-Are painters, musicians or poets content to keep their creations in their heads? No, they give them concrete expression.
Image: The painter Vincent van Gogh on his way to work.
Many extreme tendencies are surfacing in the world today. There are countries that are technically, economically and socially advanced; they have done everything possible to improve their material conditions, but they have done away with religion. And then there are others such as India (although, even in India, things have changed greatly), that have such a strong spiritual tradition that the material dimension is quite neglected, and millions and millions of their people live in poverty. Naturally, I cannot say that either solution by itself is the right one; both are necessary. We must always be linked to heaven but we must also work on earth.
This then is what the new religion teaches: we must work to bring something of the divine into the world. You will protest, ‘But what about heaven? We want to work for heaven.’ Yes, but heaven does not need you; it already has everything. What could you possibly add to all the wealth that heaven possesses? It is here on earth that you are needed, and this means that you must revise your approach. I am not saying that you should turn your backs on heaven. On the contrary, you must continue to maintain close ties with heaven so as to be in a position to give to others. For after all, if you cut yourself off from heaven you will never be rich and never have anything to give to others.
Remember the advice I have already given you in this respect. Just as in some of the poorer countries the fathers of families have to go and look for work abroad, so you too must go ‘abroad’ to earn the money you need to feed your family. I am speaking symbolically of course. By ‘abroad’ I mean heaven, for it is to heaven that you must go every day through prayer, meditation and contemplation.
This is what I do: every day I leave you and go abroad to look for gold, so that I can bring it back and give it to you. Why do you have to stay glued to your family and friends all the time? Because you love them? No, you do not love them, or rather you love them in the wrong way. You allow them to starve to death because you are incapable of giving their hearts and souls the food they need. And that is not a proof of love.
Let me illustrate what I am saying. Suppose you have a wonderful idea; you feel that it is really good, and the thought of it makes you happy. This means that your idea has moved down from your intellect and reached the level of your feelings. Yes, but it is still incomplete; it is only when you express it in words and actions that the normal process will be complete. Are painters, musicians or poets content to keep their creations in their heads? No, they give them concrete expression.
Then why should we be content to leave spiritual things on the level of thought or feeling? Why should we not give them concrete expression also? Yes, spiritual and religious ideas must also be implemented. The religion of many people never gets any further than their hearts or minds, and their behaviour contradicts everything they think and believe. This is all wrong and it means that they do not understand the point of view of cosmic intelligence. First we think of something, then we wish for it to happen, and finally we have to work to implement it.
To be continued…
Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
Complete Works Vol. 26, A New Dawn, Chapter 2
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