THE DANCERS OF MYSTICISM
The Nun Gertrude, when it came to her turn to wash up
the dishes, used to explain that she was very sorry, but at
that particular moment she was being married, with full
choral service, to the Saviour.
Hundreds of mystics shut themselves up completely and
for ever.
Not only is their wealth-producing capacity lost to
society, but so is their love and good—will, and worst of all, so
is their example and precept.
Christ, at the height of his
career, found time to wash the feet of his disciples
; any Master
who does not do this on every plane is a Black Brother.
The
Hindus honour no man who becomes “ Sannyasi " (nearly our
“hermit”) until he has faithfully fulfilled all his duties as a man
and a citizen,
Celibacy is immoral, and the celibate shirks
one of the greatest difficulties of the Path.
Beware of all those who shirk the lower difficulties: it’s
a good bet that they shirk the higher difficulties too.
Of the special dangers of the path there is here no space
to write; each student finds at each step temptations reflect-
ing his own special weaknesses
I have therefore dealt solely
with the dangers inseparable from the path itself, dangers
inherent in its nature.
Not for one moment would I ask
the weakest to turn back or turn aside from that path, but
I would ask even the strongest to apply these correctives:
first, the sceptical or scientific attitude, both in outlook and
method; second, a healthy life, meaning by that what the
athlete and the explorer mean; third, hearty human com-
panionship, and devotion to life, work, and duty.
Let him remember that an ounce of honest pride is better
than a ton of false humility, although an ounce of true
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