Now, our modern culture and social life is marked by the Ahrimanic and Luciferic powers, promoting and encouraging intellectualism and sensualism. Our identity is therefore chiefly based on mental and material evidence, which is more or less consistent with the emotional reality. Only a minority of people base their sense of identity on structures of quality like higher values, ethics, belief or faith. And even fewer are used to observe their heart and its internal and external transactions and simply say: “This is how, who or what I truly am.” But honestly, in spite of the many different structures individualizing a human, many of them completely indifferent, there is one single fact which makes the crucial difference in a person. The condition of the heart! Whether it is warm, sympathetic, alive, kind and generous or distant, oppressed, barren and closed, that is the qualifying truth pertaining to us. The heart can never lie. Perhaps it seems somewhat offensive to use such a simple and plain common denominator and assert that it is the quality of the heart and not the capacity of the brain which is essential to man, but that is only because our culture does not know how to appreciate and refine the life of the heart. The heart expresses our ways and manners, our sensitivity and responsiveness, and our transparency and awareness. The pure and open heart has the same quality as being with God. It is a mirror of the spiritual reality and the soul-level, and as such it is interconnected with all living creatures and in particular with every human being. There is a presence and an inclusive love in the heart of cosmic size and importance, because true empathy is all-knowing and all-embracing.

So if your heart is like this, you own the one thing any human being can hope to realize in life. Therefore, to know your heart is everything that matters, like when Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Math. 6:21] No learning, no fame, no power and no wealth can equal the richness of a loving heart, and nothing is more personal than the hearts tonality, echoing the heaven, as in our meeting with Christ: “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other: ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” [Luke 24:31f] Our real fortune lies in our heart, giving everything proper value and perspective, and it is a poor and miserable life that has no love. To what avail do we conquer outer space, when we never enter the infinite room of the heart? For what purpose do we solve every riddle of the world, if we do not embark on the real mystery of existence? The refinement and purification of the human heart will give back to us the absolute wonder of creation without travel or effort on our side, because it is just there, invaluable, unending, open to all. Jesus said: ”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” [Math. 5:8]

Today we face a situation of an impending and extensive evil dominance. Evil is no longer just an eruptive force, breaking out occasionally, overthrowing the good order of society and personality. The evil powers have grown strong in our shadow, infiltrating every action and motive, and now they want to take complete control and shape future reality. They long for their own re-creation, and perhaps one day there will be little left of untouched and original nature. Beauty will only be a memory of the heart and no longer be contemplated with human eyes. But the evil powers will not stop here. They will try hard to quench individuality and personal relationship with God and destroy individual ethics, values and responsibility, so that the inner beauty of the soul vanishes too. Lucifer and Ahriman are extremely intelligent and know the human make-up and our weakness from the inside. They recognize every convenient human deception, illusion and lie, because they are themselves the fathers of all falseness. Where then do we find an organ of wisdom and truth, which will never be corrupted and has the power to lead us amidst this great deceit? How can we preserve our goodness, our godlike nature and our being with God? How can we receive and keep Christ alive in ourselves? How can we find value, courage and hope, and how do we uphold faith?

The answer to all those questions lies in the open heart and its love. This general answer can then be implemented in specific advice, instruction and direction. For example you have to keep life simple and close to earth and other people, because modern life as we know it is a Luciferic and Ahrimanic fabric, smartly designed to alienate us from truth and reality. It is stressful, synthetic, artificial, materialistic, hedonistic, image-ridden, shallow and fake! Therefore protect your humaneness, your freedom, your priceless time and values. As Jesus said: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” [Luke 21:34]. Let the heart command your choice of life. But again, as we often experience, this is not always easy. Our will is weakened and corrupted, because the evil powers have waged an intra-psychic war against our integrity and goodness for a very long time, building strong alliances with our desires and vanity. So we have to abstain from and let go of the things that harm and hollow out the heart. There is nothing new under the sun here, only that evil temptations are more plentiful than ever before. But: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” [Math. 6:24]. You have to be absolutely honest; because this is one thing evil cannot stand! There can never be two ways for the heart. “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. [Math 5:37] In the same spirit you should avoid falseness and pretence. In order to preserve the integrity and truth of your heart, you must never dissociate faith, conviction and action. Insincerity and infidelity weakens the heart. Let the heart unite your head, hands and feet at all times. Do not be fooled by your persona or your self-image and never serve false gods. You are that, which comes from your inside and out.

We are all confronted with vulnerability and emotionality when we try to live from the heart, and as a matter of fact the latter is often confused with the first. The open heart makes us feel vulnerable, because the heart can do nothing but love and accept, and this causes us suffering. But it is not the heart or the love that are frail, only we are weak, when it comes to living by the heart’s love. Everything in us that is not carried by love suffers, and an open heart reveals this suffering to us. The heart can do nothing but unleash the flood of suffering and the river of joy. This is a provocation for the dependent and egoistic parts of us, which are identified with needs, fears, wants, beliefs and all the other attributes and dilemmas of separate incarnation, and here the evil powers have a firm grip on us, since those structures are deeply rooted in instinct and earthbound nature. Most people are controlled by their emotions, even the types of character, which are seemingly not very emotional. Our basic motives for action and our self-image and understanding of reality are all organized from emotion up to a point. Emotional reactions are impulsive and triggered through a schematized experience derived from early memory, primitive orientation and the will to survive and avoid pain. As such they are spontaneous, categorical and self-centred and very hard to contain or hold back, not to mention the big difficulty connected with reframing or changing emotions. Emotional structures based on need and desire with their accompanying expectations and expressions are the breeding ground of human conflict and the workshop of the Evil One. We all share in this emotional life as a part of our human make-up, and as a matter of fact there is a limited number of common emotional reactions with their separate behavioural patterns, body-language, gestures, facial expressions and so forth.

Accordingly, every one of us faces the task of moulding our emotive self in order to overcome private evil. Now it is vital to understand that emotional problems cannot be solved or controlled from an emotional level, neither in a personal, interpersonal or societal context. Only the higher aspects of the heart are relevant here. Actually the whole set of emotional reactions can be transformed to higher feelings or attitudes through the heart, with every feeling corresponding to a specific quality and virtue, which is part of true humaneness. Unlike emotions, the higher feelings are sovereign and inclusive, not reactive and selective. They express self command, insight and responsibility and build solely on personal autonomy and freedom in accordance with the law of the heart. Hence such feelings and attitudes prompt actions that are conditioned from within and not from without, from above and not from below. Instead of disgust and dislike there is worship in the heart and man is made graceful. Everything shows itself to us in imperfect perfection. Instead of shame and humiliation there is gratefulness in the heart, and man has a natural dignity and humility. Everything shows itself to us in its own right and inviolability. And instead of busyness and despondency there is hope in the heart, and man is honest and confident. Everything shows itself to us in good progress. And instead of sorrow and sadness there is empathy in the heart and man displays goodness. Everything shows itself to us in its original beauty. And instead of reserve and nervousness there is awe in the heart and man is respectful and considerate. Everything shows itself to us in interdependence and correspondence. And instead of fear and anxiety there is trust and courage in the heart and man has faith. Everything shows itself to us in its firm indestructibility. And instead of excitement and intoxication there is joy and exaltation in the heart and man exercises contented modesty. Everything shows itself to us as one great plan of creation. And instead of anger and hostility there is peace and equanimity in the heart and man is innocent and forgiving. Everything shows itself to us as a part of God. And instead of desire and craving there is love in the heart and man manifests solidarity. Everything shows itself to us as kind and lovable.

So, you see, there is a way of the heart out of evil and suffering, but you have to walk it in accordance with the law of the heart as shown to us by Jesus in his teaching and life. This law is reciprocity and repercussion as explained in his saying: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” [Math 7:2] This law is valid in our relationship with every other human and creature due to the interconnectedness of every living being in Gods loving reality. It is not a law that functions as an advanced system of retribution, but it is regulated by the simple fact, that an unloving action diminishes the inherent condition of love and thereby causes personal suffering. You cannot repel without a retraction and subsequent stiffening, which is pain, because it shuts yourself off from reception of love. Every movement of energy reflects back on the mover. On the other side there is a freedom to respond to and absorb impact, and that is why we do not have to turn evil when hurt by evil. Because of this connection there is really no exception to the commandment of love, and so the Christian answer to the problem of evil is clear: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.” [Luke 10:27] “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” [Math. 5:43f] “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” [Luke 6:31]

Therefore we can only urge you to know the ways of evil powers, to take shelter in love, hope and faith and guard and preserve your heart’s treasure and your place in heaven like in the parable: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” [Math. 13:45f]. In his life, actions and manner Jesus Christ realized the higher feelings of the heart and showed himself to us as a true human being, so that we can seek guidance and have faith in him. His open heart saw and lived Gods loving reality as he himself was the unique expression of Gods love for humanity. Everybody can feel within their own heart that something real, genuine and important meets them there deep inside, when they contemplate Christ. It is the heart recognizing its own truth and rejoining with the mutual heart of God and mankind. Try to imagine once again that Christ had never walked on earth and initiated humanity in the way of the heart. Where now, dear friend, would you see that blessed light shine forth? No, then there is utter darkness. But: ”the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” [Math. 4:16] “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” [Luke 11:35]