The Secret of Immortality

 

Part III: The infinite Potential of the Immortal

 

 

Once again we raise the question: What does it mean to be an immortal?

 

In order to be a cow, not much more is required than just to exist.

 

This does not apply to a human being. Of course, a baby is also a "human being". However, it is true as well: Only then it is "really" a human being when it has learned to walk, to speak, to read, to write, to calculate and many other things associated with being “human". As paradoxical as it may sound, it is true nevertheless: To be born is not enough, afterwards man has yet to become a human being.

 

A being that does not develop the potential which nature – or God – has bestowed on it, fails to fulfill his mission.

 

Thus, for a higher being than an animal, "to live" means: To consciously use one’s abilities and to develop them further and further.

 

This also applies to a non-material creature like your soul. If you really want to transform and to become a soul, you have to recognize, to apply, to develop and to constantly expand the gigantic potential of such a spiritual being.

 

On this divine plane each one is the builder of his soul, and the architect of his own immortality. (Teachings of the Temple Vol. II, Lesson “True Knowledge”)

 

Your Eternal Individuality is only just at the beginning of its conscious development. Today it is still like a baby: small, weak, unsheltered, vulnerable and suffering.

 

We are not yet like horsemen, who force their will upon the donkey (the body) with strength and dexterity. Our higher self is for the time being still an infant. He sits in the saddle, where, however, he does not steer, but is carried by the donkey here and there at its will.

 

You must educate your spiritual being as you raise a child – so that it grows from a small and weak to a Great and strong Soul.

 

Just as for the body, so for your soul as well you must practise "bodybuilding" in the truest sense of the word. You have to nourish, care for, heal, exercise, strengthen and let grow your eternal being as well.

 

 

Become who you are

 

Therefore, the old sages said, seemingly paradoxical: Become who you are.

 

That means: Although you – your true self – are immortal, you still have to make considerable efforts in order to become a being, which actually uses the possibilities of an immortal.

 

For example: You have learned just a few minutes ago: Your true self is inviolable and imperishable. And now, what happens if someone suddenly appears and threatens you with a gun? You are scared!

 

You see: It is a long way from the merely intellectual realization that nothing can affect your soul, to a being that really is not afraid of any situation.

 

The small soul tends to feel endangered, although it is eternal and thus invulnerable. You are not really an immortal as long as you are still afraid of death!

 

 

Acquire the Qualities of an Immortal

 

Ultimately, the important thing is not so much to gain immortality as such, but to develop the qualities, the abilities that make up an immortal. A human being must be able to walk, a fish to swim and a bird to fly in order to realize its nature.

 

Likewise, an immortal must learn to be really inviolable on the material level – and thus to become invincible, fearless, free, joyful and unselfish.

 

*****

 

The potential of an immortal consists of a bouquet of qualities (inviolability, invincibility, fearlessness, freedom, joy of life, selflessness), which we have as yet to develop.

 

Let us now look more closely at these properties.

 

 

1. Eternity, Invulnerability, Invincibility

Nicholas Roerich "Tsong kha-pa"

 

What is your greatest treasure? Your immortality! Can you imagine at all what that means?!

 

You are a soul, not a physical, but a spiritual being! That means first of all: No power on earth can do you any harm.

 

You are eternal and indestructible.

 

All attacks against the health or the integrity of your body miss their goal: they are unable to hit your true self.

 

A shot through the coat goes past your body. Similarly, a punch on the donkey does not hit the rider.

 

Likewise, your soul is not affected by an injury to your body.

 

Be aware, never forget: You are actually invulnerable!

 

Not even death can frighten you:

 

Your true self lives on and is as little affected by the death of the body as the rider by the death of his donkey.

 

The immortal is like a God: inviolable and invincible!

 

Let man understand that no one can deprive him of life. Courage is strengthened by the realization that life is indestructible. Certainty about this is the way to fearlessness, and the certainty must be complete to be effective. (Supermundane 751)

 

As long as you are a small soul, you tend to feel hurt, even though there is nothing which is able to offend you.

 

 

2. Fearlessness

 

As you are an everlasting, invulnerable creature, you do not have to fear anything or anyone. No one and nothing can do you any harm. Not even the death (of the body) affects the eternal life of your soul.

 

One must know the complete immutability and eternity of life in order to proceed without fear. One must understand the indestructibility of our essential nature in order to place this value upon the scales. (Fiery World I, 202)

 

The anxieties of the people are numerous: They fear the loss of relatives, of their job, their possessions, their health and many other things more. By transforming into a soul, you overcome this weakness: As a spiritual being, you do not need any of this, neither for your survival nor for your well-being.

 

Make the best of this asset! Place your eternity on the balance! Do not allow this magnificent treasure to remain unused! The first practical application will be to acquire complete fearlessness.

 

Think about the meaning of danger. So-called danger is nothing but fear for one’s present condition. But if we know that every condition is created by the consciousness, which is indestructible, then there can be no physical fear. The dangers that one customarily fears are dispelled by a broadened consciousness. Therefore, the growth of consciousness is the essential foundation for progress. Then there will be no dangers, but only be obstacles, and overcoming obstacles is only a means for the developing of energy. Assure yourself, therefore, that dangers do not exist. (Agni Yoga 406)

 

Fear is the main cause of the weakness of the generation of today. What is the power of dictators and other oppressors based upon? On fear!

 

Ends the fear, ends the submission. (Picture lion text)

 

Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. (Matthew 10, 28)

 

Victory over fear will be the threshold of a new consciousness. (Agni Yoga 538)

 

The generation of the future is so strong, because it has conquered death, and with it fear.

 

 

3. Freedom

 

As long as you regard yourself as mortal, you are corruptible: You have to enter into all sorts of compromises when you are threatened and your perishable personality is afraid for its existence.

 

Because of fear for his life or that of his family, the old man becomes a companion of even the most unscrupulous projects and feels compelled to carry out acts for which he will be ashamed.

 

*****

 

As an immortal, on the other hand, you can pursue your higher goals in all circumstances. You attain perfect freedom of action. You gain complete independence. You may carry out what you have recognized as good and right, without having to take into account any other considerations.

 

You can seal the struggle for your ideals, if necessary, even with the death of your body – your existence (the life of your soul) is not endangered thereby.

 

He who adheres to the Teaching of Infinity gains freedom of action first of all. (Hierarchy 29)

 

Do you notice unworthily the old, mortal man is manoeuvering?

First comes a full stomach, then comes morality. (Bert Brecht)

 

What a miserable sentence! It deprives man of his dignity and throws him back to the level of the animals. In reality, it overrides ethics – precisely when they are most needed. Principles, however, which apply in good weather only, are worthless.

 

The New Man places his immortality on the balance. When you play this trump card, you can live a life of the highest ethical principles, unaffected by and free from false considerations.

 

There exist spirits of a high tension who have fully charged their accumulators in past incarnations. Their characteristic feature will be a firm consciousness of the indissolubility of their inner ego, whence is born the concept of a higher freedom. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden II, 289 [293])

 

The generation of the future is so strong, because it has overcome fear and thus gained freedom.

 

 

4. Dignity

 

Only as eternal beings are we able to proudly and freely fulfill our mission. Everyone can live in dignity, even in the most dreadful conditions:

 

Your dignity should not depend upon the changing circumstances, on whether you are faring well or badly, whether you are living in poverty or in wealth.

 

You preserve dignity in all circumstances when you keep your soul pure, listen to its voice, and follow its instructions – that means, when you express your higher self.

 

Your dignity is not contained in your body, which is small and weak and usually must yield to the physical force and the large numbers of the others, so that often you cannot help it being humiliated.

 

The dignity of your Eternal Individuality, on the other hand, of a spiritual being from a higher world, is indeed inviolable: nothing can diminish it – if you yourself do not allow it to happen.

 

 

5. Overcome the earthly Worries

 

A soul, which temporarily dwells on the earthly plane, is subject to the conditions prevailing here.

 

Down here, there is no peace and no security, but nothing but endless struggle for life, health, food, clothing, housing, income and property.

 

All that which is material is constantly in danger. Through endless work you have to earn every day your own and the survival of the people entrusted to you.

 

Nevertheless, the immortal is not concerned for his survival: As a being from the world of the soul he is not affected by material necessities.

 

 

Fate of the Body insignificant

 

The immortal looks at the world, and at himself within it, with the eyes of his Eternal Individuality: From the point of view of a wanderer on an infinite path who briefly visits this planet and will soon move on to other worlds.

 

Your soul descends to the material plane in order to fulfill a task, to learn, to practice its abilities, to prove its progress, to grow and to perfect itself.

 

The fate of your tool, the body, during this short stay, whether it lives in poverty or wealth, health or illness, happiness or misfortune, is of no importance whatsoever for the mission of your higher self.

 

It is essential that the art of thinking again rise above the external conditions, which are subordinate factors of existence. (Brotherhood 510)

 

 

Untouched by Suffering

 

When you incarnate on the material plane, you are inevitably exposed to the suffering that reigns down here: It hurts to get in contact with the gross emanations of the brutal conditions, with the omnipresent imperfection. You are destined to endure all the injustice and the attacks which the hostile to the spirit inhabitants of these spheres use to inflict to each other.

 

Not unlike Jesus, every other earthly dweller is mocked, humiliated, beaten, wrongfully accused, innocently condemned, and often crucified. (Matthias Grünewald Isenheimer Altar)

 

Like Cinderella, you are humbled, although you are destined to a kingdom.

 

The immortal is by no means spared the cross of existence. His uniqueness lies in the fact that it cannot harm him.

 

He is like the lotus, which lives in the water, but is not wetted. The suffering of the world drips off from you because you know: Your true, inviolable, invisible, inner spiritual being is not affected by the external distress, which concerns the body only.

 

Where lies the salvation from the earthly sorrows?

 

Take the point of view of eternity!

 

Earthly cares are like stones rolling down a mountain. The lower down they roll, the more violent the impact of the landslide. Would it not be better to ascend to the very summit where there are no falling stones? Upward striving also transforms our attitude toward earthly cares. Even though they continue, their meaning is altered. (AUM 304)

 

From there, the everyday attacks, difficulties and imperfections, the suffering and the distress of the world do not disappear. But they lose their weight and become small and void. They concern your perishable personality only, while your higher self is standing far above them.

 

Our philosophy is based upon thinking about Infinity. With such ideals, earthly tribulations become bearable and manageable. (Supermundane 341)

 

 

Example of the great Saints

Pordenone "Laurenzo Giustiniani and other Saints"

 

Let us follow the example of the great saints and spiritual warriors.Let us not believe that they were better off than we are. By no means: All without exception they have done their work in the midst of earthly life and carried their full share of the suffering of mankind.

 

*****

 

Just one example: Try to imagine as vividly as possible the professional life of Christ as a carpenter or of St. Paul as a tent-maker: They participated in the worldly struggle for existence and were exposed to the same difficulties, injustice and cruelties as any one of today’s professional workers:

 

Were these two high initiates self-employed? Then they did not fare differently than any craftsman at all times; The suppliers claim to be paid immediately, but the customers you have to chase in order go to get the money due to you. Or were they employees? Then they had to subordinate themselves to superiors standing spiritually below them, and were exposed to their violence and their whims.

 

Nevertheless, the saints did not allow themselves to be subdued by any humiliation. They have brought to bear the dignity that is based upon their higher nature – even on the cross.

 

 

6.Selflessness

Jacques-Louis David "The Act of Selflessness"

 

In addition to invulnerability, the second great achievement of the coming immortal man is: selflessness.

 

 

No Interest in earthly Goods

Nicholas Roerich "Sergius the Builder"

 

Do you think: "I want this or that for me"? This is an expression of your perishable personality. Your Eternal Individuality does not require anything for itself, it is completely selfless.

 

Anima does not need material objects, neither for her survival, nor for her well-being!

 

When you have become a soul, you will despise material goods. You will have to abandon them anyway once you leave this world. They do not help you on your infinite path. On the contrary, the concern for their preservation and defence even impedes your spiritual progress.

 

Souls live simply, modestly, and undemanding, an attitude which reflects the dignity of man better than the present wastefulness. They do not participate in the mad chasing for possessions, power, and satisfaction of the desires of the body.

 

A soul evades material pleasures: they cannot satisfy a spiritual being and weaken its strength.

 

*****

 

You old men pay dearly for your apparent wealth, namely, with damage to your higher self: The soul loses with everything that the body gains. Look at the present time: materially as rich as none, spiritually as poor as hardly any one.

 

The personal desires must die, so that the spiritual self may be born. (Teachings of the Temple Vol III, Lesson “Life's Doorway”)

 

The mortals around us cut each other to pieces in order to grab as much as possible of that what nature has provided for all men and what we all of us have produced in common.

 

We immortals are competing to get along with as little as possible!

 

 

No Struggle for Existence

Lex Drewinski "Homo homini lupus est"

 

A spiritual being is merely striving to procure for its earthly tool, the body, that small amount of food, clothing and housing, which is indispensable for its material survival – without that this concern were of particular importance. A soul would never fight with other souls for such resources.

 

For a creature that cannot die at all, the much talked of struggle for existence is a concept deprived of any sense. A soul would never harm another soul because of some insignificant physical needs. Thereby, it would harm itself.

 

To the old, mortal physical man, the law of the jungle applies: The strong robs or eats up the weak, and becomes even stronger thereby.

 

To the new, immortal man, there applies the law of the sacrifice.

 

 

The Law of the Sacrifice

Tintoretto "Crucifixion"

 

In the exceptional case that there should really be no sufficient material means to survive for all – that is: for all bodies! –, we immortals renounce willingly in favour of the others.

 

A long earthly life is not a value in itself. In view of infinity, it is of no importance at all whether one single life of the body lasts somewhat shorter or longer. What are 10, 50 or even 100 years for a creature that lives eternally? Not more than the twinkling of an eye!

 

The death of the body is a light thing compared to the death of a Soul. (Teachings of the Temple Vol. I, Lesson 62 “The Murder of Ideals”)

 

A soul loses nothing, but in fact grows when it sacrifices the body – which will soon pass away anyway. For your Eternal Individuality it is better to live a short life right, than a long life wrong.

 

When people begged Milarepa to have pity on himself and stop leading such a hard life, he said: “As all of us are subject to death, I prefer to die in pursuit of a beautiful goal.” Verily, if even one hundred people could realize the wisdom of this formula and would apply it in life, the world could be transformed in the shortest time. (Helena Roerich Letters Vol. II, letter of 01.10.1935)

 

Your higher self actually thirsts for serving a great purpose. The law of the sacrifice states:

 

Your Eternal Individuality grows greater when it gives, not when it takes!

 

Therefore, all spiritual teachings agree: True happiness does not lie in possessing, but in giving!

 

Thus, Jesus says: It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20, 35)

 

Sacrifice is power. Power is possibility. Consequently every sacrifice is first of all a possibility. It is time to cast aside the hypocrisy that sacrifice is deprivation. We do not accept deprivations, but We give possibilities.

In Our Treasury there is a large collection of sacrifices, and each one was useful to the one who made it. We dislike to speak about sacrifices, because a sacrifice is the a profitable undertaking. A real merchant of life considers each expenditure as only a business guarantee. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden II, 183)

 

 

Only an Immortal can be selfless

 

As long as you are mortal, you cannot act completely selflessly: You must consider your entire existence as endangered when you neglect the needs of the body.

 

As long as you believe your end to be imminent, you can hardly do anything else than to cling with all your strength to this poor rest of life, to defend it with teeth and claws, to expand it as long as possible, and to enjoy it to the full.

 

As an immortal you have nothing to lose because you are bound to nothing. You have nothing to gain because there is nothing that tempts you.

 

It is only when you have become aware of the indestructibility and eternity of your true self that you will be able to achieve true, unqualified selflessness. Only then you are in a position to sacrifice everything – if need be, even the life of your body.

 

 

Selflessness crucial for New World

 

We shall see in a later Broadcasting: The quality of selflessness is crucial for the construction of the New World.

 

The scourges of our time, which make life on this wonderful planet a hell for us, are: selfishness, greed, the chasing for money, power and pleasure, the struggle of everyone against everyone. If you think deeper, you will find that the cause of almost all evils is the egotism of man.

 

Poverty was not created by God. We have produced it, me and you, with our egotism.

 

In order to really change the world, we have to overcome the omnipresent egotism. The society of the future can be created by people only who have achieved complete selflessness.

 

We New Men are eager to put into the common pot more than we take out of it for ourselves. We are ready to share with our fellow human beings both the necessary work and the income resulting from it. This is how we eliminate both poverty and unemployment.

 

 

7. Meaningful Life

"The Treasure in Heaven"

 

Only if you acknowledge the continuity of your existence beyond the life of the body, you will be able to find a satisfactory meaning for your life.

 

The existentialist philosophers are in fact right: If we really had one single, short earthly life only, our existence would indeed be absurd. If all the achievements you gain, if all the qualities you assemble (expansion of consciousness, abandoning bad and acquiring good qualities, building up new abilities), if the progress you struggle to achieve – if all this is to be completely annihilated in a few years’ time – why then should you trouble to unfold any striving at all?

 

It is useless to speak of purification or sublimation before the continuity of life is understood. (Supermundane 348)

 

A meaningful life does not begin until you know: Your soul accumulates all these treasures and takes them along on its further, eternal way. Not one of them is lost. You can continue to build upon that what you have appropriated earlier.

 

Then you can set a goal for yourself. Then you can follow the advice of Jesus:

 

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6, 19-21)

 

This means: Accumulate achievements, abilities and spiritual power, which will remain in your possession even after the death of the body, and which you can continue to develop infinitely.

 

 

8. Unlimited Development

Selvarajan Yesudian „You are the Sun of your Life“

 

In only one single life, the high goals that you have in mind cannot be achieved.

 

In only one single life, it is impossible to realize even approximately the gigantic potential that lies within you!

 

Only the eternal path of the soul allows you an unlimited growth, an infinite development to ever higher levels, far beyond today's humanity.

 

Only in this way can the proud idea become a reality:

 

Man walks on the path to God!

 

 

9. Joy

Nicholas Roerich “Krishna”

 

The synthesis of all the qualities of the immortal is – joy!

 

True joy of being is independent of the external circumstances. It is a property of the soul! It is a mental attitude. Joy of being comes from the heart, as is popularly known:

 

He who does not carry heaven in his own heart will not be able to find it anywhere else.

 

Whence comes this stimulating feeling, called Joy of Being? Why does this joy not depend upon wealth or self-satisfaction? It may arise amidst the most grievous difficulties and persecutions. In times of stress, joy is especially valuable and healing. We call it Joy of Being, for it does not depend on personal circumstances, success, or benefits.

Can there be feelings of joy when one is afflicted with disease or when one is the victim of injustice or insult? Indeed, for even in such circumstances the eyes may sometimes fill with fire, the bowed head may rise, and new strength may be experienced. Then one begins to rejoice at life, perhaps not at one’s earthly life, but at the real Being. (Supermundane 281)

 

Are you downcast because unfavourable circumstances impede the realization of your dreams? This stems from your perishable personality. Anima, your Eternal Individuality, thinks differently: She knows that she has unlimited time at her disposal to wait patiently and to try again once the time is right.

 

Are you sad because of a loss or because you are being humiliated, disregarded or insulted? Even that is not you. This is not the way Anima feels. Your true spiritual nature is not affected by such offences.

 

It is true, for your perishable personality there is not much to laugh about: The weather, your health, your salary, your mood or the world situation often leave much to be desired.

 

Your Eternal Individuality may always be joyful.

 

 

Turn Suffering to Joy

Michelangelo „Pietà“, St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

 

As an immortal, you look at all the ugliness and the obstacles of everyday life from a completely different point of view, namely, as the Romans said: sub specie aeternitatis:

 

From the point of view of eternity, seen with the eyes of the soul, all adversities are occasions; namely, possibilities that allow your higher, spiritual self to ascend one step further!

 

Without struggle with opposing forces, there can be no growth. (Albrecht Altdorfer „The Battle of Issus“)

 

The mortal threatens to perish under the beatings of fate. He is a slave of the circumstances, which drive him back and forth like a leaf in the wind.

 

The immortal thinks differently:

 

The path of the soul is the ascent to ever greater heights, towards a Great Soul ("Mahatma"). Thus, Anima, your Eternal Individuality, actually rejoices at everything which allows her to advance on this path!

 

Every traveller who is enlightened by the thought about the eternal path can proceed in joy. (Fiery World II, 425)

 

The fate of Job is a classical example of the fact that everyone on the earthly path has to cope with suffering and distress in abundance. (Léon Bonnat „Job“)

 

The soul, however, can only test, exercise, and strengthen its power by such adversities. It can advance on its endless path only in difficult situations. An easy life does not give it any opportunity to grow greater.

 

Dangers, obstacles, and attacks are trials of your spiritual progress, opportunities to prove, perfect, exercise and strengthen the power of your spirit.

 

A slave can toil in depression, but the fiery spirit transforms everything by the most luminous joy. (Fiery World III, 597)

 

The challenge that is just now facing you is nothing else but the next step on the ladder of your ascent to God! Once you have climbed it, you will stand on a higher level, stronger than before.

 

You must understand: This step does not lie ahead of you by accident. Its deep meaning is to enable you to grow! You should consciously use this opportunity!

 

If you want to reach the heights faster, you will ask for great challenges. You will even welcome each external difficulty as a further step of your spiritual ascent.

 

Cast the sunlight of the Self obliquely on the cares of daily life, and they will swiftly turn to golden opportunities. (From the Mountain Top Vol. I, Lesson “Thy Golden Opportunity”)

 

To always keep in mind our supermundane existence is the only way to transform suffering into joy. This redeems us from the worldly misery. It leads to a true transfiguration of our earthly life.

 

Without material resources, solely with the power of his spirit, the immortal turns the thorns on his path to roses. With this attitude he can live like in heaven already now down here on earth.

 

Joy abides in the triumph of the spirit. (Heart 71)

 

The generation of the future is walking an eternal spiritual path and therefore in all situations optimistic and full of joy of being!

 

 

The Function of Pain

 

You are complaining: This world is imperfect because there is so much suffering. This, however, is wrong. Correct is:

 

Suffering will exist only as long as the world is still imperfect.

 

In a perfect world suffering is no longer required; there, it does not have any purpose to fulfill.

 

Pain points to weak spots or wrong behaviour of the body. When I constantly bump my head against the wall, the body sends the signal to me that I am going to harm it if I continue to do so.

 

You should actually be grateful for this reminder. The same applies to suffering:

 

As pain shows the body, so suffering shows the soul where it is still weak or where it is behaving wrongly.

 

For this indication, the wanderer on the spiritual path can only be grateful. The hints given by suffering enable him to remedy weaknesses, to eliminate misconduct, and to further develop his Eternal Individuality. If he succeeds, the suffering will end, because then it no longer has any function.

 

A great, strong soul knows no suffering – just as a healthy body does not hurt. (Michelangelo "David")  

 

The sign of health of the spirit is – joy of being!

 

 

Joy is a special Wisdom

 

A Great Soul is not like a little lamb that frolics on the pasture and knows nothing of the evil, the ugly, or the disgusting.

 

On the contrary, it has passed through all the pain of the world and has succeeded to overcome it in spirit.

 

In the midst of the worldly confusion, it takes the superior attitude of a King of the Spirit, who sits firmly on the throne of his higher self, walks his path unperturbed by the circumstances, and even grows through resistance.

 

My advice is that you realize the number of cares cannot be lessened. Only thus do we realize that joy is a special wisdom. (Fiery World I, 522)

 

A king is not a king because he never gets into trouble. On the contrary, he reveals himself as a true ruler and leader by mastering even the greatest misfortune with a smile.

 

Thus, experienced coolies carrytheir burdens up the mountain with songs. (Community 180)

(Nicholas Roerich “And we are trying") 

 

This is Mozart's supermundane joy in the midst of all suffering and pettiness: The joy of a great spirit at every new day – namely at every opportunity to grow. (Mozart Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra)

 

This true, inner joy is a sign of the wisdom of a master of life, who has risen above all occasions and takes, whatever happens to him, the standpoint of eternity. This joy of being is possible in all, even the worst conditions.

 

It finishes with the repugnant desperation, which the mortals are accustomed to exhibit in the face of every minor calamity. This unworthy lamenting must come to an end!

 

Every smile hides a power. (Leonardo da Vinci “Mona Lisa”)   

 

We find confirmed once again: Man is what he thinks.

 

He who trains his spirit to the effect that he is able to rejoice, whatever happens, is actually a more joyful – and thus a more beautiful, a greater person. The less this exercise succeeds, the more we make of ourselves sad, depressed, hopeless and small beings.

 

 

Living Example

 

Let us look at a contemporary example for this attitude: Do you know this man?

 

 

How would you assess him? Apparently a rather coarse fellow. Someone whom you would not like to meet in the moonlight. Maybe a gangster boss from Chicago?

 

And now you see the same man – and recognize him immediately:

 

 

Nelson Mandela!

 

Do you know what lies between these photos? More than 25 years of captivity on Robben Island, one of the most horrible places in the world! Most people would have perished in such an ordeal. Mandela, however, knew exactly that it was intended to break him. He devised a counter-strategy for himself and his fellow prisoners, which proved to be stronger than the terrible circumstances.

 

Nelson Mandela recognized and seized an opportunity. He consciously used the most terrible conditions in order to grow spiritually.

 

He entered the prison as a relatively crude fellow, and developed there to a great, wise man with always a superior smile on his lips.

 

Thus, from the point of view of a high consciousness, even a quarter of a century in prison may be a blessing, a reason for gratitude and joy.

 

We, too, should take advantage of the small weight imposed upon us in order to grow! Then we can rejoice at the apparent burden, which in reality is a step of the stairway to heaven.

(Michael Lukas LeopoldWillmann „The Ladder of the Angels“)

 

 

Part IV: Using the Potential of a spiritual Being

 

You have learned how you can turn to an immortal in seven steps and assume a new identity (without gender, without age, standing above nations and religions).

 

We have seen the characteristic qualities of an immortal (inviolability, invincibility, fearlessness, freedom, joy and selflessness).

 

Now we are approaching the end of this Broadcasting. This, however, means only the beginning of the real work.

 

*****

 

We are asking for the last time: What does it mean to be an immortal, a non-material being; a creature which you can neither see nor touch?

 

"To live" means "to grow". That which has ceased to grow is dead.

 

Flowers or trees fulfill their mission by growing and elevating themselves towards the sun. The same applies to your spirit. Like a child, it strives to grow greater. When it comes to a standstill, it grows stiff and dies.

 

*****

 

To grow means to develop the skills that are stored within you.

 

With inviolability, freedom and joy, we have mentioned only the very first steps of the realization of the potential of an immortal. In fact, as soon as you become a spiritual being, possibilities will open up which are so fantastic that you will hardly believe them:

 

A non-material being is not bound by the limitations of matter, time, and space. It can walk – like Sartre’s "ghosts"– through walls and closed doors. Like X-rays it is capable of looking through dense objects and of reading in closed books. It can perform levitation, which means to rise from the ground like St. Joseph of Copertino and other saints, walk on the water like Jesus, sit on the water like a yogi (Nicholas Roerich “Lotus”), walk through fire and even fly. It is immune to diseases. It can practise telekinesis, that is, like Uri Geller move objects solely with its spiritual power. It is able to send thoughts like a transmitting station as well as to receive and to understand thoughts like a radio. It is capable of understanding foreign languages and of communicating, like St. Francis of Assisi, with animals (Nicholas Roerich “St. Francis of Assisi”). Like Jesus, it can heal with its spiritual power and predict the future like a prophet.

 

"Miracles" or better: higher skills of this kind, as they are reliably reported from the life of Jesus and numerous saints, are nothing but the natural consequence of the development of the spiritual powers of your Eternal Individuality.

 

Within each one of us lie the germs of these abilities; other men are ahead of us have developed them already to a larger extent than we.

 

*****

 

Begin to realize these gigantic possibilities of your higher self.

 

Prove Nietzsche to be wrong, who said:

 

We are unable to perceive anything today that aims at growing greater. (On the Genealogy of Morals)

(Hans Olde „Friedrich Nietzsche“)  

 

Let us rather stick to Goethe and raise the peak of the pyramid of our existence as high as possible into the air! (Goethe to Lavater, ca. 20.09.1780)

 

As to your muscles, there applies: When you use your spiritual powers, they will grow.

 

When you exercise your physical powers, your body will become bigger and stronger.

 

When you practice your spiritual powers, your Eternal Individuality will grow great and strong.

 

The mission of your soul, still small today, is to finally become a Great Soul – a Mahatma!

(Nicholas Roerich “Fiat Rex”)     

 

 

                                                  Animations by Step Film: www.step-film.de