Glitter and Gold
Some days ago a web-acquaintance wrote to me asking about a website on “The Real Jesus”. The link he sent brought a site of a domain grabber, but with Google I later found the “real” site. My friend wrote: “The channelled stuff from Jesus and other ‘ascended masters’ is quite fascinating. If you have the time, please browse their pages. I would like to know your opinion on this.”
I answered him that without looking into the site, the hints he had written gave me the impression of another illusionary cloud: “A person boasting to channel ‘the real Jesus’… Channeling by itself demands a high purity. Many claim high contacts, and you aren’t able to check the claim. Look at the good work to humanity, not any lofty words and see the fruits in transformation of character, and then judge by the fruits of the work / transformation and not the words. This might give you a guideline when you come across glittering gold, to distinguish it from genuine gold. Normally when you look at the seed, you will know how the tree will unfold. And there is the original sun, reflecting on the moon, which again is reflecting on the water and that light then on the eye, giving us the impression of direct spiritual light when not knowing that it is a reflection’s reflection’s reflection…”
My friend answered: “My point is: the moment one partakes in a movement which is guided ‘behind the curtains’ by Masters -ascended or not- which are not part of the everyday world, a lot of contrary information springs forth. One can see it with the masters made popular by the theosophists, one can see this phenomenon with Babaji… (He gave a few encounters with people of different movements) They all believe their ‘truths’ on the authority of someone else. And that ‘someone else’ is a special messenger/disciple from one of the masters or from the Christ himself. For me, all this is fascinating and I appreciate very much the wisdom coming from your tradition and masters. But for my peace of mind, I could never wholeheartedly follow such a system. Doubts would always be there…”
I replied to him: “There are of course many ways, and people may enjoy what they like to enjoy and to belief being right. Creation is manifold, and also the ways. There is no need that you follow my way, if you don’t feel well with it.”
When I later had a glance through the “Jesus”-site, I found there many teachings on different topics, but nothing about the importance of service and good will activities for practical spirituality (see our Good Will in Action on The Value of Service). There were more questions remaining besides a feeling of vagueness.
In earlier discussions my friend had written that he doesn’t want to limit himself to a teaching but to stay open to all kinds of teachings. I had answered him that in order to go into a greater depth that according to my experience it is necessary to develop discrimination and an understanding of guiding principles. A mixture is not synthesis, and openness doesn’t come into the way of clearing one’s understanding. It is not a matter of just following a tradition of teachings or Masters, for this will keep you as blind as before, if you don’t develop discrimination and deepen your understanding by putting something you have understood into practice.
Mask with gold ornaments, Museum of Delphi, Greece
