Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 2.6.17: One will start to build a bridge, the second will hire a swimmer, the third will sit down to await shallow water, but one will be found who will weave the silver thread of the spirit and cross upon it without the burden of the body, because I will take his load upon Myself. New Era Community (1926) - 125: 125. My young friends, again you have been gathered in the name of the Teaching and again you have had an evening with guests. Whereas, it has been said and repeated that the hour of discourse about the Teaching must be devoid of ordinary gossip. Even though this hour may be more infrequent, yet its quality must be upheld. You approach by round - about ways, you surmount the fatigue of the working day, you bear a particle of the common good; but the accumulated objects of the familiar room break up your striving, and imperceptibly you become dusty boarders. Moreover, one of you, observing what is taking place, becomes a self-appointed overseer and sinks into the pettiest irritation. The fabric of the communion is torn and an unworthy mending is begun. We urge you, even if for only an hour, to be consciously responsible people. If an hour a week is difficult for you, then better meet only every fortnight. Learn how to exclude at that time all troublesome beastly habits - smoking, drinking, eating, shallow gossip, dealings in small affairs, censure, anger. Upon being assembled, remain seated several minutes in silence. If then one of you will not find the strength to enlighten his consciousness, let him silently go back into cold and darkness. We are enemies of all compulsive magic, but a natural control of consciousness must become the prerequisite of real construction. Surely for one hour one can dismiss personal ventures. If this be difficult, how then can you think about progress and growth of consciousness? An ox knows about chewing its cud but does not advance farther than digestion. Make an effort to give your discourses beauty, simplicity and purity. New Era Community (1926) - 252: Understand, it is necessary to put oneself wholly into the conquest of the fundamentals of liberation. Be able to look courageously into a shallow well - how quickly the surface grows scummy, and there is a thorny growth above the stagnant water. Let us deepen what has been started. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 456: 456. Walking on water or sitting upon water, like walking on fire, are remarkable proofs of thought-power. Let us recall, for example, how sitting upon water is achieved. True, the body has to be purified by a strict vegetable diet and a transport of the spirit. But in addition one should know how to swim and to float upon the water, in order the better to protect oneself from the serpent of doubt. Selecting some shallow, quiet waters, the yogi prepares a light wooden support on which he sits, so constructed that the water reaches to his waist. Then he concentrates by means of the rhythm of pranayama and lifts his thought toward the supremely Ineffable. Thus, several days can be spent, alternately resting and again drawing near to the spiritual exaltation. And when the thought frees itself from earthly attraction the human body loses its weight. Thus the yogi rises upon the water and the wooden support floats away. But should the thought remain at the original level the position of the body will remain unchanged, In addition one may notice luminous emanations of the body, which, according to an ancient saying link man to heaven. The only deciding factor in these experiments is the quality of thought. It is impossible for an impious man to sit upon the water, just as immunity from fire cannot be attained without a certain rhythm and exaltation. Who can determine how much time is required for a preliminary discipline of body and spirit sufficient to attain such an apotheosis of thought? It should be said that the degrees of patience, perseverance, and extermination vary infinitely, and, besides, certain influences of cosmic conditions are also very necessary. Nor should one laugh on hearing that the conditions are more favorable around full moon.
|