| - This article is a chapter from The Hidden Side | | | | that it is easier for him to grow in that way than |
| of Things by C W Leadbeater first | | | | in any other. For the same reason a man who |
| published (1913) | | | | spends his time loafing in a public-house with the |
| | | | | idle and various is exceedingly likely to end by |
| - Since it is emphatically true that no man can | | | | becoming idle and vicious himself. The study of |
| afford to be disliked or feared by his cat or dog, | | | | the hidden side of things emphatically endorses |
| it is clear that the same consideration applies with | | | | the old proverb that evil communications corrupt |
| still greater force to the human beings who | | | | good manners. |
| surround him. It is not easy to overestimate the | | | | |
| importance to a man of winning the kindly regard | | | | This fact of the |
| of those with whom he is in constant association-- | | | | enormous influence of close association with a |
| to overrate the value to a schoolmaster of the | | | | more advanced personality is well understood in |
| attitude towards him of his pupils, to a merchant | | | | the East, where it is recognised that the most |
| of the feeling of his clerks, to an officer of the | | | | important and effective part of the training of a |
| devotion of his men; and this entirely apart from | | | | disciple is that he shall live constantly in the |
| the obvious effects produced in the physical | | | | presence of his teacher and bathe in his aura. The |
| world. If a man holding any such position as one | | | | various vehicles of the teacher are all vibrating |
| of these is able to arouse the enthusiastic | | | | with a steady and powerful swing at rates both |
| affection of his subordinates, he becomes the | | | | higher and more regular than any which the pupil |
| focus upon which many streams of such forces | | | | can yet maintain, though he may sometimes |
| are constantly converging. Not only does this | | | | reach them for a few moments; but the constant |
| greatly uplift and strengthen him, but it also | | | | pressure of the stronger thought-waves of the |
| enables him, if he understands something of the | | | | teacher gradually raises those of the pupil into the |
| working of occult laws, to be of far greater use | | | | same key. A person who has as yet but little |
| to those who feel the affection, and to do much | | | | musical ear finds it difficult to sing correct intervals |
| more with them than would otherwise be | | | | alone, but if he joins with another stronger voice |
| possible.. To obtain this result it is not | | | | which is already perfectly trained, his task |
| in the least necessary that they should agree with | | | | becomes easier-- which may serve as a kind of |
| him in opinion; with the particular effect with which | | | | rough analogy. |
| we are at present concerned their mental attitude | | | | |
| has no connection whatever; it is a matter of | | | | The great point is |
| strong, kindly feeling. If the feeling should | | | | that the dominant note of the teacher is always |
| unfortunately be of an opposite kind-- if the man | | | | sounding, so that its action is affecting the pupil |
| is feared or despised-- currents of antipathy are | | | | night and day without need of any special thought |
| perpetually flowing towards him, which cause | | | | on the part of either of them. Growth and change |
| weakness and discord in the vibrations of his | | | | must of course be ceaselessly taking place in the |
| higher vehicles, and also cut him off from the | | | | vehicles of the pupil, as in those of all other men; |
| possibility of doing satisfactory and fruitful work | | | | but the powerful undulations emanating from the |
| with those under his charge. | | | | teacher render it easy for this growth to take |
| | | | | place in the right direction, and exceedingly difficult |
| | | | | for it to go any other way, somewhat as the |
| It is not only the force of the feeling sent out by | | | | splints which surround a broken limb ensure that |
| the person; like attracts like in the astral world as | | | | its growth shall be only in the right line, so as to |
| well as the physical. There are always masses of | | | | avoid distortion. |
| vague thought floating about in the atmosphere, | | | | |
| some of them good and some evil, but all alike | | | | No ordinary man, acting automatically and |
| ready to reinforce any decided thought of their | | | | without intention, will be able to exercise even a |
| own type. Also there are nature-spirits of low | | | | hundredth part of the carefully-directed influence |
| order, which enjoy the coarse vibrations of anger | | | | of a spiritual teacher; but numbers may to some |
| and hatred, and are therefore very willing to | | | | extent compensate for lack of individual power, |
| throw themselves into any current of such | | | | so that the ceaseless though unnoticed pressure |
| nature. By doing so they intensify the undulations, | | | | exercised upon us by the opinions and feelings of |
| and add fresh life to them. All this tends to | | | | our associates leads us frequently to absorb |
| strengthen the effect produced by the | | | | without knowing it many of their prejudices. It is |
| converging streams of unfavourable thought and | | | | distinctly undesirable that a man should remain |
| feeling. | | | | always among one set of people and hear only |
| | | | | one set of views. It is eminently necessary that |
| It has been said that | | | | he should know something of other sets, for only |
| a man is known by the company he keeps. It is | | | | in that way can he learn to see good in all; only |
| also to a large extent true that he is made by it, | | | | thoroughly understanding both sides of any case |
| for those with whom he constantly associates | | | | can he form an opinion that has any right to be |
| are all the while unconsciously influencing him and | | | | called a real judgment. The prejudiced person is |
| bringing him by degrees more and more into | | | | always and necessarily an ignorant person; and |
| harmony with such undulations as they radiate. He | | | | the only way in which his ignorance can be |
| who is much in the presence of a large-minded | | | | dispelled is by getting outside his own narrow little |
| and unworldly man has a fine opportunity of | | | | circle, and learning to look at things for himself and |
| himself becoming large-minded and unworldly, for | | | | see what they really are-- not what those who |
| a steady though imperceptible pressure in that | | | | know nothing about them suppose them to be. |
| direction is perpetually being exerted upon him, so | | | | |