Pekka Ervast
Translated and edited by Antti Savinainen – Finland
Brothers,
I want to advise you on a few old occult skills suitable for every person who takes life seriously. When one becomes an esotericist, that is, when one has been a seeker after truth and then has made up one’s mind to walk in life towards the ideal which one has seen as a seeker after truth, almost without exception, one discovers that the so-called esoteric work which one has started to practice and perform becomes so important and wonderful a task that one almost feels the desire to neglect some of those other duties which belong to one as a human being. This is a very interesting observation to make about most aspiring occultists. It is quite a natural phenomenon and forgivable. No Master would condemn or criticize an aspirant who so completely, so wholeheartedly devotes themselves to the esoteric life that they forget and give less importance to everyday duties. No Master will judge them spiritually. But the Master who looks at them with gentleness knows that the great enthusiasm and zeal of the aspirant will sooner or later be reciprocated. The old occult rule says: “The one who wants to become an occultist in the practical and real sense of the word will first have to free oneself from the old karma.”
How does one become free from old karma? By fulfilling as conscientiously as possible all duties, all the works and tasks of life which have fallen to one or which one has chosen for. The aspirant to the occult begins by renouncing reluctance, laziness, indifference, and all feelings of aversion to work and duty. The aspirant to the occult starts by making the karmic life charming and wonderful. The aspiring occultist carries their cross, and the roses sprout from their cross. One does not grumble, complain, or tire of the blows of fate but rejoices in everything. One gives thanks that life has given one some karmic work to do. Everyone has personal difficulties and obstacles in their environment and themselves. These are their karmic cross. The natural person tries to put off their cross and does not want to carry it, but the disciple salutes it and thanks God, destiny, and life for its grace and goodness. Therefore, one bears the sorrows gladly, and the work one performs punctually, carefully, and diligently, as well as one can, and better still, if possible. Their rule of life (for one is free in spirit) is this: if the work is worth doing, it must be done well, whatever the work may be. Whether plowing the field, sweeping the street, counting the books in the office, or writing, it is the artist's creative work and, therefore, sacred. It is sacred and worth doing, and it must be done well. When we learn to do our daily duties well and carefully, with love, we learn to do our esoteric duties better.
Many esotericists have stopped on the path, wondering why they are not making progress. The reason, then, is not esoteric work, which one has tried to do regularly, but that one has allowed one’s daily life to be more or less wasted in neglected duties or carelessly performed tasks. When life brings a task before the aspiring occultist, it must be performed well, for it then depends on esoteric development. The occultist does, however, step by step free oneself from karmic obligations. Their karma will gradually become such that in the end, one will be left with nothing but spiritual and esoteric duties, but one must not force such a life upon oneself; it will come of itself. The disciple will be disappointed if they try to rob oneself of such a life. Many esotericists think: “I would probably make progress if I did not have these unnecessary duties and tasks that prevent me from striving properly.”
They are mistaken. The condition of progress is that one performs all those duties and tasks to the best of one’s ability and is thus freed from them. When an esoteric work arises, one can do that work in an esoteric way, that is to say, exemplarily, beautifully, and commendably, only if one has learned and is accustomed to performing duties well in general.
Then, I'll move on to another issue. The abuse of language and the inability to control language is a particular vice of modern people. It is a vice that has grown up in humanity alongside intelligence. As the intellect grows, so does the capacity for judgment, comparison, and criticism. This is all good; this is all necessary. The mind must become sharp, penetrating, and critical. But the old rule is the following: Reason is entitled to exercise judgment, penetrating acuteness, and criticism only on the levels of truth and falsehood, that is, only in theoretical, epistemological, and philosophical matters, not about another human being. As you know, all the Sages have said we must not judge each other. Jesus Christ says: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) We abuse our reason if we use it to judge or criticize others. As human beings, we have no right to anything but brotherly love. We do not have to worry about each other's faults or imperfections. We are free from such a duty. Why are we free? The reason is a little humiliating. The reason is that we are not above each other. Those who are and whom we call perfect beings, Masters, Adepts, are at the same time so expansive in their vision, so far-reaching, that they are incapable of judgment. We, who walk in a great wilderness chained to each other, cry out to each other when we get upset: “Do you not see how you obstruct our passage by keeping those vices? Give them up!” But if we aspire to join the ranks of those teachers and Masters who go before us, we must forget the judgments, the reproaches, and the condemnations and only look at those wonderful beings freed from bondage. Only in this way can we, too, be freed from bondage.
Our rule in the Rosy Cross is never to utter derogatory criticism or a reproachful word about other people. Never interfere uninvited in the personal affairs of another. Never incline our ear to another if they should wish to engage in slander. As members of the Rosy Cross, we must say: “Let us not speak; let us not think of such things.” And if we listen, let us go to the person concerned; let us ask before we doubt and criticize that person. In no case should we spread any rumors. This is our direct and clear duty if we want to put into practice the spirit of the Rosy Cross, in other words, to walk on the path that leads to God. This is our wonderful mission. And no esoteric teacher, such as Madame Blavatsky, speaks particularly of the dangers of criticism, condemnation, slander, and rumors in the sense of wanting to protect themselves. In any case, the world does take care to misunderstand its spiritual helpers, to brand them as blasphemers of God, traitors, and opponents of the common good. It has happened to everyone since the time of Jesus. But solely for the purpose that such a prohibition might help the aspirants themselves.
The third is practical occult teaching. If we honestly and sincerely want to know ourselves, we will discover what is wrong with us. In the same way that we can, either by ourselves or with the help of a skillful physician, come to know the weaknesses and diseases of our physical bodies, in the same way, we may come to know the shortcomings and defects of our etheric instrument, its bad habits, and morbidities. When we discover a fault in ourselves, we must confess it to ourselves and our God. We must say: “I am careless, or I am too susceptible to influences, or I get depressed too easily, or I am lazy, or I overeat, or I stay up too late, etc.” Also, we can say to ourselves that in the case of bodily diseases: “My body is too prone to headaches, insomnia, nervousness, etc.” We must say this to ourselves and then add: “My duty and task is to get over this, to overcome this obstacle. In what way can I and will I do it?”
Now, I'll show you an example of this. Suppose you say: “I'm too depressed, depressing, and lacking energy; I don't have enough initiative. I have to overcome it." Then, if you feel inside that you must get over it, proceed as follows. Sit in a comfortable position, not a meditative one, or lie down. Assume such a posture that you feel a state of complete rest. It is as if everything is relaxed; nothing is tense. In that state, say to yourself: “From now on, I am no longer depressed in any way; I am full of energy and initiative.” Say this over and over again without thinking about anything. Say this so fast that you have no time to think. Do this old occult trick as often as you want and can, but every day, for example, when you feel a little tired, stressed, or sleepy. Then, it is convenient to repeat this suggestion instinctively. This old, moral, and physical health prescription has always worked and always will. If we have bodily or nerve pains that interfere with work, we have the right to suggest them away, saying: there are none. And we do not deny, command in the negative, but in the positive.
We suffer physical pain and weaknesses in our habits in vain. When we think about it and find that we do not want to be lazy or want to restrain our tongue, we teach ourselves. For what purpose should we preserve a morbid weakness? Why should we have a tongue of which we are not the masters? Why should we insult others, e.g., a close relative, with a thoughtless word that we may regret? We are not so bad inside; we do not mean so bad. It is a legacy of millennia, this weakness and slavery of ours. Now, we choose to free ourselves from it. The liberation is through the physical-ethereal subconscious that obeys suggestion and only suggestion and not reason.
Your brother and servant, Pekka Ervast
Note from the translator:
Pekka Ervast (1875–1934) pioneered the Finnish theosophical movement. In 1920, he founded the Finnish Rosy Cross (Ruusu-Risti). For over a decade, he gave esoteric teachings to the students of the Esoteric School in letters he called epistles.
For a brief description of his life and theosophical work click HERE