05/11/2005.

"Doubt arrests movement; it paralyses. Notice what you feel, for example, when you begin to doubt the faithfulness of a friend: you no longer know how to interpret his gestures and words. Everything about him begins to appear suspect, and it is as if something is falling apart in your head and your heart. You will say that at times doubt is justified, because friends do not always turn out to be faithful. Yes, of course, but I use this example because undoubtedly you have had this experience, and because it can help you understand what happens when you allow yourself to be infiltrated by doubts about what is essential for you: the foundations of your existence, its meaning, and the path you are to follow. Here too, little by little, everything falls apart. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

06/11/2005.

"Exchange is the law of life, and to exchange means to give and receive. Understanding this law allows us to better understand the processes of the spiritual life, such as communion, for example. To commune means to make exchanges. The host which the believer receives from the hands of the priest can bestow the greatest blessings on him. But if the believer does not give this host his love and respect in return, it is not a communion but a theft, a dishonest act. And in order to commune with God, it must also be our wish to bring him something. Not that God needs what we have to offer him, since he is already so rich! But it is we who, in an attempt to give him something of ourselves, awaken within ourselves certain spiritual centres, thanks to which we receive even greater blessings."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

07/11/2005.

"A spiritual Master is one who has succeeded in controlling everything within him, on the physical plane (his body), as well as the astral plane (his heart), and the mental plane (his intellect) as well. It is because he is capable of exercising this self-mastery that he has been given powers over the forces of nature. The Gospels recount that when Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a small boat, a strong gale threatened to drown them. Then ‘Jesus rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” ‘ According to the Gospels, the disciples said among themselves: ‘Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ Well precisely, the wind and the sea – which is to say air and water – obey one who has mastered his thoughts and sentiments."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

08/11/2005.

"Every day, you use a mirror to look over the details of your physical appearance: your face, your hair, your clothing…but it can also reveal many other things. Stand before a mirror and touch your right eyebrow with your left hand; in your reflection you will see your right hand touching your left eyebrow. A mirror is a very interesting object because it helps us understand certain aspects of the invisible world. When objects on the physical plane are viewed from the astral plane, they are seen in reverse, as in a mirror. Numbers, dates, everything appears in reverse; a fact in the future appears to be in the past, and vice versa. This is why the astral world is the world of illusions. In order to know the truth, then, you must go beyond it to the higher mental plane, or causal plane*. And this is what a spiritual teaching reveals to us. Those who succeed in solving the problem of the mirror will solve the greatest problems of the psychic life. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

09/11/2005.

"The true mission of a spiritualist is to work to bring heaven to earth, into the material realm. This means he must first bring heaven into his physical body, so that it radiates through him. In their meditations and prayers, all those who truly wish for the good of humanity must ask that the light, the spirit, the divine force descend in them and impregnate their every cell. When they have worked in this way for years, one day they will sense that heaven exists within them, that light and love exist within them, and it will be far easier for them to help others, to lead them toward the good and bring them peace and joy."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

10/11/2005.

"In the form of myths, all religions reveal in some way the divine origin of humankind. At some point in history, however, the conviction that certain races or categories of people were inferior found its way into some of these religions, and they began to exclude or oppress them. Jesus was so exceptional because he came to proclaim that whatever their race, culture or social status, all human beings are essentially equal before God. The inequities they manifest are only superficial and fleeting: their physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual qualities, the events of their lives, everything which, one way or another, makes some of them seem privileged and others not, represents only a moment in their evolution. Human beings are brothers and sisters by way of the life they share, by way of the divine life which flows in them. This divine life makes them brothers and sisters of all creation as well."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

11/11/2005.

"Generally speaking, what people value first and foremost in others are their knowledge and intellectual faculties. Their character and behaviour are considered far less important. Of course, when someone unpleasant causes them to suffer, people complain: ‘How ill-natured he is!’…‘What an insufferable character!’… or, ‘He’s spineless, he has no character!’ All of a sudden they forget that this someone has doctorates from four or five universities, that he has written some thirty books, and so on, and they consider only his character. They themselves must be stung, bitten, led astray or deceived in order to understand how important this question of character is. Until then, they put intellectual faculties above all else. Well, it is time for each of you to put character back in first place, not only as it pertains to others, but also to yourself. You must work tirelessly every day to awaken the forces and qualities the Creator has planted in your heart, your soul and your spirit."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

12/11/2005.

"We have seen people sweep entire crowds along by their conviction. Even if the ideas they championed were ordinary, second rate or even criminal, the force of their conviction in the end carried away even the most reticent. Conviction is one of the greatest forces that exists: it can ravage and destroy if it is directed towards evil, but it can also transform the world when it emanates from a divine idea and works for the good. The conviction of a spiritualist is founded on his knowledge of divine laws, and on his experiences in past and present incarnations. When he has acquired this knowledge and has lived it, he is sustained by an unshakeable conviction that renders him all-powerful. If he lacks this conviction, it means his knowledge is incomplete."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

13/11/2005.

"The imagination is not merely a faculty that allows human beings to visualize objects, people or events. It is also a kind of apparatus that enables them to travel in the universe and visit regions as yet unknown to them. These journeys can lead them to hell as well as to heaven. For an initiate, the imagination is comparable to a space probe which is sent out into the universe to record the splendours of heaven and communicate them back to his consciousness. This is also how many painters, sculptors, poets and musicians have found their inspiration: in spirit they visited sublime regions and brought back visions and impressions which they then attempted to translate through their art. And you, too, even if you have no works of art to create, try to guide your imagination more often toward these celestial regions. Allow it to contemplate these worlds of beauty which will leave indelible impressions on it."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

14/11/2005.

"Occultism is fashionable today: more and more people are searching for the secrets that will enable them to become powerful magicians. They think they will find these secrets in rituals, talismans and magic formulas, and without knowing anything of the realities of the invisible world, they take up the invocation of spirits. The poor wretches! What they will find is psychological and even physical imbalance, because it is not the spirits of light who will respond to their invocations, but entities from the lowest levels who will use the opportunity to strip them bare. Yes, this is the truth, the implacable truth. Why? Because there is only one way to attract the spirits of light: you must progress further each day along the spiritual path. Celestial entities offer their help and blessings to human beings only in proportion to what they themselves are capable of realizing. Other entities, of course, may end up granting them their wishes, but the price will be very high."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

15/11/2005.

"The belief that God sent ‘his only son’ to earth two thousand years ago to demonstrate his love for human beings has perhaps helped some of them to evolve over a period of time. Now, however, we must abandon such an outrageous belief, because it does not represent a proper understanding of God’s love, which is immense, inexhaustible, and infinite. God has had many sons and daughters, and he will have many more. For millions of years he has sent these exceptional beings to earth to enlighten their brothers and sisters, and he will continue to send others. He has no use for Christians who have forbidden him to send anyone, under any circumstances, after Jesus, or who claim that before the coming of Jesus human beings were deprived of the true light. As if the salvation of human beings depends on the epoch in which they lived: before Jesus or after Jesus! The Church may well insist on fixing a beginning and an end to the divine revelation, but the Lord himself is not impressed by such decrees. He is beyond this and takes no notice."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

16/11/2005.

"As a consequence of today’s emphasis on the development of the intellect, human beings have become critical, intolerant and aggressive. Yes, this is the characteristic of the intellect: it dissects, it separates, it encourages individualism and confrontation. This is why, in spite of all the progress achieved thanks to the development of the intellect, human beings are not happy. In order to be happy, they must work to develop another principle in themselves: the soul. The soul can flourish only in the fraternal life where, like bees that come together to prepare honey, everyone works to realize the will of God and his kingdom on earth. When human beings have understood the ravages created by the development of the intellect, to the detriment of superior faculties, perhaps they will decide to emphasize brotherly relations. In this they will find happiness."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

17/11/2005.

"Spirituality is founded on the laws governing man’s psychic life. Scientists must recognize this domain and understand that since the spiritual life rests on laws, there exists a science of the spiritual life. I invite them, therefore, to broaden their field of investigation: gradually they will come to see that their own discoveries actually underline the veracity of the Teaching of the initiates. To the extent that they pit the physical world against the spiritual world, to the extent that they separate the two, scientific advances of any kind will leave them dissatisfied, because these advances remain exterior to them. These advances will of course enable them to manipulate matter, but they can have every means of manipulating matter and yet feel empty, because scientific and technological discoveries do not nourish the soul and spirit. Spiritual work is undoubtedly a long-term endeavour, the results of which are slow to manifest. But those who set out to do this work link themselves each day to the world of principles. They find meaning, and this meaning fulfils them."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

18/11/2005.

"Because our present is the result of our past, we have almost no power over it. What we are living at the moment is only the consequence, the logical outcome of this past. Not only our actions, but also our thoughts, sentiments and desires from prior incarnations have activated forces and powers of the same nature in the universe, and these have determined our qualities, our weaknesses, as well as our actions in our present life. Over the course of this incarnation it is almost impossible to change what has been determined by our past life. The only thing we can do is prepare the future. This is what the initiates teach the disciples who come to study in their schools: how to prepare the future."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

19/11/2005.

"Remind yourself each day that you can glorify God by means of a word, a look, a gesture – by everything you do – and that in this way you enter into contact with the Source of life. What is essential is the degree of consciousness you bring to this exercise. Even if it is only for a few seconds, do it with the sense that you are accomplishing a sacred act. It is the intensity that matters, not the duration. Have you ever felt suddenly and inexplicably happy because a thought or a feeling passed through you and changed everything in you? It lasted no longer than a flash of lightening, but it illuminated the rest of your day. How much more powerful is the thought that one day you will succeed in glorifying God on earth as the angels glorify him in Heaven!"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

20/11/2005.

"Discovering the faults, weaknesses and ridiculous ways of others is an activity so esteemed by most people that some have made a career of it. To be so shrewd and perceptive, what proof of their superiority! Well, if they were so shrewd and perceptive, they would realize that this habit of emphasizing the weaknesses and failings of others impoverishes them. When people fix their attention on the defective, stupid or ridiculous behaviour of others, it is as if they were feeding on impurities, and something within them begins to collapse. If you want to know why the initiates are so rich, I will tell you: it is because they are preoccupied with all that is most beautiful in human beings, with their soul and their spirit, and they want to provide every possibility for their manifestion. Although they see people’s mistakes and crimes, they continue to focus on what is best in them. In doing so, they help them and enrich themselves as well."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

21/11/2005.

"The notion that God approaches you or distances himself from you hinders your spiritual evolution. You say to yourself: ‘I have acted badly, I feel abandoned by God; I will wait until he forgives me and comes to me again.’ Well, you can wait for centuries. It is you who must start work immediately. If you expect changes to come from the Lord, if you are content merely to call him to the aid of his wayward child, your illusions will only help prolong your inner malaise. Since it is you who are the cause of these difficulties, correct your mistakes. This is true repentance and will bring you closer to God. To say that God forgives us is an illusion; we are only pardoned when we make reparations. You must divest yourselves of many false notions which have been fostered by religion itself. In all circumstances, work to rise above the clouds in order to rediscover the Divinity within you."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

22/11/2005.

"The equality expressed in the motto of the French Republic does not refer to natural equality, which does not exist, but to equality before the law. But even this equality, is it attainable? No, because citizens are not all equally armed before the law and are not provided with identical possibilities. A large fine owed for speeding in an automobile, for example, does not mean the same thing for a millionaire as it does for someone with barely enough to live on. True equality is unattainable and must always be complemented by brotherhood. Human beings are equal only in terms of their dignity, and this dignity can be understood and experienced only insofar as they know themselves as children of God and brothers and sisters to each other. Not only must the most privileged feel they are brothers and sisters of the most destitute, but the most destitute must feel as well that something within them makes them equal to the greatest sages and geniuses."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

23/11/2005.

"Books on magic are becoming increasingly available, and many of the people who read them begin to see black magic everywhere, and as the cause of the problems they encounter in their daily lives. If there is an accident, an illness or problems at work, they imagine that someone is jealous or resents them and is working black magic on them. How many people have come to talk me on this subject! And what I especially notice is that it only takes a few looks, words or gestures together with a few meaningless coincidences to trigger someone’s imagination, and he does all the rest. Yes, he interprets, he engages in extraordinary, wild imaginings. It is he alone who persecutes himself by failing to find the correct attitude."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

24/11/2005.

"Certain thinkers have tried to define God by describing him as a circle whose centre is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. Since this centre is everywhere, it is important to understand first and foremost that it is within you, and that it is always possible for you to encounter God, to talk to him and listen to him. Because it was his desire to infuse himself in his creatures, he is part of you and you cannot lose him. If you lose him, it is because you have not yet become sufficiently conscious that you possess him. The reason so many people realize they no longer believe in God is because they have willingly accepted what they were told about him, and what they were told remained exterior to them in the form of words. Words, even the truest and most profound, always remain something external, and for this reason they can eventually lose their meaning. It is human beings alone who can truly imbue them with meaning and preserve their meaning, and in order to do so, they must assimilate them and make them their own."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

25/11/2005.

"You have work to do, and you wonder if you can manage it. You hesitate a little, then you make up your mind, and finally you succeed: you lift this weight…you move that obstacle. This proves you are capable of such efforts, and in recognizing your possibilities, you feel your force and your faith grow. Faith, then, is linked to the assurance we gain through our triumphs. This law is borne out all the more in the spiritual realm. From one effort to another, all your untried capabilities come out into the light of day and make themselves known. But you must be reasonable and begin modestly by accomplishing small things at first. So many people have been stopped in their evolution because they failed to begin modestly."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

26/11/2005.

"Over the course of history, not only has religion brought about all sorts of atrocities, but those who carried them out were convinced they were doing their duty. To imprison, massacre and burn ‘heretics’ and ‘infidels’ without any consideration for their humanity was to demonstrate their faith. And some of them were even persuaded that in doing so they were acting out of love for their fellow men: by condemning them to be burned at the stake, they were saving them from the fires of Hell, from eternal damnation. The aberrations fanaticism can produce in the minds of some are extraordinary! And God, of course, would reward them! But did they first ask him if he condoned the massacre of his creatures? This is the first question to be asked of all those who, even in our epoch, claim to be ‘soldiers of the faith’ and think of themselves as instruments of the divine will: has God sent them to earth to massacre their fellow creatures in his name?"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

27/11/2005.

"To know how to live in a brotherly way with those around us is to be rich, for each of us, with our face, eyes, voice and thoughts, contributes something alive, something warm, which nourishes everyone. If you knew how to receive these blessings, you would draw so much love from everyone around you that you would feel completely fulfilled. Who is stopping you? You will say: ‘But there would be revolution among the couples. Who will agree to have his or her partner be loved by another man or woman?’ You misunderstand me: it is not a question of the love of one woman or one man, but of all human beings. Who can object to this? There is no question of jealousy here, because everyone will receive this love. But people do not know how to live with love or be happy with love; they isolate themselves in pairs in a little hole, and they consider the issue settled. No, they do not know what true love is because they do not know what true life is. True life is the fraternal life, the universal life, in communion with all beings."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

28/11/2005.

"From morning until evening, and even at times during the night, the new-born baby demands the attention and care of its mother. But before caring for her infant, the mother must first of all, by means of thought, approach God and establish contact with celestial life. For true maternal love is not limited to watching over the physical well being of the child: to nursing it, dressing it, washing it, putting it to bed, and so on… She must put elements of a spiritual nature in everything she does for it. If she is content to care for her child’s ordinary needs alone, she will make an ordinary being of him, because she will have failed to bring him something of the divine presence. To truly nourish and raise her child well, she must approach God, saying: ‘Lord, I come to you so that you might give me light, love, health and the beauty of heaven for my child.’ In doing so, she will radiate pure and luminous particles in the presence of her infant, which will make an exceptional being of him."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

29/11/2005.

"It is true that medical science is making great progress, but this is no excuse for people to live imprudently. If they fail to educate themselves in the science of life, medicine will remain powerless in spite of all its progress. While it is trying to cure certain diseases, the disorders people continue to produce in their organisms by their unreasonable lives will cause new ones to appear. When you puncture a rubber ball, a depression forms in it. You may try to correct it, but the depression will appear elsewhere. I can tell you that even if medicine has made enormous advances and continues to make even greater ones, this does not give human beings license to live however they please, without taking certain principles into account. Nor will any psychologist, psychiatrist or psychoanalyst ever manage to restore balance in someone who believes he can transgress with impunity the laws of the moral and spiritual worlds."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

30/11/2005.

"Even though today’s technical advances have considerably reduced the use of wood for heating and cooking, you all know how to light a fire. First you put down a little paper, on top of which you place some dry twigs. And on top of this, you add some larger pieces of wood. Finally,
you strike a match and set fire to the paper. The paper sets fire to the twigs, and the twigs set fire to the logs. Let us now consider the human being with his different bodies: physical, astral, mental and causal. The flame of the match corresponds to the causal plane, the world of the spirit, which is the source of all phenomena. The match sets fire to the paper (the mental plane, the intellect), which sets fire to the twigs (the astral plane, the heart) which in turn sets fire to the logs (the physical plane). Everything begins on high with the spirit, and then, from body to body, the fire finally reaches the physical plane. No true realization is possible on the physical plane unless you began by working with the spirit which, from its place on high, provides the impetus."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

01/12/2005.

"There are those who insist on remaining gullible, no matter how many deceptions they have experienced. They realize they have been deceived, but they seem to forget and once again allow themselves to be taken in. Why? Apparently their experience has taught them nothing: it is as if there were no continuity in their psychic life, as if their lessons had no bearing on the future. After each unhappy adventure, they wail and cry, swearing they will never again be fooled. But since these situations never present themselves in the same way, they are not on their guard: they believe it will be different the next time, that at last they will find what they are after, and they are taken in once again. And there are others who, having been deceived only once, decide never to trust anyone again, which is no better! What can we say? Only this: that no matter who they are or what their degree of inner evolution, it is the task of all human beings to use their experiences to instruct and perfect themselves."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

02/12/2005.

"Many people wonder about the ‘miraculous’ cures which sometimes take place at Lourdes. Obviously, faith plays a very important part in these healings, but it is also true that in this atmosphere of fervour, in the midst of an entire crowd singing and praying, people can be stirred inwardly and transported very high, all the way to the causal plane, which is the higher mental plane. It is this which produces the miracle: the participant is wrested from his ordinary state of consciousness and projected all the way to the summit. When he reaches this summit, powerful currents of pure energy are activated throughout his entire being, which descend all the way to the physical plane and restore him to health."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

03/12/2005.

"All human beings are made of the same divine quintessence. The only difference between them is that some have learned to work on this quintessence and to develop it, while others leave it dormant. We refer to this quintessence as the image of God. If we compare ourselves to Jesus, the distance between us is obviously immense. But if we were not of the same quintessence as he, he would not have said: ‘The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these.’ To be able to do what Jesus did, we must share the same nature. Lead cannot do what gold can do, because it is not of the same nature. As for us, it can be said that we contain within us an atom of gold, but it is completely surrounded by an entire gangue of base materials. Our work is to transform these worthless materials into gold, which is the true meaning of alchemy."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

04/12/2005.

"Given your notion of an initiatic school, you think I should talk to you about alchemy, astrology, magic and the Cabbalah. No, I will only present those subjects which have to do with life: how to purify it, renew it and sublimate it. If you aren’t happy with these subjects, you can go find what interests you elsewhere, but from me you will always hear about life, the divine life. It is in learning to live this new life, to breathe it, eat it, drink it and radiate it, that one day all the other sciences will be revealed to you. In the most insignificant activities of daily life you will see correspondences with astrology, alchemy, magic and the Cabbalah. In respiration you will discover astrology; in nutrition you will discover alchemy; in word and gesture you will discover magic; and in thought you will discover the Cabbalah. So learn how to eat, breathe, act, speak and think, and you will possess the foundations of these four sacred sciences."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

05/12/2005.

"How can we resist the temptations of pleasure? Pleasure is not a reliable guide, and when we allow ourselves to be governed by it, the results are most often unpleasant. Feasting in a restaurant is pleasurable, but after you have eaten, you must pay, which is not so pleasant. And it is the same in life: in one way or another, everything has its price. On the astral and mental
planes as well as the physical plane, there are markets, stores and shop windows where everything is displayed so you can help yourself. But once you have done so, you must pay. And it is precisely on this question of cost that you must reflect. Show prudence and say to yourself: ‘This isn’t worth it. It will be too expensive, and the pleasure is fleeting. Soon there won’t be a trace of it, and it will take me years to pay my debts.’"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

06/12/2005.

"The spirit alone is immortal. Therefore, only he who identifies with the spirit knows he is immortal. He is conscious of himself as a free and luminous being, separate from his body. He travels in space, he can come and go. He senses that his body is only a garment, and sometimes a garment that is worn out. How can we understand the mysteries of the universe if we identify with our shell? What motorist identifies with the car he drives? He doesn’t say: ‘I am my car’, because he knows it is only something that transports him. And what rider identifies with his horse? When Jesus said: ‘My Father and I are one’, he was identifying with his father, but not with just any father. “My Father’ refers to the eternal, allpowerful Being, the cosmic Spirit. Why not imitate Jesus, then, and identify with the heavenly Father, with the Spirit?"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

7/12/2005.

"Would you like to correct certain weaknesses in yourself and master some of your instinctive tendencies? You will succeed in doing so only if you develop the love of a high ideal. What is a high ideal? It is an aspiration to beauty, to that spiritual beauty made up of purity, light and harmony. In contemplating this beauty, you naturally and spontaneously disengage from all that is unhealthy, dark and chaotic. This love of beauty protects you, like a garment which you don’t want to soil. When you wear clothes that are new or special to you, you avoid activities in which they might be torn or stained. Instinctively you pay attention to your gestures and to where you sit. Well, there you are: if you decide to cultivate in yourself a taste for the world of beauty, and the desire to come closer to it, you will sense, little by little, that a kind of subtle garment is being woven around you that you will want to protect. In doing so, you yourself will be protected. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

08/12/2005.

"Are mothers aware of all the possibilities the spoken word affords them in the education of their children? Even when a child is too young to understand what is said to him, his mother can begin talking to him, and even when he is sleeping. She need not wait until he is old enough to understand. A mother should make a habit of speaking to her child with a great deal of love and conviction. She should tell him what she hopes he will become in the future. Since the word is an active force, entities who have heard and recorded everything set to work in the subconscious of this little child. They activate processes in his mind, in his heart and in all the cells and organs of his body. They gather the elements that later on will enable him to manifest the gifts and qualities his mother wished for him. Once they know this, human beings can use the spoken word to give something good to all beings they wish to help, even if the others are unaware of it."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

09/12/2005.

"Human beings have a natural tendency to make appearances merely to gain recognition and respect. How many spend their time in receptions and intrigues! They waste their lives trying to impress people, without thinking that in a few years all will be forgotten. What truly gives life meaning is to work with the light and for the light, without worrying about pleasing or displeasing others. And one day, even if you do not wish it, others will come looking for you to show you their respect and admiration. When your thought remains linked with the light and with divine love, people you encounter cannot help but find comfort and peace in your presence; they value you and seek your company. Whereas if you abandon the Lord, you can no longer replenish your inner riches. Then, when you have become poor and empty, who will want to spend time in your company?"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

10/12/2005.

"Synthesis and analysis are two approaches to knowledge. In a general sense, science has chosen the method of analysis, which separates, cuts and dissects. Of course, it is necessary from time to time to concentrate on a certain point of detail, but synthesis is the only method which is truly useful and productive, because synthesis alone brings about life. When we analyze, we limit ourselves, we shrink, we contract. Yes, and we can even say that analysis leads to death, while synthesis tends towards life. As proof, consider how a mother forms her infant. She assembles billions of elements, and the child is the living synthesis who breathes, moves, eats and speaks. Later, when the hour of analysis strikes, each particle of its body departs to rejoin the region from which it came: earth, water, air, fire, just as the characters are returned to the typographer’s drawers. In the same way, those who relentlessly analyze and dismantle things and living beings march towards death, towards spiritual death."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

11/12/2005.

"In everything you undertake, and especially in your spiritual work, strive above all to remain constant in your direction, because it is indecision that destroys you: forever questioning which way to go, and once a direction is taken, wondering if it is the right one or whether you should turn back. Begin by carefully reflecting, and once you sense you have found the right path, make every effort to hold firm to it, no matter what happens. You will of course take a few falls on your way, because you are still weak, but do not become discouraged, because heaven will send you help to. Even if your windows become dirty, tell yourself that tomorrow the rain will come wash them and make them transparent again. The entire life of a disciple is like this. He falls, he gets up…he gets dirty, he washes himself off. But he must maintain his courage, knowing that heaven is always there to support him in his striving."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

12/12/2005.

"Are you waiting for the love of a man or a woman? It may come your way, but if it is sensuality that dominates in this love, it will not last. Why? Because the Creator has not granted long life to sentiments inspired by instincts. If you are counting on these, you must expect disappointments and know you are going to suffer. But when this happens, remember that it is your inferior self who is suffering. Your higher Self is applauding, hoping this experience will serve as a lesson to you and will teach you to count only on the manifestations of your divine nature."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

13/12/2005.

"It is true that life presents us with all kinds of temptations, and most people consider it normal to succumb to these temptations. As they see it, this is more or less why they have come to earth: to throw themselves headlong into everything that attracts them. But the disciple of an initiatic teaching has a different point of view: he knows he has not come to earth to seek pleasure, but to carry out a work on himself. If he succumbs he is contrite, because he feels he has weakened and demeaned himself. In order to avoid these regrets and this suffering, before rushing into some venture or other he says to himself: ‘In doing this or that I will satisfy my desires, of course, but what will the repercussions be for myself and for those around me?’ And he reflects… Those who fail to pose these questions are surprised when situations or problems arise which they did not anticipate. Well, they need not be surprised, because what has happened was predictable. Consequences are always predictable."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

14/12/2005.

"In your relationships with others, it is essential that you be clear first and foremost about the matter of the two natures, superior and inferior, which constitute the human being. When you meet someone, do not imagine you are truly informed about him simply because you have learned what his social position or profession is. Nor will you know much more when you find out whether he is married or has children. These details provide you with no guarantees where his morality and future conduct are concerned. The sole preoccupation of the inferior nature is to find situations where it can most easily manifest its need to dominate, assuage its cravings and satisfy its ambitions. It is just as likely to find these conditions in the life of a bishop, a minister, a businessman, a worker… Whatever their place in society, those who have not worked to master their inferior nature can only conduct themselves in ways that are harmful to others. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

15/12/2005.

"People love money because instinctively they feel it represents everything life has to offer. But they have confused things: they mistake gold, which comes from the sun and is the symbol of life, for life itself. Just as life provides everything, they believe gold (or let us say money, since this is the word most commonly used) also provides everything. They assign an importance to it that they no longer give to life, because they have lost their life. They tremble at the idea that someone might rob them of their money, and they take unimaginable precautions to protect it. Look at the banks: they have become veritable fortresses. Nothing is better guarded and protected than their safes. Why do people not tremble as well at the thought of losing their life, the very quintessence God has placed in them and which makes them his sons and daughters? Since they are his children and all the riches of the universe belong to them, is it not more desirable to work to reinforce their life, to intensify it, than to lose it in the pursuit of a few trinkets?"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

16/12/2005.

"Just as precious stones never lose their value, nothing can diminish the value of the qualities and virtues we possess within ourselves. From the moment we begin working to develop them, no matter what happens, in spite of our mistakes, failures, disappointment and suffering, we must be preoccupied with nothing else. The slightest doubt reveals our ignorance of true values. You want to see results… But don’t you already have these results, since you know that everything good is eternal? You say: ‘Oh, that is beyond me.’ Yes, I understand, but even if you cannot grasp everything today, it does not matter: you will succeed later, in a year, in ten years, in twenty years, or in another incarnation. Inevitably, you will one day understand all these truths. If you abandon them on the pretext that they are beyond you, you will obviously succeed at nothing. In order to understand one day, you must at least begin working today. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

17/12/2005.

"What good is it to preach neighbourly love if no one explains what it is we are to love in others? When we see how so many people conduct themselves in everyday life, we cannot love them; it is useless even to try. Here is someone who is egotistical, mean and obnoxious, and you are told you have to love him. It is impossible! Not only is it impossible for you to love this monster, but in trying to do so you will detest him all the more. To succeed in loving him, you must learn to project yourself beyond appearances. You must concentrate on the divine spark which lives within him and which one day will be able to manifest itself. But we can only see the Divinity in others insofar as we have brought it to life within ourselves."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

18/12/2005.

"To Nicodemus, the Israelite doctor who came one night to question him, Jesus responded: ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.’ This verse corresponds to a verse in the beginning of Genesis: ‘And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.’ In both of these, it is the phenomenon of birth which is evoked: the birth of the universe and the spiritual birth of the human being. In both we find the same elements: fire (spirit) and water (matter). Just as the universe was born of fire and water, human beings must also be born of fire and water in order to enter into this higher state of consciousness called the Kingdom of God, because transposed onto the spiritual plane, fire represents wisdom and water represents love. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

19/12/2005.

"The higher desires which manifest in man are the expression of the Divinity. It is through these higher aspirations as well as our work for the benefit of others that we witness the presence of God. As our consciousness gradually expands, perceptions of another order come to us. It is as if another life – the life of this sublime Being – were being infused in us, and we are inhabited more and more fully by his presence. By intensifying this presence, we gradually merge with it, until one day we resemble the Divinity."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

21/12/2005.

"Let us study the symbol of the knight and his horse. The knight represents the human spirit, and the horse his physical body. Each of us, then, is both horse and knight. Just as the knight must take care of his horse, each of us must take care of our body. To understand the state of our horse, to know whether our problems or weaknesses come from the horse or the knight, requires great discernment. Are you tired? Ask yourself whether this fatigue is physical or psychological… You have eaten well, and yet you are still hungry. But who is hungry, you or your body? Or, you are not hungry, even though you have eaten nothing and your body is surely in need of nourishment. Such contradictions can arise in the sexual domain as well: your body has had enough, but you ask for more; or, conversely, you want nothing more, but your body demands it. Sometimes, in spite of the kicks with your spurs, your horse leads you down paths you do not want to venture. Or, it is the horse which finds a way to save his master, having caught the scent of a danger the knight was not aware of. Yes, this is a vast field for reflection."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

20/12/2005.

"I do not deny that the sacred books of all religions are precious works. But a human being is even more precious, because he is alive and carries the whole universe within him. Do you believe that all means of discovering the truth would be eliminated if the sacred books disappeared? Not at all. They can be created anew, because their origin is on high, in the Zodiac, in the stars, and also in man. But instead of understanding this, theologians are fixed on texts: they annotate, they compare, they generate commentary. If only they would leave these texts for awhile and go and look elsewhere. If only they would look higher, further, and to life itself, they would have a better understanding!"

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

22/12/2005.

"When you feel discouraged, worried or upset, light a candle, and by means of it unite yourself with all that is fire in the universe. Just as a drop of water can unite us with the entire ocean, the mere flame of a candle is enough to unite us with the sun, with cosmic Fire, or with the Holy Spirit which is clothed in light. When you light a candle, gaze at the flame until you melt into it and become yourself a flame. Reflect on the idea that the sun is fire, God is fire, the Holy Spirit is fire, and everything that surrounds us is fire. This thought will always restore your courage and your peace. If you learn to love this flame, to speak to it, gradually it will become your friend, and you will make it a habit of going to it to draw comfort, joy and inspiration."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

23/12/2005.

"The task of a spiritual Master is to provide human beings with the best conditions in which to manifest the qualities buried within them, however deeply. There may be surprises for him…and good surprises, why only bad ones? But a Master is neither naïve nor gullible, and if he has confidence in others, it is not because he imagines that what is selfish in them will become generous, for example, or that what is weak will become strong. No, he knows this is impossible. The inferior nature in humankind – we can even call it the animal nature – will always remain what it is. But beyond this nature, which is egotistical, weak, harsh and cunning, there is another nature, a divine nature which is capable of the noblest expressions. The Master knows this nature, and it is to this that he addresses himself. He sends signals to this nature and provides the means for its manifestation."

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

24/12/2005.

"In our Brotherhood, we live the great Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter as simply as we live the other days: we pray, meditate and sing. And even if we give special thought to the birth, death or resurrection of Christ, we do nothing exceptional. If this leaves some people dissatisfied, they are free to go and celebrate these festivals in their churches or their temples. Everyone must decide what form to give to his religious feelings, and he must allow others to do the same. The fact that they have different beliefs and rituals must never be a reason for people to attack each other. It is unwise to destroy the lives of others in the name of such and such a religious founder. Rather than provoking endless disorder and strife, people must embrace one another, help one another and fraternize with one another. In doing so they will demonstrate that they are followers of the one true religion, the universal religion of light and love, whose model is the sun. "

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov