DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

THE PLACE OF OCCULTISM IN SPIRITUAL LIFE: II 99before the aspirant has become spiritually perfect. In fact, egoismcan flourish through the acquisition of such occult powers. Theaspirant may not only take delight in possessing them, but mightactually use them for mundane purposes from which he has notnecessarily freed himself. Siddhis are therefore rightly regarded asobstacles to the attainment of realisation. However, after God isrealised all these occult powers dwindle in their importance. Thesiddhis have their field in the nothingness which is the universe,and the person who realises God is permanently and immovablyestablished in the Supreme Reality. Although the whole universe islike a zero to the God-realised person, he may voluntarily assumeresponsibility toward those souls who are enmeshed in the tanglesof the universe. In that case he can freely and legitimately makeuse of his occult powers for the spiritual good of others.There is nothing which does not admit of direct or indirectcontrol by the Masters of wisdom. Large social phenomena such aswars, revolutions and epidemics, as well as cosmic phenomenaFurtherance of thedivine plansuch as earthquakes, floods and otherchanges, are equally amenable to theircontrol and direction through the releaseof the forces of the exalted planes on which the Masters areconsciously stationed. The Masters can also use the occultforces and possibilities for securing co-operative and coordinatedspiritual work. They frequently hold meetings andconferences on the higher planes for securing the advancementof humanity. The Over-soul in all is only One and It alwaysfunctions as a unity. Those who have become conscious of thisunity become fit to undertake unlimited responsibility, becausethey have shed the lower limitations of the human mind andhave become so impersonal and universal in their interest that