Why is assent important?

Many assenting voices can make the difference, but do we care enough?

What is the principle of annihilation?

All death in Nature is birth, and in death itself appears visibly the exaltation of life! 

There is no destructive principle in Nature, for Nature throughout is clear, unclouded life—it is not death, which kills, but the more living life, which concealed behind the former bursts forth into new development. 

Death and birth are but the struggle of life with itself to assume a more glorious and congenial form. 

Death is the visible appearance of this second life.

Death is the ladder by which your spiritual vision rises to a new life.

—Johann Gottlieb Fichte

What is the fluid of life?

It is possible to provision even a small life craft for a longer voyage than the allotted three-score years and ten, but you must economise the coal and not waste the water. 

There are some who will understand that water is the fluid of life.

—The Judge

What is the Soul of the Universe?

Spirit is the Soul of the Universe.

―John Dewey

What are high truths?

We are told that we are not to resist evil, but to turn the other cheek.

The world assumes that evil must be resisted by every means available.

We are told to love our enemies and bless those who curse us.

The world assumes that friends are to be loved and enemies hated.

We are told that the sun rises on the just and the unjust alike.

This world considers this undiscriminating; it would like to see clouds over evil people and is offended when they go unpunished.

We are told that outcasts and harlots enter the kingdom of God before many who are perfunctorily righteous.

Again unfair, the world thinks; respectable people should head the procession.

We are told that the gate to salvation is narrow.

The world would prefer it to be broad.

We are told to be as carefree as birds and flowers.

The world counsels prudence.

We are told that it is more difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom than for a camel to pass through a needle's eye.

The world admires wealth.

We are told that happy people are those who are meek, who weep, who are merciful and pure in heart.

The world assumes that it is the rich, the powerful, and the well-born who are happy.

—Huston Smith

The values are awry on earth.

The values are awry on earth. 

Intellect, and a trained brain-mind are great adjuncts, but they often become barriers to truth, and a true expression of divine love. 

Your reasoning mind must learn to be obedient to, and co-operative with, the Inner Self—the Christ in you of the teaching of the Master Jesus, and the light within of eastern sages. 

To me, this has been demonstrated very clearly by the passing through our station of this great soul—so simple, yet profound, in her understanding of at-one-ment with truth.

—Spirit Sister Frances Banks

Love to God and man

Love to God and man—

He who can measure up to this standard will be the ideal citizen of the ideal commonwealth in any age of the world.

—Julian Johnson

What are the archives of the soul?

I have spoken of a determination to visit other planets when my work of writing these letters is ended, but I must not neglect to say that I consider such journeys to and fro in the universe of far less spiritual value than those of other journeys, which I have made, and shall make into the deep places of my own self. 

Travelling in actual space and time is important to a man, that he may gain knowledge of other lands and peoples, see the differences between these peoples and himself and learn the causes thereof; yet quiet meditation is even a greater factor in growth if a man whose spiritual perceptions are open can do but one of these two things, it would be better for him to sit in a cabin in the backwoods and seek in his own soul for the secrets which it guards, than to travel without such self-examination to the ends of the earth.

Get acquainted with your own soul. 

Know why you do this or that, why you feel this or that. 

Sit quietly when in doubt about any matter and let the truth rise from the deeps of yourself. 

Examine your motives always. 

Do not say I ought to do this act for such and such a reason; therefore, I do it for that reason.

Such argument is self-deception. 

If you do a kind act, ask yourself why. 

Perhaps you can find even in a kind action a hidden motive of self-seeking. 

If you should find such a motive, do not deny it to yourself. 

Acknowledge it to yourself, although you need not advertise it on the walls of your dwelling. 

Such a secret understanding will give you a greater sympathy and comprehension in judging the motives of others.

Strive always for the ideal, but do not label every emotion as an ideal emotion if it is not really that. 

Speak the truth to yourself. 

Until you can dare to do that, you will make little progress in the quest for your own soul.

Between earth lives is a good time to meditate, but one should form the habit of meditation while still in the flesh. 

Habits formed in the flesh have a tendency to continue after the flesh is laid aside. 

That is a reason why one should keep as free as possible from physical habits.

I have made wonderful discoveries in the archives of my own soul. 

There, I have found the memories of all my past, back to a time almost unbelievably distant. 

In seeing how the causes set up in one life have produced their effects in another life, I have learned more than I shall learn on my coming tour of the planets.

Everything exists in the soul; all knowledge is there. 

Grasp that idea if you can. 

The infallible part of us is the hidden part and it is for us to bring it to light. 

Do you understand now why I advise the disembodied to break away from the distractions and the dazzling mirages of the earthly life? 

Only in the stillness of detachment can the soul yield up her secrets. 

It is not that I am indifferent to earthly loves; on the contrary, I love more deeply than ever all those whom I loved on earth, but I realise that if I can love them wisely instead of unwisely, it will be better for them and for me.

Yet the call of the earth is loud sometimes and my heart answers from this side of the veil.

What is the favourite subject of your thoughts?

It is curious that we never mention to others the favourite subject of our thoughts, that is, most of us do not.

―The Judge [War Letters]

Like begets like!

Remember; in life, like begets like.

There is more than one point of view.

Remember; there is always more than one point of view on everything.

Change it!

Remember; if you experience an event, situation, or condition you do not like, change it! 

Choose again and select another!

One in the Light

God's love resides within you. You are loved. You are one in the light. Remember that always.

Each one to his own experience.

Remember; each one to his own experience.

Practice makes perfect.

Remember; practice makes perfect. Truly.

Why Worry?

Why worry? God's in control!

 

What is the best way to make an enemy harmless?

The best way to make an enemy harmless is to understand his peculiar qualities, to learn something from the frankness of his enmity, to turn away evil by letting it go off at a tangent.

—The Judge

Evil is so long as good is.

Do not be deceived into saying there is no evil. 

Evil is—so long as good is.

If you love power, use power for good.

Two who are full of love may work together with the power of four; but two who work together for evil have only the power of—shall I say one and a half? 

And one and a half against four! 

If you love power, use power for good and increase it.

—The Judge

Money has two faces, but which is it?

Consider–

1. It’s great to have money. 

2. Money is the cause of all evil. 

 Money has two faces, but which is it?