Thanksgiving, a Talk by Beinsa Douno

It was a beautiful sunny spring day. We were outside sitting around long tables under the old hazelnut trees. Lunch had just ended and the Master, who was with us, smiled and began speaking:

"Do you realize that at this moment you are making a wonderful, free of charge journey through the universe? You see heaven and earth and the latter is taking you into the boundlessness of the Cosmos. You are being saluted by flashing missiles - the meteors - and some time by a beautiful caudate star - a comet. After such a trip you have cause to be delighted on earth! And your work on earth is also a delight: when you get up in the morning, the sun rises to make the day light for you; the flowers bloom for you; the winds blow for you. In the night the stars shine for you. What more could you want?

"Therefore, render thanksgiving to God not only for the great blessings but even more so for the countless small ones which you receive every day. Be grateful the moment your awakened consciousness perceives the good, the beautiful, the harmonious touching you lightly.

"Sometimes you feel discontented, even gloomy; that is because you catch thoughts and wishes belonging to other beings. Those are letters not addressed to you, don't read them, don't even open them, return them!

"The Great Beings, permitting you to make this journey with the heavenly vessel 'Earth' without having to pay anything for it, must love you so much! If you had to pay the price, it would be worth billions of pure gold!

"Having all this in mind, you will love God and give thanks to Him that He has given you the opportunity for this heavenly journey. Give thanks also to the earth and the entire solar system. Be grateful for all the good that the future will bring to you because many more blessings will be given you!

"Be grateful for everything: for the air and for the light, for the water and the bread, for your health and for the possibility you have to think rightly. Thank God that He has given you the environment necessary for your development, that He has sent you to this great school of life on earth, conducted by the Divine Forces and thus you can evolve.

"We are so much indebted to Nature and to all beings inhabiting it! You must be grateful to the ox that gives you its skin for your shoes; look friendly at it, pat its head and say: 'Please, forgive us, for the soles of our shoes are made out of your skin.' All cattle form a community and your good behavior to them is a way of paying off your debts to them.

"When you eat fruits, appreciate the sacrifice made for you; show your understanding and your gratefulness. It is easy to comprehend the sacrifice of the fruit-tree and its labor done with love. Send too a thought of thanksgiving and of friendship to the man who planted the tree, tended it and took care that you have good fruit.

"Render thanksgiving to God for your life and to all servers of life. Be joyous. Look with joy at nature, it is so generous; and from above, God will look at you in the same way.

"Be delighted with the grass and the insects, with the springs and the brooks, with the clouds and heaven. Rejoice in your grief too. It has been said: 'Praise God in your hearts.' Where could you find better conditions for development than the ones offered you?

"You are looking for magnificent results? Rejoice, therefore, in little things: in the glass of water offered you, in the book somebody gives you to read, or in a tender friendly word addressed to you. You aspire after great things? - But what would you do if the whole earth were offered to you? There is misunderstanding in people who are after great things.

"Each morning, each day render thanksgiving to God, to the Only One, for the Good He has inserted within your mind, within your heart and in your soul. You can also demonstrate your gratitude to God with correct breathing done with love.

"Have you thought of all the blessings showered on us? Have you considered the worth of the blue sky, the value of the mountains and of the springs of crystal, life-giving waters? Every minute let your heart be filled to the brim with gratefulness for every beauty that delights your eyes.

"Getting up in the morning, lift your thoughts to the Creator; thank Him for the body He has given you, for your life and for your work which depends on you to be made useful. "Send a radio-thought to the center of the Sun, thanking it for the dawning day that is indispensable. A day cannot be bought with any money; what a wealth it contains.

"Each day of your life brings you something new, something special. In the course of all eternity you will continuously receive something useful for your enlightenment, for your understanding of the meaning of the Great Universal Life with which you also are connected.

"Living in the midst of this abundance, what are you doing in order to conform with the will of God? In the evenings when you return to your homes be peaceful and appreciate the harmony that abides within you.

For a time the Master lapsed into silence. We sang some songs, then he continued:

"Be grateful to heaven for giving you the vocal organs and rejoice that you are gathered here, that you have met each other. Exchange a few kind words, be tender to one another and let the joy of your hearts accompany your conversations.

"Discontent belongs to the ordinary ways of life; it is driven away from the life of divine order and so is worry. Some say that discontent is a stimulus; this is an incorrect conception. Only Love and joy give good impulses and stimulate man. Discontent proves that we have not played fair and that our soul disapproves. Act always in agreement with faith, hope and love.

"Nevertheless, expect not that everything will go well and easy, for you will be put on trial, often a bitter one. Be grateful when joy comes your way, and when you are suffering be grateful too. Everything that God has allowed to come to pass in the world, in life, will be changed into good.

"Griefs, sorrows but give the material for joy; and joy is the result of well performed labor. The sorrow of today will bring you the joy of the future.

"If you are suffering, be grateful and heal yourself. If you stumble, get up and be grateful. In the severest trial say: 'It will all turn to good' and you will see how your difficulties, by and by, will be resolved. Your character is being tried out in contradictions and sufferings; therefore, be grateful for these, too, as for everything else, but your gratefulness must be sincere and living, not mechanical and forced. And never forget that you are not alone, that thousands of souls are participating in the difficulties through which you pass.

"God has showered blessings on you, and what have you done for Him? You look for somebody to love you? -But you are surrounded with love! Apples and fruits say to you: 'Eat as much as you like!' The air loves you and says: 'Breathe as much as you like.'

"In order to obtain correct understanding of life, study and apply the Divine Teaching; you must be contented and grateful in whatever condition you find yourselves.

"Thousands around you suffer and you take no heed. God then allows you to suffer and thus your attention is aroused to the suffering of others.

"Don't ever be discouraged and don't say: 'Nothing will come of me!' If you render thanksgiving to God for the good that has been sown within you, it will grow; but if you are not grateful - it will wither. Be grateful also when suffering comes your way and it will let you alone; however it will remain and increase if you are not grateful. These are four laws of Living Nature. Man has to blame only himself for the loss of blessings that are destined for him.

"THANKSGIVING IS PRAYER; THE MAN WHO GIVES THANKS IS PRAYING.

"When you think of God, let your heart be filled to the brim with deep thanksgiving; be grateful to Him at all times; for the GOOD He has given you and gives you unceasingly; thus you will enter into a higher world."