(A Chartered Cromlech Temple in New Zealand)
Exercises and Some Teachings as to Health
The true occultist – he whose services the Masters value – is calm, impassive, he suffers no change of mood, in his body he can and does rejoice – for joy is medicine. He sorrows rarely in his body, for sorrow hinders human usefulness – he is merry, for rhythmic merriment conserves energy – he is social, for human intercourse is much morbid poison cast out – but all these things are of his body, which it is his pledged duty to keep in the highest state of efficiency and excellence. Nevertheless, his Soul stands above and therefore is calm and suffers no change of mind.
So long as the moods, the exaltations and depressions born of the physical body, have power to dominate thee, it is as though the lens of the instrument bred a vapour that dimmed, clouded and distorted the whole – is this a tool fit for the Masters’ use? See to it that thou bring thy body to perfection.
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Neglect not material duties, nor the care of the body – for the body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and such should be richly cared for. Learn to control the body – and in all things remember that outward circumstances are but the shadow of inward verities. When thy soul turns with repugnance from some material work – or when thy soul sings for joy in the material sunshine of some pleasant event – then know that thy soul is fettered to the Earth and cannot rise. Joy nourishes the body and renders it fit to be a Temple of the Holy Spirit – therefore in Honour to Him and to prepare a worthy guest chamber, be thou joyous. Think ever if a dark and gloomy mood be on thee that thou art hanging with crepe the chamber wherein a loved Guest is to sojourn – make it clean and bright with flowers and songs for His entertainment and He will repay thee a thousandfold.
Thou knowest how holy and healthful is the Light of the Sun and how the pure gold of the Alchemist cureth every ill. The gold and the sunlight of humanity is the laugh and the smile – from these all evil things flee away as the Sun killeth germs of disease. Meet them thus and they will not prey on thee. Not the laugh of derision – not the smile of contempt – for Daemon est Deus Inversus and these are the appurtenances of hatred. But the frank, good-natured smile of love and of brotherhood. Remember that to meet evil with cold politeness or with sarcasm gives nourishment to the foul things which breed it – the genial kindly smile or laugh dispels them and starves them. Nor in operating these will thou need to let go the emotions, or to play the hypocrite – not emotional and not hypocritical is the smile thou givest to the pleading eye of a sick animal or thy laugh with a child who is a stranger to thee. True it is and balm bearing and grateful it is. So be thy attitude to all the world kindly, joyous and unemotional. Above all if thou hast any unbrotherly thoughts or unkindly of any person – or if thou hast any story to their detriment, speak it not to a stranger, for with the spoken word the evil thing will incarnate and grow – and spoken to a stranger will extend its influence far beyond anything that thou canst follow or obviate.
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To produce an effect in the thought world which shall have its physical result the Will and the Imagination must cooperate. Imagine thyself in given surroundings and then will the actions of thine imaginary self to be as desired. Rest, Calmness, Joyousness, these are the qualities to seek for. Let thy imaged self then realise that its duties in life are done by commanding and that not the vigorous command which involves putting forth power and effort – but the calm unemotional swaying with a word the creatures which are bound to obey. Picture thyself then to thyself as a potentate surrounded by human and elemental slaves whose existence is simply to obey the motions of thy will and practice thyself in the thought world in commanding these, calmly, deliberately not being impatient for result (for even the thought world results are not often immediate) but only insistent that the thing willed by thee should be done by them exactly and methodically – not merely that it should be done but done by them and without effort of thine. Next day thy body in the thought world (being so relieved from exhausting and harassing toil by the simple process of commanding those whose life is to obey) should take exercise and fatigue for its own health’s sake. Imagine thyself then walking along the street, breasting the mountainside, fronting the storm, all in pure exhilaration and joyousness. Imagine (and this is most important) that the thought body – expanding its lungs and simply willing to do so – can draw into itself constant fresh stores of vitality from the air – from the trees and the grasses – from all nature – and therefore let not the thought body droop or be weary. Refresh it continually and let it pass from waking to healthy and refreshing sleep.
These exercises are most potent and beneficial. Let nothing then avoidable interfere with them. Detach the consciousness from the physical body. Strive constantly to realise that the body is a machine working automatically and fulfilling its functions. If the functions are ill fulfilled and you call in a physician, your part is then fulfilled. Let the mind then concern itself with other matters and the bodily processes will go on. If in going they produce pain, very well – it is a part of the process of setting to right that which was wrong – you should heed only so far as to give a passing thought of approval to servants of the King doing their duty. When you have learned to isolate your consciousness habitually – then, if occasion arises for you to descend with will and consciousness into the body and to give an order, it will be like a King entering his throne room – all the courtiers bow to the ground and the order will be instantly obeyed. This is the true secret of self healing.
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Argue with thyself thus: My present circumstances are God’s will – therefore not merely to be endured with resignation, but gloried in as the best possible. No opinion of man or woman can take from me this conviction, therefore no such opinion matters. Outward circumstances do not make happiness – but inward peace does. I can command the latter. No evil thing can enter into me without thy will. I will that it shall not enter.
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Conserve your vitality – for, as occult powers increase, so do the currents of force that run along the Nadis you call nerves. Beware then that you put not causeless strain upon these. The Magister should calmly and without stress command, should calmly and without effort know and thus should rule his kingdom. To do with his own muscle what he should command to be done is useless effort and produces strain and exhaustion of nerve and this shows itself in irritation and the want of calm judgement. Exercise the body for the body’s health and profit. Strive not overmuch with the mind. Be not distracted with a multitude of avocations.