' Practical Mystics '...

The few statesmen, rulers, or politicians by whose decisions history itself is now being made, who control tremendous power, are the ones who need guidance and wisdom, prophetic warning and personal awakening if they are not to lead their nations--and with them all mankind--into the abyss of colossal catastrophe.

If anything is to be done to save the world, it must be done through them--the masses of men will be more likely to follow where they go.

If you say that the problem is too big for anyone to solve, you imply that nothing ought to be done to help these leaders find right direction.

If you say, with Aldous Huxley's Grey Eminence, that "mystics who interfere in politics only make matters worse," I reply that unpractical visionaries, unbalanced fanatics, narrow sectarians, and inexperienced meddlers certainly do so, but practical, balanced, and mature mystics do not.

History proves this point. Philosophy rejects both objections. Even where there is only a small hope of avoiding the tragic outcome of present conditions, it must take the chance offered.


-- Notebooks Category 11: The Negatives >
Chapter 3: Their Presence in The World > # 322
Paul Brunton