In the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice there is a beautiful teaching on this subject. The first part of the story is that Orpheus loved Eurydice, who was among the degenerated people. This shows that love even tried to raise a soul thrown down so deep in the depth of the earth. And then Orpheus knew that Eurydice was taken to the other world, and he began to sing a song by the power of which he won the gods of the lower worlds. And that shows us what power the word has, what power sound has, and how it appeals to cosmic forces.
The gods of the lower world were the cosmic forces, planetary influences, the conditions which were destined, the spirits, the powers that held in their hands the rein of the destiny. Orpheus in Arabic means ”the knower,” ”the one who has the knowledge of life.” In Arabic the knowledge of life is called ”Arifat,” and the knower is called ”Arif.” This also shows us that the real knowledge is the knowledge of sound, the knowledge of rhythm, the knowledge of word and of note. It is this knowledge which gives mastery in the higher or mystical or psychological music. As Wagner says, ”Who has the knowledge of sound knows everything.” Orpheus pleased the gods of the lower world, and they gave him the promise, ”Eurydice will follow you, she follows you. The condition is that you will not look back.”
Now this is the point which is concerned with the subject: that faith should be continued to the end. And there is another point: that one may have faith when climbing a hundred steps. One may go with faith ninety-five steps, and one may lose it at that time. With four steps still to be climbed one may lose faith, doubt may come, and the whole journey may be spoiled. And it very often happens in the lives of so many people that they are face to face with their success, and yet they fail. They have just approached what they wanted and then they lose.
In nearly every person’s life you see it, and the greater the person the more you see this. Because the greater the person the more powerful his faith, and therefore he is able to see the value of faith. And at the same time it is just like sending a kite so far, and before it reached further it drops. And that enemy which causes this is doubt. As Orpheus went by the power of faith, Eurydice was drawn; his faith was drawing Eurydice. As he went forward in faith, so Eurydice was coming, following him. He could have gone to the other side of the world and Eurydice would have followed him. As much faith he had, so far Eurydice followed him. And there came doubt, the worst enemy of man, and said, ”Look if she is really there.” As soon as he turned back Mercury was there to lift her up and take her away.
