A Living Book (Autobiographical Reflections)

Artists create works that are external to themselves using external materials; they concentrate their efforts on this external matter, and they create marvels. But I will say that, for me, true artists are those who are able to take themselves, first and foremost, as their creative matter. All the methods of the spiritual life are available to them to help and inspire them in this task. 

In the psychic world, we can be musicians, poets, architects, sculptors, etc. The work done by disciples of Initiatic Science includes all the arts. What a discovery it was for me, the day I understood that I could work on matter which was not foreign to me - my own matter. That is why I only work at writing my own book, that is to say, myself. I have never written anything other than the book that is me. You will say, ‘But what about the books we read?’ I don’t write them, I have entrusted this work to certain people. My task is only to write my own book, and when I speak I do so in the knowledge that I am also writing. Yes, when I speak I am striving to print heavenly writings on your souls. 
… And each one of you is also a book, a book that you yourself are in the process of writing: your thoughts and feelings trace the characters of a script which will be engraved on the matter of your subtle bodies. So, from now on, your work is to become a living book. By applying yourself to this work, you will have a beneficial influence on all those you come into contact with. That is also fraternal love. 

- Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov