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Discipleship in the New Age I - Personal Instructions to Disciples - I.B.S.
February 1937 MY BROTHER: Your replies to the questions which I asked were honest. It is not wise, however, for you to continue the process of introspection too closely for your analytical mind is functioning adequately these days and the danger of over-functioning is ever present. In a life given to teaching (such as yours is), whether it is teaching physical plane matters or giving esoteric instruction, the teacher has ever to practice the divine art of decentralization. Being by force of circumstances placed at the center, the inner attitude cultivated must be that of a planned, peripheral attention, an identification with those to be instructed and loss of the constant sense of the little self. The practicing of detachment from self-concern and self-conceit which the onlooking soul evinces is no easy task, particularly for one of your temperament. How can it be achieved. The terms of release are so simple, my brother; the art of conformity is so hard. What are these terms? I will list them with brevity, for you need not, after all your training, that I should elucidate: The focusing of attention in the head. [253] Alignment of the bodies through correct and supervised breathing and eventual abstraction. Ponder on these two requirements for you can use them now and study also the ancient words of Patanjali who deals fully with the subject. Identification with others and then the final losing sight of the little self. See, however, that in this case, right motive controls. Intense dynamic interest in the theme of the moment, free from fanaticism and boundaries, realizing that - rightly handled - all themes are of spiritual moment. You should only evidence interest in the self during the hour of the evening review which I would ask you still carefully to continue. It is of real profit to you. . . . Life for you at this time holds much of service. See to it that you crystallize not. As one gets older in the physical sense (a thought which you ever evade, my brother) there is always the tendency to become set in one's life rhythms and objectives; the life theme is steady and the danger of rigidity is very real. See to it that you keep flexible and fluid and learning all the time. Teach, my brother, from the living experiences which you undergo and not from an accumulated series of life episodes. This thought warrants your careful consideration. Only thus can your words and your life influence carry to others that living fire which can set their lives ablaze with divinity. Choose not the subjects of your service but serve all who seek your aid. Seek them not yourself. In that last thought lies for you much of future understanding. One thing I seek to say to you, but I can only convey my thought in words that are necessarily vague. It is not my task to cast too much light into the future. This I will say, however: Mould your life upon the pattern of the sannyasin and hold on to no physical plane attachments. If you do, they will fail you and the pain in thus holding will hinder your feet as they stumble upon the Path. Walk free, my brother, and hold to nobody and hold no person to you in the bonds of attachment. Can you be a true sannyasin and stand in life alone or with only your brother disciples as comrades and friends? In the developments of the next two years see that these words of mine constantly recur to your mind, for thus will you handle the eventualities [254] of life relationships in a spiritual manner. Should you be able to see life's circumstances rebuilt around you or see them crumble to nothingness with equal equanimity, then your field of service can enlarge. You will have no interest in the affairs of the little self. Seeing this, the many little selves will come to you for help.
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