Principles of Discovery, Part 13
Discernment
To see the point of truth between the two extremes pointed out in the Pendulum Principle takes another principle – The Principle of Discernment.
In particular the disciple should seek the power to discern beyond physical seeing so he can see the difference in effects from the astral/emotional world, the mind and the world of the soul.
Discernment or correct seeing is difficult enough in the physical world. Just go to any courthouse and listen to two witnesses describe the same event. Sometimes there will be small differences and other times great ones, but always there will be differences. Then even with physical observation a witness may believe he sees more. For instance, the witness may believe he sees evil intent or guilt or he may see innocence or a “nice guy” in the defendant.
The problem with correct emotional seeing is that many try and discern it by physical evidence only. These people are easy to fool by an unscrupulous salesman or a con artist. The reason is that sometimes outward actions are a reflection of inward intent, but other times they are not. Unless the person can discern true emotional feeling, he will find himself to be wrong quite often when he sizes up a person’s inner nature by outer evidence.
So how does one learn to discern the true feelings and intent of others? The answer is he uses the principle that energy follows thought. Concentrate on reading people’s feelings and energy will follow your thought and eventually establish an emotional link that allows for consistent emotional communication.
Another key is to nurture the feeling of empathy. Seek to identify with the feelings of others, as with your own feelings and the communication link will increase.
As the emotional communication link becomes firm the pilgrim will suffer some disturbing, somewhat painful adjustments to his own emotional body. After the adjustments are made the storms will settle down and stability and added sensitivity will be the result.
The next step up is to establish a mental link. This will cause the seeker to develop the essential key of “reading between the lines” of what the other person is doing. When pure reason is developed the other person does not have to be physically present or even alive. The perceiver can merely study his words and discern many of the writer’s thoughts and intentions.
This mental discernment is invaluable when studying inspired works such as the scriptures. Those who go by a black and white interpretation only will always be in error. On the other hand, those who discern by the power of mind and reason can gain many more truths and with greater accuracy than those who are merely memorizing data.
Finally, we come to the great key of discernment through the soul. Here the person comes in contact with the Oneness Principle and grand vistas of knowledge and principles become available. He who is in the soul feels a vibration of confirmation whenever truth is spoken and discernment is greatly enhanced.
Quote from DK: “My words to you in the last series of instructions have sunk deeply into your consciousness and, little by little, the inner programme which should govern your life is slowly taking form-even if you remain as yet somewhat unconscious of it. How seldom do those who have the time and the leisure serve as do those who have no time or leisure! Reflect upon this statement and see to it that some form of life service takes shape in your consciousness which is other than the daily round which falls to those who tend a home. So oft the tending of a home, the functioning as a wife and mother and the performance of the social round, is deemed an adequate expression of service. For some it may and should be so. For others it is not, and you are among those who should function creatively and whose life should be dedicated to the expression of inner reality through the medium of some outer form. What will you, therefore, do if these words of mine are true?
“The world emergency is such that those who are affiliated with or who are members of the Hierarchy are calling for all the conscious creative aid that we can find. I call on you. It is for you to find the way to serve and to gain the needed sense of proportion, the necessary realisation as to the basic essentials of the spiritual life, and the tested discrimination and discerning faculty which will indicate to you the manner, the time and the mode of your service.” Serving Humanity, Page 374
Here is the next principle: “Seek proven authorities and learn from them.”
Since I have taught that the principle that makes the Beast is unearned authority some have taken this to mean that all authority is the Beast, including myself. There are, of course, positive authority figures who can demonstrate or who have mastered that which they teach. Even the Logos of our planet has an earned authority in the Hierarchy above him.
Assignment: Excluding me, name three earned authorities for you and tell us why they have earned that position.
Here are three important to me:
[1] DK, or Djwahl Khul who gave to Alice A. Bailey most of her writings.
There are a number of reasons he is an earned authority with me. The main one being that he comments on a principle that touches my soul in almost every paragraph he writes. No other writer does this for me.
Another reason is that often when I have had things revealed to me through the Oneness Principle, I later will be reading DK and discover that he had written about it either directly or indirectly through hints.
I find it interesting that the writings that Alice A. Bailey did by herself rarely say anything that I consider profound, that overall, a page of DK’s writings equals the light in one of her books – and her books are pretty good from a standard point of view. The difference testifies that Alice A. Bailey did not write the books attributed to DK.
Now one can say that some tricky evil spirit dictated the DK books, but they definitely did not come from Mrs. Bailey.
I believe the writings come from a true master of Wisdom and thus when his writings take me into unknown territory, I give then strong credibility.
Does this mean I automatically accept all he writes? No, but it does mean I give weight to all he writes. I personally find it amazing as to how much I automatically agree with because of soul confirmation as I read. After decades of study there are only two or three things I have on the shelf – on which I have not received soul confirmation and which I may disagree.
[2] The scriptures.
I say the scriptures because this includes other scriptures than the Bible such as the Aquarian Gospel, A Course in Miracles, Mormon scriptures and some from the East.
The most powerful of these are the actual words of Jesus.
These are strong authorities with me because I have received soul confirmation on many of the teachings. I have not received a blanket confirmation on any of them but enough so I take them all seriously.
[3] Teachers who have learned a skill, art or application of some kind. There are many good teachers who have reasonable mastery over a skill and are reliable to use as an authority. These are practical teachers recognized by the world, but when we get to the area of spirituality or metaphysics true authorities are few and far between.
“The Pilgrim, as he walks upon the Road, must have the open ear, the giving hand, the silent tongue, the chastened heart, the golden voice, the rapid foot, and the open eye which sees the light. He knows he travels not alone.” Glamour, A World Problem, Page 51
Aug 21, 2006
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