Fwd: Marie B. Byles - The Miracolous and Supernatural

[Guest guest]

ThePowerOfSilence , " viorica " <viorica

wrote:

 

The Miraculous and Supernatural

 

Marie B.

Byles

 

 

Television once showed a picture of a man lying

on his back on a bed of nails with two planks across him

and a tractor or some-such thing being driven over him on the

two planks; at one time a wheel slipped off the plank and went

over his body. As he stood up the interviewer asked him how he

did it and how he felt. He said that he put his faith in Almighty

God and that he felt okay. Another film showed a man chewing

up wine-glasses and saying he enjoyed eating them.

 

I cannot vouch personally for these two happenings. But

it does seem that such strange and seemingly impossible things

do occur with certain unusually gifted people, and that science

is beginning to take notice of them and sometimes to vie scientific

explanations.

 

There are also the strange workings of astrology and psychokinesis

— as when a tensed hand is held over a compass and

swings the needle in the opposite direction, and extra-sensory

perceptions — as when the details of the sinking of S.S. Titanic

were perceived thousands of miles away at the same time that it

happened.

 

And most envied of all are the miracles of healing

both physical and mental. There have always been many such

healers, one of the best known is Agnes Sanford who wrote the

well known Healing Light. And a less known mental healer was

the American Buddhist monk, Sumangalo, who unexpectedly

found he had suddenly acquired the ability to cure mental

disorders. Among these apparent miracle-workers we must place

those gifted preachers who have the power to convert people

from delinquency and drug addiction.

 

Let us then admit that these supernormal happenings are

factual, and also that science is becoming increasingly interested,

so that we may well expect a widening of our knowledge.

 

The question we need to consider is whether it will make

any difference to our social well-being if there are people trained

to eat glass or even to cure people of drug addiction and

delinquency. No supernormal talent in itself implies simple

goodness and compassion which alone can bring about more

harmonious relations between man and nature. True, some

religious books assume the goodness of the healer and other

miracle-workers, and assume that no one can be a saint unless he

performs miracles. But are miracles any different from other

supernormal happenings? Does what you call it make any

difference? Those who now walk on fire for the edification of

tourists, admit that it does not mean the same for them as it did

when they performed the same act for the glory of God. But the

fact remains that they outwardly achieve the same result as when

they did do it for the glory of God. Those who examine these

supernormal happenings from the scientific angle assume that

the moral goodness of the doer has nothing to do with the matter.

And indeed — why should we think that goodness or

badness in the doer is important?

 

After all the world is composed of and founded upon pairs of

opposites.

Therefore we cannot have white magic without black magic too,

any more than we can have a positive without a negative. It is

therefore

obvious that a person who performs, say, a miracle of healing is not

necessarily a good man or woman. For this reason it may or

may not be inspiring to read about miracles or other abnormal

happenings, which appear to be supernatural.

 

The supernormal happening depends upon the natural

talent of the individual who performs it. It is not of any

importance. The only thing that matters is whether it springs

from love and compassion which alone can draw us above the

pairs of opposites. To read of those who performed no miracles,

but who did achieve this love and compassion is far more likely

to be helpful and inspiring to ordinary people like ourselves.

 

Foremost among such ordinary people of whose thoughts

we have a written record is the saintly Stoic emperor of Rome

in the second century, Marcus Aurelius, who kept a record of

his meditations. And that simple record has been the inspiration

of millions all over the world. And yet he had no outstanding

talents: he had only simple goodness and kindness, springing

from compassionate love and understanding of the oneness of

all creation.

 

And another such was the simple Carmelite monk, Brother

Lawrence of the 17th century, who performed no miracles except

what the Buddha would call the only real miracle, that of a

transformed life. He accomplished this merely by turning his

mind to God and doing nothing but for the love of God. His

whole being radiated serenity and love, and without any

intellectual explanations his example transformed the lives of

many.

 

Of course we must all use the talents we have been given

and do the work that falls to our lot — being the emperor of a

mighty empire, a cook in a monastery-kitchen, performer of

miracles or healer of the sick. None is superior or inferior, and

talents do not count The way to compassion and enlightenment

is the same for all. We cannot and should not want to acquire

supernatural talents we do not already possess, nor scientific

knowledge beyond our normal capacity, nor even an inclination

to harness these supernatural happenings or miracles.

 

There are always specialists dealing with their particular fields.

But we

each have a built-in computer, as it were, which collects what is

necessary for each of us according to our talents, if only we will

let it work freely unimpeded by our predilections. One of the

best ways of letting it work freely is to repeat in thought or if

possible in a whisper, what the Hindus would call a mantra,

suited to one's individuality. Brother Lawrence's practice of the

presence of God is a perfect example, for he would do nothing

except for the love of God. By this means our whole being

tends to get tuned-in with Cosmic laws and the harmony of the

universe, whether we know them clearly or not.

 

Thus our individual talents get utilized by the internal

computer get and directed as migratory birds and fishes are.

Then whatever our talent, whether to perform operations

without anaesthetics like the Philippine healers, or merely to

wash dishes, our work will be well done.

 

Therefore let us read and learn whatever is helpful, but let

us not be bewildered by or crave for supernormal powers. Let

us be content with the Inner Light that has been given to us,

remembering that the greatest of Masters like Buddha,

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Ramana Maharshi

have decried the craving for and display of supernormal

powers as utterly detrimental to one's spiritual enlightenment.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[ The Silent Power ]

 

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