OUR
PRACTICES
'Tell me
what salt tastes like. Can you tell me what salt tastes
like. Can you? Can you describe to me the taste and
sensation of salt? You may say that it is a white
crystalline solid chiefly composed of sodium chloride. You
may also say that its chemical composition is NaCl. But I
tell you this: until you first place some salt on your
tongue you will not know the taste salt. So, what do we
need to do? We need to take a pick and head to the salt
mines!'
It is not enough that we apply
ourselves to the study of words and theory. We have to explore
and experience the inner reaches of ourselves, of life, and of
Creation.
Feeling the need to be in the
presence of a Master, or the desire to surround yourself with
all the sacred books of the world, is not unlike relying on
crutches to move along the way. You must he with yourself
sincerely and fearlessly exploring life. The world around us
grows increasingly complex, full of distractions and temptations
that threaten our attentiveness. Yet we must be steadfast and
apply ourselves unceasingly, for although the texture of our
lives has changed across the centuries. the human condition,
experience and purpose remain unaltered and eternal. Work
towards progress within yourself. Learn to discriminate. Draw
proper conclusions.
Let us remember that in our lives
there is no more demanding work than our pursuit of Truth.
Religious involvement is not a passive engagement, but an
active struggle to clean the heart and clear the mind. Yet the
harder the labor, the sweeter the fruit. The rewards of
cultivating a holy personality continue long after the material
body gives way.
Become familiar with the state of
your gross material body and keep it in good order. Bring your
psychical (emotional) body into a healthy exchange with your
noetical (reasoning) body. Your present-day personality, with
its three bodies, is a vehicle for the collection and
distillation of experience towards the edification and fullness
of your Permanent Personality. You must try to attune your
present-day self to your Permanent Personality. With the aid of
your Guardian Angel, your Permanent Personality is continuously
prodding you on, guiding the way. Emotions and desires need to
be placed under the wisdom of moderation and reason. There is no
other way.
Take for example our most valued
exercise, that of daily introspection. If we dedicate ourselves
to introspection - and I mean all of us - we will see
with ever-increasing clarity when we are acting out of
self-interest (causing harm to ourselves and others) and when we
are guided by virtue and principle. Other exercises aid in the
effort of identifying destructive elementals within our
personality, and slowly replacing them with life-giving
elementals.
