In the true sense of the word, initiation means, “taking an initiative” in a direction that is not generally understood by others. Therefore, initiation needs courage and the tendency to advance spiritually, although it may not seem to be the way of everybody in life.
Therefore, the first duty of a mureed is not to be shaken in faith by any opposing influence or anything said against the path they have taken. Mureeds must not allow themselves to be discouraged by anyone. The mureed must be so firm in their path, that if the whole world says, “It is a wrong path,” the mureed says, “It is the right path.” And if anyone said that it will take a thousand years or perhaps more, the mureed must be able to say, “If it will take a thousand years, I will have the patience to go through it.” Therefore, as it is said in the Persian language, “It is the work of the Baz, the wayfarer of the heavens.”
On this mystical path, courage and steadiness and patience are the most necessary things. Besides these, trust in the Teacher in whose hands initiation is taken, and the understanding of the idea of discipline are also necessary. In the East, where for thousands of years the path of discipleship has been understood, these things are regarded as most important and as acceptable from the hands of the Teacher, to the extent that the disciple understands discipline and trust in the Teacher. How few in the world know trust! What is necessary is trusting yourself. It is not trusting another, even the Teacher, but oneself. And yet, a person who has not experienced in life how to trust another is not capable of fully trusting themself. There is a question, “If we trusted and if our trust was in vain, should we not be disappointed?” The answer is, “We must trust for the sake of trust, and not for the sake of a return or to see what fruit it brings.” It is the utmost trust that is the greatest power in the world. Lack of trust is weakness. Even if you have lost something by trust, your power is greater than if you have perhaps gained without developing trust.
Patience is also necessary on the path. Perhaps it would be surprising to you if I said that after my initiation into the order of the Sufis, after going six months continually into the presence of my Murshid, only once did he say a word on the subject of Sufism. It would be even more amusing to know that as soon as I took out my notebook, he went on to another subject; it was finished. One sentence after six months! A person would think, “What a long time, six months sitting before one’s Teacher, nothing taught!” But, friends, it is not words, it is something else. If words were sufficient, there are libraries full of occult and mystical books. It is the life itself; it is in living. Those who live the life of initiation live and enliven others who come in contact with them. Remember, therefore, that in the Sufi Order you are not especially initiated for study, but to understand and follow what real discipleship means.
As to the subject of discipline, everyone without a sense of discipline is without the power of self-control. It is discipline that teaches the ideal, and the ideal is self-discipline. It is the soldier who can become a good captain. In ancient times, the kings used to send the princes as soldiers to learn the meaning of discipline. The path of initiation is the training of the ego. It is self-discipline that is learned in the way of discipleship.
Now there is the question, “What may be thought of the path of initiation? What must be our goal, what must we expect from it? Is it that we must expect to be good, or healthy, or magnetic, or powerful, or develop psychically, or become clairvoyant?” You do not need to be any of these things, although you will cultivate all those things naturally. Do not strive for these things.
Suppose you develop power, and you do not know its use. The outcome will be disastrous. Suppose you develop magnetism, and by this power you attract all, good and bad. Then it will be difficult to get rid of what you have attracted by your power. Or you are very good, so good that everyone is bad to you, too good to live in the world. You will become a burden to yourself. These things are not to be sought for by initiation. The aim is to find God within yourself, to dive deep within yourself, that you may be able to touch the unity of the Whole Being. It is towards this end that you are working by the power of initiation; and that from within, you may get all the inspiration and blessings in your life.
For that two things are necessary: one is to do the exercises that are given to you regularly and with heart and soul, the second is to ponder every word you read of the studies you are given, to not consider them to be only a little reading. The more you will think on it, the more it will have the effect of opening the heart. Reading is one thing, contemplating is another. The Gathas must be contemplated. Do not take even the simplest word or sentence as simple. Think of the Hindus, the Chinese, the Parsis, who for thousands of years, for generations, have contemplated the readings that they considered as sacred, and never tire of them.
October 1921
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