Guide To Advanced Yoga Techniques

CONTENTS

PART 1 A SERIES OF LESSONS IN RAJA YOGA

LESSON I. The "I"

LESSON II. The Ego's Mental Tools

LESSON III. The Expansion of the Self

LESSON IV. Mental Control

LESSON V. The Cultivation of Attention

LESSON VI. Cultivation of Perception

LESSON VII. The Unfoldment of Consciousness

LESSON VIII. The Highlands and Lowlands of Mind

LESSON IX. The Mental Planes

LESSON X. Sub-Consciousing

LESSON XI. Sub-Conscious Character Building

LESSON XII. Sub-Conscious Influences

PART 2

A SERIES OF Lessons in Gnani Yoga (The Yoga of Wisdom.)

LESSON I. The One

LESSON II. Omnipresent Life

LESSON III. The Creative Will

LESSON IV. The Unity of Life

LESSON V. The One and the Many

LESSON VI. Within the Mind of the One

LESSON VII. Cosmic Evolution LESSON VIII. The Ascent of Man

LESSON IX. Metempsychosis

LESSON X. Spiritual Evolution

LESSON XI. The Law of Karma

LESSON XII. Occult Miscellany

PART 1

THE FIRST LESSON.

THE "I."

In India, the Candidates for Initiation into the science of "Raja Yoga,"when they apply to the Yogi Masters for instruction, are given a seriesof lessons designed to enlighten them regarding the nature of the RealSelf, and to instruct them in the secret knowledge whereby they maydevelop the consciousness and realization of the real "I" within them.They are shown how they may cast aside the erroneous or imperfectknowledge regarding their real identity.

Until the Candidate masters this instruction, or at least until the truthbecomes fixed in his consciousness, further instruction is denied him,for it is held that until he has awakened to a conscious realization ofhis Actual Identity, he is not able to understand the source of hispower, and, moreover, is not able to feel within him the power of theWill, which power underlies the entire teachings of "Raja Yoga."

The Yogi Masters are hot satisfied if the Candidate forms merely a clearintellectual conception of this Actual Identity, but they insist that hemust feel the truth of the same--must become aware of the RealSelf--must enter into a consciousness in which the realization becomes apart of his everyday self--in which the realizing consciousness becomesthe prevailing idea in his mind, around which his entire thoughts andactions revolve.

To some Candidates, this realization comes like a lightning flash themoment the attention is directed toward it, while in other cases theCandidates find it necessary to follow a rigorous course of trainingbefore they acquire the realization in consciousness.

The Yogi Masters teach that there are two degrees of this awakeningconsciousness of the Real Self. The first, which they call "theConsciousness of the 'I'," is the full consciousness of real existencethat comes to the Candidate, and which causes him to know that he is areal entity having a life not depending upon the body--life that will goon in spite of the destruction of the body--real life, in fact. Thesecond degree, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I AM'," isthe consciousness of one's identity with the Universal Life, and hisrelationship to, and "in-touchness" with all life, expressed andunexpressed. These two degrees of consciousness come in time to all whoseek "The Path." To some it comes suddenly; to others it dawns gradually;to many it comes assisted by the exercises and practical work of "RajaYoga."

The first lesson of the Yogi Masters to the Candidates, leading up to thefirst degree, above mentioned, is as follows: That the SupremeIntelligence of the Universe--the Absolute--has manifested the being thatwe call Man--the highest manifestation on this planet. The Absolute hasmanifested an infinitude of forms of life in the Universe, includingdistant worlds, suns, planets, etc., many of these forms being unknown tous on this planet, and being impossible of conception by the mind of theordinary man. But these lessons have nothing to do with that part of thephilosophy which deals with these myriad forms of life, for our time willbe taken up with the unfoldment in the mind of man of his true nature andpower. Before man attempts to solve the secrets of the Universe without,he should master the Universe within--the Kingdom of the Self. When hehas accomplished this, then he may, and should, go forth to gain theouter knowledge as a Master demanding its secrets, rather than as a slavebegging for the crumbs from the table of knowledge. The first knowledgefor the Candidate is the knowledge of the Self.

Man, the highest manifestation of the Absolute, as far as this planet isconcerned, is a wonderfully organized being--although the average manunderstands but little of his real nature. He comprises within hisphysical, mental and spiritual make-up both the highest and the lowest,as we have shown in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen Lessons" and the"Advanced Course"). In his bones he manifests almost in the form ofmineral life, in fact, in his bones, body and blood mineral substancesactually exist. The physical life of the body resembles the life of theplant. Many of the physical desires and emotions are akin to those of thelower animals, and in the undeveloped man these desires and emotionspredominate and overpower the higher nature, which latter is scarcely inevidence. Then Man has a set of mental characteristics that are his own,and which are not possessed by the lower animals (See "FourteenLessons"). And in addition to the mental faculties common to all men, orrather, that are in evidence in a greater or lesser degree among all men,there are still higher faculties latent within Man, which when manifestedand expressed render Man more than ordinary Man. The unfoldment of theselatent faculties is possible to all who have reached the proper stage ofdevelopment, and the desire and hunger of the student for thisinstruction is caused by the pressure of these unfolding latentfaculties, crying to be born into consciousness. Then there is thatwonderful thing, the Will, which is but faintly understood by thoseignorant of the Yogi Philosophy--the Power of the Ego--its birthrightfrom the Absolute.

But while these mental and physical things belong to Man, they arenot the Man himself. Before the Man is able to master, control, anddirect the things belonging to him--his tools and instruments--he mustawaken to a realization of Himself. He must be able to distinguishbetween the "I" and the "Not I." And this is the first task before the

Candidate.

That which is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark sent forth fromthe Sacred Flame. It is the Child of the Divine Parent. It isImmortal--Eternal--Indestructible--Invincible. It possesses withinitself Power, Wisdom, and Reality. But like the infant that containswithin itself the sometime Man, the mind of Man is unaware of its latentand potential qualities, and does not know itself. As it awakens andunfolds into the knowledge of its real nature, it manifests itsqualities, and realizes what the Absolute has given it. When the RealSelf begins to awaken, it sets aside from itself those things whichare but appendages to it, but which it, in its half-waking state, hadregarded as its Self. Setting aside first this, and then that, it finallydiscards all of the "Not I," leaving the Real Self free and deliveredfrom its bondage to its appendages. Then it returns to the discardedappendages, and makes use of them.

In considering the question: "What is the Real Self?" let us first stopto examine what man usually means when he says "I."

The lower animals do not possess this "I" sense. They are conscious ofthe outer world; of their own desires and animal cravings and feelings.But their consciousness has not reached the Self-conscious stage. Theyare not able to think of themselves as separate entities, and to reflectupon their thoughts. They are not possessed of a consciousness of theDivine Spark--the Ego--the Real Self. The Divine Spark is hidden in thelower forms of life--even in the lower forms of human life--by manysheaths that shut out its light. But, nevertheless, it is there, always.It sleeps within the mind of the savage--then, as he unfolds, it beginsto throw out its light. In you, the Candidate, it is fighting hard tohave its beams pierce through the material coverings When the Real Selfbegins to arouse itself from its sleep, its dreams vanish from it, and itbegins to see the world as it is, and to recognize itself in Reality andnot as the distorted thing of its dreams.

The savage and barbarian are scarcely conscious of the "I." They are buta little above the animal in point of consciousness, and their "I" isalmost entirely a matter of the consciousness of the wants of the body;the satisfaction of the appetites; the gratification of the passions; thesecuring of personal comfort; the expression of lust, savage power, etc.In the savage the lower part of the Instinctive Mind is the seat of the"I." (See "Fourteen Lessons" for explanation of the several mental planesof man.) If the savage could analyze his thoughts he would say that the"I" was the physical body, the said body having certain "feelings,""wants" and "desires." The "I" of such a man is a physical "I," the bodyrepresenting its form and substance. Not only is this true of the savage,but even among so-called "civilized" men of to-day we find many in thisstage. They have developed powers of thinking and reasoning, but they do

not "live in their minds" as do some of their brothers. They use theirthinking powers for the gratification of their bodily desires andcravings, and really live on the plane of the Instinctive Mind. Such aperson may speak of "my mind," or "my soul," not from a high positionwhere he looks upon these things from the standpoint of a Master whorealizes his Real Self, but from below, from the point-of-view of the manwho lives on the plane of the Instinctive Mind and who sees abovehimself the higher attributes. To such people the body is the "I."Their "I" is bound up with the senses, and that which comes to themthrough the senses. Of course, as Man advances in "culture" and"civilization," his senses become educated, and are satisfied only withmore refined things, while the less cultivated man is perfectly satisfiedwith the more material and gross sense gratifications. Much that we call"cultivation" and "culture" is naught but a cultivation of a more refinedform of sense gratification, instead of a real advance in consciousnessand unfoldment. It is true that the advanced student and Master ispossessed of highly developed senses, often far surpassing those of theordinary man, but in such cases the senses have been cultivated under themastery of the Will, and are made servants of the Ego instead of thingshindering the progress of the soul--they are made servants instead ofmasters.

As Man advances in the scale, he begins to have a somewhat higherconception of the "I." He begins to use his mind and reason, and hepasses on to the Mental Plane--his mind begins to manifest upon the planeof Intellect. He finds that there is something within him that is higherthan the body. He finds that his mind seems more real to him than doesthe physical part of him, and in times of deep thought and study he isable almost to forget the existence of the body.

In this second stage, Man soon becomes perplexed. He finds problems thatdemand an answer, but as soon as he thinks he has answered them theproblems present themselves in a new phase, and he is called upon to"explain his explanation." The mind, even although not controlled anddirected by the Will, has a wonderful range, but, nevertheless, Man findshimself traveling around and around in a circle, and realizes that he isconfronted continually by the Unknown. This disturbs him, and the higherthe stage of "book learning" he attains, the more disturbed does hebecome. The man of but little knowledge does not see the existence ofmany problems that force themselves before the attention of the man ofmore knowledge, and demand an explanation from him. The tortures of theman who has attained the mental growth that enables him to see the newproblems and the impossibility of their answer, cannot be imagined by onewho has not advanced to that stage.

The man in this stage of consciousness thinks of his "I" as a mentalthing, having a lower companion, the body. He feels that he has advanced,but yet his "I" does not give him the answer to the riddles and questions

that perplex him. And he becomes most unhappy. Such men often developinto Pessimists, and consider the whole of life as utterly evil anddisappointing--a curse rather than a blessing. Pessimism belongs to thisplane, for neither the Physical Plane man or the Spiritual Plane man havethis curse of Pessimism. The former man has no such disquieting thoughts,for he is almost entirely absorbed in gratifying his animal nature, whilethe latter man recognizes his mind as an instrument of himself, ratherthan as himself, and knows it to be imperfect in its present stage ofgrowth. He knows that he has in himself the key to all knowledge--lockedup in the Ego--and which the trained mind, cultivated, developed andguided by the awakened Will, may grasp as it unfolds. Knowing this theadvanced man no longer despairs, and, recognizing his real nature, andhis possibilities, as he awakens into a consciousness of his powers andcapabilities, he laughs at the old despondent, pessimistic ideas, anddiscards them like a worn-out garment. Man on the Mental Plane ofconsciousness is like a huge elephant who knows not his own strength. Hecould break down barriers and assert himself over nearly any condition orenvironment, but in his ignorance of his real condition and power he maybe mastered by a puny driver, or frightened by the rustling of a piece ofpaper.

When the Candidate becomes an Initiate--when he passes from the purelyMental Plane on to the Spiritual Plane--he realizes that the "I," theReal Self--is something higher than either body or mind, and that both ofthe latter may be used as tools and instruments by the Ego or "I." Thisknowledge is not reached by purely intellectual reasoning, although suchefforts of the mind are often necessary to help in the unfoldment, andthe Masters so use it. The real knowledge, however, comes as a specialform of consciousness. The Candidate becomes "aware" of the real "I," andthis consciousness being attained, he passes to the rank of theInitiates. When the Initiate passes the second degree of consciousness,and begins to grow into a realization of his relationship to theWhole--when he begins to manifest the Expansion of Self--then is he onthe road to Mastership.

In the present lesson we shall endeavor to point out to the Candidate themethods of developing or increasing the realization of this "I"consciousness--this first degree work. We give the following exercises ordevelopment drills for the Candidate to practice. He will find that acareful and conscientious following of these directions will tend tounfold in him a sufficient degree of the "I" consciousness, to enable himto enter into higher stages of development and power. All that isnecessary is for the Candidate to feel within himself the dawn of theawakening consciousness, or awareness of the Real Self. The higher stagesof the "I" consciousness come gradually, for once on the Path there is noretrogression or going backward. There may be pauses on the journey, butthere is no such thing as actually losing that which is once gained onThe Path.

This "I" consciousness, even in its highest stages, is but a preliminarystep toward what is called "Illumination," and which signifies theawakening of the Initiate to a realization of his actual connection withand relation to the Whole. The full sight of the glory of the "I," is buta faint reflected glow of "Illumination." The Candidate, once that heenters fully into the "I" consciousness, becomes an "Initiate." And theInitiate who enters into the dawn of Illumination takes his first stepupon the road to Mastery. The Initiation is the awakening of the soul toa knowledge of its real existence--the Illumination is the revelation ofthe real nature of the soul, and of its relationship with the Whole.After the first dawn of the "I" consciousness has been attained, theCandidate is more able to grasp the means of developing the consciousnessto a still higher degree--is more able to use the powers latent withinhim; to control his own mental states; to manifest a Centre ofConsciousness and Influence that will radiate into the outer world whichis always striving and hunting for such centres around which it mayrevolve.

Man must master himself before he can hope to exert an influence beyondhimself. There is no royal road to unfoldment and power--each step mustbe taken in turn, and each Candidate must take the step himself, and byhis own effort. But he may, and will, be aided by the helping hand of theteachers who have traveled The Path before him, and who know just whenthat helping hand is needed to lift the Candidate over the rough places.

We bid the Candidate to pay strict attention to the followinginstruction, as it is all important. Do not slight any part of it, for weare giving you only what is necessary, and are stating it as briefly aspossible. Pay attention, and follow the instruction closely. This lessonmust be mastered before you progress. And it must be practiced not onlynow, but at many stages of the journey, until full Initiation andIllumination is yours.

RULES AND EXERCISES DESIGNED TO AID THE CANDIDATE IN HISINITIATION.

The first instruction along the line of Initiation is designed to awakenthe mind to a full realization and consciousness of the individuality ofthe "I." The Candidate is taught to relax his body, and to calm his mindand to meditate upon the "I" until it is presented clearly and sharplybefore the consciousness. We herewith give directions for producing thedesired physical and mental condition, in which meditation andconcentration are more readily practiced. This state of Meditation willbe referred to in subsequent exercises, so the Candidate is advised toacquaint himself thoroughly with it.

STATE OF MEDITATION. If possible, retire to a quiet place or room, whereyou do not fear interruption, so that your mind may feel secure and atrest. Of course, the ideal condition cannot always be obtained, in whichcase you must do the best you can. The idea is that you should be able toabstract yourself, so far as is possible, from distracting impressions,and you should be alone with yourself--in communion with your Real Self.

It is well to place yourself in an easy chair, or on a couch, so that youmay relax the muscles and free the tension of your nerves. You should beable to "let go" all over, allowing every muscle to become limp, until afeeling of perfect peace and restful calm permeates every particle ofyour being. Rest the body and calm the mind. This condition is best inthe earlier stages of the practice, although after the Candidate hasacquired a degree of mastery he will be able to obtain the physicalrelaxation and mental calm whenever and wherever he desires.

But he must guard against acquiring a "dreamy" way of going around,wrapped in meditation when he should be attending to the affairs of life.Remember this, the State of Meditation should be entirely under thecontrol of the Will, and should be entered into only deliberately and atthe proper times. The Will must be master of this, as well as of everyother mental state. The Initiates are not "day dreamers," but men andwomen having full control of themselves and their moods. The "I"consciousness while developed by meditation and consciousness, soonbecomes a fixed item of consciousness, and does not have to be producedby meditation. In time of trial, doubt, or trouble, the consciousness maybe brightened by an effort of the Will (as we shall explain in subsequentlessons) without going into the State of Meditation.

THE REALIZATION OF THE "I." The Candidate must first acquaint himselfwith the reality of the "I," before he will be able to learn its realnature. This is the first step. Let the Candidate place himself in theState of Meditation, as heretofore described. Then let him concentratehis entire attention upon his Individual Self, shutting out all thoughtof the outside world, and other persons. Let him form in his mind theidea of himself as a real thing--an actual being--an individualentity--a Sun around which revolves the world. He must see himself as theCentre around which the whole world revolves. Let not a false modesty, orsense of depreciation interfere with this idea, for you are not denyingthe right of others to also consider themselves centres. You are, infact, a centre of consciousness--made so by the Absolute--and you areawakening to the fact. Until the Ego recognizes itself as a Centre ofThought, Influence and Power, it will not be able to manifest thesequalities. And in proportion as it recognizes its position as a centre,so will it be able to manifest its qualities. It is not necessary thatyou should compare yourself with others, or imagine yourself greater orhigher than them. In fact, such comparisons are to be regretted, and areunworthy of the advanced Ego, being a mark and indication of a lack of

development, rather than the reverse. In the Meditation simply ignore allconsideration of the respective qualities of others, and endeavor torealize the fact that YOU are a great Centre of Consciousness--a Centreof Power--a Centre of Influence--a Centre of Thought. And that like theplanets circling around the sun, so does your world revolve around YOUwho are its centre. It will not be necessary for you to argue out thismatter, or to convince yourself of its truth by intellectual reasoning.The knowledge does not come in that way. It comes in the shape of arealization of the truth gradually dawning upon your consciousnessthrough meditation and concentration. Carry this thought of yourself as a"Centre of Consciousness--Influence--Power" with you, for it is anoccult truth, and in the proportion that you are able, to realize it sowill be your ability to manifest the qualities named.

No matter how humble may be your position--no matter how hard may be yourlot--no matter how deficient in educational advantages you may be--stillyou would not change your "I" with the most fortunate, wisest and highestman or woman in the world. You may doubt this, but think for a moment andyou will see that we are right. When you say that you "would like to be"this person or that, you really mean that you would like to have theirdegree of intelligence, power, wealth, position, or what not. What youwant is something that is theirs, or something akin to it. But you wouldnot for a moment wish to merge your identity with theirs, or toexchange selves. Think of this for a moment To be the other personyou would have to let yourself die, and instead of yourself you wouldbe the other person. The real you would be wiped out of existence, andyou would not be you at all, but would be he.

If you can but grasp this idea you will see that not for a moment wouldyou be willing for such an exchange. Of course such an exchange isimpossible. The "I" of you cannot be wiped out. It is eternal, and willgo on, and on, and on, to higher and higher states--but it always will bethe same "I." Just as you, although a far different sort of person fromyour childhood self, still you recognize that the same "I" is there, andalways has been there. And although you will attain knowledge,experience, power and wisdom in the coming years, the same "I" will bethere. The "I" is the Divine Spark and cannot be extinguished.

The majority of people in the present stage of the race development havebut a faint conception of the reality of the "I." They accept thestatement of its existence, and are conscious of themselves as an eating,sleeping, living creature--something like a higher form of animal. Butthey have not awakened to an "awareness" or realization of the "I," whichmust come to all who become real centres of Influence and Power. Some menhave stumbled into this consciousness, or a degree of it, withoutunderstanding the matter. They have "felt" the truth of it, and they havestepped out from the ranks of the commonplace people of the world, andhave become powers for good or bad. This is unfortunate to some extent,

as this "awareness" without the knowledge that should accompany it maybring pain to the individual and others.

The Candidate must meditate upon the "I," and recognize it--feel it--tobe a Centre. This is his first task. Impress upon your mind the word "I,"in this sense and understanding, and let it sink deep down into yourconsciousness, so that it will become a part of you. And when you say"I," you must accompany the word with the picture of your Ego as a Centreof Consciousness, and Thought, and Power, and Influence. See yourselfthus, surrounded by your world. Wherever you go, there goes the Centre ofyour world. YOU are the Centre, and all outside of you revolves aroundthat Centre. This is the first great lesson on the road to Initiation.Learn it!

The Yogi Masters teach the Candidates that their realization of the "I"as a Centre may be hastened by going into the Silence, or State ofMeditation, and repeating their first name over slowly, deliberately andsolemnly a number of times. This exercise tends to cause the mind tocentre upon the "I," and many cases of dawning Initiation have resultedfrom this practice. Many original thinkers have stumbled upon thismethod, without having been taught it. A noted example is that of LordTennyson, who has written that he attained a degree of Initiation in thisway. He would repeat his own name, over and over, and the same timemeditating upon his identity, and he reports that he would becomeconscious and "aware" of his reality and immortality--in short wouldrecognize himself as a real center of consciousness.

We think we have given you the key to the first stage of meditation andconcentration. Before passing on, let us quote from one of the old HinduMasters. He says, regarding this matter: "When the soul sees itself as aCentre surrounded by its circumference--when the Sun knows that it is aSun, and is surrounded by its whirling planets--then is it ready for theWisdom and Power of the Masters."

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE "I" FROM THE BODY.Many of theCandidates find themselves prevented from a full realization of the "I"(even after they have begun to grasp it) by the confusing of the realityof the "I" with the sense of the physical body. This is a stumbling blockthat is easily overcome by meditation and concentration, the independenceof the "I" often becoming manifest to the Candidate in a flash, upon theproper thought being used as the subject of meditation.

The exercise is given as follows: Place yourself in the State ofMeditation, and think of YOURSELF--the Real "I"--as being independent ofthe body, but using the body as a covering and an instrument. Think ofthe body as you might of a suit of clothes. Realize that you are able toleave the body, and still be the same "I." Picture yourself as doing

this, and looking down upon your body. Think of the body as a shell fromwhich you may emerge without affecting your identity. Think of yourselfas mastering and controlling the body that you occupy, and using it tothe best advantage, making it healthy, strong and vigorous, but stillbeing merely a shell or covering for the real "You." Think of the body ascomposed of atoms and cells which are constantly changing, but which areheld together by the force of your Ego, and which you can improve atWill. Realize that you are merely inhabiting the body, and using it foryour convenience, just as you might use a house.

In meditating further, ignore the body entirely, and place your thoughtupon the Real "I" that you are beginning to feel to be "you," and youwill find that your identity--your "I"--is something entirely apart fromthe body. You may now say "my body" with a new meaning. Divorce the ideaof your being a physical being, and realize that you are above body. Butdo not let this conception and realization cause you to ignore the body.You must regard the body as the Temple of the Spirit, and care for it,and make it a fit habitation for the "I." Do not be frightened if, duringthis meditation, you happen to experience the sensation of being out ofthe body for a few moments, and of returning to it when you are throughwith the exercise. The Ego is able (in the case of the advanced Initiate)of soaring above the confines of the body, but it never severs itsconnection at such times. It is merely as if one were to look out of thewindow of a room, seeing what was going on outside, and drawing in hishead when he wishes. He does not leave the room, although he may placehis head outside in order to observe what is doing in the street. We donot advise the Candidate to try to cultivate this sensation--but if itcomes naturally during meditation, do not fear.

REALIZING THE IMMORTALITY AND INVINCIBILITY OF THE EGO. While themajority accept on faith the belief in the Immortality of the Soul, yetbut few are aware that it may be demonstrated by the soul itself. TheYogi Masters teach the Candidates this lesson, as follows: The Candidateplaces himself in the State of Meditation, or at least in a thoughtfulframe of mind, and then endeavors to "imagine" himself as "dead"--thatis, he tries to form a mental conception of himself as dead. This, atfirst thought, appears a very easy thing to imagine, but as a matter offact it is impossible to do so, for the Ego refuses to entertain theproposition, and finds it impossible to imagine it. Try it for yourself.You will find that you may be able to imagine your body as lying stilland lifeless, but the same thought finds that in so doing You arestanding and looking at the body. So you see that You are not dead atall, even in imagination, although the body may be. Or, if you refuse todisentangle yourself from your body, in imagination, you may think ofyour body as dead but You who refuse to leave it are still alive andrecognize the dead body as a thing apart from your Real Self. No matterhow you may twist it you cannot imagine yourself as dead. The Egoinsists upon being alive in any of these thoughts, and thus finds that

it has within itself the sense and assurance of Immortality. In case ofsleep or stupor resulting from a blow, or from narcotics or anaesthetics,the mind is apparently blank, but the "I" is conscious of a continuity ofexistence. And so one may imagine himself as being in an unconsciousstate, or asleep, quite easily, and sees the possibility of such a state,but when it comes to imagining the "I" as dead, the mind utterly refusesto do the work. This wonderful fact that the soul carries within itselfthe evidence of its own immortality is a glorious thing, but one musthave reached a degree of unfoldment before he is able to grasp its fullsignificance.

The Candidate is advised to investigate the above statement for himself,by meditation and concentration, for in order that the "I" may know itstrue nature and possibilities, it must realize that it cannot bedestroyed or killed. It must know what it is before it is able tomanifest its nature. So do not leave this part of the teaching until youhave mastered it. And it is well occasionally to return to it, in orderthat you may impress upon the mind the fact of your immortal and eternalnature. The mere glimmering of this conception of truth will give you anincreased sense of strength and power, and you will find that your Selfhas expanded and grown, and that you are more of a power and Centre thanyou have heretofore realized.

The following exercises are useful in bringing about a realization of theinvincibility of the Ego--its superiority to the elements.

Place yourself in the State of Meditation, and imagine the "I" aswithdrawn from the body. See it passing through the tests of air, fireand water unharmed. The body being out of the way, the soul is seen tobe able of passing through the air at will--of floating like a bird--ofsoaring--of traveling in the ether. It may be seen as able to passthrough fire without harm and without sensation, for the elements affectonly the physical body, not the Real "I." Likewise it may be seen aspassing through water without discomfort or danger or hurt.

This meditation will give you a sense of superiority and strength, andwill show you something of the nature of the real "I." It is true thatyou are confined in the body, and the body may be affected by theelements, but the knowledge that the Real "I" is superior to thebody--superior to the elements that affect the body--and cannot beinjured any more than it can be killed, is wonderful, and tends todevelop the full "I" consciousness within you. For You--the Real "I"--arenot body. You are Spirit. The Ego is Immortal and Invincible, and cannotbe killed and harmed. When you enter into this realization andconsciousness, you will feel an influx of strength and power impossibleto describe. Fear will fall from you like a worn-out cloak, and you willfeel that you are "born again." An understanding of this thought, willshow you that the things that we have been fearing cannot affect the Real

"I," but must rest content with hurting the physical body. And they maybe warded off from the physical body by a proper understanding andapplication of the Will.

In our next lesson, you will be taught how to separate the "I" from themechanism of the mind--how you may realize your mastery of the mind, justas you now realize your independence of the body. This knowledge must beimparted to you by degrees, and you must place your feet firmly upon oneround of the ladder before you take the next step.

The watchword of this First Lesson is "I." And the Candidate must enterfully into its meaning before he is able to progress. He must realize hisreal existence--independent of the body. He must see himself asinvincible and impervious to harm, hurt, or death. He must see himself asa great Centre of Consciousness--a Sun around which his world revolves.Then will come to him a new strength. He will feel a calm dignity andpower, which will be apparent to those with whom he comes in contact. Hewill be able to look the world in the face without flinching, and withoutfear, for he will realize the nature and power of the "I." He willrealize that he is a Centre of Power--of Influence. He will realize thatnothing can harm the "I," and that no matter how the storms of life maydash upon the personality, the real "I"--the Individuality--is unharmed.Like a rock that stands steadfast throughout the storm, so does the "I"stand through the tempests of the life of personality. And he will knowthat as he grows in realization, he will be able to control these stormsand bid them be still.

In the words of one of the Yogi Masters: "The 'I' is eternal. It passesunharmed through the fire, the air, the water. Sword and spear cannotkill or wound it. It cannot die. The trials of the physical life are butas dreams to it. Resting secure in the knowledge of the 'I,' Man maysmile at the worst the world has to offer, and raising his hand he maybid them disappear into the mist from which they emerged.Blessed is he who can say (understandingly) 'I'."

So dear Candidate, we leave you to master the First Lesson. Be notdiscouraged if your progress be slow. Be not cast down if you slip back astep after having gained it. You will gain two at the next step. Successand realization will be yours. Mastery is before. You will Attain. Youwill Accomplish. Peace be with you.

MANTRAMS (AFFIRMATIONS) FOR THE FIRST LESSON.

"I" am a Centre. Around me revolves my world.

"I" am a Centre of Influence and Power.

"I" am a Centre of Thought and Consciousness.

"I" am Independent of the Body.

"I" am Immortal and cannot be Destroyed.

"I" am Invincible and cannot be Injured.

[Illustration: "I"]

THE SECOND LESSON.

THE EGO'S MENTAL TOOLS.

In the First Lesson we gave instruction and exercises designed to awakenthe consciousness of the Candidate to a realization of the real "I." Weconfined our instructions to the preliminary teachings of the reality ofthe "I," and the means whereby the Candidate might be brought to arealization of his real Self, and its independence from the body and thethings of the flesh. We tried to show you how you might awaken to aconsciousness of the reality of the "I"; its real nature; itsindependence of the body; its immortality; its invincibility andinvulnerability. How well we have succeeded may be determined only bythe experience of each Candidate, for we can but point out the way, andthe Candidate must do the real work himself.

But there is more to be said and done in this matter of awakening to arealization of the "I." So far, we have but told you how to distinguishbetween the material coverings of the Ego and the "I" itself. We havetried to show you that you had a real "I," and then to show you what itwas, and how it was independent of the material coverings, etc. But thereis still another step in this self analysis--a more difficult step. Evenwhen the Candidate has awakened to a realization of his independence ofthe body, and material coverings, he often confounds the "I" with thelower principles of the mind. This is a mistake. The Mind, in its variousphases and planes, is but a tool and instrument of the "I," and is farfrom being the "I" itself. We shall try to bring out this fact in thislesson and its accompanying exercises. We shall avoid, and pass by, themetaphysical features of the case, and shall confine ourselves to theYogi Psychology. We shall not touch upon theories, nor attempt toexplain the cause, nature and purpose of the Mind--the working tool ofthe Ego--but instead shall attempt to point out a way whereby you mayanalyze the Mind and then determine which is the "not I" and which is thereal "I." It is useless to burden you with theories or metaphysical talk,when the way to prove the thing is right within your own grasp. By usingthe mind, you will be able to separate it into its parts, and force it togive you its own answer to the questions touching itself.

In the second and third lessons of our "Fourteen Lessons," we pointedout to you the fact that man had three Mental Principles, or subdivisionsof mind, all of which were below the plane of Spirit. The "I" is Spirit,but its mental principles are of a lower order. Without wishing to undulyrepeat ourselves, we think it better to run hastily over these threePrinciples in the mind of Man.

First, there is what is known as the Instinctive Mind, which man sharesin common with the lower animals. It is the first principle of mind that

appears in the scale of evolution. In its lowest phases, consciousnessis but barely perceptible, and mere sensation is apparent. In its higherstages it almost reaches the plane of Reason or Intellect, in fact, theyoverlap each other, or, rather, blend into each other. The InstinctiveMind does valuable work in the direction of maintaining animal life inour bodies, it having charge of this part of our being. It attends to theconstant work of repair; replacement; change; digestion; assimilation;elimination, etc., all of which work is performed below the plane ofconsciousness.

But this is but a small part of the work of the Instinctive Mind. Forthis part of the mind has stored up all the experiences of ourselves andancestors in our evolution from the lower forms of animal life into thepresent stage of evolution. All of the old animal instincts (which wereall right in their place, and quite necessary for the well-being of thelower forms of life) have left traces in this part of the mind, whichtraces are apt to come to the front under pressure of unusualcircumstances, even long after we think we have outgrown them. In thispart of the mind are to be found traces of the old fighting instinct ofthe animal; all the animal passions; all the hate, envy, jealousy, andthe rest of it, which are our inheritances from the past. The InstinctiveMind is also the "habit mind" in which is stored up all the little, andgreat, habits of many lives, or rather such as have not been entirelyeffaced by subsequent habits of a stronger nature. The Instinctive Mindis a queer storehouse, containing quite a variety of objects, many ofthem very good in their way, but others of which are the worst kind ofold junk and rubbish.

This part of the mind also is the seat of the appetites; passions;desires; instincts; sensations; feelings and emotions of the lower order,manifested in the lower animals; primitive man; the barbarian; and theman of today, the difference being only in the degree of control overthem that has been gained by the higher parts of the mind. There arehigher desires, aspirations, etc., belonging to a higher part of themind, which we will describe in a few minutes, but the "animal nature"belongs to the Instinctive Mind. To it also belong the "feelings"belonging to our emotional and passional nature. All animal desires, suchas hunger and thirst; sexual desires (on the physical plane); allpassions, such as physical love; hatred; envy; malice; jealousy; revenge,etc., are part of this part of the mind. The desire for the physical(unless a means of reaching higher things) and the longing for thematerial, belong to this region of the mind. The "lust of the flesh; thelust of the eyes; the pride of life," belong to the Instinctive Mind.

Take note, however, that we are not condemning the things belonging tothis plane of the mind. All of them have their place--many were necessaryin the past, and many are still necessary for the continuance of physicallife. All are right in their place, and to those in the particular plane

of development to which they belong, and are wrong only when one ismastered by them, or when he returns to pick up an unworthy thing thathas been cast off in the unfoldment of the individual. This lesson hasnothing to do with the right and wrong of these things (we have treatedof that elsewhere) and we mention this part of the mind that you mayunderstand that you have such a thing in your mental make-up, and thatyou may understand the thought, etc., coming from it, when we start in toanalyze the mind in the latter part of this lesson. All we will ask youto do at this stage of the lesson is to realize that this part of themind, while belonging to you, is not You, yourself. It is not the"I" part of you.

Next in order, above the Instinctive Mind, is what we have called theIntellect, that part of the mind that does our reasoning, analyzing;"thinking," etc. You are using it in the consideration of this lesson.But note this: You are using it, but it is not You, any more than wasthe Instinctive Mind that you considered a moment ago. You will begin tomake the separation, if you will think but a moment. We will not take upyour time with a consideration of Intellect or Reason. You will find agood description of this part of the mind in any good elementary work onPsychology. Our only idea in mentioning it is that you may make theclassification, and that we may afterward show you that the Intellect isbut a tool of the Ego, instead of being the real "I" itself, as so manyseem to imagine.

The third, and highest, Mental Principle is what is called the SpiritualMind, that part of the mind which is almost unknown to many of the race,but which has developed into consciousness with nearly all who read thislesson, for the fact that the subject of this lesson attracts you is aproof that this part of your mental nature is unfolding intoconsciousness. This region of the mind is the source of that which wecall "genius," "inspiration," "spirituality," and all that we considerthe "highest" in our mental make-up. All the great thoughts and ideasfloat into the field of consciousness from this part of the mind. All thegreat unfoldment of the race comes from there. All the higher mentalideas that have come to Man in his upward evolutionary journey, that tendin the direction of nobility; true religious feeling; kindness; humanity;justice; unselfish love; mercy; sympathy, etc., have come to him throughhis slowly unfolding Spiritual Mind. His love of God and of his fellowman have come in this way. His knowledge of the great occult truths reachhim through this channel. The mental realization of the "I," which we areendeavoring to teach in these lessons, must come to him by way of theSpiritual Mind unfolding its ideas into his field of consciousness.

But even this great and wonderful part of the mind is but a tool--ahighly finished one, it is true, but still a tool--to the Ego, or "I."

We propose to give you a little mental drill work, toward the end that

you may be able more readily to distinguish the "I" from the mind, ormental states. In this connection we would say that every part, plane,and function of the mind is good, and necessary, and the student must notfall into the error of supposing that because we tell him to set asidefirst this part of the mind and then that part, that we are undervaluingthe mind, or that we regard it as an encumbrance or hindrance. Far fromthis, we realize that it is by the use of the mind that Man is enabledto arrive at a knowledge of his true nature and Self, and that hisprogress through many stages yet will depend upon the unfolding of hismental faculties.

Man is now using but the lower and inferior parts of his mind, and he haswithin his mental world great unexplored regions that far surpassanything of which the human mind has dreamed. In fact, it is part of thebusiness of "Raja Yoga" to aid in unfolding these higher faculties andmental regions. And so far from decrying the Mind, the "Raja Yoga"teachers are chiefly concerned in recognizing the Mind's power andpossibilities, and directing the student to avail himself of the latentpowers that are inherent in his soul.

It is only by the mind that the teachings we are now giving you may begrasped and understood, and used to your advantage and benefit. We aretalking direct to your mind now, and are making appeals to it, that itmay be interested and may open itself to what is ready to come into itfrom its own higher regions. We are appealing to the Intellect to directits attention to this great matter, that it may interpose less resistanceto the truths that are waiting to be projected from the Spiritual Mind,which knows the Truth.

MENTAL DRILL.

Place yourself in a calm, restful condition, that you may be able tomeditate upon the matters that we shall place before you forconsideration. Allow the matters presented to meet with a hospitablereception from you, and hold a mental attitude of willingness to receivewhat may be waiting for you in the higher regions of your mind.

We wish to call your attention to several mental impressions orconditions, one after another, in order that you may realize that theyare merely something incident to you, and not YOU yourself--that youmay set them aside and consider them, just as you might anything that youhave been using. You cannot set the "I" aside and so consider it, but thevarious forms of the "not I" may be so set aside and considered.

In the First Lesson you gained the perception of the "I" as independentfrom the body, the latter merely being an instrument for use. You havenow arrived at the stage when the "I" appears to you to be a mental

creature--a bundle of thoughts, feelings, moods, etc. But you must gofarther. You must be able to distinguish the "I" from these mentalconditions, which are as much tools as is the body and its parts.

Let us begin by considering the thoughts more closely connected with thebody, and then work up to the higher mental states.

The sensations of the body, such as hunger; thirst; pain; pleasurablesensations; physical desires, etc., etc., are not apt to be mistaken foressential qualities of the "I" by many of the Candidates, for they havepassed beyond this stage, and have learned to set aside these sensations,to a greater or lesser extent, by an effort of the Will, and are nolonger slaves to them. Not that they do not experience these sensations,but they have grown to regard them as incidents of the physicallife--good in their place--but useful to the advanced man only when hehas mastered them to the extent that he no longer regards them as closeto the "I." And yet, to some people, these sensations are so closelyidentified with their conception of the "I" that when they think ofthemselves they think merely of a bundle of these sensations. They arenot able to set them aside and consider them as things apart, to be usedwhen necessary and proper, but as things not fastened to the "I." Themore advanced a man becomes the farther off seem these sensations. Notthat he does not feel hungry, for instance. Not at all, for he recognizeshunger, and satisfies it within reason, knowing that his physical body ismaking demands for attention, and that these demands should be heeded.But--mark the difference--instead of feeling that the "I" is hungry theman feels that "my body" is hungry, just as he might become consciousthat his horse or dog was crying for food insistently. Do you see whatwe mean? It is that the man no longer identifies himself--the "I"--withthe body, consequently the thoughts which are most closely allied to thephysical life seem comparatively "separate" from his "I" conception. Sucha man thinks "my stomach, this," or "my leg, that," or "my body, thus,"instead of "'I,' this," or "'I' that." He is able, almost automatically,to think of the body and its sensations as things of him, andbelonging to him, which require attention and care, rather than as realparts of the "I." He is able to form a conception of the "I" as existingwithout any of these things--without the body and its sensations--and sohe has taken the first step in the realization of the "I."

Before going on, we ask the students to stop a few moments, and mentallyrun over these sensations of the body. Form a mental image of them, andrealize that they are merely incidents to the present stage of growth andexperience of the "I," and that they form no real part of it. They may,and will be, left behind in the Ego's higher planes of advancement. Youmay have attained this mental conception perfectly, long since, but weask that to give yourself the mental drill at this time, in order tofasten upon your mind this first step.

In realizing that you are able to set aside, mentally, thesesensations--that you are able to hold them out at arm's length and"consider" them as an "outside" thing, you mentally determine that theyare "not I" things, and you set them down in the "not I" collection--thefirst to be placed there. Let us try to make this still plainer, even atthe risk of wearying you by repetitions (for you must get this ideafirmly fixed in your mind). To be able to say that a thing is "not I,"you must realize that there are two things in question (1) the "not I"thing, and (2) the "I" who is regarding the "not I" thing just as the "I"regards a lump of sugar, or a mountain. Do you see what we mean? Keep atit until you do.

Next, consider some of the emotions, such as anger; hate; love, in itsordinary forms; jealousy; ambition; and the hundred and one otheremotions that sweep through our brains. You will find that you are ableto set each one of these emotions or feelings aside and study it; dissectit; analyze it; consider it. You will be able to understand the rise,progress and end of each of these feelings, as they have come to you, andas you recall them in your memory or imagination, just as readily as youwould were you observing their occurrence in the mind of a friend. Youwill find them all stored away in some parts of your mental make-up, andyou may (to use a modern American slang phrase) "make them trot beforeyou, and show their paces." Don't you see that they are not "You"--thatthey are merely something that you carry around with you in a mental bag.You can imagine yourself as living without them, and still being "I," canyou not?

And the very fact that you are able to set them aside and examine andconsider them is a proof that they are "not I" things--for there are twothings in the matter (1) You who are examining and considering them,and (2) the thing itself which is the object of the examination andconsideration at mental arm's length. So into the "not I" collection gothese emotions, desirable and undesirable. The collection is steadilygrowing, and will attain quite formidable proportions after a while.

Now, do not imagine that this is a lesson designed to teach you how todiscard these emotions, although if it enables you to get rid of theundesirable ones, so much the better. This is not our object, for we bidyou place the desirable (at this time) ones in with the opposite kind,the idea being to bring you to a realization that the "I" is higher,above and independent of these mental somethings, and then when you haverealized the nature of the "I," you may return and use (as a Master) thethings that have been using you as a slave. So do not be afraid to throwthese emotions (good and bad) into the "not I" collection. You may goback to them, and use the good ones, after the Mental Drill is over. Nomatter how much you may think that you are bound by any of theseemotions, you will realize, by careful analysis, that it is of the "notI" kind, for the "I" existed before the emotion came into active play,

and it will live long after the emotion has faded away. The principalproof is that you are able to hold it out at arm's length and examineit--a proof that it is "not I."

Run through the entire list of your feelings; emotions; moods; and whatnot, just as you would those of a well-known friend or relative, and youwill see that each one--every one--is a "not I" thing, and you will layit aside for the time, for the purpose of the scientific experiment, atleast.

Then passing on to the Intellect, you will be able to hold out forexamination each mental process and principle. You don't believe it, youmay say. Then read and study some good work on Psychology, and you willlearn to dissect and analyze every intellectual process--and to classifyit and place it in the proper pigeon-hole. Study Psychology by means ofsome good text-book, and you will find that one by one every intellectualprocess is classified, and talked about and labeled, just as you would acollection of flowers. If that does not satisfy you, turn the leaves ofsome work on Logic, and you will admit that you may hold theseintellectual processes at arm's length and examine them, and talk aboutthem to others. So that these wonderful tools of Man--the Intellectualpowers may be placed in the "not I" collection, for the "I" is capable ofstanding aside and viewing them--it is able to detach them from itself.The most remarkable thing about this is that in admitting this fact, yourealize that the "I" is using these very intellectual faculties to passupon themselves. Who is the Master that compels these faculties to dothis to themselves? The Master of the Mind--The "I."

And reaching the higher regions of the mind--even the Spiritual Mind, youwill be compelled to admit that the things that have come intoconsciousness from that region may be considered and studied, just as maybe any other mental thing, and so even these high things must be placedin the "not I" collection. You may object that this does not prove thatall the things in the Spiritual Mind may be so treated--that there may be"I" things there that can not be so treated. We will not discuss thisquestion, for you know nothing about the Spiritual Mind except as it hasrevealed itself to you, and the higher regions of that mind are like themind of a God, when compared to what you call mind. But the evidence ofthe Illumined--those in whom the Spiritual Mind has wonderfully unfoldedtell us that even in the highest forms of development, the Initiates,yea, even the Masters, realize that above even their highest mentalstates there is always that eternal "I" brooding over them, as the Sunover the lake; and that the highest conception of the "I" known even toadvanced souls, is but a faint reflection of the "I" filtering throughthe Spiritual Mind, although that Spiritual Mind is as clear as theclearest crystal when compared with our comparatively opaque mentalstates. And the highest mental state is but a tool or instrument of the"I," and is not the "I" itself.

And yet the "I" is to be found in the faintest forms of consciousness,and animates even the unconscious life. The "I" is always the same, butits apparent growth is the result of the mental unfoldment of theindividual. As we described it in one of the lessons of the "AdvancedCourse" it is like an electric lamp that is encased in many wrappings ofcloth. As cloth after cloth is removed, the light seems to grow brighterand stronger, and yet it has changed not, the change being in the removalof the confining and bedimming coverings. We do not expect to make yourealize the "I" in all its fullness--that is far beyond the highest knownto man of to-day--but we do hope to bring you to a realization of thehighest conception of the "I," possible to each of you in your presentstage of unfoldment, and in the process we expect to cause to drop fromyou some of the confining sheaths that you have about outgrown. Thesheaths are ready for dropping, and all that is required is the touch ofa friendly hand to cause them to fall fluttering from you. We wish tobring you to the fullest possible (to you) realization of the "I," inorder to make an Individual of you--in order that you may understand, andhave courage to take up the tools and instruments lying at your hand, anddo the work before you.

And now, back to the Mental Drill. After you have satisfied yourself thatabout everything that you are capable of thinking about is a "not I"thing--a tool and instrument for your use--you will ask, "And now, whatis there left that should not be thrown in the "not I" collection." Tothis question we answer "THE 'I' ITSELF." And when you demand a proofwe say, "Try to set aside the 'I' for consideration!" You may try fromnow until the passing away of infinities of infinities, and you willnever be able to set aside the real "I" for consideration. You may thinkyou can, but a little reflection will show you that you are merelysetting aside some of your mental qualities or faculties. And in thisprocess what is the "I" doing? Simply setting aside and consideringthings. Can you not see that the "I" cannot be both the considerer andthe thing considered--the examiner and the thing examined? Can the sunshine upon itself by its own light? You may consider the "I" of someother person, but it is your "I" that is considering. But you cannot,as an "I," stand aside and see yourself as an "I." Then what evidencehave we that there is an "I" to us? This: that you are always consciousof being the considerer and examiner, instead of the considered andexamined thing--and then, you have the evidence of your consciousness.And what report does this consciousness give us? Simply this, and nothingmore: "I AM." That is all that the "I" is conscious of, regarding itstrue self: "I AM," but that consciousness is worth all the rest, for therest is but "not I" tools that the "I" may reach out and use.

And so at the final analysis, you will find that there is something thatrefuses to be set aside and examined by the "I." And that something isthe "I" itself--that "I" eternal, unchangeable--that drop of the Great

Spirit Ocean--that spark from the Sacred Flame.

Just as you find it impossible to imagine the "I" as dead, so will youfind it impossible to set aside the "I" for consideration--all that comesto you is the testimony: "I AM."

If you were able to set aside the "I" for consideration, who would be theone to consider it? Who could consider except the "I" itself, and if itbe here, how could it be there? The "I" cannot be the "not I" even inthe wildest flights of the imagination--the imagination with all itsboasted freedom and power, confesses itself vanquished when asked to dothis thing.

Oh, students, may you be brought to a realization of what you are. Mayyou soon awaken to the fact that you are sleeping gods--that you havewithin you the power of the Universe, awaiting your word to manifestin action. Long ages have you toiled to get this far, and long must youtravel before you reach even the first Great Temple, but you are nowentering into the conscious stage of Spiritual Evolution. No longer willyour eyes be closed as you walk the Path. From now on you will begin tosee clearer and clearer each step, in the dawning light of consciousness.

You are in touch with all of life, and the separation of your "I" fromthe great Universal "I" is but apparent and temporary. We will tell youof these things in our Third Lesson, but before you can grasp that youmust develop the "I" consciousness within you. Do not lay aside thismatter as one of no importance. Do not dismiss our weak explanation asbeing "merely words, words, words," as so many are inclined to do. We arepointing out a great truth to you. Why not follow the leadings of theSpirit which even now--this moment while you read--is urging you to walkThe Path of Attainment? Consider the teachings of this lesson, andpractice the Mental Drill until your mind has grasped its significance,then let it sink deep down into your inner consciousness. Then will yoube ready for the next lessons, and those to follow.

Practice this Mental Drill until you are fully assured of the realityof the "I" and the relativity of the "not "I" in the mind. When youonce grasp this truth, you will find that you will be able to use themind with far greater power and effect, for you will recognize that it isyour tool and instrument, fitted and intended to do your bidding. Youwill be able to master your moods, and emotions when necessary, and willrise from the position of a slave to a Master.

Our words seem cheap and poor, when we consider the greatness of thetruth that we are endeavoring to convey by means of them. For who canfind words to express the inexpressible? All that we may hope to do is toawaken a keen interest and attention on your part, so that you willpractice the Mental Drill, and thus obtain the evidence of your own

mentality to the truth. Truth is not truth to you until you have provenit in your own experience, and once so proven you cannot be robbed of it,nor can it be argued away from you.

You must realize that in every mental effort You--the "I"--are behind it.You bid the Mind work, and it obeys your Will. You are the Master, andnot the slave of your mind. You are the Driver, not the driven. Shakeyourself loose from the tyranny of the mind that has oppressed you for solong. Assert yourself, and be free. We will help you in this directionduring the course of these lessons, but you must first assert yourself asa Master of your Mind. Sign the mental Declaration of Independence fromyour moods, emotions, and uncontrolled thoughts, and assert your Dominionover them. Enter into your Kingdom, thou manifestation of the Spirit!

While this lesson is intended primarily to bring clearly into yourconsciousness the fact that the "I" is a reality, separate and distinctfrom its Mental Tools, and while the control of the mental faculties bythe Will forms a part of some of the future lessons, still, we think thatthis is a good place to point out to you the advantages arising from arealization of the true nature of the "I" and the relative aspect of theMind.

Many of us have supposed that our minds were the masters of ourselves,and we have allowed ourselves to be tormented and worried by thoughts"running away" with us, and presenting themselves at inopportune moments.The Initiate is relieved from this annoyance, for he learns to assert hismastery over the different parts of the mind, and controls and regulateshis mental processes, just as one would a fine piece of machinery. He isable to control his conscious thinking faculties, and direct their workto the best advantage, and he also learns how to pass on orders to thesubconscious mental region and bid it work for him while he sleeps, oreven when he is using his conscious mind in other matters. These subjectswill be considered by us in due time, during the course of lessons.

In this connection it may be interesting to read what Edward Carpentersays of the power of the individual to control his thought processes. Inhis book "From Adam's Peak to Eleplumta," in describing his experiencewhile visiting a Hindu Gnani Yogi, he says:

"And if we are unwilling to believe in this internal mastery over thebody, we are perhaps almost equally unaccustomed to the idea of masteryover our own inner thoughts and feelings. That a man should be a prey toany thought that chances to take possession of his mind, is commonlyamong us assumed as unavoidable. It may be a matter of regret that heshould be kept awake all night from anxiety as to the issue of a lawsuiton the morrow, but that he should have the power of determining whetherhe be kept awake or not seems an extravagant demand. The image of animpending calamity is no doubt odious, but its very odiousness (we say)

makes it haunt the mind all the more pertinaciously and it is useless totry to expel it.

"Yet this is an absurd position--for man, the heir of all the ages:hag-ridden by the flimsy creatures of his own brain. If a pebble in ourboot torments us, we expel it. We take off the boot and shake it out.And once the matter is fairly understood it is just as easy to expel anintruding and obnoxious thought from the mind. About this there ought tobe no mistake, no two opinions. The thing is obvious, clear andunmistakable. It should be as easy to expel an obnoxious thought fromyour mind as it is to shake a stone out of your shoe; and till a man cando that it is just nonsense to talk about his ascendancy over Nature, andall the rest of it. He is a mere slave, and prey to the bat-wingedphantoms that flit through the corridors of his own brain.

"Yet the weary and careworn faces that we meet by thousands, even amongthe affluent classes of civilization, testify only too clearly how seldomthis mastery is obtained. How rare indeed to meet a man! How commonrather to discover a creature hounded on by tyrant thoughts (or cares ordesires), cowering, wincing under the lash--or perchance priding himselfto run merrily in obedience to a driver that rattles the reins andpersuades him that he is free--whom we cannot converse with in carelesstete-a-tete because that alien presence is always there, on the watch.

"It is one of the most prominent doctrines of Raja Yoga that the power ofexpelling thoughts, or if need be, killing them dead on the spot, mustbe attained. Naturally the art requires practice, but like other arts,when once acquired there is no mystery or difficulty about it. And it isworth practice. It may indeed fairly be said that life only begins whenthis art has been acquired. For obviously when instead of being ruled byindividual thoughts, the whole flock of them in their immense multitudeand variety and capacity is ours to direct and dispatch and employ wherewe list ('for He maketh the winds his messengers and the flaming fire Hisminister'), life becomes a thing so vast and grand compared with what itwas before, that its former condition may well appear almost antenatal.

"If you can kill a thought dead, for the time being, you can do anythingelse with it that you please. And therefore it is that this power is sovaluable. And it not only frees a man from mental torment (which isnine-tenths at least of the torment of life), but it gives him aconcentrated power of handling mental work absolutely unknown to himbefore. The two things are co-relative to each other. As already saidthis is one of the principles of Raja Yoga.

"While at work your thought is to be absolutely concentrated in it,undistracted by anything whatever irrelevant to the matter inhand--pounding away like a great engine, with giant power and perfecteconomy--no wear and tear of friction, or dislocation of parts owing to

the working of different forces at the same time. Then when the work isfinished, if there is no more occasion for the use of the machine, itmust stop equally, absolutely--stop entirely--no worrying (as if aparcel of boys were allowed to play their devilments with a locomotive assoon as it was in the shed)--and the man must retire into that region ofhis consciousness where his true self dwells.

"I say the power of the thought-machine itself is enormously increased bythis faculty of letting it alone on the one hand, and of using it singlyand with concentration on the other. It becomes a true tool, which amaster-workman lays down when done with, but which only a bungler carriesabout with him all the time to show that he is the possessor of it."

We ask the students to read carefully the above quotations from Mr.Carpenter's book, for they are full of suggestions that may be taken upto advantage by those who are emancipating themselves from their slaveryto the unmastered mind, and who are now bringing the mind under controlof the Ego, by means of the Will.

Our next lesson will take up the subject of the relationship of the "I"to the Universal "I," and will be called the "Expansion of the Self." Itwill deal with the subject, not from a theoretical standpoint, but fromthe position of the teacher who is endeavoring to make his studentsactually aware in their consciousness of the truth of the proposition.In this course we are not trying to make our students past-masters oftheory, but are endeavoring to place them in a position whereby theymay know for themselves, and actually experience the things of which weteach.

Therefore we urge upon you not to merely rest content with reading thislesson, but, instead, to study and meditate upon the teachings mentionedunder the head of "Mental Drill," until the distinctions stand outclearly in your mind, and until you not only believe them to be true,but actually are conscious of the "I" and its Mental Tools. Havepatience and perseverance. The task may be difficult, but the reward isgreat. To become conscious of the greatness, majesty, strength and powerof your real being is worth years of hard study. Do you not think so?Then study and practice hopefully, diligently and earnestly.

Peace be with you.

MANTRAMS (AFFIRMATIONS) FOR THE SECOND LESSON.

"I" am an entity--my mind is my instrument of expression.

"I" exist independent of my mind, and am not dependent upon it forexistence or being.

"I" am Master of my mind, not its slave.

"I" can set aside my sensations, emotions, passions, desires,intellectual faculties, and all the rest of my mental collection oftools, as "not I" things--and still there remains something--and thatsomething is "I," which cannot be set aside by me, for it is my veryself; my only self; my real self--"I." That which remains after all thatmay be set aside is set aside is the "I"--Myself--eternal, constant,unchangeable.

[Illustration: "I am"]

THE THIRD LESSON.

THE EXPANSION OF THE SELF.

In the first two lessons of this course we have endeavored to bring tothe candidate a realization in consciousness of the reality of the "I,"and to enable him to distinguish between the Self and its sheaths,physical and mental. In the present lesson we will call his attention tothe relationship of the "I" to the Universal "I," and will endeavor togive him an idea of a greater, grander Self, transcending personalityand the little self that we are so apt to regard as the "I."

The keynote of this lesson will be "The Oneness of All," and all of itsteachings will be directed to awakening a realization in consciousness ofthat great truth. But we wish to impress upon the mind of the Candidatethat we are not teaching him that he is the Absolute. We are notteaching the "I Am God" belief, which we consider to be erroneous andmisleading, and a perversion of the original Yogi teachings. This falseteaching has taken possession of many of the Hindu teachers and people,and with its accompanying teaching of "Maya" or the complete illusion ornon-existence of the Universe, has reduced millions of people to apassive, negative mental condition which undoubtedly is retarding theirprogress. Not only in India is this true, but the same facts may beobserved among the pupils of the Western teachers who have embraced thisnegative side of the Oriental Philosophy. Such people confound the"Absolute" and "Relative" aspects of the One, and, being unable toreconcile the facts of Life and the Universe with their theories of "I AmGod," they are driven to the desperate expedient of boldly denying theUniverse, and declaring it to be all "an illusion" or "Maya."

You will have no trouble in distinguishing the pupils of the teachersholding this view. They will be found to exhibit the most negative mentalcondition--a natural result of absorbing the constant suggestion of"nothingness"--the gospel of negation. In marked contrast to the mentalcondition of the students, however, will be observed the mental attitudeof the teachers, who are almost uniformly examples of vital, positive,mental force, capable of hurling their teaching into the minds of thepupils--of driving in their statements by the force of an awakened Will.The teacher, as a rule, has awakened to a sense of the "I" consciousness,and really develops the same by his "I Am God" attitude, because byholding this mental attitude he is enabled to throw off the influence ofthe sheaths of the lower mental principles, and the light of the Selfshows forth fiercely and strongly, sometimes to such an extent that itfairly scorches the mentality of the less advanced pupil. But,notwithstanding this awakened "I" consciousness, the teacher ishandicapped by his intellectual misconception and befogging metaphysics,and is unable to impart the "I" consciousness to his pupils, and, instead

of raising them up to shine with equal splendor with himself, he reallyforces them into a shadow by reason of his teachings.

Our students, of course, will understand that the above is not written inthe spirit of carping criticism or fault-finding. We hold no such mentalattitude, and indeed could not if we remain true to our conception ofTruth. We are mentioning these matters simply that the student may avoidthis "I Am God" pitfall which awaits the Candidate just as he has wellstarted on the Path. It would not be such a serious matter if it weremerely a question of faulty metaphysics, for that would straighten itselfout in time. But it is far more serious than this, for the teachinginevitably leads to the accompanying teaching that all is Illusion orMaya, and that Life is but a dream--a false thing--a lie--a nightmare;that the journey along the Path is but an illusion; that everything is"nothing"; that there is no soul; that You are God in disguise, and thatHe is fooling Himself in making believe that He is You; that Life is buta Divine masquerade or sleight-of-hand performance; that You are God, butthat You (God) are fooling Yourself (God) in order to amuse Yourself(God). Is not this horrible? And yet it shows to what lengths the humanmind will go before it will part with some pet theory of metaphysics withwhich it has been hypnotized. Do you think that we have overdrawn thepicture? Then read some of the teachings of these schools of the OrientalPhilosophy, or listen to some of the more radical of the Western teacherspreaching this philosophy. The majority of the latter lack the courage ofthe Hindu teachers in carrying their theories to a logical conclusion,and, consequently they veil their teachings with metaphysical subtlety.But a few of them are more courageous, and come out into the open andpreach their doctrine in full.

Some of the modern Western teachers of this philosophy explain matters bysaying that "God is masquerading as different forms of life, includingMan, in order that he may gain the experience resulting therefrom, foralthough He has Infinite and Absolute Wisdom and Knowledge, he lacks theexperience that comes only from actually living the life of the lowlyforms, and therefore He descend thus in order to gain the neededexperience." Can you imagine the Absolute, possessed of all possibleKnowledge and Wisdom, feeling the need of such petty "experience," andliving the life of the lowly forms (including Man) in order "to gainexperience?" To what Depths do these vain theories of Man drive us?Another leading Western teacher, who has absorbed the teaching of certainbranches of the Oriental Philosophy, and who possesses the courage of hisconvictions, boldly announces that "You, yourself, are the totality ofbeing, and with your mind alone create, preserve and destroy theuniverse, which is your own mental product." And again the last mentionedteacher states: "the entire universe is a bagatelle illustration of yourown creative power, which you are now exhibiting for your owninspection." "By their fruits shall you know them," is a safe rule toapply to all teachings. The philosophy that teaches that the Universe is

an illusion perpetrated by you (God) to amuse, entertain or fool yourself(God), can have but one result, and that is the conclusion that"everything is nothing," and all that is necessary to do is to sit down,fold your hands and enjoy the Divine exhibition of legerdemain that youare performing for your own entertainment, and then, when the show isover, return to your state of conscious Godhood and recall with smilesthe pleasant memories of the "conjure show" that you created to foolyourself with during several billions of ages. That is what it amountsto, and the result is that those accepting this philosophy thrust uponthem by forceful teachers, and knowing in their hearts that they arenot God, but absorbing the suggestions of "nothingness," are driveninto a state of mental apathy and negativeness, the soul sinking into astupor from which it may not be roused for a long period of time.

We wish you to avoid confounding our teaching with this just mentioned.We wish to teach you that You are a real Being--not God Himself, but amanifestation of Him who is the Absolute. You are a Child of theAbsolute, if you prefer the term, possessed of the Divine Heritage, andwhose mission it is to unfold qualities which are your inheritances fromyour Parent. Do not make the great mistake of confounding the Relativewith the Absolute. Avoid this pitfall into which so many have fallen. Donot allow yourself to fall into the "Slough of Despond," and wallow inthe mud of "nothingness," and to see no reality except in the person ofsome forceful teacher who takes the place of the Absolute in your mind.But raise your head and assert your Divine Parentage, and your Heritagefrom the Absolute, and step out boldly on the Path, asserting the "I."

(We must refer the Candidate back to our "Advanced Course," for ourteachings regarding the Absolute and the Relative. The last three lessonsof that course will throw light upon what we have just said To repeat theteaching at this point would be to use space which is needed for thelesson before us.)

And yet, while the "I" is not God, the Absolute, it is infinitelygreater than we have imagined it to be before the light dawned upon us.It extends itself far beyond what we had conceived to be its limits. Ittouches the Universe at all its points, and is in the closest union withall of Life. It is in the closest touch with all that has emanated fromthe Absolute--all the world of Relativity. And while it faces theRelative Universe, it has its roots in the Absolute, and drawsnourishment therefrom, just as does the babe in the womb obtainnourishment from the mother. It is verily a manifestation of God, andGod's very essence is in it. Surely this is almost as "high" a statementas the "I Am God" of the teachers just mentioned,--and yet how different.Let us consider the teaching in detail in this lesson, and in portions ofothers to follow.

Let us begin with a consideration of the instruments of the Ego, and the

material with which and through which the Ego works. Let us realize thatthe physical body of man is identical in substance with all other formsof matter, and that its atoms are continually changing and beingreplaced, the material being drawn from the great storehouse of matter,and that there is a Oneness of matter underlying all apparent differencesof form and substance. And then let us realize that the vital energy orPrana that man uses in his life work is but a portion of that greatuniversal energy which permeates everything and everywhere, the portionbeing used by us at any particular moment being drawn from the universalsupply, and again passing out from us into the great ocean of force orenergy. And then let us realize that even the mind, which is so close tothe real Self that it is often mistaken for it--even that wonderful thingThought--is but a portion of the Universal Mind, the highest emanation ofthe Absolute beneath the plane of Spirit, and that the Mind--substance orChitta that we are using this moment, is not ours separately anddistinctly, but is simply a portion from the great universal supply,which is constant and unchangeable. Let us then realize that even thisthing that we feel pulsing within us--that which is so closely bound upwith the Spirit as to be almost inseparable from it--that which we callLife--is but a bit of that Great Life Principle that pervades theUniverse, and which cannot be added to, nor subtracted from. When we haverealized these things, and have begun to feel our relation (in theseparticulars) to the One Great Emanation of the Absolute, then we maybegin to grasp the idea of the Oneness of Spirit, and the relation of the"I" to every other "I," and the merging of the Self into the one greatSelf, which is not the extinction of Individuality, as some havesupposed, but the enlargement and extension of the IndividualConsciousness until it takes in the Whole.

In Lessons X and XI, of the "Advanced Course" we called your attention tothe Yogi teachings concerning Akasa or Matter, and showed you that allforms of what we know as Matter are but different forms of manifestationof the principle called Akasa, or as the Western scientists call it,"Ether." This Ether or Akasa is the finest, thinnest and most tenuousform of Matter, in fact it is Matter in its ultimate or fundamental form,the different forms of what we call Matter being but manifestations ofthis Akasa or Ether, the apparent difference resulting from differentrates of vibration, etc. We mention this fact here merely to bringclearly before your mind the fact of the Universality of Matter, to theend that you may realize that each and every particle of your physicalbody is but a portion of this great principle of the Universe, fresh fromthe great store-house, and just about returning to it again, for theatoms of the body are constantly changing. That which appears as yourflesh to-day, may have been part of a plant a few days before, and may bepart of some other living thing a few days hence. Constant change isgoing on, and what is yours to-day was someone's else yesterday, andstill another's to-morrow. You do not own one atom of matterpersonally, it is all a part of the common supply, the stream flowing

through you and through all Life, on and on forever.

And so it is with the Vital Energy that you are using every moment ofyour life. You are constantly drawing upon the great Universal supply ofPrana, then using what is given you, allowing the force to pass on toassume some other form. It is the property of all, and all you can do isto use what you need, and allow it to pass on. There is but one Force orEnergy, and that is to be found everywhere at all times.

And even the great principle, Mind-substance, is under the same law. Itis hard for us to realize this. We are so apt to think of our mentaloperations as distinctively our own--something that belongs to uspersonally--that it is difficult for us to realize that Mind-substance isa Universal principle just as Matter or Energy, and that we are butdrawing upon the Universal supply in our mental operations. And more thanthis, the particular portion of Mind-substance that we are using,although separated from the Mind-substance used by other individuals by athin wall of the very finest kind of Matter, is really in touch with theother apparently separated minds, and with the Universal Mind of which itforms a part. Just as is the Matter of which our physical bodies arecomposed really in touch with all Matter; and just as is the Vital Forceused by us really in touch with all Energy; so is our Mind-substancereally in touch with all Mind-substance. It is as if the Ego in itsprogress were moving through great oceans of Matter, Energy, orMind-substance, making use of that of each which it needed and whichimmediately surrounded it, and leaving each behind as it moved on throughthe great volume of the ocean. This illustration is clumsy, but it maybring to your consciousness a realization that the Ego is the only thingthat is really Yours, unchangeable and unaltered, and that all the restis merely that portion of the Universal supply that you draw to yourselffor the wants of the moment. It may also bring more clearly before yourmind the great Unity of things--may enable you to see things as a Whole,rather than as separated parts. Remember, You--the "I"--are the onlyReal thing about and around you--all that has permanence--and Matter,Force and even Mind-substance, are but your instruments for use andexpression. There are great oceans of each surrounding the "I" as itmoves along.

It is well for you also to bear in mind the Universality of Life. All ofthe Universe is alive, vibrating and pulsating with life and energy andmotion. There is nothing dead in the Universe. Life is everywhere, andalways accompanied by intelligence. There is no such thing as a dead,unintelligent Universe. Instead of being atoms of Life floating in a seaof death, we are atoms of Life surrounded by an ocean of Life, pulsating,moving, thinking, living. Every atom of what we call Matter is alive. Ithas energy or force with it, and is always accompanied by intelligenceand life. Look around us as we will--at the animal world--at the plantworld--yes, even at the world of minerals and we see life, life,

life--all alive and having intelligence. When we are able to bring thisconception into the realm of actual consciousness--when we are able notonly to intellectually accept this fact, but to even go still further andfeel and be conscious of this Universal Life on all sides, then are wewell on the road to attaining the Cosmic Consciousness.

But all these things are but steps leading up to the realization ofthe Oneness in Spirit, on the part of the Individual. Gradually theredawns upon him the realization that there is a Unity in the manifestationof Spirit from the Absolute--a unity with itself, and a Union with theAbsolute. All this manifestation of Spirit on the part of theAbsolute--all this begetting of Divine Children--was in the nature of asingle act rather than as a series of acts, if we may be permittedto speak of the manifestation as an act. Each Ego is a Centre ofConsciousness in this great ocean of Spirit--each is a Real Self,apparently separate from the others and from its source, but theseparation is only apparent in both cases, for there is the closestbond of union between the Egos of the Universe of Universes--each is knitto the other in the closest bond of union, and each is still attached tothe Absolute by spiritual filaments, if we may use the term. In time weshall grow more conscious of this mutual relationship, as the sheaths areoutgrown and cast aside, and in the end we will be withdrawn into theAbsolute--shall return to the Mansion of the Father.

It is of the highest importance to the developing soul to unfold into arealization of this relationship and unity, for when this conception isonce fully established the soul is enabled to rise above certain of thelower planes, and is free from the operation of certain laws that bindthe undeveloped soul. Therefore the Yogi teachers are constantly leadingthe Candidates toward this goal. First by this path, and then by thatone, giving them different glimpses of the desired point, until finallythe student finds a path best fitted for his feet, and he moves alongstraight to the mark, and throwing aside the confining bonds that haveproved so irksome, he cries aloud for joy at his new found Freedom.

The following exercises and Mental Drills are intended to aid theCandidate in his work of growing into a realization of his relationshipwith the Whole of Life and Being.

MENTAL DRILL.

(1) Read over what we have said in the "Advanced Course" regardingthe principle known as Matter. Realize that all Matter is One at thelast--that the real underlying substance of Matter is Akasa orEther, and that all the varying forms evident to our senses are butmodifications and grosser forms of that underlying principle. Realizethat by known chemical processes all forms of Matter known to us, or

rather all combinations resulting in "forms," may be resolved into theiroriginal elements, and that these elements are merely Akasa indifferent states of vibration. Let the idea of the Oneness of the visibleUniverse sink deeply into your mind, until it becomes fixed there. Theerroneous conception of diversity in the material world must be replacedby the consciousness of Unity--Oneness, at the last, in spite of theappearance of variety and manifold forms. You must grow to see behind theworld of forms of Matter, and see the great principle of Matter (Akasaor Ether) back of, within, and under it all. You must grow to feelthis, as well as to intellectually see it.

(2) Meditate over the last mentioned truths, and then follow the matterstill further. Read what we have said in the "Advanced Course" (LessonXI) about the last analysis of Matter showing it fading away into Forceor Energy until the dividing line is lost, and Matter merges into Energyor Force, showing them both to be but the same thing, Matter being agrosser form of Energy or Force. This idea should be impressed upon theunderstanding, in order that the complete edifice of the Knowing of theOneness may be complete in all of its parts.

(3) Then read in the "Advanced Lessons" about Energy or Force, in theoneness underlying its various manifestations. Consider how one form ofEnergy may be transformed into another, and so on around the circle, theone principle producing the entire chain of appearances. Realize that theenergy within you by which you move and act, is but one of the forms ofthis great Principle of Energy with which the Universe is filled, andthat you may draw to you the required Energy from the great Universalsupply. But above all endeavor to grasp the idea of the Oneness pervadingthe world of Energy or Force, or Motion. See it in its entirety, ratherthan in its apparent separateness. These steps may appear somewhattedious and useless, but take our word for it, they are all helps infitting the mind to grasp the idea of the Oneness of All. Each step isimportant, and renders the next higher one more easily attained. In thismental drill, it will be well to mentally picture the Universe inperpetual motion--everything is in motion--all matter is moving andchanging its forms, and manifesting the Energy within it. Suns and worldsrush through space, their particles constantly changing and moving.Chemical composition and decomposition is constant and unceasing,everywhere the work of building up and breaking down is going on. Newcombinations of atoms and worlds are constantly being formed anddissolved. And after considering this Oneness of the principle of Energy,reflect that through all these changes of form the Ego--the RealSelf--YOU--stand unchanged and unharmed--Eternal, Invincible,Indestructible, Invulnerable, Real and Constant among this changingworld of forms and force. You are above it all, and it revolves aroundand about you--Spirit.

(4) Read what we have said in the "Advanced Course" about Force or

Energy, shading into Mind-substance which is its parent. Realize thatMind is back of all this great exhibition of Energy and Force that youhave been considering. Then will you be ready to consider the Oneness ofMind.

(5) Read what we have said in the "Advanced Lessons" aboutMind-substance. Realize that there is a great world of Mind-substance,or an Universal Mind, which is at the disposal of the Ego. All Thought isthe product of the Ego's use of this Mind-substance, its tool andinstrument. Realize that this Ocean of Mind is entire and Whole, and thatthe Ego may draw freely from it. Realize that You have this great oceanof Mind at your command, when you unfold sufficiently to use it. Realizethat Mind is back of and underneath all of the world of form and namesand action, and that in that sense: "All is Mind," although still higherin the scale than even Mind are You, the Real Self, the Ego, theManifestation of the Absolute.

(6) Realize your identity with and relationship to All of Life. Lookaround you at Life in all its forms, from the lowest to the highest, allbeing exhibitions of the great principle of Life in operation alongdifferent stages of The Path. Scorn not the humblest forms, but lookbehind the form and see the reality--Life. Feel yourself a part of thegreat Universal Life. Let your thought sink to the depths of the ocean,and realize your kinship with the Life back of the forms dwelling there.Do not confound the forms (often hideous from your personal point ofview) with the principle behind them. Look at the plant-life, and theanimal life, and seek to see behind the veil of form into the real Lifebehind and underneath the form. Learn to feel your Life throbbing andthrilling with the Life Principle in these other forms, and in the formsof those of your own race. Gaze into the starry skies and see there thenumerous suns and worlds, all peopled with life in some of its myriadforms, and feel your kinship to it. If you can grasp this thought andconsciousness, you will find yourself at-one-ment with those whirlingworlds, and, instead of feeling small and insignificant by comparison,you will be conscious of an expansion of Self, until you feel that inthose circling worlds is a part of yourself--that You are there also,while standing upon the Earth--that you are akin to all parts of theUniverse--nay, more, that they are as much your home as is the spot uponwhich you are standing. You will find sweeping upon you a sense ofconsciousness that the Universe is your home--not merely a part of it, asyou had previously thought. You will experience a sense of greatness, andbroadness and grandness such as you have never dreamed of. You will beginto realize at least a part of your Divine inheritance, and to know indeedthat you are a Child of the Infinite, the very essence of your DivineParent being in the fibres of your being, At such times of realizationone becomes conscious of what lies before the soul in its upward path,and how small the greatest prizes that Earth has to offer are whencompared to some of these things before the soul, as seen by the eyes of

the Spiritual Mind in moments of clear vision.

You must not dispute with these visions of the greatness of the soul, butmust treat them hospitably, for they are your very own, coming to youfrom the regions of your Spiritual Mind which are unfolding intoconsciousness.

(7) The highest step in this dawning consciousness of the Oneness of All,is the one in which is realized that there is but One Reality, and at thesame time the sense of consciousness that the "I" is in that Reality. Itis most difficult to express this thought in words for it is somethingthat must be felt, rather than seen by the Intellect. When the Soulrealizes that the Spirit within it is, at the last, the only real partof it, and that the Absolute and its manifestation as Spirit is the onlyreal thing in the Universe, a great step has been taken. But there isstill one higher step to be taken before the full sense of the Onenessand Reality comes to us. That step is the one in which we realize theIdentity of the "I" with the great "I" of the Universe. The mystery ofthe manifestation of the Absolute in the form of the Spirit, is veiledfrom us--the mind confesses its inability to penetrate behind the veilshielding the Absolute from view, although it will give us a report ofits being conscious of the presence of the Absolute just at the edge ofthe boundary line. But the highest region of the Spiritual Mind, whenexplored by the advanced souls who are well along the Path, reports thatit sees beyond the apparent separation of Spirit from Spirit, andrealizes that there is but one Reality of Spirit, and that all the "I"'sare really but different views of that One--Centres of Consciousness uponthe surface of the One Great "I," the Centre of which is the AbsoluteItself. This certainly penetrates the whole region of the Spiritual Mind,and gives us all the message of Oneness of the Spirit, just as theIntellect satisfies us with its message of the Oneness of Matter, Energy,and Mind. The idea of Oneness permeates all planes of Life.

The sense of Reality of the "I" that is apparent to You in the moments ofyour clearest mental vision, is really the reflection of the sense ofReality underlying the Whole--it is the consciousness of the Whole,manifesting through your point or Centre of Consciousness. The advancedstudent or Initiate finds his consciousness gradually enlarging until itrealizes its identity with the Whole. He realizes that under all theforms and names of the visible world, there is to be found One Life--OneForce--One Substance--One Existence--One Reality--ONE. And, instead ofhis experiencing any sense of the loss of identity or individuality, hebecomes conscious of an enlargement of an expansion of individuality oridentity--instead of feeling himself absorbed in the Whole, he feels thathe is spreading out and embracing the Whole. This is most hard to expressin words, for there are no words to fit the conception, and all that wecan hope to do is to start into motion, by means of our words, thevibrations that will find a response in the minds of those who read the

words, to the end that they will experience the consciousness which willbring its own understanding. This consciousness cannot be transmitted bywords proceeding from the Intellect, but vibrations may be set up thatwill prepare the mind to receive the message from its own higher planes.

Even in the early stages of this dawning consciousness, one is enabled toidentify the real part of himself with the real part of all the otherforms of life that pass before his notice. In every other man--in everyanimal--in every plant--in every mineral--he sees behind the sheath andform of appearance, an evidence of the presence of the Spirit which isakin to his own Spirit--yea, more than akin, for the two are One. He seesHimself in all forms of life, in all time in all places. He realizes thatthe Real Self is everywhere present and everlasting, and that the Lifewithin himself is also within all the Universe--in everything, for thereis nothing dead in the Universe, and all Life, in all of its varyingphases, is simply the One Life, held, used and enjoyed in common by all.Each Ego is a Centre of Consciousness in this great ocean of Life, andwhile apparently separate and distinct, is yet really in touch with theWhole, and with every apparent part.

It is not our intention, in this lesson, to go into the details of thisgreat mystery of Life, or to recite the comparatively little of the Truththat the most advanced teachers and Masters have handed down. This is notthe place for it--it belongs to the subject of Gnani Yoga rather than toRaja Yoga--and we touch upon it here, not for the purpose of trying toexplain the scientific side of it to you, but merely in order that yourminds may be led to take up the idea and gradually manifest it inconscious realization. There is quite a difference between thescientific, intellectual teaching of Gnani Yoga, whereby the metaphysicaland scientific sides of the Yogi teachings are presented to the minds ofthe students, in a logical, scientific manner, and the methods of RajaYoga, in which the Candidate is led by degrees to a consciousness(outside of mere intellectual belief) of his real nature and powers. Weare following the latter plan, for this course is a Course in RajaYoga. We are aiming to present the matter to the mind in such a mannerthat it may prepare the way for the dawning consciousness, by brushingaway the preconceived notions and prejudices, and allowing a cleanentrance for the new conception. Much that we have said in this lessonmay appear, on the one hand, like useless repetition, and, on the otherhand, like an incomplete presentation of the scientific side of the Yogiteachings. But it will be found, in time, that the effect has been thatthe mind of the student has undergone a change from the absorbing of theidea of the Oneness of Life, and the Expansion of the Self. The Candidateis urged not to be in too much of a hurry. Development must not beforced. Read what we have written, and practice the Mental Drills we havegiven, even if they may appear trifling and childish to some of you--weknow what they will do for you, and you will agree with us in time. Makehaste slowly. You will find that the mind will work out the matter, even

though you be engaged in your ordinary work, and have forgotten thesubject for the time. The greater portion of mental work is done in thisway, while you are busy with something else, or even asleep, for thesub-conscious portion of the mind works along the lines pointed out forit, and performs its task.

As we have said, the purpose of this lesson is to bring you in the way ofthe unfoldment of consciousness, rather than to teach you the details ofthe scientific side of the Yogi teachings. Development is the keynote ofRaja Yoga. And the reason that we wish to develop this sense of theReality of the "I," and the Expansion of the Self, at this place is thatthereby you may assert your Mastery over Matter, Energy and Mind. Beforeyou may mount your throne as King, you must fully realize inconsciousness that you are the Reality in this world of appearances.You must realize that you--the real You--are not only existent, andreal, but that you are in touch with all else that is real, and that theroots of your being are grounded in the Absolute itself. You must realizethat instead of being a separate atom of Reality, isolated and fixed in anarrow space, you are a Centre of Consciousness in the Whole of Reality,and that the Universe of Universes is your home--that your Centre ofConsciousness might be moved on to a point trillions of miles from theEarth (which distance would be as nothing in Space) and still you--theawakened soul--would be just as much at home there as here--that evenwhile you are here, your influence extends far out into space. Your realstate, which will be revealed to you, gradually, throughout the ages, isso great and grand, that your mind in its present state of developmentcannot grasp even the faint reflection of that glory.

We wish you to try to form at least a faint idea of your Real State ofBeing, in order that you may control the lower principles by the force ofyour awakened Will, which Will depends upon your degree of consciousnessof the Real Self.

As man grows in understanding and consciousness of the Real Self, so doeshis ability to use his Will grow. Will is the attribute of the Real Self.It is well that this great realization of the Real Self brings with itLove for all of Life, and Kindness, for, were it not so, the Will thatcomes to him who grows into a realization of his real being could be usedto the great hurt of those of the race who had not progressed so far(their relative hurt, we mean, for in the end, and at the last, no soulis ever really hurt). But the dawning power brings with it greater Loveand Kindness, and the higher the soul mounts the more is it filled withthe higher ideals and the more does it throw from it the lower animalattributes. It is true that some souls growing into a consciousness oftheir real nature, without an understanding of what it all means, maycommit the error of using the awakened Will for selfish ends, as may beseen in the cases of the Black Magicians spoken of in the occultwritings, and also in the cases of well known characters in history and

in modern life, who manifest an enormous Will which they misuse. All ofthis class of people of great Will have stumbled or grown blindly into aconsciousness (or partial consciousness) of the real nature, but lack therestraining influence of the higher teachings. But such misuse of theWill brings pain and unrest to the user, and he is eventually driven intothe right road.

We do not expect our students to grasp fully this idea of the Expansionof Self. Even the highest grasp it only partially. But until you get aglimmering of the consciousness you will not be able to progress faron the path of Raja Yoga. You must understand what you are, before youare able to use the power that lies dormant within you. You must realizethat you are the Master, before you can claim the powers of the Master,and expect to have your commands obeyed. So bear patiently with us, yourTeachers, while we set before you the lessons to be learned--the tasks tobe performed. The road is long, and is rough in places--the feet maybecome tired and bruised, but the reward is great, and there are restingplaces along the path. Be not discouraged if your progress seem slow, forthe soul must unfold naturally as does the flower, without haste, withoutforce.

And be not dismayed nor affrighted if you occasionally catch a glimpseof your higher self. As "M.C." says, in her notes on "Light on the Path"(see "Advanced Course," page 95): "To have seen thy soul in its bloom, isto have obtained a momentary glimpse in thyself of the transfigurationwhich shall eventually make thee more than man; to recognize, is toachieve the great task of gazing upon the blazing light without droppingthe eyes, and not falling back in terror as though before some ghastlyphantom. This happens to some, and so, when the victory is all but won,it is lost."

Peace be with thee.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION) FOR THE THIRD LESSON.

There is but one ultimate form of Matter; one ultimate form of Energy;one ultimate form of Mind. Matter proceeds from Energy, and Energy fromMind, and all are an emanation of the Absolute, threefold in appearancebut One in substance. There is but One Life, and that permeates theUniverse, manifesting in various forms, but being, at the last, but One.My body is one with Universal Matter; My energy and vital force is onewith the Universal Energy; My Mind is one with the Universal Mind; MyLife is one with the Universal Life. The Absolute has expressed andmanifested itself in Spirit, which is the real "I" overshadowing andembracing all the apparently separate "I"s. "I" feel my identity withSpirit and realize the Oneness of All Reality. I feel my unity with allSpirit, and my Union (through Spirit) with the Absolute. I realize that

"I" am an Expression and Manifestation of the Absolute, and that itsvery essence is within me. I am filled with Divine Love. I am filled withDivine Power. I am filled with Divine Wisdom. I am conscious of identityin spirit, in substance; and in nature; with the One Reality.

THE FOURTH LESSON.

MENTAL CONTROL.

In our first three lessons of this series, we have endeavored to bringinto realization within your mind (1) the consciousness of the "I"; itsindependence from the body; its immortality; its invincibility andinvulnerability; (2) the superiority of the "I" over the mind, as well asover the body; the fact that the mind is not the "I," but is merely aninstrument for the expression of the "I"; the fact that the "I" is masterof the mind, as well as of the body; that the "I" is behind all thought;that the "I" can set aside for consideration the sensations, emotions,passions, desires, and the rest of the mental phenomena, and stillrealize that it, the "I," is apart from these mental manifestations, andremains unchanged, real and fully existent; that the "I" can set asideany and all of its mental tools and instruments, as "not I" things, andstill consciously realize that after so setting them aside there remainssomething--itself--the "I" which cannot be set aside or taken from; thatthe "I" is the master of the mind, and not its slave; (3) that the "I" isa much greater thing than the little personal "I" we have beenconsidering it to be; that the "I" is a part of that great One Realitywhich pervades all the Universe; that it is connected with all otherforms of life by countless ties, mental and spiritual filaments andrelations; that the "I" is a Centre of Consciousness in that great OneReality or Spirit, which is behind and back of all Life and Existence,the Centre of which Reality or Existence, is the Absolute or God; thatthe sense of Reality that is inherent in the "I," is really thereflection of the sense of Reality inherent in the Whole--the Great "I"of the Universe.

The underlying principle of these three lessons is the Reality of the"I," in itself, over and above all Matter, Force, or Mind--positive toall of them, just as they are positive or negative to each other--andnegative only to the Centre of the One--the Absolute itself. And this isthe position for the Candidate or Initiate to take: "I am positive toMind, Energy, and Matter, and control them all--I am negative only to theAbsolute, which is the Centre of Being, of which Being I Am. And, as Iassert my mastery over Mind, Energy, and Matter, and exercise my Willover them, so do I acknowledge my subordination to the Absolute, andgladly open my soul to the inflow of the Divine Will, and partake of itsPower, Strength, and Wisdom."

In the present lesson, and those immediately following it, we shallendeavor to assist the Candidate or Initiate in acquiring a mastery ofthe subordinate manifestations, Matter, Energy, and Mind. In order toacquire and assert this mastery, one must acquaint himself with thenature of the thing to be controlled.

In our "Advanced Course" we have endeavored to explain to you the natureof the Three Great Manifestations, known as Chitta, or Mind-Substance;Prana, or Energy; and Akasa, or the Principle of Matter. We alsoexplained to you that the "I" of man is superior to these three, beingwhat is known as Atman or Spirit. Matter, Energy, and Mind, as we haveexplained, are manifestations of the Absolute, and are relative things.The Yogi philosophy teaches that Matter is the grossest form ofmanifested substance, being below Energy and Mind, and consequentlynegative to, and subordinate to both. One stage higher than Matter, isEnergy or Force, which is positive to, and has authority over, Matter(Matter being a still grosser form of substance), but which is negativeto and subordinate to Mind, which is a still higher form of substance.Next in order comes the highest of the three--Mind--the finest form ofsubstance, and which dominates both Energy and Matter, being positive toboth. Mind, however is negative and subordinate to the "I," which isSpirit, and obeys the orders of the latter when firmly and intelligentlygiven. The "I" itself is subordinate only to the Absolute--the Centre ofBeing--the "I" being positive and dominant over the threefoldmanifestation of Mind, Energy, and Matter.

The "I," which for the sake of the illustration must be regarded as aseparate thing (although it is really only a Centre of Consciousness inthe great body of Spirit), finds itself surrounded by the triple-ocean ofMind, Energy and Matter, which ocean extends into Infinity. The body isbut a physical form through which flows an unending stream of matter,for, as you know the particles and atoms of the body are constantlychanging; being renewed; replaced; thrown off, and supplanted. One's bodyof a few years ago, or rather the particles composing that body, havepassed off and now form new combinations in the world of matter. Andone's body of to-day is passing away and being replaced by new particles.And one's body of next year is now occupying some other portion of space,and its particles are now parts of countless other combinations, fromwhich space and combinations they will later come to combine and form thebody of next year. There is nothing permanent about the body--even theparticles of the bones are being constantly replaced by others. Andso it is with the Vital Energy, Force, or Strength of the body (includingthat of the brain). It is constantly being used up, and expended, a freshsupply taking its place. And even the Mind of the person is changeable,and the Mind-substance or Chitta, is being used up and replenished, thenew supply coming from the great Ocean of Mind, into which the discardedportion slips, just as is the case with the matter and energy.

While the majority of our students, who are more or less familiar withthe current material scientific conceptions, will readily accept theabove idea of the ocean of Matter, and Energy, and the fact that thereis a continual using up and replenishing of one's store of both, they mayhave more or less trouble in accepting the idea that Mind is a substance

or principle amenable to the same general laws as are the other twomanifestations, or attributes of substance. One is so apt to think of hisMind as "himself"--the "I." Notwithstanding the fact that in our SecondLesson of this series we showed you that the "I" is superior to themental states, and that it can set them aside and regard and considerthem as "not-I" things, yet the force of the habit of thought is verystrong, and it may take some of you considerable time before you "getinto the way" of realizing that your Mind is "something that you use,"instead of being You--yourself. And yet, you must persevere in attainingthis realization, for in the degree that you realize your dominance overyour mind, so will be your control of it, and its amenability to thatcontrol. And, as is the degree of that dominance and control, so willbe the character, grade and extent of the work that your Mind will do foryou. So you see: Realization brings Control--and Control bringsresults. This statement lies at the base of the science of Raja Yoga.And many of its first exercises are designed to acquaint the student withthat realization, and to develop the realization and control by habit andpractice.

The Yogi Philosophy teaches that instead of Mind being the "I." it isthe thing through and by means of which the "I" thinks, at least sofar as is concerned the knowledge concerning the phenomenal or outwardUniverse--that is the Universe of Name and Form. There is a higherKnowledge locked up in the innermost part of the "I," that far transcendsany information that it may receive about or from the outer world, butthat is not before us for consideration at this time, and we must concernourselves with the "thinking" about the world of things.

Mind-substance in Sanscrit is called "Chitta," and a wave in theChitta (which wave is the combination of Mind and Energy) is called"Vritta," which is akin to what we call a "thought." In other words itis "mind in action," whereas Chitta is "mind in repose." Vritta, whenliterally translated means "a whirlpool or eddy in the mind," which isexactly what a thought really is.

But we must call the attention of the student, at this point, to the factthat the word "Mind" is used in two ways by the Yogis and otheroccultists, and the student is directed to form a clear conception ofeach meaning, in order to avoid confusion, and that he may more clearlyperceive the two aspects of the things which the word is intended toexpress. In the first place the word "Mind" is used as synonymouswith Chitta, or Mind-substance, which is the Universal Mind Principle.From this Chitta, Mind-substance, or Mind, all the material of themillions of personal minds is obtained. The second meaning of the word"Mind" is that which we mean when we speak of the "mind" of anyone,thereby meaning the mental faculties of that particular person--thatwhich distinguishes his mental personality from that of another. We havetaught you that this "mind" in Man, functions on three planes, and have

called the respective manifestations (1) the Instinctive Mind; (2) theIntellect; and (3) the Spiritual Mind. (See "Fourteen Lessons in YogiPhilosophy," etc.) These three mental planes, taken together, make upthe "mind" of the person, or to be more exact they, clustered around the"I" form the "soul" of the individual. The word "soul" is often used assynonymous with "spirit" but those who have followed us will distinguishthe difference. The "soul" is the Ego surrounded by its mentalprinciples, while the Spirit is the "soul of the soul"--the "I," or RealSelf.

The Science of Raja Yoga, to which this series of lessons is devoted,teaches, as its basic principle, the Control of the Mind. It holds thatthe first step toward Power consists in obtaining a control of one'sown mind. It holds that the internal world must be conquered before theouter world is attacked. It holds that the "I" manifests itself inWill, and that that Will may be used to manipulate, guide, govern anddirect the mind of its owner, as well as the physical world. It aims toclear away all mental rubbish, and encumbrances--to conduct a "mentalhouse-cleaning," as it were, and to secure a clear, clean, healthy mind.Then it proceeds to control that mind intelligently, and with effect,saving all waste-power, and by means of concentration bringing the Mindin full harmony with the Will, that it may be brought to a focus and itspower greatly increased and its efficiency fully secured. Concentrationand Will-power are the means by which the Yogis obtain such wonderfulresults, and by which they manage and direct their vigorous, healthyminds, and master the material world, acting positively upon Energy andMatter. This control extends to all planes of the Mind and the Yogis notonly control the Instinctive Mind, holding in subjection its lowerqualities and making use of its other parts, but they also develop andenlarge the field of their Intellect and obtain from it wonderfulresults. Even the Spiritual Mind is mastered, and aided in itsunfoldment, and urged to pass down into the field of consciousness someof the wonderful secrets to be found within its area. By means of RajaYoga many of the secrets of existence and Being--many of the Riddles ofthe Universe--are answered and solved. And by it the latent powersinherent in the constitution of Man are unfolded and brought into action.Those highly advanced in the science are believed to have obtained such awonderful degree of power and control over the forces of the universe,that they are as gods compared with the ordinary man.

Raja Yoga teaches that not only may power of this kind be secured, butthat a wonderful field of Knowledge is opened out through its practice.It holds that when the concentrated mind is focused upon thing orsubject, the true nature and inner meaning, of, and concerning, thatthing or subject will be brought to view. The concentrated mind passesthrough the object or subject just as the X-Ray passes through a block ofwood, and the thing is seen by the "I" as it is--in truth--and not asit had appeared before, imperfectly and erroneously. Not only may the

outside world be thus explored, but the mental ray may be turned inward,and the secret places of the mind explored. When it is remembered thatthe bit of mind that each man possesses, is like a drop of the oceanwhich contains within its tiny compass all the elements that make up theocean, and that to know perfectly the drop is to know perfectly theocean, then we begin to see what such a power really means.

Many in the Western world who have attained great results in theintellectual and scientific fields of endeavor, have developed thesepowers more or less unconsciously. Many great inventors are practicalYogis, although they do not realize the source of their power. Anyone whois familiar with the personal mental characteristics of Edison, will seethat he follows some of the Raja Yoga methods, and that Concentrationis one of his strongest weapons. And from all reports, Prof. Elmer Gates,of Washington, D.C., whose mind has unfolded many wonderful discoveriesand inventions, is also a practical Yogi although he may repudiate theassertion vigorously, and may not have familiarized himself with theprinciples of this science, which he has "dropped into" unconsciously.Those who have reported upon Prof. Gates' methods, say that he fairly"digs out" the inventions and discoveries from his mind, after goinginto seclusion and practicing concentration, and what is known as theMental Vision.

But we have given you enough of theory for one lesson, and must begin togive you directions whereby you may aid yourself in developing theselatent powers and unfolding these dormant energies. You will notice thatin this series we first tell you something about the theory, and thenproceed to give you "something to do." This is the true Yogi method asfollowed and practiced by their best teachers. Too much theory istiresome, and sings the mind to sleep, while too much exercise tires one,and does not give the inquiring part of his mind the necessary food. Tocombine both in suitable proportions is the better plan, and one that weaim to follow.

MENTAL DRILL AND EXERCISES.

Before we can get the mind to do good work for us, we must first "tame"it, and bring it to obedience to the Will of the "I." The mind, as arule, has been allowed to run wild, and follow its own sweet will anddesires, without regard to anything else. Like a spoiled child or badlytrained domestic animal, it gets into much trouble, and is of very littlepleasure, comfort or use. The minds of many of us are like menageriesof wild animals, each pursuing the bent of its own nature, and going itsown way. We have the whole menagerie within us--the tiger, the ape, thepeacock, the ass, the goose, the sheep the hyena, and all the rest. Andwe have been letting these animals rule us. Even our Intellect iserratic, unstable, and like the quicksilver to which the ancient

occultists compared it, shifting and uncertain. If you will look aroundyou you will see that those men and women in the world who have reallyaccomplished anything worth while have trained their minds to obedience.They have asserted the Will over their own minds, and learned Mastery andPower in that way. The average mind chafes at the restraint of the Will,and is like a frisky monkey that will not be "taught tricks." But taughtit must be, if it wants to do good work. And teach it you must if youexpect to get any use from it--if you expect to use it, instead of havingit use you.

And this is the first thing to be learned in Raja Yoga--this control ofthe mind. Those who had hoped for some royal road to mastery, may bedisappointed, but there is only one way and that is to master and controlthe mind by the Will. Otherwise it will run away when you most need it.And so we shall give you some exercise designed to aid you in thisdirection.

The first exercise in Raja Yoga Is what is called Pratyahara or theart of making the mind introspective or turned inward upon itself. It isthe first step toward mental control. It aims to turn the mind fromgoing outward, and gradually turning it inward upon itself or innernature. The object is to gain control of it by the Will. The followingexercises will aid in that direction:

EXERCISE I.

(a) Place yourself in a comfortable position, and so far as possible freefrom outside disturbing influences. Make no violent effort to controlthe mind, but rather allow it to run along for a while and exhaust itsefforts. It will take advantage of the opportunity, and will jump aroundlike an unchained monkey at first, until it gradually slows down andlooks to you for orders. It may take some time to tame down at firsttrial, but each time you try it will come around to you in shorter time.The Yogis spend much time in acquiring this mental peace and calm, andconsider themselves well paid for it.

(b) When the mind is well calmed down, and peaceful, fix the thought onthe "I Am," as taught in our previous lessons. Picture the "I" as anentity independent of the body; deathless; invulnerable; immortal; real.Then think of it as independent of the body, and able to exist withoutits fleshly covering. Meditate upon this for a time, and then graduallydirect the thought to the realization of the "I" as independent andsuperior to the mind, and controlling same. Go over the general ideas ofthe first two lessons, and endeavor to calmly reflect upon them andto see them in the "mind's eye." You will find that your mind isgradually becoming more and more peaceful and calm, and that thedistracting thoughts of the outside world are farther and farther removed

from you.

(c) Then let the mind pass on to a calm consideration of the ThirdLesson, in which we have spoken of the Oneness of All, and therelationship of the "I" to the One Life; Power; Intelligence; Being. Youwill find that you are acquiring a mental control and calm heretoforeunknown to you. The exercises in the first three lessons will haveprepared you for this.

(d) The following is the most difficult of the variations or degrees ofthis exercise, but the ability to perform it will come gradually. Theexercise consists in gradually shutting out all thought or impressionof the outside world; of the body; and of the thoughts themselves, thestudent concentrating and meditating upon the word and idea "I AM," theidea being that he shall concentrate upon the idea of mere "being" or"existence," symbolized by the words "I Am." Not "I am this," or "I amthat," or "I do this," or "I think that," but simply: "I AM."This exercise will focus the attention at the very centre of Being withinoneself, and will gather in all the mental energies, instead of allowingthem to be scattered upon outside things. A feeling of Peace, Strength,and Power will result, for the affirmation, and the thought back of it,is the most powerful and strongest that one may make, for it is astatement of Actual Being, and a turning of the thought inward to thattruth. Let the mind first dwell upon the word "I," identifying it withthe Self, and then let it pass on to the word "AM," which signifiesReality, and Being. Then combine the two with the meanings thereof, andthe result a most powerful focusing of thought inward, and most potentStatement of Being.

It is well to accompany the above exercises with a comfortable and easyphysical attitude, so as to prevent the distraction of the attention bythe body. In order to do this one should assume an easy attitude and thenrelax every muscle, and take the tension from every nerve, until aperfect sense of ease, comfort and relaxation is obtained. You shouldpractice this until you have fully acquired it. It will be useful to youin many ways, besides rendering Concentration and Meditation easier. Itwill act as a "rest cure" for tired body, nerves, and mind.

EXERCISE II.

The second step in Raja Yoga is what is known as Dharana, orConcentration. This is a most wonderful idea in the direction of focusingthe mental forces, and may be cultivated to an almost incredible degree,but all this requires work, time, and patience. But the student will bewell repaid for it. Concentration consists in the mind focusing upon acertain subject, or object, and being held there for a time. This, atfirst thought seems very easy, but a little practice will show how

difficult it is to firmly fix the attention and hold it there. It willhave a tendency to waver, and move to some other object or subject, andmuch practice will be needed in order to hold it at the desired point.But practice will accomplish wonders, as one may see by observing peoplewho have acquired this faculty, and who use it in their everyday life.But the following point should be remembered. Many persons have acquiredthe faculty of concentrating their attention, but have allowed it tobecome almost involuntary, and they become a slave to it, forgettingthemselves and everything else, and often neglecting necessary affairs.This is the ignorant way of concentrating, and those addicted to itbecome slaves to their habits, instead of masters of their minds. Theybecome day-dreamers, and absent-minded people, instead of Masters. Theyare to be pitied as much as those who cannot concentrate at all. Thesecret is in a mastery of the mind. The Yogis can concentrate at will,and completely bury themselves in the subject before them, and extractfrom it every item of interest, and can then pass the mind from the thingat will, the same control being used in both cases. They do not allowfits of abstraction, or "absent-mindedness" to come upon them, nor arethey day-dreamers. On the contrary they are very wide awake individuals;close observers; clear thinkers; correct reasoners. They are masters oftheir minds, not slaves to their moods. The ignorant concentrator burieshimself in the object or subject, and allows it to master and absorbhimself, while the trained Yogi thinker asserts the "I," and then directshis mind to concentrate upon the subject or object, keeping it well undercontrol and in view all the time. Do you see the difference? Then heedthe lesson.

The following exercises may be found useful in the first steps ofConcentration:

(a) Concentrate the attention upon some familiar object--a pencil, forinstance. Hold the mind there and consider the pencil to the exclusion ofany other object. Consider its size; color; shape; kind of wood. Considerits uses, and purposes; its materials; the process of its manufacture,etc., etc., etc. In short think as many things about the pencil aspossible allowing the mind to pursue any associated by-paths, such as aconsideration of the graphite of which the "lead" is made; the forestfrom which came the wood used in making the pencil; the history ofpencils, and other implements used for writing, etc. In short exhaustthe subject of "Pencils." In considering a subject under concentration,the following plan of synopsis will be found useful. Think of the thingin question from the following view-points:

(1) The thing itself.

(2) The place from whence it came.

(3) Its purpose or use.

(4) Its associations.

(5) Its probable end.

Do not let the apparently trivial nature of the inquiry discourage you,for the simplest form of mental training is useful, and will help todevelop your Will and Concentration. It is akin to the process ofdeveloping a physical muscle by some simple exercise, and in both casesone loses sight of the unimportance of the exercise itself, in view ofthe end to be gained.

(b) Concentrate the attention upon some part of the body--the hand forinstance, and fixing your entire attention upon it, shut off or inhibitall sensation from the other parts of the body. A little practice willenable you to do this. In addition to the mental training, this exercisewill stimulate the part of the body concentrated upon, for reasons thatwill appear in future lessons. Change the parts of the body concentratedupon, and thus give the mind a variety of exercises, and the body theeffect of a general stimulation.

(c) These exercises may be extended indefinitely upon familiar objectsabout you. Remember always, that the thing in itself is of no importance,the whole idea being to train the mind to obey the Will, so that when youreally wish to use the mental forces upon some important object, you mayfind them well trained and obedient. Do not be tempted to slight thispart of the work because it is "dry" and uninteresting, for it leads upto things that are most interesting, and opens a door to a fascinatingsubject.

(d) Practice focusing the attention upon some abstract subject--that isupon some subject of interest that may offer a field for mentalexploration. Think about the subject in all its phases and branches,following up one by-path, and then another, until you feel that you knowall about the subject that your mind has acquired. You will be surprisedto find how much more you know about any one thing or subject than youhad believed possible. In hidden corners of your mind you will find someuseful or interesting information about the thing in question, and whenyou are through you will feel well posted upon it, and upon the thingsconnected with it. This exercise will not only help, to develop yourintellectual powers, but will strengthen your memory, and broaden yourmind, and give you more confidence in yourself. And, in addition, youwill have taken a valuable exercise in Concentration or Dharana.

The Importance of Concentration.

Concentration is a focusing of the mind. And this focusing of the mind

requires a focusing, or bringing to a center, of the Will. The mind isconcentrated because the Will is focused upon the object. The mind flowsinto the mould made by the Will. The above exercises are designed notonly to accustom the mind to the obedience and direction of the Will, butalso tend to accustom the Will to command. We speak of strengthening theWill, when what we really mean is training the mind to obey, andaccustoming the Will to command. Our Will is strong enough, but we do notrealize it. The Will takes root in the very center of our being--in the"I," but our imperfectly developed mind does not recognize this tact.We are like young elephants that do not recognize their own strength, butallow themselves to be mastered by puny drivers, whom they could brushaside with a movement. The Will is back of all action--all doing--mentaland physical.

We shall have much to say touching the Will, in these lessons and thestudent should give the matter his careful attention. Let him look aroundhim, and he will see that the great difference between the men who havestepped forward from the ranks, and those who remain huddled up in thecrowd, consists in Determination and Will. As Buxton has well said:"The longer I live, the more certain I am that the great differencebetween men, the feeble and the powerful; the great and theinsignificant; is Energy and Invincible Determination." And he might haveadded that the thing behind that "energy and invincible determination"was Will.

The writers and thinkers of all ages have recognized the wonderful andtranscendent importance of the Will. Tennyson sings: "O living Will thoushalt endure when all that seems shall suffer shock." Oliver WendellHolmes says: "The seat of the Will seems to vary with the organ throughwhich it is manifested; to transport itself to different parts of thebrain, as we may wish to recall a picture, a phrase, a melody; to throwits force on the muscles or the intellectual processes. Like thegeneral-in-chief, its place is everywhere in the field of action. It isthe least like an instrument of any of our faculties; the farthestremoved from our conceptions of mechanism and matter, as we commonlydefine them." Holmes was correct in his idea, but faulty in his details.The Will does not change its seat, which is always in the center of theEgo, but the Will forces the mind to all parts, and in all directions,and it directs the Prana or vital force likewise. The Will is indeedthe general-in-chief, but it does not rush to the various points ofaction, but sends its messengers and couriers there to carry out itsorders. Buxton has said: "The Will will do anything that can be done inthis world. And no talents, no circumstances, no opportunities willmake a two-legged creature a Man without it." Ik Marvel truly says:"Resolve is what makes a man manifest; not puny resolve, not crudedeterminations, not errant purpose--but that strong and indefatigableWill which treads down difficulties and danger, as a boy treads down theheaving frost-lands of winter; which kindles his eye and brain with a

proud pulse-beat toward the unattainable. Will makes men giants."

The great obstacle to the proper use of the Will, in the case of themajority of people, is the lack of ability to focus the attention. TheYogis clearly understand this point, and many of the Raja Yogaexercises which are given to the students by the teachers, are designedto overcome this difficulty. Attention is the outward evidence of theWill. As a French writer has said: "The attention is subject to thesuperior authority of the Ego. I yield it, or I withhold it, as I please.I direct it in turn to several points. I concentrate it upon each pointas long as my Will can stand the effort." Prof. James has said: "Theessential achievement of the Will, when it is most voluntary, is toattend to a difficult object, and hold it fast before the mind. Effort ofAttention is the essential phenomenon of the Will." And Prof. Hallecksays: "The first step toward the development of Will lies in the exerciseof Attention. Ideas grow in distinctness and motor-power as we attend tothem. If we take two ideas of the same intensity and center the attentionupon one, we shall notice how much it grows in power." Prof. Sully says:"Attention may be roughly defined as the active self-direction of themind to any object which presents itself at the moment." The word"Attention" is derived from two Latin words, ad tendere, meaning "tostretch towards," and this is just what the Yogis know it to be. By meansof their psychic or clairvoyant sight, they see the thought of theattentive person stretched out toward the object attended to, like asharp wedge, the point of which is focused upon the object underconsideration, the entire force of the thought being concentrated at thatpoint. This is true not only when the person is considering an object,but when he is earnestly impressing his ideas upon another, or upon sometask to be accomplished. Attention means reaching the mind out to andfocusing it upon something.

The trained Will exhibits itself in a tenacious Attention, and thisAttention is one of the signs of the trained Will. The student must nothastily conclude that this kind of Attention is a common faculty amongmen. On the contrary it is quite rare, and is seen only among those of"strong" mentality. Anyone may fasten his Attention upon some passing,pleasing thing, but it takes a trained will to fasten it upon someunattractive thing, and hold it there. Of course the trained occultist isable to throw interest into the most unattractive thing upon which itbecomes advisable to focus his Attention, but this, in itself, comes withthe trained Will, and is not the possession of the average man. VoluntaryAttention is rare, and is found only among strong characters. But it maybe cultivated and grown, until he who has scarcely a shade of it to-day,in time may become a giant. It is all a matter of practice, exercise, andWill.

It is difficult to say too much in favor of the development of thefaculty of tenacious Attention. One possessing this developed faculty is

able to accomplish far more than even a much "brighter" man who lacksit. And the best way to train the Attention, under the direction of theWill, is to practice upon uninteresting objects, and ideas, holdingthem before the mind until they begin to assume an Interest. This isdifficult at first, but the task soon begins to take on a pleasantaspect, for one finds that his Will-power and Attention are growing, andhe feels himself acquiring a Force and Power that were lacking before--herealizes that he is growing Stronger. Charles Dickens said that thesecret of his success consisted in his developing a faculty of throwinghis entire Attention into whatever he happened to be doing at the momentand then being able to turn that same degree of Attention to the nextthing coming before him for consideration. He was like a man behind agreat searchlight, which was successively turned upon point after point,illuminating each in turn. The "I" is the man behind the light, and theWill is the reflector, the light being the Attention.

This discussion of Will and Attention may seem somewhat "dry" to thestudent, but that is all the more reason that he should attend to it. Itis the secret that lies at the basis of the Science of Raja Yoga, andthe Yogi Masters have attained a degree of Concentrated Will andAttention that would be inconceivable to the average "man on the street."By reason of this, they are able to direct the mind here and there,outward or inward, with an enormous force. They are able to focus themind upon a small thing with remarkable intensity, just as the rays ofthe sun may be focused through a "sun-glass" and caused to ignite linen,or, on the other hand, they are able to send forth the mind with intenseenergy, illuminating whatever it rests upon, just as happens in the caseof the strong electric searchlight, with which many of us are familiar.By all means start in to cultivate the Attention and Will. Practice onthe unpleasant tasks--do the things that you have before you, and fromwhich you have been shrinking because they were unpleasant. Throwinterest into them, and the difficulty will vanish, and you will come outof it much stronger, and filled with a new sense of Power.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

"I" have a Will--it is my inalienable property and right. I determine tocultivate and develop it by practice and exercise. My mind is obedient tomy Will. I assert my Will over my Mind. I am Master of my mind and body.I assert my Mastery. My Will is Dynamic--full of Force and Energy, andPower. I feel my strength. I am Strong. I am Forceful. I am Vital. I amCenter of Consciousness, Energy, Strength, and Power, and I claim mybirthright.

THE FIFTH LESSON.

THE CULTIVATION OF ATTENTION.

In our last lesson we called your attention to the fact that the Yogisdevote considerable time and practice to the acquirement ofConcentration. And we also had something to say regarding the relationof Attention to the subject of Concentration. In this lesson we shallhave more to say on the subject of Attention, for it is one of theimportant things relating to the practice of Raja Yoga, and the Yogisinsist upon their students practicing systematically to develop andcultivate the faculty. Attention lies at the base of Will-power, and thecultivation of one makes easy the exercise of the other.

To explain why we lay so much importance to the cultivation of Attention,would necessitate our anticipating future lessons of this series, whichwe do not deem advisable at this time. And so we must ask our students totake our word for it, that all that we have to say regarding theimportance of the cultivation of Attention, is occasioned by the relationof that subject to the use of the mind in certain directions as willappear fully later on.

In order to let you know that we are not advancing some peculiar theoryof the Yogis, which may not be in harmony with modern Western Science, wegive you in this article a number of quotations, from Western writers andthinkers, touching upon this important faculty of the mind, so that youmay see that the West and East agree upon this main point, howeverdifferent may be their explanations of the fact, or their use of thepower gained by the cultivation of Attention.

As we said in our last lesson, the word Attention is derived from twoLatin words "ad tendere," meaning "to stretch toward," which is reallywhat Attention is. The "I" wills that the mind be focused on someparticular object or thing, and the mind obeys and "stretches toward"that object or thing, focusing its entire energy upon it, observing everydetail, dissecting, analyzing, consciously and sub-consciously, drawingto itself every possible bit of information regarding it, both fromwithin and from without. We cannot lay too much stress upon theacquirement of this great faculty, or rather, the development of it, forit is necessary for the intelligent study of Raja Yoga.

In order to bring out the importance of the subject, suppose we start inby actually giving our Attention to the subject of Attention, and see howmuch more there is in it than we had thought. We shall be well repaid forthe amount of time and trouble expended upon it.

Attention has been defined as a focusing of consciousness, or, if one

prefers the form of expression, as "detention in consciousness." In thefirst case, we may liken it to the action of the sun-glass through whichthe sun's rays are concentrated upon an object, the result being that theheat is gathered together at a small given point, the intensity of thesame being raised many degrees until the heat is sufficient to burn apiece of wood, or evaporate water. If the rays were not focused, the samerays and heat would have been scattered over a large surface, and theeffect and power lessened. And so it is with the mind. If it is allowedto scatter itself over the entire field of a subject, it will exert butlittle power and the results will be weak. But if it is passed throughthe sun-glass of attention, and focused first over one part, and thenover another, and so on, the matter may be mastered in detail, and aresult accomplished that will seem little less than marvelous to thosewho do not know the secret.

Thompson has said: "The experiences most permanently impressed uponconsciousness, are those upon which the greatest amount of attention hasbeen fixed."

Another writer upon the subject has said that "Attention is soessentially necessary to understanding, that without some degree of itthe ideas and perceptions that pass through the mind seem to leave notrace behind them."

Hamilton has said: "An act of attention, that is, an act ofconcentration, seems thus necessary to every exertion of consciousness,as a certain contraction of the pupil is requisite to every exertion ofvision. Attention then is to consciousness what the contraction of thepupil is to sight, or, to the eye of the mind what the microscope ortelescope is to the bodily eye. It constitutes the better half of allintellectual power."

And Brodie adds, quite forcibly: "It is Attention much more than anydifference in the abstract power of reasoning, which constitutes the vastdifference which exists between minds of different individuals."

Butler gives us this important testimony: "The most importantintellectual habit I know of is the habit of attending exclusively to thematter in hand. It is commonly said that genius cannot be infused byeducation, yet this power of concentrated attention, which belongs as apart of his gift to every great discoverer, is unquestionably capable ofalmost indefinite augmentation by resolute practice."

And, concluding this review of opinions, and endorsements of that whichthe Yogis have so much to say, and to which they attach so muchimportance, let us listen to the words of Beattie, who says: "Theforce wherewith anything strikes the mind, is generally in proportion tothe degree of attention bestowed upon it. Moreover, the great art of

memory is attention, and inattentive people always have bad memories."

There are two general kinds of Attention. The first is the Attentiondirected within the mind upon mental objects and concepts. The other isthe Attention directed outward upon objects external to ourselves. Thesame general rules and laws apply to both equally.

Likewise there may be drawn another distinction and division of attentioninto two classes, viz., Attenion attracted by some impression cominginto consciousness without any conscious effort of the Will--this iscalled Involuntary Attention, for the Attention and Interest is caught bythe attractiveness or novelty of the object. Attention directed to someobject by an effort of the Will, is called Voluntary Attention.Involuntary Attention is quite common, and requires no special training.In fact, the lower animals, and young children seem to have a greatershare of it than do adult men. A great percentage of men and women neverget beyond this stage to any marked degree. On the other hand, VoluntaryAttention requires effort, will, and determination--a certain mentaltraining, that is beyond the majority of people, for they will not "takethe trouble" to direct their attention in this way. Voluntary Attentionis the mark of the student and other thoughtful men. They focus theirminds on objects that do not yield immediate interest or pleasure, inorder that they may learn and accomplish. The careless person will notthus fasten his Attention, at least not more than a moment or so, for hisInvoluntary Attention is soon attracted by some passing object of nomatter how trifling a nature, and the Voluntary Attention disappears andis forgotten. Voluntary Attention is developed by practice andperseverance, and is well worth the trouble, for nothing in the mentalworld is accomplished without its use.

The Attention does not readily fasten itself to uninteresting objects,and, unless interest can be created it requires a considerable degree ofVoluntary Attention in order that the mind may be fastened upon such anobject. And, more than this, even if the ordinary attention is attractedit will soon waver, unless there is some interesting change in the aspectof the object, that will give the attention a fresh hold of interest, orunless some new quality, characteristic or property manifests itself inthe object. This fact occurs because the mind mechanism has not beentrained to bear prolonged Voluntary Attention, and, in fact, the physicalbrain is not accustomed to the task, although it may be so trained bypatient practice.

It has been noticed by investigators that the Attention may be rested andfreshened, either by withdrawing the Voluntary Attention from the object,and allowing the Attention to manifest along Involuntary lines towardpassing objects, etc.; or, on the other hand, by directing the VoluntaryAttention into a new field of observation--toward some new object.Sometimes one plan will seem to give the best results, and again the

other will seem preferable.

We have called your attention to the fact that Interest developsAttention, and holds it fixed, while an uninteresting object or subjectrequires a much greater effort and application. This fact is apparent toanyone. A common illustration may be found in the matter of reading abook. Nearly everyone will give his undivided attention to some bright,thrilling story, while but few are able to use sufficient VoluntaryAttention to master the pages of some scientific work. But, right here,we wish to call your attention to the other side of the case, which isanother example of the fact that Truth is composed of paradoxes.

Just as Interest develops Attention, so it is a truth that Attentiondevelops Interest. If one will take the trouble to give a littleVoluntary Attention to an object, he will soon find that a littleperseverance will bring to light points of Interest in the object. Thingsbefore unseen and unsuspected, are quickly brought to light. And many newphases, and aspects of the subject or object are seen, each one of which,in turn, becomes an object of Interest. This is a fact not so generallyknown, and one that it will be well for you to remember, and to use inpractice. Look for the interesting features of an uninteresting thing,and they will appear to your view, and before long the uninterestingobject will have changed into a thing having many-sided interests.

Voluntary Attention is one of the signs of a developed Will. That is, ofa mind that has been well trained by the Will, for the Will is alwaysstrong, and it is the mind that has to be trained, not the Will. And onthe other hand, one of the best ways to train the mind by the Will, is bypractice in Voluntary Attention. So you see how the rule works both ways.Some Western psychologists have even advanced theories that the VoluntaryAttention is the only power of the Will, and that that power issufficient, for if the Attention be firmly fixed, and held upon an objectthe mind will "do the rest." We do not agree with this school ofphilosophers, but merely mention the fact as an illustration of theimportance attributed by psychologists to this matter of VoluntaryAttention.

A man of a strongly developed Attention often accomplishes far more thansome much brighter man who lacks it. Voluntary Attention and Applicationis a very good substitute for Genius, and often accomplishes far more inthe long run.

Voluntary Attention is the fixing of the mind earnestly and intently uponsome particular object, at the same time shutting out from consciousnessother objects pressing for entrance. Hamilton has defined it as"consciousness voluntarily applied under its law of limitations to somedeterminate object." The same writer goes on to state that "the greaterthe number of objects to which our consciousness is simultaneously

extended, the smaller is the intensity with which it is able to considereach, and consequently the less vivid and distinct will be theinformation it contains of the several objects. When our interest in anyparticular object is excited, and when we wish to obtain all theknowledge concerning it in our power, it behooves us to limit ourconsideration to that object to the exclusion of others."

The human mind has the power of attending to only one object at a time,although it is able to pass from one object to another with a marvelousdegree of speed, so rapidly, in fact, that some have held that it couldgrasp several things at once. But the best authorities, Eastern andWestern, hold to the "single idea" theory as being correct. On this pointwe may quote a few authorities.

Jouffroy says that "It is established by experience that we cannot giveour attention to two different objects at the same time." And Hollandstates that "Two thoughts, however closely related to one another,cannot be presumed to exist at the same time." And Lewes has told usthat "The nature of our organism prevents our having more than one aspectof an object at each instant presented to consciousness." Whateleysays: "The best philosophers are agreed that the mind cannot actuallyattend to more than one thing at a time, but, when it appears to be doingso it is really shifting with prodigious rapidity backward and forwardfrom one to the other."

By giving a concentrated Voluntary Attention to an object, we not onlyare able to see and think about it with the greatest possible degree ofclearness, but the mind has a tendency, under such circumstances, tobring into the field of consciousness all the different ideas associatedin our memory with that object or subject, and to build around the objector subject a mass of associated facts and information. And at the sametime the Attention given the subject makes more vivid and clear all thatwe learn about the thing at the time, and, in fact, all that we mayafterwards learn about it. It seems to cut a channel, through whichknowledge flows.

Attention magnifies and increases the powers of perception, and greatlyaids the exercise of the perceptive faculties. By "paying attention" tosomething seen or heard, one is enabled to observe the details of thething seen or heard, and where the inattentive mind acquires say threeimpressions the attentive mind absorbs three times three, or perhapsthree times "three times three," or twenty-seven. And, as we have justsaid, Attention brings into play the powers of association, and gives usthe "loose end" of an almost infinite chain of associated facts, storedaway in our memory, forming new combinations of facts which we had nevergrouped together before, and bring out into the field of consciousnessall the many scraps of information regarding the thing to which we aregiving attention. The proof of this is within the experience of everyone.

Where is the one who does not remember sitting down to some writing,painting, reading, etc., with interest and attention, and finding, muchto his surprise, what a flow of facts regarding the matter in hand waspassing through his mind. Attention seems to focus all the knowledge of athing that you possess, and by bringing it to a point enables you tocombine, associate, classify, etc., and thus create new knowledge.Gibbon tells us that after he gave a brief glance and consideration toa new subject, he suspended further work upon it, and allowed his mind(under concentrated attention) to bring forth all his associatedknowledge regarding the subject, after which he renewed the task withincreased power and efficiency.

The more one's attention is fixed upon a subject under consideration, thedeeper is the impression which the subject leaves upon the mind. And theeasier will it be for him to afterwards pursue the same train of thoughtand work.

Attention is a prerequisite of good memory, and in fact there can be nomemory at all unless some degree of attention is given. The degree ofmemory depends upon the degree of attention and interest. And when it isconsidered that the work of today is made efficient by the memory ofthings learned yesterday, the day before yesterday, and so on, it is seenthat the degree of attention given today regulates the quality of thework of tomorrow.

Some authorities have described Genius as the result of great powers ofattention, or, at least, that the two seem to run together. Some writerhas said that "possibly the best definition of genius is the power ofconcentrating upon some one given subject until its possibilities areexhausted and absorbed." Simpson has said that "The power and habit ofthinking closely and continuously upon the subject at hand, to theexclusion, for the time, of all other subjects, is one of the principal,if, indeed, not the principal, means of success." Sir Isaac Newton hastold us his plan of absorbing information and knowledge. He has statedthat he would keep the subject under consideration before himcontinually, and then would wait till the first dawning of perceptiongradually brightened into a clear light, little by little. A mentalsunrise, in fact.

That sage observer, Dr. Abercrombie, has written that he consideredthat he knew of no more important rule for rising to eminence in anyprofession or occupation than the Ability to do one thing at a time,avoiding all distracting and diverting objects or subjects, and keepingthe leading matter continually before the mind. And others have addedthat such a course will enable one to observe relations between thesubject and other things that will not be apparent to the carelessobserver or student.

The degree of Attention cultivated by a man is the degree of his capacityfor intellectual work. As we have said, the "great" men of all walks oflife have developed this faculty to a wonderful degree, and many of themseem to get results "intuitively," whereas, in truth, they obtain them byreason of their concentrated power of Attention, which enables them tosee right into the center of a subject or proposition--and all around it,back and front, and all sides, in a space of time incredible to the manwho has not cultivated this mighty power. Men who have devoted muchattention to some special line of work or research, are able to actalmost as if they possessed "second sight," providing the subject iswithin their favorite field of endeavor. Attention quickens every one ofthe faculties--the reasoning faculties--the senses--the deridingqualities--the analytical faculties, and so on, each being given a "fineedge" by their use under a concentrated Attention.

And, on the other hand, there is no surer indication of a weak mind thanthe deficiency in Attention. This weakness may arise from illness orphysical weakness reacting upon the brain, in which case the trouble isbut temporary. Or it may arise from a lack of mental development.Imbeciles and idiots have little or no Attention. The great Frenchpsychologist, Luys, speaking of this fact, says "Imbeciles and idiotssee badly, hear badly, feel badly, and their sensorium is, inconsequence, in a similar condition of sensitive poverty. Itsimpressionability for the things of the external world is at a minimum,its sensibility weak, and consequently, it is difficult to provoke thephysiological condition necessary for the absorption of the externalimpression."

In old age the Attention is the first faculty to show signs of decay.Some authorities have held that the Memory was the first faculty to beaffected by the approach of old age, but this is incorrect, for it is amatter of common experience that the aged manifest a wonderfully clearmemory of events occurring in the far past. The reason that their memoryof recent events is so poor is because their failing powers of Attentionhas prevented them from receiving strong, clear mental impressions, andas is the impression so is the memory. Their early impressions havingbeen clear and strong, are easily recalled, while their later ones,being weak, are recalled with difficulty. If the Memory were at fault, itwould be difficult for them to recall any impression, recent or fardistant in time.

But we must stop quoting examples and authorities, and urging upon youthe importance of the faculty of Attention. If you do not now realize it,it is because you have not given the subject the Attention that youshould have exercised, and further repetition would not remedy matters.

Admitting the importance of Attention, from the psychological pointof view, not to speak of the occult side of the subject, is it not a

matter of importance for you to start in to cultivate that faculty? Wethink so. And the only way to cultivate any mental or physical part orfaculty is to Exercise it. Exercise "uses up" a muscle, or mentalfaculty, but the organism makes haste to rush to the scene additionalmaterial--cell-stuff, nerve force, etc., to repair the waste, and italways sends a little more than is needed. And this "little more,"continually accruing and increasing, is what increases the muscles andbrain centers. And improved and strengthened brain centers give the mindbetter instruments with which to work.

One of the first things to do in the cultivation of Attention is to learnto think of, and do, one thing at a time. Acquiring the "knack" or habitof attending closely to the things before us, and then passing on to thenext and treating it in the same way, is most conducive to success, andits practice is the best exercise for the cultivation of the faculty ofAttention. And on the contrary, there is nothing more harmful from thepoint of view of successful performance--and nothing that will do more todestroy the power of giving Attention--than the habit of trying to do onething while thinking of another. The thinking part of the mind, and theacting part should work together, not in opposition.

Dr. Beattie, speaking of this subject, tells us "It is a matter of nosmall importance that we acquire the habit of doing only one thing at atime; by which I mean that while attending to any one object, ourthoughts ought not to wander to another." And Granville adds, "Afrequent cause of failure in the faculty of Attention is striving tothink of more than one thing at a time." And Kay quotes, approvingly, awriter who says: "She did things easily, because she attended to them inthe doing. When she made bread, she thought of the bread, and not of thefashion of her next dress, or of her partner at the last dance." LordChesterfield said, "There is time enough for everything in the course ofthe day, if you do but one thing at a time; but there is not time enoughin the year if you try to do two things at a time."

To attain the best results one should practice concentrating upon thetask before him, shutting out, so far as possible, every other idea orthought. One should even forget self--personality--in such cases, asthere is nothing more destructive of good thinking than to allow morbidself-consciousness to intrude. One does best when he "forgets himself" inhis work, and sinks his personality in the creative work. The "earnest"man or woman is the one who sinks personality in the desired result, orperformance of the task undertaken. The actor, or preacher, or orator,or writer, must lose sight of himself to get the best results. Keep theAttention fixed on the thing before you, and let the self take care ofitself.

In connection with the above, we may relate an anecdote of Whateleythat may be interesting in connection with the consideration of this

subject of "losing one's self" in the task. He was asked for a recipe for"bashfulness," and replied that the person was bashful simply because hewas thinking of himself and the impression he was making. His recipe wasthat the young man should think of others--of the pleasure he could givethem--and in that way he would forget all about himself. The prescriptionis said to have effected the cure. The same authority has written, "Letboth the extemporary speaker, and the reader of his own compositions,study to avoid as far as possible all thoughts of self, earnestly fixingthe mind on the matter of what is delivered; and they will feel lessthat embarrassment which arises from the thought of what opinion thehearers will form of them."

The same writer, Whateley, seems to have made quite a study ofAttention and has given us some interesting information on its details.The following may be read with interest, and if properly understood maybe employed to advantage. He says, "It is a fact, and a very curious one.that many people find that they can best attend to any serious matterwhen they are occupied with something else which requires a little, andbut a little, attention, such as working with the needle, cutting openpaper leaves, or, for want of some such employment, fiddling anyhow withthe fingers." He does not give the reason for this, and at first sightit might seem like a contradiction of the "one thing at a time" idea. Buta closer examination will show us that the minor work (the cuttingleaves, etc.) is in the nature of an involuntary or automatic movement,inasmuch as it requires little or no voluntary attention, and seems to"do itself." It does not take off the Attention from the main subject,but perhaps acts to catch the "waste Attention" that often tries todivide the Attention from some voluntary act to another. The habit mindmay be doing one thing, while the Attention is fixed on another. Forinstance, one may be writing with his attention firmly fixed upon thethought he wishes to express, while at the time his hand is doing thewriting, apparently with no attention being given it. But, let a boy, orperson unaccustomed to writing, try to express his thoughts in this way,and you will find that he is hampered in the flow of his thoughts by thefact that he has to give much attention to the mechanical act of writing.In the same way, the beginner on the typewriter finds it difficult tocompose to the machine, while the experienced typist finds the mechanicalmovements no hindrance whatever to the flow of thought and focusing ofAttention; in fact, many find that they can compose much better whileusing the typewriter than they can by dictating to a stenographer. Wethink you will see the principle.

And now for a little Mental Drill in Attention, that you may be startedon the road to cultivate this important faculty.

MENTAL DRILL IN ATTENTION.

Exercise I. Begin by taking some familiar object and placing it beforeyou, try to get as many impressions regarding it as is possible for you.Study its shape, its color, its size, and the thousand and one littlepeculiarities about it that present themselves to your attention. Indoing this, reduce the thing to its simplest parts--analyze it as far asis possible--dissect it, mentally, and study its parts in detail. Themore simple and small the part to be considered, the more clearly willthe impression be received, and the more vividly will it be recalled.Reduce the thing to the smallest possible proportions, and then examineeach portion, and mastering that, then pass on to the next part, and soon, until you have covered the entire field. Then, when you haveexhausted the object, take a pencil and paper and put down as nearly aspossible all the things or details of the object examined. When you havedone this, compare the written description with the object itself, andsee how many things you have failed to note.

The next day take up the same object, and after re-examining it, writedown the details and you will find that you will have stored away agreater number of impressions regarding it, and, moreover, you will havediscovered many new details during your second examination. This exercisestrengthens the memory as well as the Attention, for the two are closelyconnected, the memory depending largely upon the clearness and strengthof the impressions received, while the impressions depend upon the amountof attention given to the thing observed. Do not tire yourself with thisexercise, for a tired Attention is a poor Attention. Better try it bydegrees, increasing the task a little each time you try it. Make a gameof it if you like, and you will find it quite interesting to notice thesteady but gradual improvement.

It will be interesting to practice this in connection with some friend,varying the exercise by both examining the object, and writing down theirimpressions, separately, and then comparing results. This adds interestto the task, and you will be surprised to see how rapidly both of youincrease in your powers of observation, which powers, of course, resultfrom Attention.

Exercise II. This exercise is but a variation of the first one. Itconsists in entering a room, and taking a hasty glance around, and thenwalking out, and afterward writing down the number of things that youhave observed, with a description of each. You will be surprised toobserve how many things you have missed at first sight, and how you willimprove in observation by a little practice. This exercise, also, may beimproved by the assistance of a friend, as related in our last exercise.It is astonishing how many details one may observe and remember, after alittle practice. It is related of Houdin, the French conjurer, that heimproved and developed his faculty of Attention and Memory by playingthis game with a young relative. They would pass by a shop window,taking a hasty, attentive glance at its contents. Then they would go

around the corner and compare notes. At first they could remember only afew prominent articles--that is, their Attention could grasp only a few.But as they developed by practice, they found that they could observe andremember a vast number of things and objects in the window. And, at last,it is related that Houdin could pass rapidly before any large shopwindow, bestowing upon it but one hasty glance, and then tell the namesof, and closely describe, nearly every object in plain sight in thewindow. The feat was accomplished by the fact that the cultivatedAttention enabled Houdin to fasten upon his mind a vivid mental image ofthe window and its contents, and then he was able to describe thearticles one by one from the picture in his mind.

Houdin taught his son to develop Attention by a simple exercise which maybe interesting and of value to you. He would lay down a domino before theboy--a five-four, for example. He would require the boy to tell him thecombined number at once, without allowing him to stop to count the spots,one by one. "Nine" the boy would answer after a moment's hesitation.Then another domino, a three-four, would be added. "That makes sixteen,"cried the boy. Two dominoes at a time was the second day's task. Thenext day, three was the standard. The next day, four, and so on, untilthe boy was able to handle twelve dominoes--that is to say, giveinstantaneously the total number of spots on twelve dominoes, after asingle glance. This was Attention, in earnest, and shows what practicewill do to develop a faculty. The result was shown by the wonderfulpowers of observation, memory and attention, together with instantaneousmental action, that the boy developed. Not only was he able to adddominoes instantaneously, but he had powers of observation, etc., thatseemed little short of miraculous. And yet it is related that he had poorattention, and deficient memory to begin with.

If this seems incredible, let us remember how old whist players note andremember every card in the pack, and can tell whether they have beenplayed or not, and all the circumstances attending upon them. The same istrue of chess players, who observe every move and can relate the wholegame in detail long after it has been played. And remember, also, howone woman may pass another woman on the street, and without seeming togive her more than a careless glance, may be able to relate in detailevery feature of the other woman's apparel, including its color, texture,style of fashioning, probable price of the material, etc., etc. And amere man would have noticed scarcely anything about it--because he wouldnot have given it any attention. But how soon would that man learn toequal his sister in attention and observation of women's wearing apparel,if his business success depended upon it, or if his speculative instinctwas called into play by a wager with some friend as to who could rememberthe most about a woman's clothing, seen in a passing glance? You see itis all a matter of Interest and Attention.

But we forget that the Attention may be developed and cultivated, and we

complain that we "cannot remember things," or that we do not seem to beable to "take notice." A little practice will do wonders in thisdirection.

Now, while the above exercises will develop your memory and powers ofobservation, still that is not the main reason that we have given them toyou. We have an ulterior object, that will appear in time. We aim todevelop your Will-power, and we know that Attention stands at the gate ofWill-power. In order to be able to use your Will, you must be able tofocus the Attention forcibly and distinctly. And these childish exerciseswill help you to develop the mental muscles of the Attention. If youcould but realize the childish games the young Yogi students are requiredto play, in order to develop the mental faculties, you would change yourminds about the Yogi Adepts whom you have been thinking about as meredreamers, far removed from the practical. These men, and their students,are intensely practical. They have gained the mastery of the Mind, andits faculties, and are able to use them as sharp edged tools, while theuntrained man finds that he has but a dull, unsharpened blade that willdo nothing but hack and hew roughly, instead of being able to produce thefinished product.

The Yogi believes in giving the "I" good tools with which to work, and hespends much time in tempering and sharpening these tools. Oh, no, theYogi are not idle dreamers. Their grasp of "practical things" wouldsurprise many a practical, matter-of-fact Western business man, if hecould but observe it.

And so, we ask you to practice "observing things." The two exercises wehave given are but indications of the general line. We could give youthousands, but you can prepare them yourselves as well as could we.The little Hindu boy is taught Attention by being asked to note andremember the number, color, character and other details of a number ofcolored stones, jewelry, etc., shown for an instant in an open palm,the hand being closed the moment after. He is taught to note anddescribe passing travelers, and their equipages--houses he sees on hisjourneys--and thousands of other everyday objects. The results are almostmarvelous. In this way he is prepared as a chela or student, and hebrings to his guru or teacher a brain well developed--a mind thoroughlytrained to obey the Will of the "I"--and with faculties quickened toperceive instantly that which others would fail to see in a fortnight. Itis true that he does not turn these faculties to "business" or otherso-called "practical" pursuits, but prefers to devote them to abstractstudies and pursuits outside of that which the Western man considers tobe the end and aim of life. But remember that the two civilizations arequite different--following different ideals--having different economicconditions--living in different worlds, as it were. But that is all amatter of taste and ideals--the faculty for the "practical life" of theWest is possessed by the chela, if he saw fit to use it. But all Hindu

youths are not chelas, remember--nor are all Western youths "captainsof industry," or Edisons.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I am using my Attention to develop my mental faculties, so as to give the"I" a perfect instrument with which to work. The mind is My instrumentand I am bringing it to a state of capacity for perfect work.

MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).

There is but One Life--One Life Underlying. This Life is manifestingthrough ME, and through every other shape, form, and thing. I am restingon the bosom of the Great Ocean of Life, and it is supporting me, andwill carry me safely, though the waves rise and fall--though the stormsrage and the tempests roar. I am safe on the Ocean of Life, and rejoiceas I feel the sway of its motion. Nothing can harm me--though changes maycome and go, I am Safe. I am One with the All Life, and its Power,Knowledge, and Peace are behind, underneath, and within Me. O! One Life!express Thyself through me--carry me now on the crest of the wave, nowdeep down in the trough of the ocean--supported always by Thee--all isgood to me, as I feel Thy life moving in and through me. I am Alive,through thy life, and I open myself to thy full manifestation and inflow.

THE SIXTH LESSON.

CULTIVATION OF PERCEPTION.

Man gains his knowledge of the outside world through his senses. And,consequently, many of us are in the habit of thinking of these senses asif they did the sensing, instead of being merely carriers of thevibrations coming from the outside world, which are then presented to theMind for examination. We shall speak of this at greater length a littlelater on in this lesson. Just now we wish to impress upon you the factthat it is the Mind that perceives, not the senses. And, consequently, adevelopment of Perception is really a development of the Mind.

The Yogis put their students through a very arduous course of practiceand exercises designed to develop their powers of perception. To manythis would appear to be merely a development of the Senses, which mightappear odd in view of the fact that the Yogis are constantly preachingthe folly of being governed and ruled by the senses. But there is nothingparadoxical about all this, for the Yogis, while preaching the folly ofsense life, and manifesting the teaching in their lives, neverthelessbelieve in any and all exercises calculated to "sharpen" the Mind, anddevelop it to a keen state and condition.

They see a great difference between having a sharpened perception, on theone hand, and being a slave to the senses on the other. For instance,what would be thought of a man who objected to acquiring a keen eyesight,for fear it would lead him away from higher things, by reason of hisbecoming attached to the beautiful things he might see. To realize thefolly of this idea, one may look at its logical conclusion, which wouldbe that one would then be much better off if all their senses weredestroyed. The absurdity, not to say wickedness, of such an idea will beapparent to everyone, after a minute's consideration.

The secret of the Yogi theory and teachings regarding the development ofthe Mental powers, lies in the word "Mastery." The Yoga studentaccomplishes and attains this mastery in two ways. The first way is bysubordinating all the feelings, sense-impressions, etc., to the Masteryof the "I," or Will, the Mastery being obtained in this way by theassertion of the dominancy of the "I" over the faculties and emotions,etc. The second step, or way, lies in the Yogi, once having asserted themastery, beginning to develop and perfect the Mental instrument, so as toget better work and returns from it. In this way he increases his kingdomand is Master over a much larger territory.

In order for one to gain knowledge, it is necessary to use to the bestadvantage the mental instruments and tools that he finds at his disposal.And again, one must develop and improve such tools--put a keen edge upon

them, etc. Not only does one gain a great benefit from a development ofthe faculties of perception, but he also acquires an additional benefitfrom the training of the whole mind arising from the mental disciplineand training resulting from the former exercises, etc. In our previouslessons we have pointed out some of the means by which these facultiesmight be greatly improved, and their efficiency increased. In this lessonwe shall point out certain directions in which the Perceptive facultiesmay be trained. We trust that the simplicity of the idea may not causeany of our students to lose interest in the work. If they only knew justwhat such development would lead to they would gladly follow oursuggestions in the matter. Every one of the ideas and exercises given byus are intended to lead up to the strengthening of the Mind, and theattainment of powers and the unfoldment of faculties. There is no royalroad to Raja Yoga, but the student will be well repaid for the work ofclimbing the hill of Attainment.

In view of the above, let us examine the question of The Senses. Throughthe doors of the senses Man receives all his information regarding theoutside world. If he keeps these doors but half open, or crowded up withobstacles and rubbish, he may expect to receive but few messages fromoutside. But if he keeps his doorways clear, and clean, he will obtainthe best that is passing his way.

If one were born without sense-organs--no matter how good a Mind he mighthave--he would be compelled to live his life in a dreamy plant-life stageof existence, with little or no consciousness. The Mind would be like aseed in the earth, that for some reason was prevented from growing.

One may object that the highest ideas do not come to us through thesenses, but the reply is that the things obtained through the senses arethe "raw material" upon which the mind works, and fashions the beautifulthings that it is able to produce in its highest stages. Just as is thebody dependent for growth upon the nourishment taken into it, so is themind dependent for growth upon the impressions received from theUniverse--and these impressions come largely through the senses. It maybe objected to that we know many things that we have not received throughour senses. But, does the objector include the impressions that camethrough his senses in some previous existence, and which have beenimpressed upon his instinctive mind, or soul-memory? It is true thatthere are higher senses than those usually recognized, but Nature insistsupon one learning the lessons of the lower grades before attempting thoseof the higher.

Do not forget that all that we know we have "worked for." There isnothing that comes to the idler, or shirker. What we know is merely theresult of "stored-up accumulations of previous experience," as Lewes hasso well said.

So it will be seen that the Yogi idea that one should develop all partsof the Mind is strictly correct, if one will take the trouble to examineinto the matter. A man sees and knows but very little of what is goingon about him. His limitations are great. His powers of vision report onlya few vibrations of light, while below and above the scale lie aninfinity of vibrations unknown to him. The same is true of the powers ofhearing, for only a comparatively small portion of the sound-waves reachthe Mind of Man--even some of the animals hear more than he does.

If a man had only one sense he would obtain but a one-sense idea of theoutside world. If another sense is added his knowledge is doubled. And soon. The best proof of the relation between increased sense perception anddevelopment is had in the study of the evolution of animal forms. In theearly stages of life the organism has only the sense of feeling--and verydim at that--and a faint sense of taste. Then developed smell, hearingand sight, each marking a distinct advance in the scale of life, for anew world has been opened out to the advancing forms of life. And, whenman develops new senses--and this is before the race--he will be a muchwiser and greater being.

Carpenter, many years ago, voiced a thought that will be familiar tothose who are acquainted with the Yogi teachings regarding the unfoldmentof new senses. He said: "It does not seem at all improbable that thereare properties of matter of which none of our senses can take immediatecognizance, and which other beings might be formed to perceive in thesame manner as we are sensible to light, sound, etc."

And Isaac Taylor said: "It may be that within the field observed by thevisible and ponderable universe there is existing and moving anotherelement fraught with another species of life--corporeal, indeed, andvarious in its orders, but not open to cognizance of those who areconfined to the conditions of animal organization. Is it to be thoughtthat the eye of man is the measure of the Creator's power?--and that Hecreated nothing but that which he has exposed to our present senses? Thecontrary seems much more than barely possible; ought we not to think italmost certain?"

Another writer. Prof. Masson, has said: "If a new sense or two were addedto the present normal number, in man, that which is now the phenomenalworld for all of us might, for all that we know, burst into somethingamazingly different and wider, in consequence of the additionalrevelations of these new senses."

But not only is this true, but Man may increase his powers of knowledgeand experience if he will but develop the senses he has to a higherdegree of efficiency, instead of allowing them to remain comparativelyatrophied. And toward this end, this lesson is written.

The Mind obtains its impressions of objects of the outside world by meansof the brain and sense organs. The sensory organs are the instruments ofthe Mind, as is also the brain and the entire nervous system. By means ofthe nerves, and the brain, the Mind makes use of the sensory organs inorder that it may obtain information regarding external objects.

The senses are usually said to consist of five different forms, viz.,sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.

The Yogis teach that there are higher senses, undeveloped, orcomparatively so, in the majority of the race, but toward the unfoldmentof which the race is tending. But we shall not touch upon these latentsenses in this lesson, as they belong to another phase of the subject. Inaddition to the five senses above enumerated, some physiologists andpsychologists have held that there were several others in evidence. Forinstance, the sense by which the inner organs revealed their presence andcondition, The muscular system reports to the mind through some sensethat is not that of "touch," although closely allied to it. And thefeelings of hunger, thirst, etc., seem to come to us through an unnamedsense.

Bernstein has distinguished between the five senses and the one justreferred to as follows: "The characteristic distinction between thesecommon sensations and the sensations of the senses is that by the latterwe gain knowledge of the occurrences and objects which belong to theexternal world (and which sensations we refer to external objects),whilst by the former we only feel conditions of our own body."

A sensation is the internal, mental conception, resulting from anexternal object or fact exciting the sense organs and nerves, and thebrain, thus making the mind "aware" of the external object or fact. AsBain has said, it is the "mental impression, feeling, or conscious state,resulting from the action of external things on some part of the body,called on that account, sensitive."

Each channel of sense impressions has an organ, or organs, peculiarlyadapted for the excitation of its substance by the particular kind ofvibrations through which it receives impressions. The eye is mostcunningly and carefully designed to receive the light-waves; andsound-waves produce no effect upon it. And, likewise, the delicatemechanism of the ear responds only to sound-waves; light-waves failing toregister upon it. Each set of sensations is entirely different, and theorgans and nerves designed to register each particular set are peculiarlyadapted to their own special work. The organs of sense, including theirspecial nervous systems, may be compared to a delicate instrument thatthe mind has fashioned for itself, that it may investigate, examine andobtain reports from the outside world.

We have become so accustomed to the workings of the senses that we takethem as a "matter of course," and fail to recognize them as the delicateand wonderful instruments that they are--designed and perfected by themind for its own use. If we will think of the soul as designing,manufacturing and using these instruments, we may begin to understandtheir true relations to our lives, and, accordingly treat them with morerespect and consideration.

We are in the habit of thinking that we are aware of all the sensationsreceived by our mind. But this is very far from being correct. Theunconscious regions of the mind are incomparably larger than the smallconscious area that we generally think of when we say "my mind." Infuture lessons we shall proceed to consider this wonderful area, andexamine what is to be found there. Taine has well said, "There is goingon within us a subterranean process of infinite extent; its productsalone are known to us, and are only known to us in the mass. As toelements, and their elements, consciousness does not attain to them. Theyare to sensations what secondary molecules and primitive molecules are tobodies. We get a glance here and there at obscure and infinite worldsextending beneath our distinct sensations. These are compounds andwholes. For their elements to be perceptible to consciousness, it isnecessary for them to be added together, and so to acquire a certain bulkand to occupy a certain time, for if the group does not attain this bulk,and does not last this time, we observe no changes in our state.Nevertheless, though it escapes us, there is one."

But we must postpone our consideration of this more than interestingphase of the subject, until some future lesson, when we shall take a tripinto the regions of Mind, under and above Consciousness. And a mostwonderful trip many of us will find it, too.

For the present, we must pay our attention to the channels by which thematerial for knowledge and thought enter our minds. For these senseimpressions, coming to us from without, are indeed "material" upon whichthe mind works in order to manufacture the product called "Thought."

This material we obtain through the channels of the senses, and thenstore in that wonderful storehouse, the Memory, from whence we bring outmaterial from time to time, which we proceed to weave into the fabric ofThought. The skill of the worker depends upon his training, and hisability to select and combine the proper materials. And the acquiring ofgood materials to be stored up is an important part of the work.

A mind without stored-up material of impressions and experiences would belike a factory without material. The machinery would have nothing uponwhich to work, and the shop would be idle. As Helmholtz has said,"Apprehension by the senses supplies directly or indirectly, the materialof all human knowledge, or at least the stimulus necessary to develop

every inborn faculty of the mind." And Herbert Spencer, has this to sayof this phase of the subject, "It is almost a truism to say that inproportion to the numerousness of the objects that can be distinguished,and in proportion to the variety of coexistences and sequences that canbe severally responded to, must be the number and rapidity and variety ofthe changes within the organism--must be the amount of vitality."

A little reflection upon this subject will show us that the greaterdegree of exercise and training given the senses, the greater the degreeof mental power and capability. As we store our mental storehouse withthe materials to be manufactured into thought, so is the quality andquantity of the fabric produced.

It therefore behooves us to awaken from our "lazy" condition of mind, andto proceed to develop our organs of sense, and their attendant mechanism,as by doing so we increase our capacity for thought and knowledge.

Before passing to the exercises, however, it may be well to give a hastypassing glance at the several senses, and their peculiarities.

The sense of Touch is the simplest and primal sense. Long before thelower forms of life had developed the higher senses, they had evidencedthe sense of Touch or Feeling. Without this sense they would have beenunable to have found their food, or to receive and respond to outsideimpressions. In the early forms of life it was exercised equally by allparts of the body, although in the higher forms this sense has becomesomewhat localized, as certain parts of the body are far more sensitivethan are others. The skin is the seat of the sense of Touch, and itsnerves are distributed over the entire area of the skin. The hand, andparticularly the fingers, and their tips, are the principal organs ofthis sense.

The acuteness of Touch varies materially in different parts of the body.Experiments have shown that a pair of compasses would registerimpressions as a very slight distance apart when applied to the tip ofthe tongue. The distance at which the two points could be distinguishedfrom one point, on the tip of the tongue, was called "one line." Usingthis "line" as a standard, it was found that the palmar surface of thethird finger registered 2 lines; the surface of the lips 4 lines, and theskin of the back, and on the middle of the arm or thigh, as high as 60lines The degree of sensitiveness to Touch varies greatly with differentindividuals, some having a very fine sense of touch in their fingers,while others manifested a very much lower degree.

In the same way, there is a great difference in the response of thefingers to weight--a great difference in the ability to distinguish thedifference of the weight of objects. It has been found that some peoplecan distinguish differences in weight down to very small fractions of an

ounce. Fine distinctions in the differences in temperature have also beennoticed.

The sense of touch, and its development has meant much for Man. It is theone sense in which Man surpasses the animals in the matter of degree andacuteness. The animal may have a keener smell, taste, hearing and sight,but its sense of Touch is far beneath that of Man. Anaxagoras is quotedas saying that "if the animals had hands and fingers, they would be likemen."

In developing the sense of Touch, the student must remember thatAttention is the key to success. The greater the amount of Attention thegreater the degree of development possible in the case of any sense.When the Attention is concentrated upon any particular sense, the latterbecomes quickened and more acute, and repeated exercise, under thestimulus of Attention, will work wonders in the case of anyparticular sense. And on the other hand, the sense of touch may bealmost, or completely inhibited, by firmly fixing the Attention uponsomething else. As an extreme proof of this latter fact, the studentis asked to remember the fact that men have been known to sufferexcruciating torture, apparently without feeling, owing to the mind beingintently riveted upon some idea or thought. As Wyld has said, "The martyrborne above sensuous impressions, is not only able to endure tortures,but is able to endure and quench them. The pinching and cutting of theflesh only added energy to the death song of the American Indian, andeven the slave under the lash is sustained by the indignant sense of hiswrongs."

In the cases of persons engaged in occupations requiring a fine degree ofTouch, the development is marvelous. The engraver passes his hand overthe plate, and is able to distinguish the slightest imperfection. And thehandler of cloth and fabrics is able to distinguish the finestdifferences, simply by the sense of touch. Wool sorters also exercise awonderfully high degree of fineness of touch. And the blind are able tomake up for the loss of sight by their greatly increased sense of Touch,cases being recorded where the blind have been able to distinguishcolor by the different "feel" of the material.

The sense of Taste is closely allied to that of Touch--in fact someauthorities have considered Taste as a very highly developed sense ofTouch in certain surfaces of the body, the tongue notably. It will beremembered that the tongue has the finest sense of Touch, and it also hasthe sense of Taste developed to perfection. In Taste and Touch the objectmust be brought in direct contact with the organ of sense, which is notthe case in Smell, Hearing, or Sight. And, be it remembered, that thelatter senses have special nerves, while Taste is compelled to fall backupon the ordinary nerves of Touch. It is true that Taste is confined to avery small part of the surface of the body, while Touch is general. But

this only indicates a special development of the special area. The senseof Taste also depends to a great extent upon the presence of fluids, andonly substances that are soluble make their presence known through theorgans and sense of Taste.

Physiologists report that the sense of Taste in some persons is soacute that one part of strychnine in one million parts of water hasbeen distinguished. There are certain occupations, such as that ofwine-tasters, tea-tasters, etc., the followers of which manifest adegree of fineness of Taste almost incredible.

The sense of Smell is closely connected with the sense of Taste, andoften acts in connection therewith, as the tiny particles of thesubstance in the mouth arise to the organs of Smell, by means of theopening or means of communication situated in the back part of the mouth.Besides which the nose usually detects the odor of substances before theyenter the mouth. The sense of Smell operates by reason of the tinyparticles or the object being carried to the mucous membrane of theinterior of the nose, by means of the air. The membrane, being moist,seizes and holds these particles for a moment, and the fine nervousorganism reports differences and qualities and the Mind is thus informedof the nature of the object.

The sense of Smell is very highly developed among animals, who arecompelled to rely upon it to a considerable extent. And many occupationsamong men require the development of this sense, for instance, thetobacconist, the wine dealer, the perfumers, the chemist, etc. It isrelated that in the cases of certain blind people, it has been observedthat they could distinguish persons in this manner.

The sense of Hearing is a more complex one than in the case of Taste,Touch and Smell. In the latter three the objects to be sensed must bebrought in close contact with the sense-organs, while in Hearing theobject may be far removed, the impressions being carried by thevibrations of the air, which are caught up and reported upon by thenervous organism of the sense of Hearing. The internal mechanism ofthe ear is most wonderfully intricate and complex, and excites to wonderthe person examining it. It cannot be described here for want of space,but the student is advised to inquire into it if he has access to anylibrary containing books on the subject. It is a wonderful illustrationof the work of the mind in building up for itself instruments with whichto work--to acquire knowledge.

The ear records vibrations in the air from 20 or 32 per second, the rateof the lowest audible note, to those of 38,000 per second, the rate ofthe highest audible note. There is a great difference in individuals inregard to the fineness of the sense of Hearing. But all may develop thissense by the application of Attention. The animals and savages have

wonderfully acute senses of Hearing developed only along the lines ofdistinctness, however--on the other hand musicians have developed thesense along different lines.

The sense of Sight is generally conceded to be the highest and mostcomplex of all the senses of Man. It deals with a far larger number ofobjects--at longer distances--and gives a far greater variety ofreports to the mind than any of its associate senses. It is the sense ofTouch magnified many times. As Wilson says of it, "Our sight may beconsidered as a more delicate and diffusive kind of touch that spreadsitself over an infinite number of bodies; comprehends the largestfigures, and brings into our reach some of the most remote parts of theuniverse."

The sense of Sight receives its impressions from the outside world bymeans of waves that travel from body to body--from sun to earth, and fromlamp to eye. These waves of light arise from vibrations in substance, ofan almost incredible degree of rapidity. The lowest light vibration isabout 450,000,000,000,000 per second, while the highest is about750,000,000,000,000 per second. These figures deal only with thevibrations recognizable by the eye as light. Above and below thesefigures of the scale are countless other degrees invisible to the eye,although some of them may be recorded by instruments. The differentsensations of color, depend upon the rate of the vibrations, red beingthe limit of the lowest, and violet the limit of the highest visiblevibrations--orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo being theintermediate rates or colors.

The cultivation of the sense of Sight, under the aid of Attention is mostimportant to ail persons. By being able to clearly see and distinguishthe parts of an object, a degree of knowledge regarding it is obtainedthat one may not acquire without the said exercise of the faculty. Wehave spoken of this under the subject of Attention, in a previous lesson,to which lesson we again refer the student. The fixing of the eye upon anobject has the power of concentrating the thoughts and preventing themfrom wandering. The eye has other properties and qualities that will bedwelt upon in future lessons. It has other uses than seeing. Theinfluence of the eye is a marvelous thing, and may be cultivated anddeveloped.

We trust that what we have said will bring the student to a realizationof the importance of developing the powers of Perception. The senses havebeen developed by the mind during a long period of evolution and effortthat surely would not have been given unless the object in view was worthit all. The "I" insists upon obtaining knowledge of the Universe, andmuch of this knowledge may be obtained only through the senses. The Yogistudent must be "wide awake" and possessed of developed senses andpowers of Perception. The senses of Sight and Hearing, the two latest in

the scale of Evolutionary growth and unfoldment, must receive aparticular degree of attention. The student must make himself "aware"of what is going on about and around him, so that he may "catch" the bestvibrations.

It would surprise many Westerners if they could come in contact with ahighly developed Yogi, and witness the marvelously finely developedsenses he possesses. He is able to distinguish the finest differencesin things, and his mind is so trained that, in thought, he may drawconclusions from what he has perceived, in a manner that seems almost"second-sight" to the uninitiated. In fact, a certain degree ofsecond-sight is possible to one who develops his sense of Sight, underthe urge of Attention. A new world is opened out to such a person. Onemust learn to master the senses, not only in the direction of beingindependent of and superior to their urgings, but also in the matter ofdeveloping them to a high degree. The development of the physical senses,also has much to do with the development of the "Astral Senses," ofwhich we have spoken in our "Fourteen Lessons," and of which we may havemore to say in the present series. The idea of Raja Yoga is to renderthe student the possessor of a highly developed Mind, with highlydeveloped instruments with which the mind may work.

In our future lessons we shall give the student many illustrations,directions, and exercises calculated to develop the different facultiesof the mind--not only the ordinary faculties of everyday use, but othershidden behind these familiar faculties and senses. Commencing with thenext lesson, we shall present a system of exercises, drills, etc., thepurpose of which will be the above mentioned development of the facultiesof the Mind.

In this lesson we shall not attempt to give specific exercises, but willcontent ourselves with calling the attention of the student to a fewgeneral rules underlying the development of Perception.

GENERAL RULES OF PERCEPTION.

The first thing to remember in acquiring the art of Perception is thatone should not attempt to perceive the whole of a complex thing or objectat the same time, or at once. One should consider the object in detail,and then, by grouping the details, he will find that he has consideredthe whole. Let us take the face of a person as a familiar object. If onetries to perceive a face as a whole, he will find that he will meet witha certain degree of failure, the impression being indistinct and cloudy,it following, also, that the memory of that face will correspond with theoriginal perception.

But let the observer consider the face in detail, first the eyes, then

the nose, then the mouth, then the chin, then the hair, then the outlineof the face, the complexion, etc., and he will find that he will haveacquired a clear and distinct impression or perception of the whole face.

The same rule may be applied to any subject or object. Let us takeanother familiar illustration. You wish to observe a building. If yousimply get a general perception of the building as a whole, you willbe able to remember very little about it, except its general outlines,shape, size, color, etc. And a description will prove to be verydisappointing. But if you have noted, in detail, the material used, theshape of the doors, chimney, roof, porches, decorations, trimmings,ornamentation, size and number of the window-panes etc., etc., the shapeand angles of the roof, etc., you will have an intelligent idea of thebuilding, in the place of a mere general outline or impression of such asmight be acquired by an animal in passing.

We will conclude this lesson with an anecdote of the methods of thatfamous naturalist Agassiz, in his training of his pupils. His pupilsbecame renowned for their close powers of observation and perception,and their consequent ability to "think" about the things they had seen.Many of them rose to eminent positions, and claimed that this was largelyby reason of their careful training.

The tale runs that a new student presented himself to Agassiz one day,asking to be set to work. The naturalist took a fish from a jar in whichit had been preserved, and laying it before the young student bade himobserve it carefully, and be ready to report upon what he had noticedabout the fish. The student was then left alone with the fish. There wasnothing especially interesting about that fish--it was like many otherfishes that he had seen before. He noticed that it had fins and scales,and a mouth and eyes, yes, and a tail. In a half hour he felt certainthat he had observed all about that fish that there was to be perceived.But the naturalist remained away.

The time rolled on, and the youth, having nothing else to do, began togrow restless and weary. He started out to hunt up the teacher, but hefailed to find him, and so had to return and gaze again at thatwearisome fish. Several hours had passed, and he knew but little moreabout the fish than he did in the first place.

He went out to lunch and when he returned it was still a case of watchingthe fish. He felt disgusted and discouraged, and wished he had never cometo Agassiz, whom, it seemed, was a stupid old man after all,--one awaybehind the times. Then, in order to kill time, he began to count thescales. This completed he counted the spines of the fins. Then he beganto draw a picture of the fish. In drawing the picture he noticed that thefish had no eyelids. He thus made the discovery that as his teacher hadexpressed it often, in lectures, "a pencil is the best of eyes." Shortly

after the teacher returned, and after ascertaining what the youth hadobserved, he left rather disappointed, telling the boy to keep on lookingand maybe he would see something.

This put the boy on his mettle, and he began to work with his pencil,putting down little details that had escaped him before, but which nowseemed very plain to him. He began to catch the secret of observation.Little by little he brought to light new objects of interest about thefish. But this did not suffice his teacher, who kept him at work on thesame fish for three whole days. At the end of that time the studentreally knew something about the fish, and, better than all, had acquiredthe "knack" and habit of careful observation and perception in detail.

Years after, the student, then attained to eminence, is reported assaying: "That was the best zoological lesson I ever had--a lesson whoseinfluence has extended to the details of every subsequent study; alegacy that the professor left to me, as he left to many others, ofinestimable value, which we could not buy, and with which we cannotpart."

Apart from the value to the student of the particular informationobtained, was the quickening of the perceptive faculties that enabled himto observe the important points in a subject or object, and,consequently to deduce important information from that which wasobserved. The Mind is hungry for knowledge, and it has by years of wearyevolution and effort built up a series of sense systems in order to yieldit that knowledge and it is still building. The men and women in theworld who have arrived at the point of success have availed themselves ofthese wonderful channels of information, and by directing them underthe guidance of Will and Attention, have attained wonderful results.These things are of importance, and we beg of our students not to pass bythis portion of the subject as uninteresting. Cultivate a spirit ofwide-awakeness and perception, and the "knowing" that will come to youwill surprise you.

No only do you develop the existing senses by such practice and use, butyou help in the unfoldment of the latent powers and senses that arestriving for unfoldment. By using and exercising the faculties that wehave, we help to unfold those for the coming of which we have beendreaming.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I am a Soul, possessed of channels of communication with the outer world.I will use these channels, and thereby acquire the information andknowledge necessary for my mental development. I will exercise anddevelop my organs of sense, knowing that in so doing I shall cause to

unfold the higher senses, of which they are but forerunners and symbols.I will be "wide-awake" and open to the inflow of knowledge andinformation. The Universe is my Home--I will explore it.

THE SEVENTH LESSON.

THE UNFOLDMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

We have thought it well to make a slight change in the arrangement ofthese lessons--that is, in the order in which they should appear. We hadcontemplated making this Seventh Lesson a series of Mental Drills,intended to develop certain of the mental faculties, but we have decidedto postpone the same until a later lesson, believing that by so doing amore logical sequence or order of arrangement will be preserved. In thislesson we will tell you of the unfoldment of consciousness in Man, and inthe next lesson, and probably in the one following it, we shall presentto you a clear statement regarding the states of mind, below and overconsciousness--a most wonderful region, we assure you, and one that hasbeen greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. This will lead up to thesubject of the cultivation of the various faculties--both conscious andoutside of consciousness, and the series will be concluded by threelessons going right to the heart of this part of the subject, and givingcertain rules and instruction calculated to develop Man's wonderful"thought-machine" that will be of the greatest interest and importanceto all of our students. When the lessons are concluded you will see thatthe present arrangement is most logical and proper.

In this lesson we take up the subject of "The Unfoldment ofConsciousness"--a most interesting subject. Many of us have been in thehabit of identifying "consciousness" with mind, but as we proceed withthis series of lessons we will see that that which is called"consciousness" is but a small portion of the mind of the individual, andeven that small part is constantly changing its states, and unfolding newstates undreamed of.

"Consciousness" is a word we use very often in considering the science ofthe Mind. Let us see what it means. Webster defines it as one's"knowledge of sensations and mental operations, or of what passes inone's own mind." Halleck defines it as "that undefinable characteristicof mental states which causes one to be aware of them." But, as Halleckstates, "Consciousness is incapable of definition. To define anything weare obliged to describe it in terms of something else. And there isnothing else in the world like consciousness, hence we can define it onlyin terms of itself, and that is very much like trying to lift one's selfby one's own boot straps. Consciousness is one of the greatest mysteriesthat confronts us."

Before we can understand what Consciousness really is, we must know justwhat "Mind" really is--and that knowledge is lacking, notwithstanding themany injenious theories evolved in order to explain the mystery. Themetaphysicians do not throw much light on the subject, and as for

materialistic science, listen to what Huxley says: "How it comes aboutthat anything so remarkable as a state of consciousness comes about bythe result of irritating nervous tissue, is just as unaccountable as theappearance of the genie when Aladdin rubbed his lamp."

To many persons the words "consciousness" and "mental process," or"thought" are regarded as synonymous. And, in fact, psychologists so helduntil quite recently. But now it is generally accepted as a fact thatmental processes are not limited to the field of consciousness, and it isnow generally taught that the field of sub-consciousness (that is,"under" conscious) mentation, is of a much greater extent than that ofconscious mentation.

Not only is it true that the mind can hold in consciousness but one factat any one instant, and that, consequently, only a very small fraction ofour knowledge can be in consciousness at any one moment, but it is alsotrue that the consciousness plays but a very small part in the totalityof mental processes, or mentation. The mind is not conscious of thegreater portion of its own activities--Maudsley says that only ten percent comes into the field of consciousness. Taine has stated it in thesewords: "Of the world which makes up our being, we only perceive thehighest points--the lighted up peaks of a continent whose lower levelsremain in the shade."

But it is not our intention to speak of this great subconscious region ofthe mind at this point, for we shall have much to do with it later on. Itis mentioned here in order to show that the enlargement or development ofconsciousness is not so much a matter of "growth" as it is an"unfoldment"--not a new creation or enlargement from outside, but ratheran unfoldment outward from within.

From the very beginning of Life--among the Particles of InorganicSubstance, may be found traces of something like Sensation, and responsethereto. Writers have not cared to give to this phenomenon the name of"sensation," or "sensibility," as the terms savored too much of "senses,"and "sense-organs." But Modern Science has not hesitated to bestow thenames so long withheld. The most advanced scientific writers do nothesitate to state that in reaction, chemical response, etc., may be seenindications of rudimentary sensation. Haeckel says: "I cannot imaginethe simplest chemical and physical process without attributing themovement of the material particles to unconscious sensation. The idea ofChemical Affinity consists in the fact that the various chemical elementsperceive the qualitative differences in other elements and experience'pleasure' or 'revulsion' at contacts with them, and execute theirspecific movements on this ground." He also speaks of the sensitivenessof "plasm," or the substance of "living bodies," as being "only asuperior degree of the general irritability of substance."

Chemical reaction, between atoms, is spoken of by chemists as a"sensitive" reaction. Sensitiveness is found even in the Particles ofInorganic Substance, and may be regarded as the first glimmerings ofthought. Science recognizes this when it speaks of the unconscioussensation of the Particles as athesis or "feeling," and the unconsciousWill that responds thereto, as tropesis, or "inclination." Haeckel saysof this that "Sensation perceives the different qualities of the stimuli,and feeling the quantity," and also, "We may ascribe the feeling ofpleasure and pain (in the contact with qualitatively differing atoms) toall atoms, and so explain the elective affinity in chemistry (attractionof loving atoms, inclination; repulsion of hating atoms,disinclination)."

It is impossible to form a clear or intelligent idea of the phenomenon ofchemical affinity, etc., unless we attribute to the Atoms something akinto Sensation. It is likewise impossible to understand the actions of theMolecules, unless we think of them as possessing something akin toSensation. The Law of Attraction is based upon Mental States inSubstance. The response of Inorganic Substance to Electricity andMagnetism is also another evidence of Sensation and the response thereto.

In the movements and operations of crystal-life we obtain evidences ofstill a little higher forms of Sensation and response thereto. The actionof crystallization is very near akin to that of some low forms of plasmicaction. In fact, the "missing link" between plant life and the crystalsis claimed to have been found in some recent discoveries of Science, theconnection being found in certain crystals in the interior of plantscomposed of carbon combinations, and resembling the inorganic crystals inmany ways.

Crystals grow along certain lines and forms up to a certain size. Thenthey begin to form "baby-crystals" on their surfaces, which then take onthe growth--the processes being almost analogous to cell-life. Processesakin to fermentation have been detected among chemicals. In many ways itmay be seen that the beginning of Mental Life must be looked for amongthe Minerals and Particles--the latter, be it remembered, composing notonly inorganic, but also Organic Substance.

As we advance in the scale of life, we are met with constantly increasingunfoldment of mentation, the simple giving place to the complexmanifestations. Passing by the simple vital processes of the monera, orsingle-celled "things," we notice the higher forms of cell life, withgrowing sensibility or sensation. Then we come to the cell-groups, inwhich the individual cells manifest sensation of a kind, coupled with acommunity-sensation. Food is distinguished, selected and captured, andmovements exercised in pursuit of the same. The living thing is beginningto manifest more complex mental states. Then the stage of the lowerplants is reached, and we notice the varied phenomena of that region,

evidencing an increased sensitiveness, although there are practically nosigns of special organs of sense. Then we pass on to the higher plantlife, in which begin to manifest certain "sensitive-cells," or groups ofsuch cells, which are rudimentary sense organs. Then the forms of animallife, and considered with rising degrees of sensations and growing senseapparatus, or sense organs, gradually unfolding into something likenervous systems.

Among the lower animal forms there are varying degrees of mentation withaccompanying nerve centers and sense-organs, but little or no signs ofconsciousness, gradually ascending until we have dawning consciousness inthe reptile kingdom, etc., and fuller consciousness and a degree ofintelligent thought in the still higher forms, gradually increasing untilwe reach the plane of the highest mammals, such as the horse, dog,elephant, ape, etc., which animals have complex nervous systems, brainsand well developed consciousness. We need not further consider the formsof mentation in the forms of life below the Conscious stage, for thatwould carry us far from our subject.

Among the higher forms of animal life, after a "dawn period" orsemi-consciousness, we come to forms of life among the lower animalspossessing a well developed degree of mental action and Consciousness,the latter being called by psychologists "Simple Consciousness," butwhich term we consider too indefinite, and which we will term "PhysicalConsciousness," which will give a fair idea of the thing itself. We usethe word "Physical" in the double sense of "External," and "Relating tothe material structure of a living being," both of which definitions arefound in the dictionaries. And that is just what Physical Consciousnessreally is--an "awareness" in the mind, or a "consciousness" of the"external" world as evidenced by the senses; and of the "body" of theanimal or person. The animal or person thinking on the plane of PhysicalConsciousness (all the higher animals do, and many men seem unable torise much higher) identifies itself with the physical body, and isconscious only of thoughts of that body and the outside world. It"knows," but not being conscious of mental operations, or of theexistence of its mind, it does not "know that it knows." This form ofconsciousness, while infinitely above the mentation of the nonconsciousplane of "sansation," is like a different world of thought from theconsciousness of the highly developed intellectual man of our age andrace.

It is difficult for a man to form an idea of the Physical Consciousnessof the lower animals and savages, particularly as he finds it difficultto understand his own consciousness except by the act of being conscious.But observation and reason have given us a fair degree of understandingof what this Physical Consciousness of the animal is like--or at least inwhat respect it differs from our own consciousness. Let us take afavorite illustration. A horse standing out in the cold sleet and rain

undoubtedly feels the discomfort, and possibly pain, for we know byobservation that animals feel both. But he is not able to analyze hismental states and wonder when his master will come out to him--think howcruel it is to keep him out of the warm stable--wonder whether he will betaken out in the cold again tomorrow--feel envious of other horses whoare indoors--wonder why he is compelled to be out cold nights, etc.,etc.,--in short, he does not think as would a reasoning man under suchcircumstances. He is aware of the discomfort, just as would be theman--and he would run home if he could just as would the man. But he isnot able to pity himself, nor to think about his personality as wouldthe man, nor does he wonder whether such a life is worth living, afterall. He "knows," but is not able to think of himself as knowing--he doesnot "know that he knows," as we do. He experiences the physical pain anddiscomfort, but is spared the mental discomfort and concern arising fromthe physical, which man so often experiences.

The animal cannot shift its consciousness from the sensations of theouter world to the inner states of being. It is not able to "knowitself." The difference may be clumsily illustrated by the example of aman feeling, seeing or hearing something that gives him a pleasurablesensation, or the reverse. He is conscious of the feeling or sensation,and that it is pleasurable or otherwise. That is Physical Consciousness,and the animal may share it with him. But it stops right there with theanimal. But the man may begin to wonder why the sensation ispleasurable and to associate it with other things and persons; orspeculate why he dislikes it, what will follow, and so on--that isMental Consciousness, because he recognizes an inward self, and isturning his attention inward. He may see another man and experience afeeling or sensation of attraction or aversion--like or dislike. This isPhysical Consciousness, and an animal also may experience the sensation.But the man goes further than the animal, and wonders just what there isabout the man he likes or detests, and may compare himself to the man andwonder whether the latter feels as he does, and so on--this is MentalConsciousness.

In animals the mental gaze is freely directed outward, and never returnsupon itself. In man the mental gaze may be directed inward, or may returninward after its outward journey. The animal "knows"--the man not only"knows," but he "knows that he knows," and is able to investigate that"knowing" and speculate about it. We call this higher consciousnessMental Consciousness. The operation of Physical Consciousness we callInstinct--the operation of Mental Consciousness we call Reason.

The Man who has Mental Consciousness not only "feels" or "senses" things,but he has words or mental concepts of these feelings and sensations andmay think of himself as experiencing them, separating himself, thesensation or feeling, and the thing felt or sensed. The man is able tothink: "I feel; I hear; I see; I smell; I taste; I desire; I do," etc.,

etc. The very words indicate Mental Consciousness recognizing mentalstates and giving them names, and also recognizing something called "I"that experiences the sensations. This latter fact has causedpsychologists to speak of this stage as "Self-consciousness," but wereserve this idea of the "I" consciousness for a higher stage.

The animal experiences something that gives it the impressions or feelingthat we call "pain," "hurt," "pleasant," "sweet," "bitter," etc., allbeing forms of sensation, but it is unable to think of them in words.The pain seems to be a part of itself, although possibly associated withsome person or thing that caused it. The study of the unfoldment ofconsciousness in a young baby will give one a far better idea of thegrades and distinctions than can be obtained from reading mere words.

Mental Consciousness is a growth. As Halleck says, "Many persons neverhave more than a misty idea of such a mental attitude. They always takethemselves for granted, and never turn the gaze inward." It has beendoubted whether the savages have developed Self-consciousness, and evenmany men of our own race seem to be but little above the animals inintellect and consciousness. They do not seem able to "know themselves"even slightly. To them the "I" seems to be a purely physical thing--abody having desires and feeling but little more. They are able to feel anact, but scarcely more. They are not able to set aside any physical"not--I," being utterly unable to think of themselves as anything elsebut a Body. The "I" and the Body are one with them, and they seemincapable of distinguishing between them.

Then comes another stage in which mental-consciousness proper sets in.The man begins to realize that he has "a mind." He is able to "knowhimself" as a mental being, and to turn the gaze inward a little. Thisperiod of development may be noticed in young children. For a timethey speak of themselves as a third person, until finally they begin tosay "I." Then a little later comes the ability to know their own mentalstates as such--they know that they have a mind, and are able todistinguish between it and the body. It is related that some childrenexperience a feeling of terror when they pass into this stage. Theyexhibit signs of bashfulness and what is commonly termed"self-consciousness" in that sense. Some tell us in after years that whenthey became aware of themselves as an entity they were overcome withalarm, as if by a sense of loneliness and apartness from the Universe.Young people often feel this way for several years. There seems to be adistinct feeling that the Universe is antagonistic to and set apart fromthem.

And, although this feeling of separateness and apartness grows less acuteas the man grows older, yet it is always present to a greater or lessdegree until a still higher stage--the Ego-consciousness is reached, whenit disappears as we shall see. And this mental-conscious stage is a hard

one for many. They are entangled in a mass of mental states which the manthinks is "himself," and the struggle between the real "I" and itsconfining sheaths is painful. And it becomes still more painful as theend is neared, for as man advances in mental-consciousness and knowledgehe feels more keenly and suffers accordingly. Man eats the fruit of theTree of Knowledge and begins to suffer, and is driven out of the Gardenof Eden of the child and primitive races, who live like the birds of theair and concern themselves not about mental states and problems. Butthere is deliverance ahead in the shape of a higher consciousness,although but few realize it and still fewer have gained it. Perhaps thislesson may point out the way for you.

With the birth of mental-consciousness comes the knowledge that there isa mind in others. Man is able to speculate and reason about the mentalstates of other men, because he recognizes these states within himself.As man advances in the Mental Consciousness he begins to develop aconstantly increasing degree and grade of Intellect, and accordingly heattaches the greatest importance to that part of his nature. Some menworship Intellect as a God, ignoring its limitations which other thinkershave pointed out. Such people are apt to reason that because the humanintellect (in its present state of development) reports that such a thingmust be, or cannot possibly be, that the matter is forever settled.They ignore the fact that it is possible that Man's Intellect, in itspresent state of unfoldment, may be able to take cognizance of only avery small part of the Universal Fact, and that there may be regions uponregions of Reality and Fact of which he cannot even dream, so far arethey removed from his experience. The unfoldment of a new sense wouldopen out a new world and might bring to light facts that would completelyrevolutionize our entire world of conceptions by reason of the newinformation it would give us.

But, nevertheless, from this Mental Consciousness has come the wonderfulwork of Intellect, as shown in the achievements of Man up to this time,and while we must recognize its limitations, we gladly join in singingits praises. Reason is the tool with which Man is digging into the mineof Facts, bringing to light new treasures every day. This stage of MentalConsciousness is bringing to Man knowledge of himself--knowledge of theUniverse--that is well worth the price he pays for it. For Man does paya price for entrance into this stage--and he pays an increasing price ashe advances in its territory, for the higher he advances the more keenlyhe feels and suffers, as well as enjoys. Capacity for pain is the priceMan pays for Attainment, up to a certain stage. His pain passes from thePhysical to the Mental consciousness, and he becomes aware of problemsthat he never dreamt existed, and the lack of an intelligent answerproduces mental suffering. And the mental suffering that comes to himfrom unsatisfied longings, disappointment, the pain of others whom heloves, etc., is far worse than any physical suffering.

The animal lives its animal life and is contented, for it knows nobetter. If it has enough to eat--a place to sleep--a mate--it is happy.And some men are likewise. But others find themselves involved in a worldof mental discomfort. New wants arise, and the lack of satisfactionbrings pain. Civilization becomes more and more complex, and brings itsnew pains as well as new pleasures. Man attaches himself to "things," andeach day creates for himself artificial wants, which he must labor tomeet. His Intellect may not lead him upward, but instead may merelyenable him to invent new and subtle means and ways of gratifying hissenses to a degree impossible to the animals. Some men make a religion ofthe gratification of their sensuality--their appetites--and become beastsmagnified by the power of Intellect. Others become vain, conceited andpuffed up with a sense of the importance of their Personality (the false"I"). Others become morbidly introspective, and spend their timeanalyzing and dissecting their moods, motives, feelings, etc. Othersexhaust their capacity for pleasure and happiness, but looking outsidefor it instead of within, and become blase, bored, ennuied and anaffliction to themselves We mention these things not in a spirit ofPessimism but merely to show that even this great Mental Consciousnesshas a reverse and ugly side as well as the bright face that has beenascribed to it.

As man reaches the higher stages of this Mental Consciousness, and thenext higher stage begins to dawn upon him, he is apt to feel more keenlythan ever the insufficiency of Life as it appears to him. He is unable tounderstand Himself--his origin, destiny, purpose and nature--and hechafes against the bars of the cage of Intellect in which he is confined.He asks himself the question, "Whence come I--Whither go I--What is theobject of my Existence?" He becomes dissatisfied with the answers theworld has to give him to these questions, and he cries aloud indespair--and but the answer of his own voice comes back to him from theimpassable walls with which he is surrounded. He does not realize thathis answer must come from Within--but so it is.

Psychology stops when it reaches the limits of Mental Consciousness, oras it calls it "Self-Consciousness," and denies that there is anythingbeyond--any unexplored regions of the Mind. It laughs at the reports thatcome from those who have penetrated farther within the recesses of theirbeing, and dismisses the reports as mere "dreams," "fantasies,""illusions," "ecstatic imaginings," "abnormal states," etc., etc.But, nevertheless, there are schools of thought that teach of thesehigher states, and there are men of all ages and races that have enteredthem and have reported concerning them. And we feel justified in askingyou to take them into consideration.

There are two planes of Consciousness, of which we feel it proper tospeak, for we have obtained more or less information regarding them.There are still higher planes, but they belong to higher phases of life

than are dealt with here.

The first of these planes or states of Consciousness, above the"Self-Consciousness" of the psychologists (which we have called "MentalConsciousness") may be called "Ego-consciousness," for it brings an"awareness" of the Reality of the Ego. This "awareness" is far above theSelf-consciousness of the man who is able to distinguish "I" from "You,"and to give it a name. And far above the consciousness that enables aman, as he rises in the scale, to distinguish the "I" from faculty afterfaculty of the mind, which he is able to recognize as "not--I," until hefinds left a mental something that he cannot set aside, which he calls"I"--although this stage alone is very much higher than that of theaverage of the race, and is a high degree of Attainment itself. It isakin to this last stage, and yet still fuller and more complete. Inthe dawning of Ego Consciousness the "I" recognizes itself still moreclearly and, more than this, is fully imbued with a sense and "awareness"of its own Reality, unknown to it before. This awareness is not a merematter of reasoning--it is a "consciousness," just as is PhysicalConsciousness and Mental Consciousness something different from an"intellectual conviction." It is a Knowing, not a Thinking or Believing.The "I" knows that it is Real--that it has its roots in the SupremeReality underlying all the Universe, and partakes of its Essence. It doesnot know what this Reality is, but it knows that it is Real, andsomething different from anything in the world of name, form, number,time, space, cause and effect--something Transcendental and surpassingall human experience. And knowing this, it knows that it cannot bedestroyed or hurt; cannot die, but is immortal; and that there isSomething which is the very essence of Good behind of, underneath andeven in itself. And in this certainty and consciousness is there Peace,Understanding and Power. When it fully bursts upon one, Doubt, Fear,Unrest and Dissatisfaction drop from him like wornout garments and hefinds himself clothed in the Faith that Knows; Fearlessness; Restfulness;Satisfaction. Then he is able to say understandingly and with meaning "IAM."

This Ego Consciousness is coming to many as a dawning knowledge--thelight is just rising from behind the hills. To others it has comegradually and slowly, but fully, and they now live in the full light ofthe consciousness. Others it has burst upon like a flash, or vision--likea light falling from the clear sky, almost blinding them at first, butleaving them changed men and women, possessed of that something thatcannot be understood by or described to those who have not experiencedit. This last stage is called "Illumination" in one of its forms.

The man of the Ego Consciousness may not understand the Riddle of theUniverse or be able to give an answer to the great Questions of Life--buthe has ceased to worry about them--they now disturb him not. He may usehis intellect upon them as before, but never with the feeling that in

their intellectual solution rests his happiness or peace of mind. Heknows that he stands on solid rock, and though the storms of the world ofmatter and force may beat upon him, he will not be hurt. This and otherthings he knows. He cannot prove these things to others, for they are notdemonstrable by argument--he himself did not get them in that way. And sohe says but little about it--but lives his life as if he knew them not,so far as outward appearances go. But inwardly he is a changed man--hislife is different from that of his brothers, for while their souls arewrapped in slumber or are tossing in troubled dreams, his Soul hasawakened and is gazing upon the world with bright and fearless eyes.There are, of course, different stages or degrees of this Consciousness,just as there are in the lower planes of consciousness. Some have it to aslight degree, while others have it fully. Perhaps this lesson will tellsome of its readers just what is the thing that has "happened" to themand which they hesitate to speak of to their closest friend or lifecompanion. To others it may open the way to a fuller realization. Wesincerely trust so, for one does not begin to Live until he knows the "I"as Reality.

There is a stage still higher than this last mentioned but it has come tobut very few of the race. Reports of it come from all times, races,countries. It has been called "Cosmic Consciousness," and is described asan awareness of the Oneness of Life--that is, a consciousness that theUniverse is filled with One Life--an actual perception and "awareness"that the Universe is full of Life, Motion and Mind, and that there isno such thing as Blind Force, or Dead Matter, but that All is alive,vibrating and intelligent. That is, of course, that the Real Universe,which is the Essence or background of the Universe of Matter, Energy andMind, is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have hadglimpses of this state would indicate that they see the Universe as AllMind--that All is Mind at the last. This form of consciousness has beenexperienced by men here and there--only a few--in moments of"Illumination," the period lasting but a very short space of time, thenfading away, leaving but a memory. In the moment of the "Illumination"there came to those experiencing it a sense of "intouch-ness" withUniversal Knowledge and Life, impossible to describe, accompanied by aJoy beyond understanding.

Regarding this last, "Cosmic Consciousness," we would state that it meansmore than an intellectual conviction, belief or realization of the factsas stated, for an actual vision and consciousness of these thingscame in the moment of Illumination. Some others report that they have adeep abiding sense of the reality of the facts described by the report ofthe Illumined, but have not experienced the "vision" or ecstasy referredto. These last people seem to have with them always the same mental stateas that possessed by those who had the "vision" and passed out of it,carrying with them the remembrance and feeling, but not the actualconsciousness attained at the moment. They agree upon the essential

particulars of the reports. Dr. Maurice Bucke, now passed out of thisplane of life, wrote a book entitled "Cosmic Consciousness," in which hedescribes a number of these cases, including his own, Walt Whitman's andothers, and in which he holds that this stage of consciousness is beforethe race and will gradually come to it in the future. He holds that themanifestation of it which has come to some few of the race, as abovestated, is but the first beams of the sun which are flashing upon us andwhich are but prophecies of the appearance of the great body of lightitself.

We shall not here consider at length the reports of certain greatreligious personages of the past, who have left records that in momentsof great spiritual exaltation they became conscious of "being in thepresence of the Absolute," or perhaps within the radius of "the light ofIts countenance." We have great respect for these reports, and have everyreason for believing many of them authentic, notwithstanding theconflicting reports that have been handed down to us by thoseexperiencing them. These reports are conflicting because of the fact thatthe minds of those who had these glimpses of consciousness were notprepared or trained to fully understand the nature of the phenomena. Theyfound themselves in the spiritual presence of Something of awful grandeurand spiritual rank, and were completely dazed and bewildered at thesight. They did not understand the nature of the Absolute, and when theyhad sufficiently recovered they reported that they had been in the"presence of God"--the word "God" meaning their particular conceptionof Deity--that is, the one appearing as Deity in their own particularreligious creed or school. They saw nothing to cause them to identifythis Something with their particular conception of Deity, except thatthey thought that "it must be God," and knowing no other God excepttheir own particular conception, they naturally identifying the Somethingwith "God" as they conceived Him to be. And their reports naturallywere along these lines.

Thus the reports of all religions are filled with accounts of theso-called miraculous occurrences. The Catholic saint reports that he "sawof light of God's countenance," and the non-Catholic reports likewiseregarding God as he knows him. The Mohammedan reports that he caught aglimpse of the face of Allah, and the Buddhist tells us that he sawBuddha under the tree. The Brahman has seen the face of Brahma, and thevarious Hindu sects have men who give similar reports regarding their ownparticular deities. The Persians have given similar reports, and even theancient Egyptians have left records of similar occurrences. Theseconflicting reports have led to the belief, on the part of those who didnot understand the nature of the phenomena, that these things were "allimagination" and fancy, if indeed not rank falsehood and imposture. Butthe Yogis know better than this. They know that underneath all thesevarying reports there is a common ground of truth, which will be apparentto anyone investigating the matter. They know that all of these reports

(except a few based upon fraudulent imitation of the real phenomenon)are based upon truth and are but the bewildered reports of the variousobservers. They know that these people were temporarily lifted above theordinary plane of consciousness and were made aware of the existence of aBeing or Beings higher than mortal. It does not follow that they saw"God" or the Absolute, for there are many Beings of high spiritual growthand development that would appear to the ordinary mortal as a very God.The Catholic doctrine of Angels and Arch-angels is corroborated by thoseamong the Yogis who have been "behind the Veil," and they give us reportsof the "Devas" and other advanced Beings. So the Yogi accepts thesereports of the various mystics, saints and inspired ones, and accountsfor them all by laws perfectly natural to the students of the YogiPhilosophy, but which appear as supernatural to those who have notstudied along these lines.

But we cannot speak further of this phase of the subject in this lesson,for a full discussion of it would lead us far away from the phase of thegeneral subject before us. But we wish to be understood as saying thatthere are certain centers in the mental being of Man from which may comelight regarding the existence of the Absolute and higher order of Beings.In fact, from these centers come to man that part of his mental"feelings" that he calls "the religious instinct or intuition." Man doesnot arrive at that underlying consciousness of "Something Beyond" bymeans of his Intellect--it is the glimmer of light coming from the highercenters of the Self. He notices these gleams of light, but notunderstanding them, he proceeds to erect elaborate theological andcreedal structures to account for them, the work of the Intellect,however, always lacking that "feeling" that the intuition itselfpossesses. True religion, no matter under what name it may masquerade,comes from the "heart" and is not comforted or satisfied with theseIntellectual explanations, and hence comes that unrest and craving forsatisfaction which comes to Man when the light begins to break through.

But we must postpone a further discussion of this part of the subject forthe present. We shall consider it again in a future lesson in connectionwith other matters. As we have said, our next two lessons will take uponthe inquiry regarding the regions outside of the consciousness of theordinary man. You will find it a most fascinating and instructive inquiryand one that will open up new fields of thought for many of you.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION.)

I Am a Being far greater and grander than I have as yet conceived. I amunfolding gradually but surely into higher planes of consciousness. I ammoving Forward and Upward constantly. My goal is the Realization of theTrue Self, and I welcome each stage of Unfoldment that leads me toward myaim. I am a manifestation of REALITY. I AM.

THE EIGHTH LESSON.

THE HIGHLANDS AND LOWLANDS OF MIND.

The Self of each of us has a vehicle of expression which we call theMind, but which vehicle is much larger and far more complex than we areapt to realize. As a writer has said "Our Self is greater than we know;it has peaks above, and lowlands below the plateau of our consciousexperience." That which we know as the "conscious mind" is not the Soul.The Soul is not a part of that which we know in consciousness, but, onthe contrary, that which we know in consciousness is but a small part ofthe Soul--the conscious vehicle of a greater Self, or "I."

The Yogis have always taught that the mind has many planes ofmanifestation and action--and that many of its planes operated above andbelow the plane of consciousness. Western science is beginning to realizethis fact, and its theories regarding same may be found in any of thelater works on psychology. But this is a matter of recent development inWestern science. Until very recently the text books held thatConsciousness and Mind were synonymous, and that the Mind was consciousof all of its activities, changes and modifications.

Liebnitz was one of the first Western philosophers to advance the ideathat there were planes of mental activity outside of the plane ofconsciousness, and since his time the leading thinkers have slowly butsurely moved forward to his position.

At the present time it is generally conceded that at least ninety percent of our mental operations take place in the out-of-conscious realm.Prof. Elmer Gates, the well known scientist, has said: "At least ninetyper cent of our mental life is sub-conscious. If you will analyze yourmental operations you will find that conscious thinking is never acontinuous line of consciousness, but a series of conscious data withgreat intervals of subconscious. We sit and try to solve a problem, andfail. We walk around, try again, and fail. Suddenly an idea dawns thatleads to the solution of the problem. The subconscious processes were atwork. We do not volitionally create our own thinking. It takes place inus. We are more or less passive recipients. We cannot change the natureof a thought, or of a truth, but we can, as it were, guide the ship by amoving of the helm. Our mentation is largely the result of the greatCosmic Whole upon us."

Sir William Hamilton says that the sphere of our consciousness is only asmall circle in the center of a far wider sphere of action and thought,of which we are conscious through its effects.

Taine says: "Outside of a little luminous circle, lies a large ring of

twilight, and beyond this an indefinite night; but the events of thistwilight and this night are as real as those within the luminous circle."

Sir Oliver Lodge, the eminent English scientist, speaking of the planesof the mind, says: "Imagine an iceberg glorying in its crisp solidity,and sparkling pinnacles, resenting attention paid to its submerged self,or supporting region, or to the saline liquid out of which it arose, andinto which in due course it will some day return. Or, reversing themetaphor, we might liken our present state to that of the hulls ofships submerged in a dim ocean among strange monsters, propelled in ablind manner through space; proud perhaps of accumulating many barnaclesas decoration; only recognizing our destination by bumping against thedock-wall; and with no cognizance of the deck and cabins above us, orthe spars and sails--no thought of the sextant, and the compass, andthe captain--no perception of the lookout on the mast--of the distanthorizon. With no vision of objects far ahead--dangers to beavoided--destinations to be reached--other ships to be spoken to bymeans other than by bodily contact--a region of sunshine and cloud, ofspace, or perception, and of intelligence utterly inaccessible to partsbelow the waterline."

We ask our students to read carefully the above expression of Sir OliverLodge, for it gives one of the clearest and most accurate figures of theactual state of affairs concerning the mental planes that we have seen inWestern writings.

And other Western writers have noted and spoken of these out-of-consciousrealms. Lewes has said: "It is very certain that in every consciousvolition--every act that is so characterized--the larger part of it isquite unconscious. It is equally certain that in every perception thereare unconscious processes of reproduction and inference. There is amiddle distance of sub-consciousness, and a background ofunconsciousness."

Taine has told us that: "Mental events imperceptible to consciousness arefar more numerous than the others, and of the world that makes up ourbeing we only perceive the highest points--the lighted-up peaks of acontinent whose lower levels remain in the shade. Beneath ordinarysensations are their components, that is to say, the elementarysensations, which must be combined into groups to reach ourconsciousness."

Maudsley says: "Examine closely and without bias the ordinary mentaloperations of daily life, and you will find that consciousness has notone-tenth part of the function therein which it is commonly assumedto have. In every conscious state there are at work conscious,sub-conscious, and infra-conscious energies, the last as indispensable asthe first."

Oliver Wendall Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge intoconsciousness, which yet make their influence felt among the perceptiblemental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movements of thosethat are watched and mapped by the astronomer."

Many other writers have given us examples and instances of the operationof the out-of-consciousness planes of thought. One has written that whenthe solution of a problem he had long vainly dealt with, flashed acrosshis mind, he trembled as if in the presence of another being who hadcommunicated a secret to him. All of us have tried to remember a nameor similar thing without success, and have then dismissed the matter fromour minds, only to have the missing name or thought suddenly presented toour conscious mind a few minutes, or hours, afterwards. Something in ourmind was at work hunting up the missing word, and when it found it itpresented it to us.

A writer has mentioned what he called "unconscious rumination," whichhappened to him when he read books presenting new points of viewessentially opposed to his previous opinions. After days, weeks, ormonths, he found that to his great astonishment the old opinions wereentirely rearranged, and new ones lodged there. Many examples of thisunconscious mental digestion and assimilation are mentioned in the bookson the subject written during the past few years.

It is related of Sir W. R. Hamilton that he discovered quarternions oneday while walking with his wife in the observatory at Dublin. He relatesthat he suddenly felt "the galvanic circle of thought" close, and thesparks that fell from it was the fundamental mathematical relations ofhis problem, which is now an important law in mathematics.

Dr. Thompson has written: "At times I have had a feeling of theuselessness of all voluntary effort, and also that the matter was workingitself clear in my mind. It has many times seemed to me that I was reallya passive instrument in the hands of a person not myself. In view ofhaving to wait for the results of these unconscious processes, I haveproved the habit of getting together material in advance, and thenleaving the mass to digest itself till I am ready to write about it. Idelayed for a month the writing of my book 'System of Psychology,' butcontinued reading the authorities. I would not try to think about thebook. I would watch with interest the people passing the windows. Oneevening when reading the paper, the substance of the missing part of thebook flashed upon my mind, and I began to write. This is only a sample ofmany such experiences."

Berthelot, the founder of Synthetic Chemistry has said that theexperiments leading to his wonderful discoveries have never been theresult of carefully followed trains of thought--of pure reasoning

processes--but have come of themselves, so to speak, from the clear sky.

Mozart has written: "I cannot really say that I can account for mycompositions. My ideas flow, and I cannot say whence or how they come. Ido not hear in my imagination the parts successively, but I hear them, asit were, all at once. The rest is merely an attempt to reproduce what Ihave heard."

Dr. Thompson, above mentioned, has also said: "In writing this work Ihave been unable to arrange my knowledge of a subject for days and weeks,until I experienced a clearing up of my mind, when I took my pen andunhesitatingly wrote the result. I have best accomplished this by leadingthe (conscious) mind as far away as possible from the subject upon whichI was writing."

Prof. Barrett says: "The mysteriousness of our being is not confined tosubtle physiological processes which we have in common with all animallife. There are higher and more capacious powers wrapped up in our humanpersonality than are expressed even by what we know of consciousness,will, or reason. There are supernormal and transcendental powers ofwhich, at present, we only catch occasional glimpses; and behind andbeyond the supernormal there are fathomless abysses, the Divine ground ofthe soul; the ultimate reality of which our consciousness is but thereflection or faint perception. Into such lofty themes I do not proposeto enter, they must be forever beyond the scope of human inquiry; nor isit possible within the limits of this paper to give any adequateconception of those mysterious regions of our complex personality, whichare open to, and beginning to be disclosed by, scientific investigation."

Rev. Dr. Andrew Murray has written: "Deeper down than where the soul withits consciousness can enter there is spirit matter linking man with God;and deeper down than the mind and feelings or will--in the unseen depthsof the hidden life--there dwells the Spirit of God." This testimony isremarkable, coming from that source, for it corroborates and reiteratesthe Yogi teachings of the Indwelling Spirit Schofield has written: "Ourconscious mind as compared with the unconscious mind, has been likenedto the visible spectrum of the sun's rays, as compared to the invisiblepart which stretches indefinitely on either side. We know now that thechief part of heat comes from the ultra-red rays that show no light; andthe main part of the chemical changes in the vegetable world are theresults of the ultra-violet rays at the other end of the spectrum, whichare equally invisible to the eye, and are recognized only by their potenteffects. Indeed as these invisible rays extend indefinitely on both sidesof the visible spectrum, so we may say that the mind includes not onlythe visible or conscious part, and what we have termed the sub-conscious,that which lies below the red line, but the supraconscious mind that liesat the other end--all those regions of higher soul and spirit life, ofwhich we are only at times vaguely conscious, but which always exist, and

link us on to eternal verities, on the one side, as surely as thesub-conscious mind links us to the body on the other."

We know that our students will appreciate the above testimony of Dr.Schofield, for it is directly in the line of our teachings in the YogiPhilosophy regarding the Planes of the Mind (see "Fourteen Lessons").

We feel justified in quoting further from Dr. Schofield, for he voices inthe strongest manner that which the Yogi Philosophy teaches asfundamental truths regarding the mind. Dr. Schofield is an Englishwriter on Psychology, and so far as we know has no tendency towardoccultism, his views having been arrived at by careful scientific studyand investigation along the lines of Western psychology, which rendershis testimony all the more valuable, showing as it does, how the humanmind will instinctively find its way to the Truth, even if it has toblaze a new trail through the woods, departing from the beaten tracksof other minds around it, which lack the courage or enterprise to strikeout for themselves.

Dr. Schofield writes: "The mind, indeed, reaches all the way, and whileon the one hand it is inspired by the Almighty, on the other it energizesthe body, all whose purposive life it originates. We may call thesupra-conscious mind the sphere of the spirit life, the sub-conscious thesphere of the body life, and the conscious mind the middle region whereboth meet."

Continuing, Dr. Schofield says: "The Spirit of God is said todwell in believers, and yet, as we have seen, His presence is not thesubject of direct consciousness. We would include, therefore, in thesupra-conscious, all such spiritual ideas, together with conscience--thevoice of God, as Max Muller calls it--which is surely a half-consciousfaculty. Moreover, the supra-conscious, like the sub-conscious, is, as wehave said, best apprehended when the conscious mind is not active.Visions, meditations, prayers, and even dreams have been undoubtedlyoccasions of spiritual revelations, and many instances may be adduced asillustrations of the workings of the Spirit apart from the action ofreason or mind. The truth apparently is that the mind as a whole is anunconscious state, by that its middle registers, excluding the highestspiritual and lowest physical manifestations, are fitfully illuminatedin varying degree by consciousness; and that it is to this illuminatedpart of the dial that the word "mind," which rightly appertains to thewhole, has been limited."

Oliver Wendell Holmes has said: "The automatic flow of thought is oftensingularly favored by the fact of listening to a weak continuousdiscourse, with just enough ideas in it to keep the (conscious) mindbusy. The induced current of thought is often rapid and brilliant ininverse ratio to the force of the inducing current."

Wundt says: "The unconscious logical processes are carried on with acertainty and regularity which would be impossible where there exists thepossibility of error. Our mind is so happily designed that it preparesfor us the most important foundations of cognition, whilst we have notthe slightest apprehension of the modus operandi. This unconscioussoul, like a benevolent stranger, works and makes provisions for ourbenefit, pouring only the mature fruits into our laps."

A writer in an English magazine interestingly writes: "Intimations reachour consciousness from unconsciousness, that the mind is ready to work,is fresh, is full of ideas." "The grounds of our judgment are oftenknowledge so remote from consciousness that we cannot bring them toview." "That the human mind includes an unconscious part; thatunconscious events occurring in that part are proximate causes ofconsciousness; that the greater part of human intuitional action is aneffect of an unconscious cause; the truth of these propositions is sodeducible from ordinary mental events, and is so near the surface thatthe failure of deduction to forestall induction in the discerning of itmay well excite wonder." "Our behavior is influenced by unconsciousassumptions respecting our own social and intellectual rank, and thatof the one we are addressing. In company we unconsciously assume abearing quite different from that of the home circle. After being raisedto a higher rank the whole behavior subtly and unconsciously changes inaccordance with it." And Schofield adds to the last sentence: "This isalso the case in a minor degree with different styles and qualities ofdress and different environments. Quite unconsciously we change ourbehavior, carriage, and style, to suit the circumstance."

Jensen writes: "When we reflect on anything with the whole force of themind, we may fall into a state of entire unconsciousness, in which we notonly forget the outer world, but also know nothing at all of ourselvesand the thoughts passing within us after a time. We then suddenly awakeas from a dream, and usually at the same moment the result of ourmeditations appears as distinctly in consciousness without our knowinghow we reached it."

Bascom says: "It is inexplicable how premises which lie belowconsciousness can sustain conclusions in consciousness; how the mind canwittingly take up a mental movement at an advanced stage, having missedits primary steps."

Hamilton and other writers have compared the mind's action to that of arow of billiard balls, of which one is struck and the impetus transmittedthroughout the entire row, the result being that only the last ballactually moves, the others remaining in their places. The last ballrepresents the conscious thought--the other stages in the unconsciousmentation. Lewes, speaking of this illustration, says: "Something like

this, Hamilton says, seems often to occur in a train of thought, one ideaimmediately suggesting another into consciousness--this suggestionpassing through one or more ideas which do not themselves rise intoconsciousness. This point, that we are not conscious of the formation ofgroups, but only of a formed group, may throw light on the existence ofunconscious judgments, unconscious reasonings, and unconsciousregistrations of experience."

Many writers have related the process by which the unconscious mentationemerges gradually into the field of consciousness, and the discomfortattending the process. A few examples may prove interesting andinstructive.

Maudsley says: "It is surprising how uncomfortable a person may be madeby the obscure idea of something which he ought to have said or done, andwhich he cannot for the life of him remember. There is an effort of thelost idea to get into consciousness, which is relieved directly the ideabursts into consciousness."

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge intoconsciousness, and which yet make their influence felt among theperceptive mental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movementsof the known ones." The same writer also remarks: "I was told of abusiness man in Boston who had given up thinking of an important questionas too much for him. But he continued so uneasy in his brain that hefeared he was threatened with palsy. After some hours the naturalsolution of the question came to him, worked out, as he believed, in thattroubled interval."

Dr. Schofield mentions several instances of this phase of the workings ofthe unconscious planes of the mind. We mention a couple that seeminteresting and to the point:

"Last year," says Dr. Schofield, "I was driving to Phillmore Gardens togive some letters to a friend. On the way, a vague uneasiness sprang up,and a voice seemed to say, 'I doubt if you have those letters.' Consciousreason rebuked it, and said, 'Of course you have; you took them out ofthe drawer specially.' The vague feeling was not satisfied, but could notreply. On arrival I found the letters were in none of my pockets. Onreturning I found them on the hall table, where they had been placed amoment putting on my gloves."

"The other day I had to go to see a patient in Folkestone, in ShakespeareTerrace. I got there very late, and did not stay but drove down to thePavilion for the night, it being dark and rainy. Next morning at eleven Iwalked up to find the house, knowing the general direction, though neverhaving walked there before. I went up the main road, and, after passinga certain turning, began to feel a vague uneasiness coming into

consciousness, that I had passed the terrace. On asking the way, I foundit was so; and the turning was where the uneasiness began. The nightbefore was pitch dark, and very wet, and anything seen from a closecarriage was quite unconsciously impressed on my mind."

Prof. Kirchener says: "Our consciousness can only grasp one quite clearidea at once. All other ideas are for the time somewhat obscure. They arereally existing, but only potentially for consciousness, i.e., theyhover, as it were, on our horizon, or beneath the threshold ofconsciousness. The fact that former ideas suddenly return toconsciousness is simply explained by the fact that they have continuedpsychic existence: and attention is sometimes voluntarily orinvoluntarily turned away from the present, and the appearance of formerideas is thus made possible."

Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "Our different ideas are stepping-stones; howwe get from one to another we do not know; something carries us. We (ourconscious selves) do not take the step. The creating and informingspirit, which is within us and not of us, is recognized everywhere inreal life. It comes to us as a voice that will be heard; it tells us whatwe must believe; it frames our sentences and we wonder at this visitorwho chooses our brain as his dwelling place."

Galton says: "I have desired to show how whole states of mental operationthat have lapsed out of ordinary consciousness, admit of being draggedinto light."

Montgomery says: "We are constantly aware that feelings emergeunsolicited by any previous mental state, directly from the dark womb ofunconsciousness. Indeed all our most vivid feelings are thus mysticallyderived. Suddenly a new irrelevant, unwilled, unlooked-for presenceintrudes itself into consciousness. Some inscrutable power causes it torise and enter the mental presence as a sensorial constituent. If thisvivid dependence on unconscious forces has to be conjectured with regardto the most vivid mental occurrences, how much more must such asustaining foundation be postulated for those faint revivals of previoussensations that so largely assist in making up our complex mentalpresence!"

Sir Benjamin Brodie says: "It has often happened to me to haveaccumulated a store of facts, but to have been able to proceed nofurther. Then after an interval of time, I have found the obscurity andconfusion to have cleared away: the facts to have settled in their rightplaces, though I have not been sensible of having made any effort forthat purpose."

Wundt says: "The traditional opinion that consciousness is the entirefield of the internal life cannot be accepted. In consciousness, psychic

acts are very distinct from one another, and observation itselfnecessarily conducts to unity in psychology. But the agent of this unityis outside of consciousness, which knows only the result of the work donein the unknown laboratory beneath it. Suddenly a new thought springs intobeing. Ultimate analysis of psychic processes shows that the unconsciousis the theater of the most important mental phenomena. The conscious isalways conditional upon the unconscious."

Creighton says: "Our conscious life is the sum of these entrances andexits. Behind the scenes, as we infer, there lies a vast reserve which wecall 'the unconscious,' finding a name for it by the simple device ofprefixing the negative article. The basis of all that lies behind thescene is the mere negative of consciousness."

Maudsley says: "The process of reasoning adds nothing to knowledge (inthe reasoner). It only displays what was there before, and brings toconscious possession what before was unconscious." And again: "Mind cando its work without knowing it. Consciousness is the light that lightensthe process, not the agent that accomplishes it."

Walstein says: "It is through the sub-conscious self that Shakespearemust have perceived, without effort, great truths which are hidden fromthe conscious mind of the student; that Phidias painted marble andbronze; that Raphael painted Madonnas, and Beethoven composedsymphonies."

Ribot says: "The mind receives from experience certain data, andelaborates them unconsciously by laws peculiar to itself, and the resultmerges into consciousness."

Newman says: "When the unaccustomed causes surprise, we do not perceivethe thing and then feel the surprise; but surprise comes first, and thenwe search out the cause; so the theory must have acted on the unconsciousmind to create the feeling, before being perceived in consciousness."

A writer in an English magazine says: "Of what transcendent importance isthe fact that the unconscious part of the mind bears to the consciouspart such a relation as the magic lantern bears to the luminous discwhich it projects; that the greater part of the intentional action, thewhole practical life of the vast majority of men, is an effect of eventsas remote from consciousness as the motion of the planets."

Dr. Schofield says: "It is quite true that the range of the unconsciousmind must necessarily remain indefinite; none can say how high or low itmay reach.... As to how far the unconscious powers of life that, as hasbeen said, can make eggs and feathers out of Indian corn, and milk andbeef and mutton out of grass, are to be considered within or beyond thelowest limits of unconscious mind, we do not therefore here press. It is

enough to establish the fact of its existence; to point out its moreimportant features; and to show that in all respects it is as worthy ofbeing called mind as that which works in consciousness. We thereforereturn to our first definition of Mind, as 'the sum of psychic action inus, whether conscious or unconscious.'"

Hartmann calls our attention to a very important fact when he says: "Theunconscious does not fall ill, the unconscious does not grow weary, butall conscious mental activity becomes fatigued."

Kant says: "To have ideas and yet not be conscious of them--therein seemsto lie a contradiction. However, we may still be immediately aware ofholding an idea, though we are not directly conscious of it."

Maudsley says: "It may seem paradoxical to assert not merely that ideasmay exist in the mind without any consciousness of them, but that anidea, or a train of associated ideas, may be quickened into action andactuate movements without itself being attended to. When an ideadisappears from consciousness it does not necessarily disappear entirely;it may remain latent below the horizon of consciousness. Moreover it mayproduce an effect upon movement, or upon other ideas, when thus activebelow the horizon of consciousness."

Liebnitz says: "It does not follow that because we do not perceivethought that it does not exist. It is a great source of error to believethat there is no perception in the mind but that of which it isconscious."

Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "The more we examine the mechanism of thoughtthe more we shall see that anterior unconscious action of the mind thatenters largely into all of its processes. People who talk most do notalways think most. I question whether persons who think most--that is whohave most conscious thought pass through their mind--necessarily do mostmental work. Every new idea planted in a real thinker's mind grows whenhe is least conscious of it."

Maudsley says: "It would go hard with mankind indeed, if they must actwittingly before they acted at all. Men, without knowing why, follow acourse for which good reasons exist. Nay, more. The practical instinctsof mankind often work beneficially in actual contradiction to theirprofessed doctrines."

The same writer says: "The best thoughts of an author are the unwilledthoughts which surprise himself; and the poet, under the influence ofcreative activity, is, so far as consciousness is concerned, beingdictated to."

A writer in an English magazine says: "When waiting on a pier for a

steamer, I went on to the first, which was the wrong one. I came back andwaited, losing my boat, which was at another part of the pier, on accountof the unconscious assumption I had made, that this was the only place towait for the steamer. I saw a man enter a room, and leave by anotherdoor. Shortly after, I saw another man exactly like him do the same. Itwas the same man; but I said it must be his twin brother, in theunconscious assumption that there was no exit for the first man but bythe way he came (that by returning)."

Maudsley says: "The firmest resolve or purpose sometimes vanishesissueless when it comes to the brink of an act, while the true will,which determines perhaps a different act, springs up suddenly out of thedepths of the unconscious nature, surprising and overcoming theconscious."

Schofield says: "Our unconscious influence is the projection of ourunconscious mind and personality unconsciously over others. This actsunconsciously on their unconscious centers, producing effects incharacter and conduct, recognized in consciousness. For instance, theentrance of a good man into a room where foul language is used, willunconsciously modify and purify the tone of the whole room. Our mindscast shadows of which we are as unconscious as those cast by our bodies,but which affect for good or evil all who unconsciously pass within theirrange. This is a matter of daily experience, and is common to all, thoughmore noticeable with strong personalities."

Now we have given much time and space to the expressions of opinion ofvarious Western writers regarding this subject of there being a plane orplanes of the mind outside of the field of consciousness. We have givenspace to this valuable testimony, not alone because of its intrinsicvalue and merit, but because we wished to impress upon the minds of ourstudents that these out-of-conscious planes of mind are now beingrecognized by the best authorities in the Western world, although it hasbeen only a few years back when the idea was laughed at as ridiculous,and as a mere "dream of the Oriental teachers." Each writer quoted hasbrought out some interesting and valuable point of the subject, and thestudent will find that his own experiences corroborate the points citedby the several writers. In this way we think the matter will be madeplainer, and will become fixed in the mind of those who are studying thiscourse of lessons.

But we must caution our students from hastily adopting the severaltheories of Western writers, advanced during the past few years,regarding these out-of-conscious states. The trouble has been that theWestern writers dazzled by the view of the subconscious planes ofmentation that suddenly burst upon the Western thought, hastily adoptedcertain theories, which they felt would account for all the phenomenaknown as "psychic," and which they thought would fully account for all

the problems of the subject. These writers while doing a most valuablework, which has helped thousands to form new ideas regarding the natureand workings of the mind, nevertheless did not sufficiently explore thenature of the problem before them. A little study of the Orientalphilosophies might have saved them and their readers much confusion.

For instance, the majority of these writers hastily assumed that becausethere was an out-of-conscious plane of mentation, therefore all theworkings of the mind might be grouped under the head of "conscious" and"sub-conscious," and that all the out-of-conscious phenomena might begrouped under the head of "subconscious mind," "subjective mind," etc.,ignoring the fact that this class of mental phenomena embraced notonly the highest but the lowest forms of mentation In their newly found"mind" (which they called "subjective" or "sub-conscious"), they placedthe lowest traits and animal passions; insane impulses; delusions;bigotry; animal-like intelligence, etc., etc., as well as the inspirationof the poet and musician, and the high spiritual longings and feelingsthat one recognizes as having come from the higher regions of the soul.

This mistake was a natural one, and at first reading the Western worldwas taken by storm, and accepted the new ideas and theories as Truth. Butwhen reflection came, and analysis was applied there arose a feeling ofdisappointment and dissatisfaction, and people began to feel that therewas something lacking. They intuitively recognized that their higherinspirations and intuitions came from a different part of the mind thanthe lower emotions, passions, and other sub-conscious feelings, andinstincts.

A glance at the Oriental philosophies will give one the key to theproblem at once. The Oriental teachers have always held that theconscious mentation was but a small fraction of the entire volume ofthought, but they have always taught that just as there was a field ofmentation below consciousness, so was there a field of mentationabove consciousness as much higher than Intellect as the other waslower than it. The mere mention of this fact will prove a revelation tothose who have not heard it before, and who have become entangled withthe several "dual-mind" theories of the recent Western writers. The moreone has read on this subject the more he will appreciate the superiorityof the Oriental theory over that of the Western writers. It is like thechemical which at once clears the clouded liquid in the test-tube.

In our next lesson we shall go into this subject of the above-consciousplanes, and the below-conscious planes, bringing out the distinctionclearly, and adding to what we have said on the subject in previousbooks.

And all this is leading us toward the point where we may give youinstruction regarding the training and cultivation--the retraining and

guidance of these out-of-conscious faculties. By retraining the lowerplanes of mentation to their proper work, and by stimulating the higherones, man may "make himself over." mentally, and may acquire powers ofwhich he but dreams now. This is why we are leading you up to theunderstanding of this subject, step by step. We advise you to acquaintyourself with each phase of the matter, that you may be able to apply theteachings and instructions to follow in later lessons of the course.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I recognize that my Self is greater than it seems--that above and belowconsciousness are planes of mind--that just as there are lower planes ofmind which belong to my past experience in ages past and over which Imust now assert my Mastery--so are there planes of mind into which I amunfolding gradually, which will bring me wisdom, power, and joy. I AmMyself, in the midst of this mental world--I am the Master of myMind--I assert my control of its lower phases, and I demand of its higherall that it has in store for me.

THE NINTH LESSON.

THE MENTAL PLANES.

In our last lesson we told you something about the operation of the mindoutside of the field of consciousness. In this lesson we will attempt toclassify these out-of-consciousness planes, by directing your attentionto the several mental planes above and below the plane of consciousness.As we stated in the last lesson, over 90 per cent of our mentaloperations are conducted outside of the field of consciousness, so thatthe consideration of the planes is seen to be an important subject.

Man is a Centre of Consciousness in the great One Life of the Universe.His soul has climbed a great many steps before it reached its presentposition and stage of unfoldment. And it will pass through many moresteps until it is entirely free and delivered from the necessity of itsswaddling clothes.

In his mental being man contains traces of all that has gone before--allthe experiences of himself and the great race movement of which he is apart. And, likewise, his mind contains faculties and mental planes whichhave not as yet unfolded into consciousness, and of the existence ofwhich he is but imperfectly aware. All of these mental possessions,however, are useful and valuable to him--even the lowest. The lowestmay be used to advantage, under proper mastery, and are only dangerous tothe man who allows them to master him instead of serving him as theyshould, considering his present stage of development.

In this consideration of the several mental planes we shall not confineourselves to the technical occult terms given to these several planes,but will place them in general groups and describe the features andcharacteristics of each, rather than branch off into long explanations ofthe growth and reason of the several planes, which would take us far awayfrom the practical consideration of the subject.

Beginning at the lowest point of the scale we see that man has a body.The body is composed of minute cells of protoplasm. These cells are builtup of countless molecules, atoms and particles of matter--precisely thesame matter that composes the rocks, trees, air, etc., around him. TheYogi philosophy tells us that even the atoms of matter have life and anelementary manifestation of mind, which causes them to group togetheraccording to the law of attraction, forming different elements,combinations, etc. This law of attraction is a mental operation, and isthe first evidence of mental choice, action and response. Below this isPrana or Force, which, strictly speaking, is also a manifestation ofmind, although for convenience we designate it as a separatemanifestation of the Absolute.

And therefore we find that this law of attraction between the atoms andparticles of matter is a mental action, and that it belongs to man'smental kingdom, because he has a body and this mental action iscontinually going on in his body. So therefore this is the lowest mentalplane to be considered in the make-up of the man. This plane is, ofcourse, far sunken beneath the plane of consciousness, and is scarcelyidentified with the personality of the man at all, but rather belongs tothe life of the whole, manifest in the rock as well as in the man.

But after these atoms have been grouped by the law of attraction and haveformed molecules of matter, they are taken possession of by a highermental activity and built up into cells by the mental action of theplant. The life impulse of the plant begins by drawing to it certainparticles of inorganic matter--chemical elements--and then building theminto a single cell. Oh, mystery of the cell! The intellect of man isunable to duplicate this wonderful process. The Mind Principle on theVegetative Plane, however, knows exactly how to go to work to select anddraw to itself just the elements needed to build up the single cell. Thentaking up its abode in that cell--using it as a basis of operations, itproceeds to duplicate its previous performance, and so cell after cellis added, by the simple reproductive process of division andsubdivision--the primitive and elemental sex process--until the mightyplant is built up. From the humblest vegetable organism up to thegreatest oak the process is the same.

And it does not stop there. The body of man is also built up in just thisway, and he has this vegetative mind also within him, below the plane ofconsciousness, of course. To many this thought of a vegetative mind maybe somewhat startling. But let us remember that every part of our bodyhas been built up from the vegetable cell. The unborn child starts withthe coalition of two cells. These cells begin to build up the new bodyfor the occupancy of the child--that is, the mind principle in the cellsdirects the work, of course--drawing upon the body of the mother fornourishment and supplies. The nourishment in the mother's blood, whichsupplies the material for the building up of the child's body, isobtained by the mother eating and assimilating the vegetable cells ofplants, directly or indirectly. If she eats fruit, nuts, vegetables,etc., she obtains the nourishment of the plant life directly--if she eatsmeat she obtains it indirectly, for the animal from which the meat wastaken built up the meat from vegetables. There is no two ways aboutthis--all nourishment of the animal and human kingdom is obtained fromthe vegetable kingdom, directly or indirectly.

And the cell action in the child is identical with the cell action in theplant. Cells constantly reproducing themselves and building themselves upinto bodily organs, parts, etc., under the direction and guidance of themind principle. The child grows in this way until the hour of birth. It

is born, and then the process is but slightly changed. The child beginsto take nourishment either from the mother's milk or from the milk of thecow, or other forms of food. And as it grows larger it partakes of manydifferent varieties of food. But always it obtains building material fromthe cell life of the plants.

And this great building up process is intelligent, purposeful, to awonderful degree. Man with his boasted intellect cannot explain the real"thingness" of the process. A leading scientist who placed the egg of asmall lizard under microscopical examination and then watched it slowlydevelop has said that it seemed as if some hand was tracing the outlinesof the tiny vertebrae, and then building up around it. Think for a momentof the development of the germ within the egg of the humming-bird, or theant, or the gnat, or the eagle. Every second a change may be noticed. Thegerm cell draws to itself nourishment from the other part of the egg, andthen it grows and reproduces another cell. Then both cells divide--thensubdivide until there are millions and millions and millions of cells.And all the while the building up process continues, and the bird orinsect assumes shape and form, until at last the work is accomplishedand the young bird emerges from the egg.

And the work thus commenced continues until the death of the animal. Forthere is a constant using-up and breaking-down of cell and tissue, whichthe organism must replace. And so the vegetative mind of the plant, orinsect, or animal, or man, is constantly at work building up new cellsfrom the food, throwing out worn-out and used-up material from thesystem. Not only this, but it attends to the circulation of the blood inorder that the materials for the building up may be carried to all partsof the system. It attends to the digestion and assimilation of thefood--the wonderful work of the organs of the body. It attends to thehealing of wounds, the fight against disease, the care of the physicalbody. And all this out of the plane of consciousness--in the infant manthe animal world, the vegetable kingdom--ever at work, untiring,intelligent, wonderful. And this plane of mind is in man as well as inthe plant, and it does its work without aid from the conscious part ofman, although man may interfere with it by adverse conscious thought,which seems to paralyze its efforts. Mental Healing is merely therestoring of normal conditions, so that this part of the body may do itswork without the hindrance of adverse conscious thought.

On this plane of the mind is found all of the vital functions andoperations. The work is done out-of-consciousness, and the consciousnessis aware of this part of the mind only when it makes demands upon theconscious for food, etc. On this plane also resides the elementaryinstinct that tends toward reproduction and sexual activity. The demandof this part of the mind is always "increase and multiply," and accordingto the stage of growth of the individual is the mandate carried out, aswe shall see presently. The elementary impulses and desires that we

find rising into the field of consciousness come from this plane of themind. Hunger, thirst and the reproductive desires are its messages to thehigher parts of the mind. And these messages are natural and free fromthe abuses and prostitution often observed attached to them by theintellect of man in connection with his unrestrained animal impulses.Gluttony and unnatural lust arise not from the primitive demand of thisplane of the mind--for the lower animals even are free from them to agreat extent--but it is reserved for man to so prostitute these primitivenatural tendencies, in order to gratify unnatural and artificialappetites, which serve to frustrate nature rather than to aid her.

As Life advanced in the scale and animal forms appeared on the scene newplanes of mind were unfolded, in accordance to the necessity of theliving forms. The animal was compelled to hunt for his food--to prey uponother forms, and to avoid being preyed upon by others. He was compelledto struggle for the unfoldment of latent powers of his mind that wouldgive him means to play his part in the scheme of life. He was compelledto do certain things in order to live and reproduce his kind. And hedemanded not in vain. For there came to him slowly an unfolding knowledgeof the things necessary for the requirements of his life. We call thisInstinct. But, pray remember, by Instinct we do not mean the still highersomething that is really rudimentary Intellect that we notice in thehigher animals. We are speaking now of the unreasoning instinct observedin the lower animals, and to a certain degree in man. This Instinctiveplane of mentality causes the bird to build its nest before its eggs arelaid, which instructs the animal mother how to care for its young whenborn, and after birth; which teaches the bee to construct its cell and tostore up its honey. These and countless other things in animal life, andin the higher form of plant life, are manifestations of Instinct--thatgreat plane of the mind. In fact, the greater part of the life of theanimal is instinctive although the higher forms of animals have developedsomething like rudimentary Intellect or Reason, which enables them tomeet new conditions where Intellect alone fails them.

And man has this plane of mind within him, below consciousness. In factthe lower forms of human life manifest but little Intellect, and livealmost altogether according to their Instinctive impulses and desires.

Every man has this Instinctive mental region within him and from it areconstantly arising impulses and desires to perplex and annoy him, as wellas to serve him occasionally. The whole secret consists in whether theman has Mastery of his lower self or not.

From this plane of the mind arise the hereditary impulses coming downfrom generations of ancestors, reaching back to the cavemen, and stillfurther back into the animal kingdom. A queer storehouse is this.Animal instincts--passions, appetites, desires, feelings, sensations,emotions, etc., are there. Hate, envy, jealousy, revenge, the lust of the

animal seeking the gratification of his sexual impulses, etc., etc., arethere, and are constantly intruding upon our attention until we haveasserted our mastery. And often the failure to assert this mastery comesfrom an ignorance of the nature of the desire, etc. We have been taughtthat these thoughts were "bad" without being told why, and we havefeared them and thought them the promptings of an impure nature, or adepraved mind, etc. This is all wrong. These things are not "bad" ofthemselves--they came to us honestly--they are our heritage from thepast. They belong to the animal part of our nature, and were necessary tothe animal in his stage of development. We have the whole menageriewithin us, but that does not mean that we should turn the beasts looseupon ourselves or others. It was necessary for the animal to be fierce,full of fight, passionate, regardless of the rights of others, etc., butwe have outgrown that stage of development, and it is ignoble for us toreturn to it, or to allow it to master us.

This lesson is not intended as a discourse upon Ethics or morals. We donot intend going into a discussion of the details of "Right and Wrong,"for we have touched upon that phase of the subject in other works. But wefeel justified in calling your attention to the fact that the human mindintuitively recognizes the "Rightness" of the living up to that whichcomes to us from the highest parts of the mind--the highest product ofour unfoldment. And it likewise intuitively recognizes the "Wrongness" ofthe falling back into that which belongs to the lower stages of ourmentality--to the animal part of us, that is our heritage from the pastand that which has gone before.

While we may be puzzled about many details of morals and ethics and maynot be able to "explain" why we consider certain things right or wrong,we still intuitively feel that the highest "Right" of which we arecapable is the acting out of that which is coming to us from the highestpole of our mental being, and that the lowest "Wrong" consists in doingthat which carries us back to the life of the lower animals, in so far asmentality is concerned. Not because there is anything absolutely "Wrong"in the mental processes and consequent of the animals in themselves--theyare all right and perfectly natural in the animals--but we intuitivelyrecognize that for us to fall back to the animal stage is a "goingbackward" in the scale of evolution. We intuitively shrink at anexhibition of brutality and animality on the part of a man or woman. Wemay not know just why, but a little reflection will show us that it is asinking in the evolutionary scale, against which the spiritual part of usrevolts and protests.

But this must not be construed to mean that the advanced soul looks uponthe animal world with disgust or horror. On the contrary, there isnowhere to be found a higher respect for animal life and being than amongthe Yogi and other advanced souls. They delight in watching the animalsfilling their places in life--playing out their parts in the divine

scheme of life. Their animal passions and desires are actions viewedsympathetically and lovingly by the advanced soul, and nothing "Wrong" ordisgusting is seen there. And even the coarseness and brutality ofthe savage races are so regarded by these advanced souls. They seeeverything as natural according to the grade and degree of development ofthese people.

It is only when these advanced souls view the degeneracies of "civilized"life that they feel sorrow and pain. For here they see instances ofdevolution instead of evolution--degeneration instead of regenerationand advancement. And not only do they know this to be the fact, but thedegenerate specimens of mankind themselves feel and know it. Comparethe expression of the animal or savage going through their natural lifeactions and performances. See how free and natural are their expressions,how utterly apart are evidences of wrong doing. They have not as yetfound out the fatal secret of Good and Evil--they have not as yet eatenthe forbidden fruit. But, on the contrary, look into the faces of thedegenerates and fallen souls of our civilized life. See the furtiveglance and the self-consciousness of "Wrong" evident in every face. Andthis consciousness of "Wrong" bears heavily upon these people--it isheavier than the punishments heaped upon them That nameless somethingcalled "conscience" may be smothered for a while, but sooner or later itcomes to light and demands the pound of flesh from its victim.

And yet you will say that it seems hard to think that the same thing canbe Right in one person and Wrong in another. This seems like a hardsaying and a dangerous doctrine, but it is the Truth. And maninstinctively recognizes it. He does not expect the same sense of moralresponsibility in a young child, or in a savage, that he does in amature, developed, civilized man. He may restrain the child and thesavage, for self-protection and the welfare of all, but he realizes thedistinction, or at least should do so. And not only is this true, but asman advances in the scale he casts off many ideas of "Wrong" that heonce held, having outgrown the old ideas and having grown into newconceptions. And the tendency is always upward and onward. The tendencyis constantly from Force and Restraint toward Love and Freedom. The idealcondition would be one in which there were no laws and no necessity forthem--a condition in which men had ceased to do wrong because they hadoutgrown the desire rather than from fear or restraint or force. Andwhile this condition as yet seems afar off, there is constantly going onan unfoldment of higher planes and faculties of the mind, which when oncefully manifest in the race will work a complete revolution in ethics andlaws and government--and for the better, of course. In the meantimeMankind moves along, doing the best it can, making a steady though slowprogress.

There is another plane of the mind which is often called the "Instinct,"but which is but a part of the plane of the Intellect, although its

operations are largely below the field of consciousness. We allude towhat may be called the "Habit Mind," in order to distinguish it from theInstinctive Plane. The difference is this: The Instinctive plane of mindis made up of the ordinary operations of the mind below the plane of theIntellect, and yet above the plane of the Vegetative mind--and also ofthe acquired experiences of the race, which have been transmitted byheredity, etc. But the "Habit Mind" contains only that which has beenplaced there by the person himself and which he has acquired byexperience, habit, and observation, repeated so often until the mindknows it so well that it is carried below the field of consciousness andbecomes "second nature," and akin to Instinct.

The text books upon psychology are filled with illustrations and examplesof the habit phase or plane of the mental operations, and we do not thinkit necessary to repeat instances of the same kind here. Everyone isfamiliar with the fact that tasks which at first are learned only byconsiderable work and time soon become fixed in some part of the minduntil their repetition calls for little or no exercise of consciousmental operation. In fact, some writers have claimed that no one really"learns" how to perform a task until he can perform it almostautomatically. The pupil who in the early stages of piano playing findsit most difficult to control and manage his fingers, after a time is ableto forget all about his fingering and devote his entire attention to thepages of his music, and after this he is able to apparently let hisfingers play the entire piece of music by themselves without a thought onhis part. The best performers have told us that in the moments of theirhighest efforts they are aware that the out-of-conscious portion of theirmind is doing the work for them, and they are practically standing asideand witnessing the work being done. So true is this that in some cases itis related that if the performer's conscious mind attempts to take up thework the quality is impaired and the musician and the audience notice thedifference.

The same thing is true in the case of the woman learning to operate thesewing machine. It is quite difficult at first, but gradually it grows to"run itself." Those who have mastered the typewriter have had the sameexperience. At first each letter had to be picked out with care andeffort. After a gradual improvement the operator is enabled to devote herentire attention to the "copy" and let the fingers pick out the keys forthemselves. Many operators learn rapid typewriting by so training thehabit mind that it picks out the letter-keys by reason of their position,the letters being covered over in order to force the mind to adapt itselfto the new requirements. A similar state of affairs exists wherever menor women have to use tools of any kind. The tool soon is recognized bythe mind and used as if it were a part of the body, and no more consciousthought is devoted to the manipulation than we devote to the operation ofwalking, which, by the way, is learned by the child only by theexpenditure of time and labor. It is astonishing how many things we do

"automatically" in this way. Writers have called our attention to thefact that the average man cannot consciously inform you how he puts onhis coat in the morning--which arm goes in first, how the coat is held,etc. But the habit mind knows--knows very well. Let the student stand upand put on his coat in the regular way, following the leadings of thehabit mind. Then, after removing it, let him attempt to put it on byinserting the other arm first, for instance. He will be surprised to findout how awkward it will be for him, and how completely he has beendepending upon the habit mind. And tomorrow morning let him find outwhich shoe the habit mind has been putting on him first and then try toreverse the order and notice how flurried and disturbed the habit mindwill become, and how frantically it will signal to the conscious mind:"Something wrong up there!" Or try to button on your collar, reversingthe order in which the tabs are placed over the button--right beforeleft, or left before right, as the case may be, and notice theinvoluntary protest. Or, try to reverse the customary habit in walkingand attempt to swing your right arm with the movement of your right leg,and so on, and you will find it will require the exercise of great willpower. Or, try to "change hands" and use your knife and fork. But we muststop giving examples and illustrations. Their number is countless.

Not only does the habit mind attend to physical actions, etc., but italso takes a hand in our mental operations. We soon acquire the habit ofceasing to consciously consider certain things, and the habit mind takesthe matter for granted, and thereafter we will think automatically onthose particular questions, unless we are shaken out of the habit by arude jolt from the mind of someone else, or from the presentation of someconflicting idea occasioned by our own experience or reasoning processes.And the habit mind hates to be disturbed and compelled to revise itsideas. It fights against it, and rebels, and the result is that many ofus are slaves to old outgrown ideas that we realize are false and untrue,but which we find that we "cannot exactly get rid of." In our futurelessons we will give methods to get rid of these old outgrown ideas.

There are other planes of mind which have to do with the phenomena knownas "psychic," by which is meant the phases of psychic phenomena known asclairvoyance, psychometry, telepathy, etc., but we shall not considerthem in this lesson, for they belong to another part of the generalsubject. We have spoken of them in a general way in our "Fourteen Lessonsin Yogi Philosophy, etc."

And now we come to the plane of mind known to us as Intellect or theReasoning Faculties. Webster defines the word Intellect as follows: Thepart or faculty of the human soul by which it knows, as distinguishedfrom the power to feel and to will; the thinking faculty; theunderstanding. The same authority defines the word Reason as follows:"The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguishedfrom the intelligence of the inferior animals." We shall not attempt to

go into a consideration of the conscious Intellect, for to do so wewould be compelled to take up the space of the remaining lessons of thecourse, and besides, the student may find extended information on thissubject in any of the text books on psychology. Instead we will considerother faculties and planes of mind which the said text books pass byrapidly, or perhaps deny. And one of these planes is that of UnconsciousReasoning, or Intellect. To many this term will seem paradoxical, butstudents of the unconscious will understand just what is meant.

Reasoning is not necessarily conscious in its operations, in fact, agreater part of the reasoning processes are performed below or above theconscious field. In our last lesson we have given a number of examplesproving this fact, but a few more remarks may not be out of place, norwithout interest to the student.

In our last lesson you will see many instances stated in which thesub-conscious field of the Intellect worked out problems, and then aftera time handed to the conscious reason the solution of the matter. Thishas occurred to many of us, if not indeed to all of us. Who has notendeavored to solve a problem or question of some sort and after "givingit up" has had it suddenly answered and flashed into consciousness whenleast expected. The experience is common to the race. While the majorityof us have noticed these things, we have regarded them as exceptional andout of the general rule. Not so, however, with students of the mentalplanes. The latter have recognized these planes of reason, and haveavailed themselves of their knowledge by setting these unconsciousfaculties to work for them. In our next lesson we will give directions toour students regarding this accomplishment, which may prove of thegreatest importance to those who will take the trouble to practice thedirections given. It is a plan that is known to the majority of men whohave "done things" in the world, the majority of them, however, havingdiscovered the plan for themselves as the result of a need or demand uponthe inner powers of mind.

The plane of mind immediately above that of Intellect is that known asIntuition. Intuition is defined by Webster as follows: "Directapprehension or cognition; immediate knowledge, as in perception orconsciousness, involving no reasoning process; quick or ready insight orapprehension." It is difficult to explain just what is meant byIntuition, except to those who have experienced it--and these people donot need the explanation. Intuition is just as real a mental faculty asis Intellect--or, to be more exact, is just as much a collection ofmental faculties. Intuition is above the field of consciousness, and itsmessages are passed downward, though its processes are hidden. The raceis gradually unfolding into the plane of Intuition, and the race willsome day pass into full consciousness on that plane. In the meantime itgets but flashes and glimpses from the hidden region. Many of the bestthings we have come from that region. Art, music, the love of the

beautiful and good poetry, the higher form of love, spiritual insight toa certain degree, intuitive perception of truth, etc., etc., come fromthis region. These things are not reasoned out by the intellect, but seemto spring full born from some unknown region of the mind.

In this wonderful region dwells Genius. Many, if not all of the greatwriters, poets, musicians, artists and other examples of genius have feltthat their power came to them from some higher source. Many have thoughtthat it emanated from some being kindly to them, who would inspire themwith power and wisdom. Some transcendent power seemed to have been calledinto operation, and the worker would feel that his product or creationwas not his handiwork, but that of some outside intelligence. The Greeksrecognized this something in man, and called it man's "Daemon." Plutarchin his discourse on the daemon that guided Socrates speaks of the visionof Timarchus, who, in the case of Trophonius, saw spirits which werepartly attached to human bodies, and partly over and above them, shiningluminously over their heads. He was informed by the oracle that the partof the spirit which was immersed in the body was called the "soul," butthat the outer and unimmersed portion was called the "daemon." The oraclealso informed him that every man had his daemon, whom he is bound toobey; those who implicitly follow that guidance are the prophetic souls,the favorites of the gods. Goethe also spoke of the daemon as a powerhigher than the will, and which inspired certain natures with miraculousenergy.

We may smile at these conceptions, but they are really very close to thetruth. The higher regions of the mind, while belonging to the individual,and a part of himself, are so far above his ordinary consciousness thatto all intents and purposes messages from them are as orders from anotherand higher soul. But still the voice is that of the "I," speaking throughits sheaths as best it is able.

This power belongs to every one of us, although it manifests only in thedegree that we are able to respond to it. It grows by faith andconfidence, and closes itself up, and withdraws into its recesses whenwe doubt it and would question its veracity and reality. What we call"originality" comes from this region. The Intuitive faculties pass on tothe conscious mind some perception of truth higher than the Intellect hasbeen able to work out for itself, and lo! it is called the work ofgenius.

The advanced occultist knows that in the higher regions of the mind arelocked up intuitive perceptions of all truth, and that he who can gainaccess to these regions will know everything intuitively, and as a matterof clear sight, without reasoning or explanation. The race has not as yetreached the heights of Intuition--it is just beginning to climb thefoothills. But it is moving in the right direction. It will be well forus if we will open ourselves to the higher inner guidance, and be willing

to be "led by the Spirit." This is a far different thing from being ledby outside intelligence, which may, or may not, be qualified to lead. Butthe Spirit within each of us has our interests at heart and is desirousof our best good, and is not only ready but willing to take us by thehand and lead us on. The Higher Self is doing the best it can for ourdevelopment and welfare, but is hampered by the confining sheaths. Andalas, many of us glory in these sheaths and consider them the highestpart of ourselves. Do not be afraid to let the light of the Spirit piercethrough these confining sheaths and dissolve them. The Intuition,however, is not the Spirit, but is one of its channels of communicationto us. There are other and still higher planes of mind, but the Intuitionis the one next in the line of unfoldment, and we should open ourselvesto its influence and welcome its unfoldment.

Above the plane of Intuition is that of the Cosmic Knowing, upon which wewill find the consciousness of the Oneness of All. We have spoken of thisplane in our lesson on the Unfoldment of Consciousness. When one is ableto "conscious" on this plane--this exalted plane of mind--he is able tosee fully, plainly and completely that there is One Great Life underlyingall the countless forms and shapes of manifestation. He is able to seethat separateness is only "the working fiction of the Universe." He isable to see that each Ego is but a Centre of Consciousness in the greatOcean of Life--all in pursuance of the Divine Plan, and that he is movingforward toward higher and higher planes of manifestation, power andindividuality, in order to take a greater and grander part in theUniversal work and plans.

The Cosmic Knowing in its fulness has come to but few of the race, butmany have had glimpses, more or less clear, of its transcendent wonder,and others are on the borderland of this plane. The race is unfoldinggradually, slowly but surely, and those who have had this wonderfulexperience are preparing others for a like experience. The seed is beingsown, and the harvest will come later. This and other phases of thehigher forms of consciousness are before the race. The individuals whoread this lesson are perhaps nearer to it than they think; their interestin the lessons is an indication of that hunger of the soul which is aprophecy of the satisfaction of the cry for spiritual bread. The Law ofLife heeds these cries for aid and nourishment and responds accordingly,but along the lines of the highest wisdom and according to the realrequirements of the individual.

Let us close this lesson with a quotation from "Light on the Path," whichbears directly upon the concluding thought. Read it carefully and let itsink down deep into your inner consciousness, and you will feel thethrill of joy that comes to him who is nearing the goal.

"Look for the flower to bloom in the silence that follows the storm; nottill then.

"It shall grow, it will shoot up, it will make branches and leaves, andform buds while the storm lasts. But not until the entire personality ofthe man is dissolved and melted--not until it is held by the divinefragment which has created it, as a mere subject for grave experiment andexperience--not until the whole nature has yielded and become subjectunto its higher self, can the bloom open. Then will come a calm such ascomes in a tropical country after the heavy rain, when nature works soswiftly that one may see her action. Such a calm will come to theharassed spirit. And in the deep silence the mysterious event will occurwhich will prove that the way has been found. Call it by whatever nameyou will. It is a voice that speaks where there is none to speak, it is amessenger that comes--a messenger without form or substance--or it is theflower of the soul that has opened. It cannot be described by anymetaphor. But it can be felt after, looked for, and desired, even amongthe raging of the storm. The silence may last a moment of time, or it maylast a thousand years. But it will end. Yet you will carry its strengthwith you. Again and again the battle must be fought and won. It is onlyfor an interval that nature can be still."

* * * * *

The concluding three lessons of this series will be devoted to apractical course of instruction in the development of the hidden planesof the mind, or rather, in the development of the power of the individualto master the same and make use of them in his life. He will be taught tomaster the lower principles, not only in the surmounting of them, but inthe transmitting of the elemental forces toward his higher ends. Powermay be obtained from this part of the mind, under the direction of theWill. And the student will be told how to set the unconscious Intellectto work for him. And he will be told how to develop and train the Will.We have now passed the line between the theoretical and the practicalphases of the subject, and from now on it will be a case of train,develop, cultivate and apply. Knowing what lies back of it all, thestudent is now prepared to receive the instructions which he might havemisused before. Peace be with thee all.

MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I AM THE MASTER OF MY SOUL.

THE TENTH LESSON.

SUB-CONSCIOUSING.

In the Ninth Lesson we called your attention to the fact that Reasoningwas not necessarily conscious in its operations, and that, in fact, alarge part of the rational processes of the mind are performed below orabove the field of consciousness. And in the Eighth Lesson we gave you anumber of examples illustrating this fact. We also gave you a number ofcases in which the sub-conscious field of the Intellect worked outproblems, and then after a time passed on to the conscious field of theIntellect the solution of the matter. In this lesson we purposeinstructing you in the methods by which this part of the Intellect may beset to work for you. Many have stumbled upon bits of this truth forthemselves, and, in fact, the majority of successful men and men who haveattained eminence in any walk of life have made more or less use of thistruth, although they seldom understand the reason of it.

Very few Western writers have recognized the work of this plane of themind. They have given us full and ingenious theories and examples of theworkings of the Instinctive Mind, and in some cases they have touchedupon the workings and operations of the Intuitional planes, but in nearlyevery case they have treated the Intellect as something entirely confinedto the Conscious plane of mentation. In this they have missed some of themost interesting and valuable manifestations of sub-conscious mentation.

In this lesson we will take up this particular phase of mentation, andtrust to be able to point out the way to use it to the best advantage,giving some simple instructions that have been given by the Hinduteachers to their students for centuries past, such instructions ofcourse, being modified by us to conform to the requirements andnecessities of the Western student of today.

We have taken the liberty of bestowing a new title upon this phase ofmentation--we have thought it well to call it "Sub-consciousing." Theword "Sub," of course means "under; below;" and the word "Consciousing"is a favorite term employed by Prof. Elmer Gates, and means receivingimpressions from the mind. In a general way, "Sub-consciousing," as usedin this lesson, may be understood to mean "using the subconscious mind,under orders of the conscious mind."

By referring to our Eighth Lesson, we see mention made of the case of theman who indulged in "unconscious rumination," which happened to him whenhe read books presenting new points of view essentially opposed to hisprevious opinion. You will note that after days, weeks, or months, hefound that to his great astonishment the old opinions were entirelyrearranged, and new ones lodged there.

On the same page you will see mentioned the case of Sir William Hamilton,who discovered an important law of mathematics while walking with hiswife. In this case he had been previously thinking of the missing link inhis chain of reasoning, and the problem was worked out for him by thesub-conscious plane of his Intellect.

On the same page, and the one following, is found the case of Dr.Thompson, who gives an interesting account of the workings of this partof his mind, which caused him at times to experience a feeling of theuselessness of all voluntary effort, coupled with a feeling that thematter was working itself clear in his mind. He tells us that at times heseemed to be merely a passive instrument in the hands of some personother than himself, who compelled him to wait until the work wasperformed for him by some hidden region of the mind. When thesubconscious part of the mind had completed its work, it would flash themessage to his conscious mind, and he would begin to write.

On page 178 mention is also made of the great French chemist Berthelot,who relates that some of his best conceptions have flashed upon him asfrom the clear sky. In fact, the Eighth Lesson is largely made up ofexamples of this kind, and we ask the student to re-read the same, inorder to refresh his mind with the truth of the workings of thesub-conscious mentality.

But you will notice in nearly all the cases mentioned, that those whorelated instances of the help of the sub-conscious mind had merelystumbled upon the fact that there was a part of the mind belowconsciousness that could and would work out problems for one, if it couldsomehow be set in operation. And these people trusted to luck to startthat part of the mind in operation. Or rather, they would saturatetheir conscious mind with a mass of material, like stuffing the stomachwith food, and then bid the subconscious mind assort, separate, arrangeand digest the mental food, just as does the stomach and digestiveapparatus digest the natural food--outside of the realm of consciousnessor volition. In none of the cases mentioned was the subconsciousmind directed specially to perform its wonderful work. It was simplyhoped that it might digest the mental material with which it had beenstuffed--in pure self defense. But there is a much better way, and weintend to tell you about it. The Hindu Yogis, or rather those whoinstruct their pupils in "Raja Yoga," give their students directionswhereby they may direct their sub-conscious minds to perform mentaltasks for them, just as one may direct another to perform a task. Theyteach them the methods whereby, after having accumulated the necessarymaterials, they may bid the sub-conscious mentality to sort it out,rearrange, analyze, and build up from it some bit of desired knowledge.More than this, they instruct their pupils to direct and order thesub-conscious mentality to search out and report to them certain

information to be found only within the mind itself--some question ofphilosophy or metaphysics. And when such art has been acquired, thestudent or Yogi rests assured that the desired result will be forthcomingin due time, and consequently dismisses the matter from his consciousmind, and busies himself with other matters, knowing that day and night,incessantly, the sub-consciousing process is going on, and that thesub-conscious mind is actively at work collecting the information, orworking out the problem.

You will see at once the great superiority of this method over the old"hit-or-miss," "hope-it-will-work" plan pursued by those who havestumbled upon bits of the truth.

The Yogi teacher begins by impressing upon his students the fact that themind is capable of extending outward toward an object, material ormental, and by examining it by methods inherent in itself, extractingknowledge regarding the object named. This is not a startling truth,because it is so common, everyone employing it more or less every day.But the process by which the knowledge is extracted is most wonderful,and really is performed below the plane of consciousness, the work of theconscious mind being chiefly concerned in holding the Attention uponthe object. We have spoken of the importance of Attention in previouslessons, which it will be well for you to re-read, at this time.

When the student is fully impressed with the details of the process ofAttention, and the subsequent unfoldment of knowledge, the Yogi proceedsto inform him that there are other means of obtaining knowledge about anobject, by the employment of which the Attention may be firmly directedtoward the object and then afterwards held there unconsciously--thatis, a portion of the Attention, or a sub-conscious phase of mentation,which will hold the sub-conscious mind firmly upon the work untilaccomplished, leaving the conscious Attention and mentality free toemploy itself with other things.

The Yogis teach the students that this new form of Attention is far moreintense and powerful than is the conscious Attention, for it cannot bedisturbed or shaken, or distracted from its object, and that it will workaway at its task for days, months, years, or a lifetime if necessary,according to the difficulty of the task, and in fact carries its workover from one life to another, unless recalled by the Will. They teachthe student that in everyone's life there is going on a greater or lessdegree of this sub-conscious work, carried on in obedience to a strongdesire for knowledge manifested in some former life, and bearing fruitonly in the present existence. Many important discoveries have been madein obedience to this law. But it is not of this phase of the matter thatwe wish to speak in this lesson.

The Yogi theory is that the sub-conscious intellectual faculty may be set

to work under the direction of orders given by the Will. All of you knowhow the sub-conscious mentality will take up an order of the Will, or astrong wish, that the person be awakened at a certain hour in order tocatch a train. Or, in the same way how the remembrance of a certainengagement at, say, four o'clock, will flash into the mind when the handsof the clock approach the stated hour. Nearly every one can recallinstances of this sort in his own experience.

But the Yogis go much further than this. They claim that any and allfaculties of the mind may be "set going," or working on any problem, ifordered thereto by the Will. In fact, the Yogis, and their advancedstudents have mastered this art to such a surprising extent that theyfind it unnecessary to do the drudgery of thinking in the consciousfield, and prefer to relegate such mental work to the sub-conscious,reserving their conscious work for the consideration of digestedinformation and thought presented to them by the sub-conscious mind.

Their directions to their students cover a great deal of ground, andextend over a long period of time, and many of the directions are quitecomplicated and full of detail. But we think that we can give ourstudents an abbreviated and condensed idea in a few pages of the lesson.And the remaining lessons of the course will also throw additional lighton the subject of sub-conscious mental action, in connection withother subjects.

The Yogi takes the student when the latter is much bothered by aconsideration of some knotty and perplexing philosophical subject. Hebids the student relax every muscle,--take the tension from everynerve--throw aside all mental strain, and then wait a few moments. Thenthe student is instructed to grasp the subject which he has had beforehis mind firmly and fixedly before his mental vision, by means ofconcentration. Then he is instructed to pass it on to the sub-consciousmentality by an effort of the Will, which effort is aided by forming amental picture of the subject as a material substance, or bundle ofthought, which is being bodily lifted up and dropped down a mentalhatch-way, or trap-door, in which it sinks from sight. The student isthen instructed to say to the sub-conscious mentality: "I wish thissubject thoroughly analyzed, arranged, classified (and whatever else isdesired) and then the results handed back to me. Attend to this."

The student is taught to speak to the sub-conscious mentality just as ifit were a separate entity of being, which had been employed to do thework. He is also taught that confident expectation is an important partof the process, and that the degree of success depends upon the degree ofthis confident expectation.

In obstinate cases, the student is taught to use the Imagination freely,until he is able to make a mental image or picture of the sub-conscious

mind doing what is required of it. This process clears away a mentalpath for the feet of the sub-conscious mind, which it will choosethereafter, as it prefers to follow the line of least resistance.

Of course much depends upon practice--practice makes perfect, you know,in everything else, and sub-consciousing is no exception to the rule.

The student gradually acquires a proficiency in the art ofsub-consciousing, and thereafter devotes his time to acquiring new factsfor mental digestion, rather than bestowing it upon the mechanical act ofthinking.

But a very important point to be remembered is that the Will-power backof the transferred thought-material, which Will-power is the cause of thesubconscious action, depends very greatly upon the attention and interestgiven to the acquired material. This mass of thought-material which is tobe digested, and threshed out by the sub-conscious mind, must be wellsaturated with interest and attention, in order to obtain the bestresults. In fact interest and attention are such important aids to theWill, that any consideration of the development and acquirement ofWill-power is practically a development and acquirement of attention andinterest. The student is referred to previous lessons in this course inwhich the importance of interest and attention is explained anddescribed.

In acquiring the mass of thought-material which is to be passed on to thesub-conscious digestion, one must concentrate a great degree of interestand attention upon each item of thought-material gathered up. Thegathering of this thought-material is a matter of the greatestimportance, and must not be lightly passed by. One cannot hastily gathertogether all sorts of thought-material, and then expect the subconsciousmind to do its work properly--it will not, in fact, and the studentproceeding upon any such erroneous supposition is doomed todisappointment.

The proper way to proceed, is to take up each bit of thought-material inturn, and examine it with the greatest possible interest, andconsequently the greatest attention, and then after having fairlysaturated it with this interested attention, place it with the pile ofmaterial which, after a while, is to be passed on to the sub-consciousmentality. Then take up the next bit of material, and after giving itsimilar treatment, pass it along to the pile also. Then after a whilewhen you have gathered up the main facts of the case, proceed to considerthe mass as a whole, with interest and attention, giving it as it were a"general treatment." Then drop it down the trap-door into thesub-conscious mind, with a strong command, "Attend to thisthought-material," coupled with a strong expectant belief that yourorder will be obeyed.

The idea underlying this treatment of the thought-material with interestand attention is that by so doing a strong "Mental Image" is created,which may be easily handled by the sub-conscious mind. Remember that youare passing on "thoughts" for the sub-consciousness to act upon, and thatthe more tangible and real these thoughts are, the better can they behandled. Therefore any plan that will build these thoughts up into "real"things is the plan to pursue. And attention and interest produce justthis result.

If we may be pardoned for using a homely and commonplace illustration wewould say that the idea may be grasped by the illustration of boiling anegg, whereby the fluid "white" and "yolk" becomes solid and real. Alsothe use of a shaving brush by a man, by which the thin lather isgradually worked up into a rich, thick, creamy mass, is an illustration.Again, the churning of butter is a favorite illustration of the Hindus,who thus call the attention of their students to the fact thatthought-material if worked upon with attention and interest become"thought-forms" that may be handled by the mind just as the hands handlea material object. We ask you to think of these illustrations, for whenyou once grasp the idea that we wish to convey to you, you will have thesecret of great thinking powers within your grasp.

And this power of sub-consciousing is not confined alone to theconsideration of philosophical questions. On the contrary it isapplicable to every field of human thought, and may be properly employedin any and all of them. It is useful in solving the problems of every-daylife and work, as well as to the higher flights of the human mind. And wewish every one of our students to realize that in this simple lesson weare giving them the key to a great mental power.

To realize just what we are offering to you, we would remind you of theold fairy tales of all races, in which there is to be found one or moretales telling of some poor cobbler, or tailor, or carpenter, as the casemay be, who had by his good deeds, gained favor with the "brownies" orgood fairies, who would come each night when the man and his family wereasleep, and proceed to complete the work that the artisan had laid outfor the morrow. The pieces of leather would be made into shoes; the clothwould be sewed into garments; the wood would be joined, and nailedtogether into boxes, chairs, benches and what not. But in each case therough materials were prepared by the artisan himself during the day.

Well, that is just what we are trying to introduce to you. A clan ofmental brownies, loving and kindly disposed toward you, who are anxiousand willing to help you in your work. All you have to do is to givethem the proper materials, and tell then what you want done, and theywill do the rest. But these mental brownies are a part of your ownmentality, remember, and no alien and foreign entities, as some have

imagined.

A number of people who have accidentally discovered this power of thesub-conscious mind to work out problems, and to render other valuableservice to its owner, have been led to suppose that the aid really camefrom some other entity or intelligence. Some have thought that themessages came from friends in the spirit land, and others have believedthat some high intelligence--God or his angels--was working in theirbehalf. Without discussing spirit communication, or Divine messages, inboth of which we believe (with certain provisional reservations) we feeljustified in saying that the majority of cases of this kind may bereferred to the sub-conscious workings of one's own mentality.

Each of us has "a friend" in our own mind--a score of them in fact, whodelight in performing services for us, if we will but allow them to doso. Not only have we a Higher Self to whom we may turn for comfort andaid in times of deep distress and necessity, but we have these invisiblemental workers on the sub-conscious plane, who are very willing and gladto perform much of our mental work for us, if we will but give them thematerial in proper shape.

It is very difficult to impart specific directions for obtainingthese results, as each case must depend to a great extent upon thepeculiar circumstances surrounding it. But we may say that the main thingneeded is to "lick into shape" the material, and then pass it on to thesub-conscious mind in the manner spoken of a few moments ago. Let us runover a few cases wherein this principle may be applied.

Let us suppose that you are confronted with a problem consisting of anuncertainty as to which of two or more courses to adopt in some affair oflife. Each course seems to have advantages and disadvantages, and youseem unable to pass upon the matter clearly and intelligently. The moreyou try the more perplexed and worried do you become. Your mind seems totire of the matter, and manifests a state which may be called "mentalnausea." This state will be apparent to any one who has had much"thinking" to do. The average person, however, persists in going overthe matter, notwithstanding the tired condition of the mind, and itsevident distaste for a further consideration of the subject. They willkeep on forcing it back to the mind for consideration, and even at nighttime will keep thrashing away at the subject. Now this course is absurd.The mind recognizes that the work should be done by another part ofitself--its digestive region, in fact--and naturally rebels at thefinishing-up machinery being employed in work unsuited for it.

According to the Sub-consciousing plan, the best thing for the man to dowould be for him first to calm and quiet his mind. Then he should arrangethe main features of the problem, together with the minor details intheir proper places. Then he should pass them slowly before him in

review, giving a strong interest and attention to each fact and detail,as it passes before him, but without the slightest attempt to form adecision, or come to a conclusion. Then, having given the matter aninterested and attentive review, let him Will that it pass on to hissub-conscious mind, forming the mental image of dropping it through thetrap-door, and at the same time giving the command of the Will, "Attendto this for me!"

Then dismiss the matter from your conscious mind, by an effort of commandof the Will. If you find it difficult to do this, you may soon acquirethe mastery by a frequent assertion, "I have dismissed this matter frommy conscious mind, and my sub-conscious mind will attend to it for me."Then, endeavor to create a mental feeling of perfect trust and confidencein the matter, and avoid all worry or anxiety about it. This may besomewhat difficult at the first trial, but will become a natural feelingafter you have gained the confidence arising from successful results inseveral cases. The matter is one of practice, and, like anything elsethat is new, must be acquired by perseverance and patience. It is wellworth the time and trouble, and once acquired will be regarded assomething in the nature of a treasure discovered in an unexpected place.The sense of tranquillity and content--of calm and confidence--that comesto one who has practiced this plan, will of itself be worth all thetrouble, not to speak of the main result. To one who has acquired thismethod, the old worries, frettings, and general "stewed up" feeling, willseem like a relic of barbarism. The new way opens up a world of newfeelings and content.

In some cases the matter will be worked out by the sub-consciousmind in a very short time, and in fact we have known cases in whichthe answer would be flashed back almost instantly, almost like aninspiration. But in the majority of cases more or less time is required.The sub-conscious mind works very rapidly, but it takes time to arrangethe thought-material properly, and to shape it into the desired forms. Inthe majority of cases it is well to let the matter rest until the nextday--a fact that gives us a clue to the old advice to "sleep over" animportant proposition, before passing a final decision.

If the matter does not present itself the following day, bring it upagain before the conscious mind for review. You will find that it hasshaped itself up considerably, and is assuming definite form andclearness. But right here--and this is important--do not make the mistakeof again dissecting it, and meddling with it, and trying to arrange itwith your conscious mind. But, instead, give it attention and interestin its new form, and then pass it back again to the sub-conscious mindfor further work. You will find an improvement each time you examine it.But, right here another word of caution. Do not make the mistake ofyielding to the impatience of the beginner, and keep on repeatedlybringing up the matter to see what is being done. Give it time to have

the work done on it. Do not be like the boy who planted seeds, and whoeach day would pull them up to see whether they had sprouted, and howmuch.

Sooner or later, the sub-conscious mind will, of its own choice, lift upthe matter and present it to you in its finished shape for theconsideration of the conscious mind. The sub-conscious mind does notinsist that you shall adopt its views, or accept its work, but merelyhands out to you the result of its sorting, classifying and arranging.The choice and will still remains yours, but you will often find thatthere is seen to be one plan or path that stands out clearly from theothers, and you will very likely adopt that one. The secret is that thesub-conscious mind with its wonderful patience and care has analyzed thematter, and has separated things before apparently connected. It has alsofound resemblances and has combined things heretofore considered opposedto each other. In short it has done for you all that you could have donewith the expenditure of great work and time, and done it well. And thenit lays the matter before you for your consideration and verdict.

Its whole work seems to have been in the nature of assorting, dissecting,analyzing, and arranging the evidence, and then presenting it before youin a clear, systematic shape. It does not attempt to exercise thejudicial prerogative or function, but seems to recognize that its workceases with the presentation of the edited evidence, and that of theconscious mind begins at the same point.

Now, do not confuse this work with that of the Intuition, which is a verydifferent mental phase or plane. This sub-conscious working, justmentioned, plays an entirely different part. It is a good servant, anddoes not try to be more. The Intuition, on the contrary, is more like ahigher friend--a friend at court, as it were, who gives us warnings andadvice.

In our directions we have told you how to make use of this part of themind, consciously and knowingly, so as to obtain the best results, and toget rid of worry and anxiety attendant upon unsettled questions. But,in fact, every one of us makes more or less use of this part of the mindunconsciously, and not realizing the important part it plays in ourmental life. We are perplexed about a matter and keep it "on our minds"until we are forced to lay it aside by reason of some other demand, orwhen we sink to sleep. Often to our surprise we will find that when wenext think of it the matter has somehow cleared up and straighteneditself out, and we seem to have learned something about it that we didnot know before. We do not understand it, and are apt to dismiss it as"just one of those things." In these lessons we are attempting to explainsome of "those things," and to enable you to use them consciously andunderstandingly, instead of by chance, instinctively, and clumsily. Weare teaching you Mastery of the Mind.

Now to apply the rule to another case. Suppose you wish to gathertogether all the information that you possess relating to a certainsubject. In the first place it is certain that you know a very great dealmore about any subject than you think you do. Stored away in the variousrecesses of the mind, or memory if you prefer that term, are stray bitsof information and knowledge concerning almost any subject. But thesebits of information are not associated with each other. You have neverattempted to think attentively upon the particular question before you,and the facts are not correlated in the mind. It is just as if you hadso many hundred pounds of anything scattered throughout the space of alarge warehouse, a tiny bit here, and a tiny bit there, mixed up withthousands of other things.

You may prove this by sitting down some time and letting your thoughtsrun along the line of some particular subject, and you will find emerginginto the field of consciousness all sorts of information that you hadapparently forgotten, and each fitting itself into its proper place.Every person has had experiences of this kind. But the work of gatheringtogether the scattered scraps of knowledge is more or less tedious forthe conscious mind, and the sub-conscious mind will do the work equallywell with the wear and tear on the attention. In fact, it is thesub-conscious mind that always does the work, even when you think it isthe conscious mind. All the conscious mind does is to hold the attentionfirmly upon the object before it, and then let the sub-consciousness passthe material before it. But this holding the attention is tiresome work,and it is not necessary for it to expend its energies upon the details ofthe task, for the work may be done in an easier and simpler way.

The best way is to follow a plan similar to the one mentioned a few pagesback. That is, to fix the interested attention firmly upon the questionbefore you, until you manage to get a clear, vivid impression of justwhat you want answered. Then pass the whole matter into thesub-conscious mind with the command "Attend to this," and then leave it.Throw the whole matter off of your mind, and let the sub-consciouswork go on. If possible let the matter run along until the next morningand then take it up for consideration, when, if you have proceededproperly you will find the matter worked out, arranged in logicalsequence, so that your conscious attention will be able to clearlyreview the string of facts, examples, illustrations, experiences, etc.,relating to the matter in question.

Now, many of you will say that you would like this plan to work in casesin which you have not the time to sleep over it. In such cases we willsay that it is possible to cultivate a rapid method of sub-consciousing,and in fact many business men and men of affairs have stumbled upon asimilar plan, driven to the discovery by necessity. They will give aquick, comprehensive, strong flash of attention upon the subject,

getting right to the heart of it, and then will let it rest in thesub-conscious mind for a moment or two, killing a minute or two of time n"preliminary conversation," until the first flash of answer comes tothem. After the first flash, and taking hold of the first loose end ofthe subject that presents itself to them, they will unwind a string ofinformation and "talk" about the subject that will surprise eventhemselves. Many lawyers have acquired this knowledge, and are what isknown as "resourceful." Such men are often confronted with questions ofconditions utterly unsuspected by them a moment before. Practice hastaught them the folly of fear and loss of confidence at such moments, andhas also impressed upon them the truth that something within them willcome to the rescue. So, presenting a confident air, they will manage tosay a few platitudes or commonplaces, while the sub-conscious mind ismost rapidly gathering its materials for the answer. In a moment anopening thought "flashes upon" the man, and as he continues idea afteridea passes before his conscious and eager attention, sometimes sorapidly that it is almost impossible to utter them and lo! the danger isover, and a brilliant success is often snatched from the jaws of anapparent failure and defeat. In such cases the mental demand upon thesub-conscious mind is not voiced in words, but is the result of a strongmental need. However, if one gives a quick verbal command "Attend tothis," the result will be heightened.

We have known of cases of men prominent in the world's affairs who made apractice of smoking a cigar during important business interviews, notbecause they particularly cared for tobacco, but because they had learnedto appreciate the value of a moment's time for the mind to "gather itselftogether," as one man expressed it. A question would be asked, or aproposition advanced suddenly, demanding an immediate answer. Under thewatchful eyes of the other party the questioned party tried not to showby his expression any indication of searching for an answer, for obviousreasons. So, instead, he would take a long puff at the cigar, then a slowattentive look at the ashes on its tip, and then another moment consumedin flicking the ash into the receptacle, and then came the answer,slowly, "Well, as to that--" or some other words of that kind, prefacingthe real answer which had been rapidly framed by the sub-conscious mindin time to be uttered in its proper place. The few moments of time gainedhad been sufficient for the sub-conscious mind to gather up itsmaterials, and the matter to be shaped properly, without any appearanceof hesitation on the part of the answerer. All of this required practice,of course, but the principle may be seen through it all and in everysimilar case. The point is that the man, in such cases, sets some hiddenpart of his mind to work for him, and when he begins to speak the matteris at least roughly "licked into shape for him."

Our students will understand, of course, that this is not advice to smokecigars during interviews of importance, but is merely given to illustratethe principle. We have known other men to twirl a lead pencil in their

fingers in a lazy sort of fashion, and then drop it at the importantmoment. But we must cease giving examples of this kind, lest we beaccused of giving instructions in worldly wisdom, instead of teaching theuse of the mind. The impressive pause of the teacher, before answeringhis pupil's question, is also an example of the workings of this law. Oneoften says "stop, let me think a moment," and during his pause he doesnot really consciously think at all, but stares ahead in a dreamyfashion, while his sub-conscious mind does the work for him, although helittle suspects the nature of the operation. One has but to look aroundhim to realize the importance and frequent application of this truth.

And not only may the sub-conscious mind be used in the directionsindicated on preceding pages, but in nearly every perplexity and problemof life may it be called upon for help. These little sub-consciousbrownies are ever at our disposal, and seem to be happy to be of serviceto us.

And so far from being apt to get us in a position of false dependence, itis calculated to make us self-confident--for we are calling upon a partof ourselves, not upon some outside intelligence. If those people whonever feel satisfied unless they are getting "advice" from others wouldonly cultivate the acquaintance of this little "home adviser" withinthem, they would lose that dependent attitude and frame of mind, andwould grow self-confident and fearless. Just imagine the confidence ofone who feels that he has within him a source of knowledge equal to thatof the majority of those with whom he is likely to come in contact, andhe feels less afraid to face them, and look them fearlessly in the eyes.He feels that his "mind" is not confined to the little field ofconsciousness, but is an area infinitely greater, containing a mass ofinformation undreamed of. Everything that the man has inherited, orbrought with him from past lives--everything that he has read, heard orseen, or experienced in this life, is hidden away there in some quarterof that great sub-conscious mind, and, if he will but give the command,the "essence" of all that knowledge is his. The details may not bepresented to his consciousness (often it is not, for very good occultreasons) by the result, or essence of the knowledge will pass before hisattention, with sufficient examples and illustrations, or arguments toenable him to make out "a good case" for himself.

In the next lesson we will call your attention to other features andqualities of this great field of mind, showing you how you can put it towork, and Master it. Remember, always, the "I" is the Master. And itsMastery must always be remembered and asserted over all phases and planesof the mind. Do not be a slave to the sub-conscious, but be its MASTER.

MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).

I have within me a great area of Mind that is under my command, andsubject to my Mastery. This Mind is friendly to me, and is glad to domy bidding, and obey my orders. It will work for me when I ask it, andis constant, untiring, and faithful. Knowing this I am no longerafraid, ignorant or uninformed. The "I" is master of it all, and isasserting its authority. "I" am master over Body, Mind, Consciousness,and Sub-consciousness. I am "I"--a Centre of Power, Strength, andKnowledge. I am "I"--and "I" am Spirit, a fragment from the Divine Flame.

THE ELEVENTH LESSON.

SUBCONSCIOUS CHARACTER BUILDING.

In our last lesson (the Tenth Lesson) we called your attention to thewonderful work of the sub-conscious regions of mentation in the directionof the performance of Intellectual work. Great as are the possibilitiesof this field of mentation in the direction named, they are equaled bythe possibilities of building up character by similar methods.

Every one realizes that one may change his character by a strenuouscourse of repression and training, and nearly all who read these lineshave modified their characteristics somewhat by similar methods. But itis only of late years that the general public have become aware thatCharacter might be modified, changed, and sometimes completely altered bymeans of an intelligent use of the sub-conscious faculties of the mind.

The word "Character" is derived from ancient terms meaning "to mark," "toengrave," etc., and some authorities inform us that the term originallyarose from the word used by the Babylonian brickmakers to designate thetrade mark impressed by them upon their bricks, each maker having his ownmark. This is interesting, in view of the recent theories regarding thecultivation of characteristics which may be found in the current Westernworks on psychology. But these theories are not new to the Yogi teachersof the East, who have employed similar methods for centuries past intraining their students and pupils. The Yogis have long taught that aman's character was, practically, the crude character-stuff possessed byhim at his birth, modified and shaped by outside influences in the caseof the ordinary man, and by deliberate self-training and shaping by thewise man. Their pupils are examined regarding their characteristics, andthen directed to repress the undesirable traits, and to cultivate thedesirable ones.

The Yogi practice of Character Building is based upon the knowledge ofthe wonderful powers of the sub-conscious plane of the mind. The pupil isnot required to pursue strenuous methods of repression or cultivation,but, on the contrary, is taught that such methods are opposed to nature'splans, and that the best way is to imitate nature and to gradually unfoldthe desired characteristics by means of focusing the will-power andattention upon them. The weeding out of undesirable characteristics isaccomplished by the pupil cultivating the characteristics directlyopposed to the undesirable ones. For instance, if the pupil desires toovercome Fear, he is not instructed to concentrate on Fear with the ideaof killing it out, but, instead, is taught to mentally deny that he hasFear, and then to concentrate his attention upon the ideal of Courage.When Courage is developed, Fear is found to have faded away. The positivealways overpowers the negative.

In the word "ideal" is found the secret of the Yogi method ofsub-conscious character building. The teachings are to the effect that"ideals" may be built up by the bestowal of attention upon them. Thestudent is given the example of a rose bush. He is taught that the plantwill grow and flourish in the measure that care and attention is bestowedupon it and vice versa. He is taught that the ideal of some desiredcharacteristic is a mental rosebush, and that by careful attention itwill grow and put forth leaves and flowers. He is then given some minormental trait to develop, and is taught to dwell upon it in thought--toexercise his imagination and to mentally "see" himself attaining thedesired quality. He is given mantrams or affirmation to repeat, for thepurpose of giving him a mental center around which to build an ideal.There is a mighty power in words, used in this way, providing that theuser always thinks of the meaning of the words, and makes a mentalpicture of the quality expressed by them, instead of merely repeatingthem parrot fashion.

The Yogi student is trained gradually, until he acquires the power ofconscious direction of the sub-conscious mind in the building up process,which power comes to anyone--Oriental or Occidental--who will take thetrouble to practice. In fact, nearly everyone possesses and actively usesthis power, although he may not be aware of it. One's character islargely the result of the quality of thoughts held in the mind, and ofthe mental pictures or ideals entertained by the person. The man whoconstantly sees and thinks of himself as unsuccessful and down-troddenis very apt to grow ideals of thought forms of these things until hiswhole nature is dominated by them, and his every act works toward theobjectification of the thoughts. On the contrary, the man who makes anideal of success and accomplishment finds that his whole mental natureseems to work toward that result--the objectification of the ideal. Andso it is with every other ideal. The person who builds up a mental idealof Jealousy will be very apt to objectify the same, and to unconsciouslycreate condition that will give his Jealousy food upon which to feed. Butthis particular phase of the subject, properly belongs to our nextlesson. This Eleventh Lesson is designed to point out the way by whichpeople may mould their characters in any way they desire--supplantingundesirable characteristics by desirable ones, and developing desirableideals into active characteristics. The mind is plastic to him who knowsthe secret of its manipulation.

The average person recognizes his strong and weak points of character,but is very apt to regard them as fixed and unalterable, or practicallyso. He thinks that he "is just as the Lord made him," and that is the endof it. He fails to recognize that his character is being unconsciouslymodified every day by association with others, whose suggestions arebeing absorbed and acted upon. And he fails to see that he is mouldinghis own character by taking interest in certain things, and allowing his

mind to dwell upon them. He does not realize that he himself is reallythe maker of himself, from the raw and crude material given himat his birth. He makes himself negatively or positively. Negatively, ifhe allows himself to be moulded by the thoughts and ideals of others,and positively, if he moulds himself. Everyone is doing one or theother--perhaps both. The weak man is the one who allows himself to bemade by others, and the strong man is the one who takes the buildingprocess in his own hands.

The process of Character-building is so delightfully simple that itsimportance is apt to be overlooked by the majority of persons who aremade acquainted with it. It is only by actual practice and theexperiencing of results that its wonderful possibilities are borne hometo one.

The Yogi student is early taught the lesson of the power and importanceof character building by some strong practical example. For instance, thestudent is found to have certain tastes of appetite, such as a like forcertain things, and a corresponding dislike for others. The Yogi teacherinstructs the student in the direction of cultivating a desire and tastefor the disliked thing, and a dislike for the liked thing. He teaches thestudent to fix his mind on the two things, but in the direction ofimagining that he likes the one thing and dislikes the other. The studentis taught to make a mental picture of the desired conditions, and to say,for instance, "I loathe candy--I dislike even the sight of it," and, onthe other hand, "I crave tart things--I revel in the taste of them,"etc., etc., at the same time trying to reproduce the taste of sweetthings accompanied with a loathing, and a taste of tart things,accompanied with a feeling of delight. After a bit the student finds thathis tastes are actually changing in accordance with his thoughts, and inthe end they have completely changed places. The truth of the theory isthen borne home to the student, and he never forgets the lesson.

In order to reassure readers who might object to having the student leftin this condition of reversed tastes, we may add that the Yogi teachersthen teach him to get rid of the idea of the disliked thing, and teachhim to cultivate a liking for all wholesome things, their theory beingthat the dislike of certain wholesome eatables has been caused by somesuggestion in childhood, or by some prenatal impression, as wholesomeeatables are made attractive to the taste by Nature. The idea of all thistraining, however, is not the cultivation of taste, but practice inmental training, and the bringing home to the student the truth of thefact that his nature is plastic to his Ego, and that it may be moulded atwill, by concentration and intelligent practice. The reader of thislesson may experiment upon himself along the lines of the elementary Yogipractice as above mentioned, if he so desires. He will find it possibleto entirely change his dislike for certain food, etc., by the methodsmentioned above. He may likewise acquire a liking for heretofore

distasteful tasks and duties, which he finds it necessary to perform.

The principle underlying the whole Yogi theory of Character Building bythe sub-conscious Intellect, is that the Ego is Master of the mind, andthat the mind is plastic to the commands of the Ego. The Ego or "I" ofthe individual is the one real, permanent, changeless principle of theindividual, and the mind, like the body, is constantly changing, moving,growing, and dying. Just as the body may be developed and moulded byintelligent exercises, so may the mind be developed and shaped by the Egoif intelligent methods are followed.

The majority of people consider that Character is a fixed something,belonging to a man, that cannot be altered or changed. And yet they showby their everyday actions that at heart they do not believe this to be afact, for they endeavor to change and mould the characters of thosearound them, by word of advice, counsel, praising or condemnation, etc.

It is not necessary to go into the matter of the consideration ofthe causes of character in this lesson. We will content ourselves bysaying that these causes may be summed up, roughly, as follows: (1)Result of experiences in past lives; (2) Heredity; (3) Environment;(4) Suggestion from others; and (5) Auto-suggestion. But no matter howone's character has been formed, it may be modified, moulded, changed,and improved by the methods set forth in this lesson, which methods aresimilar to what is called by Western writers, "Auto-suggestion."

The underlying idea of Auto-suggestion is the "willing" of the individualthat the changes take place in his mind, the willing being aided byintelligent and tried methods of creating the new ideal or thought-form.The first requisite for the changed condition must be "desire" for thechange. Unless one really desires that the change take place, he isunable to bring his Will to bear on the task. There is a very closeconnection between Desire and Will. Will is not usually brought to bearupon anything unless it is inspired by Desire. Some people connect theword Desire with the lower inclinations, but it is equally applicable tothe higher. If one fights off a low inclination or Desire, it is becausehe is possessed of a higher inclination or Desire. Many Desires arereally compromises between two or more conflicting Desires--a sort ofaverage Desire, as it were.

Unless one desires to change his character he will not make any movetoward it. And in proportion to the strength of the desire, so will bethe amount of will-power that is put in the task. The first thing forone to do in character building is to "want to do it." And if he findsthat the "want" is not sufficiently strong to enable him to manifest theperseverance and effort necessary to bring it to a successful conclusion,then he should deliberately proceed to "build up the desire."

Desire may be built up by allowing the mind to dwell upon the subjectuntil a desire is created. This rule works both ways, as many people havefound out to their sorrow and misery. Not only may one build up acommendable desire in this way, but he may also build up a reprehensibleone. A little thought will show you the truth of this statement. A youngman has no desire to indulge in the excesses of a "fast" life. But aftera while he hears, or reads something about others leading that sort oflife, and he begins to allow his mind to dwell upon the subject, turningit around and examining it mentally, and going over it in hisimagination. After a time he begins to find a desire gradually sendingforth roots and branches, and if he continues to water the thing in hisimagination, before long he will find within himself a blossominginclination, which will try to insist upon expression in action. There isa great truth behind the words of the poet:

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,That to be hated needs but to be seen.Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,We first endure, then pity, and then embrace."

And the follies and crimes of many a man have been due to the growing ofdesire within his mind, through this plan of planting the seed, and thencarefully watering and tending to it--this cultivation of the growingdesire. We have thought it well to give this word of warning because itwill throw light upon many things that may have perplexed you, andbecause it may serve to call your attention to certain growing weeds ofthe mind that you have been nourishing.

But remember, always, that the force that leads downward may betransmuted and made to lead upward. It is just as easy to plant and growwholesome desires as the other kind. If you are conscious of certaindefects and deficiencies in your character (and who is not?) and yet findyourself not possessed of a strong enough desire to make the changesnecessary, then you should commence by planting the desire seed andallowing it to grow by giving it constant care and attention. You shouldpicture to yourself the advantages of acquiring the desirable traits ofcharacter of which you have thought. You should frequently go over andover them in your mind, imaging yourself in imagination as possessingthem. You will then find that the growing desire will make headway andthat you will gradually begin to "want to" possess that trait ofcharacter more and more. And when you begin to "want to" hard enough, youwill find arising in your consciousness a feeling of the possession ofsufficient Will-power to carry it through. Will follows the Desire.Cultivate a Desire and you will find back of it the Will to carry itthrough. Under the pressure of a very strong Desire men have accomplishedfeats akin to miracles.

If you find yourself in possession of desires that you feel are hurtful

to you, you may rid yourself of them by deliberately starving them todeath, and at the same time growing opposite desires. By refusing tothink of the objectionable desires you refuse them the mental food uponwhich alone they can thrive. Just as you starve a plant by refusing itnourishing soil and water, so may you starve out an objectionabledesire by refusing to give it mental food. Remember this, for it is mostimportant. Refuse to allow the mind to dwell upon such desires, andresolutely turn aside the attention, and, particularly, theimagination, from the subject. This may call for the manifestation of alittle will-power in the beginning, but it will become easier as youprogress, and each victory will give you renewed strength for the nextfight. But do not temporize with the desire--do not compromise withit--refuse to entertain the idea. In a fight of this kind each victorygives one added strength, and each defeat weakens one.

And while you are refusing to entertain the objectionable guest you mustbe sure to grow a desire of an entirely opposite nature--a desiredirectly opposed to the one you are starving to death. Picture theopposite desire, and think of it often. Let your mind dwell upon itlovingly and let the imagination help to build it up into form. Think ofthe advantages that will arise to you when you fully possess it, and letthe imagination picture you as in full possession of it, and acting outyour new part in life strong and vigorous in your new found power.

All this will gradually lead you to the point where you will "want to"possess this power. Then you must be ready for the next step which is"Faith" or "Confident Expectation."

Now, faith or confident expectation is not made to order in most persons,and in such cases one must acquire it gradually. Many of you who readthese lines will have an understanding of the subject that will give youthis faith. But to those who lack it, we suggest that they practice onsome trivial phases of the mental make-up, some petty trait of character,in which the victory will be easy and simple. From this stage they shouldwork up to more difficult tasks, until at last they gain that faith orconfident expectation that comes from persevering practice.

The greater the degree of faith or confident expectation that one carrieswith him in this task of character building, the greater will be hissuccess. And this because of well established psychological laws. Faithor confident expectation clears away the mental path and renders the workeasier, while doubt or lack of faith retards the work, and acts asobstacles and stumbling blocks. Strong Desire, and Faith, or confidentexpectation are the first two steps. The third is Will-power.

By Will-power we do not mean that strenuous,clenching-of-fist-and-frowning-brow thing that many think ofwhen they say "Will." Will is not manifested in this way. The

true Will is called into play by one realizing the "I" part ofhimself and speaking the word of command from that center ofpower and strength. It is the voice of the "I." And it is neededin this work of character building.

So now you are ready for work, being possessed of (1) Strong Desire;(2) Faith or Confident Expectation; and (3) Will-power. With such atriple-weapon nothing but Success is possible.

Then comes the actual work. The first thing to do is to lay the track fora new Character Habit. "Habit?" you may ask in surprise. Yes, Habit! Forthat word gives the secret of the whole thing. Our characters are made upof inherited or acquired habits. Think over this a little and you willsee the truth of it. You do certain things without a thought, because youhave gotten into the habit of doing them. You act in certain ways becauseyou have established the habit. You are in the habit of being truthful,honest, virtuous, because you have established the habit of being so. Doyou doubt this? Then look around you--or look within your own heart, andyou will see that you have lost some of your old habits of action, andhave acquired new ones. The building up of Character is the building upof Habits. And the changing of Character is the changing of Habits. Itwill be well for you to settle this fact in your own mind, for it willgive you the secret of many things connected with the subject.

And, remember this, that Habit is almost entirely a matter of thesub-conscious mentality. It is true that Habits originate in theconscious mind, but as they are established they sink down into thedepths of the sub-conscious mentality, and thereafter become "secondnature," which, by the way, is often more powerful than the originalnature of the person. The Duke of Wellington said that habit was asstrong as ten natures, and he proceeded to drill habits into his armyuntil they found it natural to act in accordance with the habits poundedinto them during the drills. Darwin relates an interesting instance ofthe force of habit over the reason. He found that his habit of startingback at the sudden approach of danger was so firmly established that nowill-power could enable him to keep his face pressed up against the cageof the cobra in the Zoological Gardens when the snake struck at him,although he knew the glass was so thick that there could be no danger,and although he exerted the full force of his will. But we venture to saythat one could overcome even this strongly ingrained habit, by graduallytraining the sub-conscious mentality and establishing a new habit ofthought and action.

It is not only during the actual process of "willing" the new habit thatthe work of making the new mental path goes on. In fact, the Yogisbelieve that the principal part of the work goes on sub-consciouslybetween the intervals of commend, and that the real progress is made inthat way, just as the real work of solving the problem is performed

sub-consciously, as related in our last lesson. As an example, we maycall your attention to some instances of the cultivation of physicalhabits. A physical task learned in the evening is much easier to performthe following-morning than it was the night before, and still easierthe following Monday morning than it was on the Saturday afternoonprevious. The Germans have a saying that "we learn to skate in summer,and to swim in winter," meaning that the impression passed on to thesubconscious mentality deepens and broadens during the interval of rest.The best plan is to make frequent, sharp impressions, and then to allowreasonable periods of rest in order to give the sub-conscious mentalitythe opportunity to do its work. By "sharp" impressions we meanimpressions given under strong attention, as we have mentioned in someof the earlier lessons of this series.

A writer has well said: "Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap acharacter; sow a character, reap a destiny," thus recognizing habit asthe source of character. We recognize this truth in our training ofchildren, forming goods habits of character by constant repetition, bywatchfulness, etc. Habit acts as a motive when established, so thatwhile we think we are acting without motive we may be acting under thestrong motive power of some well established habit. Herbert Spencer haswell said: "The habitually honest man does what is right, not consciouslybecause he 'ought' but with simple satisfaction; and is ill at ease tillit is done." Some may object that this idea of Habit as a basis ofCharacter may do away with the idea of a developed moralconscientiousness, as for instance, Josiah Royce who says: "Theestablishment of organized habit is never in itself enough to ensurethe growth of an enlightened moral conscientiousness" but to such wewould say that one must "want to" cultivate a high character before hewill create the habits usual to the same, and the "want to" is thesign of the "moral conscientiousness," rather than the habit. And thesame is true of the "ought to" side of the subject. The "ought to" arisesin the conscious mind in the beginning, and inspires the cultivationof the habit, although the latter after a while becomes automatic, amatter of the sub-conscious mentality, without any "ought to" attachment.It then becomes a matter of "like to."

Thus we see that the moulding, modifying, changing, and building ofCharacter is largely a matter of the establishing of Habits. And what isthe best way to establish Habits? becomes our next question. The answerof the Yogi is: "Establish a Mental Image, and then build your Habitaround it." And in that sentence he has condensed a whole system.

Everything we see having a form is built around a mental image--eitherthe mental image of some man, some animal, or of the Absolute. This isthe rule of the universe, and in the matter of character-building we butfollow a well established rule. When we wish to build a house, we firstthink of "house" in a general way. Then we begin to think of "what kind"

of a house. Then we go into details. Then we consult an architect, and hemakes us a plan, which plan is his mental image, suggested by our mentalimage. Then, the plan once decided upon, we consult the builder, and atlast the house stands completed--an objectified Mental Image. And so itis with every created thing--all manifestation of a Mental Image.

And so, when we wish to establish a trait of Character, we must form aclear, distinct Mental Image of what we wish to be. This is an importantstep. Make your picture clear and distinct, and fasten it in your mind.Then begin to build around it. Let your thoughts dwell upon the mentalpicture. Let your imagination see yourself as possessed of the desiredtrait, and acting it out. Act it out in your imagination, over and overagain, as often as possible, persevering, and continuously, seeingyourself manifesting the trait under a variety of circumstances andconditions. As you continue to do this you will find that you willgradually begin to express the thought in action--to objectify thesubjective mental image. It will become "natural" for you to act more andmore in accordance with your mental image, until at last the new habitwill become firmly fixed in your mind, and will become your natural modeof action and expression.

This is no vague, visionary theory. It is a well known and provenpsychological fact, and thousands have worked marvelous changes in theircharacter by its means.

Not only may one elevate his moral character in this way, but he maymould his "work-a-day" self to better conform to the needs of hisenvironment and occupation. If one lacks Perseverance, he may attainit; if one is filled with Fear, he may supplant it with Fearlessness; ifone lacks Self-confidence, he may gain it. In fact, there is no traitthat may not be developed in this way. People have literally "madethemselves over" by following this method of character-building. Thegreat trouble with the race has been that persons have not realized thatthey could do these things. They have thought that they were doomed toremain just the creatures that they found themselves to be. They did notrealize that the work of creation was not ended, and that they had withinthemselves a creative power adapted to the needs of their case. When manfirst realizes this truth, and proves it by practice, he becomes anotherbeing. He finds himself superior to environment, and training--he findsthat he may ride over these things. He makes his own environment, andhe trains himself.

In some of the larger schools in England and the United States, certainscholars who have developed and manifested the ability to controlthemselves and their actions are placed on the roll of a grade calledthe "Self-governed grade." Those in this grade act as if they hadmemorized the following words of Herbert Spencer: "In the supremacy ofself-control consists one of the perfections of the ideal man. Not to be

impulsive--not to be spurred hither and thither by each desire--but to beself-restrained, self-balanced, governed by the just decision of thefeelings in council assembled * * * that it is which moral educationstrives to produce." And this is the desire of the writer of thislesson--to place each student in the "Self-governed class."

We cannot attempt, in the short space of a single lesson, to map out acourse of instruction in Character Building adapted to the special needsof each individual. But we think that what we have said on the subjectshould be sufficient to point out the method for each student to map outa course for himself, following the general rules given above. As a helpto the student, however, we will give a brief course of instruction forthe cultivation of one desirable trait of character. The general plan ofthis course may be adapted to fit the requirements of any other case,if intelligence is used by the student. The case we have selected is thatof a student who has been suffering from "a lack of Moral Courage--a lackof Self-Confidence--an inability to maintain my poise in the presenceof other people--an inability to say 'No!'--a feeling of Inferiority tothose with whom I come in contact." The brief outline of the course ofpractice given in this case is herewith given:

PRELIMINARY THOUGHT. You should fix firmly in your mind the fact that youare the Equal of any and every man. You come from the same source. Youare an expression of the same One Life. In the eyes of the Absolute youare the equal of any man, even the highest in the land. Truth is "Thingsas God sees them"--and in Truth you and the man are equal, and, at thelast, One. All feelings of Inferiority are illusions, errors, and lies,and have no existence in Truth. When in the company of others rememberthis fact and realize that the Life Principle in you is talking to theLife Principle in them. Let the Life Principle flow through you, andendeavor to forget your personal self. At the same time, endeavor to seethat same Life Principle, behind and beyond the personality of the personin whose presence you are. He is by a personality hiding the LifePrinciple, just as you are. Nothing more--nothing less! You are bothOne in Truth. Let the conscious of the "I" beam forth and you willexperience an uplift and sense of Courage, and the other will likewisefeel it. You have within you the Source of Courage, Moral and Physical,and you have naught to Fear--Fearlessness is your Divine Heritage, availyourself of it. You have Self-Conscience, for the Self is the "I" withinyou, not the petty personality, and you must have confidence in that "I."Retreat within yourself until you feel the presence of the "I," and thenwill you have a Self-Confidence that nothing can shake or disturb. Oncehaving attained the permanent consciousness of the "I," you will havepoise. Once having realized that you are a Center of Power, you will haveno difficulty in saying "No!" when it is right to do so. Once havingrealized your true nature--your Real Self--you will lose all sense ofInferiority, and will know that you are a manifestation of the One Lifeand have behind you the strength, power, and grandeur of the Cosmos.

Begin by realizing YOURSELF, and then proceed with the following methodsof training the mind.

WORD IMAGES. It is difficult for the mind to build itself around an idea,unless that idea be expressed in words. A word is the center of an idea,just as the idea is the center of the mental image, and the mental imagethe center of the growing mental habit. Therefore, the Yogis always laygreat stress upon the use of words in this way. In the particular casebefore us, we should suggest the holding before you of a few wordscrystallizing the main thought. We suggest the words "I Am"; Courage;Confidence; Poise; Firmness; Equality. Commit these words to memory, andthen endeavor to fix in your mind a clear conception of the meaning ofeach word, so that each may stand for a Live Idea when you say it. Bewareof parrot-like or phonographic repetition. Let each word's meaning standout clearly before you, so that when you repeat it you may feel itsmeaning. Repeat the words over frequently, when opportunity presentsitself, and you will soon begin to notice that they act as a strongmental tonic upon you, producing a bracing, energizing effect. And eachtime you repeat the words, understandingly, you have done something toclear away the mental path over which you wish to travel.

PRACTICE. When you are at leisure, and are able to indulge in "daydreams" without injury to your affairs of life, call your imaginationinto play and endeavor to picture yourself as being possessed of thequalities indicated by the words named. Picture yourself under the mosttrying circumstances, making use of the desired qualities, andmanifesting them fully. Endeavor to picture yourself as acting out yourpart well, and exhibiting the desired qualities. Do not be ashamed toindulge in these day-dreams, for they are the prophecies of the things tofollow, and you are but rehearsing your part before the day of theperformance. Practice makes perfect, and if you accustom yourself toacting in a certain way in imagination, you will find it much easier toplay your part when the real performance occurs. This may seem childishto many of you, but if you have an actor among your acquaintances,consult him about it, and you will find that he will heartily recommendit. He will tell you what practice does for one in this direction, andhow repeated practice and rehearsals may fix a character so firmly in aman's mind that he may find it difficult to divest himself of it after atime. Choose well the part you wish to play--the character you wish to beyours--and then after fixing it well in your mind, practice, practice,practice. Keep your ideal constantly before you, and endeavor to growinto it. And you will succeed, if you exercise patience and perseverance.

But, more than this. Do not confine your practice to mere privaterehearsal. You need some "dress rehearsals" as well--rehearsals inpublic. Therefore, after you get well started in your work, manage toexercise your growing character-habits in your everyday life. Pick outthe little cases first and "try it on them."

You will find that you will be able to overcome conditions that formerlybothered you much. You will become conscious of a growing strength andpower coming from within, and you will recognize that you are indeed achanged person. Let your thought express itself in action, whenever youget a good chance. But do not try to force chances just to try yourstrength. Do not, for instance, try to force people to ask for favorsthat you may say "No!" You will find plenty of genuine tests withoutforcing any. Accustom yourself to looking people in the eye, and feelingthe power that is back of you, and within you. You will soon be able tosee through their personality, and realize that it is just one portion ofthe One Life gazing at another portion, and that therefore there isnothing to be afraid of. A realization of your Real Self will enable youto maintain your poise under trying circumstances, if you will but throwaside your false idea about your personality. Forget yourself--yourlittle personal self--for a while, and fix your mind on the UniversalSelf of which you are a part. All these things that have worried you arebut incidents of the Personal Life, and are seen to be illusions whenviewed from the standpoint of the Universal Life.

Carry the Universal Life with you as much as possible into your everydaylife. It belongs there as much as anywhere, and will prove to be a towerof strength and refuge to you in the perplexing situations of your busylife.

Remember always that the Ego is master of the mental states and habits,and that the Will is the direct instrument of the Ego, and is alwaysready for its use. Let your soul be filled with the strong Desire tocultivate those mental habits that will make you Strong. Nature's plan isto produce Strong Individual expressions of herself, and she will be gladto give you her aid in becoming strong. The man who wishes to strengthenhimself will always find great forces back of him to aid him in the work,for is he not carrying out one of Nature's pet plans, and one which shehas been striving for throughout the ages. Anything that tends to makeyou realize and express your Mastery, tends to strengthen you, andplaces at your disposal Nature's aid. You may witness this in everydaylife--Nature seems to like strong individuals, and delights in pushingthem ahead. By Mastery, we mean mastery over your own lower nature, aswell as over outside nature, of course. The "I" is Master--forget it not,O student, and assert it constantly. Peace be with you.

MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).

I am the Master of my Mental Habits--I control my Character. I Will to beStrong, and summon the forces of my Nature to my aid.

THE TWELFTH LESSON.

SUB-CONSCIOUS INFLUENCES.

In this lesson we wish to touch upon a certain feature of sub-consciousmentation that has been much dwelt upon by certain schools of westernwriters and students during the past twenty years, but which has alsobeen misunderstood, and, alas, too often misused, by some of those whohave been attracted to the subject. We allude to what has been called the"Power of Thought." While this power is very real, and like any other ofthe forces of nature may be properly used and applied in our every daylife, still many students of the power of the Mind have misused it andhave stooped to practices worthy only of the followers of the schools of"Black Magic." We hear on all sides of the use of "treatments" forselfish and often base ends, those following these practices seeming tobe in utter ignorance of the occult laws brought into operation, and theterrible reaction inevitably falling to the lot of those practicing thisnegative form of mental influence. We have been amazed at the prevailingignorance concerning the nature and effects of this improper use ofmental force, and at the same time, at the common custom of such selfish,improper uses. This, more particularly, when the true occultist knowsthat these things are not necessary, even to those who seek "Success" bymental forces. There is a true method of the use of mental forces, aswell as an improper use, and we trust that in this lesson we may be ableto bring the matter sharply and clearly before the minds of our students.

In our first course (The Fourteen Lessons) in the several lessonsentitled, respectively, "Thought Dynamics," "Telepathy, etc.," and"Psychic Influence," we have given a general idea of the effect of onemind upon other minds, and many other writers have called the attentionof the Western world to the same facts. There has been a generalawakening of interest in this phase of the subject among the Westernpeople of late years, and many and wonderful are the theories that havebeen advanced among the conflicting schools regarding the matter. But,notwithstanding the conflicting theories, there is a general agreementupon the fundamental facts. They all agree that the mental forces may beused to affect oneself and others, and many have started in to use thesemental forces for their own selfish ends and purposes, believing thatthey were fully justified in so doing, and being unaware of the web ofpsychic causes and effects which they were weaving around them by theirpractices.

Now, at the beginning, let us impress upon the minds of our students thefact that while it is undoubtedly true that people who are unaware of thetrue sources of strength within them, may be, and often are affected bymental force exerted by others, it is equally true that no one can beadversely affected in this way providing he realizes the "I" within

himself, which is the only Real part of him, and which is an impregnabletower of strength against the assaults of others. There is no cause forall of this fear that is being manifested by many Western students ofthought-power, who are in constant dread of being "treated" adversely byother people. The man or woman who realizes the "I" within, may by theslightest exercise of the Will surround himself with a mental aura whichwill repel adverse thought-waves emanating from the minds of others. Nay,more than this--the habitual recognition of the "I," and a few moments'meditation upon it each day, will of itself erect such an aura, and willcharge this aura with a vitality that will turn back adverse thought, andcause it to return to the source from which it came, where it will servethe good purpose of bringing to the mistaken mind originating it, theconviction that such practices are hurtful and to be avoided.

This realization of the "I," which we brought out in the first fewlessons of the present series, is the best and only real method ofself-protection. This may be easily understood, when we remind you thatthe whole phenomena of mental influencing belongs to the "illusion" sideof existence--the negative side--and that the Real and Positive side mustof necessity be stronger. Nothing can affect the Real in you--and thenearer you get to the Real, in realization and understanding, thestronger do you become. This is the whole secret. Think it over.

But, there are comparatively few people who are able to rest firmly inthe "I" consciousness all the time and the others demand help while theyare growing. To such, we would say "Creep as close the Realization of theI, as possible, and rest your spiritual feet firmly upon the rock of theReal Self." If you feel that people, circumstances, or things areinfluencing you unduly, stand up boldly, and deny the influence. Saysomething like this, "I DENY the power or influence of persons,circumstances, or things to adversely affect me. I ASSERT my Reality,Power and Dominion over these things." These words may seem very simple,but when uttered with the consciousness of the Truth underlying them,they become as a mighty force. You will understand, of course, that thereis no magic or virtue in the words themselves--that is, in the groupingof the letters forming the words, or the sounds of the words--the virtueresting in the idea of which the words are the expression. You will besurprised at the effect of this STATEMENT upon depressing, or adverseinfluences surrounding you. If you--you who are reading these wordsnow--feel yourself subject to any adverse or depressing influences, willthen stand up erect, throwing your shoulders back, raising your head, andlooking boldly and fearlessly ahead, and repeat these words firmly, andwith faith, you will feel the adverse influences disappearing. You willalmost see the clouds falling back from you. Try it now, before readingfurther, and you will become conscious of a new strength and power.

You are perfectly justified in thus denying adverse influence. You have aperfect right to drive back threatening or depressing thought-clouds. You

have a perfect right to take your stand upon the Rock of Truth--your RealSelf--and demand your Freedom. These negative thoughts of the world ingeneral, and of some people in particular, belong to the dark side oflife, and you have a right to demand freedom from them. You do not belongto the same idea of life, and it is your privilege--yes, your duty--torepel them and bid them disappear from your horizon. You are a Child ofLight, and it is your right and duty to assert your freedom from thethings of darkness. You are merely asserting the Truth when you affirmyour superiority and dominion over these dark forces. And in the measureof your Recognition and Faith, will be the power at your disposal. Faithand Recognition renders man a god. If we could but fully recognize andrealize just what we are, we could rise above this entire plane ofnegative, dark world of thought. But we have become so blinded andstupefied with the race-thought of fear and weakness, and so hypnotizedwith the suggestions of weakness that we hear on all sides of us, thateven the best of us find it hard to avoid occasionally sinking back intothe lower depths of despair and discouragement. But, let us rememberthis, brothers and sisters, that these periods of "back-sliding" becomeless frequent, and last a shorter time, as we proceed. Bye-and-bye weshall escape them altogether.

Some may think that we are laying too much stress upon the negative sideof the question, but we feel that what we have said is timely, and muchneeded by many who read these lessons. There has been so much saidregarding this negative, adverse power of thought, that it is well thatall should be taught that it is in their power to rise above this thing--that the weapon for its defeat is already in their hand.

The most advanced student may occasionally forget that he is superior tothe adverse influence of the race-thought, and other clouds of thoughtinfluence that happen to be in his neighborhood. When we think of how fewthere are who are sending forth the positive, hopeful, thought-waves, andhow many are sending forth continually the thoughts of discouragement,fear, and despair, it is no wonder that at times there comes to us afeeling of discouragement, helplessness, and "what's the use." But wemust be ever alert, to stand up and deny these things out of existenceso far as our personal thought world is concerned. There is a wonderfuloccult truth in the last sentence. We are the makers, preservers, anddestroyers of our personal thought-world. We may bring into it that whichwe desire to appear; we may keep there what we wish, cultivating,developing and unfolding the thought-forms that we desire; we maydestroy that which we wish to keep out. The "I" is the master of itsthought-world. Think over this great truth, O student! By Desire wecall into existence--by affirmation we preserve and encourage--byDenial we destroy. The Hindus in their popular religious conceptionspicture the One Being as a Trinity, composed of Brahma, the Creator;Vishnu, the Preserver, and Siva, the Destroyer--not three gods, as iscommonly supposed, but a Trinity composed of three aspects of Deity or

Being. This idea of the threefold Being is also applicable to theIndividual--"as above so below." The "I" is the Being of the Individual,and the thought-world is its manifestation. It creates, preserves, anddestroys--as it Will. Carry this idea with you, and realize that yourindividual thought-world is your own field of manifestation. In it youare constantly creating--constantly preserving--constantly destroying.And if you can destroy anything in your own thought-world you remove itfrom its field of activity, so far as you are concerned. And if youcreate anything in your own thought-world, you bring it into activebeing, so far as you are concerned. And if you preserve anything, youkeep it by you in effect and full operation and influence in your life.This truth belongs to the higher phases of the subject, for itsexplanation is inextricably bound up in the explanation of the"Thing-in-Itself"--the Absolute and Its Manifestations. But even what wehave said above, should give to the alert student sufficient notice tocause him to grasp the facts of the case, and to apply the principles inhis own life.

If one lives on the plane of the race-thought, he is subject to its laws,for the law of cause and effect is in full operation on each plane oflife. But when one raises himself above the race-thought, and on to theplane of the Recognition of the Real Self--The "I"--then does heextricate himself from the lower laws of cause and effect, and placeshimself on a higher plane of causation, in which he plays a much higherpart. And so we are constantly reminding you that your tower of strengthand refuge lies on the higher plane. But, nevertheless, we must deal withthe things and laws of the lower plane, because very few who read theselessons are able to rest entirely upon the higher plane. The greatmajority of them have done no more than to lift themselves partially onto the higher plane, and they are consequently living on both planes,partly in each, the consequence being that there is a struggle betweenthe conflicting laws of the two planes. The present stage is one of thehardest on the Path of Attainment, and resembles the birth-pains of thephysical body. But you are being born into a higher plane, and the painafter becoming the most acute will begin to ease, and in the end willdisappear, and then will come peace and calm. When the pain becomes themost acute, then be cheered with the certainty that you have reached thecrisis of your new spiritual birth, and that you will soon gain peace.And then you will see that the peace and bliss will be worth all the painand struggle. Be brave, fellow followers of The Path--Deliverance isnigh. Soon will come the Silence that follows the Storm. The pain thatyou are experiencing--ah, well do we know that you are experiencing thepain--is not punishment, but is a necessary part of your growth. All Lifefollows this plan--the pains of labor and birth ever precede theDeliverance. Such is Life--and Life is based upon Truth--and all is wellwith the world. We did not intend to speak of these things in thislesson, but as we write there comes to us a great cry for help and a wordof encouragement and hope, from the Class which is taking this course of

lessons, and we feel bound to respond as we have done. Peace be withyou--one and all.

And, now we will begin our consideration of the laws governing what wehave called "Sub-conscious Influence."

All students of the Occult are aware of the fact that men may be, andare, largely influenced by the thoughts of others. Not only is this thecase in instances where thoughts are directed from the mind of one personto the mind of another, but also when there is no special direction orintention in the thought sent forth. The vibrations of thoughts linger inthe astral atmosphere long after the effort that sent forth the thoughthas passed. The astral atmosphere is charged with the vibrations ofthinkers of many years past, and still possesses sufficient vitality toaffect those whose minds are ready to receive them at this time. And weall attract to us thought vibrations corresponding in nature with thosewhich we are in the habit of entertaining. The Law of Attraction is infull operation, and one who makes a study of the subject may seeinstances of it on all sides.

We invite to ourselves these thought vibrations by maintaining andentertaining thoughts along certain lines. If we cultivate a habit ofthinking along the lines of Cheerfulness, Brightness and Optimism, weattract to ourselves similar thought vibrations of others and we willfind that before long we will find all sorts of cheerful thoughts pouringinto our minds from all directions. And, likewise, if we harbor thoughtsof Gloom, Despair, Pessimism, we lay ourselves open to the influx ofsimilar thoughts which have emanated from the minds of others. Thoughtsof Anger, Hate, or Jealousy attract similar thoughts which serve to feedthe flame and keep alive the fire of these low emotions. Thoughts of Lovetend to draw to ourselves the loving thoughts of others which tend tofill us with a glow of loving emotion.

And not only are we affected in this way by the thoughts of others, butwhat is known as "Suggestion" also plays an important part in this matterof sub-conscious influence. We find that the mind has a tendency toreproduce the emotions, moods, shades of thought, and feelings of otherpersons, as evidenced by their attitude, appearance, facial expression,or words. If we associate with persons of a gloomy temperament, we runthe risk of "catching" their mental trouble by the law of suggestion,unless we understand this law and counteract it. In the same way we findthat cheerfulness is contagious, and if we keep in the company ofcheerful people we are very apt to take on their mental quality. The samerule applies to frequenting the company of unsuccessful or successfulpeople, as the case may be. If we allow ourselves to take up thesuggestions constantly emanating from them, we will find that our mindswill begin to reproduce the tones, attitudes, characteristics,dispositions and traits of the other persons, and before long we will be

living on the same mental plane. As we have repeatedly said, these thingsare true only when we allow ourselves to "take on" the impressions, butunless one has mastered the law of suggestion, and understands itsprinciples and operations he is more or less apt to be affected by it.All of you readily recall the effect of certain persons upon others withwhom they come in contact. One has a faculty of inspiring with vigor andenergy those in whose company he happens to be. Another depresses thosearound him, and is avoided as a "human wet-blanket." Another will cause afeeling of uneasiness in those around him, by reason of his prevailingattitude of distrust, suspicion, and low cunning. Some carry anatmosphere of health around them, while others seem to be surrounded witha sickly aura of disease, even when their physical condition does notseem to indicate the lack of health. Mental states have a subtle way ofimpressing themselves upon us, and the student who will take the troubleto closely observe those with whom he comes in contact will receive aliberal education along these lines.

There is of course a great difference in the degree of suggestibilityamong different persons. There are those who are almost immune, while atthe other end of the line are to be found others who are so constantlyand strongly impressed by the suggestions of others, conscious orunconscious, that they may be said to scarcely have any independentthought or will of their own. But nearly all persons are suggestibleto a greater or lesser degree.

It must not be supposed from what we have said that all suggestions are"bad," harmful, or undesirable. Many suggestions are very good for us,and coming at the right time have aided us much. But, nevertheless, it iswell to always let your own mind pass upon these suggestions, beforeallowing them to manifest in your sub-conscious mind. Let the finaldecision be your own--and not the will of another--although you may haveconsidered outside suggestions in connection with the matter.

Remember always that YOU are an Individual, having a mind and Will ofyour own. Rest firmly upon the base of your "I" consciousness, and youwill find yourself able to manifest a wonderful strength against theadverse suggestions of others. Be your own Suggestor--train and influenceyour sub-conscious mind Yourself, and do not allow it to be tampered withby the suggestions of others. Grow the sense of Individuality.

There has been much written of recent years in the Western worldregarding the effect of the Mental Attitude upon Success and attainmentupon the material plane. While much of this is nothing but the wildestimagining, still there remains a very firm and solid substratum of truthunderlying it all.

It is undoubtedly true that one's prevailing mental attitude isconstantly manifesting and objectifying itself in his life. Things,

circumstances, people, plans, all seem to fit into the general ideal ofthe strong mental attitude of a man. And this from the operation ofmental law along a number of lines of action.

In the first place, the mind when directed toward a certain set ofobjects becomes very alert to discover things concerning thoseobjects--to seize upon things, opportunities, persons, ideas, and factstending to promote the objects thought of. The man who is looking forfacts to prove certain theories, invariably finds them, and is also quitelikely to overlook facts tending to disprove his theory. The Optimist andthe Pessimist passing along the same streets, each sees thousands ofexamples tending to fit in with his idea. As Kay says: "When one isengaged in seeking for a thing, if he keep the image of it clearly beforethe mind, he will be very likely to find it, and that too, probably,where it would otherwise have escaped his notice. So when one is engagedin thinking on a subject, thoughts of things resembling it, or bearingupon it, and tending to illustrate it, come up on every side. Truly, wemay well say of the mind, as has been said of the eye, that 'it perceivesonly what it brings within the power of perceiving.'" John Burroughs haswell said regarding this that "No one ever found the walking fern who didnot have the walking fern in his mind. A person whose eye is full ofIndian relics picks them up in every field he walks through. They arequickly recognized because the eye has been commissioned to find them."

When the mind is kept firmly fixed upon some ideal or aim, its whole andvaried powers are bent toward the realization and manifestation of thatideal. In thousands of ways the mind will operate to objectify thesubjective mental attitude, a great proportion of the mental effort beingaccomplished along sub-conscious lines. It is of the greatest importanceto one who wishes to succeed in any undertaking, to keep before hismind's eye a clear mental image of that which he desires. He shouldpicture the thing desired, and himself as securing it, until it becomesalmost real. In this way he calls to his aid his entire mental force andpower, along the sub-conscious lines, and, as it were, makes a clear pathover which he may walk to accomplishment. Bain says regarding this: "Byaiming at a new construction, we must clearly conceive what is aimed at.Where we have a very distinct and intelligible model before us, we are ina fair way to succeed; in proportion as the ideal is dim and wavering, westagger or miscarry." Maudsley says: "We cannot do an act voluntarilyunless we know what we are going to do, and we cannot know exactly whatwe are going to do until we have taught ourselves to do it." Carpentersays: "The continued concentration of attention upon a certain idea givesit a dominant power, not only over the mind, but over the body." Mullersays: "The idea of our own strength gives strength to our movements. Aperson who is confident of effecting anything by muscular efforts will doit more easily than one not so confident of his own power." Tanner says:"To believe firmly is almost tantamount in the end to accomplishment.Extraordinary instances are related showing the influence of the will

over even the involuntary muscles."

Along the same lines, many Western writers have added their testimony tothe Yogi principle of the manifestation of thought into action. Kay haswritten: "A clear and accurate idea of what we wish to do, and how it isto be effected, is of the utmost value and importance in all the affairsof life. A man's conduct naturally shapes itself according to the ideasin his mind, and nothing contributes more to success in life than havinga high ideal and keeping it constantly in view. Where such is the caseone can hardly fail in attaining it. Numerous unexpected circumstanceswill be found to conspire to bring it about, and even what seemed atfirst to be hostile may be converted into means for its furtherance;while by having it constantly before the mind he will be ever ready totake advantage of any favoring circumstances that may presentthemselves." Along the same lines, Foster has written these remarkablewords: "It is wonderful how even the casualties of life seem to bow toa spirit that will not bow to them, and yield to subserve a design whichthey may, in their first apparent tendency, threaten to frustrate. When afirm, decisive spirit is recognized, it is curious to see how the spaceclears around a man and leaves him room and freedom." Simpson has said:"A passionate desire and an unwearied will can perform impossibilities,or what seem to be such to the cold and feeble." And Maudsley gives toaspiring youth a great truth, when he says: "Thus it is that aspirationsare often prophecies, the harbingers of what a man shall be in acondition to perform." And we may conclude the paragraph by quotingLytton: "Dream, O youth, dream manfully and nobly, and thy dreams shallbe prophets."

This principle of the power of the Mental Image is strongly impressedupon the mind of the chela, or student, by the Yogi teachers. Thestudent is taught that just as the house is erected in accordance withthe plan of the architect, so is one's life built in accordance with theprevailing Mental Image. The mind sub-consciously moulds itself aroundthe prevailing mental image or attitude, and then proceeds to draw uponthe outer world for material with which to build in accordance with theplan. Not only is one's character built in this way, but thecircumstances and incidents of his life follow the same rule. The Yogistudent is instructed into the mysteries of the power of the mind in thisdirection, not that he may make use of it to build up material success,or to realize his personal desires--for he is taught to avoid thesethings--but he is fully instructed, nevertheless, that he may understandthe workings of the law around him. And it is a fact well known to closestudents of the occult, that the few who have attained extraordinarilyhigh degrees of development, make use of this power in order to help therace. Many a world movement has been directed by the mind, or minds, ofsome of these advanced souls who were able to see the ideal of evolutionahead of the race, and by visualizing the same, and concentrating upon itin meditation, actually hastened the progress of the evolutionary wave,

and caused to actually manifest that which they saw, and upon which theyhad meditated.

It is true that some occultists have used similar plans to further theirown selfish personal ends--often without fully realizing just what powerthey were employing--but this merely illustrates the old fact that theforces of Nature may be used rightly and wrongly. And it is all the morereason why those who are desirous of advancing the race--of assisting inthe evolution of the world--should make use of this mighty power in theirwork. Success is not reprehensible, notwithstanding the fact that manyhave interpreted and applied the word in such a matter as to make itappear as if it had no other meaning or application other than the crude,material selfish one generally attributed to it, by reason of its misuse.The Western world is playing its part in the evolution of the race, andits keynote is "Accomplishment." Those who have advanced so high thatthey are able to view the world of men, as one sees a valley from amountain peak, recognize what this strenuous Western life means. They seemighty forces in operation--mighty principles being worked out by thosewho little dream of the ultimate significance of that which they aredoing. Mighty things are before the Western world to-day--wonderfulchanges are going on--great things are in the womb of time, and the hourof birth draws near. The men and women in the Western world feel withinthem the mighty urge to "accomplish" something--to take an active part inthe great drama of life. And they are right in giving full expression tothis urge, and are doing well in using every legitimate means in the lineof expression. And this idea of the Mental Attitude, or the Mental Image,is one of the greatest factors in this striving for Success.

In this lesson we do not purpose giving "Success Talks" for our students.These lessons are intended to fill another field, and there are manyother channels of information along the lines named. What we wish to dois to point out to our students the meaning of all this strenuousstriving of the age, in the Western world, and the leading principleemployed therein. The great achievements of the material world are beingaccomplished by means of the Power of the Mind. Men are beginning tounderstand that "Thought manifests itself in Action," and that Thoughtattracts to itself the things, persons and circumstances in harmony withitself. The Power of Mind is becoming manifest in hundreds of ways. Thepower of Desire, backed by Faith and Will, is beginning to be recognizedas one of the greatest of known dynamic forces. The life of the race isentering into a new and strange stage of development and evolution, andin the years to come MIND will be seen, more clearly and still moreclearly, to be the great principle underlying the world of materialthings and happenings. That "All is Mind" is more than a dreamy,metaphysical utterance, is being recognized by the leaders in the world'sthought.

As we have said, great changes are before the world and the race, and

every year brings us nearer to the beginning of them. In fact, thebeginning is already upon us. Let any thinker stop and reflect over thewonderful changes of the past six years--since the dawning of theTwentieth Century, and he will be dull indeed if he sees not the trend ofaffairs. We are entering into a new Great Cycle of the race, and the oldis being prepared for being dropped off like an old worn out husk. Oldconventions, ideals, customs, laws, ethics, and things sociological,economical, theological, philosophical, and metaphysical have beenoutgrown, and are about to be "shed" by the race. The great cauldron ofhuman thought is bubbling away fiercely, and many things are rising toits surface. Like all great changes, the good will come only with muchpain--all birth is with pain. The race feels the pain and perpetualunrest, but knows not what is the disease nor the remedy. Many falsecases of diagnosis and prescription are even now noticeable, and willbecome still more in evidence as the years roll by. Many self-styledsaviours of the race--prescribers for the pain of the soul and mind--willarise and fall. But out of it all will come that for which the racenow waits.

The changes that are before us are as great as the changes in thought andlife described in the late novel by H. G. Wells, entitled "In the Daysof the Comet." In fact, Mr. Wells has indicated in that story some ofthe very changes that the advanced souls of the race have informed theirstudents are before the race--the prophetic insight of the writer namedseems marvelous, until one realizes that even that writer is being usedas a part of the mental machinery of The Change itself. But the changewill not come about by reason of the new gas caused by the brushing ofthe earth's surface by a passing comet. It will come from the unfoldingof the race mind, the process being now under way. Are not the signs ofmental unrest and discomfort becoming more and more apparent as the daysgo by? The pain is growing greater, and the race is beginning to fret andchafe, and moan. It knows not what it wants, but it knows that it feelspain and wants something to relieve that pain. The old things arebeginning to totter and fall, and ideas rendered sacred by years ofobservance are being brushed aside with a startling display ofirreverence. Under the surface of our civilization we may hear thestraining and groaning of the ideas and principles that are striving toforce their way out on to the plane of manifestation.

Men are running hither and thither crying for a leader and a savior. Theyare trying this thing, and that thing, but they find not that which theyseek. They cry for Satisfaction, but it eludes them. And yet all thissearch and disappointment is part of the Great Change, and is preparingthe race for That-which-must-Come. And yet the relief will not comefrom any Thing or Things. It will come from Within. Just as when, inWell's story, things righted themselves when the vapor of the comet hadcleared men's minds, so will Things take their new places when the mindof the race becomes cleared by the new unfoldment that is even now under

way. Men are beginning to feel each other's pains--they find themselvesunsatisfied by the old rule of "every man for himself, and the devil takethe hindmost"--it used to content the successful, but now it doesn't seemto be so satisfying. The man on top is becoming lonesome, anddissatisfied, and discontented--his success seems to appall him, in somemysterious manner. And the man underneath feels stirring within himselfstrange longings and desires, and dissatisfaction. And new frictions arearising, and new and startling ideas are being suddenly advanced,supported and opposed.

And the relations between people seem to be unsatisfactory. The oldrules, laws, and bonds are proving irksome. New, strange, and wildthoughts are coming into the minds of people, which they dare not utterto their friends--and yet these same friends are finding similar ideaswithin themselves. And somehow, underneath it all is to be found acertain Honesty--yes, there is where the trouble seems to come, theworld is tiring of hypocrisy and dishonesty in all human relations, andis crying aloud to be led back, someway, to Truth and Honesty in Thoughtand Action. But it does not see the way out! And it will not see the wayout, until the race-mind unfolds still further. And the pain of the newunfoldment is stirring the race to its depths. From the deep recesses ofthe race-mind are rising to the surface old passions, relics from thecave-dweller days, and all sorts of ugly mental relics of the past. Andthey will continue to rise and show themselves until at last the bubblingpot will begin to quiet down, and then will come a new peace, and thebest will come to the surface--the essence of all the experiences of therace.

To our students, we would say: During the struggle ahead of the race,play well your part, doing the best you can, living each day by itself,meeting each new phase of life with confidence and courage. Be notdeluded by appearances, nor follow after strange prophets. Let theevolutionary processes work themselves out, and do you fall in with thewave without struggling, and without overmuch striving. The Law isworking itself out well--of that be assured. Those who have entered intoeven a partial understanding and recognition of the One Life underlying,will find that they will be as the chosen people during the changes thatare coming to the race. They have attained that which the race isreaching toward in pain and travail. And the force behind the Law willcarry them along, for they will be the leaven that is to lighten thegreat mass of the race in the new dispensation. Not by deed, or byaction, but by Thought, will these people leaven the mass. The Thought iseven now at work, and all who read these words are playing a part in thework, although they may know it not. If the race could realize this truthof the One Life underlying, to-day, the Change would occur in a moment,but it will not come in that way. When this understanding gradually dawnsupon the race--this new consciousness--then will Things take their properplaces, and the Lion and the Lamb lie down together in peace.

We have thought it well to say these things in this the last lesson ofthis course. They are needed words--they will serve to point out the wayto those who are able to read. "Watch and wait for the Silence that willfollow the Storm."

In this series of lessons we have endeavored to give you a plain,practical presentation of some of the more important features of "RajaYoga." But this phase of the subject, as important and interesting as itis, is not the highest phase of the great Yoga teachings. It is merelythe preparation of the soil of the mind for what comes afterward. Thephase called "Gnani Yoga"--the Yoga of Wisdom--is the highest of allthe various phases of Yoga, although each of the lower steps is importantin itself. We find ourselves approaching the phase of our work for whichwe have long wished. Those who have advised and directed this work havecounseled us to deal with the less advanced and simpler phases, in orderto prepare the minds of those who might be interested, so that they wouldbe ready for the higher teachings. At times we have felt an impatiencefor the coming of the day when we would be able to teach the highest thathas come to us. And now the time seems to have come. Following thiscourse, we will begin a series of lessons in "GNANI YOGA"--the Yoga ofWisdom--in which we will pass on to our students the highest teachingsregarding the Reality and its Manifestations--the One and the Many. Theteachings that "All is Mind" will be explained in such a manner as to beunderstood by all who have followed us so far. We will be able to impartto you the higher truths about Spiritual Evolution, sometimes called"Reincarnation," as well as Spiritual Cause and Effect, often called"Karma." The highest truths about these important subjects are oftenobscured by popular misconceptions occasioned by partial teaching. Wetrust that you--our students--will wish to follow us still higher--higherthan we have ventured so far, and we assure you that there is a Truth tobe seen and known that is as much higher than the other phases upon whichwe have touched, as those phases have been higher than the currentbeliefs of the masses of the race. We trust that the Powers of Knowledgemay guide and direct us that we may be able to convey our message so thatit may be accepted and understood. We thank our students who havetraveled thus far with us, and we assure them that their loving sympathyhas ever been a help and an inspiration to us.

Peace be with you.

PART 2

THE FIRST LESSON

THE ONE.

The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches, orfields. What is known as "Hatha Yoga" deals with the physical body andits control; its welfare; its health; its preservation; its laws, etc.What is known as "Raja Yoga" deals with the Mind; its control; itsdevelopment; its unfoldment, etc. What is known as "Bhakti Yoga" dealswith the Love of the Absolute--God. What is known as "Gnani Yoga" dealswith the scientific and intellectual knowing of the great questionsregarding Life and what lies back of Life--the Riddle of the Universe.

Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the oneend--unfoldment, development, and growth. He who wishes first todevelop, control and strengthen his physical body so as to render it afit instrument of the Higher Self, follows the path of "Hatha Yoga." Hewho would develop his will-power and mental faculties, unfolding theinner senses, and latent powers, follows the path of "Raja Yoga." Hewho wishes to develop by "knowing"--by studying the fundamentalprinciples, and the wonderful truths underlying Life, follows the pathof "Gnani Yoga." And he who wishes to grow into a union with the OneLife by the influence of Love, he follows the path of "Bhakti Yoga."

But it must not be supposed that the student must ally himself to onlya single one of these paths to power. In fact, very few do. Themajority prefer to gain a rounded knowledge, and acquaint themselveswith the principles of the several branches, learning something ofeach, giving preference of course to those branches that appeal to themmore strongly, this attraction being the indication of need, orrequirement, and, therefore, being the hand pointing out the path.

It is well for every one to know something of "Hatha Yoga," in orderthat the body may be purified, strengthened, and kept in health inorder to become a more fitting instrument of the Higher Self. It iswell that each one should know something of "Raja Yoga," that he mayunderstand the training and control of the mind, and the use of theWill. It is well that every one should learn the wisdom of "GnaniYoga," that he may realize the wonderful truths underlying life--thescience of Being. And, most assuredly every one should know somethingof Bhakti Yogi, that he may understand the great teachings regardingthe Love underlying all life.

We have written a work on "Hatha Yoga," and a course on "Raja Yoga"which is now in book form. We have told you something regarding "GnaniYoga" in our Fourteen Lessons, and also in our Advanced Course. We have

written something regarding "Bhakti Yoga" in our Advanced Course, and,we hope, have taught it also all through our other lessons, for we failto see how one can teach or study any of the branches of Yoga withoutbeing filled with a sense of Love and Union with the Source of allLife. To know the Giver of Life, is to love him, and the more we knowof him, the more love will we manifest.

In this course of lessons, of which this is the first, we shall take upthe subject of "Gnani Yoga"--the Yoga of Wisdom, and will endeavor tomake plain some of its most important and highest teachings. And, wetrust that in so doing, we shall be able to awaken in you a stillhigher realization of your relationship with the One, and acorresponding Love for that in which you live, and move and have yourbeing. We ask for your loving sympathy and cooperation in our task.

Let us begin by a consideration of what has been called the "Questionsof Questions"--the question: "What is Reality?" To understand thequestion we have but to take a look around us and view the visibleworld. We see great masses of something that science has called"matter." We see in operation a wonderful something called "force" or"energy" in its countless forms of manifestations. We see things thatwe call "forms of life," varying in manifestation from the tiny speckof slime that we call the Moneron, up to that form that we call Man.

But study this world of manifestations by means of science andresearch--and such study is of greatest value--still we must findourselves brought to a point where we cannot progress further. Mattermelts into mystery--Force resolves itself into something else--thesecret of living-forms subtly elude us--and mind is seen as but themanifestation of something even finer. But in losing these things ofappearance and manifestation, we find ourselves brought up face to facewith a Something Else that we see must underlie all these varyingforms, shapes and manifestations. And that Something Else, we callReality, because it is Real, Permanent, Enduring. And although men maydiffer, dispute, wrangle, and quarrel about this Reality, still thereis one point upon which they must agree, and that is that Reality isOne--that underlying all forms and manifestations there must be aOne Reality from which all things flow. And this inquiry into thisOne Reality is indeed the Question of Questions of the Universe.

The highest reason of Man--as well as his deepest intuition--has alwaysrecognized that this Reality or Underlying Being must be but ONE, ofwhich all Nature is but varying degrees of manifestation, emanation, orexpression. All have recognized that Life is a stream flowing from Onegreat fount, the nature and name of which is unknown--some have saidunknowable. Differ as men do about theories regarding the nature ofthis one, they all agree that it can be but One. It is only when menbegin to name and analyze this One, that confusion results.

Let us see what men have thought and said about this One--it may helpus to understand the nature of the problem.

The materialist claims that this one is a something calledMatter--self-existent--eternal--infinite--containing within itself thepotentiality of Matter, Energy and Mind. Another school, closely alliedto the materialists, claim that this One is a something called Energy,of which Matter and Mind are but modes of motion. The Idealists claimthat the One is a something called Mind, and that Matter and Force arebut ideas in that One Mind. Theologians claim that this One is asomething called a personal God, to whom they attribute certainqualities, characteristics, etc., the same varying with their creedsand dogmas. The Naturistic school claims that this One is a somethingcalled Nature, which is constantly manifesting itself in countlessforms. The occultists, in their varying schools, Oriental andOccidental, have taught that the One was a Being whose Life constitutedthe life of all living forms.

All philosophies, all science, all religions, inform us that this worldof shapes, forms and names is but a phenomenal or shadow world--ashow-world--back of which rests Reality, called by some name of theteacher. But remember this, all philosophy that counts is based uponsome form of monism--Oneness--whether the concept be a known or unknowngod; an unknown or unknowable principle; a substance; an Energy, orSpirit. There is but One--there can be but One--such is the inevitableconclusion of the highest human reason, intuition or faith.

And, likewise, the same reason informs us that this One Life mustpermeate all apparent forms of life, and that all apparent materialforms, forces, energies, and principles must be emanations from thatOne, and, consequently "of" it. It may be objected to, that the creedsteaching a personal god do not so hold, for they teach that their Godis the creator of the Universe, which he has set aside from himself asa workman sets aside his workmanship. But this objection avails naught,for where could such a creator obtain the material for his universe,except from himself; and where the energy, except from the same source;and where the Life, unless from his One Life. So in the end, it is seenthat there must be but One--not two, even if we prefer the terms Godand his Universe, for even in this case the Universe must haveproceeded from God, and can only live, and move and act, and think, byvirtue of his Essence permeating it.

In passing by the conceptions of the various thinkers, we are struck bythe fact that the various schools seem to manifest a one-sidedness intheir theories, seeing only that which fits in with their theories, andignoring the rest. The Materialist talks about Infinite and EternalMatter, although the latest scientific investigations have shown us

Matter fading into Nothingness--the Eternal Atom being split intocountless particles called Corpuscles or Electrons, which at the lastseem to be nothing but a unit of Electricity, tied up in a "knot in theEther"--although just what the Ether is, Science does not dare toguess. And Energy, also seems to be unthinkable except as operatingthrough matter, and always seems to be acting under the operation ofLaws--and Laws without a Law giver, and a Law giver without mind orsomething higher than Mind, is unthinkable. And Mind, as we know it,seems to be bound up with matter and energy in a wonderful combination,and is seen to be subject to laws outside of itself, and to be varying,inconstant, and changeable, which attributes cannot be conceived of asbelonging to the Absolute. Mind as we know it, as well as Matter andEnergy, is held by the highest occult teachers to be but an appearanceand a relativity of something far more fundamental and enduring, and weare compelled to fall back upon that old term which wise men have usedin order to describe that Something Else that lies back of, and under,Matter, Energy and Mind--and that word is "Spirit."

We cannot tell just what is meant by the word "Spirit," for we havenothing with which to describe it. But we can think of it as meaningthe "essence" of Life and Being--the Reality underlying Universal Life.

Of course no name can be given to this One, that will fitly describeit. But we have used the term "The Absolute" in our previous lessons,and consider it advisable to continue its use, although the student maysubstitute any other name that appeals to him more strongly. We do notuse the word God (except occasionally in order to bring out a shade ofmeaning) not because we object to it, but because by doing so we wouldrun the risk of identifying The Absolute with some idea of a personalgod with certain theological attributes. Nor does the word "Principle"appeal to us, for it seems to imply a cold, unfeeling, abstract thing,while we conceive the Absolute Spirit or Being to be a warm, vital,living, acting, feeling Reality. We do not use the word Nature, whichmany prefer, because of its materialistic meaning to the minds of many,although the word is very dear to us when referring to the outwardmanifestation of the Absolute Life.

Of the real nature of The Absolute, of course, we can know practicallynothing, because it transcends all human experience and Man has nothingwith which he can measure the Infinite. Spinoza was right when he saidthat "to define God is to deny him," for any attempt to define, is, ofcourse an attempt to limit or make finite the Infinite. To define athing is to identify it with something else--and where is the somethingelse with which to identify the Infinite? The Absolute cannot bedescribed in terms of the Relative. It is not Something, although itcontains within itself the reality underlying Everything. It cannot besaid to have the qualities of any of its apparently separated parts,for it is the ALL. It is all that really IS.

It is beyond Matter, Force, or Mind as we know it, and yet these thingsemanate from it, and must be within its nature. For what is in themanifested must be in the manifestor--no stream can rise higher thanits source--the effect cannot be greater than the cause--you cannot getsomething out of nothing.

But it is hard for the human mind to take hold of That which is beyondits experience--many philosophers consider it impossible--and so wemust think of the Absolute in the concepts and terms of its highestmanifestation. We find Mind higher in the scale than Matter or Energy,and so we are justified in using the terms of Mind in speaking of theAbsolute, rather than the terms of Matter or Energy--so let us try tothink of an Infinite Mind, whose powers and capacities are raised to aninfinite degree--a Mind of which Herbert Spencer said that it was "amode of being as much transcending intelligence and will, as thesetranscend mere mechanical motion."

While it is true (as all occultists know) that the best informationregarding the Absolute come from regions of the Self higher thanIntellect, yet we are in duty bound to examine the reports of theIntellect concerning its information regarding the One. The Intellecthas been developed in us for use--for the purpose of examining,considering, thinking--and it behooves us to employ it. By turning itto this purpose, we not only strengthen and unfold it, but we also getcertain information that can reach us by no other channel. Andmoreover, by such use of the Intellect we are able to discover manyfallacies and errors that have crept into our minds from the opinionsand dogmas of others--as Kant said: "The chief, and perhaps the only,use of a philosophy of pure reason is a negative one. It is not anorganon for extending, but a discipline for limiting! Instead ofdiscovering truth, its modest function is to guard against error." Letus then listen to the report of the Intellect, as well as of the higherfields of mentation.

One of the first reports of the Intellect, concerning the Absolute, isthat it must have existed forever, and must continue to exist forever.There is no escape from this conclusion, whether one view the matterfrom the viewpoint of the materialist, philosopher, occultist, ortheologian. The Absolute could not have sprung from Nothing, and therewas no other cause outside of itself from which it could have emanated.And there can be no cause outside of itself which can terminate itsbeing. And we cannot conceive of Infinite Life, or Absolute Life,dying. So the Absolute must be Eternal--such is the report of theIntellect.

This idea of the Eternal is practically unthinkable to the human mind,although it is forced to believe that it must be a quality of the

Absolute. The trouble arises from the fact that the Intellect iscompelled to see everything through the veil of Time, and Cause andEffect. Now, Cause and Effect, and Time, are merely phenomena orappearances of the relative world, and have no place in the Absoluteand Real. Let us see if we can understand this.

Reflection will show you that the only reason that you are unable tothink of or picture a Causeless Cause, is because everything that youhave experienced in this relative world of the senses has had acause--something from which it sprung. You have seen Cause and Effectin full operation all about you, and quite naturally your Intellect hastaken it for granted that there can be nothing uncaused--nothingwithout a preceding cause. And the Intellect is perfectly right, so faras Things are concerned, for all Things are relative and are thereforecaused. But back of the caused things must lie THAT which is the GreatCauser of Things, and which, not being a Thing itself, cannot have beencaused--cannot be the effect of a cause. Your minds reel when you tryto form a mental image of That which has had no cause, because you havehad no experience in the sense world of such a thing, and there fail toform the image. It is out of your experience, and you cannot form themental picture. But yet your mind is compelled to believe that theremust have been an Original One, that can have had no cause. This is ahard task for the Intellect, but in time it comes to see just where thetrouble lies, and ceases to interpose objections to the voice of thehigher regions of the self.

And, the Intellect experiences a similar difficulty when it tries tothink of an Eternal--a That which is above and outside of Time. We seeTime in operation everywhere, and take it for granted that Time is areality--an actual thing. But this is a mistake of the senses. There isno such thing as Time, in reality. Time exists solely in our minds. Itis merely a form of perception by which we express our consciousness ofthe Change in Things.

We cannot think of Time except in connection with a succession ofchanges of things in our consciousness--either things of the outerworld, or the passing of thought-things through our mind. A day ismerely the consciousness of the passing of the sun--an hour or minutemerely the subdivision of the day, or else the consciousness of themovement of the hands of the clock--merely the consciousness of themovement of Things--the symbols of changes in Things. In a worldwithout changes in Things, there would be no such thing as Time. Timeis but a mental invention. Such is the report of the Intellect.

And, besides the conclusions of pure abstract reasoning about Time, wemay see many instances of the relativity of Time in our everydayexperiences. We all know that when we are interested Time seems to passrapidly, and when we are bored it drags along in a shameful manner. We

know that when we are happy, Time develops the speed of a meteor, whilewhen we are unhappy it crawls like a tortoise. When we are interestedor happy our attention is largely diverted from the changes occurringin things--because we do not notice the Things so closely. And while weare miserable or bored, we notice the details in Things, and theirchanges, until the length of time seems interminable. A tiny insectmite may, and does, live a lifetime of birth, growth, marriage,reproduction, old age, and death, in a few minutes, and no doubt itslife seems as full as does that of the elephant with his hundred years.Why? Because so many things haze happened! When we are conscious ofmany things happening, we get the impression and sensation of thelength of time. The greater the consciousness of things, the greaterthe sensation of Time. When we are so interested in talking to a lovedone that we forget all that is occurring about us, then the hours flyby unheeded, while the same hours seem like days to one in the sameplace who is not interested or occupied with some task.

Men have nodded, and in the second before awakening they have dreamedof events that seemed to have required the passage of years. Many ofyou have had experiences of this kind, and many such cases have beenrecorded by science. On the other hand, one may fall asleep and remainunconscious, but without dreams, for hours, and upon awakening willinsist that he has merely nodded. Time belongs to the relative mind,and has no place in the Eternal or Absolute.

Next, the Intellect informs us that it must think of the Absolute asInfinite in Space--present everywhere--Omnipresent. It cannot belimited, for there is nothing outside of itself to limit it. There isno such place as Nowhere. Every place is in the Everywhere. AndEverywhere is filled with the All--the Infinite Reality--the Absolute.

And, just as was the case with the idea of Time, we find it mostdifficult--if not indeed impossible--to form an idea of anOmnipresent--of That which occupies Infinite Space. This becauseeverything that our minds have experienced has had dimensions andlimits. The secret lies in the fact that Space, like Time, has no realexistence outside of our perception of consciousness of the relativeposition of Things--material objects. We see this thing here, and thatthing there. Between them is Nothingness. We take another object, say ayard-stick, and measure off this Nothingness between the two objects,and we call this measure of Nothingness by the term Distance. And yetwe cannot have measured Nothingness--that is impossible. What have wereally done? Simply this, determined how many lengths of yard-stickcould be laid between the other two objects.

We call this process measuring Space, but Space is Nothing, and we havemerely determined the relative position of objects. To "measure Space"we must have three Things or objects, i.e., (l) The object from which

we start the measure; (2) The object with which we measure; and (3) Theobject with which we end our measurement. We are unable to conceive ofInfinite Space, because we lack the third object in the measuringprocess--the ending object. We may use ourselves as a starting point,and the mental yard-stick is always at hand, but where is the object atthe other side of Infinity of Space by which the measurement may beended? It is not there, and we cannot think of the end without it.

Let us start with ourselves, and try to imagine a million millionmiles, and then multiply them by another million million miles, amillion million times. What have we done? Simply extended our mentalyard-stick a certain number of times to an imaginary point in theNothingness that we call Space. So far so good, but the mindintuitively recognizes that beyond that imaginary point at the end ofthe last yard-stick, there is a capacity for an infinite extension ofyard-sticks--an infinite capacity for such extension. Extension ofwhat? Space? No! Yard-sticks! Objects! Things! Without material objectsSpace is unthinkable. It has no existence outside of our consciousnessof Things. There is no such thing as Real Space. Space is merely aninfinite capacity for extending objects. Space itself is merely a namefor Nothingness. If you can form an idea of an object swept out ofexistence, and nothing to take its place, that Nothing would be calledSpace, the term implying the possibility of placing something therewithout displacing anything else.

Size, of course, is but another form of speaking of Distance. And inthis connection let us not forget that just as one may think of Spacebeing infinite in the direction of largeness, so may we think of it asbeing infinite in the sense of smallness. No matter how small may be anobject thought of, we are still able to think of it as being capable ofsubdivision, and so on infinitely. There is no limit in this directioneither. As Jakob has said: "The conception of the infinitely minute isas little capable of being grasped by us, as is that of the infinitelygreat. Despite this, the admission of the reality of the infinitude,both in the direction of greatness and of minuteness, is inevitable."

And, as Radenhausen has said: "The idea of Space is only an unavoidableillusion of our Consciousness, or of our finite nature, and does notexist outside of ourselves; the universe is infinitely small andinfinitely great."

The telescope has opened to us ideas of magnificent vastness andgreatness, and the perfected microscope has opened to us a world ofmagnificent smallness and minuteness. The latter has shown us that adrop of water is a world of minute living forms who live, eat, fight,reproduce, and die. The mind is capable of imagining a universeoccupying no more space than one million-millionth of the tiniest speckvisible under the strongest microscope--and then imagining such a

universe containing millions of suns and worlds similar to our own, andinhabited by living forms akin to ours--living, thinking men and women,identical in every respect to ourselves. Indeed, as some philosophershave said, if our Universe were suddenly reduced to such a size--therelative proportions of everything being preserved, of course--then wewould not be conscious of any change, and life would go on the same,and we would be of the same importance to ourselves and to the Absoluteas we are this moment. And the same would be true were the Universesuddenly enlarged a million-million times. These changes would make nodifference in reality. Compared with each other, the tiniest speck andthe largest sun are practically the same size when viewed from theAbsolute.

We have dwelt upon these things so that you would be able to betterrealize the relativity of Space and Time, and perceive that they aremerely symbols of Things used by the mind in dealing with finiteobjects, and have no place in reality. When this is realized, then theidea of Infinity in Time and Space is more readily grasped.

As Radenhausen says: "Beyond the range of human reason there is neitherSpace nor Time; they are arbitrary conceptions of man, at which he hasarrived by the comparison and arrangement of different impressionswhich he has received from the outside world. The conception of Spacearises from the sequence of the various forms which fill Space, bywhich the external world appears to the individual man. The conceptionof Time arises from the sequence of the various forms which change inspace (motion), by which the external world acts on the individual man,and so on. But externally to ourselves, the distinction betweenrepletion of Space and mutation of Space does not exist, for each is inconstant transmutation, whatever is is filling and changing at the sametime--nothing is at a standstill," and to quote Ruckert: "The world hasneither beginning nor end, in space nor in time. Everywhere is centerand turning-point, and in a moment is eternity."

Next, the Intellect informs us that we must think of the Absolute ascontaining within Itself all the Power there is, because there can beno other source or reservoir of Power, and there can be no Poweroutside of the All-Power. There can be no Power outside of the Absoluteto limit, confine, or conflict with It. Any laws of the Universe musthave been imposed by It, for there is no other law-giver, and everymanifestation of Energy, Force, or Power, perceived or evident inNature must be a part of the Power of the Absolute working along lineslaid down by it. In the Third Lesson, which will be entitled TheWill-to-Live, we shall see this Power manifesting along the lines ofLife as we know it.

Next, the Intellect informs us that it is compelled to think of theAbsolute as containing within Itself all possible Knowledge or Wisdom,

because there can be no Knowledge or Wisdom outside of It, andtherefore all the Wisdom and Knowledge possible must be within It. Wesee Mind, Wisdom, and Knowledge manifested by relative forms of Life,and such must emanate from the Absolute in accordance with certain lawslaid down by It, for otherwise there would be no such wisdom, etc., forthere is nowhere outside of the All from whence it could come. Theeffect cannot be greater than the cause. If there is anything unknownto the Absolute, then it will never be known to finite minds. So,therefore, ALL KNOWLEDGE that Is, Has Been, or Can Be, must be NOWvested in the One--the Absolute.

This does not mean that the Absolute thinks, in any such sense asdoes Man. The Absolute must Know, without Thinking. It does not have togather Knowledge by the process of Thinking, as does Man--such an Ideawould be ridiculous, for from whence could the Knowledge come outsideof itself. When man thinks he draws to himself Knowledge from theUniversal source by the action of the Mind, but the Absolute has onlyitself to draw on. So we cannot imagine the Absolute compelled to Thinkas we do.

But, lest we be misunderstood regarding this phase of the subject, wemay say here that the highest occult teachings inform us that theAbsolute does manifest a quality somewhat akin to what we would callconstructive thought, and that such "thoughts" manifest intoobjectivity and manifestation, and become Creation. Created Things,according to the Occult teachings are "Thoughts of God." Do not letthis idea disturb you, and cause you to feel that you are nothing,because you have been called into being by a Thought of the InfiniteOne. Even a Thought of that One would be intensely real in the relativeworld--actually Real to all except the Absolute itself--and even theAbsolute knows that the Real part of its Creations must be a part ofitself manifested through its thought, for the Thought of the Infinitemust be Real, and a part of Itself, for it cannot be anything else, andto call it Nothing is merely to juggle with words. The faintest Thoughtof the Infinite One would be far more real than anything man couldcreate--as solid as the mountain--as hard as steel--as durable as thediamond--for, verily, even these are emanations of the Mind of theInfinite, and are things of but a day, while the higher Thoughts--thesoul of Man--contains within itself a spark from the Divine Flameitself--the Spirit of the Infinite. But these things will appear intheir own place, as we proceed with this series. We have merely givenyou a little food for thought at this point, in connection with theMind of the Absolute.

So you see, good friends and students, that the Intellect in itshighest efforts, informs us that it finds itself compelled to reportthat the One--the Absolute--That which it is compelled to admit reallyexists--must be a One possessed of a nature so far transcending human

experience that the human mind finds itself without the properconcepts, symbols, and words with which to think of It. But none theless, the Intellect finds itself bound by its own laws to postulate theexistence of such an One.

It is the veriest folly to try to think of the One as It is "inItself"--for we have nothing but human attributes with which to measureit, and It so far transcends such measurements that the mentalyard-sticks run out into infinity and are lost sight of. The highestminds of the race inform us that the most exalted efforts of theirreason compels them to report that the One--in Itself--cannot be spokenof as possessing attributes or qualities capable of being expressed inhuman words employed to describe the Things of the relative world--andall of our words are such. All of our words originate from such ideas,and all of our ideas arise from our experience, directly or indirectly.So we are not equipped with words with which to think of or speak ofthat which transcends experience, although our Intellect informs usthat Reality lies back of our experience.

Philosophy finds itself unable to do anything better than to bring usface to face with high paradoxes. Science in its pursuit of Truth findsit cunningly avoiding it, and ever escaping its net. And we believethat the Absolute purposely causes this to be, that in the end Man maybe compelled to look for the Spirit within himself--the only placewhere he can come in touch with it. This, we think, is the answer tothe Riddle of the Sphinx--"Look Within for that which Thou needest."

But while the Spirit may be discerned only by looking within ourselves,we find that once the mind realizes that the Absolute Is, it will beable to see countless evidences of its action and presence by observingmanifested Life without. All Life is filled with the Life Power andWill of the Absolute.

To us Life is but One--the Universe is a living Unity, throbbing,thrilling and pulsating with the Will-to-Live of the Absolute. Back ofall apparent shapes, forms, names, forces, elements, principles andsubstances, there is but One--One Life, present everywhere, andmanifesting in an infinitude of shapes, forms, and forces Allindividual lives are but centers of consciousness in the One Lifeunderlying, depending upon it for degree of unfoldment, expression andmanifestation.

This may sound like Pantheism to some, but it is very different fromthe Pantheism of the schools and cults. Pantheism is defined as "thedoctrine that God consists in the combined forces and laws manifestedin the existing Universe," or that "the Universe taken or conceived asa whole is God." These definitions do not fit the conception of theAbsolute, of the Yogi Philosophy--they seem to breathe but a refined

materialism. The Absolute is not "the combined forces and lawsmanifested in the universe," nor "the universe conceived as a whole."Instead, the Universe, its forces and laws, even conceived as a whole,have no existence in themselves, but are mere manifestations of theAbsolute. Surely this is different from Pantheism.

We teach that the Absolute is immanent in, and abiding in all forms ofLife in the Universe, as well as in its forces and laws--all being butmanifestations of the Will of the One. And we teach that this One issuperior to all forms of manifestations, and that Its existence andbeing does not depend upon the manifestations, which are but effects ofthe Cause.

The Pantheistic Universe--God is but a thing of phenomenal appearance,but the Absolute is the very Spirit of Life--a Living, ExistingReality, and would be so even if every manifestation were withdrawnfrom appearance and expression--drawn back into the source from whichit emanated. The Absolute is more than Mountain or Ocean--Electricityor Gravitation--Monad or Man--It is SPIRIT--LIFE--BEING--REALITY--theONE THAT IS. Omnipotent, Omnipresent; Omniscient; Eternal; Infinite;Absolute; these are Man's greatest words, and yet they but feeblyportray a shadow thrown by the One Itself.

The Absolute is not a far-away Being directing our affairs at longrange--not an absentee Deity--but an Immanent Life in and about usall--manifesting in us and creating us into individual centers ofconsciousness, in pursuance with some great law of being.

And, more than this, the Absolute instead of being an indifferent andunmoved spectator to its own creation, is a thriving, longing, active,suffering, rejoicing, feeling Spirit, partaking of the feelings of itsmanifestations, rather than callously witnessing them. It lives inus--with us--through us. Back of all the pain in the world may be founda great feeling and suffering love. The pain of the world is notpunishment or evidence of divine wrath, but the incidents of theworking out of some cosmic plan, in which the Absolute is the Actor,through the forms of Its manifestations.

The message of the Absolute to some of the Illumined has been, "All isbeing done in the best and only possible way--I am doing the best Ican--all is well--and in the end will so appear."

The Absolute is no personal Deity--yet in itself it contains all thatgoes to make up all personality and all human relations. Father,Mother, Child, Friend, is in It. All forms of human love and cravingfor sympathy, understanding and companionship may find refuge in lovingthe Absolute.

The Absolute is constantly in evidence in our lives, and yet we havebeen seeking it here and there in the outer world, asking it to showitself and prove Its existence. Well may it say to us: "Hast thou beenso long time with me, and hast thou not known me?" This is the greattragedy of Life, that the Spirit comes to us--Its own--and we know Itnot. We fail to hear Its words: "Oh, ye who mourn, I suffer with youand through you. Yea, it is I who grieve in you. Your pain is mine--tothe last pang. I suffer all pain through you--and yet I rejoice beyondyou, for I know that through you, and with you, I shall conquer."

And this is a faint idea of what we believe the Absolute to be. In thefollowing lessons we shall see it in operation in all forms of life,and in ourselves. We shall get close to the workings of Its mightyWill--close to Its Heart of Love.

Carry with you the Central Thought of the Lesson: CENTRAL THOUGHT.There is but One Life in the Universe. And underlying that OneLife--Its Real Self--Its Essence--Its Spirit--is The Absolute, living,feeling, suffering, rejoicing, longing, striving, in and through us.The Absolute is all that really Is, and all the visible Universe andforms of Life is Its expression, through Its Will. We lack wordsadequate to describe the nature of the Absolute, but we will use twowords describing its inmost nature as best we see it. These two wordsare LIFE and LOVE, the one describing the outer, the other the innernature. Let us manifest both Life and Love as a token of our origin andinner nature. Peace be with you.

THE SECOND LESSON

OMNIPRESENT LIFE.

In our First Lesson of this series, we brought out the idea that thehuman mind was compelled to report the fact that it could not think ofThe Absolute except as possessing the quality ofOmnipresence--Present-Everywhere. And, likewise, the human mind iscompelled to think that all there IS must be The Absolute, or of theAbsolute. And if a thing is of the Absolute, then the Absolute mustbe in it, in some way--must be the essence of it. Granting this, wemust then think that everything must be filled with the essence ofLife, for Life must be one of the qualities of the Absolute, or ratherwhat we call Life must be the outward expression of the essential Beingof the Absolute. And if this be so, then it would follow thateverything in the Universe must be Alive. The mind cannot escape thisconclusion. And if the facts do not bear out this conclusion then wemust be forced to admit that the entire basic theory of the Absoluteand its emanations must fall, and be considered as an error. No chainis stronger than its weakest link, and if this link be too weak to bearthe weight of the facts of the universe, then must the chain bediscarded as imperfect and useless, and another substituted. This factis not generally mentioned by those speaking and writing of All beingOne, or an emanation of the One, but it must be considered and met. Ifthere is a single thing in the Universe that is"dead"--non-living--lifeless--then the theory must fall. If a thing isnon-living, then the essence of the Absolute cannot be in it--it mustbe alien and foreign to the Absolute, and in that case the Absolutecannot be Absolute for there is something outside of itself. And so itbecomes of the greatest importance to examine into the evidences of thepresence of Life in all things, organic or inorganic. The evidence isat hand--let us examine it.

The ancient occultists of all peoples always taught that the Universewas Alive--that there was Life in everything--that there was nothingdead in Nature--that Death meant simply a change in form in thematerial of the dead bodies. They taught that Life, in varying degreesof manifestation and expression, was present in everything and object,even down to the hardest mineral form, and the atoms composing thatform.

Modern Science is now rapidly advancing to the same position, and eachmonths investigations and discoveries serve only to emphasize theteachings.

Burbank, that wonderful moulder of plant life, has well expressed thisthought, when he says: "All my investigations have led me away from theidea of a dead material universe tossed about by various forces, to

that of a universe which is absolutely all force, life, soul, thought,or whatever name we may choose to call it. Every atom, molecule, plant,animal or planet, is only an aggregation of organized unit forces, heldin place by stronger forces, thus holding them for a time latent,though teeming with inconceivable power. All life on our planet is, soto speak, just on the outer fringe of this infinite ocean of force. Theuniverse is not half dead, but all alive."

Science today is gazing upon a living universe. She has not yetrealized the full significance of what she has discovered, and herhands are raised as if to shade her eyes from the unaccustomed glarethat is bursting upon her. From the dark cavern of universal deadmatter, she has stepped out into the glare of the noon-day sun of aUniverse All-Alive even to its smallest and apparently most inertparticle.

Beginning at Man, the highest form of Life known to us, we may passrapidly down the scale of animal life, seeing life in full operation ateach descending step. Passing from the animal to the vegetable kingdom,we still see Life in full operation, although in lessened degrees ofexpression. We shall not stop here to review the many manifestations ofLife among the forms of plant-life, for we shall have occasion tomention them in our next lesson, but it must be apparent to all thatLife is constantly manifesting in the sprouting of seeds; the puttingforth of stalk, leaves, blossoms, fruit, etc., and in the enormousmanifestation of force and energy in such growth and development. Onemay see the life force in the plant pressing forth for expression andmanifestation, from the first sprouting of the seed, until the lastvital action on the part of the mature plant or tree.

Besides the vital action observable in the growth and development ofplants, we know, of course, that plants sicken and die, and manifestall other attributes of living forms. There is no room for argumentabout the presence of life in the plant kingdom.

But there are other forms of life far below the scale of the plants.There is the world of the bacteria, microbes, infusoria--the groups ofcells with a common life--the single cell creatures, down to theMonera, the creatures lower than the single cells--the Things of theslime of the ocean bed.

These tiny Things--living Things--present to the sight merely a tinyspeck of jelly, without organs of any kind. And yet they exercise allthe functions of life--movement, nutrition, reproduction, sensation,and dissolution. Some of these elementary forms are all stomach, thatis they are all one organ capable of performing all the functionsnecessary for the life of the animal. The creature has no mouth, butwhen it wishes to devour an object it simply envelopes it--wraps itself

around it like a bit of glue around a gnat, and then absorbs thesubstance of its prey through its whole body.

Scientists have turned some of these tiny creatures inside out, and yetthey have gone on with their life functions undisturbed and untroubled.They have cut them up into still tinier bits, and yet each bit lived onas a separate animal, performing all of its functions undisturbed. Theyare all the same all over, and all the way through. They reproducethemselves by growing to a certain size, and then separating into two,and so on. The rapidity of the increase is most remarkable.

Haekel says of the Monera: "The Monera are the simplest permanentcytods. Their entire body consists of merely soft, structureless plasm.However thoroughly we may examine them with the help of the mostdelicate reagents and the strongest optical instruments, we yet findthat all the parts are completely homogeneous. These Monera aretherefore, in the strictest sense of the word, 'organisms withoutorgans,' or even in a strict philosophical sense they might not even becalled organisms, since they possess no organs and since they are notcomposed of various particles. They can only be called organisms in sofar as they are capable of exercising the organic phenomena of life, ofnutrition, reproduction, sensation and movement."

Verworn records an interesting instance of life and mind among theRhizopods, a very low form of living thing. He relates that theDifflugia ampula, a creature occupying a tiny shell formed of minuteparticles of sand, has a long projection of its substance, like afeeler or tendril, with which it searches on the bottom of the sea forsandy material with which to build the shell or outer covering for itsoffspring, which are born by division from the parent body. It graspsthe particle of sand by the feeler, and passes it into its body byenclosing it. Verworn removed the sand from the bottom of the tank,replacing it by very minute particles of highly colored glass. Shortlyafterward he noticed a collection of these particles of glass in thebody of the creature, and a little later he saw a tiny speck ofprotoplasm emitted from the parent by separation. At the same time henoticed that the bits of glass collected by the mother creature werepassed out and placed around the body of the new creature, and cementedtogether by a substance secreted by the body of the parent, thusforming a shell and covering for the offspring. This proceeding showedthe presence of a mental something sufficient to cause the creature toprepare a shell for the offspring previous to its birth--or rather togather the material for such shell, to be afterward used; todistinguish the proper material; to mould it into shape, and cement it.The scientist reported that a creature always gathered just exactlyenough sand for its purpose--never too little, and never an excess. Andthis in a creature that is little more than a tiny drop of glue!

We may consider the life actions of the Moneron a little further, forit is the lowest form of so-called "living matter"--the point at whichliving forms pass off into non-living forms (so-called). This tinyspeck of glue--an organism without organs--is endowed with the facultycalled sensation. It draws away from that which is likely to injure it,and toward that which it desires--all in response to an elementarysensation. It has the instinct of self-preservation andself-protection. It seeks and finds its prey, and then eats, digestsand assimilates it. It is able to move about by "false-feet," or bitsof its body which it pushes forth at will from any part of itssubstance. It reproduces itself, as we have seen, by separation andself-division.

The life of the bacteria and germs--the yeasty forms of life--arefamiliar to many of us. And yet there are forms of life still belowthese. The line between living forms and non-living forms is being setback further and further by science. Living creatures are now knownthat resemble the non-living so closely that the line cannot bedefinitely drawn.

Living creatures are known that are capable of being dried and laidaway for several years, and then may be revived by the application ofmoisture. They resemble dust, but are full of life and function.Certain forms of bacilli are known to Science that have been subjectedto degrees of heat and cold that are but terms to any but thescientific mind.

Low forms of life called Diatoms or "living crystals" are known. Theyare tiny geometrical forms. They are composed of a tiny drop of plasm,resembling glue, covered by a thin shell of siliceous or sandymaterial. They are visible only through the microscope, and are sosmall that thousands of them might be gathered together on the head ofa pin. They are so like chemical crystals that it requires a shrewd andcareful observer to distinguish them. And yet they are alive, andperform all the functions of life.

Leaving these creatures, we enter the kingdom of the crystals, in oursearch for life. Yes, the crystals manifest life, as strange as thisstatement may appear to those who have not followed the march ofScience. The crystals are born, grow, live, and may be killed bychemicals or electricity. Science has added a new department called"Plasmology," the purpose of which is the study of crystal life. Someinvestigators have progressed so far as to claim that they havediscovered signs of rudimentary sex functioning among crystals. At anyrate, crystals are born and grow like living things. As a recentscientific writer has said: "Crystallization, as we are to learn now,is not a mere mechanical grouping of dead atoms. It is a birth."

The crystal forms from the mother liquor, and its body is built upsystematically, regularly, and according to a well defined plan orpattern, just as are the body and bones of the animal form, and thewood and bark of the tree. There is life at work in the growth of thecrystal. And not only does the crystal grow, but it also reproducesitself by separation or splitting-off, just as is the case with thelower forms of life, just mentioned.

The principal point of difference between the growth and development ofthe crystals and that of the lower forms of life referred to is thatthe crystal takes its nourishment from the outside, and builds up fromits outer surface, while the Monera absorbs its nourishment fromwithin, and grows outwardly from within. If the crystal had a softcenter, and took its nourishment in that way, it would be almostidentical with the Diatom, or, if the Diatom grew from the outside, itwould be but a crystal. A very fine dividing line.

Crystals, like living forms, may be sterilized and rendered incapableof reproduction by chemical process, or electrical discharges. They mayalso be "killed" and future growth prevented in this manner. Surelythis looks like "Life," does it not?

To realize the importance of this idea of life among the crystals, wemust remember that our hardest rocks and metals are composed ofcrystals, and that the dirt and earth upon which we grow and live arebut crumbled rock and miniature crystals. Therefore the very dust underour feet is alive. There is nothing dead. There is no transformationof "dead matter" into live plant matter, and then into live animalmatter. The chemicals are alive, and from chemical to man's body thereis but a continuous change of shape and form of living matter. Anyman's body, decomposing, is again resolved into chemicals, and thechain begins over again. Merely changes in living forms--that's all, sofar as the bodies are concerned.

Nature furnishes us with many examples of this presence of life in theinorganic world. We have but to look around to see the truth of thestatement that All is Alive. There is that which is known as the"fatigue of elasticity" in metals. Razors get tired, and require arest. Tuning forks lose their powers of vibration, to a degree, andhave to be given a vacation. 'Machinery in mills and manufactoriesneeds an occasional day off. Metals are subject to disease andinfection, and have been poisoned and restored by antidotes. Windowglass, especially stained glass, is subject to a disease spreading frompane to pane.

Men accustomed to handling and using tools and machinery naturally dropinto the habit of speaking of these things as if they were alive. Theyseem to recognize the presence of "feeling" in tools or machine, and to

perceive in each a sort of "character" or personality, which must berespected, humored, or coaxed in order to get the best results.

Perhaps the most valuable testimony along these lines, and which goesvery far toward proving the centuries-old theories of the Yogisregarding Omnipresent Life, comes from Prof. J. Chunder Bose, of theCalcutta University, a Hindu educated in the English Universities,under the best teachers, and who is now a leading scientific authorityin the western world, tie has given to the world some very valuablescientific information along these lines in his book entitled"Response in the Living and Non-living," which has caused the widestcomment and created the greatest interest among the highest scientificauthorities. His experiments along the lines of the gathering ofevidence of life in the inorganic forms have revolutionized thetheories of modern science, and have done much to further the idea thatlife is present everywhere, and that there is no such thing as deadmatter.

He bases his work upon the theory that the best and only true test forthe presence of life in matter is the response of matter to externalstimulus. Proceeding from this fundamental theory he has proven byin-numerable experiments that so-called inorganic matter, minerals,metals, etc., give a response to such stimulus, which response issimilar, if not identical, to the response of the matter composing thebodies of plants, animals, men.

He devised delicate apparatus for the measurement of the response tothe outside stimulus, the degree, and other evidence being recorded intraces on a revolving cylinder. The tracings or curves obtained fromtin and other metals, when compared with those obtained from livingmuscle, were found to be identical. He used a galvanometer, a verydelicate and accurate scientific instrument, in his experiments. Thisinstrument is so finely adjusted that the faintest current will cause adeflection of the registering needle, which is delicately swung on atiny pivot. If the galvanometer be attached to a human nerve, and theend of the nerve be irritated, the needle will register.

Prof. Bose found that when he attached the galvanometer to bars ofvarious metals they gave a similar response when struck or twisted. Thegreater the irritation applied to the metal, the greater the responseregistered by the instrument. The analogy between the response of themetal and that of the living muscle was startling. For instance, justas in the case of the living animal muscle or nerve matter, theresponse becomes fatigued, so in the case of the metal the curveregistered by the needle became fainter and still fainter, as the barbecame more and more fatigued by the continued irritation. And again,just after such fatigue the muscle would become rested, and would againrespond actively, so would the metal when given a chance to recuperate.

Tetanus due to shocks constantly repeated, was caused and recovered.Metals recorded evidences of fatigue. Drugs caused identical effects onmetals and animals--some exciting; some depressing; some killing. Somepoisonous chemicals killed pieces of metal, rendering them immobile andtherefore incapable of registering records on the apparatus. In somecases antidotes were promptly administered, and saved the life of themetal.

Prof. Bose also conducted experiments on plants in the same way. Piecesof vegetable matter were found to be capable of stimulation, fatigue,excitement, depression, poison. Mrs. Annie Besant, who witnessed someof these experiments in Calcutta, has written as follows regarding theexperiments on plant life: "There is something rather pathetic inseeing the way in which the tiny spot of light which records the pulsesin the plant, travels in ever weaker and weaker curves, when the plantis under the influence of poison, then falls into a final despairingstraight line, and--stops. One feels as though a murder has beencommitted--as indeed it has."

In one of Prof. Bose's public experiments he clearly demonstrated thata bar of iron was fully as sensitive as the human body, and that itcould be irritated and stimulated in the same way, and finally could bepoisoned and killed. "Among such phenomena," he asks, "how can we drawthe line of demarkation, and say, 'Here the physical ends, and therethe physiological begins'? No such barrier exists." According to histheory, which agrees with the oldest occult theories, by the way, lifeis present in every object and form of Nature, and all forms respond toexternal stimulus, which response is a proof of the presence of life inthe form.

Prof. Bose's great book is full of the most startling results ofexperiments. He proves that the metals manifest something like sleep;can be killed; exhibit torpor and sluggishness; get tired or lazy; wakeup; can be roused into activity; may be stimulated, strengthened,weakened; suffer from extreme cold and heat; may be drugged orintoxicated, the different metals manifesting a different response tocertain drugs, just as different men and animals manifest a varyingdegree of similar resistance. The response of a piece of steelsubjected to the influence of a chemical poison shows a gradualfluttering and weakening until it finally dies away, just as animalmatter does when similarly poisoned. When revived in time by anantidote, the recovery was similarly gradual in both metal and muscle.A remarkable fact is noted by the scientist when he tells us that thevery poisons that kill the metals are themselves alive and may bekilled, drugged, stimulated, etc., showing the same response as in thecase of the metals, proving the existence in them of the same life thatis in the metals and animal matter that they influence.

Of course when these metals are "killed" there is merely a killing ofthe metal as metal--the atoms and principles of which the metal iscomposed remaining fully alive and active, just as is the case with theatom of the human body after the soul passes out--the body is as muchalive after death as during the life of the person, the activity of theparts being along the lines of dissolution instead of construction inthat case.

We hear much of the claims of scientists who announce that they are onthe eve of "creating life" from non-living matter. This is allnonsense--life can come only from life. Life from non-life is anabsurdity. And all Life comes from the One Life underlying All. But itis true that Science has done, is doing, and will do, something verymuch like "creating life," but of course this is merely changing theform of Life into other forms--the lesser form into the higher--just asone produces a plant from a seed, or a fruit from a plant. The Life isalways there, and responds to the proper stimulus and conditions.

A number of scientists are working on the problem of generating livingforms from inorganic matter. The old idea of "spontaneous generation,"for many years relegated to the scrap-pile of Science, is again comingto the front. Although the theory of Evolution compels its adherents toaccept the idea that at one time in the past living forms sprung fromthe non-living (so-called), yet it has been generally believed that theconditions which brought about this stage of evolution has foreverpassed. But the indications now all point to the other view that thisstage of evolution is, and always has been, in operation, and that newforms of life are constantly evolving from the inorganic forms."Creation," so-called (although the word is an absurdity from the Yogipoint of view), is constantly being performed.

Dr. Charlton Bastian, of London, Eng., has long been a prominentadvocate of this theory of continuous spontaneous generation. Laugheddown and considered defeated by the leading scientific minds of ageneration ago, he still pluckily kept at work, and his recent bookswere like bombshells in the orthodox scientific camp. He has taken morethan five thousand photo-micrographs, all showing most startling factsin connection with the origin of living forms from the inorganic. Heclaims that the microscope reveals the development in a previouslyclear liquid of very minute black spots, which gradually enlarge andtransform into bacteria--living forms of a very low order. Prof. Burke,of Cambridge, Eng., has demonstrated that he may produce in sterilizedboullion, subjected to the action of sterilized radium chloride, minuteliving bodies which manifest growth and subdivision. Science is beinggradually forced to the conclusion that living forms are still arisingin the world by natural processes, which is not at all remarkable whenone remembers that natural law is uniform and continuous. These recent

discoveries go to swell the already large list of modern scientificideas which correspond with the centuries-old Yogi teachings. When theOccult explanation that there is Life in everything, inorganic as wellas organic, and that evolution is constant, is heard, then may we seethat these experiments simply prove that the forms of life may bechanged and developed--not that Life may be "created."

The chemical and mineral world furnish us with many instances of thegrowth and development of forms closely resembling the forms of thevegetable world. What is known as "metallic vegetation," as shown inthe "lead tree," gives us an interesting example of this phenomenon.The experiment is performed by placing in a wide-necked bottle a clearacidulated solution of acetate of lead. The bottle is corked, a pieceof copper wire being fastened to the cork, from which wire is suspendeda piece of zinc, the latter hanging as nearly as possible in the centerof the lead solution. When the bottle is corked the copper wireimmediately begins to surround itself with a growth of metallic leadresembling fine moss. From this moss spring branches and limbs, whichin turn manifest a growth similar to foliage, until at last a miniaturebush or tree is formed. Similar "metallic vegetation" may be producedby other metallic solutions.

All of you have noticed how crystals of frost form on window panes inshapes of leaves, branches, foliage, flowers, blossoms, etc. Saltpeterwhen subjected to the effect of polarized light assumes forms closelyresembling the forms of the orchid. Nature is full of theseresemblances.

A German scientist recently performed a remarkable experiment withcertain metallic salts. He subjected the salts to the action of agalvanic current, when to his surprise the particles of the saltsgrouped themselves around the negative pole of the battery, and thengrew into a shape closely resembling a miniature mushroom, with tinystem and umbrella top. These metallic mushrooms at first presented atransparent appearance, but gradually developed color, the top of theumbrella being a bright red, with a faint rose shade on the undersurface. The stems showed a pale straw color. This was mostinteresting, but the important fact of the experiment consists in thediscovery that these mushrooms have fine veins or tubes running alongthe stems, through which the nourishment, or additional material forgrowth, is transported, so that the growth is actually from the inside,just as is the case with fungus life. To all intents and purposes,these inorganic metallic growths were low forms of vegetable his.

But the search for Life does not end with the forms of the mineralworld as we know them. Science has separated the material forms intosmaller forms, and again still smaller. And if there is Life in theform composed of countless particles, then must there be Life in the

particles themselves. For Life cannot come from non-Life, and if therebe not Life in the particles, the theory of Omnipresent Life must fan.So we must look beyond the form and shape of the mineral--mist separateit into its constituent parts, and then examine the parts forindications of Life.

Science teaches us that all forms of matter are compiled of minuteparticles called molecules. A molecule is the smallest particle ofmatter that is possible, unless the chemical atoms composing the matterfly apart and the matter be resolved into its original elements. Forinstance, let us take the familiar instance of a drop of water. Let usdivide and subdivide the drop, until at last we get to the smallestpossible particle of water. That smallest possible particle would be a"molecule" of water. We cannot subdivide this molecule without causingits atoms of hydrogen and oxygen to fly apart--and then there would beno water at all. Well, these molecules manifest a something calledAttraction for each other. They attract other molecules of the samekind, and are likewise attracted. The operation of this law ofattraction results in the formation of masses of matter, whether thosemasses be mountains of solid rock, or a drop of water, or a volume ofgas. All masses of matter are composed of aggregations of molecules,held together by the law of attraction. This law of attraction iscalled Cohesion. This Cohesive Attraction is not a mere mechanicalforce, as many suppose, but is an exhibition of Life action,manifesting in the presence of the molecule of a "like" or "love" forthe similar molecule. And when the Life energies begin to manifest on acertain plane, and proceed to mould the molecules into crystals, sothat we may see the actual process under way, we begin to realize veryclearly that there is "something at work" in this building up.

But wonderful as this may seem to those unfamiliar with the idea, themanifestation of Life among the atoms is still more so. The atom, youwill remember, is the chemical unit which, uniting with other atoms,makes up the molecule. For instance, if we take two atoms of the gascalled hydrogen and one atom of the gas called oxygen, and place themnear each other, they will at once rush toward each other and form apartnership, which is called a molecule of water. And so it is with allatoms--they are continually forming partnerships, or dissolving them.Marriage and divorce is a part of the life of the atoms. Theseevidences of attraction and repulsion among the atoms are receivingmuch attention from careful thinkers, and some of the most advancedminds of the age see in this phenomena the corroboration of the oldYogi idea that there is Life and vital action in the smallest particlesof matter.

The atoms manifest vital characteristics in their attractions andrepulsions. They move along the lines of their attractions and formmarriages, and thus combining they form the substances with which we

are familiar. When they combine, remember, they do not lose theirindividuality and melt into a permanent substance, but merely unite andyet remain distinct. If the combination be destroyed by chemicalaction, electrical discharge, etc., the atoms fly apart, and again livetheir own separate lives, until they come in contact with other atomswith which they have affinities, and form a new union or partnership.In many chemical changes the atoms divorce themselves, each forsakingits mate or mates, and seeking some newer affinity in the shape of amore congenial atom. The atoms manifest a fickleness and will alwaysdesert a lesser attraction for a greater one. This is no mere bit ofimagery, or scientific poetry. It is a scientific statement of theaction of atoms along the lines of vital manifestation.

The great German scientist, Haekel, has said: "I cannot imagine thesimplest chemical and physical processes without attributing themovement of the material particles to unconscious sensation. The ideaof Chemical Affinity consists in the fact that the various chemicalelements perceive differences in the qualities of other elements, andexperience pleasure or revulsion at contact with them, and executetheir respective movements on this ground." He also says: "We mayascribe the feeling of pleasure or pain (satisfaction ordissatisfaction) to all atoms, and thereby ascribe the electiveaffinities of chemistry to the attraction between living atoms andrepulsion between hating atoms." He also says that "the sensations inanimal and plant life are connected by a long series of evolutionarystages with the simpler forms of sensation that we find in theinorganic elements, and that reveal themselves in chemical affinity."Naegli says: "If the molecules possess something that is related,however distantly, to sensation, it must be comfortable for them to beable to follow their attractions and repulsions, and uncomfortable forthem when they are forced to do otherwise."

We might fill page after page with quotations from eminent thinkersgoing to prove the correctness of the old Yogi teachings that Life isOmnipresent. Modern Science is rapidly advancing to this position,leaving behind her the old idea of "dead matter." Even the new theoriesof the electron--the little particles of electrical energy which arenow believed to constitute the base of the atom--does not change thisidea, for the electrons manifest attraction, and response thereto, andform themselves into groups composing the atom. And even if we passbeyond matter into the mystical Ether which Science assumes to be thematerial base of things, we must believe that there is life there too,and that as Prof. Dolbear says: "The Ether has besides the function ofenergy and motion, other inherent properties, out of which couldemerge, under proper circumstances, other phenomena, such as life,mind, or whatever may be in the substratum," and, that as Prof. Copehas hinted, that the basis of Life lies back of the atoms and may befound in the Universal Ether.

Some scientists go even further, and assert that not only is Lifepresent in everything, but that Mind is present where Life is. Verily,the dreams of the Yogi fathers are coming true, and from the ranks ofthe materialists are coming the material proofs of the spiritualteachings. Listen to these words from Dr. Saleeby, in his recentvaluable scientific work, "Evolution, the Master Key." He says:

"Life is potential in matter; life-energy is not a thing unique andcreated at a particular time in the past. If evolution be true, livingmatter has been evolved by natural processes from matter which is,apparently, not alive. But if life is potential in matter, it is athousand times more evident that Mind is potential in Life. Theevolutionist is impelled to believe that Mind is potential in matter.(I adopt that form of words for the moment, but not without futurecriticism.) The microscopic cell, a minute speck of matter that is tobecome man, has in it the promise and the germ of mind. May we not thendraw the inference that the elements of mind are present in thosechemical elements--carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur,phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chlorine--that are found in the cell.Not only must we do so, but we must go further, since we know that eachof these elements, and every other, is built up out of one invariableunit, the electron, and we must therefore assert that Mind is potentialin the unit of Matter--the electron itself... It is to assert thesublime truth first perceived by Spinoza, that Mind and Matter are thewarp and woof of what Goethe called 'the living garment of God.' Bothare complementary expressions of the Unknowable Reality which underliesboth."

There is no such thing as non-vital attraction or repulsion. Allinclinations for or against another object, or thing, is an evidence ofLife. Each thing has sufficient life energy to enable it to carry onits work. And as each form advances by evolution into a higher form, itis able to have more of the Life energy manifest through it. As itsmaterial machinery is built up, it becomes able to manifest a greaterand higher degree of Life. It is not that one thing has a low life, oranother a high life--this cannot be, for there is but One Life. It islike the current of electricity that is able to run the most delicatemachinery or manifest a light in the incandescent lamp. Give it theorgan or machinery of manifestation, and it manifests--give it a lowform, and it will manifest a low degree--give it a high form, and itwill manifest a high degree. The same steam power runs the clumsyengine, or the perfect apparatus which drives the most delicatemechanism. And so it is with the One Life--its manifestations may seemlow and clumsy, or high and perfect--but it all depends upon thematerial or mental machinery through which it works. There is but OneLife, manifesting in countless forms and shapes, and degrees. One Lifeunderlying All--in All.

From the highest forms of Life down through the animal, vegetable andmineral kingdoms, we see Life everywhere present--Death an illusion.Back of all visible forms of material life there is still thebeginnings of manifested life pressing forward for expression andmanifestation. And underneath all is the Spirit of Life--longing,striving, feeling, acting.

In the mountain and the ocean--the flower and the tree--the sunset--thedawn--the suns--the stars--all is Life--manifestations of the One Life.Everything is Alive, quick with living force, power, action; thrillingwith vitality; throbbing with feeling; filled with activity. All isfrom the One Life--and all that is from the One Life is Alive. There isno dead substance in the Universe--there can be none--for Life cannotDie. All is Alive. And Life is in All.

Carry with you this Central Thought of the Lesson:

CENTRAL THOUGHT: There is but One Life, and its manifestationscomprise all the forms and shapes of the Universe. From Life comes butLife--and Life can come only from Life. Therefore we have the right toexpect that all manifestations of the One Life should be Alive. And weare not mocked in such belief. Not only do the highest Occult Teachingsinform us that Everything is Alive, but Modern Science has proven to usthat Life is present everywhere--even in that which was formerlyconsidered dead matter. It now sees that even the atom, and what liesback of the atom, is charged with Life Energy and Action. Forms andshapes may change, and do change--but Life remains eternal andinfinite. It cannot Die--for it is LIFE.

Peace be with thee.

THE THIRD LESSON

THE CREATIVE WILL.

In our first lesson of this series, we stated that among the otherqualities and attributes that we were compelled, by the laws of ourreason, to think that the Absolute possessed, was that of Omnipotenceor All-Power. In other words we are compelled to think of the One asbeing the source and fount of all the Power there is, ever has been, orever can be in the Universe. Not only, as is generally supposed, thatthe Power of the One is greater than any other Power,--but more thanthis, that there can be no other power, and that, therefore, each andevery, any and all manifestations or forms of Power, Force or Energymust be a part of the great one Energy which emanates from the One.

There is no escape from this conclusion, as startling as it may appearto the mind unaccustomed to it. If there is any power not from and ofthe One, from whence comes such power, for there is nothing elseoutside of the One? Who or what exists outside of the One that canmanifest even the faintest degree of power of any kind? All power mustcome from the Absolute, and must in its nature be but one.

Modern Science has recognized this truth, and one of its fundamentalprinciples is the Unity of Energy--the theory that all forms of Energyare, at the last, One. Science holds that all forms of Energy areinterchangeable, and from this idea comes the theory of theConservation of Energy or Correlation of Force.

Science teaches that every manifestation of energy, power, or force,from the operation of the law of gravitation, up to the highest form ofmental force is but the operation of the One Energy of the Universe.

Just what this Energy is, in its inner nature, Science does not know.It has many theories, but does not advance any of them as a law. Itspeaks of the Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all thingsproceed, but pronounces its nature to be unknowable. But some of thelatter-day scientists are veering around to the teachings of theoccultists, and are now hinting that it is something more than a meremechanical energy. They are speaking of it in terms of mind. Wundt, theGerman scientist, whose school of thought is called voluntarism,considers the motive-force of Energy to be something that may be calledWill. Crusius, as far back as 1744 said: "Will is the dominating forceof the world." And Schopenhauer based his fascinating but gloomyphilosophy and metaphysics upon the underlying principle of an activeform of energy which he called the Will-to-Live, which he considered tobe the Thing-in-Itself, or the Absolute. Balzac, the novelist,considered a something akin to Will, to be the moving force of theUniverse. Bulwer advanced a similar theory, and made mention of it in

several of his novels

This idea of an active, creative Will, at work in the Universe,building up; tearing down; replacing; repairing; changing--always atwork--ever active--has been entertained by numerous philosophers andthinkers, under different names and styles. Some, like Schopenhauerhave thought of this Will as the final thing--that which took the placeof God--the First Cause. But others have seen in this Will an activeliving principle emanating from the Absolute or God, and working inaccordance with the laws impressed by Him upon it. In various forms,this latter idea is seen all through the history of philosophicalthought. Cudsworth, the English philosopher, evolved the idea of asomething called the "Plastic Nature," which so closely approaches theYogi idea of the Creative Will, that we feel justified in quoting apassage from his book. He says:

"It seems not so agreeable to reason that Nature, as a distinct thingfrom the Deity, should be quite superseded or made to signify nothing,God Himself doing all things immediately and miraculously; from whenceit would follow also that they are all done either forcibly andviolently, or else artificially only, and none of them by any inwardprinciple of their own.

"This opinion is further confuted by that slow and gradual process thatin the generation of things, which would seem to be but a vain and idlepomp or a trifling formality if the moving power were omnipotent; asalso by those errors and bungles which are committed where the matteris inept and contumacious; which argue that the moving power be notirresistible, and that Nature is such a thing as is not altogetherincapable (as well as human art) of being sometimes frustrated anddisappointed by the indisposition of matter. Whereas an omnipotentmoving power, as it could dispatch its work in a moment, so would italways do it infallibly and irresistibly, no ineptitude andstubbornness of matter being ever able to hinder such a one, or makehim bungle or fumble in anything.

"Wherefore, since neither all things are produced fortuitously, or bythe unguided mechanism of matter, nor God himself may be reasonablythought to do all things immediately and miraculously, it may well beconcluded that there is a Plastic Nature under him, which, as aninferior and subordinate instrument, doth drudgingly execute that partof his providence which consists in the regular and orderly motion ofmatter; yet so as there is also besides this a higher providence to beacknowledged, which, presiding over it, doth often supply the defectsof it, and sometimes overrules it, forasmuch as the Plastic Naturecannot act electively nor with discretion."

The Yogi Philosophy teaches of the existence of a Universal Creative

Will, emanating from the Absolute--infilled with the power of theAbsolute and acting under established natural laws, which performs theactive work of creation in the world, similar to that performed by"Cudsworth's Plastic Nature," just mentioned. This Creative Will is notSchopenhauer's Will-to-Live. It is not a Thing-in-itself, but a vehicleor instrument of the Absolute. It is an emanation of the mind of theAbsolute--a manifestation in action of its Will--a mental productrather than a physical, and, of course, saturated with the life-energyof its projector.

This Creative Will is not a mere blind, mechanical energy or force--itis far more than this. We can explain it only by referring you to themanifestation of the Will in yourself. You wish to move your arm, andit moves. The immediate force may seem to be a mechanical force, butwhat is back of that force--what is the essence of the force? The Will!All manifestations of energy--all the causes of motion--all forces--areforms of the action of the Will of the One--the Creative Will--actingunder natural laws established by the One, ever moving, acting,forcing, urging, driving, leading. We do not mean that every little actis a thought of the moment on the part of the Absolute, and a reachingout of the Will in obedience to that thought. On the contrary, we meanthat the One set the Will into operation as a whole, conceiving of lawsand limitations in its action, the Will constantly operating inobedience to that conception, the results manifesting in what we callnatural law; natural forces, etc. Besides this, the Absolute isbelieved to manifest its Will specially upon occasions; and moreoverpermits its Will to be applied and used by the individual wills ofindividual Egos, under the general Law and laws, and plan of the One.

But you must not suppose that the Will is manifested only in the formof mechanical forces, cohesion, chemical attraction, electricity,gravitation, etc.

It does more than this. It is in full operation in all forms of life,and living things. It is present everywhere. Back of all forms ofmovement and action, we find a moving cause--usually a Pressure. Thisis true of that which we have been calling mechanical forces, and ofall forms of that which we call Life Energy. Now, note this, this greatPressure that you will observe in all Life Action, is the CreativeWill--the Will Principle of the One--bending toward the carrying out ofthe Great Plan of Life.

Look where we will, on living forms, and we may begin to recognize thepresence of a certain creative energy at work--building up; moulding,directing; tearing down; replacing, etc.--always active in its effortsto create, preserve and conserve life. This visible creative energy iswhat the Yogi Philosophy calls "the Creative Will," and which forms thesubject of this lesson. The Creative Will is that striving, longing,

pressing forward, unfolding, progressing evolutionary effort, that allthoughtful people see in operation in all forms of life--throughout allNature. From the lowest to the highest forms of life, the Effort,Energy, Pressure, may be recognized in action, creating, preserving,nourishing, and improving its forms. It is that Something that werecognize when we speak of "Nature's Forces" at work in plant growthand animal functioning. If you will but keep the word andidea--"NATURE"--before you, you will be able to more clearly form themental concept of the Creative Will. The Creative Will is that whichyou have been calling "Nature at Work" in the growth of the plant; thesprouting of the seed; the curling and reaching of the tendril; thefertilization of the blossoms, etc. You have seen this Will at work, ifyou have watched growing things.

We call this energy "the Creative Will," because it is the objectivemanifestation of the Creative Energy of the Absolute--Its visible Willmanifested in the direction of physical life. It is as much Will inaction, as the Will that causes your arm to move in response to itspower. It is no mere chance thing, or mechanical law--it is life actionin operation.

This Creative Will not only causes movement in completed life, but allmovement and action in life independent of the personal will of itsindividual forms. All the phenomena of the so-called Unconscious belongto it. It causes the body to grow; attends to the details ofnourishment, assimilation, digestion, elimination, and all of the rest.It builds up bodies, organs, and parts, and keeps them in operation andfunction.

The Creative Will is directed to the outward expression of Life--to theobjectification of Life. You may call this energy the "Universal LifeEnergy" if you wish, but, to those who know it, it is a Will--anactive, living Will, in full operation and power, pressing forwardtoward the manifestation of objective life.

The Creative Will seems to be filled with a strong Desire to manifest.It longs to express itself, and to give birth to forms of activity.Desire lies under and in all forms of its manifestations. The everpresent Desire of the Creative Will causes lower forms to be succeededby higher forms--and is the moving cause of evolution--it is theEvolutionary Urge itself, which ever cries to its manifestations, "Moveon; move upward."

In the Hindu classic, the "Mahabarata," Brahma created the mostbeautiful female being ever known, and called her Tillotama. Hepresented her in turn to all the gods, in order to witness their wonderand admiration. Siva's desire to behold her was so great that itdeveloped in him four faces, in succession, as she made the tour of the

assembly; and Indra's longing was so intense that his body became alleyes. In this myth may be seen exemplified the effect of Desire andWill in the forms of life, function and shape--all following Desire andNeed, as in the case of the long neck of the giraffe which enables himto reach for the high branches of the trees in his native land; and inthe long neck and high legs of the fisher birds, the crane, stork,ibis, etc.

The Creative Will finds within itself a desire to create suns, and theyare formed. It desired planets to revolve around the suns, and theywere thrown off in obedience to the law. It desired plant life, andplant life appeared, working from higher to lower form. Then cameanimal life, from nomad to man. Some of the animal forms yielded to thedesire to fly, and wings appeared gradually, and we called itbird-life. Some felt a desire to burrow in the ground, and lo! came themoles, gophers, etc. It wanted a thinking creature, and Man with hiswonderful brain was evolved. Evolution is more than a mere survival ofthe fittest; natural selection, etc. Although it uses these laws astools and instruments, still back of them is that insistent urge--thatever-impelling desire--that ever-active Creative Will. Lamark wasnearer right than Darwin when he claimed that Desire was back of itall, and preceded function and form. Desire wanted form and function,and produced them by the activity of the Creative Will.

This Creative Will acts like a living force--and so it is indeed--butit does not act as a reasoning, intellectual Something, in onesense--instead it manifests rather the "feeling," wanting, longing,instinctive phase of mind, akin to those "feelings" and resultingactions that we find within our natures. The Will acts on theInstinctive Plane.

Evolution shows us Life constantly pressing forward toward higher andstill higher forms of expression. The urge is constantly upward andonward. It is true that some species sink out of sight their work inthe world having been done, but they are succeeded by other speciesmore in harmony with their environment and the needs of their times.Some races of men decay, but others build on their foundations, andreach still greater heights.

The Creative Will is something different from Reason or Intellect. Butit underlies these. In the lower forms of life, in which mind is in butsmall evidence, the Will is in active operation, manifesting inInstinct and Automatic Life Action, so called. It does not depend uponbrains for manifestation--for these lowly forms of life have nobrains--but is in operation through every part of the body of theliving thing.

Evidences of the existence of the Creative Will acting independently of

the brains of animal and plant life may be had in overwhelming quantityif we will but examine the life action in the lower forms of life.

The testimony of the investigators along the lines of the Evolutionaryschool of thought, show us that the Life Principle was in activeoperation in lowly animal and plant life millions of years beforebrains capable of manifesting Thought were produced. Haekel informs usthat during more than half of the enormous time that has elapsed sinceorganic life first became evident, no animal sufficiently advanced tohave a brain was in existence. Brains were evolved according to the lawof desire or necessity, in accordance with the Great Plan, but theywere not needed for carrying on the wonderful work of the creation andpreservation of the living forms. And they are not today. The tinyinfant, and the senseless idiot are not able to think intelligently,but still their life functions go on regularly and according to law, inspite of the absence of thinking brains. And the life work of theplants, and of the lowly forms of animal life, is carried on likewise.This wonderful thing that we call Instinct is but another name for themanifestation of the Creative Will which flows from the One Life, orthe Absolute.

Even as far down the scale of life as the Monera, we may see theCreative Will in action. The Monera are but tiny bits of slimy,jelly-like substances--mere specks of glue without organs of any kind,and yet they exercise the organic phenomena of life, such as nutrition,reproduction, sensation and movement, all of which are usuallyassociated with an organized structure. These creatures are incapableof thought in themselves, and the phenomenon is due to the action ofthe Will through them. This Instinctive impulse and action is seeneverywhere, manifesting upon Higher and still higher lines, as higherforms of organisms are built up.

Scientists have used the term, "Appetency," defining it as, "theinstinctive tendency of living organisms to perform certain actions;the tendency of an unorganized body to seek that which satisfies thewants of its organism." Now what is this tendency? It cannot be aneffort of reason, for the low form of life has nothing with which toreason. And it is impossible to think of "purposive tendency" withoutassuming the existence of mental power of some kind. And where can sucha power be located if not in the form itself? When we consider that theWill is acting in and through all forms of Life, from highest tolowest--from Moneron to Man--we can at once recognize the source of thepower and activity. It is the Great Life Principle--the Creative Will,manifesting itself.

We can perhaps better form an idea of the Creative Will, by referenceto its outward and visible forms of activity. We cannot see the Willitself--the Pressure and the Urge--but we can see its action through

living forms. Just as we cannot see a man behind a curtain, and yet maypractically see him by watching the movements of his form as he pressesup against the curtain, so may we see the Will by watching it as itpresses up against the living curtain of the forms of life. There was aplay presented on the American stage a few years ago, in which one ofthe scenes pictured the place of departed spirits according to theJapanese belief. The audience could not see the actors representing thespirits, but they could see their movements as they pressed up close toa thin silky curtain stretched across the stage, and their motions asthey moved to and fro behind the curtain were plainly recognized. Thedeception was perfect, and the effect was startling. One almostbelieved that he saw the forms of formless creatures. And this is whatwe may do in viewing the operation of the Creative Will--we may take alook at the moving form of the Will behind the curtain of the forms ofthe manifestation of life. We may see it pressing and urging here, andbending there--building up here, and changing there--always acting,always moving, striving, doing, in response to that insatiable urge andcraving, and longing of its inner desire. Let us take a few peeps atthe Will moving behind the curtain!

Commencing with the cases of the forming of the crystals, as spoken ofin our last lesson, we may pass on to plant life. But before doing so,it may be well for us to take a parting look at the Will manifestingcrystal forms. One of the latest scientific works makes mention of theexperiments of a scientist who has been devoting much attention to theformation of crystals, and reports that he has noticed that certaincrystals of organic compounds, instead of being built up symmetrically,as is usual with crystals, were "enation-morphic," that is, opposed toeach other, in rights and lefts, like hands or gloves, or shoes, etc.These crystals are never found alone, but always form in pairs. Can younot see the Will behind the curtain here?

Let us look for the Will in plant-life. Passing rapidly over thewonderful evidences in the cases of the fertilization of plants byinsects, the plant shaping its blossom so as to admit the entrance ofthe particular insect that acts as the carrier of its pollen, think fora moment how the distribution of the seed is provided for. Fruit treesand plants surround the seed with a sweet covering, that it may beeaten by insect and animal, and the seed distributed. Others have ahard covering to protect the seed or nut from the winter frosts, butwhich covering rots with the spring rains and allows the germ tosprout. Others surround the seed with a fleecy substance, so that thewind may carry it here and there and give it a chance to find a homewhere it is not so crowded. Another tree has a little pop-gunarrangement, by means of which it pops its seed to a distance ofseveral feet.

Other plants have seeds that are covered with a burr or "sticky"

bristles, which enables them to attach themselves to the wool of sheepand other animals, and thus be carried about and finally dropped insome spot far away from the parent plant, and thus the scattering ofthe species be accomplished. Some plants show the most wonderful plansand arrangements for this scattering of the seed in new homes wherethere is a better opportunity for growth and development, thearrangements for this purpose displaying something very much akin towhat we would call "ingenuity" if it were the work of a reasoning mind.There are plants called cockle-burs whose seed-pods are provided withstickers in every direction, so that anything brushing against them issure to pick them up. At the end of each sticker is a very tiny hook,and these hooks fasten themselves tightly into anything that brushesagainst it, animal wool, hair, or clothing, etc. Some of these seedshave been known to have been carried to other quarters of the globe inwool, etc., there to find new homes and a wider field.

Other plants, like the thistle, provide their seed with downy wings, bywhich the wind carries them afar to other fields. Other seeds have afaculty of tumbling and rolling along the ground to great distances,owing to their peculiar shape and formation. The maple provides itsseed with a peculiar arrangement something like a propeller screw,which when the wind strikes the trees and looses the seed, whirls thelatter through the air to a distance of a hundred yards or more. Otherseeds are provided with floating apparatus, which enables them totravel many miles by stream or river, or rain washes. Some of these notonly float, but actually swim, having spider-like filaments, whichwriggle like legs, and actually propel the tiny seed along to its newhome. A recent writer says of these seeds that "so curiously lifelikeare their movements that it is almost impossible to believe that thesetiny objects, making good progress through the water, are really seeds,and not insects."

The leaves of the Venus' Fly-trap fold upon each other and enclose theinsect which is attracted by the sweet juice on the leaf, threeextremely sensitive bristles or hairs giving the plant notice that theinsect is touching them. A recent writer gives the followingdescription of a peculiar plant. He says: "On the shores of LakeNicaragua is to be found an uncanny product of the vegetable kingdomknown among the natives by the expressive name of 'the Devil's Noose.'Dunstan, the naturalist, discovered it long ago while wandering on theshores of the lake. Attracted by the cries of pain and terror from hisdog, he found the animal held by black sticky bands which had chafedthe skin to bleeding point. These bands were branches of anewly-discovered carnivorous plant which had been aptly named the 'landoctopus.' The branches are flexible, black, polished and withoutleaves, and secrete a viscid fluid."

You have seen flowers that closed when you touched them. You remember

the Golden Poppy that closes when the sun goes down. Another plant, avariety of orchid, has a long, slender, flat stem, or tube, aboutone-eighth of an inch thick, with an opening at the extreme end, and aseries of fine tubes where it joins the plant. Ordinarily this tuberemains coiled up into a spiral, but when the plant needs water (itusually grows upon the trunks of trees overhanging swampy places) itslowly uncoils the little tube and bends it over until it dips into thewater, when it proceeds to suck up the water until it is filled, whenit slowly coils around and discharges the water directly upon theplant, or its roots. Then it repeats the process until the plant issatisfied. When the water is absent from under the plant the tube movesthis way and that way until it finds what it wants--just like the trunkof an elephant. If one touches the tube or trunk of the plant while itis extended for water, it shows a great sensitiveness and rapidly coilsitself up. Now what causes this life action? The plant has no brains,and cannot have reasoned out this process, nor even have acted uponthem by reasoning processes. It has nothing to think with to such ahigh degree. It is the Will behind the curtain, moving this way andthat way, and doing things.

There was once a French scientist named Duhamel. He planted some beansin a cylinder--something like a long tomato can lying on its side. Hewaited until the beans began to sprout, and send forth roots downward,and shoots upward, according to nature's invariable rule. Then he movedthe cylinder a little--rolled it over an inch or two. The next day herolled it over a little more. And so on each day, rolling it over alittle each time. Well, after a time Duhamel shook the dirt and growingbeans out of the cylinder, and what did he find? This, that the beansin their endeavor to grow their roots downward had kept on bending eachday downward; and in their endeavor to send shoots upward, had kept onbending upward a little each day, until at last there had been formedtwo complete spirals--the one spiral being the roots ever turningdownward, and the other the shoots ever bending upward. How did theplant know direction? What was the moving power. The Creative Willbehind the curtain again, you see!

Potatoes in dark cellars have sent out roots or sprouts twenty andthirty feet to reach light. Plants will send out roots many feet toreach water. They know where the water and light are, and where toreach them. The tendrils of a plant know where the stake or cord is,and they reach out for it and twine themselves around it. Unwind them,and the next day they are found again twined around it. Move the stakeor cord, and the tendril moves after it. The insect-eating plants areable to distinguish between nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous food,accepting the one and rejecting the other. They recognize that cheesehas the same nourishing properties as the insect, and they accept it,although it is far different in feeling, taste, appearance and everyother characteristic from their accustomed food.

Case after case might be mentioned and cited to show the operation ofthe Will in plant-life. But wonderful as are many of these cases, themere action of the Will as shown in the growing of the plant is justas wonderful. Just imagine a tiny seed, and see it sprout and draw toitself the nourishment from water, air, light and soil, then upwarduntil it becomes a great tree with bark, limbs, branches, leaves,blossoms, fruit and all. Think of this miracle, and consider what mustbe the power and nature of that Will that causes it.

The growing plant manifests sufficient strength to crack great stones,and lift great slabs of pavement, as may be noticed by examining thesidewalks of suburban towns and parks. An English paper prints a reportof four enormous mushrooms having lifted a huge slab of paving stone ina crowded street overnight. Think of this exhibition of Energy andPower. This wonderful faculty of exerting force and motion and energyis fundamental in the Will, for indeed every physical change and growthis the result of motion, and motion arises only from force andpressure. Whose force, energy, power and motion? The Will's!

On all sides of us we may see this constant and steady urge andpressure behind living forces, and inorganic forms as well--always amanifestation of Energy and Power. And all this Power is in theWill--and the Will is but the manifestation of the All-Power--theAbsolute. Remember this.

And this power manifests itself not only in the matter of growth andordinary movements, but also in some other ways that seem quitemysterious to even modern Science. How is it that certain birds areable to fly directly against a strong wind, without visible movement oftheir wings? How do the buzzards float in the air, and make speedwithout a motion of the wing? What is the explanation of the movementsof certain microscopic creatures who lack organs of movement? Listen tothis instance related by the scientist Benet. He states that thePolycystids have a most peculiar manner of moving--a sort of slidingmotion, to the right or left, upward, backward, sideways, stopping andstarting, fast or slow, as it wills. It has no locomotive organs, andno movement can be seen to take place in the body from within orwithout. It simply slides. How?

Passing on to the higher animal life--how do eggs grow into chickens?What is the power in the germ of the egg? Can the germ think, and plan,and move, and grow into a chicken? Or is the Will at work there? Andwhat is true in this case, is true of the birth and growth of allanimal life--all animal life develops from a single germ cell. How, andWhy?

There is a mental energy resident in the germ cell--of this there can

be no doubt. And that mental energy is the Creative Will evermanifesting. Listen to these words from Huxley, the eminent scientist.He says:

"The student of Nature wonders the more and is astonished the less, themore conversant he becomes with her operations; but of all theperennial miracles she offers to his inspection, perhaps the mostworthy of his admiration is the development of a plant or of an animalfrom its embryo. Examine the recently laid egg of some common animal,such as a salamander or a newt. It is a minute spheroid in which thebest microscope will reveal nothing but a structureless sac, enclosinga glairy fluid, holding granules in suspension. But strangepossibilities lie dormant in that semi-fluid globule. Let a moderatesupply of warmth reach its watery cradle, and the plastic matterundergoes changes so rapid, and so purposelike in their succession,that one can only compare them to those operated by a skilled modellerupon a formless lump of clay. As with an invisible trowel, the mass isdivided and subdivided into smaller and smaller portions, until it isreduced to an aggregation of granules not too large to build withal thefinest fabrics of the nascent organism. And, then, it is as if adelicate finger traced out the line to be occupied by the spinalcolumn, and moulded the contour of the body; pinching up the head atone end, the tail at the other, and fashioning flank and limb into duesalamanderine proportions, in so artistic a way that, after watchingthe process hour by hour, one is almost involuntarily possessed by thenotion that some more subtle aid to vision than the achromatic lenswould show the hidden artist, with his plan before him, striving withskilful manipulation to perfect his work.

"As life advances and the young amphibian ranges the waters, the terrorof his insect contemporaries, not only are the nutritious particlessupplied by its prey (by the addition of which to its frame growthtakes place) laid down, each in its proper spot, and in due proportionto the rest, as to reproduce the form, the color, and the size,characteristic of the parental stock; but even the wonderful powers ofreproducing lost parts possessed by these animals are controlled by thesame governing tendency. Cut off the legs, the tail, the jaws,separately or all together, and as Spallanzani showed long ago, theseparts not only grow again, but the new limb is formed on the same typeas those which were lost. The new jaw, or leg, is a newt's, and neverby any accident more like that of a frog's."

In this passage from Huxley one may see the actual working of theCreative Will of the Universe,--moving behind the curtain--and a verythin curtain at that. And this wonderful work is going on all aroundus, all the time. Miracles are being accomplished every second--theyare so common that we fail to regard them.

And in our bodies is the Will at work? Most certainly. What built youup from single cell to maturity? Did you do it with your intellect? Hasnot every bit of it been done without your conscious knowledge? It isonly when things go wrong, owing to the violation of some law, that youbecome aware of your internal organs. And, yet, stomach and liver, andheart and the rest have been performing their work steadily--workingaway day and night, building up, repairing, nourishing, growing youinto a man or woman, and keeping you sound and strong. Are you doingthis with your reason or with your personal will? No, it is the greatCreative Will of the Universe, Universe,--the expression of the purposeand power of the One, working in and through you. It is the One Lifemanifesting in you through its Creative Will.

And not only is this all. The Creative Will is all around us in everyforce, energy and principle. The force that we call mental power is theprinciple of the Will directed by our individual minds. In thisstatement we have a hint of the great mystery of Mental Force andPower, and the so-called Psychic Phenomena. It also gives us a key toMental Healing. This is not the place to go into detail regarding thesephases--but think over it a bit. This Will Power of the Universe, inall of its forms and phases, from Electricity to Thought-power, isalways at the disposal of Man, within limits, and subject always to thelaws of the Creative Will of the Universe. Those who acquire anunderstanding of the laws of any force may use it. And any force may beused or misused.

And the nearer in understanding and consciousness that we get to theOne Life and Power, the greater will be our possible power, for we arethus getting closer and closer to the source of All Power. In theselessons we hope to be able to tell you how you may come into closertouch with this One Life of which you and all living things are butforms, shapes and channels of expression, under the operation of theCreative Will.

We trust that this lesson may have brought to your minds therealization of the Oneness of All--the fact that we are all parts ofthe one encircling unity, the heart-throbs and pulsations of which areto be felt even to the outer edge of the circle of life--in Man, inMonad, in Crystal, in Atom. Try to feel that inner essence of CreativeWill that is within yourselves, and endeavor to realize your completeinner unity in it, with all other forms of life. Try to realize, assome recent writer has expressed it, "that all the living world is butmankind in the making, and that we are but part of the All." And alsoremember that splendid vistas of future unfoldment spread themselvesout before the gaze of the awakened soul, until the mind fails to graspthe wondrous sight.

We will now close this lesson by calling your attention to its

CENTRAL THOUGHT.

There is but One Power in the Universe--One Energy--One Force. And thatPower, Energy and Force is a manifestation of the One Life. There canbe no other Power, for there is none other than the One from whom Powermay come. And there can be no manifestation of Power that is not thePower of the One, for no other Power can be in existence. The Power ofthe One is visible in its manifestations to us in the natural laws andforces of Nature--which we call the Creative Will. This Creative Willis the inner moving power, urge and pressure behind all forms andshapes of Life. In atom, and molecule; in monad, in cell, in plant, infish, in animal, in man,--the Life Principle or Creative Will isconstantly in action, creating, preserving, and carrying on life in itsfunctions. We may call this Instinct or Nature, but it is the CreativeWill in action. This Will is back of all Power, Energy, or Force--be itphysical, mechanical or mental force. And all Force that we use,consciously or unconsciously, comes from the One Great Source of Power.If we could but see clearly, we would know that back of us is the Powerof the Universe, awaiting our intelligent uses, under the control ofthe Will of the All. There is nothing to be afraid of, for we aremanifestations of the One Life, from which all Power proceeds, and theReal Self is above the effect, for it is part of the Cause. But overand above--under and behind--all forms of Being, Matter, Energy, Forceand Power, is the ABSOLUTE--ever Calm; ever Peaceful; ever Content. Inknowing this it becomes us to manifest that spirit of absolute Trust,Faith and Confidence in the Goodness and Ultimate Justice of That whichis the only Reality there is.

Peace be with you.

THE FOURTH LESSON

THE UNITY OF LIFE.

In our First Lesson of this series we spoke of the One Realityunderlying all Life. This One Reality was stated to be higher than mindor matter, the nearest term that can be applied to it being "Spirit."We told you that it was impossible to explain just what "Spirit" is,for we have nothing else with which to compare or describe it, and itcan be expressed only in its own terms, and not in the terms applicableto its emanations or manifestations. But, as we said in our FirstLesson, we may think of "Spirit" as meaning the "essence" of Life andBeing--the Reality underlying Universal Life, and from which the latteremanates.

In the Second Lesson we stated that this "Spirit," which we called "TheAbsolute," expressed itself in the Universal Life, which Universal Lifemanifested itself in countless forms of life and activity. In the samelesson we showed you that the Universe is alive--that there is not asingle dead thing in it--that there can be no such thing as a deadobject in the Universe, else the theory and truth of the One underlyingLife must fall and be rejected. In that lesson we also showed you thateven in the world of inorganic things there was ever manifest life--inevery atom and particle of inorganic matter there is the universal lifeenergy manifesting itself, and in constant activity.

In the Third Lesson, we went still further into this phase of thegeneral subject, and showed you that the Creative Will--that activeprinciple of the Universal Life--was ever at work, building up newforms, shapes and combinations, and then tearing them down for thepurpose of rebuilding the material into new forms, shapes, andcombinations. The Creative Will is ever at work in its threefoldfunction of creating, preserving and destroying forms--the change,however, being merely in the shape and form or combination, the realsubstance remaining unchanged in its inner aspect, notwithstanding thecountless apparent changes in its objective forms. Like the great oceanthe depths of which remain calm and undisturbed, and the real nature ofwhich is unchanged in spite of the waves, and billows of surfacemanifestation, so does the great ocean of the Universal Life remainunchanged and unaltered in spite of the constant play of the CreativeWill upon the surface. In the same lesson we gave you many examples ofthe Will in action--of its wondrous workings in the various forms oflife and activity--all of which went to show you that the One Power wasat work everywhere and at all times.

In our next lesson--the Fifth Lesson--we shall endeavor to make plainto you the highest teachings of the Yogi Philosophy regarding the OneReality and the Many Manifestations--the One and the Many--how the One

apparently becomes Many--that great question and problem which lies atthe bottom of the well of truth. In that lesson we shall present foryour consideration some fundamental and startling truths, but before wereach that point in our teachings, we must fasten upon your mind thebasic truth that all the various manifestations of Life that we see onall hands in the Universe are but forms of manifestation of OneUniversal Life which is itself an emanation of the Absolute.

Speaking generally, we would say to you that the emanation of theAbsolute is in the form of a grand manifestation of One Universal Life,in which the various apparent separate forms of Life are but centers ofEnergy or Consciousness, the separation being more apparent than real,there being a bond of unity and connection underlying all theapparently separated forms. Unless the student gets this idea firmlyfixed in his mind and consciousness, he will find it difficult to graspthe higher truths of the Yogi Philosophy. That all Life is One, at thelast,--that all forms of manifestation of Life are in harmonious Unity,underlying--is one of the great basic truths of the Yogi Teaching, andall the students of that philosophy must make this basic truth theirown before they may progress further. This grasping of the truth ismore than a mere matter of intellectual conception, for the intellectreports that all forms of Life are separate and distinct from eachother, and that there can be no unity amidst such diversity. But fromthe higher parts of the mind comes the message of an underlying Unity,in spite of all apparent diversity, and if one will meditate upon thisidea he will soon begin to realize the truth, and will feel that he,himself, is but a center of consciousness in a great ocean ofLife--that he and all other centers are connected by countlessspiritual and mental filaments--and that all emerge from the One. Hewill find that the illusion of separateness is but "a working fictionof the Universe," as one writer has so aptly described it--and that Allis One, at the last, and underlying all is One.

Some of our students may feel that we are taking too long a path tolead up to the great basic truths of our philosophy, but we who havetraveled The Path, and know its rocky places and its sharp turns, feeljustified in insisting that the student be led to the truth graduallyand surely, instead of attempting to make short cuts across dangerousravines and canyons. We must insist upon presenting our teachings inour own way--for this way has been tested and found good. We know thatevery student will come to realize that our plan is a wise one, andthat he will thank us for giving him this gradual and easy approach tothe wondrous and awful truth which is before us. By this gradualprocess, the mind becomes accustomed to the line of thought and theunderlying principles, and also gradually discards wornout mentalsheaths which have served their purposes, and which must be discardedbecause they begin to weigh heavily upon the mind as it reaches thehigher altitudes of The Path of Attainment. Therefore, we must ask you

to consider with us, in this lesson, some further teachings regardingthe Unity of Life.

All the schools of the higher Oriental thought, as well as many of thegreat philosophical minds of the Western world, have agreed upon theconception of the Unity of Life--the Oneness of All Life. The Westernthinkers, and many of the Eastern philosophers arrived at thisconclusion by means of their Intellectual powers, greatly heightenedand stimulated by concentration and meditation, which latter processliberated the faculties of the Spiritual Mind so that it passed downknowledge to the Intellect, which then seized upon the higher knowledgewhich it found within itself, and amplified and theorized upon thesame. But among the Eastern Masters there are other sources ofinformation open, and from these sources come the same report--theOneness and Unity of Universal Life. These higher sources ofinformation to which we have alluded, consist of the knowledge comingfrom those Beings who have passed on to higher planes of Life thanours, and whose awakened spiritual faculties and senses enable them tosee things quite plainly which are quite dark to us. And from thesesources, also, comes the message of the Oneness of Life--of theexistence of a wonderful Universal Life including all forms of life aswe know it, and many forms and phases unknown to us--many centers inthe great Ocean of Life. No matter how high the source of inquiry, theanswer is the same--"All Life is One." And this One Life includesBeings as much higher than ourselves, as we are higher than thecreatures in the slime of the ocean-bed. Included in it are beings whowould seem as archangels or gods to us, and they inform that beyondthem are still higher and more radiant creatures, and so on to infinityof infinities. And yet all are but centers of Being in the OneLife--all but a part of the great Universal Life, which itself is butan emanation of The Absolute.

The mind of man shrinks back appalled from the contemplation of suchwonders, and yet there are men who dare to attempt to speakauthoritatively of the attributes and qualities of "God," as if He, theAbsolute, were but a magnified man. Verily, indeed, "fools rush inwhere angels fear to tread," as the poet hath said.

Those who will read our next lesson and thus gain an idea of thesublime conception of the Absolute held by the Yogi teachers mayshudder at the presumption of those mortals who dare to think of theAbsolute as possessing "attributes" and "qualities" like unto themeanest of things in this his emanated Universe. But even thesespiritual infants are doing well--that is, they are beginning tothink, and when man begins to think and question, he begins toprogress. It is not the fact of these people's immature ideas that hascaused these remarks on our part, but rather their tendency to set uptheir puny conceptions as the absolute truth, and then insisting upon

forcing these views upon the outer world of men, whom they consider"poor ignorant heathen." Permit each man to think according to hislight--and help him by offering to share with him the best that youpossess--but do not attempt to force upon him your own views asabsolute truth to be swallowed by him under threat of damnation oreternal punishment. Who are you that dares to speak of punishment anddamnation, when the smell of the smoke of the hell of materialism isstill upon your robes. When you realize just what spiritual infants youstill are--the best of you--you will blush at these things. Hold fastto the best that you know--be generous to others who seem to wish toshare your knowledge--but give without blame or feeling ofsuperiority--for those whom you teach today may be your teacherstomorrow--there are many surprises of this kind along The Path. Bebrave and confident, but when you begin to feel puffed up by youracquirement of some new bit of knowledge, let your prayer--ourprayer, for we too are infants--be, "Lord, be merciful unto me, afool!"

The above words are for us, the students of the Yogi Philosophy--theteachers of the same--for human nature is the same in spite of names,and we must avoid the "vanity of vanities"--Spiritual Pride andArrogance--that fault which has sent many a soul tumbling headlong froma high position on The Path, and compelled it to again begin thejourney, chastened and bruised. The fall of Lucifer has manycorrespondences upon the occult plane, and is, indeed, in itself anallegorical illustration of just this law. Remember, always, that youare but a Centre in the Ocean of Life, and that all others are Centresin the same ocean, and that underlying both and all of you is the samecalm bed of Life and Knowledge, the property of all. The highest andthe lowest are part of the same One Life--each of you has the same lifeblood flowing through your veins--you are connected with every otherform of life, high or low, with invisible bonds, and none is separatefrom another. We are speaking, of course, to the personalities of thevarious students who are reading these words. The Real Self of each isabove the need of such advice and caution, and those who are able toreach the Real Self in consciousness have no need for these words, forthey have outlived this stage of error. To many, the consciousness ofthe One Life--the Universal Life--in which all are centres ofconsciousness and being--has come gradually as a final step of a longseries of thought and reasoning, aided by flashes of truth from thehigher regions of the mind. To others it has come as a greatillumination, or flash of Truth, in which all things are seen in theirproper relations and positions to each other, and all as phases ofbeing in the One. The term "Cosmic Consciousness," which has been usedin the previous series of these lessons, and by other writers, meansthis sudden flash of "knowing" in which all the illusionary dividinglines between persons and things are broken down and the Universal Lifeis seen to be actually existent as One Life. To those who have reached

this consciousness by either route just mentioned--or by otherroutes--there is no sense of loss of individuality or power orstrength. On the contrary there is always a new sense of increasedpower and strength and knowing--instead of losing Individuality, thereis a sense of having found it. One feels that he has the whole Universeat his back, or within him, rather than that he has lost his identityin the great Ocean of Life.

While we are speaking of this phase of the subject, we should like toask you if you have ever investigated and inquired into the realmeaning of the much-used word "Individuality?" Have you ever looked upits origin and real meaning, as given by the standard authorities? Weare sure that many of you have no real idea of the actual meaning ofthe term, as strange as this statement may appear to you at firstglance. Stop now, and define the word to yourself, as you have beenaccustomed to think of it. Ninety-five people of a hundred will tellyou that it means something like "a strong personality." Let us seeabout this.

Webster defines the word "Individual" as follows: "Not divided, or notto be divided; existing as one distinct being or object; single; one."The same authority informs us that the word arises from the Latin wordindividuus, meaning "indivisible; not divisible." Does not this helpyou to gain a clearer idea of the Individuality that knows itself to bea Centre of Consciousness in the One Life, rather than a separate,puny, insignificant thing apart from all other centres or forms ofLife, or the source of Life? We think it will help to clear your mindof some of the fog that has not as yet lifted itself.

And while we are on the subject of definitions, let us take a littlelook at the word "Personality," that is generally believed to be asynonym of "Individuality," and is often so used. Webster tells us thatthe word "Person" originated from the Latin word persona, meaning "amask used by actors," which word in turn arose from two other words,per, meaning "through," and sonare, meaning "to sound," the twocombined words meaning "to sound through." The same authority informsus that the archaic meaning of the word was "a character or part, as ina play; an assumed character." If you will think of Personality as "amask used by an actor," or as "a part in a play," or as something usedto "sound through" or to speak through, by the real Individual behindthe mask of Personality, then perhaps you will see a little furtherinto the Mystery of Personality and Individuality.

Oh, dear students, be not deceived by the mask of Personality which youmay happen to be wearing at this moment, or by the masks which are wornby those around you. Realize that back of your mask is the greatIndividual--the Indivisible--the Universal Life, in which you are acentre of consciousness and activity. This does not wipe out your

identity--instead it gives you a greater and grander identity. Insteadof your sinking into a Nirvana of extinction of consciousness, yourconsciousness so enlarges as you unfold, that you will in the end feelyour identity to be the identity of the Universe. Instead of yourgaining Nothingness, you gain Allness. All spiritual growth andunfoldment gives you a constantly increasing sense of relationshipwith, and agreement with, the All. You grow into Allness as you unfold.Be not deceived by this chatter about Nothingness, and loss ofIndividuality, in the Oriental thought, although some of thepresentations of its teachings may so seem to mean at first reading.Remember always that Personality is the mask, and Individuality theReal One.

You have often heard persons, claiming to be acquainted with theteachings of Theosophy and other expositions of the Oriental WisdomReligion (including our own presentation), asserting that the Orientalmind was ever bent upon attaining a final stage of Nothingness orExtinction in Nirvana. In addition to what we have said, and to what weshall say on this subject, let us quote from the inspired writer of the"Secret Doctrine" (a standard Theosophical work) when she says, inthat work on page 286, Vol. I: "Is this annihilation, as some think?... To see in Nirvana annihilation, amounts to saying of a man plungedin a sound, dreamless sleep--one that leaves no impression on thephysical memory and brain, because the sleeper's Higher Self is in itsoriginal state of absolute consciousness during these hours--that hetoo is annihilated. The latter simile answers only to one side of thequestion--the most material; since reabsorption is by no means such adreamless sleep, but, on the contrary, absolute existence, anunconditional unity, or a state, to describe which human language isabsolutely and hopelessly inadequate... Nor is the individuality--noreven the essence of the personality, if any be left behind--lostbecause re-absorbed." As J. Wm. Lloyd says, in connection with theabove quotation, "This seems conclusive proof that Theosophy does notregard Nirvana as annihilation, but as an infinite enlargement ofconsciousness." And we would add that this is true not only as regardsthe Nirvana of the Theosophist, but also of the consciousness of theUnity of Life--the Universal Life. This too is not annihilation ofindividual consciousness, but an "infinite enlargement ofconsciousness" as this Western writer Lloyd has so well expressed it.

The very consciousness of Life that every man feels within him, comesnot from something belonging exclusively to himself as a separate orpersonal thing. On the contrary, it belongs to his Individuality, notto his Personality, and is a phase of his consciousness or "awareness"of his relation to the One Universal Life which underlies hisexistence, and in which he is a center of consciousness. Do you graspthis idea? If not, meditate and concentrate upon it, for it isimportant. You must learn to feel the Life within you, and to know

that it is the Life of the great Ocean of Universal Life upon the bosomof which you are borne as a centre of consciousness and energy. In thisthought there is Power, Strength, Calm, Peace, and Wisdom. Acquire it,if you are wise. It is indeed a Gift from the Gods.

In this lesson we are not attempting to build up your idea of the Unityof Life by a series of arguments taken from a world of phenomena inwhich separateness and non-Unity is apparent. No such arguments wouldsuffice, for it would be like trying to prove the existence and laws ofcolor to a man born blind, by arguments taken from his world ofdarkness. On the contrary we are appealing to that region of the mindin which is stored the capacity for intuitively apprehending truth. Weare endeavoring to speak in tones which will awaken a similar vibrationin that part of your mentality, and if these vibrations be started intobeing, then will you be able to feel and know the truth, and thenwill your Intellect eagerly seize upon the new idea that it findswithin itself, and will proceed to apply the same to the variousproblems that have been bothering you in the past.

This consciousness of Unity must come from the higher regions of themind, for the Intellect alone knows it not,--it is out of its field.Just as one may not know that the earth is round by means of his senseswhich report quite the contrary, but may and does know this truth byabstract reasoning and higher intellectual effort; so may one know thetruth that All Life is indeed One, at the last, and underlying, by thehigher faculties of the mind, although his senses and ordinaryintellectual processes fail to so inform him. The senses cannot informman that the earth is round, because they cannot see it as a whole,but only in part--while the higher reasoning faculties are able tovisualize the earth as a whole, and know it must be round. And theIntellect, in its ordinary field can see only separateness, and cannotreport Oneness, but the Higher Mind sees Life as a Whole, and knows itto be One. And it is the Higher Mind that we are trying to bring intothe field of consciousness in the appeal to you in this lesson. Wetrust that we may be successful--in fact we know that we shall be so,in many cases, for we know that the field is ready for the sowing ofthe seed--and that the call has been heard, and the message passed onto us to answer the call--else these words would not have been written.

The consciousness of the Unity of Life is something that must beexperienced before the truth may be realized. It is not necessary forone to wait until he acquire full Cosmic Consciousness before he mayrealize, at least partially, the Oneness of All Life, for he may unfoldgradually into the Cosmic Knowing, experiencing at each stage a fullerconception of the underlying Unity of Life, in which he is a centre ofconsciousness and manifestation. But there must be at least a partialunfoldment before one is able to feel the sense of Unity. To thosewho have not unfolded sufficiently to gain at least a glimmering of the

truth, everything appears separate from every other thing, and there isno Unity of All. It is as if every leaf on a mighty tree were toconsider itself a being separate and distinct from everything else inthe world, failing to perceive its connection with the branch or limb,and tree, and its unity in being with every other leaf on the tree.After a bit the unfolding consciousness of the leaf enables it toperceive the stem that connects it with the twig. Then it begins torealize certain relationships, and feels its vital connection with thetwig and the few other leaves attached to the same twig. Later on, itunfolds sufficiently to perceive that certain other leaf-bearing twigsare connected with the same branch, and it learns to feel itsrelationship with all twigs and leaves springing from that branch. Thenagain, a little later on, it begins to realize that other branchesspring from the same limb as its branch, and the sense of relationshipand dawning Unity begins to widen still further. And so it goes on,until at last, the tiny leaflet realizes that the life of the tree isthe life of all of its parts--limbs, branches, twigs, leaves, blossoms,fruit, seed, etc., and that it, itself, is but a centre of expressionin the One Life of the tree. Does the leaf feel less important and realfrom this discovery? We should say assuredly not, for it must feel thatbehind its tiny form and limited strength is the strength and vitalityof the entire organism of the tree. It must know that the tree is everat work extracting nourishment from the earth, air, and water, andtransmitting that nourishment to its every part, including our littlefriend the leaflet. It knows that the sap will rise in the Spring torenew the manifestations of life, and it knows that although its leafyform may wither and die, still the essence of its life--its realLife--does not die but remains ever active and strong awaiting itschance for future expression and re-embodiment. Of course this figureof the leaf and the tree fails us if we attempt to carry it very far,but it will give us at least a partial idea of the relationship betweenthe life of the person, and the One Life.

Some of the Oriental teachers have illustrated this idea to theirstudents by various familiar examples and figures of speech. Some bidthe student hold up his hand, and then point out to him that eachfinger is apparently separate and distinct if one does not look down towhere it joins the hand. Each finger, if it had consciousness, mightwell argue that it was a separate individual, having no relationshipwith any other finger. It might prove this to its own satisfaction, andto that of its listeners, by showing that it could move itself withoutstirring the other fingers. And so long as its consciousness wasconfined to its upper two joints it would remain under the illusion ofseparateness. But when its consciousness at last permeated the depthsof its being, it would find that it emerged from the same hand fromwhich also sprung the other fingers, and that its real life and powerwas vested in the hand rather than in itself, and that althoughapparently separate and independent, it was really but a part of the

hand. And when its consciousness, through the consciousness of thehand, broadened and widened, it would perceive its relationship with,and interdependence with, the whole body, and would also recognize thepower of the brain, and its mighty Will.

Another favorite illustration of the Eastern teachers is the stream ofwater flowing over a rocky bed. They point to the stream before itcomes to a rocky place, and show the chela (student) that it is One.Then they will move a little way down the stream and show him how therocks and stones divide the stream into countless little streams, eachof which might imagine itself a separate and distinct stream, untillater on it again joins the main united stream, and finds that it wasbut a form of expression of the One.

Another illustration that is frequently used by the teachers, is thatwhich bids the student consider himself as a minute cell, or"little-life" as the Hindus call it, in a body. It may be a cell in theblood performing the office of a carrier or messenger, or it may be aworking cell in one of the organs of the body; or it may be a thinkingcell in the brain. At any rate, the cell manifests capacity forthought, action and memory--and a number of secondary attributes quitewonderful in the way. (See "Hatha Yoga," Chapter XVIII.) Each cellmight well consider itself as a separate individual--in a certain senseit does. It has a certain degree of something akin to consciousness,enabling it to perform its work correctly and properly, and is calledupon at times to manifest something like judgment. It may well beexcused for thinking of itself as a "person" having a separate life.The analogy between its illusions and that of the man when seen by aMaster, is very close. But we know that the life of the cell is merelya centre of expression of the life of the body--that its consciousnessis merely a part of the consciousness of the mind animating the body.The cell will die and apparently perish, but the essence of it willremain in the life of the person whose body it occupied, and nothingreally dies or perishes. Would the cell feel any less real if it knewthat behind its Personality as a cell, there was the Individuality ofthe Man--that its Real Self was the Man, not the cell? Of course, eventhis figure of speech can be carried only so far, and then must stop,for the personality of the man, when it is dissolved, leaves behind itan essence which is called Character, which becomes the property of theEgo and which accompanies it into after life according to the Law ofKarma, of which we shall speak in future lessons. But back even ofthese attributes of Personality, is the Ego which exists in spite ofPersonality, and lives on and on throughout many Personalities, and yetlearning the lessons of each, until at last it rises above Personalityand enters into higher sphere of Knowing and Being.

Still another favorite illustration of the Hindu teachers is that ofthe sun beating down upon the ocean and causing a portion of the water

to rise in the form of vapor. This vapor forms clouds which spread allover the earth, and which eventually condense in the form of raindrops, dew, etc. This rain and dew form streams, rivers, etc., andsooner or later every drop finds its way back to Mother Ocean which isits Real Self. Separate though the dewdrop be, yet it is a part of theOcean, no matter how far distant it may be, and the attraction of theOcean will surely, and without fail, draw it back to its bosom. And thedewdrop, if it could know the truth, would be so much happier andstronger, and braver if it could know that it was superior to accident,time and space, and that it could not escape its own good, and thatnothing could prevent its final triumph and victory when at last "thedewdrop glides into the shining sea." How cheerfully it could have metits many changes of form. and the incidents of its journey, if it couldhave gotten rid of the illusion of separateness, and knew that insteadof being a tiny insignificant dewdrop it was a part of the MightyOcean--in fact that its Real Self was that Ocean itself--and that theOcean was continually drawing it toward it, and that the many changes,up and down, were in response to that mighty power of attraction whichwas slowly but irresistibly drawing it back Home to Rest, Peace, andPower.

As valuable as are all these illustrations, examples, and figures ofspeech, still all must of necessity fall short of the truth in the caseof the Soul of Man--that wondrous something which has been built up bythe Absolute after aeons and aeons of time, and which is destined toplay an important part in the great Cosmic Drama which it has pleasedthe Absolute to think into existence. Drawing its Life from theUniversal Life, it has the roots of its being still further back in theAbsolute itself, as we shall see in the next lesson. Great andwonderful is it all, and our minds are but illy fitted to receive thetruth, and must be gradually accustomed to the glare of the Sun. But itwill come to all--none can escape his glorious destiny.

The Oriental writings are full of allusions to the underlying Oneness,in fact the entire Oriental philosophies rest upon it. You may find iteverywhere if you will but look for it. The experience of CosmicConsciousness, which is naught but a sudden or gradual "awareness" ofthe underlying Unity of Life, is evidenced everywhere in theUpanishads, that wonderful series of teachings in the Hindu classics.Every writer in the collection gives his evidence regarding thisawareness of Unity and Oneness, and the experiences and mentalcharacteristics arising from the same. The following quotations willgive an idea of the prevalence of this thought:

"He that beholds all beings in the Self, and the Self in all things, henever turns away from it."

"When to a man who understands, the Self has become all things, what

sorrow, what trouble, can there be to him who once beheld that unity."

The Hindu father explains to his son that the One Life is in all formsand shapes, points out object after object, saying to the boy: "Tattuam asi, Thou art that; That thou art."

And the Mystics have added their testimony to that of others who haveexperienced this consciousness. Plotinus said: "Knowledge has threedegrees: opinion, science, and illumination. The last is absoluteknowledge founded upon the identity of the knowing mind with the knownobject."

And Eckhardt, the German mystic, has told his pupils that: "God is thesoul of all things. He is the light that shines in us when the veil isrent."

And Tennyson, in his wonderful verse describing the temporary liftingof the veil for him, has described a phase of Cosmic Consciousness inthe following words:

"For knowledge is the swallow on the lake That sees and stirs the surface-shadow there, But never yet hath dippt into the abysm, The Abysm of all Abysms, beneath, within The blue of sky and sea, the green of earth, And in the million-millionth of a grain Which cleft and cleft again for evermore And ever vanishing, never vanishes. . .

And more, my son, for more than once when I Sat all alone, revolving in myself That word which is the symbol of myself, The mortal symbol of the Self was loosed, And past into the Nameless, as a cloud Melts into Heaven. I touched my limbs, the limbs Were strange, not mine--and yet no shadow of doubt, But utter clearness, and through loss of Self The gain of such large life as matched with ours Were Sun to spark, unshadowable in words, Themselves but shadows of a shadow-world."

And not only among the mystics and poets is this universal truthexperienced and expressed, but among the great philosophers of all agesmay we find this teaching of the Unity of Life originally voiced in theUpanishads. The Grecian thinkers have expressed the thought; theChinese philosophers have added their testimony; the modernphilosophers, Spinoza, Berkeley, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Hartman,Ferrier, Royce, although differing widely in their theories, all have

expressed as a fundamental truth the Unity of Life--a One Lifeunderlying. The basic teachings of the Vedas are receiving confirmationat the hands of Modern Science, which while calling itselfRationalistic and inclining to a Materialistic conception of theUniverse, still finds itself compelled to say, "At the last, All isOne."

And in nearly every human soul there is a secret chamber in which thetext of this knowledge lies hidden, and in the rare moments in whichthe chamber door is opened in response to poetry, music, art, deepreligious feeling, or those unaccountable waves of uplift that come toall, the truth is recognized for the moment and the soul feels at peaceand is content in the feeling that it is at harmony with the All. Thesense of Beauty, however expressed, when keenly experienced, has atendency to lift us out of our consciousness of separateness intoanother plane of mind in which the keynote is Unity. The higher thehuman feeling, the nearer is the conscious realization of theunderlying Unity.

This realization of the Unity of Life--the Oneness of Life--the GreatLife--even when but faintly experienced, renders Life quite a differentthing to the person. He feels no longer that he is a mere "part" ofsomething that may be destroyed--or that he is a tiny personalsomething, separate from and opposed to all the rest of theUniverse--but that he is, instead, a Unit of Expression--a Centre ofConsciousness--in the Great One Life. He realizes that he has thePower, and Strength, and Life, and Wisdom of the Whole back of him,upon which he may learn to draw as he unfolds. He realizes that he isat Home, and that he cannot be thrust out, for there is no outside ofthe All. He feels within himself the certainty of infinite Life andbeing, for his Life is the all Life, and that cannot die. The pettycares, and worries, and griefs, and pains of everyday personal life areseen for what they are, and they cease to threaten and dominate him asof old. He sees the things of personality as merely the costume andtrappings of the part in the play of life that he is acting out, and heknows that when he discards them he will still be "I."

When one really feels the consciousness of the One Life underlying, heacquires a confident trust and faith, and a new sense of freedom andstrength comes to him, for is he not indeed delivered from the bondageof fear that has haunted him in his world of separateness. He feelswithin him the spiritual pulse of the Universal Life, and at once hethrills with a sense of new-found power and being. He becomesreconciled with Life in all its phases, for he knows these things asbut temporary phases in the working out of some great Universal plan,instead of things permanent and fixed and beyond remedy. He begins tofeel the assurance of Ultimate Justice and God, and the old ideas ofInjustice and Evil begin to fade from him. He who enters into the

consciousness of the Universal Life, indeed enters into a presentrealization of the Life Everlasting. All fear of being "lost" or"eternally damned" fades away, and one instinctively realizes that heis "saved" because he is of the One Life and cannot be lost. All thefear of being lost arises from the sense of illusion of separateness orapartness from the One Life. Once the consciousness of Unity is gained,fear drops from the soul like a wornout garment.

When the idea and consciousness of the Unity takes possession of one,he feels a new sense of cheerfulness and optimism entirely differentfrom any other feeling that he has ever experienced. He loses thatdistrust and hardness which seems to cling to so many in this age whohave arrived at the Intellectual stage of development, and have beenunable to progress further. A new sense of peace and harmony comes toone, and illuminates his entire character and life. The bitternessengendered by the illusion of separateness is neutralized by thesweetness of the sense of Unity. When one enters into thisconsciousness he finds that he has the key to many a riddle of lifethat has heretofore perplexed him. Many dark corners areilluminated--many hard sayings are made clear. Paradoxes becomeunderstandable truths, and the pairs of opposites that dwell in alladvanced intellectual conceptions, seem to bend around their ends andform themselves into a circle.

To the one who understands the Unity, all Nature seems akin andfriendly. There is no sense of antagonism or opposition--everything isseen to fit into its place, and work out its appointed task in theUniversal plan. All Nature is seen to be friendly, when properlyunderstood, and Man regains that sense of harmonious environment andat-home-ness that he lost when he entered the stage ofself-consciousness. The lower animal and the children feel this Unity,in their poor imperfect way, but Man lost this Paradise when hediscovered Good and Evil. But Paradise Lost becomes Paradise Regainedwhen Man enters into this new stage of consciousness. But unlike theanimal or child, which instinctively feels the Unity, the awakened soulof man possesses the Unity consciousness, coupled with intelligentcomprehension, and unfolding spiritual power. He has found that whichhe lost, together with the accumulated interest of the ages. This newkingdom of Consciousness is before the race. All must enter into it intime--all will enter into it--many are entering into it now, by gradualstages. This dawning sense of Unity is that which is causing thespiritual unrest which is now agitating the world, and Which in timewill bring the race to a realization of the Fatherhood of God and theBrotherhood of Man, and his kinship to Every Living Thing. We areentering into this new cycle of human unfoldment, and the greatestchanges are before the race. Ye who read these words are in theforemost ranks of the new dispensation, else you would not beinterested in this subject. You are the leaven which is designed to

lighten the heavy mass of the world-mind. Play well your parts. You arenot alone. Mighty forces and great Intelligences are behind you in thework. Be worthy of them. Peace be with you.

Carry with you the Central Thought of this lesson:

CENTRAL THOUGHT. There is but One Life--a Universal Life--in theworld. This One Life is an emanation from the Absolute. It infills allforms, shapes and manifestations of Life, and is the Real Life thateach imagines to be his personal property. There is but One--and youare centres of consciousness and expression in that One. There is aUnity and Harmony which becomes apparent to those who enter into theconsciousness of the One Life. There is Peace and Calm in the thought.There is Strength and Power in the knowledge. Enter ye into yourKingdom of Power--possess yourselves of your Birthright of Knowledge.In the very center of your being you will find a holy of holies inwhich dwells the Consciousness of the One Life, underlying. Enter intothe Silence of the Shrine within.

THE FIFTH LESSON

THE ONE AND THE MANY.

As we have stated in previous Lessons, all philosophies which thinkershave considered worthy of respect, find their final expression of Truthin the fundamental thought that there is but One Reality, underlyingall the manifold manifestations of shape and form. It is true that thephilosophers have differed widely in their conception of that One, but,nevertheless, they have all agreed upon the logical necessity of thefundamental conception that there is, at least, but One Reality,underlying All.

Even the Materialists have conceded this conclusion, and they speak andthink of a something called "Matter," as the One--holding that,inherent in Matter, is the potentiality of all Life. The school ofEnergists, holding that Matter in itself is non-existent, and that itis merely a mode of manifestation of a something called "Energy,"asserts that this something called Energy is One, fundamental, real,and self-sufficient.

The various forms of Western religious thought, which hold to thevarious conceptions of a Personal Deity, also hold to a Oneness,inasmuch as they teach that in the beginning there was God, only, andthat all the Universe has been created by Him. They do not go intodetails regarding this creation, and, unlike the Oriental teachers,they fail to distinguish between the conception of the creation ofshape and form, on the one hand; and the creation of the substance ofthese shapes and forms, on the other hand. But, even accepting thepremises of these people who hold to the Personal Deity conception, itwill be seen that the Reason requires the acceptance of one or twoideas, viz., (1) That the Deity created the substance of these shapesand forms from Nothing; or else (2) that he created them out of hisown substance--out of Himself, in fact. Let us consider, briefly,these two conceptions.

In the first conception, i.e., Creation from Nothing, we are broughtface to face with an impregnable obstacle, inasmuch as the human reasonpositively refuses to think of Anything coming from Nothing. While itis perfectly true that the finite human mind cannot undertake to limitthe powers of the Infinite; or to insist that the possibilities of theDivine Power must be measured and limited by the finite power ofMan--still it must hearken to the report of its own highest faculties,and say "I cannot Think it," or else blindly accept the teachings ofother finite minds which are equally unable to "Think it," and whichhave no superior sources of information. The Infinite Power has endowedus with reasoning faculties, and evidently expects us to use them totheir full capacity--else the gift were a mockery. And in the absence

of information from higher sources than the Reason, we must use theReason in thinking of this matter, or else refuse to think of it atall.

In view of the above thought, let us then consider the report of theReason, regarding this matter, And then, after having done so, let usapply the test of this report of the Reason, to the highest teaching ofthe Yogi Philosophy, and see how the latter stands the test. And, afterhaving done this, we will apply the test of the Higher Consciousness tothe same teachings. Remember this always, that while there is knowledgethat transcends Reason--that is knowledge that comes from the HigherRegions of the Mind--still even such information of the Spiritual Minddoes not run contrary to Reason, although it goes beyond it. There isharmony between the Spiritual Mind and the Highest Reason.

Returning to the consideration of the matter of Creation of Substancefrom Nothing, we again assert that the Reason is unable to think ofthe creation of Something from Nothing. It finds the statementunthinkable, and contrary to all the laws of thought. It is true thatthe Reason is compelled to accept as a final truth, many things that itcannot understand by reason of its finitude--but this is not one ofthem. There is no logical necessity for the Reason to accept any suchconception as this--there is no warrant in the Reason for any suchtheory, idea or conclusion. Let us stop here, for a moment, and examineinto this difference--it may help us to think clearer, hereafter.

We find it impossible to understand the fact of the Infinite Beinghaving always existed--and Being without Cause. We find it impossibleto conceive of the nature of an Eternal, Causeless, and InfiniteBeing--to conceive the nature of, such a Being, remember.

But, while this is so, still our Reason, by its own laws, compels us tothink that there must be such a Being, so long as we think at all.For, if we think at all, we must think of there being a FundamentalReality--and we must think of that Reality as being without Cause(because there can be no Cause for the First Cause); and we mustthink of that Reality as being Eternal (because It could not havesprung into Being from Nothing, and therefore must have always been);and we must think of that Reality as Infinite (because there isnothing outside of Itself to limit It). Think over this statement for amoment--until you grasp it fully.

But there is no such necessity, or compulsion, in the case of thequestion of Creation from Nothingness. On the contrary, the necessityand compulsion is all the other way. Not only is the Reason unable tothink of Creation from Nothing--not only does all its laws forbid itto hold such a conception--but, more than this, it finds within itselfa conception, full-grown and potent, which contradicts this idea. It

finds within itself the strong certainty that Whatever Really Is hasAlways Been, and that all transient and finite shapes, forms, andmanifestations, must proceed from that which is Real, Infinite,Causeless, and Infinite--and moreover must be composed of thesubstance of that Reality, for there is nothing else Real from whichthey could have been composed; and their composition from Nothing isunthinkable, for Nothing is Nothing, and always will be Nothing."Nothing" is merely a name of denial of existence--an absolute denialof substantiality of any degree, kind or form--an absolute denial ofReality. And from such could come only Nothing--from Nothing, Nothingcomes.

Therefore, finding within itself the positive report that All, andAnything There Is, must be composed of the Substance of the Reality,the Reason is compelled to think that the Universe is composed of theSubstance of the One Reality--whether we call that One Reality, by thename of The Absolute; or whether we call it God. We must believe thatfrom this Absolute-God all things in the Universe have flown out, orbeen emanated, rather than created--begotten, rather than "made."

This does not mean the Pantheistic idea that the Universe is God--butrather that God, while existing separate and apart from His Universe,in his Essence, and Being, is nevertheless in His Universe, and HisUniverse in Him. And this, no matter what conception of God or Deityis had--or whether one thinks of The Absolute as Principle. The Truthis the same--Truth no matter by what names it is called, or by whatmisconception it is surrounded. The Truth is that One is in All, andAll is in One--such is the report of the highest Reason of Man--suchis the report of the Illumined--such is the Highest Teachings that havecome down to the race from the great souls that have trodden The Pathof Attainment.

And now let us submit the Yogi Philosophy to these conceptions, andreports of the Reason. And let us discover just what more the YogiPhilosophy has to say concerning the nature of the Substance of theDivine, which infills all Life--and how it solves the Riddle of theSphinx, concerning the One in All; and All in One. We hope to show youthat the Riddle is capable of solution, and that the old Yogi teachershave long ago grasped that for which the human mind has ever sought.This phase of the Teachings is the highest, and it is usually hintedat, rather than expressed, in the writings on the subject--owing todanger of confusion and misconception. But in these Lessons we shallspeak the Truth plainly, and without fear--for such is the Messagewhich has been given us to deliver to our students--and we will performthe Right action, leaving the Result, or Fruits of the Action, where itbelongs, according to the higher teachings found in the "BhagavadGita," and in the Higher Teachings of the Yogi Philosophy.

The fundamental Truth embedded in the Wisdom-Philosophies of theEast--the Higher Yogi Teachings--is the impregnable doctrine of the OneSelf in the many selves--the many selves in the One Self. Thisfundamental Truth underlies all the Oriental Philosophies which areesoteric in their nature.

Notwithstanding the crude and often repulsive conceptions and practicesof the masses of the people who represent the exoteric, or popular,phase of the teachings (and these two phases are to be found in allregions) still there is always this Inner Doctrine of the One Self, tobe found to those who look for it.

Not only is this true among the Hindus; but even among the Mahommedans,of all countries, there is an Inner Circle of Mystics, known as theSufis, holding to this Truth. And the inner teachings of thephilosophies of all ages and races, have held likewise. And the highestthought of the philosophers of the Western races, has found refuge inthis idea of the Over-soul, or Universal Self. But, it is only amongthe Yogis that we find an attempt made to explain the real nature ofthe manifestation of the One in Many--the holding of the Many forms inthe One Self.

Before proceeding to the consideration of how the One becomes asMany, as expounded by the Higher Yogi Teachings, it becomes necessaryto speak of a matter upon which there has been much confusion andmisunderstanding, not only on the part of the students of variousOriental Philosophies, but also upon the part of some of the teachersthemselves. We allude to the connection between THE ONE--THEABSOLUTE--in Its ESSENCE--and that which has been called the One Life;the Universal Life, etc.

Many writers have spoken of the Universal Life, and The One, as beingidentical--but such is a grievous error, finding no warrant in theHighest Yogi Teachings. It is true that all living forms dwell in, andare infilled with the Universal Life--that All Life is One. We havetaught this truth, and it is indeed Truth, without qualification. Butthere is still a Higher Truth--the Highest Truth, in fact--and that is,that even this Universal Life is not the One, but, instead, is initself a manifestation of, and emanation from, THE ONE. There is agreat difference here---see that you perceive and understand it, beforeproceeding further.

THE ONE--THE ABSOLUTE--according to the Highest Teachings, is PureSpirit, and not Life, Mind, or Being as we understand them in ourfinite and mortal expressions. But, still all Life, Mind, and Being, aswe understand them, spring from, flow from, and emanate from, theOne--and more than this, may be spoken of as reflections of the Life,Mind, and Being of The One, if we may be permitted to apply the names

of finite manifestations to the Infinite Reality.

So, the Highest Teaching is that the Universal Life infilling allliving things, is not, in itself, the Being and Life of THE ONE--but israther a great fundamental emanation of The One, the manner and natureof which will be spoken of as we proceed. Remember this, please.

Leading up to the Supreme Idea of the One in All--All in One--let usexamine into the report of the Reason upon the nature of theSubstance--the Divine Substance--from which all living forms areshaped; and from which all that we know as Finite Mind is likewisecomposed. How can these imperfect and finite forms be composed of aDivine and Perfect Substance? This is the question that must occur tothe minds of those who are capable of deep thought on the subject--andit is a question that must be answered. And it can be answered--andis answered in the Higher Yogi Philosophy. Let us examine the reportsof the Reason, a little further--then shall we be ready for theTeachings.

Of what can the Substance of the Infinite be composed? Can it beMatter? Yes, if you are satisfied with the reasoning of theMaterialists, and cannot see further into the Truth! These teach thatMatter is God, and that God is Matter. But if you be among those whoreject the Materialistic teachings, you will not be satisfied with thisanswer. Even if you incline toward a Non-mental Infinite, still if youare familiar with the results of modern scientific investigation, andknow that Science has seen Matter resolve itself into something likeElectric Energy, you will know that the Truth must lie behind andbeyond Matter.

Then is it Pure Energy? you may ask. Pure Energy? what's that? Can youthink of Energy apart from material manifestation? Have you ever knownof such a thing? Do you not know that even the Electron Theory, whichis attracting the attention of advanced Modern Science, and which holdsthat all things are composed of minute particles of Electric Energy,called Electrons, from which the Atoms are built--do you not know thateven this theory recognizes the necessity of a "something like Matter,only infinitely finer," which they call the Ether, to enfold theElectric Energy as a unit--to give it a body, as it were? And can youescape from the fact that the most advanced scientific minds findconfronting them--the fact that in all Energy, and governing itsactions, there 'is manifested "something like Mind"?

And does not all this teach thinkers that just as Energy creates fromitself, that which is called Matter, and then uses it as a vehicle ofexpression and action--so does this "Something like Mind" create fromitself that which we call Energy, and proceeds to use it, with itsaccompanying phase of Matter, for its expression? Does not all advanced

research show us that in all Matter and Energy there are evidences ofthe operation of this "Something like Mind"? And if this be so, are wenot justified as regarding Matter and Energy as mere Effects--and tolook to this "Something like Mind" as the more fundamental Substance?We think so--and Science is beginning to think so, too. And soon willScience be regarding with the most profound respect, the Metaphysicalaxiom that "All is Mind."

You will see by reference to our "Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy,etc.," the general Yogi teachings regarding the Emanation of the One,known respectively as Mind, Energy, and Matter. You will see that theYogis teach that Mind, Energy, and Matter comprise a threefoldemanation of the Absolute. You will also see that it is taught thatMind was the Parent-Emanation--the Universal Mind; and that theUniversal Energy was the Second-Emanation (proceeding from Mind); andthat the Universal Matter was the Third Emanation (proceeding fromEnergy) In the same book you will find that the Teaching is that aboveMatter, Energy, and Mind, is the Essence of the Absolute, which iscalled Spirit--the nature of which is non-understandable to the mind ofMan, the highest conception of which is the highest manifestation ofitself--Mind. But as we cannot comprehend spirit otherwise, we arejustified in thinking of it as Something like Infinite Mind--Somethingas much higher than Finite Mind as that is higher than mere energy.

Now, then--we have seen the folly of thinking of the Divine Substanceas Matter or Energy. And we have come to know it as Spirit, somethinglike Mind, only infinitely higher, but which still may be thought of interms of Infinite Mind, for we can have no higher terms in our thinkingoperations. So we may then assume that this Divine Nature or substanceis SPIRIT, which we will think of as Infinite Mind, for want of abetter form of conception.

We have seen the folly of thinking of the Divine Essential Substance asthe Body of God. We have likewise seen the folly of thinking of it asthe Vital Energy of God. And we have found that we could not escapethinking of it as the Spirit, or infinite Mind of God. Beyond this wecannot think intelligently.

But do you not see that all this exercise of the Reason has brought usto the point where we must think that this Divine Substance, which theAbsolute-God uses in the manifestation of Universal Life; the Universe;and all the forms, and shapes, and manifestations of life and things inthe Universe--this Divine Substance which must be in All Things--andin which All Things must rest, even as the bubble rests on theOcean--that this can be nothing less than Spirit, and that this Spiritcan be thought of only as Infinite Mind?

And, if this be so, then indeed must All be Mind, and Mind be

All--meaning, of course, the Infinite Mind, not the finitemanifestation that we call Mind.

Then, if this reasoning has been correct, then must we think that AllLife--all the Universe--Everything except the Absolute itself--must beheld in the Infinite Mind of the Absolute!

And, so, by the exercise of our Reason--by listening to, and examiningits reports, we have been brought face to face--eye to eye--heart toheart--with the Teaching of the Illumined Ones, which has come down tous as the Highest Teaching of the Yogi Philosophy! For this, indeed, isthe highest conception of Truth in the Yogi Teachings--this, that ALLMANIFESTATIONS AND EMANATIONS OF THE ABSOLUTE ARE MENTALCREATIONS OFTHE ABSOLUTE--THOUGHT-FORMS HELD IN THE INFINITE MIND--THEINFINITESPIRIT IN THEM--AND THEY IN THE INFINITE SPIRIT. And that the onlyReal Thing about Man is THE SPIRIT involved in the Thought-Form, therest is mere Personality, which changes and ceases to be. The Spirit inthe Soul of Man, is the SOUL OF THE SOUL, which is never born; neverchangeth; never dieth--this is The Real Self of Man, in which, indeed,he is "One with the Father."

This is the point where the Reasoning Mind of Man has come to a senseof Agreement with the Highest Yogi Teachings. Let us now pass on to theTeachings themselves--let us listen to The Message of Truth.

In this consideration of the Highest Yogi Philosophy, and its teaching,we would again say to our students, that which we said to them in "TheAdvanced Course"--that we do not attempt to teach the "why" of theManifestation of The Absolute, but rest content with delivering theMessage of the Yogi Sages, which deals with the "how." As we stated inthe lessons referred to, we incline to that school of the HigherTeachings, which holds that the "Why" of the Infinite Manifestationmust, of necessity, rest with the Infinite alone, and that the finitemind cannot hope to answer the question. We hold that in all theUniversal Mind, or in any of its Mind Manifestations, there is to befound no answer to this question! Wrapped in the Essence of theAbsolute Spirit, alone, is this Final Answer!

The Sages, and Masters, from their high spiritual points ofobservation, possess many truths regarding the "how" side of thequestion that would appear almost like Infinite Wisdom itself, comparedwith our puny knowledge. But even these great souls report that they donot possess the answer to the Final Question--the "Why" of the InfiniteManifestation. And so we may be excused from attempting to answerit--and without shame or sense of shortcoming do we still say, to thisquestion, "We do not know!"

In order that the Final Question may be fully understood let usconsider it for a moment. We find the Question arising from thefollowing condition:

The human Reason is compelled to admit that there is an Infinite,Eternal, Causeless REALITY underlying all forms of manifestation in thephenomenal world. It is likewise compelled to admit that this REALITYmust comprise All that Really Is--and that there can be nothing Realoutside of Itself. Arising from this is the Truth, that all forms ofphenomenal manifestation, must emanate from the One Reality, forthere is nothing else Real from which they could emanate. And thetwin-Truth that these forms of manifestation, must also be in theBeing of the One Reality, for there is nowhere outside of the Allwherein they might find a place. So this One Reality is seen to be"That from which All Things flow"; and "That in which All Things live,and move and have their being."

Therefore All Things emanate from, and are contained in the OneReality. We shall consider "just how" later on, but the question whichconfronts us, and which has been called the "Final Question"--and thatwhich we pronounce unanswerable--is this: "Why has the Infinitemanifested and emanated Finite forms of being?" You will see the natureof the question when you stop to consider: (1) The Infinite cannot haveDesire, for that is a Finite quality; (2) It cannot lack anything, forthat would take away from its Infinity; (3) and even if it did lackanything, from whence could it expect to acquire it; for there isnothing outside of itself--if It lacks anything, it must continue toalways lack it, for there is no outside source from which It couldobtain anything which it does not already possess. And Desire would be,of course, a wanting for something which it lacked--so It could notDesire unless it Lacked--and it would know that Desire would behopeless, even if indeed it did Lack.

So you see that if we regard the Infinite Reality as Perfect, we mustdrop all ideas of It Desiring or Lacking--and of it Growing orImproving--or of it obtaining more Power, or Knowledge. These ideas areridiculous, for an Absolute, Infinite Reality, must possessAll-Knowledge; All-Power; All-Presence, else it is not Absolute andInfinite. And, if It does not possess these attributes of Being, thenIt can never hope to acquire them, for there is Nowhere from whencethey could be acquired--there is no Source outside of the All-Source. AFinite Thing, may lack, and desire, and improve and develop, for thereis the Universal Source from which it may draw. But the Infinite has noUniversal Source, for it is Its own Source. Do you see the nature ofthe Final Question? If not we will again state it--it is this:

"Why should the Infinite Reality, which possesses all that may be

possessed, and which in itself is the only Source of Things--WHY shouldIt Desire to manifest a Universe from and within Itself?"

A little consideration will show you that there is no intelligentanswer to the "Why," either in your own minds, or in the writings andteachings of the greatest minds. The matter is important, to those whoare confronted every day with some of the many attempts to answer thisFinal Question--it is well that our students inform them regarding thefutility of such questioning. And with this end in view, we shallherein give a few of the wise "guesses" at the answer, and our reasonsfor considering them inadequate. We ask the student to considercarefully these remarks, for by so doing he will post himself, and willbe saved much tedious and perplexing wandering along the dangerousplaces in the Swamp of Metaphysics, following the will-o'-the-wisp ofFinite Mind masquerading as the Infinite Wisdom! Beware of the FalseLights! They lead to the quagmire and quicksands of thought!

Let us now consider some of these "guesses" at the answer to the FinalQuestion. Some thinkers have held that the Absolute was bound by aDivine Necessity to manifest itself as Many. The answer to this is thatthe Absolute could not be bound by anything, inner or outer, else itwould not be Absolute and Infinite, but would be Relative and Finite.Another set of thinkers have held that the Absolute found within itselfa Desire to Manifest as Many. From whence could come such anaction-causing Desire? The Absolute could lack nothing, and there wouldbe nothing for it to desire to gain, other than that which It alreadypossessed. One does not desire things one already has, but only what helacks.

Another school would tell us that the Infinite wished to Expressitself in the phenomenal world. Why? Such a phenomenal world could onlybe reflection of Its power, witnessed only by Itself, and could containnothing that was not already contained in the All. To what end wouldsuch a wish tend? What would be accomplished or gained? The InfiniteAll could not become anything more than It already was--so why the wishfor expression? Some say that the whole phenomenal world is but Maya,or Illusion, and does not exist at all. Then who else than the Infinitecaused the Illusion, and why the necessity? This answer only removesthe question back one point, and does not really answer it. Some wouldsay that the Universe is the "dream of the Infinite." Can we conceivethe Infinite Being as exercising the finite faculty of "dreaming"--isnot this childish?

Others would have us believe that the Absolute is indulging in a "game"or "play," when he makes Universes, and those inhabiting them. Cananyone really believe this of The Absolute--playing like a child, withmen and women, worlds and suns, as Its blocks and tin-soldiers? Whyshould the Infinite "play"?--does It need amusement and "fun" like a

child? Poor Man, with his attempts to read the Riddle of the Infinite!

We know of teachers who gravely instruct their pupils in the idea thatthe Absolute and Infinite One manifests Universes and Universal Life,and all that flows from them, because It wishes to "gain experience"through objective existence. This idea, in many forms has been sofrequently advanced that it is worth while to consider its absurdity.In the first place, what "experience" could be gained by the Absoluteand Infinite One? What could It expect to gain and learn, that it didnot already know and possess? One can gain experience only from others,and outside things--not from oneself entirely separated from theoutside world of things. And there would be no "outside" for theInfinite. These people would have us believe that The Absolute emanateda Universe from Itself--which could contain nothing except that whichwas obtained from Itself--and then proceeded to gain experience fromit. Having no "outside" from which it could obtain experiences andsentences and sensations, it proceeded to make (from Itself) animitation one--that is what this answer amounts to. Can you accept it?

The whole trouble in all of these answers, or attempted answers, isthat the answerer first conceives of the Absolute-Infinite Being, as aRelative-Finite Man, and then proceeds to explain what this Big Manwould do. This is but an exaggerated form of anthropomorphism--theconception of God as a Man raised to great proportions. It is but anextension of the idea which gave birth to the savage conceptions ofDeity as a cruel chief or mighty warrior, with human passions, hates,and revenge; love, passions, and desires.

Arising from the same cause, and akin to the theories advanced aboveare similar ones, which hold that the Absolute cannot dwell alone, butmust forever bring forth souls from Itself--this was the idea ofPlotinus, the Greek philosopher. Others have thought that theInfinite was possessed of such a consuming love, that It manifestedobjects upon which it could bestow Its affections. Others have thoughtthat It was lonesome, and desired companionship. Some have spoken ofthe Absolute as "sacrificing" itself, in becoming Many, instead ofremaining One. Others have taught that the Infinite somehow has becomeentangled in Its Manifestations, and had lost the knowledge of ItsOneness--hence their teachings of "I Am God." Others, holding to asimilar idea, tell us that the Infinite is deliberately "masquerading"as the Many, in order to fool and mystify Itself--a show of Itself; byItself, and for Itself! Is not this Speculative Metaphysics run wild?Can one in calm thought so regard the Infinite and AbsoluteBeing--All-Wise--Causeless--All-Powerful--All-Present--All-Possessing--Lacking Nothing--Perfect One--as acting and performing thus, and fromthese motives? Is not this as childish as the childishness of thesavage, and barbarians, in their Mumbo-Jumbo conceptions? Let us leavethis phase of the subject.

The Higher Yogi Teachings hold to no such ideas or theories. It holdsthat the Answer to the Secret is vested in the Infinite alone, and thatfinite "guesses" regarding the "Why" are futile and pitiful. It holdsthat while one should use the Reason to the full, still there arephases of Being that can be considered only in Love, Faith, andConfidence in THAT from which All Things flow, and in which we live andmove and have our being. It recognizes that the things of the Spirit,are known by the Mind. It explores the regions of the Universal Mind toits utmost limits, fearlessly--but it pauses before the Closed Door ofThe Spirit, reverently and lovingly.

But, remember this--that while the Higher Yogi Teachings contain no"guess," or speculative theory, regarding the "Why" of the DivineManifestation, still they do not deny the existence of a "Why". Infact, they expressly hold that the Absolute Manifestation of the Manyis in pursuance of some wondrous Divine Plan, and that the Unfoldmentof the Plan proceeds along well-established and orderly lines, andaccording to Law. They trust in the Wisdom and Love of the AbsoluteBeing, and manifest a perfect Confidence, Trust and Peaceful Patiencein the Ultimate Justice, and Final Victory of the Divine Plan. No doubtdisturbs this idea--it pays no attention to the apparent contradictionsin the finite phenomenal world, but sees that all things are proceedingtoward some far-away goal, and that "All is Well with the Universe".

But they do not think for a moment, or teach in the slightest degree,that all this Unfoldment, and Plan of the Universe, has for its objectany advantage, benefit or gain to the Absolute--such a thought would befolly, for the Absolute is already Perfect, and Its Perfection cannotbe added to, or taken away from. But they do positively teach thatthere is a great beneficial purpose in all the Plan, accruing in theend to the developed souls that have evolved through the workings ofthe plan. These souls do not possess the qualities of theInfinite--they are Finite, and thus are capable of receiving benefits;of growing, developing, unfolding, attaining. And, therefore, the Yogisteach that this building up of Great Souls seems to be the idea of theInfinite, so far as may be gained from an observation of the Workingsof the Plan. The Absolute cannot need these Great Souls for Its ownpleasure, and therefore their building-up must be for their ownadvantage, happiness and benefit.

The Yogis teach, on this subject, that there can be only ONE RealPerfect Being--Perfect without experience--Perfect from theBeginning--but only ONE! In other words, they teach that there can beno such thing as Absolute Perfection, outside of the AbsoluteItself--and that not even the Absolute Being can create anotherAbsolute Being, for in that case there would be no Absolute Being atall, but only two Relative Beings.

Think over this for a moment, and you will see its truth. The ABSOLUTEmust always be "the One without a Second", as the Yogis expressit--there cannot be two Perfect ones. And so, all Finite Beings,being Finite, must work their way up toward the plane of Perfection byThe Path of Life, with all of its lessons, tasks, cares, pains, andstrivings. This is the only way open to them--and even the Absolutecannot have it otherwise, and still be the Absolute. There is a finepoint here--the Absolute is All-Powerful, but even that All-Power isnot sufficient to enable It to destroy Its Absolute Being. And so, youwho have wondered, perhaps you may now understand our words in theFirst Lesson of this series, in which we said that the message of theAbsolute to some of the Illumined has been: "All is being done in thebest and only possible way--I am doing the best I can--all is well--andin the end will so appear."

And, as we also said in that First Lesson: "The Absolute, instead ofbeing an indifferent and unmoved spectator to its own creation, is astriving, longing, active, suffering, rejoicing, feeling Spirit,partaking of the feelings of Its manifestations, rather than callouslywitnessing them. It lives in us--with us--through us. Back of all thepain in the world, may be found a great feeling and suffering love."And in this thought there is comfort to the doubting soul--peace to thetroubled mind.

In the Sixth Lesson, we shall proceed to deliver to you the furtherMessage of Truth, concerning "how" the One Absolute manifests ItsMental Images as Universe; Universal Life; and Forms and Shapes; andIndividualities, and Personalities. We had hoped to include the wholeMessage in this Fifth Lesson, but now find that we have merely laid thesteps by which the student may reach the Essential Truth.

But, lest the student may be left in an uncertain state of mind,awaiting the conclusion of the consideration of the subject--and lesthe may think that we intend teaching him that the Universe, and all init, including himself are "Dreams," because we have said that AllThings are Thought-Forms in the Mind of the Absolute--lest thismisunderstanding may arise, we wish to add a few parting words to whatwe have said.

We wish to impress upon the mind of the student that though all Thingsare but Thought-Forms in the Mind of the Absolute Being, and that whileit is true that the entire Universe of Universes is simply aThought-Form held in the Mind of the Absolute--still this fact does notmean that all Things are "illusions" or "dreams." Remember this, nowand forever, O Student--that that which is held in the Absolute Mind asa Thought-Form IS, and is all there IS, outside of the Absolute Itself.When the Absolute forms a Thought-Form, It forms it out of Its own

mental substance--when the Absolute "holds anything in Its Mind," Itholds it in Itself--for the Absolute is ALL-MIND.

The Absolute is not a material Being, from which Material Beings arecreated. It is a Spiritual Being--a Being whose Substance is akin tothat which we call "Mind," only raised to Infinity and AbsolutePerfection and Power. And this is the only way it can "create"--bycreating a Thought-Form in Its Mental, or Spiritual Substance. Thefaintest "Thought" of the Absolute is more real and durable thananything that man can create--in fact, man can "create" nothing, forall the hard and real material he uses in his "creations," such assteel, diamonds, granite, are but some of the minor Forms, "thought"into being by the Absolute.

And also remember this, that the Absolute cannot "think" of anything,without putting Itself in that thing, as its Essence. Just as a man'sMental Images are not only in his mind, but his mind is in them,also.

Why, you doubting and timorous ones, does not even the finite"thinking" of Man manifest itself in physical and material changes ofform and shape?--does not a man's every thought actually "create"physical forms and shapes, in his brain-cells and physical tissue? Youwho are reading these words--yea, while you are reading thesewords--are "creating" changes of form and shape in your brain-cells,and physical organism. Your mind is constantly at work, also, inbuilding up your physical body, along the lines of the Instinctive Mind(see previous series of lessons)--you are mentally creating in aminiature universe, every moment of your life. And yet, the idea of theAbsolute "creating" a Universe by pure Thought, in Its own Mind, andthereafter causing the work of the Universe to proceed according toLaw, by simply "Willing" it so, causes you to wonder, and perhaps todoubt.

O, ye of little faith, you would deny to the Absolute even the poweryou possess yourself. You plan things in your mind every day, and thenproceed to cause them to appear in material manifestation, and yet youdoubt the ability of the Absolute to do likewise. Why even the poets,or writers of fiction, create characters in their minds--and these seemso real, that even you imagine them to be actual entities, and you weepover their pains, and smile at their joys--and yet all this is on thefinite plane. Why, even the "imaginations" of your petty finite,undeveloped minds, have sufficient power to make your physical bodiessick, or well, or even to cause you to "die," from some imaginedailment. And yet you doubt the power of the Absolute, to "think" thingsinto being! You tiny students in the great Kindergarten of Life--youmust learn better lessons from your little blocks and games. And youwill--this is the Law.

And you who are filled with the sense of your smallness, and"unreality"--know you that so long as you are "held in the Mind ofGod," then so long are you "remembered" by Him. And so long as you areremembered by Him, no real harm can befall you, and your Reality issecond only to His own. Even though you pass out of your mortalframe--doth he remember you in His Mind, and keeping you there, heholds you safe and unharmed. The greatest satisfaction that can come toone, is to be able to fully realize that he, or she, is held firmly INTHE MIND OF THE INFINITE BEING. To such comes the knowledge that inTHAT LIFE there can be NO DEATH.

Peace be with you in this Realization. May you make it your own!

THE SIXTH LESSON

WITHIN THE MIND OF THE ONE.

In our last lesson we gave you the Inner Teachings of the YogiPhilosophy, relating to the real nature of the Universe, and all thatis therein contained. We trust that you have pondered well andcarefully the statements contained in that lesson, for in them is to befound the essence of the highest Yogi teachings. While we haveendeavored to present these high truths to you in the simplest possibleform, yet unless your minds have been trained to grasp the thought, youmay have trouble in fully assimilating the essence of the teachings.But, be not discouraged, for your mind will gradually unfold like theflower, and the Sun of Truth will reach into its inmost recesses. Donot be troubled if your comprehension seems dull, or your progressslow, for all things will come to you in time. You cannot escape theTruth, nor can the Truth escape you. And it will not come to you onemoment sooner than you are ready to receive it, nor will it be delayedone moment in its coming, when you are ready for it. Such is the Law,and none can escape it, nor alter it, nor modify it. All is Well, andAll is Under the Law--nothing ever "happens."

To many, the thought that the Universe and all that is thereincontained, are simply "Thought Forms" in the Infinite Mind--MentalCreations of the Absolute, may seem startling, and a sense of unrealitymay pervade one. This is inevitable, but the reaction will come. Tosome who have grasped this mighty truth there has come a feeling that"All is Nothing," which idea is embodied in their teachings andwritings. But this is merely the Negative Phase of the Truth--there isa Positive Phase which comes as one advances.

The Negative Phase shows us that all that we have considered as realand permanent--the foundations of the Universe itself--is but a mentalimage in the mind of the Absolute, and therefore lacks the fundamentalreality that we had previously associated with it. And realizing this,we are at first apt to feel that, indeed "all is nothing," and to fallinto a state of apathy, and lack of desire to play our part in theworld. But, then, happily the reaction sets in, sooner or later, and webegin to see the Positive Phase of the Truth. This Positive Phase showsus that while all the forms, shapes, and phenomena of the Universe arebut parts of a great show-world, still the essence of all must beReality, itself, else there would not be even the "appearance" of aUniverse. Before a thing can be a Mental Image, there must be a Mind tohold that Mental Image, and a BEING to possess that Mind. And, the veryessence of that BEING must pervade and be immanent in every Image inthat Mind. Just as You are really in your Mental Images, as well asthey in You, so must the Absolute be in Its Mental Images, orCreations, or Thought Forms, as truly as they are in the Mind of the

Absolute. Do you see this plainly? Think well over it--ponder itwell--for in it lies the Truth.

And so, this Positive Phase of the Truth, is far from depressing--it isthe most stimulating conception one can hold, if he but grasps it inits entirety and fulness. Even if it be true that all these shapes,and forms, and appearances, and phenomena, and personalities, be butillusion as compared to the inner Reality--what of it? Are you not thenassured that the Spirit within Yourself is the Spirit of theAbsolute--that the Reality within You is the Reality of theAbsolute--that you ARE, because the Absolute IS, and cannot beotherwise? Does not the Peace, and Calm, and Security, and Bliss thatcomes to you with this Realization, far more than counterbalance thepetty nothings that you have discarded? We think that there can be butone answer to this, when you have fully Realized the Truth.

What gives you the greatest Satisfaction and Content in Life? Let ussee. Well, there is the Satisfaction of Immortality. The human mindinstinctively craves this. Well, what that even the highest finiteconceptions of Future Life have given you, can compare with theassurance of Actual Being, in and of the Absolute? What are your pettyconceptions of "heavens," "paradises," "happy-hunting-grounds," "divineregions of the blessed," and the other ideas of the various religioussects, when compared with the conceptions of your Infinite and EternalExistence in Spirit--your relation with The One--that conception ofInfinite Wisdom, Being, and Bliss? When you grasp this truth, you willsee that you are "in Eternity right Now," and are Immortal even thismoment, as you have always been.

Now, what we have said above is not intended to deny the"heaven-worlds," or planes. On the contrary, you will find much in theteachings regarding these, which the Yogis enter into with much detail.But, we mean that back of all the "heavens" and "celestial planes,"there is a still higher state of being being--the "Absolute Being."Even the "heavens," and "heaven-worlds," and regions of the Devas, orArchangels, are but relative states--there is a state higher than eventhese exalted relative states, and that is the State of the ConsciousUnity and Identity with the One. When one enters into that State, hebecomes more than Man--more than gods--he is then "in the bosom of theFather."

And now, before proceeding to a consideration of the phenomenalmanifestation of the Absolute--the evolving of the Universe in theInfinite Mind--we will again call your attention to the fact thatunderlies all the Universe of forms, shapes and appearances, and thatis, as we stated in our last lesson:

All Manifestations and Emanations of the Absolute are Mental Creations

of the Absolute--Thought-Forms held in the Infinite Mind--the InfiniteSpirit in them--and they in the Infinite Spirit. And, the only RealThing about Man is the Spirit involved in the Thought-Form--the rest ismere Personality, which changes and ceases to be. The Spirit in theSoul of Man, is the Soul of the Soul, which is never born; neverchangeth; never dieth--this is The Real Self of Man, in which, indeed,he is "One with the Father."

And, now let us consider the Yogi Teachings regarding the creation ofthe Universe, and the evolution of the living forms thereon. We shallendeavor to give you the story as plainly as may be, holding fast tothe main thought, and avoiding the side-paths of details, etc., so faras is possible.

In the first place, we must imagine ourselves back to the beginning ofa "Day of Brahm,"--the first dawn of that Day, which is breaking fromthe darkness of a "Night of Brahm." Before we proceed further, we musttell you something about these "Days and Nights of Brahm," of which youhave seen much mention in the Oriental writings.

The Yogi Teachings contain much regarding the "Days and Nights ofBrahm;" the "In-breathing and Out-breathing of the Creative Principle;"the periods of "Manvantara," and the periods of "Pralaya." Thisthought runs through all the Oriental thought, although in differentforms, and with various interpretations. The thought refers to theoccult truth that there is in Cosmic Nature alternate periods ofActivity and Inactivity--Days and Nights--In-breathings andOut-breathings--Wakefulness and Sleep. This fundamental law manifestsin all Nature, from Universes to Atoms. Let us see it now in itsapplication to Universes.

At this point we would call the attention of the student that in manyof the presentations of the Hindu Teachings the writers speak as if theAbsolute, Itself, were subject to this law of Rhythm, and had ItsPeriods of Rest and Work, like Its manifestations. This is incorrect.The highest teachings do not so hold, although at first glance it wouldso appear. The teaching really is that while the Creative Principlemanifests this rhythm, still even this principle, great though it be,is a manifestation of the Absolute, and not the Absolute itself. Thehighest Hindu teachings are firm and unmistakable about this point.

And, another point, in which there is much mistaken teaching. In theperiods of Creative Inactivity in a Universe it must not be supposedthat there is no Activity anywhere. On the contrary, there is never acessation of Activity on the part of the Absolute. While it is CreativeNight in one Universe, or System of Universes, there is intenseactivity of Mid-Day in others. When we say "The Universe" we mean theUniverse of Solar Systems--millions of such systems--that compose the

particular universe of which we have any knowledge. The highestteachings tell us that this Universe is but one of a System ofUniverses, millions in number--and that this System is but one, in ahigher System, and so on and on, to infinity. As one Hindu Sage hathsaid: "Well do we know that the Absolute is constantly creatingUniverses in Its Infinite Mind--and constantly destroying them--and,though millions upon millions of aeons intervene between creation anddestruction, yet doth it seem less than the twinkle of an eye to TheAbsolute One."

And so the "Day and Night of Brahm" means only the statement of thealternating periods of Activity and Inactivity in some one particularUniverse, amidst the Infinite Universality. You will find a mention ofthese periods of Activity and Inactivity in the "Bhagavad Gita," thegreat Hindu epic. The following quotations, and page references, relateto the edition published by the Yogi Publication Society, which wascompiled and adapted by the writer of these lessons. In that edition ofthe "Bhagavad Gita," on page 77, you will find these words attributedto Krishna, the Absolute One in human incarnation:

"The worlds and universes--yea, even the world of Brahm, a single dayof which is like unto a thousand Yugas (four billion years of theearth), and his night as much--these worlds must come and go... TheDays of Brahm are succeeded by the Nights of Brahm. In these BrahmicDays all things emerge from invisibility, and become visible. And, onthe coming of the Brahmic Night, all visible things again melt intoinvisibility. The Universe having once existed, melteth away; and lo!is again re-created."

And, in the same edition, on page 80, we find these words, attributedto the same speaker:

"At the end of a Kalpa--a Day of Brahm--a period of CreativeActivity--I withdraw into my nature, all things and beings. And, at thebeginning of another Kalpa, I emanate all things and beings, andre-perform my creative act."

We may say here, in passing, that Modern Science now holds to thetheory of periods of Rhythmic Change; of Rise and Fall; of Evolutionand Dissolution.

It holds that, beginning at some time in the past aeons of time, therewas the beginning of an upward or evolutionary movement, which is nowunder way; and that, according to the law of Nature, there must come atime when the highest point will be reached, and then will come thebeginning of the downward path, which in time must come to an end,being succeeded by a long period of inactivity, which will then befollowed by the beginning of a new period of Creative Activity and

Evolution--"a Day of Brahm."

This thought of this law of Rhythm, in its Universal form, has beenentertained by the thinkers of all times and races. Herbert Spencerexpressly held to it in his "First Principles," expressing it in manyways akin to this: "Evolution must come to a close in completeequilibrium or rest;" and again, "It is not inferable from the generalprogress towards equilibrium, that a state of universal quiescence ordeath will be reached; but that if a process of reasoning ends in thatconclusion, a further process of reasoning points to renewals ofactivity and life;" and again, "Rhythm in the totality ofchanges--alternate eras of evolution and dissolution." The AncientWestern Philosophers also indulged in this idea. Heraclitus taught thatthe universe manifested itself in cycles, and the Stoics taught that"the world moves in an endless cycle, through the same stages." Thefollowers of Pythagoras went even further, and claimed that "thesucceeding worlds resemble each other, down to the minutest detail,"this latter idea, however--the idea of the "Eternal Recurrence"--whileheld by a number of thinkers, is not held by the Yogi teachers, whoteach infinite progression--an Evolution of Evolution, as it were. TheYogi teachings, in this last mentioned particular, are resembled moreby the line of Lotze's thinking, as expressed in this sentence from hisMicro-cosmos: "The series of Cosmic Periods, ... each link of whichis bound together with every other; ... the successive order of thesesections shall compose the unity of an onward-advancing melody." And,so through the pages of Heraclitus, the Stoics, the Pythagoreans,Empedocles, Virgil, down to the present time, in Nietzsche, and hisfollowers, we find this thought of Universal Rhythm--that fundamentalconception of the ancient Yogi Philosophy.

And, now, returning to the main path of our thought--let us stand hereat the beginning of the dawn of a Day of Brahm. It is verily abeginning, for there is nothing to be seen--there is nothing but Space.No trace of Matter, Force or Mind, as we know these terms. In thatportion of Infinite Space--that is, of course, in that "portion" of theInfinite Mind of the Absolute One, for even Space is a "conception" ofthat Mind, there is "Nothing." This is "the darkest moment, just beforethe dawn."

Then comes the breaking of the dawn of the Brahmic Day. The Absolutebegins the "creation" of a Universe. And, how does It create? There canbe no creation of something out of nothing. And except the AbsoluteItself there is but Nothing.

Therefore The Absolute must create the Universe out of Its own"substance," if we can use the word "substance" in this connection."Substance" means, literally, "that which stands under," being derivedfrom the two Latin words, sub, meaning "under," and stare, meaning

"to stand." The English word "understand" means, literally, "to standunder"--the two words really meaning the same. This is more than acoincidence.

So the Absolute must create the Universe from its own substance, wehave seen. Well, what is this "substance" of the Absolute? Is itMatter? No! for Matter we know to be, in itself, merely a manifestationof Force, or Energy. Then, is it Force or Energy? No! because Force andEnergy, in itself, cannot possess Mind, and we must think of theAbsolute as possessing Mind, for it manifests Mind, and what ismanifested must be in the Manifestor, or Manifesting Agent. Then this"substance" must be Mind? Well, yes, in a way--and yet not Mind as weknow it, finite and imperfect. But something like Mind, only Infinitein degree and nature--something sufficiently greater than Mind as weknow it, to admit of it being the Cause of Mind. But, we are compelledto think of it as "Infinite Mind," for our finite Minds can hold nohigher conception. So we are content to say that this "substance" fromwhich the Absolute must create the Universe is a something that we willcall Infinite Mind. Fix this in your mind, please, as the first step inour conception.

But, how can the Infinite Mind be used to create finite minds, shapes,forms, and things, without it being lessened in quantity--how can youtake something from something, and still have the original somethingleft? An impossibility! And, we cannot think of the Absolute as"dividing Itself up" into two or more portions--for if such were thecase, there would be two or more Absolutes, or else None. There cannotbe two Absolutes, for if the Absolute were to divide itself so therewould be no Absolute, but only two Relatives--two Finites instead ofOne Infinite. Do you see the absurdity?

Then how can this work of Creation be accomplished, in view of thesedifficulties which are apparent even to our finite minds? You maythresh this question over and over again in your minds--men have doneso in all times--and you will not find the answer except in thefundamental Idea of the Yogi Teachings. And this Fundamental Idea isthat the creation is purely a Mental Creation, and the Universe is theMental Image, or Thought-Form, in the Mind of the Absolute--in theInfinite Mind, itself. No other "creation" is possible. And so this,say the Yogi Masters, this is the Secret of Universal Creation. TheUniverse is of, and in, the Infinite Mind, and this is the only wayit could be so. So, fix in your mind this second step in ourconception.

But then, you ask us, from whence comes Force, Matter, and Finite Mind?Well asked, good student--your answer shall be forthcoming. Here it is.

Finite Mind; Force or Energy; and Matter; in themselves have no

existence. They are merely Mental Images, or Thought-Forms in theInfinite Mind of the Absolute. Their whole existence and appearancedepends upon their Mental Conception and Retention in the InfiniteMind. In It they have their birth, rise, growth, decline and death.

Then what is Real about ME, you may ask--surely I have a vividconsciousness of Reality--is this merely an illusion, or shadow? No,not so! that sense of Reality which you possess and which everycreature or thing possesses--that sense of "I Am"--is the perception bythe Mental Image of the Reality of its Essence--and that Essence is theSpirit. And that Spirit is the SUBSTANCE OF THE ABSOLUTE embodied inIts conception, the Mental Image. It is the perception by the Finite,of its Infinite Essence. Or, the perception by the Relative of itsAbsolute Essence. Or, the perception by You, or I, or any other man orwoman, of the Real Self, which underlies all the sham self orPersonality. It is the reflection of the Sun, in the dew-drop, andthousands of dew-drops--seemingly thousands of Suns, and yet but One.And yet, that reflection of the Sun in the dewdrop is more than a"reflection," for it is the substance of the Sun itself--and yet theSun shines on high, one and undivided, yet manifesting in millions ofdew-drops. It is only by figures of speech that we can speak of theUnspeakable Reality.

To make it perhaps plainer to some of you, let us remind you that evenin your finite Mental Images there is evident many forms of life. Youmay think of a moving army of thousands of men. And yet the only "I" inthese men is your own "I." These characters in your mind move and liveand have their being, and yet there is nothing in them except "You!"The characters of Shakespeare, Dickens, Thackeray, Balzac, and therest, were such strong Mental Images that not only their creators werecarried away by their power, and apparent ability, but even you whoread of them, many years after, perhaps, feel the apparent reality, andweep, or smile, or grow angry over their actions. And, yet there was noHamlet, outside of Shakespeare's mind; no Micawber outside of Dickens;no Pere Goriot outside of Balzac.

These illustrations are but finite examples of the Infinite, but stillthey will give you an idea of the truth that we are trying to unfold inyour mind. But you must not imagine that You and I, and all others, andthings, are but mere "imaginations," like our createdcharacters--that would be a most unhappy belief. The mental creationsheld by You and I, and other finite minds, are but finite creations offinite minds, while WE, ourselves, are the finite creations of anINFINITE MIND. While our, and Dickens', and Balzac's, and Shakespeare'screations live and move and have their being, they have no other "I"than our Finite Minds, while we, the characters in the Divine Drama,Story, or Epic, have for our "I"--our Real Self--the ABSOLUTE REALITY.They have merely a background of our finite personalities, and minds,

before which they may desport themselves. until, alas! the verybackground fades away to dust, and both background and shadowsdisappear. But, we have behind our personalities the Eternal Backgroundof Reality, which changeth not, neither doth it Disappear. Shadows on ascreen though our Personalities may be, yet the Screen is Real andEternal. Take away the finite screen and the shadows disappear--but ourScreen remains forever.

We are Mental Images in the Infinite Mind--the Infinite Mind holds ussafe--we cannot be lost--we cannot be hurt--we can never disappear,unless we be absorbed in the Infinite Mind itself, and then we STILLARE! The Infinite Mind never forgets--it never can overlook us--it isaware of our presence, and being, always. We are safe--we aresecure--we ARE! Just as we could not be created from Nothing--so wecannot be converted into Nothing. We are in the All--and there is nooutside.

At the dawn of the Brahmic Day, The Absolute begins the creation of anew Universe, or the recreation of one, just as you may care to stateit. The highest Yogi Teachings inform us that the information relatingto this event (which is, of course, beyond the personal knowledge ofman as we know him) has been passed down to the race from teachers, whohave received it from still higher teachers, and so on, and on and on,higher and higher, until it is believed to have originated with some ofthose wonderfully developed souls which have visited the earth fromhigher planes of Being, of which there are many. In these lessons weare making no claims of this sort, but pass on the teachings to you,believing that their truth will appeal to those who are ready for them,without any attempt to attribute to them an authority such as justmentioned. Our reference to this high source of the teachings was madebecause of its general acceptance in the Eastern countries, and byoccultists generally.

The Yogi teachings inform us that, in the Beginning, The Absoluteformed a Mental Image, or Thought-Form, of an Universal Mind--that is,of an Universal Principle of Mind. And here the distinction is madebetween this Universal Mind Principle, or Universal Mind-Stuff, as somehave called it, and the Infinite Mind itself. The Infinite Mind issomething infinitely above this creation of the Universal MindPrinciple, the latter being as much an "emanation" as is Matter. Letthere be no mistake about this. The Infinite Mind is Spirit--theUniversal Mind Principle is "Mind-Stuff" of which all Finite Mind is apart. This Universal Mind Principle was the first conception of TheAbsolute, in the process of the creation of the Universe. It was the"Stuff" from which all Finite Mind forms, and is formed. It is theUniversal Mental Energy. Know it as such--but do not confound it withSpirit, which we have called Infinite Mind, because we had no otherterm. There is a subtle difference here, which is most important to a

careful understanding of the subject.

The Yogi teachings inform us that from this Mental Principle there wasdeveloped the Universal Principle of Force or Energy. And that fromthis Universal Force Principle there developed the Universal Principleof Matter. The Sanscrit terms for these Three Principles are asfollows: Chitta, or the Universal Mind Substance, or Principle;Prana, or the Universal Energy Principle; and Akasa, or theUniversal Principle of Matter. We have spoken of these ThreePrinciples, or Three Great Manifestations, in our "Advanced Course" oflessons, which followed our "Fourteen Lessons," several years ago, butit becomes necessary for us to refer to them again at this place inconnection with the present presentation of the subject. As was statedin the lessons just mentioned, these Three Manifestations, orPrinciples, are really one, and shade into each other. This matter hasbeen fully touched upon in the concluding lessons of the aforesaid"Advanced Course," to which we must refer you for further details, inorder to avoid repetition here. You will find a wonderfulcorrespondence between these centuries-old Yogi teachings, and thelatest conceptions of Modern Science.

Well, to return to the main path once more, the Teachings inform usthat The Absolute "thought" into being--that is, held the Mental Image,or Thought-Form, of--Chitta, or Universal Mind Principle. ThisChitta was finite, of course, and was bound and governed by the Lawsof Finite Mind, imposed upon it by the Will of The Absolute. Everythingthat is Finite is governed by Laws imposed by the great LAW which wecall The Absolute. Then began the Great INVOLUTION which was necessarybefore Evolution was possible. The word "Involve," you know, means "towrap up; to cover; to hide; etc.;" and the word "Evolve" means "tounwrap; to unfold; to un-roll; etc." Before a thing can be "evolved,"or "unfolded," it must first have been "involved" or "folded-in, orwrapped up, etc." Everything must be "involved" before it can be"evolved;" remember this, please--it is true on all planes, mental,physical, and spiritual. A thing must be "put in" before it may be"taken out." This truth, if remembered and applied to metaphysicalproblems, will throw the clearest light upon the darkest problems. Makeit your own.

Therefore before the process of Evolution from the gross forms ofMatter up to the higher, and then on to the Mental, from higher tohigher, and then on the Spiritual plane--that Evolution which we seebeing performed before our sight today--before that Evolution becamepossible there was a necessary Involution, or "wrapping-up." The Spiritof the Absolute first "involved" itself in its Mental Image;Thought-Form, or Creation, of the Mind Principle, just as you may"involve" yourself in an earnest thought in deep meditation. Did younever "lose yourself" in thought, or "forget yourself" in an idea? Have

you not spoken of yourself as having been "wrapped in thought?" Well,then you can see something of what is here meant, at least so far asthe process of "involution" is concerned. You involve yourself in yourmeditations--the Absolute involves Itself in Its Mental Creations--but,remember the one is Finite, and the other Infinite, and the results arecorrespondingly weak or strong.

Obeying the laws imposed upon it, the Mental Principle then involveditself in the Energy Principle, or Prana, and the Universal Energysprang into existence. Then, in obedience to the same Laws, the Pranainvolved itself in the Akasa, or Universal Matter Principle. Ofcourse each "involving" practically "created" the "wrapper," "sheath"of the lower Principle. Do you see this? Each, therefore, depends uponthe Principle higher than itself, which becomes its "Parent Principle,"as the Yogis express it. And in this process of Involution the extremeform of Matter was reached before the process of Evolution becamepossible. The extreme form of gross Matter is not known to us today, onthis planet, for we have passed beyond it. But the teachings inform usthat such forms were as much grosser that the grossest Matter that weknow today, as the latter is gross in comparison with the most etherealvapors known to Modern Science. The human mind cannot grasp thisextreme of the scale, any more than it can the extreme high degree ofmanifestation.

At this point we must call your attention to certain occult teachings,widely disseminated, which the highest Yogi teachers discountenance,and contradict. We allude to the teaching that in the process ofInvolution there was a "degeneration" or "devolution" from higher tolower forms of life, until the gross state of Matter was reached. Sucha teaching is horrible, when considered in detail. It would mean thatThe Absolute deliberately created high forms of life, arch-angels, andhigher than these--gods in fact--and then caused them to "devolve"until the lowest state was reached. This would mean the exact oppositeof Evolution, and would mean a "going down" in accordance with theDivine Will, just as Evolution is a "going up" in accordance with theDivine Will.

This is contrary to man's best instincts, and the advanced Yogiteachings inform us that it is but an illusion or error that men havecreated by endeavoring to solve spiritual mysteries by purelyintellectual processes. The true teaching is that the process ofInvolution was accomplished by a Principle involving itself in thelower Principle created within itself, and so on until the lowest planewas reached. Note the difference--"Principles as Principles" did this,and not as Individual Forms of Life or Being. There was no more a"devolution" in this process than there was in The Absolute involvingitself in the Mental Image of the Mind Principle. There was no"devolution" or "going down"--only an "involution" or "wrapping up," of

Principle, within Principle--the Individual Life not having as yetappeared, and not being possible of appearance until the Evolutionaryprocess began.

We trust that we have made this point clear to you, for it is animportant matter. If the Absolute first made higher beings, and thencaused them to "devolute" into lower and lower forms, then the wholeprocess would be a cruel, purposeless thing, worthy only of some of thebase conceptions of Deity conceived of by men in their ignorance. No!the whole effort of the Divine Will seems to be in the direction of"raising up" Individual Egos to higher and still higher forms. And inorder to produce such Egos the process of "Involution" of Principlesseems to have been caused, and the subsequent wonderful Evolutionaryprocess instituted. What that "Reason" is, is Unknowable, as we havesaid over and over again. We cannot pry into the Infinite Mind of theAbsolute, but we may form certain conclusions by observing and studyingthe Laws of the Universe, which seem to be moving in certaindirections. From the manifested Will of the Divine One, we may at leasthazard an idea as to its purposes. And these purposes seem to be alwaysin an "upward" lifting and evolution. Even the coming of the "Night ofBrahm" is no exception to this statement, as we shall see in futurelessons.

From the starting of the process of Involution from the MentalPrinciple, down to the extreme downward point of the grossestManifestation of Matter, there were many stages. From the highestdegree of the Finite Mind, down to lower and still lower degrees; thenon to the plane of Force and Energy, from higher to lower degrees ofPrinciple within Principle; then on to the plane of Matter, theInvolutionary urge proceeded to work. When the plane of Matter wasreached, it, of course, showed its highest degree of manifestedMatter--the most subtle form of Ether, or Akasa. Then down, down,down, went the degrees of Matter, until the grossest possible form wasreached, and then there was a moment's pause, before the Evolutionaryprocess, or upward-movement, began. The impulse of the Original Will,or Thought, had exhausted its downward urge, and now began the upwardurge or tendency. But here was manifested a new feature.

This new feature was "The Tendency toward Individualization." Duringthe downward trend the movement was en masse, that is, by Principleas Principle, without any "splitting up" into portions, or centers.But with the first upward movement there was evidenced a tendencytoward creating Centers of Energy, or Units of activity, which thenmanifested itself, as the evolutionary movement continued, fromelectrons to atoms; from atoms to man. The gross matter was used asmaterial for the formation of finer and more complex forms; and thesein turn combined, and formed higher, and so on, and on. And the formsof Energy operated in the same way. And the manifestations of centers

of Mind or consciousness in the same way. But all in connection.Matter, Energy and Mind formed a Trinity of Principles, and worked inconnection. And the work was always in the direction of causing higherand higher "forms" to arise--higher and higher Units--higher and higherCenters. But in every form, center or unit, there was manifested theThree Principles, Mind, Energy, and Matter. And within each was theever present Spirit. For Spirit must be in All--just as All must bein Spirit.

And, so this Evolutionary process has continued ever since, and mustcontinue for aeons yet. The Absolute is raising itself up into Itselfhigher and higher Egos, and is providing them with higher and highersheaths in which to manifest. And, as we shall see in these lessons, aswe progress, this evolution is not only along the physical lines, butalso along the mental. And it concerns itself not only with "bodies,"but with "souls," which also evolve, from time to time, and bodies aregiven these souls in order that they may work out their evolution. Andthe whole end and aim of it all seems to be that Egos may reach thestage where they are conscious of the Real Self--of the Spirit withinthem, and its relation to the Spirit of the Absolute, and then go onand on and on, to planes of life and being, and activities of whicheven the most advanced of the race may only dream.

As some of the Ancient Yogi Teachers have said: "Men are evolving intosuper-men; and super-men into gods; and gods into super-gods; andsuper-gods into Something still higher; until from the lowest bit ofmatter enclosing life, unto the highest being--yea, even unto TheAbsolute--there is an Infinite Ladder of Being--and yet the One Spiritpervades all; is in all, as the all is in It."

The Creative Will, of which we have spoken in these lessons, is in fulloperation all through Life. The Natural Laws are laws of Life imposedby The Absolute in his Mental Image. They are the Natural Laws of thisUniverse, just as other Universes have other Laws. But The AbsoluteItself has no Laws affecting It--It, in Itself is LAW.

And these Laws of Life, and Nature, along its varying planes, Material,of Energy; and Mental; are also, in the Divine Mind, else they wouldnot be at all, even in appearance. And when they are transcended, orapparently defied by some man of advanced development, it is onlybecause such a man is able to rise above the plane upon which such lawsare operative. But even this transcending is, in itself, in accordancewith some higher law.

And so, we see that All, high and low--good and bad--simple orcomplex--all are contained Within the Mind of the One. Gods, angels,adepts, sages, heavens, planes,--all, everything--is within theUniverse, and the Universe is Within the Mind of the One. And all is

proceeding in accordance with Law. And all is moving upward and onward,along the lines of Evolution. All is Well. We are held firmly in TheMind of the One.

And, just as the tendency was from the general Principle toward theparticular Individual Soul, so is there a Reconciliation later on, forthe Individual soul, as it develops and unfolds, loses its sense ofSeparateness, and begins to feel its identity with the One Spirit, andmoves along the lines of unfoldment, until it becomes in ConsciousUnion with God. Spiritual Evolution does not mean the "growth of theSpirit," for the Spirit cannot grow--it is already Perfect. The termmeans the unfoldment of the Individual Mind, until it can recognize theSpirit Within. Let us close this lesson with the

CENTRAL THOUGHT.

There is but ONE. That ONE is Spirit. In the Infinite Mind of that ONESPIRIT there arose the Mental Image or Thought-Form of this Universe.Beginning with the Thought of the Principle in Mind; and passing on tothe Principle of Energy; and then on to the Principle of Matter;proceeded the Involutionary Process of Creation. Then, upward began theEvolutionary Process, and Individual Centers or Units were formed. Andthe tendency, and evolutionary urge is ever in the direction of"unfolding" within the Ego of the Realization of the Indwelling Spirit.As we throw off sheath after sheath, we approach nearer and nearer tothe SPIRIT within us, which is the One Spirit pervading all things.This is the Meaning of Life--the Secret of Evolution. All the Universeis contained Within the Mind of The One. There is Nothing outside ofthat Infinite Mind. There is no Outside, for the One is All in All;Space, Time, and Laws, being but Mental Images in that Mind, as arelikewise all shapes and forms, and phenomena. And as the Ego unfoldsinto a realization of Itself--Its Real Self--so does its Wisdom andPower expand. It thus enters into a greater and greater degree of itsInheritance. Within the Mind of the One, is All there is. And I, andThou, and All Things are HERE within that Infinite Mind. We are always"held in Mind" by The Absolute--are always safe here. There is nothingto harm us, in Reality, for our Real Self is the Real Self of theInfinite Mind. All is Within the Mind of the One. Even the tiniest atomis under the Law, and protected by the Law. And the LAW is All thereIs. And in that Law we may rest Content and Unafraid. May thisRealization be YOURS.

PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL.

THE SEVENTH LESSON

COSMIC EVOLUTION.

We have now reached a most interesting point in this course of lessons,and a period of fascinating study lies before us from now until theclose of the course. We have acquainted ourselves with the fundamentalprinciples, and will now proceed to witness these principles in activeoperation. We have studied the Yogi Teachings concerning the Truthunderlying all things, and shall now pass on to a consideration of theprocess of Cosmic Evolution; the Cyclic Laws; the Law of SpiritualEvolution, or Reincarnation; the Law of Spiritual Cause and Effect, orKarma; etc. In this lesson we begin the story of the upward progressof the Universe, and its forms, shapes, and forces, from the point ofthe "moment's pause" following the ceasing of the process ofInvolution--the point at which Cosmic Evolution begins. Our progress isnow steadily upward, so far as the evolution of Individual Centres isconcerned. We shall see the principles returning to the Principle--thecentres returning to the great Centre from which they emanated duringthe process of Involution. We shall study the long, gradual, but steadyascent of Man, in his journey toward god-hood. We shall see theBuilding of an Universe, and the Growth of the Soul.

In our last lesson we have seen that at the dawn of a Brahmic Day, theAbsolute begins the creation of a new Universe. The Teachings inform usthat in the beginning, the Absolute forms a Mental Image, orThought-Form of an Universal Mind Principle, or Universal Mind-Stuff,as some of the teachers express it. Then this Universal Mind Principlecreates within itself the Universal Energy Principle. Then thisUniversal Energy Principle creates within itself the Universal MatterPrinciple. Thus, Energy is a product of Mind; and Matter a product ofEnergy.

The Teachings then further inform us that from the rare, tenuous,subtle form of Matter in which the Universal Matter Principle firstappeared, there was produced forms of Matter less rare; and so by easystages, and degrees, there appeared grosser and still grosser forms ofmatter, until finally there could be no further involution into grosserforms, and the Involutionary Process ceased. Then ensued the "moment'spause" of which the Yogi teachers tell us. At that point Matter existedas much grosser that the grossest form of Matter now known to us, asthe latter is when compared to the most subtle vapors known to science.It is impossible to describe these lower forms of matter, for they haveages since disappeared from view, and we would have no words with whichto describe them. We can understand the situation only by comparisonssimilar to the above.

Succeeding the moment's pause, there began the Evolutionary Process, or

Cosmic Evolution, which has gone on ever since, and which will go onfor ages to come. From the grossest forms of Matter there evolved formsa little more refined, and so on and on. From the simple elementarvforms, evolved more complex and intricate forms. And from these formscombinations began to be formed. And the urge was ever upward.

But remember this, that all of this Evolutionary Process is but aReturning Home. It is the Ascent after the Descent. It is not aCreation but an Unfoldment. The Descent was made by principles asprinciples--the Ascent is being made by Individualized Centres evolvedfrom the principles. Matter manifests finer and finer forms, andexhibits a greater and greater subservience to Energy or Force. AndEnergy or Force shows a greater and greater degree of "mind" in it.But, remember this, that there is Mind in even the grossest form ofMatter. This must be so, for what springs from a thing must contain theelements of its cause.

And the Cosmic Evolution continues, and must continue for aeons oftime. Higher and higher forms of Mind are being manifested, and stillhigher and higher forms will appear in the scale, as the processcontinues. The evolution is not only along material lines, but haspassed on to the mental planes, and is now operating along thespiritual lines as well. And the end, and aim seems to be that eachEgo, after the experiences of many lives, may unfold and develop to apoint where it may become conscious of its Real Self, and realize itsidentity with the One Life, and the Spirit.

At this point we may be confronted with the objection of the student ofmaterial science, who will ask why we begin our consideration of CosmicEvolution at a point in which matter has reached the limit of itslowest vibrations, manifesting in the grossest possible form of matter.These students may point to the fact that Science begins itsconsideration of evolution with the nebulae, or faint cloudlike,vaporous matter, from which the planets were formed. But there is onlyan apparent contradiction here. The nebulae were part of the Processof Involution, and Science is right when it holds that the gross formswere produced from the finer. But the process of change from finer togrosser was Involution, not Evolution. Do you see the difference?Evolution begins at the point when the stage of Unfoldment commenced.When the gross forms begin to yield to the new upward urge, and unfoldinto finer forms--then begins Evolution.

We shall pass over the period of Evolution in which Matter was evolvinginto finer and still finer forms, until at last it reached a degree ofvibration capable of supporting that which we call "life." Of coursethere is "life" in all matter--even in the atom, as we have shown inprevious lessons. But when we speak of "life," as we now do, we meanwhat are generally called "living forms." The Yogi Teachings inform us

that the lowest forms of what we call "life" were evolved from forms ofhigh crystal life, which indeed they very much resemble. We have spokenof this resemblance, in the previous lessons of this series. And, so weshall begin at the point where "living forms" began.

Speaking now of our own planet, the Earth, we find matter emerging fromthe molten state in which it manifested for ages. Gradually cooling andstratifying, the Earth contained none of those forms that we callliving forms. The temperature of the Earth in that period is estimatedat about 15,000 times hotter than boiling water, which would, ofcourse, render impossible the existence of any of the present knownforms of life. But the Yogi Teachings inform us that even in the moltenmass there were elementary forms that were to become the ancestralforms of the later living forms. These elementary forms were composedof a vaporous, peculiar form of matter, of minute size,--little morethan the atoms, in fact, and yet, just a little more advanced. Fromthese elementary forms, there gradually evolved, as the Earth cooledand solidified, other forms, and so on until at last the first "livingform" manifested.

As the globe cooled at the poles, there was gradually created atropical climate, in which the temperature was sufficiently cool tosupport certain rudimentary forms of life. In the rocks in the farnorthern latitudes, there are found abundant traces of fossils, whichgoes to prove the correctness of the Yogi Teachings of the origin oflife at the north pole, from which the living forms gradually spreadsouth toward the equator, as the Earth's surface cooled.

The elementary evolving life forms were of a very simple structure, andwere but a degree above the crystals. They were composed of identicallythe same substance as the crystals, the only difference being thatthey displayed a greater degree of mind. For that matter, even thehighest physical form known to us today is composed of simple chemicalmaterials. And these chemical materials are obtained, either directlyor indirectly, from the air, water, or earth. The principal materialscomposing the physical bodies of plants, animals, and man, are oxygen,carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, with a still smaller proportion of sulphurand phosphorus, and traces of a few other elements. The material partof all living things is alike--the difference lies in the degree ofMind controlling the matter in which it is embodied.

Of these physical materials, carbon is the most important to the livingforms. It seems to possess properties capable of drawing to it theother elements, and forcing them into service. From carbon proceedswhat is called "protoplasm," the material of which the cells of animaland vegetable life is composed. From protoplasm the almost infinitevarieties of living forms have been built up by the process ofEvolution, working gradually and by easy stages. Every living form is

made up, or composed, of a multitude of single cells, and theircombinations. And every form originates in a single cell which rapidlymultiplies and reproduces itself until the form of the amoeba; theplant; the animal; the man, is completed. All living forms are but asingle cell multiplied. And every cell is composed of protoplasm.Therefore we must look for the beginning of life in the grade of mattercalled protoplasm. In this both modern Science and the Yogi Teachingsagree fully.

In investigating protoplasm we are made to realize the wonderfulqualities of its principal constituent--Carbon. Carbon is the wonderworker of the elements. Manifesting in various forms, as the diamond,graphite, coal, protoplasm--is it not entitled to respect? The YogiTeachings inform vis that in Carbon we have that form of matter whichwas evolved as the physical basis of life. If any of you doubt thatinorganic matter may be transformed into living forms, let us refer youto the plant life, in which you may see the plants building up cellsevery day from the inorganic, chemical or mineral substances, in theearth, air, and water. Nature performs every day the miracle oftransforming chemicals and minerals into living plant cells. And whenanimal or man eats these plant cells, so produced, they becometransformed into animal cells of which the body is built up. What ittook Nature ages to do in the beginning, is now performed in a fewhours, or minutes.

The Yogi Teachings, again on all-fours with modern Science, inform usthat living forms had their beginning in water. In the slimy bed of thepolar seas the simple cell-forms appeared, having their origin in thetransitional stages before mentioned. The first living forms were alowly form of plant life, consisting of a single cell. From these formswere evolved forms composed of groups of cells, and so proceeded thework of evolution, from the lower form to the higher, ever in an upwardpath.

As we have said, the single cell is the physical centre, or parent, ofevery living form. It contains what is known as the nucleus, orkernel, which seems to be more highly organized than the rest of thematerial of the cell--it may be considered as the "brain" of the cell,if you wish to use your imagination a little. The single cellreproduces itself by growth and division, or separation. Each cellmanifests the functions of life, whether it be a single-celledcreature, or a cell which with billions of others, goes to make up ahigher form. It feels, feeds, grows, and reproduces itself. In thesingle-celled creature, the one cell performs all of the functions, ofcourse. But as the forms become more complex, the many cells composinga form perform certain functions which are allotted to it, the divisionof labor resulting in a higher manifestation. This is true not only inthe case of animal forms, but also in the case of plant forms. The

cells in the bone, muscle, nerve-tissue and blood of the animal differaccording to their offices; and the same is true in the cells in thesap, stem, root, leaf, seed and flower of the plant.

As we have said, the cells multiply by division, after a period ofgrowth. The cell grows by material taken into its substance, as food.When sufficient food has been partaken, and enough new materialaccumulated to cause the cell to attain a certain size, then itdivides, or separates into two cells, the division being equal, and thepoint of cleavage being at the kernel or nucleus. As the two partsseparate, the protoplasm of each groups itself around its nucleus,and two living forms exist where there was but one a moment before. Andthen each of the two cells proceed to grow rapidly, and then separate,and so on to the end, each cell multiplying into millions, as timepasses.

Ascending in the scale, we next find the living forms composed ofcell-groups. These cell-groups are formed by single cells dividing, andthen subdividing, but instead of passing on their way they groupthemselves in clusters, or masses. There are millions of forms of thesecell-group creatures, among which we find the sponges, polyps, etc.

In the early forms of life it is difficult to distinguish between theanimal and the plant forms, in fact the early forms partake of thequalities of both. But as we advance in the scale a little there isseen a decided "branching out," and one large branch is formed of theevolving plant forms, and the other of the evolving animal forms. Theplant-branch begins with the sea-weeds, and passes on to the fungi,lichens, mosses, ferns, pines and palm-ferns, grasses, etc., then tothe trees, shrubs and herbs. The animal-branch begins with themonera, or single-cell forms, which are little more than a drop ofsticky, glue-like protoplasm. Then it passes on to the amoebae, whichbegins to show a slight difference in its parts. Then on theforaminifera, which secretes a shell of lime from the water. Then ona step higher to the polycystina, which secretes a shell, or skeletonof flint-like material from the water. Then come the sponges. Then thecoral-animals, anemones and jelly-fish. Then come the sea-lilies,star-fish, etc. Then the various families of worms. Then the crabs,spiders, centipedes, insects. Then come the mollusca, which include theoysters, clams and other shell-fish; snails, cuttle-fish, sea-squirts,etc. All of the above families of animal-forms are what are known as"invertebrates," that is, without a backbone.

Then we come to the "vertebrates," or animals having a backbone. Firstwe see the fish family with its thousands of forms. Then come theamphibia, which include the toads, frogs, etc. Then come the reptiles,which include the serpents, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, etc. Thencome the great family of birds, with its wonderful variety of forms,

sizes, and characteristics. Then come the mammals, the name of whichcomes from the Latin word meaning "the breast," the characteristic ofwhich group comes from the fact that they nourish their young by milk,or similar fluid, secreted by the mother. The mammals are the highestform of the vertebrates.

First among the mammals we find the aplacentals, or those which bringforth immature young, which are grouped into two divisions, i.e., (1)the monotremes, or one-vented animals, in which group belong theduck-bills, spiny ant-eaters, etc.; and (2) the marsupials, orpouched animals, in which group belong the kangaroo, opossum, etc.

The next highest form among the mammals are known as the placentals,or those which bring forth mature young. In this class are found theant-eaters, sloth, manatee, the whale and porpoise, the horse, cow,sheep, and other hoofed animals; the elephant, seal, the dog, wolf,lion, tiger, and all flesh eating animals; the hares, rats, mice, andail other gnawing animals; the bats, moles, and other insect-feeders;then come the great family of apes, from the small monkeys up to theorang-outang, chimpanzee, and other forms nearly approaching man. Andthen comes the highest, Man, from the Kaffir, Bush-man, Cave-man, andDigger Indian, up through the many stages until the highest forms ofour own race are reached.

From the Monera to Man is a long path, containing many stages, but itis a path including all the intermediate forms. The Yogi Teachings holdto the theory of evolution, as maintained by modern Science, but itgoes still further, for it holds not only that the physical forms aresubject to the evolutionary process, but that also the "souls" embodiedin these forms are subject to the evolutionary process. In other wordsthe Yogi Teachings hold that there is a twin-process of evolution underway, the main object of which is to develop "souls," but which alsofinds it necessary to evolve higher and higher forms of physical bodiesfor these constantly advancing souls to occupy.

Let us take a hasty glance at the ascending forms of animal life, asthey rise in the evolutionary scale. By so doing we can witness thegrowth of the soul, within them, as manifested by the higher and higherphysical forms which are used as channels of expression by the soulswithin. Let us first study soul-evolution from the outer viewpoint,before we proceed to examine it from the inner. By so doing we willhave a fuller idea of the process than if we ignored the outer andproceed at once to the inner. Despise not the outer form, for it hasalways been, and is now, the Temple of the Soul, which the latter isremodelling and rebuilding in order to accommodate its constantlyincreasing needs and demands.

Let us begin with the Protozoa, or one-celled forms--the lowest form

of animal life. The lowest form of this lowest class is that remarkablecreature that we have mentioned in previous lessons--the Moneron.This creature lives in water, the natural element in which organic lifeis believed to have had its beginning. It is a very tiny, shapeless,colorless, slimy, sticky mass--something like a tiny drop ofglue--alike all over and in its mass, and without organs or parts ofany kind. Some have claimed that below the field of the microscopethere may be something like elementary organs in the Moneron, but sofar as the human eye may discover there is no evidence of anything ofthe kind. It has no organs or parts with which to perform particularfunctions, as is the case with the higher forms of life. Thesefunctions, as you know, may be classed into three groups, i.e.,nutrition, reproduction, and relation--that is, the function offeeding, the function of reproducing its kind, and the function ofreceiving and responding to the impressions of the outside world. Allof these three classes of functions the Moneron performs--but with anypart of its body, or with all of it.

Every part, or the whole, of the Moneron absorbs food and oxygen--it isall mouth and lungs. Every part, or the whole, digests the food--it isall stomach. Every part, or the whole, performs the reproductivefunction--it is all reproductive organism. Every part of it senses theimpressions from outside, and responds to it--it is all organs ofsense, and organs of motion. It envelops its prey as a drop of gluesurrounds a particle of sand, and then absorbs the substance of theprey into its own substance. It moves by prolonging any part of itselfoutward in a sort of tail-like appendage, which it uses as a "foot," or"finger" with which to propel itself; draw itself to, or push itselfaway from an object. This prolongation is called a pseudopod, or"false-foot." When it gets through using the "false-foot" for theparticular purpose, it simply draws back into itself that portion whichhad been protruded for the purpose.

It performs the functions of digestion, assimilation, elimination,etc., perfectly, just as the higher forms of life--but it has no organsfor the functions, and performs them severally, and collectively withany, or all parts of its body. What the higher animals perform withintricate organs and parts--heart, stomach, lungs, liver, kidneys,etc., etc.--this tiny creature performs without organs, and with itsentire body, or any part thereof. The function of reproduction isstartlingly simple in the case of the Moneron. It simply divides itselfin two parts, and that is all there is to it. There is no male orfemale sex in its case--it combines both within itself. Thereproductive process is even far more simple than the "budding" ofplants. You may turn one of these wonderful creatures inside out, andstill it goes on the even tenor of its way, in no manner disturbed oraffected. It is simply a "living drop of glue," which eats, digests,receives impressions and responds thereto, and reproduces itself. This

tiny glue-drop performs virtually the same life functions as do thehigher complex forms of living things. Which is the greater"miracle"--the Moneron or Man?

A slight step upward from the Moneron brings us to the Amoeba. Thename of this new creature is derived from the Greek word meaning"change," and has been bestowed because the creature is constantlychanging its shape. This continual change of shape is caused by acontinuous prolongation and drawing-in of its pseudopods, or"false-feet," which also gives the creature the appearance of a"many-fingered" organism. This creature shows the first step toward"parts," for it has something like a membrane or "skin" at its surface,and a "nucleus" at its centre, and also an expanding and contractingcavity within its substance, which it uses for holding, digesting anddistributing its food, and also for storing and distributing itsoxygen--an elementary combination of stomach and lungs! So you see thatthe amoeba has taken a step upward from the moneron, and is beginningto appreciate the convenience of parts and organs. It is interesting tonote, in this connection, that while the ordinary cells of the higheranimal body resemble the monera in many ways, still the whitecorpuscles in the blood of man and the animals bear a startlingresemblance to the amoebae so far as regards size, general structure,and movements, and are in fact known to Science as "amoeboids." Thewhite corpuscles change their shape, take in food in an intelligentmanner, and live a comparatively independent life, their movementsshowing independent "thought" and "will."

Some of the amoebae (the diatoms, for instance) secrete solid matterfrom the water, and build therefrom shells or houses, which serve toprotect them from their enemies. These shells are full of tiny holes,through which the pseudopods are extended in their search for food, andfor purposes of movement. Some of these shells are composed of secretedlime, and others of a flinty substance, the "selection" of thesesubstances from the ether mineral particles in the water, evidencing adegree cf "thought," and mind, even in these lowly creatures. Theskeletons of these tiny creatures form vast deposits of chalk andsimilar substances.

Next higher in the scale are the Infusoria. These creatures differfrom the amoebae inasmuch as instead of pseudopods, they have developedtiny vibrating filaments, or thread-like appendages, which are used fordrawing in their prey and for moving about. These filaments arepermanent, and are not temporary like the pseudopods of the monera oramoebae--they are the first signs of permanent hands and feet. Thesecreatures have also discovered the possibilities of organs and parts,to a still greater degree than have their cousins the amoebae, and haveevolved something like a mouth-opening (very rudimentary) and also ashort gullet through which they pass their food and oxygen--they have

developed the first signs of a throat, wind-pipe and food-passage.

Next come the family of Sponges, the soft skeletons of which form theuseful article of everyday use. There are many forms who weave a homeof far more delicacy and beauty than their more familiar and homelybrothers. The sponge creature itself is a slimy, soft creature, whichfills in the spaces in its spongy skeleton. It is fastened to one spot,and gathers in its food from the water around it (and oxygen as well),by means of numerous whip-like filaments called cilia, which flashthrough the water driving in the food and oxygen to the inner positionsof its body. The water thus drawn in, as well as the refuse from thefood, is then driven out in the same manner. It is interesting to notethat in the organisms of the higher animals, including man, there arenumerous cilia performing offices in connection with nutrition, etc.When Nature perfects an instrument, it is very apt to retain it, evenin the higher forms, although in the latter its importance may bedwarfed by higher ones.

The next step in the ascending scale of life-forms is occupied by thepolyps, which are found in water, fastened to floating matter. Thepolyps fasten themselves to this floating matter, with their mouthsdownward, from the latter dangling certain tentacles, or thin, longarms. These tentacles contain small thread-like coils in contact with apoisonous fluid, and enclosed in a cell. When the tentacles come incontact with the prey of the creature, or with anything that is sensedas a possible enemy, they contract around the object and the littlecells burst and the tiny thread-like coils are released and twistthemselves like a loop around the object, poisoning it with thesecreted fluid. Some of the polyps secrete flint-like tubes, which theyinhabit, and from the ends of which they emerge like flowers. Fromthese parent polyps emerge clusters of young, resembling buds. Thesebud-like young afterwards become what are known as jelly-fishes, etc.,which in turn reproduce themselves--but here is a wonder--thejelly-fish lay eggs, which when hatched produce stationary polyps liketheir grandparent, and not moving creatures like their parents. Thejelly-fishes have a comparatively complex organism. They have anintricate system of canal-like passages with which to convey their foodand oxygen to the various parts. They also have something like muscles,which contract and enable the creature to "swim." They also possess a"nervous system," and, most wonderful of all, they have rudimentaryeyes and ears. Their tentacles, like those of the parent-polyp,secrete the poisonous fluid which is discharged into prey or enemy.

Akin to the polyps are the sea-anemones, with their beautiful colors,and still more complex structure and organism, the tentacles of whichresemble the petals of a flower. Varying slightly from these are thecoral-creatures, which form in colonies and the skeletons of which formthe coral trees and branches, and other forms, with which we are

familiar.

Passing on to the next highest family of life-forms, we see thespiny-bodied sea-creatures, such as the sea-urchin, star-fish, etc.,which possess a thick, hard skin, covered by spines or pricklyprojections. These creatures abound in numerous species. The star-fishhas rays projecting from a common centre, which gives it its name,while the sea-urchin resembles a ball. The sea-lilies, with their stemsand flowers (so-called) belong to this family, as do also thesea-cucumbers, whose name is obtained from their shape and generalappearance, but which are animals possessing a comparatively complexorganism, one of the features of which is a stomach which may bediscarded at will and replaced by a new one. These creatures have awell defined nervous system, and have eyes, and some of them evenrudimentary eyelids.

Ascending the scale of life-forms, we next observe the great family ofthe Annulosa, or jointed creatures, which comprises the variousfamilies of the worm, the crab, the spider, the ant, etc. In this greatfamily are grouped nearly four-fifths of the known life-forms. Theirbodies are well formed and they have nervous systems running along thebody and consisting of two thin threads, knotted at different pointsinto ganglia or masses of nerve cells similar to those possessed by thehigher animals. They possess eyes and other sense organs, in some caseshighly developed. They possess organs, corresponding to the heart, andhave a well-developed digestive apparatus. Note this advance in thenutritive organism: the moneron takes its food at any point of itsbody; the amoeba takes its food by means of its "false-feet," anddrives it through its body by a rhythmic movement of its substance; thepolyp distributes its food to its various parts by means of the waterwhich it absorbs with the food; the sea-urchin and star-fishdistribute their food by canals in their bodies which open directlyinto the water; in the higher forms of the annulosa, the food isdistributed by a fluid resembling blood, which carries the nourishmentto every part and organ, and which carries away the waste matter, theblood being propelled through the body by a rudimentary heart. Theoxygen is distributed by each of these forms in a corresponding way,the higher forms having rudimentary lungs and respiratory organs. Stepby step the life-forms are perfected, and the organs necessary toperform certain definite functions are evolved from rudimentary toperfected forms.

The families of worms are the humblest members of the great family ofthe Annulosa. Next come the creatures called Rotifers, which are veryminute. Then come the Crustacea, so called from their crustlike shell.This group includes the crabs, lobsters, etc., and closely resemblesthe insects. In fact, some of the best authorities believe that theinsects and the crustacea spring from the same parent form, and some of

the Yogi authorities hold to this belief, while others do not attemptto pass upon it, deeming it immaterial, inasmuch as all life-forms havea common origin. The western scientists pay great attention to outwarddetails, while the Oriental mind is apt to pass over these details asof slight importance, preferring to seek the cause back of the outwardform. On one point both the Yogi teachers and the scientists absolutelyagree, and that is that the family of insect life had its origin insome aquatic creature. Both hold that the wings of the insect have beenevolved from organs primarily used for breathing purposes by theancestor when it took short aerial flights, the need for means offlight afterwards acting to develop these rudimentary organs intoperfected wings. There need be no more wonder expressed at this changethan in the case of the transformation of the insect from grub tochrysalis, and then to insect. In fact this process is a reproductionof the stages through which the life-form passed during the long agesbetween sea-creature and land-insect.

We need not take up much of your time in speaking of the wonderfulcomplex organism of some of the insect family, which are next on thescale above the crustacea. The wonders of spider-life--the almost humanlife of the ants--the spirit of the beehive--and all the rest of thewonders of insect life are familiar to all of our readers. A study ofsome good book on the life of the higher forms of the insect familywill prove of value to anyone, for it will open his or her eyes to thewonderful manifestation of life and mind among these creatures.Remember the remark of Darwin, that the brain of the ant, although notmuch larger than a pin point, "is one of the most marvelous atoms ofmatter in the world, perhaps more so than the brain of man."

Closely allied to the crustacea is the sub-family of the mollusca,which includes the oyster, clams, and similar creatures; also thesnails, cuttle-fish, slugs, nautilus, sea-squirts, etc., etc. Some areprotected by a hard shell, while others have a gristly outer skin,serving as an armor, while others still are naked. Those having shellssecrete the material for their construction from the water. Some ofthem are fixed to rocks, etc., while others roam at will. Strange as itmay appear at first sight, some of the higher forms of the molluscashow signs of a rudimentary vertebra, and science has hazarded theopinion that the sea-squirts and similar creatures were descended fromsome ancestor from whom also descended the vertebrate animals, of whichman is the highest form known today on this planet. We shall mentionthis connection in our next lesson, where we will take up the story of"The Ascent of Man" from the lowly vertebrate forms.

And now, in closing this lesson, we must remind the reader that we arenot teaching Evolution as it is conceived by modern science. We areviewing it from the opposite viewpoint of the Yogi Teaching. ModernScience teaches that Mind is a by-product of the evolving material

forms--while the Yogi Teachings hold that there was Mind involved inthe lowest form, and that that Mind constantly pressing forward forunfoldment compelled the gradual evolution, or unfoldment of theslowly advancing degrees of organization and function. Science teachesthat "function precedes organization," that is, that a form performscertain functions, imperfectly and crudely, before it evolves theorgans suitable for the functioning. For instance the lower formsdigested food before they evolved stomachs--the latter coming to meetthe need. But the Yogi Teachings go further and claim that "desireprecedes function," that is, that the lowly life form "desires" to havedigestive apparatus, in order to proceed in the evolutionary scale,before it begins the functioning that brings about the more complexorganism. There is ever the "urge" of the Mind which craves unfoldment,and which the creature feels as a dim desire, which grows stronger andstronger as time goes on. Some yield more readily to the urge, and suchbecome the parents of possible higher forms. "Many are called, but feware chosen," and so matters move along slowly from generation togeneration, a few forms serving to carry on the evolutionary urge totheir descendants. But is always the Evolutionary Urge of theimprisoned Mind striving to cast aside its sheaths and to have moreperfect machinery with which, and through which, to manifest andexpress itself? This is the difference between the "Evolution" ofModern Science and the "Unfoldment" of the Yogi Teachings. The one isall material, with mind as a mere by-product, while the other is allMind, with matter as a tool and instrument of expression andmanifestation.

As we have said in this lesson--and as we shall point out to you indetail in future lessons--accompanying this evolution of bodies thereis an evolution of "souls" producing the former. This evolution ofsouls is a basic principle of the Yogi Teachings, but it is firstnecessary that you acquaint yourselves with the evolution of bodies andforms, before you may fully grasp the higher teachings.

Our next lesson will be entitled "The Ascent of Man," in which the riseof man--that is, his body--from the lowly forms of the vertebrates isshown. In the same lesson we shall begin our consideration of the"evolution of souls." We trust that the students are carefully studyingthe details of each lesson, for every lesson has its part in the grandwhole of the Teachings.

THE EIGHTH LESSON

THE ASCENT OF MAN.

In our last lesson we led you by successive steps from the beginningsof Life in living forms up to the creatures closely resembling thefamily of vertebrates--the highest family of living forms on thisplanet. In this present lesson we take up the story of the "Ascent ofMan" from the lowly vertebrate forms.

The large sub-family of forms called "The Vertebrates" aredistinguished from the Invertebrates by reason of the former possessingan internal bony skeleton, the most important feature of which is thevertebra or spinal column. The vertebrates, be it remembered, possesspractically the same organs as the lower forms of life, but differ fromthem most materially by the possession of the internal skeleton, thelower forms having an external or outside skeleton, which latter ismerely a hardening of the skin.

The flexibility of the vertebra creates a wonderful strength ofstructure, combined with an ease of movement peculiar to thevertebrates, and which renders them the natural forms of life capableof rapid development and evolution. By means of this strength, andease, these forms are enabled to move rapidly in pursuit of their prey,and away from their pursuers, and also to resist outside pressure orattack. They are protected in a way similar to the invertebrates havingshells, and yet have the additional advantage of easy movement.Differing in shape and appearance as do the numerous members of thesub-family of vertebrates, still their structure is easily seen tospring from a single form--all are modifications of some commonpattern, the differences arising from the necessities of the life ofthe animal, as manifested through the desire and necessities of thespecies.

Science shows the direct relationship between the Vertebrates, and theInvertebrates by means of several connecting-links, the most noticeableof which is the Lancelot, a creature resembling the fish-form, and yetalso closely resembling the lower (invertebrate) forms of life. Thiscreature has no head, and but one eye. It is semi-transparent, andpossesses cilia for forcing in the water containing its food. It hassomething like gills, and a gullet like the lower forms. It has noheart, the blood being circulated by means of contracting vessels orparts. Strictly speaking, it has no back-bone, or vertebra, but stillScience has been compelled to class it among the vertebrates because ishas a gristly cartilage where the back-bone is found in the higherforms. This gristle may be called an "elementary spine." It has anervous system consisting of a single cord which spreads into abroadened end near the creature's mouth, and which may therefore be

regarded as "something like a brain." This creature is really adeveloped form of Invertebrate, shaped like a Vertebrate, and showingsigns of a rudimentary spine and nervous system of the latter. It is a"connecting-link."

The lowest forms of the true Vertebrates are the great families ofFishes. These Fish families include fishes of high and low degree, someof the higher forms being as different from the lowest as they (thehighest) are different from the Reptile family. It is not necessary togo into detail regarding the nature of the fish families, for everystudent is more or less familiar with them.

Some peculiar forms of fish show a shading into the Reptile family, infact they seem to belong nearly as much to the latter as to their owngeneral family. Some species of fish known as the Dipnoi or"double-breathers," have a remarkable dual system of breathing. Thatis, they have gills for breathing while in the water, and also have aprimitive or elementary "lung" in the shape of an air-bladder, or"sound," which they use for breathing on land. The Mud-fish of SouthAmerica, and also other forms in Australia and other places, have amodification of fins which are practically "limbs," which they actuallyuse for traveling on land from pond to pond. Some of these fish havebeen known to travel enormous distances in search of new pools ofwater, or new streams, having been driven from their original homes bydroughts, or perhaps by instincts similar to the migrating instinct ofbirds. Eels are fish (although many commonly forget this fact) andmany of their species are able to leave the water and travel on landfrom pond to pond, their breathing being performed by a peculiarmodification of the gills. The climbing perch of India are able to liveout of water, and have modified gills for breathing purposes, andmodified fins for climbing and walking. So you see that without leavingthe fish family proper, we have examples of land living creatures whichare akin to "connecting links."

But there are real "connecting-links"' between the Fish and theReptiles. Passing over the many queer forms which serve as linksbetween the two families, we have but to consider our common frog'shistory for a striking example. The Tadpole has gills, has no limbs,uses its tail like a fish's fin, eats plants, etc. Passing throughseveral interesting stages the Tadpole reaches a stage in which it is afrog with a tail--then it sheds its tail and is a full fledged Frog,with four legs; web-feet; no tail; and feeding on animals. The Frog isamphibious, that is, able to live on land or in water--and yet it iscompelled to come to the surface of the water for air to supply itslungs. Some of the amphibious animals possess both lungs and gills,even when matured; but the higher vertebrates living in the waterbreathe through lungs which are evolved from the air-bladder of fishes,which in turn have been evolved from the primitive gullet of the lower

forms. There are fishes known which are warm-blooded. Students willkindly remember that the Whale is not a fish, but an aquatic animal--amammal, in fact, bringing forth its young alive, and suckling it fromits breasts.

So we readily see that it is but a step, and a short step at that,between the land-traveling and climbing fishes and the lower forms ofReptiles. The Frog shows us the process of evolution between the twofamilies, its life history reproducing the gradual evolution which mayhave required ages to perfect in the case of the species. You willremember that the embryo stages of all creatures reproduce the variousstages of evolution through which the species has passed--this is truein Man as well as in the Frog.

We need not tarry long in considering the Reptile family of livingforms. In its varieties of serpents, lizards, crocodiles, turtles,etc., we have studied and observed its forms. We see the limblesssnakes; the lizards with active limbs; the huge, clumsy, slowcrocodiles and alligators--the armor-bearing turtles and tortoises--allbelonging to the one great family of Reptiles, and nearly all of thembeing degenerate descendants of the mighty Reptile forms of thegeological Age of Reptiles, in which flourished the mighty forms of thegiant reptiles--the monsters of land and water. Amidst the densevegetation of that pre-historic age, surrounded by the most favorableconditions, these mighty creatures flourished and lived, theirfossilized skeleton forms evidencing to us how far their descendantshave fallen, owing to less favorable conditions, and the development ofother life-forms more in harmony with their changed environment.

Next comes the great family of Birds. The Birds ascended from theReptiles. This is the Eastern Teaching, and this is the teaching ofWestern Science It was formerly taught in the text-books that the lineof ascent was along the family of winged reptiles which existed in theAge of Reptiles, in the early days of the Earth. But the later writerson the subject, in the Western world, have contradicted this. It is nowtaught that these ancient winged-reptiles were featherless, and moreclosely resembled the Bat family than birds. (You will remember that aBat is neither a reptile nor a bird--it is a mammal, bringing forth itsyoung alive, and suckling them at its breast. The Bat is more like amouse, and its wings are simply membrane stretched between its fingers,its feet, and its tail.)

The line of ascent from Reptile to Bird was along the forms of theReptiles that walked on land. There are close anatomical andphysiological relations and correspondences between the two families(Reptiles and Birds) which we need not refer to here. And, of course,many modifications have occurred since the "branching-out." The scalesof the reptiles, and the feathers of the birds, are known to be but

modifications of the original outer skin, as are also the hair, claws,hoofs, nails, etc., of all animals. Even teeth arose in this way,strange as it may now seem--they are all secreted from the skin. What awonderful field for thought--this gradual evolution from the filmyouter covering of the lowest living forms to the beautiful feathers,beaks, and claws of the bird!

The evolving of wings meant much to the ascending forms of life. TheReptiles were compelled to live in a narrow circle of territory, whilethe Birds were able to travel over the earth in wide flights. Andtravel always develops the faculties of observation, memory, etc., andcultivates the senses of seeing, hearing, etc. And the creature iscompelled to exercise its evolving "thinking" faculties to a greaterextent. And so the Birds were compelled by necessity of their travelsto develop a greater degree of thinking organism. The result is thatamong birds we find many instances of intelligent thought, which cannotbe dismissed as "mere instinct." Naturalists place the Crow at the headof the family of Birds, in point of intelligence, and those who havewatched these creatures and studied the mental processes, will agreethat this is a just decision. It has been proven that Crows are capableof counting up to several figures, and in other ways they display awonderful degree of almost human sagacity.

Next above the Bird family comes the highest form of all--the Mammals.But before we begin our consideration of these high forms, let us takea hasty glance at the "connecting-links" between the Birds and theMammals. The lowest forms of the Mammals resemble Birds in many ways.Some of them are toothless, and many of them have the same primitiveintestinal arrangements possessed by the birds, from which arises theirname, Monotremes. These Monotremes may be called half-bird andhalf-mammal. One of the most characteristic of their family is theOrnithorhynchus, or Duck-bill, which the early naturalists firstthought was a fraud of the taxidermists, or bird-stuffers, and then,when finally convinced, deemed it a "freak-of-nature." But it is not afreak creature, but a "connecting-link" between the two great familiesof creatures. This animal presents a startling appearance to theobserver who witnesses it for the first time. It resembles a beaver,having a soft furry coat, but also has a horny, flat bill like a duck,its feet being webbed, but also furnished with claws projecting overthe edge of the web-foot. It lays eggs in an underground nest--two eggsat a time, which are like the eggs of birds, inasmuch as they containnot only the protoplasm from which the embryo is formed, but also the"yolk." on which the embryo feeds until hatched. After the youngDuck-bill is hatched, it feeds from teatless glands in the mother'sbody, the milk being furnished by the mother by a peculiar process.Consider this miracle--an animal which lays eggs and then when heryoung are hatched nourishes them with milk. The milk-glands in themother are elementary "breasts."

The above-mentioned animal is found in Australia, the land of manystrange forms and "connecting-links," which have survived there whilein other parts of the globe they have vanished gradually fromexistence, crowded out by the more perfectly evolved forms. Darwin hascalled these surviving forms "living fossils." In that same land isalso found the Echidna or spiny ant-eater, which lays an egg and thenhatches it in her pouch, after which she nourishes it on milk, in amanner similar to that of the Duck-bill. This animal, like theDuck-bill, is a Monotreme.

Scientists are divided in theories as to whether the Monotremes areactually descended directly from the Reptiles or Birds, or whetherthere was a common ancestor from which Reptiles and Birds and Mammalsbranched off. But this is not important, for the relationship betweenReptiles, Birds and Mammals is clearly proven. And the Monotremes arecertainly one of the surviving forms of the intermediate stages.

The next higher step in the ascent of Mammal life above the Monotremeis occupied by the Marsupials, or milk-giving, pouched animals, ofwhich family the opossum and kangaroo are well known members. Thecharacteristic feature of this family of creatures is the possession ofan external pouch in the female, in which the young are kept andnourished until they can take care of themselves as the young of otheranimals are able to do. The young of the Marsupials are brought forth,or born, in an imperfect condition, and undeveloped in size andstrength. There are fossil remains of Marsupials showing that in pastages creatures of this kind existed which were as large as elephants.

In the more common form of Mammals the young are brought forth fullyformed, they having received "nourishment, before birth, from themother's body, through the placenta, the appendage which connects thefetus with the parent. The Placental Mammals were the best equipped ofall the life-forms for survival and development, for the reason thatthe young were nourished during their critical period, and the carethat the mammal must of necessity give to her young operated in thedirection of affording a special protection far superior to that of theother forms. This and other causes acted to place the Placentals in the"Royal line" from which Man was evolved.

The following families of Placental Mammals are recognized by Science,each having its own structural peculiarities:

The Edentata, or Toothless creatures, among which are the sloths,ant-eaters, armadillos, etc. These animals seem to be closer to theMonotremes than they are to the Marsupials;

The Sirenia, so called by reason of their fanciful resemblance to the

sirens of mythology, among which are the sea-cows, manatees, dugongs,etc., which are fish-like in structure and appearance, the fore-limbsbeing shaped like paddles, or fins, and the hind-limbs being absent orrudimentary;

The Cetacea, or Whale Family, including whales, Porpoises, dolphins,etc., which are quite fish-like in appearance and structure, theirforms being adapted for life in the sea, although they are, of course,Mammals, bringing forth matured young which are suckled at the breast;

The Ungulata, or Hoofed Animals, which comprise many varied forms,such as the horse, the tapir, the rhinoceros, the swine, thehippopotamus, the camel, the deer, the sheep, the cow, etc., etc.;

The Hyracoidea, which is a small family, the principal member ofwhich is the coney, or rock rabbit, which has teeth resembling those ofthe hoofed animals, in some ways, and those of the gnawing animals inthe others.

The Proboscidea, or Trunked Animals, which family is represented inthis age only by the families of elephants, which have a peculiarappendage called a "trunk," which they use as an additional limb;

The Carnivora, or Flesh-eaters, represented by numerous and variousforms, such as the seal, the bear, the weasel, the wolf, the dog, thelion, the tiger, the leopard, etc. The wolf and similar forms belong tothe sub-family of dogs; while the lion, tiger, etc., belong to thesub-family of cats;

The Rodentia, or Gnawers, comprising the rat, the hare, the beaver,the squirrel, the mouse, etc., etc.;

The Insectivora, or Insect Feeders, comprising the mole, the shrew,the hedgehog, etc.;

The Chiroptera, or Finger-Winged Animals, comprising the great familyof Bats, etc., which are very highly developed animals;

The Lemuroidea, or Lemurs, the name of which is derived from theLatin word meaning a "ghost," by reason of the Lemur's habits ofroaming about at night. The Lemur is a nocturnal animal, somewhatresembling the Monkey in general appearance, but with a long, bushytail and sharp muzzle like a fox. It is akin to a small fox havinghands and feet like a monkey, the feet being used to grasp like a hand,as is the case with the true Monkey family. These creatures are classedby some naturalists among the Monkeys by reason of being "four-handed,"while others are disposed to consider as still more important theirmarked relationship with, and affinity to, the marsupials, gnawers and

insect-feeders. On the whole, these creatures are strangely organizedand come very near to being a "connecting-link" between other forms.One of the Lemurs is what is known as the colugo, or "flying lemur,"which resembles a squirrel in many particulars, and yet has amembranous web extending from its hands, which enables it to makeflying leaps over great distances. This last named variety seems tofurnish a link between the insect-feeders and the Primates;

The Primates, which is a large family comprising the various forms ofmonkeys, baboons, man-apes, such as the gibbon, gorilla, chimpanzee,orang-outang, etc., all of which have big jaws, small brains, and astooping posture. This family also includes MAN, with his big brain anderect posture, and his many races depending upon shape of skull, colorof skin, character of hair, etc.

In considering the Ascent of Man (physical) from the lowly forms of theMonera, etc., up to his present high position, the student is struckwith the continuity of the ascent, development and unfoldment. Whilethere are many "missing-links," owing to the disappearance of the formswhich formed the connection, still there is sufficient proof left inthe existing forms to satisfy the fair-minded inquirer. The facts ofembryology alone are sufficient proof of the ascent of Man from thelowly forms. Each and every man today has passed through all the formsof the ascent within a few months, from single cell to the new-born,fully formed infant.

Embryology teaches us that the eggs from which all animal forms evolveare all practically alike so far as one can ascertain by microscopicexamination, no matter how diverse may be the forms which will evolvefrom them, and this resemblance is maintained even when the embryo ofthe higher forms begins to manifest traces of its future form. VonBaer, the German scientist, was the first to note this remarkable andsuggestive fact. He stated it in the following words: "In my possessionare two little embryos, preserved in alcohol, whose names I haveomitted to attach, and at present I am unable to state to what classthey belong. They may be lizards, or small birds, or very youngmammals, so complete is the similarity in the mode of the formation ofthe head and trunk in these animals. The extremities, however, arestill absent in these embryos. But even if they had existed in theearliest stage of their development, we should learn nothing, for thefeet of lizards and mammals, the wings and feet of birds, no less thanthe hands and feet of man, all arise from the same fundamental form."

As has been said by Prof. Clodd, "the embryos of all living creaturesepitomize during development the series of changes through which theancestral forms passed if their ascent from the simple to the complex;the higher structures passing through the same stages as the lowerstructures up to the point when they are marked off from them, yet

never becoming in detail the form which they represent for the timebeing. For example, the embryo of man has at the outset gill-like slitson each side of the neck, like a fish. These give place to a membranelike that which supersedes gills in the development of birds andreptiles; the heart is at first a simple pulsating chamber like that inworms; the backbone is prolonged into a movable tail; the great toe isextended, or opposable, like our thumbs, and like the toes of apes; thebody three months before birth is covered all over with hair except onthe palms and soles. At birth the head is relatively larger, and thearms and legs relatively longer than in the adult; the nose isbridgeless; both features, with others which need not be detailed,being distinctly ape-like. Thus does the egg from which man springs, astructure only one hundred and twenty-fifth of an inch in size,compress into a few weeks the results of millions of years, and setbefore us the history of his development from fish-like and reptilianforms, and of his more immediate descent from a hairy, tailedquadruped. That which is individual or peculiar to him, the physicaland mental character inherited, is left to the slower development whichfollows birth."

This, then, in brief is the Western theory of Evolution--the PhysicalAscent of Man. We have given it as fully as might be in the small spaceat our disposal in these lessons on the Yogi Philosophy. Why? Becausewe wish to prove to the Western mind, in the Western way, that WesternScience corroborates the Ancient Yogi Teachings of the Unfoldment ofLiving Forms, from Monad to Man. The Eastern teachers scorn to "prove"anything to their pupils, who sit at the feet of teachers and accept astruth that which is taught them, and which has been handed down fromthe dim ages long past. But this method will never do for the Westernstudent--he must have it "proven" to him by physical facts andinstances, not by keen, subtle, intellectual reasoning alone. TheEastern student wishes to be "told"--the Western student wishes to be"shown." Herein lies the racial differences of method of impartingknowledge. And so we have recognized this fact and have heaped up proofafter proof from the pages of Western Science, in order to prove to youthe reasonableness, from the Western point of view, of the doctrine ofPhysical Unfoldment as taught for ages past by the Yogi gurus totheir chelas. You have now the Eastern Teachings on the subject,together with the testimony of Western Science to the reasonableness ofthe idea.

But, alas! Western Science, while performing a marvelous work in pilingup fact after fact to support its newly-discovered theory of Evolution,in a way utterly unknown to the Oriental thinker who seeks afterprinciples by mental concentration--within rather than without--whileactually proving by physical facts the mental conceptions of theOriental Teachings, still misses the vital point of thesubject-thought. In its materialistic tendencies it has failed to

recognize the mental cause of the physical unfoldment. It is truethat Lamark, the real Western discoverer of Evolution, taught thatDesire and Mental Craving, was the real force behind Evolution, but hisideas were jeered at by his contemporaries, and are not regardedseriously by the majority of Evolutionists even today. And yet he wasnearer to the truth than Darwin or any other Western Evolutionist. Andtime will show that Science has overlooked his genius, which alonethrows the true light upon the subject.

In order to see just this difference between the Darwinian school andthe Yogi Teachings let us examine into what causes the WesternEvolutionists give for the fact of Evolution itself. We shall do thisbriefly.

The Darwinians start out to explain the causes of the "Origin ofSpecies," with the statement that "no two individuals of the samespecies are exactly alike; each tends to vary." This is a self-evidentfact, and is very properly used as a starting point for Variation. Thenext step is then stated as "variations are transmitted, and thereforetend to become permanent," which also is self-evident, and tends toprove the reasonableness of the gradual evolution of species. The nextstep in the argument is "as man produces new species and forms, bybreeding, culture, etc., so has Nature in a longer time produced thesame effect, in the same way." This also is reasonable, although ittends to personify Nature, and to give it a mind before theevolutionists admit "mind" was evolved.

It will be as well to quote Darwin himself on this point. He says; "Asman can produce, and certainly has produced, a great result by hismethodical and unconscious means of selection, what may not naturalselection effect? Man can act only on external and visible characters,while Nature, if I may be allowed to personify the natural preservationor survival of the fittest, cares nothing for appearances except in sofar as they are useful to any being. She can act on every internalorgan, on every shade of constitutional difference, on the wholemachinery of life. Man selects only for his own good; Nature only forthe good of the being which she tends. Every selected character isfully exercised by her, as is implied by the fact of their selection.Man keeps the natives of many climates in the same country; he seldomexercises each selected character in some peculiar and fitting manner;he feeds a long-beaked and a short-beaked pigeon on the same food; hedoes not exercise a long-backed or long-legged quadruped in anypeculiar manner; he exposes sheep with long hair and short wool in thesame climate. He does not allow the most vigorous males to struggle forthe females. He does not rigidly destroy all inferior animals, butprotects during each varying season, so far as lies in his power, allhis productions. He often begins his selection by some half-monstrousform, or at least by some modification prominent enough to catch the

eye or to be plainly useful to him. Under Nature the slightestdifferences of structure or constitution may- well turn the nicelybalanced scale in the struggle for life, and so be preserved. Howfleeting are the wishes and efforts of man! how short his time! andconsequently how poor will be his results, compared with thoseaccumulated by nature during whole geological periods! Can we wonder,then, that Nature's productions should be far 'truer' in character thanman's productions; that they should be infinitely better adapted to themost complex conditions of life, and should plainly bear the stamp offar higher workmanship?"

Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest is begun by the statement ofthe fact that the number of organisms that survive are very smallcompared with the number that are born. To quote his own words, "Thereis no exception to the rule that every organic being naturallyincreases at so high a rate that, if not destroyed, the earth wouldsoon be covered by the progeny of a single pair. Even slow-breeding manhas doubled in twenty-five years, and at this rate in less than athousand years there would literally not be standing room for theprogeny." It has been computed that if the offspring of the elephant,which is believed to be the slowest breeding animal known, were tosurvive, there would be about 20,000,000 elephants on the earth in 750years. The roe of a single cod contains eight or nine millions of eggs,and if each egg were to hatch, and the fish survive, the sea wouldshortly become a solid mass of codfish. The house fly is said to have20,000,000 descendants in a season, counting several generations ofprogeny, from its several broods. And some scientist has computed thatthe aphis, or plant-louse, breeds so rapidly, and in such enormousquantity, that the tenth generation of one set of parents would be solarge that it would contain more ponderable animal matter than wouldthe population of China, which is estimated at 500,000,000! And thiswithout counting the progeny preceding the tenth generation!

The result of the above conditions is very plain. There must ensue aStruggle for Existence, which necessitates the Survival of the Fittest.The weak are crushed out by the strong; the swift out-distance theslow. The individual forms or species best adapted to their environmentand best equipped for the struggle, be the equipment physical ormental, survive those less well equipped or less well adapted toenvironment. Animals evolving variations in structure that give themeven a slight advantage over others not so favored, naturally have abetter chance to survive. And this, briefly, is what Evolutionists call"The Survival of the Fittest."

As appertaining to the Struggle for Existence, color and mimicry areimportant factors. Grant Allen, in his work on Darwin, says concerningthis, and also as illustrating "Natural Selection": "In the desert withits monotonous sandy coloring, a black insect or a white insect, still

more a red insect or a blue insect, would be immediately detected anddevoured by its natural enemies, the birds and the lizards. But anygreyish or yellowish insects would be less likely to attract attentionat first sight, and would be overlooked as long as there were any moreconspicuous individuals of their own kind about for the birds andlizards to feed on. Hence, in a very short time the desert would bedepopulated of all but the greyest and yellowest insects; and amongthese the birds would pick out those which differed most markedly inhue and shade from the sand around them. But those which happened tovary most in the direction of a sandy or spotty color would be morelikely to survive, and to become the parents of future generations.Thus, in the course of long ages, all the insects which inhabit desertshave become sand-colored, because the less sandy were perpetuallypicked out for destruction by their ever-watchful foes, while the mostsandy escaped, and multiplied and replenished the earth with their ownlikes."

Prof. Clodd, remarking upon this fact, adds: "Thus, then, is explainedthe tawny color of the larger animals that inhabit the desert; thestripes upon the tiger, which parallel with the vertical stems ofbamboo, conceal him as he stealthily nears his prey; the brilliantgreen of tropical birds; the leaf-like form and colors of certaininsects; the dried, twig-like form of many caterpillars; the bark-likeappearance of tree-frogs; the harmony of the ptarmigan's summer plumagewith the lichen-colored stones upon which it sits; the dusky color ofcreatures that haunt the night; the bluish transparency of animalswhich live on the surface of the sea; the gravel-like color offlat-fish that live at the bottom; and the gorgeous tints of those thatswim among the coral reefs."

All this does not run contrary to the Yogi Philosophy, although thelatter would regard these things as but the secondary cause for thevariation and survival of species, etc. The Oriental teachings are thatit is the desire of the animal that causes it to assume the colorsand shapes in accordance with its environment, the desire of courseoperating along sub-conscious lines of physical manifestation. Themental influence, which is the real cause of the phenomena, and whichis taught as such by the Yogis, is almost lost sight of by the WesternEvolutionists, who are apt to regard Mind as a "by-product" of matter.On the contrary, the Yogis regard Matter as the product of Mind. Butthere is no conflict here as far as regards the law of the Survival ofthe Fittest. The insects that most desired to become sand-coloredbecame so, and were thus protected, while their less "desireful"brethren were exterminated. The Western scientist explains the outwardphenomena, but does not look for the cause behind it, which is taughtby the Oriental sages.

The doctrine of "Sexual Selection" is another of the leading tenets of

the Darwinists. Briefly, it may be expressed as the theory that in therivalry and struggle of the males for the females the strongest maleswin the day, and thus transmit their particular qualities to theiroffspring. Along the same lines is that of the attraction exerted bybright colors in the plumage of the males of birds, etc., which givethem an advantage in the eyes of the females, and thus, naturally, thebright colors are perpetuated.

This, then, is the brief outline of the Story of Man's PhysicalEvolution, as stated by Western Science, and compared with the YogiTeachings. The student should compare the two ideas, that he mayharmonize and reconcile them. It must be remembered, however, thatDarwin did not teach that Man descended from the monkeys, or apes, aswe know them now. The teaching of Western Evolution is that the apes,and higher forms of monkey life descended from some common ancestralform, which same ancestor was also the ancestor of Man. In other words,Man and Apes are the different branches that emerged from the commontrunk ages ago. Other forms doubtless emerged from the same trunk, andperished because less adapted to their environments. The Apes were bestadapted to their own environments, and Man was best adapted to his. Theweaker branches failed.

One must remember that the most savage races known to us today arepractically as far different from the highest American, European orHindu types of Man as from the highest Apes. Indeed, it would seem fareasier for a high Ape to evolve into a Kaffir, Hottentot, or DiggerIndian, than for the latter to evolve into an Emerson, Shakespeare, orHindu Sage. As Huxley has shown, the brain-structure of Man comparedwith that of the Chimpanzee shows differences but slight when comparedwith the difference between that of the Chimpanzee and that of theLemur. The same authority informs us that in the important feature ofthe deeper brain furrows, and intricate convolutions, the chasm betweenthe highest civilized man and the lowest savage is far greater thanbetween the lowest savage and the highest man-like ape. Darwin,describing the Fuegians, who are among the very lowest forms ofsavages, says: "Their very signs and expressions are less intelligibleto us than those of the domesticated animal. They are men who do notpossess the instinct of those animals, nor yet appear to boast of humanreason, or at least of arts consequent upon that reason."

Professor Clodd, in describing the "primitive man," says: "Doubtless hewas lower than the lowest of the savages of today--a powerful, cunningbiped, with keen sense organs always sharper, in virtue of constantexercise, in the savage than in the civilized man (who supplements themby science), strong instincts, uncontrolled and fitful emotions, smallfaculty of wonder, and nascent reasoning power; unable to forecasttomorrow, or to comprehend yesterday, living from hand to mouth on thewild products of Nature, clothed in skin and bark, or daubed with clay,

and finding shelter in trees and caves; ignorant of the simplest arts,save to chip a stone missile, and perhaps to produce fire; strong inhis needs of life and vague sense of right to it and to what he couldget, but slowly impelled by common perils and passions to form ties,loose and haphazard at the outset, with his kind, the power ofcombination with them depending on sounds, signs and gestures."

Such was the ancestral man. Those who are interested in him arereferred to the two wonderful tales of the cave-man written in the formof stories by two great modern novelists. The books referred to are (1)"The Story of Ab," by Stanley Waterloo, and (2) "Before Adam," byJack London. They may be obtained from any bookseller. Both are worksof fiction, with the scientific facts cleverly interwoven into them.

And now in conclusion before we pass on the subject of "SpiritualEvolution," which will form the subject of our next lesson, we wouldagain call your attention to the vital difference between the Westernand the Eastern Teachings. The Western holds to a mechanical theory oflife, which works without the necessity of antecedent Mind, the latterappearing as a "product" at a certain stage. The Eastern holds thatMind is back of, under, and antecedent to all the work ofEvolution--the cause, not the effect or product. The Western claimsthat Mind was produced by the struggle of Matter to produce higherforms of itself. The Eastern claims that the whole process ofEvolution is caused by Mind striving, struggling and pressing forwardtoward expressing itself more fully--to liberate itself from theconfining and retarding Matter--the struggle resulting in an Unfoldmentwhich causes sheath after sheath of the confining material bonds to bethrown off and discarded, in the effort to release the confined Spiritwhich is behind even the Mind. The Yogi Teachings are that theEvolutionary Urge is the pressure of the confined Spirit striving tofree itself from the fetters and bonds which sorely oppress it.

The struggle and pain of Evolution is the parturition-pangs of theSpiritual deliverance from the womb of Matter. Like all birth it isattended by pain and suffering, but the end justifies it all. And asthe human mother forgets her past suffering in the joy of witnessingthe face, and form, and life, of her loved child, so will the soulforget the pain of the Spiritual birth by reason of the beauty andnobility of that which will be born to and from it.

Let us study well the story of Physical Evolution, but let us not loseourselves in it, for it is but the preliminary to the story of theUnfoldment of the Soul.

Let us not despise the tale of the Body of Man--for it is the story ofthe Temple of the Spirit which has been built up from the most humblebeginnings, until it has reached the present high stage. And yet even

this is but the beginning, for the work will go on, and on, and on, inthe spirit of those beautiful lines of Holmes:

"Build thee more stately mansions, oh, my soul! As the swift seasons roll! Leave thy low-vaulted past! Let each new temple, nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at last art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea."

THE NINTH LESSON

METEMPSYCHOSIS.

As we have said in our last lesson, while the Yogi Teachings throw animportant light upon the Western theory of Evolution, still there is avital difference between the Western scientific teachings on thesubject and the Eastern theories and teachings. The Western idea isthat the process is a mechanical, material one, and that "mind" is a"by-product" of Matter in its evolution. But the Eastern Teachings holdthat Mind is under, back of, and antecedent to all the work ofEvolution, and that Matter is a "by-product" of Mind, rather than thereverse.

The Eastern Teachings hold that Evolution is caused by Mind striving,struggling, and pressing forward toward fuller and fuller expression,using Matter as a material, and yet always struggling to free itselffrom the confining and retarding influence of the latter. The struggleresults in an Unfoldment, causing sheath after sheath of the confiningmaterial bonds to be thrown off and discarded, as the Spirit pressesupon the Mind, and the Mind moulds and shapes the Matter. Evolution isbut the process of birth of the Individualized Spirit, from the web ofMatter in which it has been confined. And the pains and struggles arebut incidents of the spiritual parturition.

In this and following lessons we shall consider the "SpiritualEvolution, of the race--that is the Unfoldment of IndividualizedSpirit--just as we did the subject Physical Evolution in the last twolessons.

We have seen that preceding Spiritual Evolution, there was a SpiritualInvolution. The Yogi Philosophy holds that in the Beginning, theAbsolute meditated upon the subject of Creation, and formed a MentalImage, or Thought-Form, of an Universal Mind--that is, of an UniversalPrinciple of Mind. This Universal Principle of Mind is the Great Oceanof "Mind-Stuff" from which all the phenomenal Universe is evolved. Fromthis Universal Principle of Mind, proceeded the Universal Principle ofForce or Energy. And from the latter, proceeded the Universal Principleof Matter.

The Universal Principle of Mind was bound by Laws imposed upon it bythe mental-conception of the Absolute--the Cosmic Laws of Nature. Andthese laws were the compelling causes of the Great Involution. Forbefore Evolution was possible, Involution was necessary. We haveexplained that the word "involve" means "to wrap up; to cover; to hide,etc." Before a thing can be "evolved," that is "unfolded," it mustfirst be "involved," that is "wrapped up." A thing must be put in,before it may be taken out.

Following the laws of Involution imposed upon it, the Universal MentalPrinciple involved itself in the Universal Energy Principle; and thenin obedience to the same laws, the latter involved itself in theUniversal Material Principle. Each stage of Involution, orwrapping-up, created for itself (out of the higher principle which inbeing involved) the wrapper or sheath which is to be used to wrap-upthe higher principle. And the higher forms of the Material Principleformed sheaths of lower forms, until forms of Matter were produced farmore gross than any known to us now, for they have disappeared in theEvolutionary ascent. Down, down, down went the process of Involution,until the lowest point was reached. Then ensued a moment's pause,preceding the beginning of the Evolutionary Unfoldment.

Then began the Great Evolution. But, as we have told you, the Upwardmovement was distinguished by the "Tendency toward Individualization."That is, while the Involuntary Process was accomplished by Principlesas Principles, the Upward Movement was begun by a tendency toward"splitting up," and the creation of "individual forms," and the effortto perfect them and build upon them higher and still higher succeedingforms, until a stage was reached in which the Temple of the Spirit wasworthy of being occupied by Man, the self-conscious expression of theSpirit. For the coming of Man was the first step of a higher form ofEvolution--the Spiritual Evolution. Up to this time there had beensimply an Evolution of Bodies, but now there came the Evolution ofSouls.

And this Evolution of Souls becomes possible only by the process ofMetempsychosis (pronounced me-temp-si-ko-sis) which is more commonlyknown as Reincarnation, or Re-embodiment.

It becomes necessary at this point to call your attention to thegeneral subject of Metempsychosis, for the reason that the public mindis most confused regarding this important subject. It has the mostvague ideas regarding the true teachings, and has somehow acquired theimpression that the teachings are that human souls are re-born into thebodies of dogs, and other animals. The wildest ideas on this subjectare held by some people. And, not only is this so, but even a number ofthose who hold to the doctrine of Reincarnation, in some of its forms,hold that their individual souls were once the individual souls ofanimals, from which state they have evolved to the present condition.This last is a perversion of the highest Yogi Teachings, and we trustto make same plain in these lessons. But, first we must take a look atthe general subject of Metempsychosis, that we may see the importantpart it has played in the field of human thought and belief.

While to many the idea of Metempsychosis may seem new and unfamiliar,still it is one of the oldest conceptions of the race, and in ages past

was the accepted belief of the whole of the civilized race of man ofthe period. And even today, it is accepted as Truth by the majority ofthe race

The almost universal acceptance of the idea by the East with itsteeming life, counterbalances its comparative non-reception by theWestern people of the day. From the early days of written or legendaryhistory, Metempsychosis has been the accepted belief of many of themost intelligent of the race. It is found underlying the magnificentcivilization of ancient Egypt, and from thence it traveled to theWestern world being held as the highest truth by such teachers asPythagoras, Empedocles, Plato, Virgil and Ovid. Plato's Dialogues arefull of this teaching. The Hindus have always held to it. The Persians,inspired by their learned Magi, accepted it implicitly. The ancientDruids, and Priests of Gaul, as well as the ancient inhabitants ofGermany, held to it. Traces of it may be found in the remains of theAztec, Peruvian and Mexican civilizations.

The Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece, the Roman Mysteries, and the InnerDoctrines of the Cabbala of the Hebrews all taught the Truths ofMetempsychosis. The early Christian Fathers; the Gnostic andManichaeans and other sects of the Early Christian people, all held tothe doctrine. The modern German philosophers have treated it with thegreatest respect, if indeed they did not at least partially accept it.Many modern writers have considered it gravely, and with respect. Thefollowing quotations will give an idea of "how the wind is blowing" inthe West:

"Of all the theories respecting the origin of the soul, Metempsychosisseems to me the most plausible and therefore the one most likely tothrow light on the question of a life to come."--Frederick H. Hedge.

"It would be curious if we should find science and philosophy taking upagain the old theory of metempsychosis, remodelling' it to suit ourpresent modes of religious and scientific thought, and launching itagain on the wide ocean of human belief. But stranger things havehappened in the history of human opinions."--James Freeman Clarke.

"If we could legitimately determine any question of belief by thenumber of its adherents, the ---- would apply to metempsychosis morefitly than to any other. I think it is quite as likely to be revivedand to come to the front as any rival theory."--Prof. Wm. Knight.

"It seems to me, a firm and well-grounded faith in the doctrine ofChristian metempsychosis might help to regenerate the world. For itwould be a faith not hedged around with many of the difficulties andobjections which beset other forms of doctrine, and it offers distinctand pungent motives for trying to lead a more Christian life, and for

loving and helping our brother-man."--Prof. Francis Bowen.

"The doctrine of Metempsychosis may almost claim to be a natural orinnate belief in the human mind, if we may judge from its widediffusion among the nations of the earth, and its prevalence throughoutthe historical ages."--Prof. Francis Bowen.

"When Christianity first swept over Europe, the inner thought of itsleaders was deeply tinctured with this truth. The Church triedineffectually to eradicate it, but in various sects it kept sproutingforth beyond the time of Erigina and Bonaventura, its mediaevaladvocates. Every great intuitional soul, as Paracelsus, Boehme, andSwedenborg, has adhered to it. The Italian luminaries, Giordano Brunoand Campanella. embraced it. The best of German philosophy is enrichedby it. In Schopenhauer, Lessing, Hegel, Leibnitz, Herder, and Fichte,the younger, it is earnestly advocated. The anthropological systems ofKant and Schelling furnish points of contact with it. The youngerHelmont, in De Revolutione Animarum, adduces in two hundred problemsall the arguments which may be urged in favor of the return of soulsinto human bodies according to Jewish ideas. Of English thinkers, theCambridge Platonists defended it with much learning and acuteness, mostconspicuously Henry More; and in Cudsworth and Hume it ranks as themost rational theory of immortality. Glanvil's Lux Orientalis devotesa curious treatise to it. It captivated the minds of Fourier andLeroux. Andre Pezzani's book on The Plurality of the Soul's Livesworks out the system on the Roman Catholic idea of expiation."--E.D.WALKER, in "Re-Incarnation, a Study of Forgotten Truth."

And in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century, and this the earlypart of the Twentieth Century, the general public has been madefamiliar with the idea of Metempsychosis, under the name ofRe-incarnation, by means of the great volume of literature issued byThe Theosophical Society and its allied following. No longer is thethought a novelty to the Western thinker, and many have found withinthemselves a corroborative sense of its truth. In fact, to many themere mention of the idea has been sufficient to awaken faint shadowymemories of past lives, and, to such, many heretofore unaccountabletraits of character, tastes, inclinations, sympathies, dislikes, etc.,have been explained.

The Western world has been made familiar with the idea of the re-birthof souls into new bodies, under the term of "Re-incarnation," whichmeans "a re-entry into flesh," the word "incarnate" being derived fromthe words "in," and "carnis," meaning flesh--the English wordmeaning "to clothe with flesh," etc. The word Metempsychosis, which weuse in this lesson, is concerned rather with the "passage of the soul"from one tenement to another, the "fleshly" idea being merelyincidental.

The doctrine of Metempsychosis, or Re-incarnation, together with itsaccompanying doctrine, Karma, or Spiritual Cause and Effect, is one ofthe great foundation stones of the Yogi Philosophy, as indeed it is ofthe entire system of systems of Oriental Philosophy and Thought. Unlessone understands Metempsychosis he will never be able to understand theEastern Teachings, for he will be without the Key. You who have readthe Bhagavad Gita, that wonderful Hindu Epic, will remember how thethread of Re-Birth runs through it all. You remember the words ofKrishna to Arjuna: "As the soul, wearing this material body,experienceth the stages of infancy, youth, manhood, and old age, evenso shall it, in due time, pass on to another body, and in otherincarnations shall it again live, and move and play its part." "Thesebodies, which act as enveloping coverings for the souls occupying them,are but finite things--things of the moment--and not the Real Man atall. They perish as all finite things perish--let them perish." "As aman throweth away his old garments, replacing them with new andbrighter ones, even so the Dweller of the body, having quitted its oldmortal frame, entereth into others which are new and freshly preparedfor it. Weapons pierce not the Real Man, nor doth the fire burn him;the water affecteth him not, nor the wind drieth him nor bloweth himaway. For he is impregnable and impervious to these things of the worldof change--he is eternal, permanent, unchangeable, andunalterable--Real."

This view of life gives to the one who holds to it, an entirelydifferent mental attitude. He no longer identifies himself with theparticular body that he may be occupying, nor with any other body forthat matter. He learns to regard his body just as he would a garmentwhich he is wearing, useful to him for certain purposes, but which willin time be discarded and thrown aside for a better one, and one betteradapted to his new requirements and needs. So firmly is this ideaembedded in the consciousness of the Hindus, that they will often say"My body is tired," or "My body is hungry," or "My body is full ofenergy," rather than that "I am" this or that thing. And thisconsciousness, once attained, gives to one a sense of strength,security and power unknown to him who regards his body as himself. Thefirst step for the student who wishes to grasp the idea ofMetempsychosis, and who wishes to awaken in his consciousness acertainty of its truth, is to familiarize himself with the idea of his"I" being a thing independent and a part from his body, although usingthe latter as an abiding place and a useful shelter and instrument forthe time being.

Many writers on the subject of Metempsychosis have devoted much time,labor and argument to prove the reasonableness of the doctrine uponpurely speculative, philosophical, or metaphysical grounds. And whilewe believe that such efforts are praiseworthy for the reason that many

persons must be first convinced in that way, still we feel that onemust really feel the truth of the doctrine from something within hisown consciousness, before he will really believe it to be truth. Onemay convince himself of the logical necessity of the doctrine ofMetempsychosis, but at the same time he may drop the matter with ashrug of the shoulders and a "still, who knows?" But when one begins tofeel within himself the awakening consciousness of a "something in thepast," not to speak of the flashes of memory, and feeling of formeracquaintance with the subject, then, and then only, does he begin tobelieve.

Many people have had "peculiar experiences" that are accountable onlyupon the hypothesis of Metempsychosis. Who has not experienced theconsciousness of having felt the thing before--having thought itsome time in the dim past? Who has not witnessed new scenes that appearold, very old? Who has not met persons for the first time, whosepresence awakened memories of a past lying far back in the misty agesof long ago? Who has not been seized at times with the consciousness ofa mighty "oldness" of soul? Who has not heard music, often entirely newcompositions, which somehow awakens memories of similar strains,scenes, places, faces, voices, lands, associations and events, soundingdimly on the strings of memory as the breezes of the harmony floatsover them? Who has not gazed at some old painting, or piece ofstatuary, with the sense of having seen it all before? Who has notlived through events, which brought with them a certainty of beingmerely a repetition of some shadowy occurrences away back in liveslived long ago? Who has not felt the influence of the mountain, thesea, the desert, coming to them when they are far from suchscenes--coming so vividly as to cause the actual scene of the presentto fade into comparative unreality. Who has not had theseexperiences--we ask?

Writers, poets, and others who carry messages to the world, havetestified to these things--and nearly every man or woman who hears themessage recognizes it as something having correspondence in his or herown life. Sir Walter Scott tells us in his diary: "I cannot, I am sure,tell if it is worth marking down, that yesterday, at dinner time, I wasstrangely haunted by what I would call the sense of preexistence, viz.,a confused idea that nothing that passed was said for the first time;that the same topics had been discussed and the same persons had statedthe same opinions on them. The sensation was so strong as to resemblewhat is called the mirage in the desert and a calenture on board ship."The same writer, in one of his novels, "Guy Mannering," makes one ofhis characters say: "Why is it that some scenes awaken thoughts whichbelong as it were, to dreams of early and shadowy recollections, suchas old Brahmin moonshine would have ascribed to a state of previousexistence. How often do we find ourselves in society which we havenever before met, and yet feel impressed with a mysterious and

ill-defined consciousness that neither the scene nor the speakers northe subject are entirely new; nay, feel as if we could anticipate thatpart of the conversation which has not yet taken place."

Bulwer speaks of "that strange kind of inner and spiritual memory whichso often recalls to us places and persons we have never seen before,and which Platonists would resolve to be the unquenched consciousnessof a former life." And again, he says: "How strange is it that at timesa feeling comes over us as we gaze upon certain places, whichassociates the scene either with some dim remembered and dreamlikeimages of the Past, or with a prophetic and fearful omen of the Future.Every one has known a similar strange and indistinct feeling at certaintimes and places, and with a similar inability to trace the cause." Poehas written these words on the subject: "We walk about, amid thedestinies of our world existence, accompanied by dim but ever presentmemories of a Destiny more vast--very distant in the bygone time andinfinitely awful. We live out a youth peculiarly haunted by suchdreams, yet never mistaking them for dreams. As memories we know them.During our youth the distinctness is too clear to deceive us even for amoment. But the doubt of manhood dispels these feelings as illusions."

Home relates an interesting incident in his life, which had a markedeffect upon his beliefs, thereafter. He relates that upon an occasionwhen he visited a strange house in London he was shown into a room towait. He says: "On looking around, to my astonishment everythingappeared perfectly familiar to me. I seemed to recognize every object.I said to myself, 'What is this? I have never been here before, and yetI have seen all this, and if so, then there must be a very peculiarknot in that shutter.'" He proceeded to examine the shutter, and muchto his amazement the knot was there.

We have recently heard of a similar case, told by an old lady whoformerly lived in the far West of the United States. She states thatupon one occasion a party was wandering on the desert in her part ofthe country, and found themselves out of water. As that part of thedesert was unfamiliar even to the guides, the prospect for water lookedvery poor indeed. After a fruitless search of several hours, one of theparty, a perfect stranger to that part of the country, suddenly pressedhis hand to his head, and acted in a dazed manner, crying out "I knowthat a water-hole is over to the right--this way," and away he startedwith the party after him. After a half-hour's journey they reached anold hidden water-hole that was unknown even to the oldest man in theparty. The stranger said that he did not understand the matter, butthat he had somehow experienced a sensation of having been therebefore, and knowing just where the water-hole was located. An oldIndian who was questioned about the matter, afterward, stated that theplace had been well known to his people who formerly travelled much onthat part of the desert; and that they had legends relating to the

"hidden water-hole," running back for many generations. In this case,it was remarked that the water-hole was situated in such a peculiar andunusual manner, as to render it almost undiscoverable even to peoplefamiliar with the characteristics of that part of the country. The oldlady who related the story, had it direct from the lips of one of theparty, who regarded it as "something queer," but who had never evenheard of Metempsychosis.

A correspondent of an English magazine writes as follows: "A gentlemanof high intellectual attainments, now deceased, once told me that hehad dreamed of being in a strange city, so vividly that he rememberedthe streets, houses and public buildings as distinctly as those of anyplace he ever visited. A few weeks later he was induced to visit apanorama in Leicester Square, when he was startled by seeing the cityof which he had dreamed. The likeness was perfect, except that oneadditional church appeared in the picture. He was so struck by thecircumstance that he spoke to the exhibitor, assuming for the purposethe air of a traveller acquainted with the place, when he was informedthat the church was a recent erection." The fact of the addition of thechurch, seems to place the incident within the rule of awakenedmemories of scenes known in a past life, for clairvoyance, astraltravel, etc., would show the scene as it was at the time of the dream,not as it had been years before.

Charles Dickens mentions a remarkable impression in his work "Picturesfrom Italy." "In the foreground was a group of silent peasant girls,leaning over the parapet of the little bridge, looking now up at thesky, now down into the water; in the distance a deep dell; the shadowof an approaching night on everything. If I had been murdered there insome former life I could not have seemed to remember the place morethoroughly, or with more emphatic chilling of the blood; and the realremembrance of it acquired in that minute is so strengthened by theimaginary recollection that I hardly think I could forget it."

We have recently met two people in America who had very vivid memoriesof incidents in their past life. One of these, a lady, has a perfecthorror of large bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes, or the Ocean,although she was born and has lived the greater part of her lifeinland, far removed from any great body of water, She has a distinctrecollection of falling from a large canoe-shape vessel, of peculiarlines, and drowning. She was quite overcome upon her first visit to theField Museum in Chicago, where there were exhibited a number of modelsof queer vessels used by primitive people. She pointed out one similarin shape, and lines, to the one she remembers as having fallen from insome past life.

The second case mentioned is that of a married couple who met eachother in a country foreign to both, on their travels. They fell in love

with each other, and both have felt that their marriage was a reunionrather than a new attachment. The husband one day shortly after theirmarriage told his wife in a rather shamed-faced way that he hadoccasional flashes of memory of having held in his arms, in the dimpast, a woman whose face he could not recall, but who wore a strangenecklace, he describing the details of the latter. The wife saidnothing, but after her husband had left for his office, she went to theattic and unpacked an old trunk containing some odds and ends, relics,heirlooms, etc., and drew from it an old necklace of peculiar patternthat her grandfather had brought back from India, where he had lived inhis younger days, and which had been in the family ever since. She laidthe necklace on the table, so that her husband would see it upon hisreturn. The moment his eyes fell upon it, he turned white as death, andgasped "My God! that's the necklace!"

A writer in a Western journal gives the following story of a Southernwoman. "When I was in Heidelberg, Germany, attending a convention ofMystics, in company with some friends I paid my first visit to theruined Heidelberg Castle. As I approached it I was impressed with theexistence of a peculiar room in an inaccessible portion of thebuilding. A paper and pencil were provided me, and I drew a diagram ofthe room even to its peculiar floor. My diagram and description wereperfect, when we afterwards visited the room. In some way, not yetclear to me, I have been connected with that apartment. Still anotherimpression came to me with regard to a book, which I was made to feelwas in the old library of the Heidelberg University. I not only knewwhat the book was, but even felt that a certain name of an old Germanprofessor would be found written in it. Communicating this feeling toone of the Mystics at the convention, a search was made for the volume,but it was not found. Still the impression clung to me, and anothereffort was made to find the book; this time we were rewarded for ourpains. Sure enough, there on the margin of one of the leaves was thevery name I had been given in such a strange manner. Other things atthe same time went to convince me that I was in possession of the soulof a person who had known Heidelberg two or three centuries ago."

A contributor to an old magazine relates, among other instances, thefollowing regarding a friend who remembers having died in India duringthe youth of some former life. He states: "He sees the bronzedattendants gathered about his cradle in their white dresses: they arefanning him. And as they gaze he passes into unconsciousness. Much ofhis description concerned points of which he knew nothing from anyother source, but all was true to the life, and enabled me to fix onIndia as the scene which he recalled."

While comparatively few among the Western races are able to remembermore than fragments of their past lives, in India it is quite commonfor a man well developed spiritually to clearly remember the incidents

and details of former incarnations, and the evidence of the awakeningof such power causes little more than passing interest among hispeople. There is, as we shall see later, a movement toward consciousMetempsychosis, and many of the race are just moving on to that plane.In India the highly developed individuals grow into a clearrecollection of their past lives when they reach the age of puberty,and when their brains are developed sufficiently to grasp the knowledgelocked up in the depths of the soul. In the meantime the individual'smemory of the past is locked away in the recesses of his mind, just asare many facts and incidents of his present life so locked away, to beremembered only when some one mentions the subject, or somecircumstance serves to supply the associative link to the apparentlyforgotten matter.

Regarding the faculty of memory in our present lives, we would quotethe following from the pen of Prof. William Knight, printed in theFortnightly Review. He says: "Memory of the details of the past isabsolutely impossible. The power of the conservative faculty, thoughrelatively great, is extremely limited. We forget the larger portion ofexperience soon after we have passed through it, and we should be ableto recall the particulars of our past years, filling all the missinglinks of consciousness since we entered on the present life, before wewere in a position to remember our ante-natal experience. Birth mustnecessarily be preceded by crossing the river of oblivion, while thecapacity for fresh acquisition survives, and the garnered wealth of oldexperience determines the amount and character of the new."

Another startling evidence of the proof of Metempsychosis is affordedus in the cases of "infant prodigies," etc., which defy any otherexplanation. Take the cases of the manifestation of musical talent incertain children at an early age, for instance. Take the case of Mozartwho at the age of four was able to not only perform difficult pieces onthe piano, but actually composed original works of merit. Not only didhe manifest the highest faculty of sound and note, but also aninstinctive ability to compose and arrange music, which ability wassuperior to that of many men who had devoted years of their life tostudy and practice. The laws of harmony--the science of comminglingtones, was to him not the work of years, but a faculty born in him.There are many similar cases of record.

Heredity does not explain these instances of genius, for in many of therecorded cases, none of the ancestors manifested any talent or ability.From whom did Shakespeare inherit his genius? From whom did Platoderive his wonderful thought? From what ancestor did Abraham Lincolninherit his character--coming from a line of plain, poor, hard-workingpeople, and possessing all of the physical attributes andcharacteristics of his ancestry, he, nevertheless, manifested a mindwhich placed him among the foremost of his race. Does not

Metempsychosis give us the only possible key? Is it not reasonable tosuppose that the abilities displayed by the infant genius, and thetalent of the men who spring from obscure origin, have their root inthe experiences of a previous life?

Then take the cases of children at school. Children of even the samefamily manifest different degrees of receptivity to certain studies.Some "take to" one thing, and some to another. Some find arithmetic soeasy that they almost absorb it intuitively, while grammar is a hardtask for them; while their brothers and sisters find the exact reverseto be true. How many have found that when they would take up some newstudy, it is almost like recalling something already learned. Do youstudent, who are now reading these lines take your own case. Does notall this Teaching seem to you like the repetition of some lessonlearned long ago? Is it not like remembering something already learned,rather than the learning of some new truth? Were you not attracted tothese studies, in the first place, by a feeling that you had known itall before, somewhere, somehow? Does not your mind leap ahead of thelesson, and see what is coming next, long before you have turned thepages? These inward evidences of the fact of pre-existence are sostrong that they outweigh the most skillful appeal to the intellect.

This intuitive knowledge of the truth of Metempsychosis explains whythe belief in it is sweeping over the Western world at such a rapidrate. The mere mention of the idea, to many people who have neverbefore heard of it, is sufficient to cause them to recognize its truth.And though they may not understand the laws of its operation, yet deepdown in their consciousness they find a something that convinces themof its truth. In spite of the objections that are urged against theteaching, it is making steady headway and progress.

The progress of the belief in Metempsychosis however has been greatlyretarded by the many theories and dogmas attached to it by some of theteachers. Not to speak of the degrading ideas of re-birth into thebodies of animals, etc., which have polluted the spring of Truth, thereare to be found many other features of teaching and theory which repelpeople, and cause them to try to kill out of the minds the glimmer ofTruth that they find there. The human soul instinctively revoltsagainst the teaching that it is bound to the wheel or re-birth,willy-nilly, compulsorily, without choice--compelled to live in bodyafter body until great cycles are past. The soul, perhaps already sickof earth-life, and longing to pass on to higher planes of existence,fights against such teaching. And it does well to so fight, for thetruth is nearer to its hearts desire. There is no soul longing thatdoes not carry with it the prophecy of its own fulfillment, and so itis in this case. It is true that the soul of one filled with earthlydesires, and craving for material things, will by the very force ofthose desires be drawn back to earthly re-birth in a body best suited

for the gratification of the longings, desires and cravings that itfinds within itself. But it is likewise true that the earth-sick soulis not compiled to return unless its own desires bring it back. Desireis the key note of Metempsychosis, although up to a certain stage itmay operate unconsciously. The sum of the desires of a soul regulateits re-birth. Those who have become sickened of all that earth has forthem at this stage of its evolution, may, and do, rest in states ofexistence far removed from earth scenes, until the race progresses farenough to afford the resting soul the opportunities and environmentsthat it so earnestly craves.

And more than this, when Man reaches a certain stage, the process ofMetempsychosis no longer remains unconscious, but he enters into aconscious knowing, willing passage from one life to another. And whenthat stage is reached a full memory of the past lives is unfolded, andlife to such a soul becomes as the life of a day, succeeded by a night,and then the awakening into another day with full knowledge andrecollection of the events of the day before. We are in merely thebabyhood of the race now, and the fuller life of the conscious soullies before us. Yea, even now it is being entered into by the few ofthe race that have progressed sufficiently far on the Path. And you,student, who feel within you that craving for conscious re-birth andfuture spiritual evolution, and the distaste for, and horror of, afurther blind, unconscious re-plunge into the earth-life--know you,that this longing on your part is but an indication of what lies beforeyou. It is the strange, subtle, awakening of the nature within you,which betokens the higher state. Just as the young person feels withinhis or her body strange emotions, longings and stirrings, which betokenthe passage from the child state into that of manhood or womanhood, sodo these spiritual longings, desires and cravings betoken the passagefrom unconscious re-birth into conscious knowing Metempsychosis, whenyou have passed from the scene of your present labors.

In our next lesson we shall consider the history of the race as itssouls passed on from the savage tribes to the man of to-day. It is thehistory of the race--the history of the individual--your own history,student--the record of that through which you have passed to becomethat which you now are. And as you have climbed step after step up thearduous path, so will you, hereafter climb still higher paths, but nolonger in unconsciousness, but with your spiritual eyes wide open tothe Rays of Truth pouring forth from the great Central Sun--theAbsolute.

Concluding this lesson, we would quote two selections from the Americanpoet, Whitman, whose strange genius was undoubtedly the result of vaguememories springing from a previous life, and which burst intoutterances often not more than half understood by the mind that gavethem birth. Whitman says:

"Facing West from California's shores, Inquiring, tireless, seeking what is yet unfound, A, a child, very old, over waves, toward the house of maternity, the land of migrations, look afar, Look off the shores of my Western sea, the circle almost circled: For starting Westward from Hindustan, from the vales of Kashmere, From Asia, from the north, from God, the sage, and the hero, From the south, from the flowery peninsulas and spice islands, Long having wandered since, round the earth having wandered, Now I face home again, very pleased and joyous. (But where is what I started for so long ago? And why is it yet unfound?)"

* * * * *

"I know I am deathless.

I know that this orbit of mine cannot be swept by a carpenter's compass; And whether I come to my own to-day, or in ten thousand or ten million years,

I can cheerfully take it now or with equal cheerfulness can wait."

* * * * *

"As to you, Life, I reckon you are the leavings of many deaths. No doubt I have died myself ten thousand times before."

* * * * *

"Births have brought us richness and variety, and other births have brought us richness and variety."

* * * * *

And this quotation from the American poet N.P. Willis:

"But what a mystery this erring mind?

It wakes within a frame of various powers A stranger in a new and wondrous world. It brings an instinct from some other sphere, For its fine senses are familiar all, And with the unconscious habit of a dream It calls and they obey. The priceless sight Springs to its curious organ, and the ear Learns strangely to detect the articulate air In its unseen divisions, and the tongue Gets its miraculous lesson with the rest, And in the midst of an obedient throng Of well trained ministers, the mind goes forth To search the secrets of its new found home."

THE TENTH LESSON

SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION.

One of the things that repel many persons who have had their attentiondirected to the subject of Metempsychosis for the first time, is theidea that they have evolved as a soul from individual lowly forms,for instance that they have at one time been an individual plant, andthen an individual animal form, and then an individual higher animalform, and so on until now they are the particular individual human formcontemplating the subject. This idea, which has been taught by manyteachers, is repellent to the average mind, for obvious reasons, andnaturally so, for it has no foundation in truth.

While this lesson is principally concerned with the subject of theSpiritual Evolution of the human soul, since it became a human soul,still it may be as well to mention the previous phase of evolution,briefly, in order to prevent misconception, and to dispel previouslyacquired error.

The atom, although it possesses life and a certain degree of mind, andacts as an individual temporarily, has no permanent individuality thatreincarnates. When the atom is evolved it becomes a centre of energy inthe great atomic principle, and when it is finally dissolved itresolves itself back into its original state, and its life as anindividual atom ceases, although the experience it has gained becomesthe property of the entire principle. It is as if a body of water wereto be resolved into millions of tiny dew-drops for a time, and eachdew-drop was then to acquire certain outside material in solution. Inthat case, each dew-drop when it again returned to the body of water,would carry with it its foreign material, which would become theproperty of the whole. And subsequently formed dew-drops would carry intheir substance a particle of the foreign matter brought back home bythe previous generation of dewdrops, and would thus be a littledifferent from their predecessors. And this process, continuing formany generations of dew-drops, would ultimately cause the greatestchanges in the composition of the successive generations.

This, in short, is the story of the change and improving forms of life.From the atoms into the elements; from the lower elements into thoseforming protoplasm; from the protoplasm to the lower forms of animallife; from these lower forms on to higher forms--this is the story. Butit is all a counterpart of the dew-drop and the body of water, untilthe human soul is evolved.

The plants and the lower forms of animal life are not permanentindividual souls, but each family is a group-soul corresponding tothe body of water from which the dew-drop arose. From these family

group-souls gradually break off minor groups, representing species, andso on into sub-species. At last when the forms reach the plane of man,the group-soul breaks itself up into permanent individual souls, andtrue Metempsychosis begins. That is, each individual human soulbecomes a permanent individual entity, destined to evolve and perfectitself along the lines of spiritual evolution.

And from this point begins our story of Spiritual Evolution.

The story of Man, the Individual, begins amidst humble surroundings.Primitive man, but little above the level of the lower animals in pointof intelligence, has nevertheless that distinguishing mark ofIndividuality--"Self-Consciousness," which is the demarkation betweenBeast and Man. And even the lowest of the lowest races had at least a"trace" of this Self-Consciousness, which made of them individuals, andcaused the fragment of the race-soul to separate itself from thegeneral principle animating the race, and to fasten its "I" consciousupon itself, rather than upon the underlying race-soul, alonginstinctive lines. Do you know just what this Self-Consciousness is,and how it differs from the Physical Consciousness of the loweranimals? Perhaps we had better pause a moment to consider it at thisplace.

The lower animals are of course conscious of the bodies, and theirwants, feelings, emotions, desires, etc., and their actions are inresponse to the animating impulses coming from this plane ofconsciousness. But it stops there. They "know," but they do not "knowthat they know"; that is, they have not yet arrived at a state in whichthey can think of themselves as "I," and to reason upon their thoughtsand mental operations. It is like the consciousness of a very youngchild, which feels and knows its sensations and wants, but is unable tothink of itself as "I," and to turn the mental gaze inward. In anotherbook of these series we have used the illustration of the horse whichhas been left standing out in the cold sleet and rain, and whichundoubtedly feels and knows the unpleasant sensations arisingtherefrom, and longs to get away from the unpleasant environment. But,still, he is unable to analyze his mental states and wonder whether hismaster will come out to him soon, or think how cruel it is to keep himout of his warm comfortable stable; or wonder whether he will be takenout in the cold rain again tomorrow; or feel envious of other horseswho are indoors; or wonder why he is kept out cold nights, etc., etc.In short, the horse is unable to think as would a reasoning man underjust the same circumstances. He is aware of the discomfort, just aswould be the man; and he would run away home, if he were able, just aswould the man. But he is not able to pity himself, nor to think abouthis personality, as would a man--he is not able to wonder whether lifeis worth the living, etc., as would a man. He "knows" but is not ableto reflect upon the "knowing."

In the above illustration, the principal point is that the horse doesnot "know himself" as an entity, while even the most primitive man isable to so recognize himself as an "I." If the horse were able to thinkin words, he would think "feel," "cold," "hurt," etc., but he would beunable to think "I feel; I am cold; I am hurt," etc. The thought"I" would be missing.

It is true that the "I" consciousness of the primitive man was slight,and was but a degree above the Physical Consciousness of the higherapes, but nevertheless it had sprung into being, never again to belost. The primitive man was like a child a few years old--he was ableto say "I," and to think "I." He had become an individual soul.

And this individual soul inhabited and animated a body but littleremoved from that of an ape. But this new consciousness began to mouldthat rude body and the ascent was begun. Each generation showed aphysical improvement over that of the preceding one, according to thelines of physical evolution, and as the developing soul demanded moreperfect and developed bodies the bodies were evolved to meet thedemand, for the mental demand has ever been the cause of the physicalform.

The soul of the primitive man reincarnated almost immediately after thedeath of the physical body, because the experiences gained were mostlyalong the lines of the physical, the mental planes being scarcelybrought into play, while the higher and spiritual faculties were almostentirely obscured from sight. Life after life the soul of the primitiveman lived out in rapid succession. But in each new embodiment there wasa slight advance over that of the previous one. Experience, or ratherthe result of experiences, were carried over, and profited by. Newlessons were learned and unlearned, improved upon or discarded. And therace grew and unfolded.

After a time the number of advancing souls which had outstripped theirfellows in progress became sufficiently large for sub-races to beformed, and so the branching off process began. In this way the variousraces and types were formed, and the progress of Mankind gainedheadway. At this point we may as well consider the history of the Racesof Mankind, that we may see how the great tide-wave of Soul has everpressed onward, marking higher and still higher stages of progress, andalso how the various minor waves of the great wave pushed in and thenreceded, only to be followed by still higher waves. The story is mostinteresting.

The Yogi Teachings inform us that the Grand Cycle of Man's Life on theEarth is composed of Seven Cycles, of which we are now living in thethird-seventh part of the Fifth Cycle. These Cycles may be spoken of as

the Great Earth Periods, separated from each other by some greatnatural cataclysm which destroyed the works of the previous races ofmen, and which started afresh the progress called "civilization,"which, as all students know, manifests a rise and fall like unto thatof the tides.

Man in the First Cycle emerged from a gross animal-like state into acondition somewhat advanced. It was a slow progress, but nevertheless adistinct series of advances were made by the more progressive souls whopassed over on to the Second Cycle, embodying themselves as the rulingraces in the same, their less progressive brothers incarnating in thelower tribes of the Second Cycle. It must be remembered that the soulswhich do not advance during a Cycle reincarnate in the next Cycle amongthe lower races. So that even in this Fifth Cycle we have remnants ofthe previous cycles, the lives of the members of which give us an ideaof what life in the earlier cycles must have been.

The Yogi Teachings give us but little information regarding the peopleof the First and Second Cycles, because of the low state of these ages.The tale, if told, would be the story of the Cave-dweller, andStone-age people; the Fire-peoples, and all the rest of savage,barbarian crew; there was but little trace of anything like that whichwe call "civilization," although in the latter periods of the SecondCycle the foundations for the coming civilizations were firmly laid.

After the cataclysm which destroyed the works of Man of the SecondCycle, and left the survivors scattered or disorganized, awaiting thetouch of the organizing urge which followed shortly afterward, theredawned the first period of the Third Cycle. The scene of the life ofthe Third Cycle was laid in what is known to Occultists as Lemuria.Lemuria was a mighty continent situated in what is now known as thePacific Ocean, and parts of the Indian Ocean. It included Australia,Australasia, and other portions of the Pacific islands, which are infact surviving portions of the great continent of Lemuria, its highestpoints, the lower portion having sunk beneath the seas ages and agesago.

Life in Lemuria is described as being principally concerned with thephysical senses, and sensual enjoyment, only a few developed soulshaving broken through the fetters of materiality and reached thebeginnings of the mental and spiritual planes of life. Some few indeedmade great progress and were saved from the general wreck, in order tobecome the leaven which would lighten the mass of mankind during thenext Cycle. These developed souls were the teachers of the new races,and were looked upon by the latter as gods and supernatural beings, andlegends and traditions concerning them are still existent among theancient peoples of our present day. Many of the myths of the ancientpeoples arose in this way.

The Yogi traditions hold that just prior to the great cataclysm whichdestroyed the races of the Second Cycle, there was a body of the ChosenOnes which migrated from Lemuria to certain islands of the sea whichare now part of the main land of India. These people formed the nucleusof the Occult Teachings of the Lemurians, and developed into the Fountof Truth which has been flowing ever since throughout the successiveperiods and cycles.

When Lemuria passed away, there arose from the depths of the ocean thecontinent which was to be the scene of the life and civilization of theFourth Cycle--the continent of Atlantis. Atlantis was situated in aportion of what is now known as the Atlantic Ocean, beginning at whatis now known as the Caribbean Sea and extending over to the region ofwhat is now known as Africa. What are now known as Cuba and the WestIndies were among the highest points of the continent, and now standlike monuments to its departed greatness.

The civilization of Atlantis was remarkable, and its people attainedheights which seem almost incredible to even those who are familiarwith the highest achievements of man in our own times. The Chosen Onespreserved from the cataclysm which destroyed Lemuria, and who lived toa remarkably old age, had stored up within their minds the wisdom andlearning of the races that had been destroyed, and they thus gave theAtlanteans an enormous starting-advantage. They soon attained greatadvancement along all the lines of human endeavor. They perfectedmechanical inventions and appliances, reaching far ahead of even ourpresent attainments. In the field of electricity especially theyreached the stages that our present races will reach in about two orthree hundred years from now. Along the lines of Occult Attainmenttheir progress was far beyond the dreams of the average man of our ownrace, and in fact from this arose one of the causes of their downfall,for they prostituted the power to base and selfish uses, and BlackMagic.

And, so the decline of Atlantis began. But the end did not come atonce, or suddenly, but gradually. The continent, and its surroundingislands gradually sank beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, theprocess occupying over 10,000 years. The Greeks and Romans of our ownCycle had traditions regarding the sinking of the continent, but theirknowledge referred only to the disappearance of the smallremainder--certain islands--the continent itself having disappearedthousands of years before their time. It is recorded that the Egyptianpriests had traditions that the continent itself had disappeared ninethousand years before their time. As was the case with the Chosen Onesof Lemuria, so was it with the Elect of Atlantis, who were taken awayfrom the doomed land some time prior to its destruction. The fewadvanced people left their homes and migrated to portions of what are

now South America and Central America, but which were then islands ofthe sea. These people have left their traces of their civilization andworks, which our antiquaries are discovering to-day.

When the Fifth Cycle dawned (our own cycle, remember) these brave andadvanced souls acted as the race-teachers and became as "gods" to thosewho came afterward. The races were very prolific, and multiplied veryrapidly under the most favorable conditions. The souls of theAtlanteans were pressing forward for embodiment, and human forms wereborn to supply the demand. And now begins the history of our ownCycle--the Fifth Cycle.

But before we begin a consideration of the Fifth Cycle, let us considerfor a moment a few points about the laws operating to cause these greatchanges.

In the first place, each Cycle has a different theatre for its work andaction. The continent of Lemuria was not in existence during the SecondCycle, and arose from the ocean bed only when its appointed time came.And, likewise the continent of Atlantis reposed beneath the waves whilethe Lemurian races manifested during the Third Cycle, rising by meansof a convulsion of the earth's surface to play its part during its ownperiod--the Fourth Cycle--only to sink again beneath the waves to makeway for the birth of the Fifth Cycle with its races. By means of thesecataclysms the races of each Cycle were wiped out when the time came,the few Elect or Chosen ones, that is those who have manifested theright to live on, being carried away to some favorable environmentwhere they became as leaven to the mass--as "gods" to the new racesthat quickly appear.

It must be remembered, however, that these Chosen Ones are not the onlyones saved from the destruction that overtakes the majority of therace. On the contrary a few survivors are preserved, although drivenaway from their former homes, and reduced to "first principles ofliving" in order to become the parents of the new races. The new racesspringing from the fittest of these survivors quickly form sub-races,being composed of the better adapted souls seeking reincarnation, whilethe less fit sink into barbarism, and show evidences of decay, althougha remnant drags on for thousands of years, being composed of the soulsof those who have not advanced sufficiently to take a part in the lifeof the new races. These "left-overs" are in evidence in our own timesin the cases of the Australian savages, and some of the African tribes,as well as among the Digger Indians and others of similar grade ofintelligence.

In order to understand the advance of each race it must be rememberedthat the more advanced souls, after passing out of the body, have amuch longer period of rest in the higher planes, and consequently do

not present themselves for reincarnation until a period quite late whencompared with the hasty reincarnation of the less advanced souls whoare hurried back to rebirth by reason of the strong earthly attachmentsand desires. In this way it happens that the earlier races of eachCycle are more primitive folk than those who follow them as the yearsroll by. The soul of an earth-bound person reincarnates in a few years,and sometimes in a few days, while the soul of an advanced man mayrepose and rest on the higher planes for centuries--nay, even forthousands of years, until the earth has reached a stage in which theappropriate environment may be afforded it.

Observers, unconnected with Occultism, have noted certain laws whichseem to regulate the rise and fall of nations--the procession of rulingraces. They do not understand the law of Metempsychosis that alonegives the key to the problem, but nevertheless they have not failed torecord the existence of the laws themselves. In order to show thatthese laws are recognized by persons who are not at all influenced bythe Occult Teachings, we take the liberty of quoting from Draper's"History of the Intellectual Development of Europe."

Dr. Draper writes as follows: "We are, as we often say, the creaturesof circumstances. In that expression there is a higher philosophy thanmight at first appear. From this more accurate point of view we shouldtherefore consider the course of these events, recognizing theprinciple that the affairs of men pass forward in a determinate way,expanding and unfolding themselves. And hence we see that the things ofwhich we have spoken as if they were matters of choice, were in realityforced upon their apparent authors by the necessity of the times. Butin truth they should be considered as the presentation of a certainphase of life which nations in their onward course sooner or laterassume. To the individual, how well we know that a sober moderation ofaction, an appropriate gravity of demeanor, belonging to the matureperiod of life, change from the wanton willfulness of youth, which maybe ushered in, or its beginnings marked by many accidental incidents;in one perhaps by domestic bereavements, in another by the loss offortune, in a third by ill-health. We are correct enough in imputing tosuch trials the change of character; but we never deceive ourselves bysupposing that it would have failed to take place had these incidentsnot occurred. There runs an irresistible destiny in the midst of thesevicissitudes. There are analogies between the life of a nation, andthat of an individual, who, though he may be in one respect the makerof his own fortunes, for happiness or for misery, for good or for evil,though he remains here or goes there as his inclinations prompt, thoughhe does this or abstains from that as he chooses, is nevertheless heldfast by an inexorable fate--a fate which brought him into the worldinvoluntarily, so far as he was concerned, which presses him forwardthrough a definite career, the stages of which are absolutelyinvariable,--infancy, childhood, youth, maturity, old age, with all

their characteristic actions and passions,--and which removes him fromthe scene at the appointed time, in most cases against his will. Soalso is it with nations; the voluntary is only the outward semblance,covering but hardly hiding the predetermined. Over the events of lifewe may have control, but none whatever over the law of its progress.There is a geometry that applies to nations an equation of their curveof advance. That no mortal man can touch."

This remarkable passage, just quoted, shows how the close observers ofhistory note the rise and fall of the tides of human race progress,although ignorant of the real underlying causing energy or force. Astudy of the Occult Teachings alone gives one the hidden secret ofhuman actions and throws the bright light of Truth upon the darkcorners of phenomena.

At the beginning of the Fifth Cycle (which is the present one), therewere not only the beginnings of the new races which always spring up atthe beginning of each new cycle and which are the foundations for thecoming races which take advantage of the fresh conditions andopportunities for growth and development--but there were also thedescendants of the Elect Saved from the destruction of Atlantis byhaving been led away and colonized far from the scene of danger. Thenew races were the descendant of the scattered survivors of theAtlantean peoples, that is, the common run of people of the time. Butthe Elect few were very superior people, and imparted to theirdescendants their knowledge and wisdom. So that we see at the beginningof the Fifth Cycle hordes of new, primitive people in certain lands,and in other places advanced nations like the ancestors of the AncientEgyptians, Persians, Chaldeans, Hindus, etc.

These advanced races were old souls--advanced souls--the progressed anddeveloped souls of Ancient Lemuria and Atlantis, who lived their livesand who are now either on higher planes of life, or else are among usto-day taking a leading part in the world's affairs, striving mightilyto save the present races from the misfortunes which overtook theirpredecessors.

The descendants of the people were the Assyrians and Babylonians. Indue time the primitive new races developed and the great Roman,Grecian, and Carthaginian peoples appeared. Then came the rise of otherpeoples and nations down to the present time. Each race or nation hasits rise, its height of attainment, and its decline. When a nationbegins to decline it is because its more advanced souls have passed on,and only the less progressive souls are left. The history of allnations show the truth of the Occult the term. Men are forsaking oldideals, creeds and dogmas, and are running hither and thither seekingsomething they feel to be necessary, but of the nature of which theyknow nothing. They are feeling the hunger for Peace--the thirst for

Knowledge--and they are seeking satisfaction in all directions.

This is not only the inevitable working of the Law of Evolution, but isalso a manifestation of the power and love of the great souls that havepassed on to higher planes of existence, and who have become as angelsand arch-angels. These beings are filled with the love of the race, andare setting into motion influences that are being manifest in manydirections, the tendency of which are to bring the race to arealization of its higher power, faculties, and destiny.

As we have said in other places, one of the greatest difficulties inthe way of the seeker after Truth in his consideration of the questionof Spiritual Evolution is the feeling that rebirth is being forced uponhim, without any say on his part, and against his desires. But this isfar from being correct. It is true that the whole process is accordingto the Great Law, but that Law operates through the force of Desire andAttraction. The soul is attracted toward rebirth by reason of itsdesire or rather the essence of its desires. It is reborn only becauseit has within itself the desire for further experience, and opportunityfor unfoldment. And it is reborn into certain environments solelybecause it has within itself unsatisfied desires for thoseenvironments, etc. The process is just as regular and scientific as isthe attraction of one atom of matter for another.

Each soul has within itself certain elements of desire and attraction,and it attracts to itself certain conditions and experiences, and is inturn attracted by these things. This is the law of life, in the bodyand out of it. And there is no injustice in the law it is the essenceof justice itself, for it gives to each just what is required to fillthe indwelling desires, or else the conditions and experiences designedto burn out the desires which are holding one back, and the destructionof which will make possible future advancement.

For instance, if one is bound by the inordinate desire for materialwealth, the Law of Karma will attract him to a rebirth in conditions inwhich he will be surrounded by wealth and luxury until he becomessickened with them and will find his heart filled with the desire toflee from them and toward higher and more satisfying things. Of coursethe Law of Karma acts in other ways, as we shall see in our nextlesson--it deals with one's debts and obligations, also. The Law ofKarma is closely connected with Metempsychosis, and one must beconsidered in connection with the other, always.

Not only is it true that man's rebirths are in strict accordance withthe law of Attraction and Desire, but it is also true that after heattains a certain stage of spiritual unfoldment he enters into theconscious stage of rebirth, and thereafter he is reborn consciously andwith full foreknowledge. Many are now entering into this stage of

development, and have a partial consciousness of their past lives,which also implies that they have had at least a partial consciousnessof approaching rebirth, for the two phases of consciousness runtogether.

Those individuals of a race who have outstripped their fellows inspiritual unfoldment, are still bound by the Karma of the particularrace to which they belong, up to a certain point. And as the entirerace, or at least a large proportion of it, must move forward as awhole, such individuals must needs wait also. But they are notcompelled to suffer a tiresome round of continued rebirths amidenvironments and conditions which they have outgrown. On the contrary,the advanced individual soul is allowed to wait until the race reachesits own stage of advancement, when it again joins in the upwardmovement, in full consciousness, however. In the interim he may passhis well earned rest either on some of the higher planes of rest, orelse in conscious temporary sojourn in other material spheres helpingin the great work as a Teacher and worker for Good and SpiritualEvolution among those who need such help. In fact there are in theworld to-day, individual souls which have reached similar stages onother planets, and who are spending their rest period here amidst thecomparatively lower Earth conditions, striving to lift up the Earthsouls to greater heights.

So long as people allow themselves to become attached to materialobjects, so long will they be reborn in conditions in which theseobjects bind them fast. It is only when the soul frees itself fromthese entangling obstructions that it is born in conditions of freedom.Some outgrow these material attachments by right thinking andreasoning, while others seem to be compelled to live them out, and thusoutlive them, before they are free. At last when the soul realizes thatthese things are merely incidents of the lower personality, and havenaught to do with the real individuality, then, and then only, do theyfall from it like a wornout cloak, and are left behind while it boundsforward on The Path fresh from the lighter weight being carried.

The Yogi Philosophy teaches that Man will live forever, ascending fromhigher to higher planes, and then on and on and on. Death is but thephysical symbol of a period of Soul Rest, similar to sleep of the tiredbody, and is just as much to be welcomed and greeted with thanks. Lifeis continuous, and its object is development, unfoldment and growth. Weare in Eternity now as much as we ever shall be. Our souls may existout of the body as well as in it, although bodily incarnation isnecessary at this stage of our development. As we progress on to higherplanes of life, we shall incarnate in bodies far more ethereal thanthose now used by us, just as in the past we used bodies almostincredibly grosser and coarser than those we call our own to-day. Lifeis far more than a thing of three-score and ten years--it is really a

succession of such lives, on an ascending scale, that which we call ourpersonal self to-day being merely the essence of the experiences ofcountless lives in the past.

The Soul is working steadily upward, from higher to higher, from grossto finer forms and manifestations. And it will steadily work for agesto come, always progressing, always advancing, always unfolding. TheUniverse contains many worlds for the Soul to inhabit, and then afterit has passed on to other Universes, there will still be Infinitudebefore it. The destiny of the Soul of Man is of wondrous promise andpossibilities--the mind to-day cannot begin to even dream of what isbefore the Soul. Those who have already advanced many steps beyondyou--those Elder Brethren--are constantly extending to you aid in manydirections. They are extending to you the Unseen Hand, which lifts youover many a hard place and dangerous crossing--but you recognize it notexcept in a vague way. There are now in existence, on planes infinitelyhigher than your own, intelligences of transcendent glory andmagnificence--but they were once Men even as you are to-day. They haveso far progressed upon the Path that they have become as angels andarchangels when compared with you. And, blessed thought, even as theseexalted ones were once even as you, so shall you, in due course ofSpiritual Evolution, become even as these mighty ones.

The Yogi Philosophy teaches that You who are reading these lines havelived many lives previous to the present one. You have lived in thelower forms, and have worked your way arduously along the Path untilnow you are reaching the stage of Spiritual Consciousness in which thepast and future will begin to appear plain to you for the first time.You have lived as the cave-man--the cliff-dweller--the savage--thebarbarian. You have been the warrior--the priest--the Medieval scholarand occultist--the prince--the pauper. You have lived in Lemuria--inAtlantis--in India--in Persia--in Egypt--in ancient Rome andGreece--and are now playing your part in the Western civilization,associating with many with whom you have had relations in your pastlives.

In closing this lesson, let us quote from a previous writing from thesame pen that writes this lesson:

"Toward what goal is all this Spiritual Evolution tending? What does itall mean? From the low planes of life to the highest--all are on ThePath. To what state or place does The Path lead? Let us attempt toanswer by asking you to imagine a series of millions of circles, onewithin the other. Each circle means a stage of Life. The outer circlesare filled with life in its lowest and most material stages--eachcircle nearer the Centre holds higher and higher forms--until Men (orwhat were once Men) become as gods. Still on, and on, and on. does theform of life grow higher, until the human mind cannot grasp the idea.

But what is the Centre? The MIND of the entire Spiritual Body--theABSOLUTE! And we are traveling toward that Centre!"

And again from the same source:

"But beyond your plane, and beyond mine, are plane after plane,connected with our earth, the splendors of which man cannot conceive.And there are likewise many planes around the other planets of ourchain--and there are millions of other worlds--and there are chains ofuniverses just as there are chains of planets--and then greater groupsof these chains--and so on greater and grander beyond the power of manto imagine--on and on and on and on--higher and higher--toinconceivable heights. An infinity of infinities of worlds are beforeus. Our world and our planetary system and our system of suns, and oursystem of solar systems, are but as grains of sand on the beach of themighty ocean. But then you cry, 'But what am I--poor mortal thing--lostamong all this inconceivable greatness?' The answer comes that You arethat most precious thing--a living soul. And if you were destroyed thewhole system of universes would crumble, for you are as necessary asthe greatest part of it--it cannot do without you--you cannot be lostor destroyed--you are a part of it all, and are eternal. 'But,' youask, 'beyond all of this of which you have told me, what is there--whatis the Centre of it All?' Your Teacher's face takes on a raptexpression--a light not of earth beams forth from his countenance.'THE ABSOLUTE!' he replies.

THE ELEVENTH LESSON.

THE LAW OF KARMA.

"Karma" is a Sanscrit term for that great Law known to Western thinkersas Spiritual Cause and Effect, or Causation. It relates to thecomplicated affinities for either good or evil that have been acquiredby the soul throughout its many incarnations. These affinities manifestas characteristics enduring from one incarnation to another, beingadded to here, softened or altered there, but always pressing forwardfor expression and manifestation. And, so, it follows that what eachone of us is in this life depends upon is what we have been and how wehave acted in our past lives.

Throughout the operations of the Law of Karma the manifestation ofPerfect Justice is apparent. We are not punished for our sins, as thecurrent beliefs have it, but instead we are punished by our sins. Weare not rewarded for our good acts, but we received our rewardthrough and by characteristics, qualities, affinities, etc., acquiredby reason of our having performed these good acts in previous lives. Weare our own judges and executioners. In our present lives we arestoring up good or bad Karma which will stick to us closely, and whichwill demand expression and manifestation in lives to come. When wefasten around ourselves the evil of bad Karma, we have taken to sheltera monster which will gnaw into our very vitals until we shake him offby developing opposite qualities. And when we draw to ourselves thegood Karma of Duty well performed, kindness well expressed, and GoodDeeds freely performed without hope of reward, then do we weave forourselves the beautiful garments which we are destined to wear upon theoccasion of our future lives.

The Yogi Teachings relating to the Law of Karma do not teach us thatSin is an offense against the Power which brought us into being, somuch as it is an offense against ourselves. We cannot injure theAbsolute, nor harm It in any way. But we may harm each other, and in sodoing harm ourselves. The Yogis teach that Sin is largely a matter ofignorance and misunderstanding of our true nature, and that the lessonmust be well learned until we are able to see the folly and error ofour former course, and thus are able to remedy our past errors and toavoid their recurrence. By Karma the effects arising from our sinscling to us, until we become sick and weary of them, and seek theircause in our hearts. When we have discovered the evil cause of theseeffects, we learn to hate it and tear it from us as a foul thing, andare thence evermore relieved of it.

The Yogis view the sinning soul as the parent does the child who willpersist in playing with forbidden things. The parent cautions the childagainst playing with the stove, but still the child persists in its

disobedience, and sooner or later receives a burn for its meddling. Theburn is not a punishment for the disobedience (although it may seemso to it) but comes in obedience to a natural law which is invariable.To child finds out that stoves and burns are connected, and begins tosee some sense and reason in the admonitions of the parent. The love ofthe parent sought to save the child the pain of the burn, and yet thechild-nature persisted in experimenting, and was taught the lesson. Butthe lesson once thoroughly learned, it is not necessary to forbid thechild the stove, for it has learned the danger for itself andthereafter avoids it.

And thus it is with the human soul passing on from one life to another.It learns new lessons, gathers new experiences, and learns to recognizethe pain that invariably comes from Wrong Action, and the Happinessthat invariably comes from Right Action. As it progresses it learns howhurtful certain courses of action are, and like the burnt child itavoids them thereafter.

If we will but stop to consider for a moment the relative degrees oftemptation to us and to others, we may see the operations of past Karmain former lives. Why is it that this thing is "no temptation" to you,while it is the greatest temptation to another. Why is it that certainthings do not seem to have any attraction for him, and yet they attractyou so much that you have to use all of your will power to resist them?It is because of the Karma in your past lives. The things that do notnow tempt you, have been outlived in some former life, and you haveprofited by your own experiences, or those of others, or else throughsome teaching given you by one who had been attracted to you by yourunfolding consciousness of Truth.

We are profiting to-day by the lessons of our past lives. If we havelearned them well we are receiving the benefit, while if we have turnedour backs on the words of wisdom offered us, or have refused to learnthe lesson perfectly, we are compelled to sit on the same oldschool-benches and hear the same old lesson repeated until it is fairlydriven into our consciousness. We wonder why it is that other personscan perform certain evil acts that seem so repulsive to us, and are aptto pride ourselves upon our superior virtue. But those who know,realize that their unfortunate brethren have not paid sufficientattention to the lesson of the past, and are having it repeated to themin a more drastic form this time. They know that the virtuous ones aresimply reaping the benefit of their own application in the past, butthat their lesson is not over, and that unless they advance and holdfast to that which they have attained, as well, they will beoutstripped by many of those whose failure they are now viewing withwonder and scorn.

It is hard for us to fully realize that we are what we are because of

our past experiences. It is difficult for us to value the experiencesthat we are now going through, because we do not fully appreciate thevalue of bitter experiences once lived out and outlived. Let us lookback over the experiences of this present life, for instance. How manybitter episodes are there which we wish had never happened, and how wewish we could tear them out of our consciousness. But we do not realizethat from these same bitter experiences came knowledge and wisdom thatwe would not part with under any circumstances. And yet if we were totear away from us the cause of these benefits, we would tear away thebenefits also, and would find ourselves back just where we were beforethe experience happened to us. What we would like to do is to hold onto the benefits that came from the experience---the knowledge andwisdom that were picked from the tree of pain. But we cannot separatethe effect from the cause in this way, and must learn to look back uponthese bitter experiences as the causes from which our presentknowledge, wisdom and attainment proceeded. Then may we cease to hatethese things, and to see that good may come from evil, under theworkings of the Law.

And when we are able to do this, we shall be able to regard the painfulexperiences of our present day as the inevitable outcome of causes awayback in our past, but which will work surely toward increasedknowledge, wisdom and attainment, if we will but see the Goodunderlying the working of the Law. When we fall in with the working ofthe Law of Karma we recognize its pain not as an injustice orpunishment, but as the beneficent operation of a Law which, althoughapparently working Evil, has for its end and aim Ultimate Good.

Many object to the teachings of the Law of Karma by saying that theexperiences of each life not being remembered, must be useless andwithout value. This is a very foolish position to take concerning thematter. These experiences although not fully remembered, are not lostto us at all--they are made a part of the material of which our mindsare composed. They exist in the form of feelings, characteristics,inclinations, likes and dislikes, affinities, attractions, repulsions,etc., etc., and are as much in evidence as are the experiences ofyesterday which are fresh in our memory. Look back over your presentlife, and try to remember the experiences of the past years. You willfind that you remember but few of the events of your life. The pressingand constant experiences of each of the days that you have lived havebeen, for the most part, forgotten. Though these experiences may haveseemed very vivid and real to you when they occurred, still they havefaded into nothingness now, and they are to all intents and purposeslost to you. But are they lost? Not at all. You are what you arebecause of the results of these experiences. Your character has beenmoulded and shaped, little by little, by these apparently forgottenpains, pleasures, sorrows and happinesses. This trial strengthened youalong certain lines; that one changed your point of view and made you

see things with a broader sweep of vision. This grief caused you tofeel the pain of others; that disappointment spurred you on to newendeavors. And each and every one of them left a permanent mark uponyour personality--upon your character. All men are what they are byreason of what they have lived through and out. And though thesehappenings, scenes, circumstances, occurrences, experiences, have fadedfrom the memory, their effects are indelibly imprinted upon the fabricof the character, and the man of to-day is different from what he wouldhave been had the happening or experience not entered into his life.

And this same rule applies to the characteristics brought over frompast incarnations. You have not the memory of the experiences, but youhave the fruit in the shape of "characteristics," tastes, inclinations,etc. You have a tendency toward certain things, and a distaste forothers. Certain things attract, while others repel you. All of thesethings are the result of your experiences in former incarnations. Yourvery taste and inclination toward occult studies which has caused youto read these lessons is your legacy from some former life in whichsome one spoke a word or two to you regarding the subject, andattracted your interest and desire. You learned some little about thesubject then--perhaps much--and developed a desire for more knowledgealong these lines, which manifesting in your present life has broughtyou in contact with further instruction. The same inclination will leadto further advancement in this life, and still greater opportunities infuture incarnations. Nearly every one who reads these lines has feltthat much of this occult instruction imparted is but a "re-learning" ofsomething previously known, although many of the things taught havenever been heard before in this life. You pick up a book and readsomething, and know at once that it is so, because in some vague wayyou have a consciousness of having studied and worked out the problemin some past period of your lives. All this is the working of the Lawof Karma, which caused you to attract that for which you have anaffinity, and which also causes others to be attracted to you.

Many are the reunions of people who have been related to each other inprevious lives. The old loves, and old hates work out their Karmicresults in our lives. We are bound to those whom we have loved, andalso to those whom we may have injured. The story must be worked out tothe end, although a knowledge of the Law undoubtedly relieves one ofmany entangling attachments and Karmic relationships, by pointing outthe nature of the relation, and enabling one to free himself mentallyfrom the bond, which process tends to dissolve much of the Karmicentanglements.

Life is a great school for the learning of lessons. It has many grades,many classes, many scales of progress. And the lessons must be learnedwhether we will or no. If we refuse or neglect to learn the lesson weare sent back to accomplish the task, again and again, until the lesson

is finally learned. Nothing once learned is ever forgotten entirely.There is an indelible imprint of the lesson in our character, whichmanifests as predispositions, tastes, inclinations, etc. All that goesto make up that which we call "Character" is the workings of the Law ofKarma. There is no such thing as Chance. Nothing ever "happens." All isregulated by the Law of Cause and Effect or Karma. As a man sows soshall he reap, in a literal sense. You are what you are to-day, byreason of what you were in your last life. And in your next life youwill be what you are making of yourself to-day. You are your own judge,and executioner--your own bestower of rewards. But the Love of theAbsolute is ever working to lead you upward to the Light, and to openyour soul to that knowledge that, in the words of the Yogis, "burns upKarma," and enables you to throw off the burden of Cause and Effectthat you have been carrying around with you, and which has weighted youdown.

In the Fourteen Lessons we quoted from Mr. Berry Benson, a writer inthe Century Magazine for May, 1894. The quotation fits so beautifullyinto this place, that we venture to reproduce it here once more, withyour permission. It reads as follows:

"A little boy went to school. He was very little. All that he knew hehad drawn in with his mother's milk. His teacher (who was God) placedhim in the lowest class, and gave him these lessons to learn: Thoushalt not kill. Thou shalt do no hurt to any living thing. Thou shaltnot steal. So the man did not kill; but he was cruel, and he stole. Atthe end of the day (when his beard was gray--when the night was come)his teacher (who was God) said: Thou hast learned not to kill, but theother lessons thou hast not learned. Come back tomorrow.

"On the morrow he came back a little boy. And his teacher (who was God)put him in a class a little higher, and gave him these lessons tolearn: Thou shalt do no hurt to any living thing. Thou shalt not steal.Thou shalt not cheat. So the man did no hurt to any living thing; buthe stole and cheated. And at the end of the day (when his beard wasgray--when the night was come) his teacher (who was God) said: Thouhast learned to be merciful. But the other lessons thou hast notlearned. Come back tomorrow.

"Again, on the morrow, he came back, a little boy. And his teacher (whowas God) put him in a class yet a little higher, and gave him theselessons to learn: Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not cheat. Thoushalt not covet. So the man did not steal; but he cheated and hecoveted. And at the end of the day (when his beard was gray--when thenight was come) his teacher (who was God) said: Thou hast learned notto steal. But the other lessons thou hast not learned. Come back, mychild, tomorrow.

"This is what I have read in the faces of men and women, in the book ofthe world, and in the scroll of the heavens, which is writ with stars."

Under the operation of the Law of Karma every man is master of his owndestiny--he rewards himself--he punishes himself--he builds, tears downand develops his character, always, however, under the broodinginfluence of the Absolute which is Love Infinite and which isconstantly exerting the upward spiritual urge, which is drawing thesoul toward its ultimate haven of rest. Man must, and does, work outhis own salvation and destiny, but the upward urge is alwaysthere--never tiring--never despairing--knowing always that UltimateVictory belongs to the soul.

Under the Law of Karma every action, yea, every thought as well, hasits Karmic effect upon the future incarnations of the soul. And, notexactly in the nature of punishment or rewards, in the generalacceptation of the term, but as the invariable operation of the Law ofCause and Effect. The thoughts of a person are like seeds which seek topress forward into growth, bud, blossom and fruit. Some spring intogrowth in this life, while others are carried over into future lives.The actions of this life may represent only the partial growth of thethought seed, and future lives may be necessary for its full blossomingand fruition. Of course, the individual who understands the Truth, andwho has mentally divorced himself from the fruits of his actions--whohas robbed material Desire of its vital force by seeing it as it is,and not as a part of his Real Self--his seed-thoughts do not springinto blossom and fruit in future lives, for he has killed their germ.The Yogis express this thought by the illustration of the baked-seeds.They show their pupils that while ordinary seeds sprout, blossom andbear fruit, still if one bakes the seeds their vitality is gone, andwhile they may serve the purposes of a nourishing meal still they cannever cause sprout, blossom or fruit. Then the pupil is instructed inthe nature of Desire, and shown how desires invariably spring intoplant, blossom and fruit, the life of the person being the soil inwhich they flourish. But Desires understood, and set off from the RealMan, are akin to baked-seeds--they have been subjected to the heat ofspiritual wisdom and are thus robbed of their vitality, and are unableto bear fruit. In this way the understood and mastered Desire bears noKarmic fruit of future action.

The Yogis teach that there are two great principles at work in thematter of Karmic Law affecting the conditions of rebirth. The firstprinciple is that whereby the prevailing desires, aspirations, likes,and dislikes, loves and hates, attractions and repulsions, etc., pressthe soul into conditions in which these characteristics may have afavorable and congenial soil for development. The second principle isthat which may be spoken of as the urge of the unfolding Spirit, whichis always urging forward toward fuller expression, and the breaking

down of confining sheaths, and which thus exerts a pressure upon thesoul awaiting reincarnation which causes it to seek higher environmentsand conditions than its desires and aspiration, as well as its generalcharacteristics, would demand. These two apparently conflicting (andyet actually harmonious) principles acting and reacting upon eachother, determine the conditions of rebirth, and have a very materialeffect upon the Karmic Law. One's life is largely a conflict betweenthese two forces, the one tending to hold the soul to the presentconditions resulting from past lives, and the other ever at workseeking to uplift and elevate it to greater heights.

The desires and characteristics brought over from the past lives, ofcourse, seek fuller expression and manifestation upon the lines of thepast lives. These tendencies simply wish to be let alone and to growaccording to their own laws of development and manifestation. But theunfolding Spirit, knowing that the soul's best interests are along thelines of spiritual unfoldment and growth, brings a steady pressure tobear, life after life, upon the soul, causing it to gradually kill outthe lower desires and characteristics, and to develop qualities whichtend to lead it upward instead of allowing it to remain on its presentlevel, there to bring to blossom and fruit many low thoughts anddesires. Absolute Justice reigns over the operations of the Law ofKarma, but back of that and superior even to its might is found theInfinite Love of the absolute which tends to Redeem the race. It isthat love that is back of all the upward tendencies of the soul, andwhich we all feel within our inner selves in our best moments. Thelight of the Spirit (Love) is ever there.

Our relationship to others in past lives has its effect upon theworking of the Law of Karma. If in the past we have formed attachmentsfor other individuals, either through love or hate; either by kindnessor cruelty; these attachments manifest in our present life, for thesepersons are bound to us, and we to them, by the bonds of Karma, untilthe attachment is worn out. Such people will in the present life havecertain relationships to us, the object of which is the working out ofthe problems in which we are mutually concerned, the adjustment ofrelationship, the "squaring up" of accounts, the development of both.We are apt to be placed in a position to receive hurts from those whomwe have hurt in past lives, and this not through the idea of revenge,but by the inexorable working out of the Law of Compensation in Karmicadjustments. And when we are helped, comforted and receive favors fromthose who we helped in past lives, it is not merely a reward, but theoperation of the same law of Justice. The person who hurts us in thisway may have no desire to do so, and may even be distressed because heis used as an instrument in this way, but the Karmic Law places him ina position where he unwittingly and without desire acts so that youreceive pain through him. Have you not felt yourselves hurting another,although you had no desire and intention of so doing, and, in fact,

were sorely distressed because you could not prevent the pain? This Isthe operation of Karma. Have you not found yourself placed where youunexpectedly were made the bestower of favors upon some almost unknownpersons? This is Karma. The Wheel turns slowly, but it makes thecomplete circle.

Karma is the companion law to Metempsychosis. The two are inextricablyconnected, and their operations are closely interwoven. Constant andunvarying in operation, Karma manifests upon and in worlds, planets,races, nations, families and persons Everywhere in space is the greatlaw in operation in some form. The so-called mechanical operationscalled Causation are as much a phase of Karma as is the highest phasesmanifest on the higher planes of life, far beyond our own. And throughit all is ever the urge toward perfection--the upward movement of alllife. The Yogi teachings regard the Universe as a mighty whole, and theLaw of Karma as the one great law operating and manifesting throughthat whole.

How different is the workings of this mighty Law from the many ideasadvanced by man to account for the happenings of life. Mere Chance isno explanation, for the careful thinker must inevitably come to theconclusion that in an Universe governed by law, there can be no roomfor Chance. And to suppose that all rewards and punishments arebestowed by a personal deity, in answer to prayers, supplications, goodbehavior, offerings, etc., is to fall back into the childhood stage ofthe race thought. The Yogis teach that the sorrow, suffering andaffliction witnessed on all sides of us, as well as the joy, happinessand blessings also in evidence, are not caused by the will or whim ofsome capricious deity to reward his friends and punish his enemies--butby the working of an invariable Law which metes out to each his measureof good and ill according to his Karmic attachments and relationships.

Those who are suffering, and who see no cause for their pain, are aptto complain and rebel when they see others of no apparent meritenjoying the good things of life which have been denied theirapparently more worthy brethren. The churches have no answer except "Itis God's will," and that "the Divine motive must not be questioned."These answers seem like mockery, particularly when the idea of DivineJustice is associated with the teaching. There is no other answercompatible with Divine Justice other than the Law of Karma, which makeseach person responsible for his or her happiness or misery. And thereis nothing so stimulating to one as to know that he has within himselfthe means to create for himself newer and better conditions of life andenvironment. We are what we are to-day by reason of what we were in ouryesterdays. We will be in our tomorrows that which we have started intooperation to-day. As we sow in this life, so shall we reap in thenext--we are now reaping that which we have sown in the past. St. Paulvoiced a world truth when he said: "Brethren, be not deceived. God is

not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap."

The teachers divide the operation of Karma into three general classes,as follows: (1) The Karmic manifestations which are now under way in our lives,producing results which are the effects of causes set into motion inour past lives. This is the most common form, and best known phase ofKarmic manifestation.

(2) The Karma which we are now acquiring and storing up by reason ofour actions, deeds, thoughts and mental and spiritual relationships.This stored up Karma will spring into operation in future lives, whenthe body and environments appropriate for its manifestation presentsitself or is secured; or else when other Karma tending to restrict itsoperations is removed. But one does not necessarily have to wait untila future life in order to set into operation and manifestation theKarma of the present life. For there come times in which there being noobstructing Karma brought over from a past life, the present life Karmamay begin to manifest.

(3) The Karma brought over from past incarnations, which is not able tomanifest at the present time owing to the opposition presented by otherKarma of an opposite nature, serves to hold the first in check. It is awell known physical law, which likewise manifests on the mental plane,that two opposing forces result in neutralization, that is, both of theforces are held in check. Of course, though, a more powerful Karma maymanage to operate, while a weaker is held in check by it.

Not only have individuals their own Karma, but families, races, nationsand worlds have their collective Karma. In the cases of races, if therace Karma generated in the past be favorable on the whole, the raceflourishes and its influence widens. If on the contrary its collectiveKarma be bad, the race gradually disappears from the face of the earth,the souls constituting it separating according to their Karmicattractions, some going to this race and some to another. Nations arebound by their Karma, as any student of history may perceive if hestudies closely the tides of national progress or decline.

The Karma of a nation is made up of the collective Karma of theindividuals composing it, so far as their thoughts and acts have to dowith the national spirit and acts. Nations as nations cease to exist,but the souls of the individuals composing them still live on and maketheir influence felt in new races, scenes and environments. The ancientEgyptians, Persians, Medes, Chaldeans, Romans, Grecians and many otherancient races have disappeared, but their reincarnating souls are withus to-day. The modern revival of Occultism is caused by an influx ofthe souls of these old peoples pouring in on the Western worlds.

The following quotation from The Secret Doctrine, that remarkablepiece of occult literature, will be interesting at this point:

"Nor would the ways of Karma be inscrutable were men to work in union and harmony instead of disunion and strife. For our ignorance of those ways--which one portion of mankind calls the ways of Providence, dark and intricate, while another sees in them the action of blind fatalism, and a third simple Chance with neither gods nor devils to guide them--would surely disappear if we would but attribute all these to their correct cause. With right knowledge, or at any rate with a confident conviction that our neighbors will no more work harm to us than we would think of harming them, two-thirds of the world's evil would vanish into thin air. Were no man to hurt his brother, Karma-Nemesis would have neither cause to work for, nor weapons to act through ... We cut these numerous windings in our destinies daily with our own hands, while we imagine that we are pursuing a track on the royal road of respectability and duty, and then complain of those ways being so intricate and so dark. We stand bewildered before the mystery of our own making and the riddles of life that we will not solve, and then accuse the great Sphinx of devouring us. But verily there is not an accident in our lives, not a misshapen day or a misfortune, that could not be traced back to our own doings in this or another life ... Knowledge of Karma gives the conviction that if--

'Virtue in distress and vice in triumph Makes atheists of Mankind,'

it is only because that mankind has ever shut its eyes to the great truth that man is himself his own savior as his own destroyer; that he need not accuse heaven, and the gods, fates and providence, of the apparent injustice that reigns in the midst of humanity. But let him rather remember that bit of Grecian wisdom which warns man to forbear accusing THAT which 'Just though mysterious, leads us on unerring Through ways unmarked from guilt to punishment'--which are now the ways and the high road on which move onward the great European nations. The Western Aryans have every nation and tribe like their eastern brethren of the fifth race, their Golden and their Iron ages, their period of comparative irresponsibility, or the Satya age of purity, while now several of them have reached their Iron Age, the Kali Yuga, an age black with horrors. This state will last ... until we begin acting from within instead of ever following impulses from without. Until then the only palliative is union and harmony--a Brotherhood in actu and altruism not simply in

name."

Edwin Arnold, in his wonderful poem, "The Light of Asia," which tellsthe story of the Buddha, explains the doctrine of Karma from theBuddhist standpoint. We feel that our students should become acquaintedwith this view, so beautifully expressed, and so we herewith quote thepassages referred to:

"Karma--all that total of a soul Which is the things it did, the thoughts it had, The 'self' it wove with woof of viewless time Crossed on the warp invisible of acts.

* * * * *

"What hath been bringeth what shall be, and is, Worse--better--last for first and first for last; The angels in the heavens of gladness reap Fruits of a holy past.

"The devils in the underworlds wear out Deeds that were wicked in an age gone by. Nothing endures: fair virtues waste with time, Foul sins grow purged thereby.

"Who toiled a slave may come anew a prince For gentle worthiness and merit won; Who ruled a king may wander earth in rags For things done and undone.

"Before beginning, and without an end, As space eternal and as surety sure, Is fixed a Power divine which moves to good, Only its laws endure.

"It will not be contemned of any one: Who thwarts it loses, and who serves it gains; The hidden good it pays with peace and bliss, The hidden ill with pains.

"It seeth everywhere and marketh all: Do right--it recompenseth! Do one wrong-- The equal retribution must be made, Though DHARMA tarry long.

"It knows not wrath nor pardon; utter-true Its measures mete, its faultless balance weighs; Times are as naught, to-morrow it will judge,

Or after many days.

"By this the slayer's knife did stab himself; The unjust judge hath lost his own defender; The false tongue dooms its lie; the creeping thief And spoiler rob, to render.

"Such is the law which moves to righteousness, Which none at last can turn aside or stay; The heart of it is love, the end of it Is peace and consummation sweet. Obey!

* * * * *

"The books say well, my brothers! each man's life The outcome of his former living is; The bygone wrongs bring forth sorrow and woes, The bygone right breeds bliss.

"That which ye sow ye reap. See yonder fields! The sesamum was sesamum, the corn Was corn. The silence and the darkness knew; So is a man's fate born.

"He cometh, reaper of the things he sowed, Sesamum, corn, so much cast in past birth; And so much weed and poison-stuff, which mar Him and the aching earth.

"If he shall labor rightly, rooting these, And planting wholesome seedlings where they grew, Fruitful and fair and clean the ground shall be, And rich the harvest due.

"If he who liveth, learning whence woe springs, Endureth patiently, striving to pay His utmost debt for ancient evils done In love and truth always;

If making none to lack, he thoroughly purge The lie and lust of self forth from his blood; Suffering all meekly, rendering for offence Nothing but grace and good:

"If he shall day by day dwell merciful, Holy and just and kind and true; and rend Desire from where it clings with bleeding roots, Till love of life have end:

"He--dying--leaveth as the sum of him A life-count closed, whose ills are dead and quit, Whose good is quick and mighty, far and near, So that fruits follow it.

"No need hath such to live as ye name life; That which began in him when he began Is finished: he hath wrought the purpose through Of what did make him man.

"Never shall yearnings torture him, nor sins Stain him, nor ache of earthly joys and woes Invade his safe eternal peace; nor deaths And lives recur. He goes

"Unto NIRVANA. He is one with Life Yet lives not. He is blest, ceasing to be. OM, MANI PADME OM! the dewdrop slips Into the shining sea!

"This is the doctrine of the Karma. Learn! Only when all the dross of sin is quit, Only when life dies like a white flame spent. Death dies along with it."

And so, friends, this is a brief account of the operations of the Lawof Karma. The subject is one of such wide scope that the brief space atour disposal enables us to do little more than to call your attentionto the existence of the Law, and some of its general workings. Weadvise our students to acquaint themselves thoroughly with what hasbeen written on this subject by ourselves and others. In our firstseries of lessons--the "Fourteen Lessons"--the chapter or lesson onSpiritual Cause and Effect was devoted to the subject of Karma. Weadvise our students to re-study it. We also suggest that Mr. Sinnett'soccult story entitled "Karma" gives its readers an excellent idea ofthe actual working of Karma in the everyday lives of people of our owntimes. We recommend the book to the consideration of our students. Itis published at a popular price, and is well worth the consideration ofevery one interested in this wonderful subject of Reincarnation andKarma.

THE TWELFTH LESSON.

OCCULT MISCELLANY.

In this, the last lesson of this series, we wish to call your attentionto a variety of subjects, coming under the general head of the YogiPhilosophy, and yet apparently separated from one another. And so wehave entitled this lesson "Occult Miscellany," inasmuch as it is madeup of bits of information upon a variety of subjects all connected withthe general teaching of the series. The lesson will consist of answersto a number of questions, asked by various students of the courses inYogi Philosophy coming from our pen. While these answers, of necessity,must be brief, still we will endeavor to condense considerableinformation into each, so that read as a whole the lesson will give toour students a variety of information upon several important subjects.

QUESTION 1: "Are there any Brotherhoods of Advanced Occultists inexistence, in harmony with the Yogi Teachings? And if so, whatinformation can you give regarding them?"

ANSWER: Yes, there are a number of Occult Brotherhoods, of varyingdegrees of advancement, scattered through the various countries of theearth. These Brotherhoods agree in principle with the Yogi Teachings,although the methods of interpretation may vary somewhat. There is butone TRUTH, which becomes apparent to all deep students of Occultism,and therefore all true Occultists have a glimpse of that Truth, andupon this glimpse is founded their philosophies and teachings. TheseOccult Brotherhoods vary in their nature. In some, the members aregrouped together in retired portions of the earth, dwelling in thecommunity life. In others the headquarters are in the large cities ofthe earth, their membership being composed of residents of thosecities, with outlying branches. Others have no meeting places, theirwork being managed from headquarters, their members being scattered allover the face of the earth, the communication being kept up by personalcorrespondence and privately printed and circulated literature.Admission to these true Occult Brotherhoods is difficult. They seektheir members, not the members them. No amount of money, or influence,or energy can gain entrance to these societies. They seek to impartinformation and instruction only to those who are prepared to receiveit--to those who have reached that stage of spiritual unfoldment thatwill enable them to grasp and assimilate the teachings of the InnerCircles. While this is true, it is also true that these Societies orBrotherhoods are engaged in disseminating Occult Knowledge, suited tothe minds of the public, through various channels, and cloaked invarious disguises of name, authority and style. Their idea is togradually open the mind of the public to the great truths underlyingand back of all of these various fragmentary teachings. And theyrecognize the fact that one mind may be reached in a certain way, and

another mind in a second way, and so on. And, accordingly, they wraptheir teachings in covers likely to attract the attention of variouspeople, and to cause them to investigate the contents. But, under andback of all of these various teachings, is the great fundamental TRUTH.It has often been asked of us how one might distinguish the realBrotherhoods from the spurious ones which have assumed the name andgeneral style of the true societies, for the purpose of exploiting thepublic, and making money from their interest in the great occulttruths. Answering this, we would say that the true Occult Brotherhoodsand Societies never sell their knowledge. It is given free as waterto those who seek for it, and is never sold for money. The true adeptwould as soon think of selling his soul as selling Spiritual Knowledgefor gain. While money plays its proper place in the world, and thelaborer is worthy of his hire; and while the Masters recognize thepropriety of the sale of books on Occultism (providing the price isreasonable and not in excess of the general market price of books) andwhile they also recognize the propriety of having people pay their partof the expenses of maintaining organizations, magazines, lecturers,instructors, etc., still the idea stops there--it does not extend tothe selling of the Inner Secrets of Occultism for silver or gold.Therefore if you are solicited to become a member of any so-calledBrotherhood or Occult Society for a consideration of money, you willknow at once that the organization is not a true Occult Society, for ithas violated one of the cardinal principles at the start. Remember theold occult maxim: "When the Pupil is ready, the Master appears"--and soit is with the Brotherhoods and Societies--if it is necessary for yourgrowth, development, and attainment, to be connected with one of theseorganizations then, when the time comes--when you are ready--you willreceive your call, and then will know for a certainty that those whocall are the true messengers of Truth.

QUESTION II: "Are there any exalted human beings called Masters, orAdepts, or are the tales regarding them mere fables, etc?"

ANSWER: Of a truth there are certain highly developed, advanced andexalted souls in the flesh, known as Masters and Adepts, although manyof the tales told concerning them are myths, or pure fictionoriginating in the minds of some modern sensational writers. And,moreover, these souls are members of the Great Lodge, an organizationcomposed of these almost super-human beings--these great souls thathave advanced so very far on THE PATH. Before beginning to speak ofthem, let us answer a question often asked by Western people, and thatis, "Why do not these people appear to the world, and show theirpowers?" Each of you may answer that question from your ownexperiences. Have you ever been foolish enough to open your soul to thecrowd, and have it reveal the sacred Truth that rests there? Have youever attempted to impart the highest teachings known to you, to personswho had not attained sufficient spiritual development to even

understand the meaning of your words? Have you ever committed the follyof throwing spiritual pearls to material swine? If you have had theseexperiences, you may begin to faintly imagine the reasons of theseillumined souls for keeping away from the crowd--for dwelling away fromthe multitude. No one who has not suffered the pain of having thevulgar crowd revile the highest spiritual truths to him, can begin tounderstand the feelings of the spiritually illumined individuals. It isnot that they feel that they are better or more exalted than thehumblest man--for these feelings of the personality have long sinceleft them. It is because they see the folly of attempting to presentthe highest truths to a public which is not prepared to understand eventhe elementary teachings. It is a feeling akin to that of the master ofthe highest musical conceptions attempting to produce his wonderfulcompositions before a crowd fit only for the "rag-time" and slangysongs of the day.

Then again, these Masters have no desire to "work miracles" which wouldonly cause the public to become still more superstitious than they noware. When one glances back over the field of religions, and sees howthe miraculous acts of some of the great leaders have been prostitutedand used as a foundation for the grossest credulity and basestsuperstition, he may understand the wisdom of the masters in thisrespect. There is another reason for the non-appearance of the Masters,and that is that there is no occasion for it. The laws of SpiritualEvolution are as regular, constant and fixed as are the laws ofPhysical Evolution, and any attempt to unduly force matters onlyresults in confusion, and the abortive results soon fade away. Theworld is not ready for the appearance of the Masters. Their appearanceat this time would not be in accordance with The Plan.

The Masters or Adepts are human beings who have passed from lower tohigher planes of consciousness, thus gaining wisdom, power andqualities that seem almost miraculous to the man of the ordinaryconsciousness. A Hindu writer speaking of them has said: "To him whohath traveled far along The Path, sorrow ceases to trouble; fetterscease to bind; obstacles cease to hinder. Such an one is free. For himthere is no more fever or sorrow. For him there are no more unconsciousre-births. His old Karma is exhausted, and he creates no new Karma. Hisheart is freed from the desire for future life. No new longings arisewithin his soul. He is like a lamp which burneth from the oil of theSpirit, and not from the oil of the outer world." Lillie in his work onBuddhism, tells his readers: "Six supernatural faculties were expectedof the ascetic before he could claim the grade of Arhat. They areconstantly alluded to in the Sutras as the six supernaturalfaculties, usually without further specification.... In this transitorybody the intelligence of Man is enchained. The ascetic finding himselfthus confused, directs his mind to the creation of Manas. Herepresents to himself, in thought, another body created from this

material body,--a body with a form, members and organs. This body inrelation to the material body is like a sword and the scabbard, or aserpent issuing from a basket in which it is confined. The asceticthen, purified and perfected, begins to practice supernaturalfaculties. He finds himself able to pass through material obstacles,walls, ramparts, etc.; he is able to throw his phantasmal appearanceinto many places at once. He acquires the power of hearing the soundsof the unseen world as distinctly as those of the phenomenalworld--more distinctly in point of fact. Also by the power of Manashe is able to read the most secret thoughts of others, and to telltheir characters."

These great Masters are above all petty sectarian distinctions. Theymay have ascended to their exalted position along the paths of the manyreligions, or they may have walked the path of no-denomination, sect,or body. They may have mounted to their heights by philosophicalreasoning alone, or else by scientific investigation. They are calledby many names, according to the viewpoint of the speaker, but at thelast they are of but one religion; one philosophy; one belief--TRUTH.

The state of Adeptship is reached only after a long and arduousapprenticeship extending over many lives. Those who have reached thepinnacle were once even as You who read these lines. And some ofyou--yes, perhaps even You who are now reading these words may havetaken the first steps along the narrow path which will lead you toheights equally as exalted as those occupied by even the highest ofthese great beings of whom we are speaking. Unconsciously to yourself,the urge of the Spirit has set your feet firmly upon The Path, and willpush you forward to the end. In order to understand the occult customthat finds its full fruit in the seclusion of the Masters, one needs tobe acquainted with the universal habit among true occultists ofrefraining from public or vulgar displays of occult power. While theinferior occultists often exhibit some of the minor manifestations tothe public, it is a fact that the true advanced occultists scrupulouslyrefrain from so doing. In fact, among the highest teachers, it is acondition imposed upon the pupil that he shall refrain from exhibitionsof his developing powers among the uninitiated public. "The Neophyte isbound over to the most inviolable secrecy as to everything connectedwith his entrance and further progress in the schools. In Asia, in thesame way, the chela, or pupil of occultism, no sooner becomes achela than he ceases to be a witness on behalf of the reality ofoccult knowledge," says Sinnett in his great work on "EsotericBuddhism," And he then adds: "I have been astonished to find, since myown connection with the subject, how numerous such chelas are. But itis impossible to imagine any human act more improbable than theunauthorized revelation by any such chela, to persons in the outerworld, that he is one; and so the great esoteric school of philosophyguards its seclusion."

QUESTION III: "Does the Yogi Philosophy teach that there is a placecorresponding to the 'Heavens' of the various religions? Is there anybasis for the belief that there is a place resembling 'Heaven'?"

ANSWER: Yes, the Yogi Philosophy does teach that there is a realbasis for the popular religious beliefs in "Heaven," and that there arestates of being, the knowledge of which has filtered through to themasses in the more or less distorted theories regarding "heavens."

But the Yogis do not teach that these "heavens" are places at all.The teaching is that they are planes of existence. It is difficult toexplain just what is meant by this word "plane." The nearest approachto it in English is the term or word "State." A portion of space may beoccupied by several planes at the same time, just as a room may befilled with the rays of the sun, those of a lamp. X-rays, magnetic andelectric vibrations and waves, etc., each interpenetrating each otherand yet not affecting or interfering with each other.

On the lower planes of the Astral World there are to be found theearth-bound souls which have passed out from their former bodies, butwhich are attracted to the earthly scenes by strong attractions, whichserve to weight them down and to prevent them from ascending to thehigher planes. On the higher planes are souls that are less bound byearthly attractions, and who, accordingly, are relieved of the weightresulting therefrom. These planes rise in an ascending scale, eachplane being higher and more spiritual than the one lower than itself.And dwelling on each plane are the souls fitted to occupy it, by reasonof their degree of spiritual development, or evolution. When the soulfirst leaves the body it falls into a sleep-like stage, from which itawakens to find itself on the plane for which it is fitted, by reasonof its development, attractions, character, etc. The particular planeoccupied by each soul is determined by the progress and attainment ithas made in its past lives. The souls on the higher planes may, andoften do, visit the planes lower in the scale than their own, but thoseon the lower planes may not visit those higher than their own. Quotingfrom our own writings on this subject, published several years ago, werepeat: This prohibition regarding the visiting of higher planes is notan arbitrary rule, but a law of nature. If the student will pardon thecommonplace comparison, he may get an understanding of it, by imagininga large screen, or series of screens, such as used for sorting coalinto sizes. The large coal is caught by the first screen; the next sizeby the second; and so on until the tiny coal is reached. Now, the largecoal cannot get into the receptacle of the smaller sizes, but the smallsizes may easily pass through the screen and join the larger sizes, ifforce be imparted to them. Just so in the Astral World, the soul withthe greatest amount of materiality, and gross nature, is stopped by thespiritual screen of a certain plane, and cannot pass on to the higher

ones, while other souls have cast off some of the confining andretarding material sheaths, and readily pass on to higher and finerplanes. And it may be readily seen that those souls which dwell on thehigher planes are able to re-visit the lower and grosser planes, whilethe souls on the grosser cannot penetrate the higher boundries of theirplane, being stopped by the spiritual screen. The comparison is a crudeone, but it almost exactly pictures the existing conditions on thespiritual world.

Souls on the upper planes, may, and often do, journey to the lowerplanes for the purpose of "visiting" the souls of friends who may bedwelling there, and thus affording them comfort and consolation. Infact, the teaching is that in many cases a highly developed soul visitssouls on the lower planes in whom it is interested, and actuallyimparts spiritual teaching and instruction to those souls, so that theymay be re-born into much better conditions than would have been thecase otherwise. All of the planes have Spiritual Instructors from veryhigh planes, who sacrifice their well-earned rest and happiness ontheir own planes in order that they may work for the less-developedsouls on the lower planes.

As we have said, the soul awakens on the plane to which it is suited.It finds itself in the company of congenial souls, in whose company itis enabled to pursue those things which were dear to its heart whenalive. It may be able to make considerable advancement during itssojourn in "heaven," which will result to its benefit when it is rebornon earth. There are countless sub-planes, adapted to the infiniterequirements of the advancing souls in every degree of development, andeach soul finds an opportunity to develop and enjoy to the fullest thehighest of which it is capable, and to also perfect itself and toprepare itself for future development, so that it may be re-born underthe very best possible conditions and circumstances in the next earthlife. But, alas, even in this higher world, all souls do not live up tothe best that is in them, and instead of making the best of theiropportunities for development, and growing spiritually, they allow theattractions of their material natures to draw them downward, and toooften spend much of their time on the planes beneath them, not to helpand assist, but to live the less spiritual lives of their friends onthe lower planes. In such cases the soul does not reap the benefit ofthe sojourn in the "after-life," but is born again according to theattractions of its lower, instead of its higher nature, and iscompelled to learn its lesson over again.

The Yogi teachings inform us that the lower planes of the Astral Worldare inhabited by souls of a very gross and degraded type, undevelopedand animal-like. These low souls live out the tendencies andcharacteristics of their former earth lives, and reincarnate rapidly inorder to pursue their material attractions. Of course, there is slowly

working even in these undeveloped souls an upward tendency, but it isso slow as to be almost imperceptible. In time these undeveloped soulsgrow sick and tired of their materiality, and then comes the chance fora slight advance. Of course these undeveloped souls have no access tothe higher planes of the Astral world, but are confined to their owndegraded plane and to the sub-planes which separate the Astral Worldfrom the material world. They cling as closely as possible to theearthly scenes, and are separated from the material world by only athin screen (if we may use the word). They suffer the tantalizingcondition of being within sight and hearing of their old materialscenes and environments, and yet unable to manifest on them. Thesesouls form the low class of "spirits" of which we hear so much incertain circles. They hang around their old scenes of debauchery andsense gratification, and often are able to influence the minds ofliving persons along the same line and plane of development. Forinstance, these creatures hover around low saloons and places ofill-repute, influencing the sodden brains of living persons toparticipate in the illicit gratifications of the lower sensual nature.

Souls on the higher planes are not bound by these earthly and materialattractions, and take advantage of their opportunities to improvethemselves and develop spiritually. It is a rule of the Astral Worldthat the higher the plane occupied by a soul, the longer the sojournthere between incarnations. A soul on the lowest planes may reincarnatein a very short time, while on the higher planes hundreds and eventhousands of years may elapse before the soul is called upon toexperience re-birth. But re-birth comes to all who have not passed onto other spheres of life. Sooner or later the soul feels that inwardurge toward re-birth and further experience, and becomes drowsy andfalls into a state resembling sleep, when it is caught up in thecurrent that is sweeping on toward re-birth, and is gradually carriedon to re-birth in conditions chosen by its desires and characteristics,in connection with the operation of the laws of Karma. From thesoul-slumber it passes through what may be called a "death" on theAstral plane, when it is re-born on the earth plane. But, rememberthis, the soul, when it is re-born on earth, does not fully awaken fromits Astral sleep. In infancy and in early childhood the soul is butslowly awakening, gradually from year to year, the brain being built toaccommodate this growth. The rare instances of precocious children, andinfant genius are cases in which the awakening has been more rapid thanordinary. On the other hand, cases are known where the soul does notawaken as rapidly as the average, and the result is that the persondoes not show signs of full intellectual activity until nearly middleage. Cases are known when men seemed to "wake up" when they were fortyyears of age, or even later in life, and would then take on a freshenedactivity and energy, surprising those who had known them before.

On some of the planes of the Astral world the souls dwelling there do

not seem to realize that they are "dead," but act and live as if theywere in the flesh.

They have a knowledge of the planes beneath them, just as we on earthknow of conditions beneath us (spiritually), but they seem to be inalmost absolute ignorance of the planes above them, just as many of uson earth cannot comprehend the existence of beings more highlydeveloped spiritually than ourselves. This, of course, is only true ofthe souls who have not been made acquainted with the meaning and natureof life on the Astral Plane. Those who have acquired this informationand knowledge readily understand their condition and profit thereby. Itwill be seen from this that it is of the greatest importance forpersons to become acquainted with the great laws of Occultism in theirpresent earth life, for the reason that when they pass out of the bodyand enter some one of the Astral Planes they will not be in ignoranceof the condition, but will readily grasp the meaning and nature oftheir surroundings and take advantage of the same in order to developthemselves more rapidly.

It will be seen from what has been written by us here and elsewherethat there are planes after planes on the Astral side of life. All thathas been dreamt of Heaven, Purgatory or Hell has its correspondencethere, although not in the literal sense in which these things havebeen taught. For instance, a wicked man dying immersed in his desiresand longings of his lower nature, and believing that he will bepunished in a future life for sins committed on earth--such a one isvery apt to awaken on the lower planes or sub-planes, in conditionscorresponding with his former fears. He finds the fire and brimstoneawaiting him, although these things are merely figments of his ownimagination, and having no existence in reality. Murderers may roam forages (apparently) pursued by the bleeding corpses of their victims,until such a horror of the crime arises in the mind that at lastsinking from exhaustion into the soul-sleep, their souls pass intore-birth with such a horror of bloodshed and crime as to make thementirely different beings in the new life. And, yet the "hell" thatthey went through existed only in their imaginations. They were theirown Devil and Hell. Just as a man in earth life may suffer fromdelirium tremens, so some of these souls on the Astral plane sufferagonies from their delirium arising from their former crimes, and thebelief in the punishment therefor which has been inculcated in themthrough earth teachings. And these mental agonies, although terrible,really are for their benefit, for by reason of them the soul becomes sosickened with the thought and idea of crime that when it is finallyre-born it manifests a marked repulsion to it, and flies to theopposite. In this connection we would say that the teaching is thatalthough the depraved soul apparently experiences ages of this torment,yet, in reality, there is but the passage of but a short time, theillusion arising from the self-hypnotization of the soul, just as

arises the illusion of the punishment itself.

In the same way the soul often experiences a "heaven" in accordancewith its hopes, beliefs and longings of earth-life. The "heaven" thatit has longed for and believed in during its earth-life is very apt tobe at least partially reproduced on the Astral plane, and the pioussoul of any and all religious denominations finds itself in a "heaven"corresponding to that in which it believed during its earth-life. TheMohammedan finds his paradise; the Christian finds his; the Indianfinds his--but the impression is merely an illusion created by theMental Pictures of the soul. But the illusion tends to give pleasure tothe soul, and to satisfy certain longings which in time fade away,leaving the soul free to reach out after higher conceptions and ideals.We cannot devote more space to this subject at this time, and mustcontent ourselves with the above statements and explanations. Theprincipal point that we desire to impress upon your minds is the factthat the "heaven-world" is not a place or state of permanent rest andabode for the disembodied soul, but is merely a place or temporarysojourn between incarnations, and thus serves as a place of restwherein the soul may gather together its forces, energies, desires andattractions preparatory to re-birth. In this answer we have merelylimited ourselves to a general statement of the states and conditionsof the Astral World, or rather of certain planes of that world. Thesubject itself requires far more extensive treatment.

QUESTION IV: "Is Nirvana a state of the total extinction ofconsciousness; and is it a place, state or condition?"

ANSWER: The teaching concerning Nirvana, the final goal of the soul,has been much misunderstood, and much error has crept into the teachingeven among some very worthy teachers. To conceive of Nirvana as astate of extinction of consciousness would be to fall into the error ofthe pessimistic school of philosophy which thinks of life andconsciousness as a curse, and regards the return into a totalunconsciousness as the thing to be most desired. The true teaching isthat Nirvana is a state of the fullest consciousness--a state inwhich the soul is relieved of all the illusion of separateness andrelativity, and enters into a state of Universal Consciousness, orAbsolute Awareness, in which it is conscious of Infinity, andEternity--of all places and things and time. Nirvana instead of beinga state of Nothingness, is a state of "Everythingness." As the souladvances along the Path it becomes more and more aware of itsconnection with, relation to, and identity with the Whole. As it grows,the Self enlarges and transcends its former limited bounds. It beginsto realize that it is more than the tiny separated atom that it hadbelieved itself to be, and it learns to identify itself in a constantlyincreasing scale with the Universal Life. It feels a sense of Onenessin a fuller degree, and it sets its feet firmly upon the Path toward

Nirvana. After many weary lives on this and other planets--in thisand other Universes--after it has long since left behind it the scaleof humanity, and has advanced into god-like states, its consciousnessbecomes fuller and fuller, and time and space are transcended in awonderful manner. And at last the goal is attained--the battle iswon--and the soul blossoms into a state of Universal Consciousness, inwhich Time and Place disappear and in which every place is Here; everyperiod of Time is Now; and everything is "I." This is Nirvana.

QUESTION V: "What is that which Occultists call 'an Astral Shell,' orsimilar name? Is it an entity, or force, or being?"

ANSWER: When the soul passes out from the body at the moment of deathit carries with it the "Astral Body" as well as the higher mental andspiritual principles (see the first three lessons in the "FourteenLessons"). The Astral Body is the counterpart of the material orphysical body, although it is composed of matter of a much finer andethereal nature than is the physical body. It is invisible to theordinary eye, but may be seen clairvoyantly. The Astral Body rises fromthe physical body like a faint, luminous vapor, and for a time isconnected with the dying physical body by a thin, vapory cord orthread, which finally breaks entirely and the separation becomescomplete. The Astral Body is some time afterward discarded by the soulas it passes on to the higher planes, as we have described a few pagesfurther back, and the abandoned Astral Body becomes an "Astral Shell,"and is subject to a slow disintegration, just as is the physical body.It is no more the soul than is the physical body--it is merely a castoff garment of fine matter. It will be seen readily that it is not anentity, force or being--it is only cast off matter--a sloughed skin. Ithas no life or intelligence, but floats around on the lower AstralPlane until it finally disintegrates. It has an attraction toward itslate physical associate--the physical body--and often returns to theplace where the latter is buried, where it is sometimes seen by personswhose astral sight is temporarily awakened, when it is mistaken for a"ghost" or "spirit" of the person. These Astral Shells are often seenfloating around over graveyards, battlefields, etc. And sometimes theseshells coming in contact with the psychic magnetism of a medium become"galvanized" into life, and manifest signs of intelligence, which,however, really comes from the mind of the medium. At some seancesthese re-vitalized shells manifest and materialize, and talk in avague, meaningless manner, the shell receiving its vitality from thebody and mind of the medium instead of speaking from any consciousnessof its own. This statement is not to be taken as any denial of true"spirit return," but is merely an explanation of certain forms ofso-called "spiritualistic phenomena" which is well understood byadvanced "spiritualists," although many seekers after psychic phenomenaare in ignorance of it.

QUESTION VI: What is meant by "the Days and Nights of Brahm"; the"Cycles"; the "Chain of Worlds", etc., etc.?

ANSWER: In Lesson Sixth, of the present series, you will find a briefmention of the "Days and Nights of Brahm"--those vast periods of theIn-breathing and Out-breathing of the Creative Principle which ispersonified in the Hindu conception of Brahma. You will see mentionedthere that universal philosophical conception of the Universal Rhythm,which manifests in a succession of periods of Universal Activity andInactivity.

The Yogi Teachings are that all Time is manifested in Cycles. Man callsthe most common form of Cyclic Time by the name of "a Day," which isthe period of time necessary for the earth's revolution on its axis.Each Day is a reproduction of all previous Days, although the incidentsof each day differ from those of the other--all Days are but periods ofTime marked off by the revolution of the earth on its axis. And eachNight is but the negative side of a Day, the positive side of which iscalled "day." There is really no such thing as a Day, that which wecall a "Day" being simply a record of certain physical changes in theearth's position relating to its own axis.

The second phase of Cyclic Time is called by man by the name "a Month,"by which is meant certain changes in the relative positions of the moonand the earth. The true month consists of twenty-eight lunar days. Inthis Cycle (the Month) there is also a light-time or "day," and adark-time or "night," the former being the fourteen days of the moon'svisibility, and the second being the fourteen days of the moon'sinvisibility.

The third phase of Cyclic Time is that which we call "a Year," by whichis meant the time occupied by the earth in its revolution around thesun. You will notice that the year has its positive and negativeperiods, also, known as Summer and Winter.

But the Yogis take up the story where the astronomers drop it, at theYear. Beyond the Year there are other and greater phases of CyclicTime. The Yogis know many cycles of thousands of years in which thereare marked periods of Activity and Inactivity. We cannot go into detailregarding these various cycles, but may mention another division commonto the Yogi teachings, beginning with the Great Year. The Great Year iscomposed of 360 earth years. Twelve thousand Great Years constitutewhat is known as a Great Cycle, which is seen to consist of 4,320,000earth years. Seventy-one Great Cycles compose what is called aManwantara, at the end of which the earth becomes submerged under thewaters, until not a vestige of land is left uncovered. This state lastsfor a period equal to 71 Great Cycles. A Kalpa is composed of 14Manwantaras. The largest and grandest Cycle manifested is known as the

Maya-Praylaya, consisting of 36,000 Kalpas when the Absolutewithdraws into Itself its entire manifestations, and dwells alone inits awful Infinity and Oneness, this period being succeeded by a periodequally long--the two being known as the Days and Nights of Brahm.

You will notice that each of these great Cycles has its "Day" periodand its "Night" period--its Period of Activity. and its Period ofInactivity. From Day to Maya-Praylaya, it is a succession of Nights andDays--Creative Activity and Creative Cessation.

The "Chain of Worlds," is that great group of planets in our own solarsystem, seven in number, over which the Procession of Life passes, inCycles. From globe to globe the great wave of soul life passes inCyclic Rhythm. After a race has passed a certain number of incarnationsupon one planet, it passes on to another, and learns new lessons, andthen on and on until finally it has learned all of the lessons possibleon this Universe, when it passes on to another Universe, and so on,from higher to higher until the human mind is unable to even think ofthe grandeur of the destiny awaiting each human soul on THE PATH. Thevarious works published by the Theosophical organizations go intodetail regarding these matters, which require the space of many volumesto adequately express, but we think that we have at last indicated thegeneral nature of the question, pointing out to the student the natureof the subject, and indicating lines for further study andinvestigation.

CONCLUSION.

And now, dear students, we have reached the end of this series oflessons. You have followed us closely for the past four years, many ofyou having been with us as students from the start. We feel many tiesof spiritual relationship binding you to us, and the parting, althoughbut temporary, gives a little pang to us--a little pull upon our heartstrings. We have tried to give to you a plain, practical and simpleexposition of the great truths of this world-old philosophy--haveendeavored to express in plain simple terms the greatest truths knownto man on earth to-day, the Yogi Philosophy. And many have written usthat our work has not been in vain, and that we have been the means ofopening up new worlds of thought to them, and have aided them incasting off the old material sheaths that had bound them for so long,and the discarding of which enabled them to unfold the beautifulblossom of Spirituality. Be this as it may, we have been able merely togive you the most elementary instruction in this world-philosophy, andare painfully conscious of the small portion of the field that we have

tilled, when compared with the infinite expanse of Truth stilluntouched. But such are the limitations of Man--he can speak only ofthat which lies immediately before him, leaving for others the rest ofthe work which is remote from his place of abode. There are planes uponplanes of this Truth which every soul among you will some day make hisor her own. It is yours, and you will be impelled to reach forth andtake that which is intended for you. Be not in too much haste--be ofgreat patience--and all will come to you, for it is your own.

"MYSTIC CHRISTIANITY."

We have here to make an announcement that will please our readers,judging from the many letters that we have received during the severalyears of our work. We will now enter upon a new phase of our work ofpresenting the great truths underlying life, as taught by the greatminds of centuries ago, and carefully transmitted from master tostudent from that time unto our own. We have concluded our presentationof the mystic teachings underlying the Hindu Philosophies, and shallnow pass on to a consideration and presentation of the great MysticPrinciples underlying that great and glorious creed of the Westernworld--the religion, teachings, and philosophy of JESUS THE CHRIST.These teachings, too, as we should remember, are essentially Eastern intheir origin, and source, although their effects are more pronounced inthe Western world. Underlying the teaching and philosophy of the Christare to be found the same esoteric principles that underlie the othergreat systems of philosophies of the East. Covered up though the Truthbe by the additions of the Western churches and sects, still it remainsthere burning brightly as ever, and plainly visible to one who willbrush aside the rubbish surrounding the Sacred Flame and who will seekbeneath the forms and non-essentials for the Mystic Truths underlyingChristianity.

We realize the importance of the work before us, but we shrink not fromthe task, for we know that when the bright Light of the Spirit, whichis found as the centre of the Christian philosophy, is uncovered, therewill be great rejoicing from the many who while believing in andrealizing the value of the Eastern Teachings, still rightly hold theirlove, devotion and admiration for Him who was in very Truth the Son ofGod, and whose mission was to raise the World spiritually from thematerial quagmire into which it was stumbling.

And now, dear pupils, we must close this series of lessons on the YogiPhilosophy. We must rest ere we so soon engage upon our new and greatwork. We must each take a little rest, ere we meet again on The Path ofAttainment. Each of these temporary partings are milestones upon ourJourney of Spiritual Life. Let each find us farther advanced.

And now we send you our wishes of Peace. May The Peace be with you all,now and forever, even unto NIRVANA, which is PEACE itself.