Book Description

Wisdom is acquaintance with all divine and human affairs, and knowledge of the cause of everything. Virtue is the good of the mind: it follows, therefore, that a happy life depends on virtue. Pain is virtue’s sharpest adversary. Pain and pleasure are trifling and effeminate sentiments peculiar to the lower self. Fortitude is fearless obedience to reason. To her followers, prudence teaches a good life and secures a happy one. The aim of life is neither applause nor profit, but to merely experience it on behalf of the silent observer within. By exercising authority over his lower self, the wise man opposes pain as he would an enemy. Armed with contention, encouragement, and discourse with himself, he remains indifferent to honour and dishonour. “I am not at all surprised at that, for it is the effect of philosophy, which is the medicine of our souls.” Frustration is the end point of all outwardly-looking desires, and every frustration nurtures Vairagya. Preliminary vairagya is a mental U-turn, an infolding of consciousness. Final vairagya is the actualisation that all is One. Veiling the eyes to external vision is the first initiation, the first step on the Renunciant Path. Happiness ever alternating with sadness softens us up, motivates us to conquer our internal enemies, and gives us the confidence to persevere, and a foretaste of true love. “These evils seemed to have arisen from the fact that all happiness or unhappiness was placed in the quality of the object to which we cling with love.” Occult Philosophy is the remedy for every disease of mind, body, and soul.