Preserving an Unconditional
Goodwill Towards Other Beings
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
Right action often seems to be silly, while foolishness uses the most shining garments of wisdom. No pilgrim should expect applause along the path. Wisdom is often perceived as meaningless, and – according to the Mahatma Letters – ridicule must be fearlessly confronted in order for anyone to live up to theosophy. [1]
The daily practices related to self-discipline appear as senseless and foolish to those aspects of oneself which resist wisdom; and to other people as well. In order to follow one’s heart, it is necessary to perform actions every day that seem to be idiotic, for selfishness presents itself as morally beautiful, and wise action can be easily described as wrong.
A feeling of unconditional goodwill towards other beings is also inevitable if one is to learn esoteric philosophy indeed. There are reasons to be especially cautious while thinking about the mistakes of our colleagues in the search for truth. In an initial approach, one should mention at least two of them:
1) Our brothers along the path stimulate different parts of our being. The aspects of their nature which irritate us surely touch some points in ourselves which need improvement. Otherwise we would feel deep solidarity, instead of anger.
2) As long as our colleagues in study and search are sincerely working for a noble cause, we must remember that, in the alchemical process of the soul’s transmutation, all the inner failures (either real or potential) become visible. They are even exaggerated, like in a fever, at the same time as their roots get invisibly eliminated in the soul of the learner.
Let us be cautious, then.
Let us think the best about the others. Let us take their higher selves and spiritual souls into consideration. Let us support those who have visible limitations and are trying to improve themselves while helping an altruistic cause.
Let us try to correct our own mistakes. Perhaps our inner shortcomings are not so few, and not so small as we would like them to be. We can always improve.
NOTE:
[1] Click to see “The Mahatma Letters”, Letter LXII, pp. 351-352.
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The above article was published in our associated websites on 25 September 2018. It combines and updates two notes published, with no indication as to the name of the author, in the May 2015 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”: “Confronting Criticism and Ridicule” (pp. 1-2), and “Respect for One’s Fellow-Pilgrims” (p. 6).
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On Psychology and Theosophy, click to see also the article “The Theosophy of Namaste”, by Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
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In September 2016, after a careful analysis of the state of the esoteric movement worldwide, a group of students decided to form the Independent Lodge of Theosophists, whose priorities include the building of a better future in the different dimensions of life.
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