‘Sometimes when we see what the world is like, we may have good reason to be pessimistic, disoriented and anxious. And so what should be done? Some people will consult psychologists and psychoanalysts… Others will consult astrologists, mediums, clairvoyants, as they do more and more nowadays, in order to be reassured.

That goes to show that they have not understood where and how they should look for true certainties and real reasons for having confidence in the future. I am not denying that there are people who know how to read the future, but they are rare. And even if they inform you of forthcoming events, it will still be up to you to decide how to act so as not to waste all your chances and to face any difficulties ahead.

Move forward with awareness of the future of light and joy that God has intended
Of course, each of you can do as you please. Clairvoyants and astrologists are more often than not quite skilled, especially when it comes to predicting success, love, fortune and health, otherwise no one would consult them; and it goes without saying that at some time or other, something good eventually happens, even if it does not last.

So, for those who need to resort to such practices to feel reassured about their destiny, let them do so if it does them good, but I have to tell you that the only effective method you can trust is to move forward with the awareness of the future of light and joy that God has intended for his children.

Pessimism causes a paralysis of your vigorous forces
A common opinion is that pessimism and scepticism are supposedly a form of wisdom: when we know that evil can arise at any moment and from anywhere, we have to be vigilant and take precautions. Well, no, this is a very negative view and there is nothing wise about it. It is even harmful for the psyche: when you concentrate on evil, everywhere and all the time, you do not see it when it really does appear, and the vigorous forces that would allow you to react become paralysed. So where then is the wisdom and the lucidity?

It is not a question of setting oneself against pessimism by pretending that there is nothing wrong; that would be ridiculous; not everything goes well, and sometimes many things go really badly. But optimism is a philosophical outlook founded on the knowledge of God, the universe and human beings.

How we should understand the word ‘optimism’
So, the word ‘optimism’ that we should be using is not the way we use it in daily life, it is too often confused with a certain naivety and casualness that have nothing to do with anything philosophical. The optimism I am talking about is in actual fact hope – the certainty that the future can always be better. Even if the present is not great, the forces of life and good are so strong they can always triumph over the bad, from the moment a human being decides to join forces with them.’

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Izvor Book 204, The Laughter of a Sage
Chapter 1, The Sage Lives in Hope