Spiritual Glamour

"Here are the names of some glamours:

• 1. The glamour of destiny. This is a glamour which indicates to the one whom it controls, that he has important work to do, and that he must speak and work as destined. This feeds a pride which has no foundation in fact.
• 2. The glamour of aspiration. Those thus conditioned are completely satisfied and pre-occupied with their aspiration towards the light and rest back upon the fact that they are aspirants. Such people need to move onward on to the Path of Discipleship and cease their preoccupation and satisfaction with their spiritual ambitions and goals.
• 3. The glamour of self-assurance or of what might be called the astral principles of the disciple. This is the belief, in plain language, that the disciple regards that his point of view is entirely right. This again feeds pride and tends to make the disciple believe himself to be an authority and infallible. It is the background of the theologian.
• 4. The glamour of duty. This leads to an over-emphasis of the sense of responsibility, producing lost motion and the emphasis of the non-essential.
• 5. The glamour of environing conditions, leading frequently to a sense of frustration, or futility or of impotence.
• 6. The glamour of the mind and of its efficiency, and its capacity to deal with any or every problem. This leads inevitably to isolation and loneliness.
• 7. The glamour of devotion, leading to an undue stimulation of the astral body. The man or woman thus glamoured sees only one idea, one person, one authority and one aspect of the truth. It feeds fanaticism and spiritual pride.
• 8. The glamour of desire with its reflex action upon the physical body. This leads to a constant condition of fighting and of turmoil. It negates all peace and fruitful work and must some day be brought to an end.
• 9. The glamour of personal ambition.

There are many other glamours, both individual and worldwide, but these will serve to indicate a general tendency." (Discipleship in the New Age, Vol. I, p. 26/7)