Machine Stops

All Truth-bringers were permitted to proclaim God’s Eternal Truth. Then came men who began to quibble about it, dragging it down to their level, and distorting it until the Truth had become falsehood!

Mohammed

ISTOCK

‘Even man’s nearest ethereal surrounding can contribute much to uplift or debase him. This is the strange world of thought-forms, the vital activity of which comprises only a small section of the giant mechanism of the whole Creation. Their threads, however, penetrate both into the Gross Material World, and further up into the Ethereal World, as well as descending into the realm of Darkness. Like a gigantic network of veins or nerve-strands, all is intertwined and interwoven, untearable and inseparable! Mark this well!’ (Lecture: Thought-forms)

Now we are able to understand in a new way the urgent advice: ‘Watch and pray!’ conveyed to us in the Grail Message:

By opening up inwardly, by watching as well as by praying, hence by adjusting to higher, luminous spheres, the world of thought-forms that surrounds each human being will be illuminated as if with a light beam, immediately forming corresponding forms and colours that begin to operate radiantly as new energy which unite with prayers of a similar nature by other people into corresponding power-centres. This explains why it happens that, especially in prayer, a new orientation, an inspiration suddenly arises or that an issue spontaneously appears in a whole new light. It also follows that an impact may definitely be expected when many people pray earnestly and confidently for the same high aim, such as for peace, for example.

Moreover, the luminous thoughts accompanying such a prayer form a path of grace for the praying human being, because the ethereal world surrounding him shapes itself as a reflection of the these thoughts thereafter and is illuminated and clarified thereby, which gives rise to a natural protection.

The good volition with help of prayer!

The innermost core of the human being is spirit, which is often erroneously confused with the intellect or reason. In the English language, the term ‘spirit’ is a vague one and is applied to describe many different things. But in reality, however, spirit is another aspect or dimension of human life: It is the innermost living sentience in the human being, imbued with an inherent power for the good.

Spirit can therefore also be called inner wisdom, which lies dormant in every person and will never adopt a one-sided attitude but seeks to realise the good in a far-sighted manner.

It is from this innermost core that the true human volition arises, which is not to be confused with the earthly will that has its origin in the intellect and aims to set earthly goals only. The true volition, on the other hand, springs from the spirit, which existed before the beginning of this earth life and will detach itself again after the death of the body to continue on its path of development. This spirit, as a living entity, has the power to a far greater extent than the thoughts generated by the frontal brain, to attract what is good, upbuilding, clarifying, luminous and powerful from the spiritual world in accordance with the Cosmic Law of the attraction of similar qualities.

This power can be buried, neglected or ignored and therefore remain ineffective for the duration of a whole lifetime due to other aspirations of an earthly nature taking precedence, such as, for example, self-centred egotism or the fear of attracting attention. However, this power has basically been given to every human being in equal measure on his or her path of development so that there is no question of injustice here.

In addition, fate taps us on the shoulder again and again and urges us towards the good, to change our views for the better and to improve our behaviour. We hear these promptings as the inner voice, as the voice of conscience, which warns us against one-sidedness and other dangers and tirelessly urges us to embrace an approach borne of love as well as to adopt a behaviour pattern which places giving at its centre.

This is clarified by the following quotation from the Grail Message:

‘An Eternal Law operates in the Universe: That only in giving can one receive where lasting values are concerned! Like a sacred legacy of its Creator, this Law deeply permeates the whole of Creation. To give unselfishly, to help where help is needed, and to understand both the suffering and the weaknesses of your fellow-men, means to receive, because it is the simple and true way to the Highest!

‘And to will this seriously brings you immediate help and strength! By one single, honest and ardent wish to do good, the wall which your thoughts have hitherto erected as a barrier is cleaved as with a flaming sword from the other side that is now still invisible to you; for you are indeed one with the beyond which you so fear, deny or long for, you are closely and inextricably linked with it.’ (Lecture: Awake)

If we experience difficulties, conflicts or disturbing situations, to which no life is immune, we nevertheless still have the choice either to react directly to these situations by giving rise to corresponding feelings such as disappointment, grief, anger, resentment or annoyance or instead, to take a deep breath and reflect upon the meaning of the situation for a moment and seek guidance. During such moments it is therefore the good volition which breaks through, thus the spiritual volition, out of

which a prayer of supplication for better understanding and for a just response, borne of love, will grow.

Finally, the awareness will also arise that nobody is perfect, that everyone still has knots to untie, whether stemming from this life or from a previous one.

Every person can experience this inner quality of spirit as an effect of good volition as soon as he begins to listen deeply within himself in silence, so deeply that distractions brought about by current feelings such as sadness, anger, resentment or fear recede and lose their grip.

If a person listens deep within himself, the innermost qualities of the spirit, unaffected by the feelings currently assailing him, can be felt in his innermost sensibility. This innermost sensibility or the ability to perceive intuitively is initially given to each human being in equal measure for his earthly incarnations. It is then the living, inner wisdom that speaks and mediates a connection with the spiritual world, from whence waves of power, inspiration, and trust flow to us, as soon as we consciously make room within ourselves for the power of good and actively cultivate it.

Every human being is able to take the appropriate steps towards this, for he immediately receives strength and support from the spiritual world as soon as he, within himself, consciously cultivates intentions to do good. But only then! This is because it is the conscious volition for what is good that first creates the ethereal channels for all higher support.

Prayer in silence and purity is the ‘royal road’ to rouse and invigorate precisely this power of good, the inner wisdom, and thereby also to ennoble the nature of thoughts and perceptions by cleansing them.

In a real prayer the good volition will always resonate: The petition for recognition, for a hint towards further adjustment, a way forward, springs from the desire to totally understand even difficult situations, to ‘acquit oneself well’ and thereby to put into practice the good in life. Such a deeply perceived desire can attract strengthening powers from the spiritual world, where personalities are active who exemplify just this type of activity towards the good in full, just love and therewith impart inspiration and mediate a clarifying orientation to the seeking human being.

The prayer of intercession also gains a special importance in this light, because it arises from affectionate care and is therefore likewise carried by a good intention. This kind of selfless love can even bring very special waves of power into motion.

Thanks or thanksgiving, too, has a link with the good, for it springs from the knowledge that nothing in life may simply be taken for granted. Finally, worship as the highest form of prayer intensifies the deep yearning for the high, the pure and brings about:

‘...maintenance of the connection with the Luminous Heights, and the opening of oneself to holy streams of power for earthly application’, as described in the Grail Message. (Lecture: Do not Fall in Temptation)

The good volition therefore forms the basis of every earnest intention to pray, and in turn, every real prayer, in the reciprocal effect, strengthens precisely this good volition! This represents, so to speak, a cycle of activity of forces for the good!

The more imbued with conviction, the more selfless and the more heartfelt this good volition is in its execution, the more powers it is able to attract in the Law of the spiritual power of Attraction of Similar Species.

This process is described in the Grail Message: ‘Power of volition! A mighty force, unsuspected by so many! Attracting similar powers like a never-failing magnet, it grows like an avalanche. Uniting with similar spiritual forces, it works backwards, again reaching the starting-point, thus the origin, or rather, the producer, uplifting him high to the Light, or pressing him deeper into the mud and filth! Exactly in accordance with what the author himself originally willed.’ (Lecture: Awake)

Any person who has the intent to do good in his heart of hearts, in his innermost being, can therefore unite with these powers in prayer. Through this he receives a strong protection that surrounds him like a luminous cloak, repelling dark currents which bounce off harmlessly. A person who, borne of good volition, seeks pathways in prayer is raised and becomes capable more and more to develop for himself a personal prayer culture that can lead him to the highest recognitions, as is promised in the Grail Message:

‘He who bears within himself the firm volition for what is good, and strives to give purity to his thoughts, has already found the way to the Highest! All else will then be added unto him.’ (Lecture: What seek ye?)

He who therefore engages with prayer in this way and strives for individually suitable ways of praying will surmise why Abd-ru-shin expressed the earnest wish:

‘You men, could you but pray aright at last! Really pray! How rich would your existence then be! For in prayer lies the greatest happiness you can receive. It uplifts you to immeasurable heights so that supreme happiness streams through you blissfully. Could you but pray, men! That shall now be my wish for you.

‘In your small thinking you will then no longer ask to Whom you shall and may pray. There is but One to Whom you are allowed to dedicate your prayers, only One: GOD!

‘Approach Him in solemn moments with a sacred intuitive perception, and pour out before Him what your spirit can bring up in the way of gratitude! Turn only to Him when you pray; for it is to Him alone that gratitude is due and to Him alone you yourself belong, Oh Man, because only through His great Love were you able to come into existence!’ (Lecture: Ask, and it shall be given unto you!)

Thanks – the very first basic prayer experience

Prayers given by Abd-ru-shin

Morning Prayer Thine am I, Lord! To Thee alone In gratitude I dedicate my life; O graciously Accept this my volition And grant me The help of Thy Power this day! Amen

Evening Prayer O Lord, Who art enthroned Above all the Worlds, I beseech Thee: let me rest In Thy Grace this night! Amen Spiritual bread immediately refreshes, Truth revitalises and Light animates!

Abd-ru-shin

Grace Before Meals O Lord, in the weaving Of Thy Creation, Thou hast graciously Set before us An ever-prepared table; Accept this our thanks For Thy Goodness! Amen

O lord, at this meal We are mindful of Thy Grace, And we ask Thy Blessing On this food! Amen

Key Points

• Prayer is open to everyone, regardless of one’s level of education and outward situation or status in life. Therefore an illiterate person can pray just as well as a scholar! • Prayer opens a spiritual space within man that connects him with invisible threads to the spiritual homeland. • Difficult, demanding situations in life can be understood in completely new ways through prayer. • States of anxiety and depression undergo a sustained brightening over time, thanks to prayer. • For people trapped in an addiction spiral, prayer channels the power needed to overcome their addiction! • For every task – no matter how difficult it may seem – the energy required to accomplish it can be sought in prayer. • All good work, whether physical or mental, is raised and ennobled through a prayer. • Prayer helps to better understand difficult social situations and relationships and to improve one's own behaviour within this framework. • In prayer, thoughts as well as the mind become clarified. • Prayer strengthens, in a new way, the good volition that is able to connect with the higher spheres. • Over time, a luminous, ethereal protective cover is created around a praying person, from which unpleasant, gloomy currents are deflected. Praying is the best protection for the soul! • A person’s positive attitude to prayer, acquired over time, accompanies the soul at its earthly death or transition into the world beyond, there also becoming a staff and support for its further ascent towards luminous, spiritual realms.

Praying moves mountains: a true story

High up in a Tibetan village, not far from the capital, Lhasa, lived a girl named Dolma. Her homeland had been occupied many decades ago by a foreign power that had shut down the Tibetan schools and monasteries in their region and banned the Tibetan language. Ever since, the Tibetan religion and language could only be learned in other countries, which is why new Tibetan Buddhist schools and monasteries have been established outside the Tibetan homeland, in neighbouring countries by Tibetan refugees.

However, Dolma's two older siblings attended the new Chinese school in the region, learned Chinese, familiarised themselves with the ideas of communism, and veered away more and more from Tibetan culture and religion. This made the mother decide that Dolma and the younger siblings should not attend school at all. Instead of learning to read and write, Dolma was given the task of looking after the five younger siblings and sewing Tibetan clothes, while the mother worked in the nearby quarry.

Dolma, who was still a child herself and could not read and write, taught the younger siblings to pray as best she could and gave the little ones lessons in Tibetan Buddhism, as she had heard from an old monk.

After a few years, one of the younger brothers expressed the wish to become a monk and one of the girls wanted to learn to read and write the Tibetan language. After much deliberation and because the two siblings grew ever more entrenched in their wish, Dolma, who had reached adolescence in the meantime, decided to take a chance and run away with these two siblings across the high mountains of the Himalayas and bring the brother to a Tibetan monastery and the sister to a Tibetan school, having heard of their existence in northern India.

The preparation did not last long; the season was favourable. For food, Dolma wrapped nutritious Tibetan roots that were not heavy to carry. After saying a prayer asking for protection and blessing for all three, as well as receiving the travel blessing from the old Buddhist monk, the three set out one night on their long journey. The higher the three siblings ventured into the Himalayas, the harder, more severe and colder the trek became. Dolma often had to carry her little sister, since she sank to her hips in the snow! They hid during the day, travelling only at night. They keenly watched out for the occupying forces and border guards so as not to fall into their hands. After a gruelling hike through snow, freezing cold and thin air over a Himalayan pass, they reached the first Nepalese mountain village, where good people gave them food and advice for the continuation of their journey. Later on, after arriving in the dusty Nepalese city of Kathmandu, Dolma was able to sell the remainder of her roots to a pharmacist and buy bus tickets to India with the proceeds.

After the cold experienced in the Himalayas, the heat in India was almost unbearable!

But wherever they were, the three siblings said their prayers daily and asked for protection, and time and time again they encountered good people who assisted them with advice and practical help until 17-year-old Dolma finally achieved her twin goals after several weeks on the road: The Tibetan monastery for the brother and the Tibetan school for the sister in northern India!

Dolma was happy because she had been able to fulfil her task that she had set out to do. Should she now stay in India? But she thought of the three smaller siblings, the mother who had no time to care for them, and so she decided to go back alone the same way she had come. On the return journey – she was already close to her home country, not far from the border – she suffered a severe setback: Border guards from the foreign occupation

Love each other with strong, severe love! It is not love when you remove every stone from each other’s path, when you speak in sweet, flattering words, different from your soul’s inner perceiving. True love sees the faults of the other, and helps him to over come them.

From ‘Past Eras Awaken’ (Published by Stiftung Gralsbotschaft, Stuttgart)

forces discovered the Tibetan girl on her nightly trek! She was dragged to the guardhouse and thrust into a prison cell. Later, Dolma only remembers that she lay on the hard, cold floor of the cell and prayed. After several days – or was it weeks? - she can no longer remember – she was surprisingly released, but accompanied by serious death threats should she show her face again near the border. When Dolma finally reached her home village with the last of her strength, people screamed and ran away because they thought she was a ghost!

Dolma needed a few months to recover from the ordeal and the violence she had suffered.

Now, however, there was no more peace for Dolma, for she knew that she was no longer safe in her home village. A report had been drawn up about her. The authorities had also noticed that two children in the family were missing and that none of the smaller ones attended public school. The future of the three younger siblings worried Dolma more and more. Already now, the youngest boy wished to become a monk as well. And the two girls eagerly said their prayers under her tutelage. Finally, the mother gave her consent for another flight. Dolma knew that they would never see her again.

However, this second escape was much easier than the first one, even though the three siblings were still small. She had been advised to head east, since the border with the Kingdom of Bhutan would be safer to cross. Dolma heeded this advice and after weeks of renewed hiking over the cold, high, snow-covered mountains, which was followed by a bus and train journey, she safely reached, for the second time, the place in northern India with the school for the two girls and the monastery for the brother. Again she was happy and relieved because all her younger siblings would now be taught and educated in the Tibetan faith, and thus given the opportunity to develop into good people.

And she herself? Where should she turn now? She could not stay in India, nor could she dare to go back to her homeland. Tibetan people advised her to flee further, namely to Switzerland, to that distant country with mountains, where many Tibetans had found a new home. It is not a place within walking distance however; she would need to board a plane to get there. Money for a plane ticket was collected for the brave girl.

And so it happened that one day Dolma boarded an aircraft in Delhi, India, to reach that far-off land whose name she could barely pronounce. During the several hours of flight, she did not dare to accept the food offered on board, as she had only a few Indian rupees and did not know how much the food would cost.

Once in Switzerland, Dolma was astonished, as never before in her life, at the cleanliness of the airport. For a long time she did not dare to sit on one of the shiny airport benches. When she finally did so, she was grateful that no one turned her away because she suddenly felt interminably exhausted.

But let us allow Dolma to tell the rest of her story in her own words:

‘I sat on the bench at Zurich Airport and prayed. I could not do anything else. I had no money, not even a cup. We Tibetans always have a cup with us on every journey, but I had sold my cup. I had nothing at all, just my Tschubba (Tibetan dress) that I was wearing.

‘And I was so tired. I could not ask anyone, as I would not have understood anything, nor would anyone have understood me. So I sat and prayed; prayed that some help would come. It seemed like a very long time while I sat there and prayed. It was getting dark outside.

‘Then – suddenly I saw a young man of Tibetan appearance! He approached me and spoke to me in Tibetan. He brought me to his parents who had lived in Switzerland for a long time. The next day they all accompanied me to the right civic agencies, and this was how I came to live in a house for refugees.’

‘Dolma, to whom did you pray when you sat on the bench at the airport?’ ‘To the supreme God!’

Epilogue: Dolma has now been living for more than 10 years in Switzerland, where she has found a new home. In the refugee home she met her future husband, who, as a Tibetan monk, also had to flee his homeland. They got married and now have four children. Her husband, who once completed a master's degree in Tibetan philosophy, is proud of his secure employment in the Municipal Cleaning Department with which he can maintain his family! The four children have learned German easily and are diligent students. Dolma, too, has a job she is proud of: She helps in the household of a busy psychologist and is still amazed today that one can earn money for such easy work. She is immensely grateful for her own spacious apartment with its ‘own kitchen, heating and even a balcony’. She was also able to inherit the Sunday crockery from the psychologist's mother and is happy that she, who after her escape, could not call anything her own, now is the owner of so many cups!

In deep gratitude, she now teaches her four children to pray, just as she had taught her siblings back then.