Theos-Talk Archives (April 2001 Message tt00086)

Extracts from LETTERS THAT HAVE HELPED ME -- 5 --


By William Q. Judge

Volume 1 compiled by Jasper Niemand;

The Letters in Volume 1 originally appeared in The Path, December
1888 to March 1890. W. Q. Judge first published them in book form
in 1891,
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SOME EXTRACTS


>From Volume 1

"Seeking for freedom I go to that God who is the light of his own
thoughts. A man who knows him truly passes over death; there is
no other path to go." -- Upanishads

"We need a literature, not solely for highly intellectual
persons, but of a more simple character, which attempts to appeal
to ordinary common-sense minds who are really fainting for such
moral and mental assistance as is not reached by the more
pretentious works."

The experience of one student is, on the whole, the experience of
all. Details differ, however. Some are made more instantly rich
than others: they are those who
put forth more vigorous and generous effort; or they have a
Karmic store which brings aid.

Karma, or the law of spiritual action and reaction, decided this,
as it works on all the planes, physical, moral, mental,
psychical, and spiritual alike. Our Karma may be worked out on
any one of these planes when our life is chiefly concentrated
upon it.

The letters, in the hope that they may assist others, are here
published. They are hints given by one who knew that the first
need of a student is to learn how to think.

The true direction is pointed out, and the student is left to
clarify his own perceptions, to draw upon and enlarge his own
intuitions, and to develop, by his own inward exertions.
Such students have passed the point where their external
environment can affect their growth favorably. They may learn
from it, but the time has also come to resist it and turn to the
internal adjustment to higher relations only.

The brevity of these letters should not mislead. Every statement
in them is a statement of law. They point to causes of which life
is an effect. That life, arising from the action of Spirit in
Nature, is that which we must understand. It is to be manifested
within us before we can advance on the Path.


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Letter 5

Dear Jasper:

I wish I could answer your letter as you ought to have it done.
But I feel my inability. However, our duty is to never consider
our ability, but to do what comes to be done in whatever way we
can, no matter how inadequate the work appears to others.
When we stop to consider our weakness, we think, by comparison,
of how another would do it. Our only right is in the act itself.
The consequences are in the great Brahm. So I will just say what
comes.

I feel the sadness in your letter, but know that you will rebound
from that. Do not let the sadness of knowledge create despair;
that sadness is less than the joy of Truth. Abstract Truth, even,
has necessarily in it all the mercy there is in the whole. Its
sternness is only a reflection from our own imperfections, which
make us recognize the stern aspect alone.

We are not the only ones to suffer upon the Path. Like ourselves,
Masters have wept, though They do not now weep. One of them wrote
some years ago: "Do you suppose we have not passed through many
times worse trials than you now think you are in?"

The Master often seems to reject and to hide his (spiritual)
face, in order that the disciple may try. On the doors and walls
of the temple the word "TRY" is written. ("The Brothers" is a
better designation than Mahatmas or Masters.)

Along the path of the true student is sadness, but also there is
great joy and hope. Sadness comes from a more just appreciation
of the difficulties in one's way, and of the great wickedness of
the individual and collective heart of man. But look at the great
fountain of hope and of joy in the consideration that the
Brothers exist, that They were men too.

They had to fight the fight; They triumphed, and They work for
those left after Them. Then beyond Them are "the Fathers," that
is, the spirits of "just men made perfect," those Who lived and
worked for humanity ages ago and Who are now out of our sphere,
but Who nevertheless still influence us in that Their spiritual
forces flow down upon this earth for all pure souls. Their
immediate influence is felt by Masters, and by us through the
latter.

Now, as you say, it is all Faith; but what is Faith? It is the
intuitional feeling -- "that is true." So formulate to yourself
certain things as true that you feel to be true, and then
increase your faith in them.

Don't be anxious. Don't get "maddened." Because in the fact that
you are "maddened" (of course in the metaphorical sense) is found
the proof that you are anxious. In a worldly sense it is perhaps
well to be anxious about a highly important matter, but in
occultism it is different, for the Law takes no account of our
projects and objects, or our desire to be ahead or behind. So,
if we are anxious, we raise a barrier against progress, by
perturbation and straining harshly.

You wrote to B. that what is his, is his. Then the converse is
true; what is not, is not. Why don't you take your own medicine?

Yours,
W.Q.J.

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