Now,
the tests for seekers are in several cases directly
derivable from the foregoing list. For example, the
tests of sexual indulgence and of money are almost
always presented to the seeker at some point on his
Path. Let us be more specific. When one embarks
on the Path, there is a phenomenon which tends to
lend to him a greater "allure" or
attractiveness than he might have had
previously. In most cases the attractiveness is
not directly from any increase in personal magnetism
of a sexual nature, but rather because the fact of
having taken up the Path, automatically calls into
the person's aura an additional power and
knowledge. It is this additional power which
others sense, but because people today are so
accustomed to interpreting this kind of impact in
sexual terms, they mistakenly see the seeker as
desirable for this reason. Indeed, there is an
enhanced attractiveness, but it is by no means at the
sexual level.
This
problem arises most often with men who are not on the
Path, and who become hopelessly enamored of women who
are. In most cases the woman will sense that the
suitor has somehow misjudged some quality of hers,
but few women will fully understand the dimensions of
the situation, and just why they appear so
attractive. We hope that what we have now explained
will allow greater insight into this kind of problem.
Naturally,
the test is for the seeker -- the one who has
acquired the enhanced magnetism. For with this
greater attractiveness to others, and the propensity
of others to read their own reactions in sexual
terms, there is often an abundant opportunity for the
seeker to indulge himself sexually if he wishes to.
Of course any exaggerated indulgence of this kind
would pull the seeker off the Path, because it would
side-track his energies into exhausting pursuits and
drag his attention down to the purely physical level
of indulgence. Many, many potential seekers
have succumbed to this elementary trap and have been
lost to the hierarchy as really useful instruments
for the salvation of the human race of man.
The
test of Money, as represented by the ring finger, is
again a straight forward one. As the seeker acquires
more and more ability in terms of helping his
brothers, the opportunity invariably presents itself
to make money from his spiritual endeavors. The main
point here is not how much money should be charged
for spiritual help, but what are the true desires in
the heart of the seeker. For some seekers,
because their services require them to assume certain
expenses, a relatively large levy is justified, and
does not represent a failure in this test. For
others, even a small charge would represent taking
personal advantage of a gift from God which was meant
to be shared freely with all, just as God gave the
gift freely, and therefore this levy represents
failure. Each seeker must look into his own
heart on this matter, for it is his
own judgment which is written down in the scrolls of
heaven. Each seeker knows full well the
motives in his own heart, and whether he has failed
the test of money.
The
true passing of these tests, of course, result when
one meets the temptations squarely and does not allow
his experience in either area to draw him off the
path of service. The solution to the sexual
temptation is to see sexual reality in its true
light, and to allow it to be part of the life pattern
if such appears called for. To deny the
physical expression of affection between two souls
when such is a natural outlet for love energies is,
in many ways, just as much of a contortion as the
over indulgences in sex for its own sake purely for
pleasure motives. The trick is to find BALANCE
and to experience all facets of life with an
UNDERSTANDING of their essence. Remember that
God did not make pleasure with the intention that man
should turn his back on it. This is like
refusing to gaze upon a beautiful sunlit scene
because the joy of beholding it is somehow
wrong. No.... joy, laughter and physical
pleasure all have their place. The important
thing is not to deny or avoid them, but to
participate in the right circumstances and for the
right reasons. God does not make anything that is
inherently evil or inherently good. It is MAN that
determines the way in which the gifts of God shall be
treated. He can use a hammer to build or
destroy. The determining factor is the motive
in man's heart, and thus it is MAN that determines
the good and the evil in the world.
Turning
now to the middle finger, we have explained
previously that this digit represents the area of the
self image. Many souls do not have a strong or
positive self picture. They are unhappy with their
own essence, and this reflects in the personality,
which tends to develop feelings of inferiority or
worthlessness. Now, it is unsuitable in the
extreme for any seeker to lack a positive self image.
He must be happy with himself, for the simple reason
that the Path which he is electing to tread is often
a lonely one. He will be called upon to walk it
alone for certain periods and if he cannot find
contentment merely by being with himself with no
other company, then he will in all likelihood break
down in his resolve to serve the race, and his
dependability will be in doubt. When the guides
of the human race decide to entrust an important task
to a soul in incarnation they must first be satisfied
that the vagaries of earth life will not throw him
off the Path, that the loss of friends or a
separation from a loved one will not break down his
determination to continue on the high road. So the
guides test the soul severely in this area.
The
most common testing procedure is one which arises
almost naturally very soon after any individual
places himself on the Path: it is the breakdown or
severe testing of whatever personal relationship[ the
individual might have had at the time of the decision
to serve.
Many
seekers reading this will attest to the accuracy of
the point just made, for many of them will have seen
their personal relationship... whether a marriage or
some other close inter connection... flounder or
nearly flounder on the rocks of disagreement as to
the importance of spiritual advancement.
Typically the other partner will sense that the
seeker has somehow place spiritual matters above the
relationship, and usually this is so. If that
other partner is unable to accept such a state of
affairs, then he/she will often present the seeker
with an ultimatum:"It's me or all this spiritual
stuff", is a typical refrain... one which
many seekers will instantly recognize.
If
the seeker gives in for the sake of preserving the
relationship then his path will be different from
what might have occurred if he had adhered to his
resolve. Neither choice is "better"
than the other. The karma that would come to
the seeker if he chooses to abandon the partner would
not be great enough to deter the seeker.
Indeed, it usually happens that, even though the
karma must quickly descend and be met, the rewards of
having chosen the spiritual path would more than make
up for the hardship of meeting that particular
karma. We cannot be more specific here, since
the "extras" which are given to seekers are
highly individual and are exactly tailored to the
preferences of the individual.
The
next finger is the Forefinger, which refers generally
to faith. However for the seeker, who
presumably already has an abundance of faith, the
forefinger designates a different kind of test; it is
the test of GLAMOUR. this particular test is
extremely important, because many unwary
seekers are drawn off the Path by it. Let us
try to characterize the attitude of mind that
represents having failed the test. There are
those who, upon fitst discovering a channel to one of
the higher planes, or upon first developing their own
"source" of information, become overly
fascinated with the information for its own
sake. They become EXCITED to too great a
degree. They think:"Isn't this wonderful!"
Or they might find themselves drawn into the circle
of influence of a teacher or psychic on the
earth plane whom they consider to be very
special. The person of that leader may take on
a heightened importance for these seekers. and they
might "glamorize" him out of any
proportion to what he is really trying to do.
Of course some leaders do allow their students or
followers to glamorize them, and this is a serious
failing on the part of the leader.
But
the truly discerning seeker will be able to see
through such silliness, and realize that what is
important is the service he can render to others, and
the understanding he can attain in terms of the great
spiritual and cosmic laws. The pursuit of the
spiritual Path has no other legitimate justification.
Finally,
the test represented by the thumb will be quite clear
to all seekers, for it is the test of EGO. Many
souls, upon first becoming part of a group following
spiritual goals, will be tempted to think of
themselves as special, as somehow being better or
more spiritual than their brothers who are still
living normal lives. No thought could have a more
insidious result, because the very fact of putting
oneself ahead of others has the precise reverse
effect; the guides who watch the progress of seekers
with special care will immediately relegate to the
bottom of the list any individual who presumes to
think of himself as holier or more spiritual or more
worthy than any of his brothers, no matter how low
the vibrations of those brothers have
descended. The truth of the matter is simple:
God loves All his children equally God has no
favorites, for in a sense ALL ARE HIS
FAVORITES. And it is here that the admonitions
of the Christ take on their true dimensions: He who
would be first must be last; Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth. Any who meditate
upon the real significance behind these apparent
riddles will surely see that they express the
greatest of all the truths in terms of seekers;
namely that the purpose of the Path is to teach one
to serve, not to lead; to give, not to take, to love
not to despise. Those who fail in this greatest
of all the tests, must lose the right to be among
those to whom is given the great privilege of serving
the salvation of the race of man.
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