In an Initiatic school you work to climb more rapidly to the peaks from which you will see the world as a whole. And it is precisely this, the coherent unity of the world, that gives meaning to everything that exists.

You are being taught to see, feel, understand and taste things, that is to say, to discover the meaning of life, and this is more important than anything else. That is why I ask you to be attentive and to help me in what I am trying to do for you.

At the moment, all the different elements you possess are jumbled up inside you. There are plenty of planks, nails, bricks, cement and glass lying about, but they have not yet been assembled into a building; you still have to learn to put all these materials together and build your palace… or temple.

In the world you are given quantities of materials and told to make what you can of them! So you go on amassing more and more disparate items but you are never satisfied, because nobody ever teaches you what to do with them. All you have is a stock of separate elements… and that is called culture and civilization!

To be sure, all these things could be put to good use, but no one ever explains what to do or how to do it. Whereas, here, in an Initiatic school, it is your work that counts. Obviously, you also need materials, but the important thing is to know how to fit them all together and what design to follow in doing so.

Henceforth, you can help me in my work by understanding what we are doing here. And stop comparing me to prominent lecturers, intellectuals and scientists! To be sure, they can give you as much material as you want, so much, in fact, that you will be crushed to death beneath the weight of it, whereas, here, you will be given next to nothing. No, but you will learn to be alive, and that is much better.

Here, you are given life and, as the days go by, I see you becoming more and more expressive, active, dynamic, conscious, resolute and orientated. It is possible that some of you are losing a little weight, but your life, your spirit is gaining! When it is only matter that gains, it is not so good, but when both matter and spirit gain, that is excellent.

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Complete Works Volume 6, Harmony
Chapter 10, The Hara Centre