This convenience seems to be about focus.
The convenience writer suggests that we have everything we need (mind, heart, and soul), and that we can focus on that fact to go about building a future more in line with our dreams.
The writer tells us to use what we have.
Put Things in Their Places
We have a mind and a heart and soul ready for use in the right place,
and that are good by themselves and the rest should go.
Throw the rest out of reach
I wouldn’t feel honest if I did not reveal that renegade conveniences do exist. It would be lovely to say that all those who generate and use the conveniences have been honest and sincere people.
Alas, this has not been the case.
Who knows why some people are less than sincere and forthright. Money? Fame?
I’ll be showing some of these renegade conveniences now and then, starting today.
Today’s convenience may appear to be somewhat borderline renegade. After all, it is claiming very nice attributes for those who use conveniences: Useful, Novel, and Ideal.
It is definitely arguable that those who use the conveniences are artists, so there’s no obvious problem with that term.
The problem exists with the attributes. There is nothing wrong with being useful, of course.
But novel? Is there really such an attribute, or does that claim border on arrogance? Is Ecclesiastes 1:9 correct when it tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun?”
And ideal? Can anything or anyone really claim to be ideal?
You should know that this convenience was actually accepted by some scholars for many years. But then scholarship fashions changed, as they do, and most convenience intellectuals came to believe that the words novel and ideal were too far-reaching.
List the three strong points:
USEFUL,
NOVEL,
IDEAL.
Consult our artists.
The writer of this version of Convenience 14 was clearly familiar with Harry Houdini’s publication, The Conjurers’ Monthly Magazine.
As many of you may already recognize, this writer has used phrases from the book review page of the September, 1906, Volume I.
The fact that the writer has used a 1906 source for part of the writing suggests that this version was composed near the start of the 20th century.
This writer also clearly favors the herb of grace over any hints of magic. Herb of grace refers to rue, a common garden herb that is said to protect against witches.
A little bit of research reveals more of Houdini’s commentary and his claims about the origins of the phrase hocus pocus (commentary found in the same volume referenced above):
So, here again, we have a clever Conveniences writer who intertwines and juxtaposes meaning: hocus pocus, grace, protection against witches, rue, and (by inference) consecration.
This writer also uses the more formal format of a brief essay which is written on a heavier linen paper and is decorated with a border.
This convenience speaks to the inclusive and nondual nature of the path.
Despite disagreements about how to interpret The Conveniences and which types of people should be allowed to work on them, everyone and everything is still part of the one.
Quality Trade Mark
Whatever the requirements,
whatever part of the country,
you find the same quality, comfort, and adaptability everywhere.
Always one: Perfect, excellent, beautiful.
only the one