,e actua+ ex0erience 3now how e,en a 0assin. thou.ht of
an Initiate finds ob<ecti,e form/
It is wonderfu+ how the 0owers of the Dar3 seem to swee0 away% as it were% in one .ust a++ one>s richest
s0iritua+ treasures% .arnered with such 0ain and care after years of incessant study and ex0erience/ It is
wonderfu+ % because after a++ it is an i++usion% and you find it to be one so soon as the 0eace is restored
and +i.ht dawns u0on you a.ain/ ou see that you ha,e +ost nothin.- that a++ your treasures are there%
and the storm and the +oss are a++ a chimera/
Howe,er heart-rendin. the out+oo3 may at any time be% howe,er .+oomy and dreary the state of thin.s%
we must not for one sin.+e moment .i,e room to des0air= for des0air wea3ens the mind and thus renders
us +ess ca0ab+e of ser,in. our &asters/
Pa.e 'H
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
8now for certain that the Lords of "om0assion are a+ways watchin. their true de,otees% and ne,er a++ow
honest hearts and earnest see3ers for +i.ht to remain under an i++usion for any +en.th of time= the 4ise
Lords brin. out of e,en their tem0orary recessions +essons which ser,e them in .ood stead throu.h the
rest of their +i,es/
It is sim0+y our i.norance and b+indness that .i,e the a00earance of stran.eness and uninte++i.ib+eness
to our wor3/ If we come to ,iew thin.s in their true +i.ht and in their fu++ and dee0er si.nifications % a++ wi++
a00ear 0erfect+y <ust and fair% and the most 0erfect ex0ression of the hi.hest reason/
That there is in the order of manifested existence not a whit more 0ain and misery than is abso+ute+y
necessary for the ends of the hi.hest e,o+ution% fo++ows direct+y from the +aw of 9ustice and "om0assion -
the +aw of 8arma and the mora+ .o,ernment of the Uni,erse/ That each act of se+f-sacrifice on the 0art of
e,o+,in. human monads stren.thens the hands of the &asters and brin.s reinforcement% as it were% to
the Powers of #oodness% wi++ a+so be made 0+ain ere we are thin.s of the 0ast - at +east to a .reat many
of the 0resent race/
It wou+d not a,ai+ us much if we 3new accurate+y in detai+ a++ that was .oin. to ha00en to us/ 2or we are
not concerned with resu+ts% and a++ we shou+d care about is our own duty= so +on. as the 0ath is c+ear to
us it is of +itt+e conse;uence what comes of the ste0s we ta3e on this outer 0+ane/ It is the inner +ife that is
the rea+ +ife= and if our faith in the .uidance of our Lords be firm% we ou.ht to ha,e no doubt that whate,er
the a00earances in this i++usory s0here may be% a++ sha++ .o we++ within% and the wor+d sha++ .o forward on
its +ine of e,o+ution/ There is comfort enou.h in this idea% there is b+essedness enou.h in this thou.ht%
and his a+one shou+d suffice to ner,e us to our 0resent duties and stimu+ate us to further acti,ity and
harder wor3/
There is a .reat difference between one who 3nows the s0iritua+ +ife to be a rea+ity and the man who on+y
babb+es about it% but 0ercei,es it not% who c+utches at and .ras0s for it%but inha+es not its fra.rant breath
nor fee+s its ex;uisite touch/
There is far more wisdom in Those who are watchin. o,er us than we ha,e any conce0tion of% and if on+y
we can firm+y 0in our faith on this we sha++ not fa++ into any b+unders% and sha++ be sure to a,oid much
unnecessary and worse than use+ess worry/ 2or not a few of our mista3es mi.ht be traced to excess of
anxiety and fear% to o,erstrun. ner,es%and e,en to too much :ea+/
Pa.e '(
The Doctrine of the Heart by Annie Besant
ou wi++ now see that who+ehearted de,otion is a 0otent factor in 0romotin. the .rowth of the Sou+%
a+thou.h it be not seen and rea+ised for the moment% and you wi++ not b+ame me for ha,in. to+d you to
+ea,e aside a++ thou.ht about 0henomena and s0iritua+ 3now+ed.e% 0sychic 0ower and abnorma+
ex0eriences/ 2or in the serene sun+i.ht of 0eace e,ery f+ower of the Sou+ smi+es and .rows rich in its
0ecu+iar radiant dye/ And then some day the disci0+e +oo3s with ama:ement at the beauty and de+icious
fra.rance of e,ery f+ower% re<oices% and in the re<oicin. 3nows that the beauty and radiance emanate from
the Lord he has ser,ed/ The 0rocess of .rowth is not the hac3neyed detestab+e artic+e 3nown to dabb+ers
in 0seudo- !ccu+tism/ It is a thin. mysterious= so sweet% so subt+e that none may s0ea3 of it% but may
on+y #now by ser,ice/
ou ha,e tasted some dro0s of the ambrosia+ waters of Peace% and in the tastin. ha,e found stren.th/
8nown now and for e,er that in the ca+m of the Sou+ +ies rea+ 3now+ed.e% and from the di,ine tran;ui++ity
of the heart comes 0ower/ Ex0erience of ce+estia+ 0eace and <oy is therefore the on+y true s0iritua+ +ife%
and .rowth in 0eace a+one means .rowth of the Sou+/ The witness sin. of abnorma+ 0henomena by the
0hysica+ sense can but arouse curiosity and not 0romote .rowth/ De,otion and 0eace form the
atmos0here in which the Sou+ +i,es % and the more you ha,e of those% the more +ife your Sou+ wi++
0ossess/ $e+y a+ways therefore on the ex0eriences of your Hi.her Se+f as a test of your own 0ro.ress% as
a+so of the rea+ity of the s0iritua+ wor+d% and do not attach any im0ortance to 0hysica+ 0henomena which
ne,er do% ne,er can% form the source of stren.th and comfort/
The humb+e and de,oted ser,ants of the &asters rea++y form a chain by which each +in3 is he+d to the
"om0assionate !nes/ The ti.htness of the ho+d of one +in3 to the one next in ad,ance to it% therefore%
im0+ies the stren.th of the chain which e,er draws us u0 to Them/ Hence one shou+d ne,er fa++ into the
0o0u+ar fa++acy of re.ard the +o,e which 0arta3es so +ar.e+y of the di,ine as a wea3ness/ E,en ordinary
+o,e% if it be rea+% dee0 and se+f+ess% is the hi.hest and 0urest manifestation of the Hi.her Se+f% and if
entertained in one>s bosom with consistency and desire of se+f-sacrifice% u+timate+y brin.s one to a c+earer
rea+isation of the s0iritua+ wor+d than does any other human act or emotion/ 4hat then of a +o,e which
has for its basis a common as0iration to reach the Throne of #od% a <oint 0rayer to suffer for the i.norant
and errin. humanity% and a mutua+ 0+ed.e to sacrifice one>s own ha00iness and comfort for the better
renderin. of ser,ice to Those who are e,er bui+din. a bu+war3 with Their b+essin.s between the terrib+e
forces of e,i+ and the defence+ess or0han- Humanity//// But the ideas of the wor+d are a++ distorted by the
se+fishness and baseness of human nature/ It in +o,e there be wea3ness% I do not 3now where +ies
stren.th/ !eal stren.th does not consist in strife and o00osition%but +ies a++-0otent in +o,e and inner
0eace/ So the man who cares to +i,e and .row must e,er +o,e% and suffer for +o,e/
4hen has the wor+d% b+ind in its i.norance and se+f-conceit% done fu++ <ustice to its rea+ sa,iours and most
de,oted ser,antsA It is enou.h that one sees% and in that seein. attem0ts to dis0e+% to what extent may
be 0ossib+e% the de+usion of the 0eo0+e around one/ The wish that e,ery one shou+d ha,e the eyes to see
and to reco.nise the Power that wor3s for his re.eneration must remain unfu+fi++ed% ti++ the 0resent
dar3ness that han.s +i3e a 0a++% obscurin. the s0iritua+ ,ision% has been +ifted com0+ete+y/
PEACE TO ALL BEINGS
Pa.e )*