<div id="meditmois">\n<h2>Monthly Meditation</h2>\n<ul id="meditnav">\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_01_2021:url]">January</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_02_2021:url]">February</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_03_2021:url]">March</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_04_2021:url]">April</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_05_2021:url]">May</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_06_2021:url]">June</a></li>\n<li class="active"><a href="[meditmonth_07_2021:url]"><span style="color: #ffffff;">July</span></a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_08_2021:url]">August</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_09_2021:url]">September</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_10_2021:url]">October</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_11_2021:url]">November</a></li>\n<li><a href="[meditmonth_12_2021:url]">December</a></li></ul>\n<h1>Precious stones: working with matter</h1>\n<div class="stack-column" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 35%; vertical-align: top; padding-top: 10px; width: 35%;">\n<table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4" align="center">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align="center"><a href="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/couronne-imperiale.jpg" class="fancybox" id="single_image" title="Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire – Native gold, set with pearls and gems (Late 10th - Early 11th centuries) - Hofburg Castle (Vienna)"><img style="width: 100%; max-width: 250px;" src="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/couronne-imperiale-min.jpg" alt="Imperial Crown" width="250"></a><br><br><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>"Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire"</strong><br>Hofburg Castle (Vienna)<br><a href="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/couronne-imperiale.jpg" class="fancybox" id="single_image" title="Imperial Crown"><em>(click to enlarge)</em></a></span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class="stack-column" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 60%; vertical-align: top; width: 60%;">\n<table style="width: 100%; float: left;" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class="omapenseesmall" align="justify" valign="top">'From earliest antiquity men have believed that precious stones were endowed with <strong>marvellous powers</strong> and were symbols of <strong>heavenly virtues</strong>. The reason why precious stones are so valuable is that they represent the purest quintessence of the earth. They are the <strong>end result of a long process of transformation carried out by the earth</strong> working on the raw materials of which it is composed. With great science and tremendous patience, the earth has managed to transform that matter, to ‘ripen’ it and change it into precious stones: rubies, turquoises, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds.<br><strong>What does anyone know about the earth?</strong> No one realizes that it is a living, intelligent being with a soul and a spirit and that it is continually hard at work. The earth prepares all these treasures in its underground workshops for only one reason: it has the overwhelming desire to materialize the qualities and virtues of the heavenly realms. The earth wants to reflect and manifest these virtues, here below, in concrete, tangible form. And <strong>it is up to us</strong>, human beings, <strong>to imitate the earth</strong> and undertake the task of transforming our own raw materials into precious stones, that is, into virtues.<br>The custom of putting precious stones on priestly robes or the crowns of kings comes from the knowledge that they symbolize the qualities and virtues of the most highly evolved beings.<br>And the different stones represent different virtues: a <strong>topaz</strong> represents <strong>wisdom</strong>, a <strong>sapphire</strong> <strong>truth</strong>, a <strong>ruby</strong> <strong>love</strong>, and so on.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class="stack-column" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 70%; vertical-align: top; width: 70%;">\n<table style="width: 100%; float: left;" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class="omapenseesmall" align="justify" valign="top">And if the kings of this world wear precious stones in their crowns it is in imitation of the Creator, for the Creator wears a crown studded with innumerable precious, glittering gems: the virtues of the celestial hierarchies.<br><strong>Nature works with matter and man has no right to neglect it</strong>. It is there to instruct him and to point the way.<br> A precious stone, however small, is a particle of matter capable of picking up and retaining <strong>cosmic forces</strong>. It is this property which we have to learn to use. On the other hand, this does not mean that you can rely solely on the stone as though it could automatically transform or cure you and communicate its virtues to you. No. If you fail to do your share, if you do not work on the spiritual level, it is no use counting on your precious stone. It will be no use at all. Your stone is like an <strong>antenna</strong>: you can use it to transmit messages and it will be a faithful, hardworking servant who will carry out your orders, for behind its surface reality are vibrant, active forces.<br>Has it ever occurred to you to wonder why gems are so sought after by men and women? It is because of the <strong>light</strong> they give off. Their vibrations are so perfectly synchronized with the forces of Nature that they have become transparent. They allow light to shine through them so that it can be seen in all its subtlest shades and nuances. <strong>A disciple of the New Life is also a precious stone</strong>. He knows that if he wants to be truly beautiful, he has to let the Lord, the Supreme Light, dwell in him and shine through him until even his <strong>physical body is resplendent with light</strong>.'</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class="stack-column" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 25%; vertical-align: top; padding-top: 10px; width: 25%;">\n<table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4" align="center">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align="center"><a href="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/calice-leon.jpg" class="fancybox" id="single_image" title="Chalice of Doña Urraca (replica) - Agathe (1st century), gold, pearls, sapphires, and emeralds (11th century) - Museum of Saint Isidore (León, Spain) – Photo José-Manuel Benito Álvarez"><img style="width: 100%; max-width: 200px;" src="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/calice-leon-min.jpg" alt="Chalice of Doña Urraca" width="200"></a><br><br><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>"Chalice of Doña Urraca"</strong><br>Museum of Saint Isidore (León, Spain)<br><a href="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/@site_id/images/images_medit/calice-leon.jpg" class="fancybox" id="single_image" title="Chalice of Doña Urraca"><em>(click to enlarge)</em></a></span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class="results-content">\n<div class="result-content-icones" dir="ltr">\n<div class="result-content-title">[P0216AN]</div>\n<div class="result-content-img">[P0216AN:image|width=120]</div>\n<div><a href="https://www.prosveta.fr/en/flip-through/P0216AN?backurl=!back&amp;backlabel=Back"><img style="width: 100%; max-width: 40px; height: auto;" title="Flip Through" src="https://www.prosveta.fr/resources/sites/3/images/infos/flipping.png" alt="Flip Through" width="40"></a></div>\n<div class="result-content-price">[P0216AN :price][widget:addbutton|ref=P0216AN:text=Add]</div>\n</div>\n</div>\n<hr>\n<div id="bloc_medit">[bloc_medit:text]</div>\n</div>