Reflections on the nature of goodness as an active force rather than a moral abstraction.
“Mechanical goodness is useless in the Work, but conscious, active goodness gives you force.” Maurice Nicoll Goodness as Transformation "If you come back to Jacob Boehme's statement and his insight, his jaw-dropping insight—that goodness, fundamental goodness, that...
"To specialize oneself in order to gain temporary advantages or to be moved only by the hunger and thirst for truth beauty and goodness—here is the choice that every human being, every community, every tradition or spiritual school, must make." Valentin Tomberg The...
“[A man] may act from Good, from seeing the good of acting so. This develops the internal man.” Maurice Nicoll “Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (Matthew XIII xi-xiii) The...
“The Gospel of John is written from the marriage of Good with Truth. For this reason at the very beginning of John's Gospel, the grace and truth of Jesus Christ are contrasted with the Truth (the ‘law of Moses’).” Maurice Nicoll The Nature of Grace and Truth "You must...
Intellectual presence decreases our alertness to present moment awareness. “The whole work is based on extending the diameter of the present moment through conscious awareness so that it spans the gap from your birth to your death. It is possible to become so...
The laborers in the vineyard parable, with commentary from Cynthia Bourgeault and Maurice Nicoll. The parable: But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out...
The Good Samaritan parable, with commentary from Cynthia Bourgeault and Maurice Nicoll. “To a certain extent everyone asks for Good, as when a man puts an extra coal on the fire if it is cold. He does not expect any reward save the Good of the action. But nothing is...
The Spirit of the Truth rises above literal teaching, speaking from Good. “The disciples did not understand and only later some of them grasped the idea of the whole drama of Christ enacted visibly before them—namely, the inevitable crucifixion of a higher level of...
This Impression is about Unity and differentiation, the whole and the parts, the ocean and the drop, the dance and the dancer, the body and the cells, the individual and the Common Good—life and purpose. The Mystical Vision of Paradox "With respect to all the...
The Parable of the Tower of Babel is used to illustrate the need for Good as a common language. “Good is the only power that can unite. All harmony is from Good. As long as Good came first, everything else did not matter. A man might hold this view or that, as best...
Maurice Nicoll teaches the spiritual unity that comes from uniting Truth and Good. “The words Christ and Jesus have different meanings in the Gospels. Christ refers to the side of the Truth of the Word of God—that is, the Truth that can guide a man to inner...
Inner sincerity and spiritual integrity in conscious efforts. “It is not enough to wish to be sincere. There is no effort I can make to arrive at sincerity directly. Real sincerity needs no vehemence or emphasis. It is not concerned with convincing others. It often...