Dear friends, can simple phenomena be the means of making people believe in God? If that was the thing, all the great prophets and masters would have worked in that way.  Think of Krishna, of Buddha, of Muhammad. In all those times, when the great ones came, they did not want to prove their prophecy by miracles. That is juggler’s work, let it be with the juggler. Those on the spiritual path have a straight truth to tell. It is not going here and there; it is straight to the point. And those who will not come by that, they will remain where they are. They must still sleep. If you show them one miracle, they say it is not satisfactory. If one would call the moon down on earth, then the sun must come down also, if you are powerful enough. Do you think the hunger of man can be satisfied? A curious man is never satisfied.

It is a great pity that today in America, where it seems that there is a great seeking after truth, there is a great love for phenomena. There is more curiosity than serious seeking after truth. There is love for clairvoyance, clairaudiance, spirit communication, phenomena. But when it comes to real truth, spiritual wisdom, raising the consciousness for spiritual perfection, kindling the love in the heart toward God, it seems too simple; and they say, “We want today something more difficult.”

It seems very simple; but, friends, it is the practice of simple things which is most difficult. Things which seem so simple for us, if we take up one of these things to practise in life, it becomes very difficult in practising in order to rise from limitation to perfection.

Those who journey in the spiritual path, they take the path of meditation. The first step towards meditation is concentration, single mindedness, control of mind, control of thought, control of imagination, control of feeling. And that is gained by all manners of exercises, practices which the wise have given to those they have initiated in spiritual, esoteric work.

The tendency today is that a person asks—I have been asked myself—at the tea table to tell about meditation, how to meditate. Can it be explained at the tea-table? They do not know what they are after. If one wishes to develop one’s voice, one goes to the voice producer and gets proper lessons from him; and then one practices every day for years and years in order to sing properly. But when it comes to meditation, they see so little the importance and value of it that they are ready to ask at the tea table how one can meditate. Or if they can read it from a book, a Yogi book, or some other kind of book, they are still more happy because then they have not to be bothered with a teacher. Do you think a person can become a doctor, a singer, a painter, by reading a book?! Never. And if these small things of the world cannot be accomplished by reading a book, then can one accomplish spiritual attainment by reading a book?